Meeting documents

Venue: Mezzanine Room 1, County Hall, Aylesbury. View directions

Contact: Kevin Wright 

Note: Please note that this meeting will be webcast - please use the "webcasts" menu link 

Media

Webcast: View the webcast

Items
Note No. Item

10:00

1.

Apologies for absence/Changes in Membership

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mr M Moore, Mrs M Aston and Ms K Wood.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To declare any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The following declarations of interest were noted:

 

·         Mr G Williams - Chairman of Bucks Learning Trust Commissioning Committee and a member of the Fundraising Board at Dr Challoner’s Grammar School.

·         Mr N Hussain - Board member at Aylesbury College and a Board Member of BEST and the Healthy Living Centre.

·         Ms I Darby - Governor at Robertswood Primary and Dr Challoner’s Grammar School.

·         Mr K Hamblin – Parent Governor at Halton Community Combined School.

 

 

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 352 KB

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 21st March 2017 and 23rd May 2017  as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The minutes of the meetings held on 21st March and 23rd May 2017 were confirmed as accurate records and signed by the Chairman.

4.

Chairman's Welcome

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, especially new members of the Committee.

10:05

5.

Cabinet Member for Education and Skills - Question Time

An opportunity for the Committee to ask the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills questions on their portfolio area.

 

Contributors:

Mr Mike Appleyard, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills

All Members of the Committee

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Mr M Appleyard, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills highlighted the following  key areas for his portfolio:

 

·         Looking at how to engage better with families who are having difficulties and how to increase achievement at school.

·         Home to school transport

·         Closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

 

In response to questions from Members, Mr Appleyard covered the following:

 

·         The funding formula for schools from central government.

·         Plans for helping secondary schools in Aylesbury to improve.

·         Taking a holistic approach as early as possible to reduce the gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

·         School place planning for future growth.

·         Exclusions from school.

·         The recruitment and retention of teachers in the County.

·         Multi-Academy Trusts. (MATs)

·         Commissioning of services provided by Bucks Learning Trust.

 

 

10:30

6.

Growth Inquiry. Is the County Council Ready For Growth? pdf icon PDF 251 KB

Buckinghamshire will experience significant housing growth in the forthcoming decades which will be set out in the District Council Local Plans.  This will have significant impact on the future demand for County Council Services.

 

As part of an Inquiry each of the County Council’s four Select Committees are holding themed meetings during July 2017 to investigate whether the County Council is ready for growth.  The outline scope for this piece of work was agreed by the Transport, Environment and Communities Select Committee on 21st March 2017 and the final scoping document is attached for information.

 

This item is an opportunity for the Children’s Social Care and Learning Select Committee to consider Children’s Services plans for managing growth and the opportunities, risks and impact of growth on services delivered by the Council’s Children’s Services business unit.

 

Officers attending from the Business Unit will undertake a short presentation for Members who will then have an opportunity to ask questions to gather evidence to inform the inquiry.

 

Contributors:

Mike Appleyard – Cabinet Member for Education and Skills

Gladys Rhodes White – Executive Director for Children’s Services

Carol Douch – Service Director, Children’s Social Care

Debbie Munday – Admissions Manager, Education

Paula Campbell-Balcombe – Commissioner (schools)

Deborah Andrews – Finance Director

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the item and welcomed

·         Ms G Rhodes White, Executive Director for Children’s Services,

·         Mrs C Douch, Service Director - Children’s Social Care,

·         Mrs P Campbell-Balcombe, Schools Commissioner and

·         Mrs D Munday, Admissions Manager.

 

There was an in depth discussion with the Cabinet Member and Officers for the Committee to gather evidence to inform them on whether the County Council was ready for growth.

 

Further details of the discussion can be found in appendix 1 of the minutes and full details on the webcast.

 

12:25

7.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 194 KB

For the Committee to note the current work programme. The newly established Committee will be having a work programme workshop on the afternoon of 18th July and the current work programme will be used as a basis for discussions with an opportunity for Committee Members to add, remove, or amend items.

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Minutes:

The Chairman explained that the new Committee was due to discuss the current work programme seperately after the meeting.

8.

Date of Next Meeting

The next meeting will be held on 5th September at 10.30am in Mezzanine Room 1, New County Hall, Aylesbury.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The next meeting was confirmed as 5th September 2017 at 10.30am, Mezzanine Room 1, New County Hall, Aylesbury.