Agenda item

[NOTE:  Councillor G. Jones had earlier declared an interest in this item.]

The Committee considered a report and received a presentation providing an update on the TIC (Transform, Innovate, Change) Programme – Support for Schools.

Historically the delegated school budget has been protected from reductions as part of the corporate efficiency programme.  As the outlook for future years is for further reductions to the Council’s budget, schools have been challenged to find budget efficiencies whilst ensuring standards are maintained or improved.  To assist with this, the Council’s TIC team has been joined by Allan Carter, Deputy Head of Queen Elizabeth High School on a secondment to focus on helping schools find budget efficiencies.

The TIC programme was established over four years ago in response to the severest of financial challenges.  During the last financial year, TIC projects helped deliver more than £2m of financial savings and, in total, has helped identify nearly £11.5m savings since its inception.  Allan commenced his role full time in September 2017 and is working with TIC colleagues to gain an understanding of their methodology and to see how that success can be replicated across schools in Carmarthenshire.

The TIC Schools’ programme aims to apply TIC principles of collaborative working, reducing waste and sharing good practice to support schools in reducing costs but, at the same time, protecting the quality of front-line service and improving outcomes.  It also aims to strengthen relationships between schools and the Local Authority through partnership working.  It is not intended to be a top-down approach.

During the first two months of his secondment Allan has identified a number of focus areas where savings could be made and is working with colleagues to take these forward.

The following questions/issues were raised on the report and presentation:-

·       Reference was made to collaborative procurement and tendering and officers were asked if the Authority would support schools co-working on things like grass cutting.  The Head of Education Services advised the Committee that schools have individual Service Level Agreements but opportunities to enhance efficiency are always looked at and currently form a part of the TIC work;

·       Officers were asked if consideration has been given to joint working and sharing staff/expertise to deliver some curriculum topics.  The Head of Education Services advised the Committee that work is already being undertaken regarding joining groups of pupils to deliver some subjects;

·       Concern was expressed that one problem being faced by schools is that their IT systems are not standardised.  Mr Carter advised the Committee that all systems should be standardised.  The Strategic Development Manager further clarified that all primary schools use the Teacher Centre system and all secondary schools are on SIMS (Secondary Schools’ Management Information System);

·       Reference was made to illness and staff absence and the consequential cost of arranging cover and the effect that has on pupils and officers were asked if the Authority has a strategy in place to protect staff and children from these knock-on effects.  The Head of Education Services informed the Committee that a workshop was held recently for all school governors to promote the philosophy that happy staff are effective staff.  It is important to have resources in place to support the wellbeing of staff;

·       Reference was made to Business Managers and officers were asked if schools would have to pay for this service.  The Head of Education Services explained that the pilot scheme will be financed by Welsh Government until July 2019;

·       With regard to bringing in staff from outside agencies to cover illness/absence, officers were asked if there is provision for the Authority to have a pool of staff that can be called upon to cover rather than using staff from external agencies.  The Head of Education Services informed the Committee that the Authority has just been successful in securing funding from the Welsh Government to pilot such a model which would see 3 centrally based staff who could be deployed to a cluster of schools should the need arise.  He added that the bid which was accepted was only for 3 teachers, however, it was a model which could be rolled out in the future.

RESOLVED

6.1  that the report and presentation be received;

6.2  that the Committee receive an update report in six months’ time.