Agenda item

ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW REGIONAL EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP

Minutes:

(NOTE: Mr J. Morgan – Director of Community Services, having earlier declared an interest in this item left the meeting during its consideration)

 

The Cabinet considered a report, together with a draft legal agreement, on the proposed establishment of a new regional partnership to deliver a new model of education provision within the South West Wales footprint between the local authorities of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and the City and County of Swansea to be known as the ‘Partneriaeth’. 

 

It was noted that, if approved, while the partnership would replace the former educational partnership provided by ERW, the ERW Joint Committee would remain in force to wind up its business and establishing all outstanding liabilities. At that point in time, all remaining partners in ERW would withdraw on one week’s notice and ERW would dissolve with the ERW Joint Committee legal agreement being varied to provide for those termination provisions. As part of that deed of variation, it had been agreed that all outstanding ERW liabilities should be divided among the existing partners calculated on a pro rata basis, having first taken account of and deducted any liability of Neath Port Talbot and Ceredigion councils pursuant to clauses 15.2 and 15.4 of the ERW agreement.

 

Appreciation was extended to all the staff involved with establishing the Partneriaeth and setting up the legal agreement.

 

UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED:

 

8.1

To approve the creation of a Joint Scrutiny Councillor Group on the basis of the terms of reference set out in the legal agreement, as amended from time to time;

8.2

To approve the draft legal agreement (attached at Appendix A) to establish a joint committee for a new regional education partnership known as PARTNERIAETH to support the delivery of school improvement;

8.3

To approve the appointment of the Leader as a member of the joint committee;

8.4

To delegate to the Joint Committee those functions necessary to support the delivery of school improvement within the Council’s area and the region, acknowledging and accepting that the Council and the other local authorities in the region, will each retain statutory responsibility for school performance, together with the responsibility for the exercise of statutory powers, of intervention and organisation of schools in their respective areas;

8.5

To delegate authority to the Director of Education in conjunction with the Leader, the Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services and Head of Administration and Law to make any further necessary amendments to the legal agreement and authorises the Chief Legal Officer to enter into the agreement on behalf of the Council together with any ancillary legal documentation necessary to facilitate the creation and operation of the new partnership;

8.6

To approve the provision of services by the Partneriaeth to councils who are not parties to the legal agreement, namely Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, Ceredigion County Council and Powys County Council in accordance with the clause 14 of the legal agreement with authority delegated to the Partneriaeth Joint Committee to agree the terms upon which such services are to be provided;

8.7

To approve the creation of a Joint Scrutiny Councillor Group on the basis of the terms of reference set out in the legal agreement, as amended from time to time.

 

Supporting documents: