Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors B.W. Jones and E.G. Thomas and from Mrs J. Voyle Williams (Church in Wales Representative).

There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.

The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.

[NOTE:  Councillors D. Jones and G. Jones had earlier declared an interest in this item.]

The Committee considered a report and received a presentation providing an overview of progress and developments in relation to the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Transformation Programme.

The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wale) Bill was unanimously passed by Welsh Government on 12^th December, 2017.  The Act will be supported by regulations and a new ALN Code, both of which will be revised and then consulted upon during the Autumn 2018. They will then be placed before Welsh Government and published and it was anticipated that both would be in place by the end of 2019.

Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education stated that “The Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill is at the heart of our programme to transform the education and support for children and young people with additional learning needs in Wales.  To make sure stakeholders are fully involved in developing and delivering our reforms, we have consulted widely about how we should implement the new additional learning needs system.” 

Three overarching aims of the Bill:-

·       A unified legislative framework to support all children of compulsory school age or below with ALN, and young people with ALN in school or further education (rather than two separate systems of SEN up to age 16 and Learning Skills Plans for post 16-19, both of which are currently covered by separate legislation);

·       An integrated, collaborative process of assessment, planning and monitoring which facilitates early, timely and effective interventions (including duties on Health Boards and Local Authorities to collaborate with each other through a statutory Individual Development Plan for each learner with ALN);

·       A fair and transparent system for providing information and advice, and for resolving concerns and appeals (including requiring Local Authorities to make arrangements for avoiding and resolving disagreements, revising a system found by previous reviews to be ‘complex, bewildering and adversarial’).

As part of the wider ALN Transformation Programme the Welsh Government initiated a two year, pre-legislative grant to support collaborative projects across each of the four consortia.  The purpose was to develop innovative practice in readiness for the roll-out of proposed legislative changes. 

From a Carmarthenshire perspective, progress has been made on a collaborative approach to enhancing ALN provision across our schools.  We have a solid foundation of skills and experience which supports the Transformation agenda well. 

The following questions/observations were raised on the report:-

·       Asked if those who are already statemented will transfer automatically to the new system and how they will be affected until the new system comes in in 2020, the Committee was advised that a statement is a legal document and as such it will remain so until it becomes an Individual Development Plan under the new system;

·       Reference was made to the fact that schools will have to appoint trained officers to meet the new duties and officers were asked how that would be funded in view of the fact that many schools are  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

The Committee considered its Forward Work Programme for 2018/19, which had been prepared in accordance with the Council’s Constitution which required Scrutiny Committees to develop and publish annual forward work programmes identifying issues and reports to be considered at meetings during the course of the municipal year.

Requests were made for the following reports on the following to be included in the FWP:-

- the additional £0.5m funding for schools;

- WESP language continuum and transfer from primary schools;

- TIC;

- delegated schools funding formula (including ALN funding);

- the school admissions and appeals process;

- adult community learning.

It was felt that information reports such as budget monitoring and complaints and compliments did not necessarily need to be included in the FWP as these could be circulated to the Committee via e-mail and should there be any issues for concern these could be raised in accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules.

RESOLVED

6.1     that the Forward Work Programme for the Education & Children           Scrutiny Committee for the 2018/19 municipal year, to include the           above-mentioned items, be endorsed;

6.2     that in future Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring and           Complaints and Compliments reports be circulated to members of           the Committee via e-mail.

The Committee received a report detailing the progress achieved in relation to actions, requests or referrals emerging from previous meetings of the Committee.

RESOLVED that the report be received.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 23^rd April, 2018 be signed as a correct record.