Agenda item

Report DCYP11085

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the Academy Programme, developments within Bromley and the potential strategic implications for Bromley Council.  The Chairman provided an introduction and then asked the Director CYP to provide a strategic overview of the issues outlined in the report.

The Director CYP stressed that the reform agenda was changing on a daily basis.  The reforms being introduced represented a significant change which Local Authorities would be required to manage on a local level.  These changes were highlighted in paragraphs 5.4 and 5.7 of the Director’s report.  The Director CYP reported that a number of the Borough’s primary schools continued to deliberate their position regarding academy status and this led to a degree of uncertainty for the Local Authority.  Following the joint letter sent by the Portfolio Holder and the Director to the Chairmen of Governors  of Primary Schools the Department now had a basis on which to describe in clearer terms the range of statutory and sold services the  Local Authority would be able to provide, as well as further develop the sold services model.

Sold Services would be further discussed at the next meeting of the PDS

Following a question, the Director CYP clarified that the Local Authority would continue to be responsible for the planning and placement of school places for children resident in the Borough, irrespective of the status of the school.

The Director CYP also reported that following the meeting with Lord Hill at the DfE attending by the Director, Portfolio Holder and the Executive Assistant, the relationship with the DfE had strengthened and there had been a number of follow-up meetings.  The Director CYP was also contributing to two ministerial advisory groups and would ensure that the perspective of Local Authorities would be taken into account as further reforms were considered.  The Director CYP stressed that Bromley found itself in a unique position in terms of the number of primary schools converting to academy status. Though other London boroughs were also experiencing similar convertion levels. A member suggested lessons might be learnt from their experiences.

The Chairman provided the Committee with an update concerning schools converting to academy status and reported that the Governing Body of Darrick Wood Junior School had informed the Department this week that it was no longer pursuing academy status while another school had changed its intentions twice in the same period.

A Co-opted Member questioned the extent of the legal powers of the Local Authority in respect to vulnerable students.  The Director CYP reported that there was an expectation in law that the Local Authority would continue to be responsible for vulnerable young people however the way this would work in practice would have to be negotiated.  The Co-opted Member suggested that it would be helpful for the Committee to have sight of a simple table with a baseline of young people with SEN pre-academy.  This table could then be monitoring post-academy conversion to ensure that the needs of young people with SEN were being met.  The Director CYP agreed to provide an update on this issue.

The Portfolio Holder reported that he had received a very positive letter from the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Secondary Head’s Forum.  This letter stressed that the secondary schools were committed to working in partnership with other schools and the Local Authority. The Portfolio Holder highlighted that this demonstrated a continued willingness to deliver the best outcomes for young people in the Borough and this was very encouraging.

The Committee acknowledged the extent of the work undertaken by the Portfolio Holder and the Director regarding this issue.  One Member highlighted that by September 2011, only around 30% of Bromley pupils would remain with the Local Authority.  The Member also requested an update on proposals for Free Schools in the Borough.  The Director CYP reported that there was currently very little information available, however there were two sets of proposals, one for a primary school and one for a primary/secondary through school.  The letters received by the Department had been purely fact finding and the Director would provide more information  to the Committee at the next meeting.

A Member sought clarification surrounding the funding provided to schools that had converted to academy status.  The Director CYP reported that conversion had been more financially beneficial to larger schools, with the DSG top-sliced to provide funds as each school converted.  It was possible that schools would be awarded additional funding (on top of the DSG) through different grant schemes.

The Chairman reported that the issues that had arisen with Commercial Transfer Agreements were being resolved and the main points of concern had been addressed.  The Legal Advisor dealing with the Commercial Transfer agreements would be attending the Committee’s meeting in September 2011 to provided Members with an update.

The Portfolio Holder reported that hours of work had been invested in the academy conversion process and thanked the Director and Officers within the Department for their hard work.  The Portfolio Holder stated that he had every confidence in the Director and her team in pursuing the Government’s reform agenda.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to endorse the approach being taken by the Director in response to local Academy developments.