Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Council was informed that the Executive Board, at its meeting held on the 21st December, 2020 (minute 6 refers) had considered a report on proposals to shorten the current Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process following its approval by the Executive Board Member for Education and Children in September 2018. The current proposal had been developed in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the work of the Modernising Education Provision (MEP) Team and the subsequent delays in its work programme of approximately 6 months
The Executive Board Member for Education & Children advised Council that if it were to adopt the Executive Board recommendation it would result in the removal of consultation with the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee from Stages 2 and 3 of the process on the Executive Board was able to approve Stage 2 and County Council Stage 3. If adopted, the revision would reduce the consultation process by approximately 2 months. The new process would then be:-
Stage 1 – Education and Children Scrutiny Committee and Executive Board
Stage 2 – Executive Board
Stage 3 – Executive Board and Council
It was noted that the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee had endorsed the proposal at its meeting held on the 23rd November 2020.
RESOLVED that the following recommendations of the Executive Board be accepted:-
“That the proposal to shorten the Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process be approved and that the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee be removed from Stages 2 and 3 of the consultation process”.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Executive Board considered a report detailing proposals to shorten the current Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process following its approval by the Executive Board Member for Education and Children in September 2018. The current proposal had been developed in response to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the work of the Modernising Education Provision (MEP) Team and the subsequent delays in its work programme of approximately 6 months
It was reported that whilst the team was now in the process of undertaking all planned work prior to the pandemic within a timescale as close as possible to the original, there was an issue with regard to the progression of school re-organisation proposals. As such, consideration had been given to reducing the Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process to help the team to re-prioritise required consultations in an effective and timely manner.
To achieve that reduction, it was proposed to remove consultation with the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee from Stages 2 and 3 of the process on the basis that the Executive Board was able to approve Stage 2 and County Council Stage 3. If adopted, the revision would reduce the consultation process by approximately 2 months. The new process would then be:-
Stage 1 – Education and Children Scrutiny Committee and Executive Board
Stage 2 – Executive Board
Stage 3 – Executive Board and Council
The Board noted that the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee endorsed the proposal at its meeting held on the 23rd November 2020 and recommended that the Executive Board progress amending the process for progressing statutory proposals and consultations as detailed in the report i.e. the removal of consultation with the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee at Stages 2 and 3 of the Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process
Reference was made to the illustrative flow chart included in the report and to the fact that the Executive Board Member for Education & Children should be included. The Director of Education & Children informed the Board that this happened as a matter of course but he would make sure that the chart was amended accordingly.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND TO COUNCIL THAT the proposal to shorten the Internal School Organisation Decision Making and Determination Process be approved and that the Education and Children Scrutiny Committee be removed from Stages 2 and 3 of the consultation process.