Agenda and minutes

To appoint a Chair of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2003/2004.

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Gate be appointed as Chair of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2003/2004.

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

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Committee arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

RESOLVED:  That there were no declarations of interest made by Members of the Committee in respect of the items on the agenda.

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 all business be considered with press and public present.

To appoint a Vice Chair of the Committee for the Municipal Year 2003/2004

RESOLVED:  That Mr D A Jones be appointed as Vice Chair of the Committee for Municipal Year 2003/2004

That the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record, subject to the following amendment:

-  In the declaration of interests contained in the appendix, Councillor Miss Bednell be recorded as a Co-Opted Governor, not appointed by the Council.

To note any matters arising from the minutes of the meeting held on 31 March 2003.

Minute 20 – School Organisation Plan

In response to a question from a Member, officers informed the meeting that following discussions with officers responsible for pupil projection, they were unable to use the new ward boundaries in the current projections.  The change would require the complex split between Wards and schools to be recalculated which would be undertaken for the review of the plan foe 2004.  Members agreed that they should have a presentation by officers on pupil projections and the new Ward divisions at the next meeting.  Members suggested that this explanation should be included at the beginning of the plan.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions received.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received.

Report of the Executive Director – People First

The Committee received a report of the Executive Director – People First which outlined the draft School Organisation Plan for 2003-2008.

Officers reminded the Committee that they had received a draft of this plan at the last meeting and informed Members that the plan had been out for consultation from June to August.  In discussions at Cabinet, Members had raised some slight concerns that the conclusion of the consultation period was at the beginning of the summer holidays and suggested an executive summary could be produced.

Officers informed the meeting that, following a change of procedure, the School Organisation Plan will now only have to be published every three years and this Plan covered three years for 2003-06.  It was proposed that an annual review would be prepared for the Committee that included updated roll numbers and an updated section 5 produced and that this would be presented to the Committee in March each year.  Officers commented that an explanation of the use of old Ward names for the purposes of calculating pupil projections would be included in the introduction and an executive summary would be produced.

RESOLVED:  That the School Organisation Plan be agreed for publication

(Note:  The Groups that participated in the vote and approved the decision were as follows:  Representatives of the Local Education Authority, the Church of England, the Roman Catholic Church, the Learning and Skills Council and the Schools Group.)

Oral Report by the Property Services Solicitor

Officers informed the meeting that the Property Services Solicitor was unable to attend the meeting, so the oral report on updated guidance for School Organisation Committees would be postponed to the next meeting.

Officers informed the meeting that they wanted the next meeting of the Committee to look at demographic figures and pupil projections.  As the count day was not until the third week of January and time was required to work on the figures, the information would not be available until the March meeting.

In response to a comment from a Member, Officers confirmed it was highly unlikely that Members would be required to use their new powers as Members of the Committee until after April.

RESOLVED:  That the meetings of the School Organisation Committee scheduled for 21 October 2003 and 24 February 2004 be cancelled and the next meeting will take place on Monday 22 March 2004, at 7.30 pm.