Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Kath Phelan to her first Committee Meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Mr A Rees Co-opted Member.

Members are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government and Finance Act 1992 relating to Council Tax, the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct

Note:

(a)  Members are reminded that they must identify the item number and subject matter that their interest relates to and signify the nature of the personal interest and

(b)  Where Members withdraw from a Meeting as a consequence of the disclosure of a prejudicial interest they must notify the Chair when they leave

No Declarations of Interest were made.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Education

The Chair welcomed Councillor L Mytton, Sue Walker, Bronwen Parry and Lisa Beattie to the Meeting.

The Chair referred the Committee to ‘The Work of the Public Service Board and Links with Education’ report and advised that under Paragraph 8.1 ‘Working Well’ should read ‘Working Life’ and that the complete description of ‘Living Well’ and ‘Working Well’ were detailed under Item 6 - Appendix 1 of the Annual Work Programme.

Sue Walker then led the Committee in detail through the report and gave details of the objectives.

The following questions were then raised by the Committee and were responded to in detail by Councillor Mytton and the Officers:

·         ACES agenda – Will the film be extended to Early Years – Will it be shared with the Youth Forum

·         The amount of new initiatives commencing at the same time- Is there Coaching and Mentoring available – Expectations

·         Statistics on ECO Schools – How many schools are taking part in the Welsh Baccalaureate

·         Emotional Health Issues – What extra support is provided for Teachers to assist

·         Education links to the Public Service Board – Stronger links between young people and the Public Service Board – Request to update the Committee how this is developing as part of the Public Service Board

·         Volunteering and the Welsh Baccalaureate – The Community Zone

Resolved that:

The report be noted.

To receive report of the Chief Officer Education

The Chair advised that this was an Information Report.

Sue Walker referred the Committee to the ‘Overview of the Progress of Youth Support Services Since the ESTYN Monitoring Visit 2015’ report and advised that arrangements could be made for the appropriate Officers to attend a future meeting if the Committee wished to Scrutinise the matter further.

The Chair referred to where the Authority was in 2012 to where the Authority was now and suggested that later in the year arrangements be made for Chris Hole to attend a Committee Meeting.

Resolved that:

The report for Information be received.

Resolved that:

The public be excluded from the Meeting on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 15  under Part 4 of Schedule 12A Section 100 (A) (4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

To consider report of the Chief Officer Education

Sue Walker led the Committee in detail through the ‘Additional Learning Needs (ALN) – Review of Learning Resource Bases (LRBs) Across the Authority – Revised’ report.

Bronwen Parry and Lisa Beattie then gave an overview of their Service areas namely Education Psychology and Additional Learning Needs and together with Councillor Mytton and Sue Walker responded in detail to the questions raised by the Committee.

Resolved that:

The report be noted.

The Chair then thanked Councillor L Mytton, Sue Walker, Bronwen Parry and Lisa Beattie for attending and the update to the Committee.

To consider the attached report

The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Scrutiny Committee Work Programme’ report and suggested that any amendments to the Programme be considered at the Meeting scheduled for September and that Attendance could be an item for consideration.

The Chair advised that there was no update on this item.

To receive an update from the Chair

The Chair and the Committee reflected in detail on the issues that had been discussed at the Meeting.

Councillor S Jago left the Meeting at 5.27 pm.

The Chair advised that there was no business deemed urgent.