Agenda and minutes

County Councillors L. Guppy, R. Harris, S.G.M. Howarth, D. Jones and M. Powell each declared a personal, non-prejudicial interest under the Members Code of Conduct, as they are school governors.

There were no members of the public present.

·         Joint Select Budget Meeting – 16^th December 2015

·         Joint Children and Young People / Adults Select  - 16^th December 2015

·         Ordinary meeting – 14^th January 2016

The Committee noted the minutes of previous meetings and made the following amendments:

16^th December 2015 – Joint Budget Scrutiny Meeting

Mike Fowler had given apologies for the meeting.

Page 3 – County Councillor P Farley wished to note an amendment to the minutes and noted that the context of the discussion may have made it appear that the Drill Hall may have been liable to be closed.  It was stressed that there had not been a question of the closure of the Drill Hall, but rather that it was noted as a good thriving asset and a candidate for transfer.

16^th December 2015 – Joint Special Meeting – Children and Young People and Adults Select Committees

Mike Fowler had given apologies for the meeting.

It was requested that the heading should state that it was a joint meeting of Adults Select and Children and Young People Select Committees.

14^th January 2016 – Ordinary Meeting

Page 27 – The Chair expressed that with regards to the funding of the residential element of Mounton House School, the Committee was in unanimous agreement that they could not agree the report deciding the funding formula for Mounton House when the future strategic direction of the school remained unclear.  There were omissions from the minutes including £250,000 reduction in funding, and the deficit of £136,000.

The Committee had agreed that the Chair and Vice Chair would visit the school and meet with the Executive Head Teacher and the Chair of Governors to discuss the matter further

It was agreed that in noting these changes, the minutes would be confirmed and signed by the Chair.

We welcomed Estyn Inspectors Gerard Kerslake, Lead Safeguarding Officer and Karen Newby-Jones, Local Authority Link Inspector, who were in attendance to present the outcomes from a recent monitoring visits.

The Inspectors wished to thank the Authority for working with Estyn during the recent monitoring visits, which had helped the inspectors draw some firm conclusions.

We were informed that the visits followed the original inspection in 2012 which had achieved an overall judgement of unsatisfactory, with a consequence of the Authority being placed in special measures. 

Following this visit, Estyn has judged that Monmouthshire County Council has made strong progress in addressing two of the six recommendations arising from the inspection of November 2012, and satisfactory progress in addressing the other four.

As a result, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education and Training in Wales considers that the authority is no longer in need of special measures and is removing it from further follow-up activity.

Key messages in the report were highlighted.

Recommendation 1: Ensure that safeguarding procedures are robust and underpinned by a clear policy. The authority has made strong progress in addressing this recommendation.

Recommendation 2: Improve standards of attainment for all groups of pupils, particularly in secondary schools. The authority has made satisfactory progress in addressing this recommendation.

Recommendation 3: Strengthen the level of challenge to schools and use the full range of powers available to the authority to improve leadership and management in underperforming schools.  The authority has made satisfactory progress in addressing this recommendation.

Recommendation 4: Improve corporate planning to strengthen links between the local authority’s priorities and service level targets. The authority has made strong progress in addressing this recommendation.

Recommendation 5: Improve self-evaluation across all services and make better use of data to plan services strategically and target resources appropriately.  The authority has made satisfactory progress in addressing this recommendation.

Recommendation 6: Ensure that performance management is effective and robust and allows elected members and senior officers to identify and address underperformance.  The authority has made satisfactory progress in addressing this recommendation.

Following presentation of the item Members were invited to comment.

A Member commented that as the Authority had been in special measures for three years it was disappointing that no recommendations were in the higher categories.  It was evident there was further work to be done and important to tighten scrutiny processes.  It was noted that information passed to senior management and the Cabinet Member for education should be received by the scrutiny committee, addressing the highlighted issues and a timetable of actions to be taken over the coming years.

Mr.Kerslake advised the Committee to take heart from the letter that good progress had been made.  The Authority was commended for coming out of special measures and it was noted that there were well designed systems and practices in place.  However it was stressed that there was room for continuous improvement and the good evaluation taking place could be improved upon.

A Member referred to the ‘next steps’ highlighted in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

Context:

We received a report from the Head of Achievement and Attainment in order to provide Members of the Children and Young People Select Committee with the

National Categorisation Summary Report for Monmouthshire Schools 2016.

Key Issues:

In September 2014, the Welsh Government implemented a national categorisation model for all schools in Wales.  The purpose of the national categorisation system is to identify schools that are most in need of support, to ensure that support and resources are directed effectively to secure the improvements necessary so that all schools have the capacity to be self-improving and sustainable.

The categorisation process involves the following three ‘Steps’.

1.    Performance and Standards.

2.    Self-evaluation and capacity to self-improve in relation to leadership and teaching and learning.

3.    Categorisation and level of support, challenge and intervention.

The Welsh Government have worked with schools, local authorities, consortia and trades unions to further strengthen the national categorisation model. As a result revisions have been made to all three Steps for 2016.

The proportion of Monmouthshire schools placed in a Green or Yellow support category has improved by 13 percentage points compared to 2015. This means that over 70% of our schools are in now Green or Yellow, closing the gap between Monmouthshire, the region and the rest of Wales.

Primary and secondary school outcomes for Steps 1 and 2 shows an improving and upward trend.

Member Scrutiny:

Members expressed that it may be difficult for members of the public and parents to perceive the actual categories due to the high and low elements.  It was agreed that there was a need for a further explanation to provide people with further understanding.  It was suggested that the press should provide further information to inform that a ‘Red’ category could mean needing improvement in certain areas.  By simply stating the school is in a Red category could give a bad reputation and be demoralising for pupils and teachers.  The Head of Achievement and Attainment explained that they had approached a school in that position and were encouraged to hear that the school had taken steps to explain to parents the meaning of the category.  The Officer agreed that it was not helpful when a Red school was reported as being not a good school as this was not the case.  A Red school is a school that needs more support but unfortunately the press do not report it in that way.

A Member highlighted that the set targets and percentages of free school meals could significantly reduce the percentage, however there may only be one or two pupils.  This could be deemed unfair and have a significant detriment on the banding.  It was requested that for future reporting numbers, as well as percentages, be included to provide further light.  In response officers agreed that it was important to discuss numbers in schools and report on outcomes for free school meal pupils now include numbers.  Officers had attended a school to review progress against an Estyn visit and to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

Context:

We received a report from the Head of Achievement and Attainment in order to provide Members of the Children and Young People Select Committee the Annual Quality Assurance Report 2015 for the commissioned service provided by the Education Achievement Service.

Key Issues:

In September 2014, a revised process for quality assuring the work and impact of the Education Achievement Service was implemented across the region. This process followed an annual cycle and included monthly reviews and termly evaluations by the Local Authority School Improvement Lead and the Principal Challenge Adviser. At the end of the year the work and impact of the Education Achievement Service was evaluated in detail and presented to the Cabinet Member for further scrutiny and challenge.

The strengths of the service are noted and areas for further improvement identified. Outcomes from this process feeds into the directorate’s self-evaluation processes. Included in the report is an overview of the work of the Challenge Adviser, the role of the Principal Challenge Adviser and the Quality Assurance process.

Member Scrutiny:

A Member highlighted that the meeting report to Committee took place in August and questioned why it had taken so long to receive the report.  It was explained that officers did not have the full raft of information at the time the report was put together because the EAS were unable to provide the reports in a consistent format.  Officers had been gathering information and the Estyn inspection may have been cause for delay.  EAS had taken on board the issues raised and the bundle of reports were now of a different quality.  It was confirmed that next year comprehensive reports would be brought to Committee sooner.

We heard that the acronym BIS stood for Business Intelligence Service.  Members reiterated the need for explanations of acronyms within the reports.

Members suggested that the report should highlight concerns from the Senior Officer and Cabinet Member, however we noted that by this time the report is actually a summary.  Members were keen to scrutinise reports throughout the year in order to address any issues as they arise.

In response to a question regarding adequate engagement between schools and EAS we were informed that the level of engagement was driven by the support category.  Almost all schools would accept that the balance is right.

When asked where the EAS was currently letting us down, the Head of Achievement and Attainment explained that the BIS reports were not helpful, yet the challenge advisor reports had become increasingly better over time.  The National Categorisation Reports viewed by Estyn had not been through the QA process at the time they were requested and were still at a point of discussion.

A Member questioned if there were any areas where the EAS were letting the Authority down.  Officers believed that over the years the Challenge Advisor Team had changed and there was now a strong team providing consistent challenge within schools.  The BIS area was developing well and there was a good programme of support.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

We welcomed Dr Sarah Aitken, Consultant in Public Health Medicine from Aneurin Bevan Gwent Local Public Health Team who was in attendance to present a report on the Childhood Obesity Strategy for Gwent.

Context:

The purpose of the report was to introduce the Gwent Childhood Obesity Strategy to 2025, “Fit for Future Generations” to the Children and Young People Select Committee and to develop understanding of the significant impact of obesity and childhood obesity on people and the public service sector, the benefits of coordinated effective action and the recommended strategic approach to delivery.

The Committee were informed of the response across the Gwent / ABUHB area and heard suggestions that Members could take to support implementation of the strategy in Monmouthshire and to enable the Committee to input at the early stages of development of a Monmouthshire response.

Following a detailed presentation highlighting the key issues of the strategy Members were invited to comment.

Members Scrutiny:

A Member expressed that in order to develop a programme of obesity prevention there many areas that would need to be addressed, such as supermarket lay outs, access of leisure centre vending machines, lack of exercise adequate facilities.  Also it was though that there was no indication of children who were obese through illness.  Dr Aitken responded by noting that there were choices that families could be made in terms of supermarkets.  With regards to the environment it was recognised some aspects were more difficult but there were still things that could be done, such as walking.  It was important to focus on what we can do.  It was recognised that there are some genetic dispositions but this was a small part of what is recognised about people being obese.

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health expressed that this was a fascinating subject in terms of many social issues.  It was important to form understanding and to determine what could be done.  Education is key, and we need to address the issue in a simple way.  Every person who presents obesity issues would do so for individual reasons.  In context of the Social Care and Wellbeing Act being introduced in April 2016, was as an Authority we must be more informative to the community on what is available to them and understanding how people can be helped.  Developing education from an early age to understand the tendencies people have and what can be done to abstain in order to achieve a healthier and happier life.

A Member observed that many people think that eating healthily could be expensive and that more should be done to educate and develop cooking skills in young mothers.  It was suggested that this could be developed in more areas.

Dr Aitken noted that all suggestions were valid but should be part of a joined up plan.

Members expressed that the huge choices of food, low pay and low aspirations were all part of the problem.

It was suggested that Planning and Tourism and Leisure departments should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Committee agreed to defer the item to the meeting on the 22^nd February 2016.

We noted the future Work Programme for the Children and Young People Select Committee.  In doing so it was confirmed that there would be a special meeting on Monday 22^nd February at 10.00am, to include the following items:

·         Adoption and Fostering - Scrutiny of the performance of the South East

Wales Adoption Service (SEWAS) ~ Annual Report

·         Implications of the Social Care and Wellbeing Act

·         Flying Start performance report

·         Deferred Item – Month 9 Revenue and Capital Monitoring.

It was proposed and agreed to Call In the Cabinet Decision dated 3^rd February 2016 ‘Proposed changes to the funding formula for schools’.  It was agreed to bring this to the Special Meeting on 22nd February 2016.

We noted forthcoming meeting dates as:

·         22^nd February 2016 – Special Meeting

·         17^th March 2016 – Ordinary Meeting