Agenda and minutes

Further to the re-establishment of this Sub-Committee by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting on 24 November 2004, the Sub-Committee is asked to note the appointment of Councillor Mitzi Green as Chair for the remainder of the 2004/05 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED: To note the appointment at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 24 November 2004 of Councillor Mitzi Green as Chair of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             after notifying the Chair at the start of the meeting.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interest made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2) all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice Chair of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2004/05.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Janet Mote be appointed as Vice Chair of the Sub-Committee for the remainder of the 2004/2005 Municipal Year.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2004, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the signing of the minutes of the meeting held on 13 October 2004 be deferred until the next meeting, at which point the Council Bound Minute Volume would be available.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents/organisations under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8.

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9.

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10.

Report of the Executive Director of (Business Connections) and Executive Director (People First).

The Sub-Committee received a joint report of the Executive Director (Business Connections) and the Executive Director (People First), which provided details of the proposed schools budget for 2005/2006.  It was explained that the report would be submitted to Cabinet for decision at its meeting on 16 December 2004.  It was added that the Council was required to notify the DfES of its decision by 31 December 2004.

Members initially discussed the schools formula funding and the adequacy of funding for socially deprived pupils.  The Sub-Committee was advised that many Local Authorities had struggled to assemble robust data that could be used for funding social deprivation through the schools formula.  The Sub-Committee also questioned the £165,000 contingency under the central items provision.  It was explained that this contingency would provide a greater degree of flexibility within the central items budget and could cover an increase in expenditure across all the central item areas for the following year.  A query was raised over the £43,000 designated as ‘Other.’  It was reported that this provision represented a small contingency for schools that faced exceptional circumstances and could be distributed outside of the formula funding. Concern was expressed over whether this figure represented a sufficient amount, particularly given the potential for further school amalgamations.

The Sub-Committee concurred with the view that the budget represented a good settlement for the Council and agreed to pass its comments onto Cabinet.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet be requested to fully passport and spend at the notified Schools Block total.