Agenda item

Purpose:

The purpose of the report is for members to agree the Statutory Partnership Agreement having taken on board comments made by the Committee during its meeting in January 2019.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that members agree the Statutory Partnership Agreement.

Key Issues:

1.         The Partnership Agreement includes those statutory functions that must be included which are:

·         How the Local Authority (LA) will promote high standards and support schools in particular those giving cause for concern, in special measures or requiring significant improvement and the factors the LA will take into account in identifying schools giving cause for concern.

·         The support the LA will provide for governing bodies where the authority has exercised its powers of intervention or suspended the right to a delegated budget, and in instances where an inspection of a school causes concern or the LA appoints additional governors.

·         Responsibility of the Local Authority to provide governors with support

·         The reports which the governing body provides to the LA on discharge of its functions.

·         The responsibility of the school and LA for Health and Safety matters and their duties to employees and other persons in respect of these matter.

·         The responsibility of the school and LA for the control of school premises and their maintenance and repairs and how the governing body may exercise its powers to provide community facilities; and

·         The LA duties regarding the defrayment of expenses and maintaining schools.

In addition, for schools providing primary education the Agreement must include:

·         The exercise by the LA and governing body of functions that will promote high standards and secure effective transition of pupils from Key stage 2 to 3 and;

·         LA target setting in relation to education plans and governing body target setting in relation to pupil performance and absence.

For schools providing secondary education the Agreement must include

·         The exercise by the LA and governing body of functions that will promote high standards and secure effective transition of pupils from Key stage 2 and 3 and from key stage 3 to 4;  and

·         A target setting in relation to education plans and governing body target-setting in relation to absence.

2.         Headteachers and Monmouthshire Association of School Governors have             been consulted on the Partnership Agreement and views and comments will    be included in the final document that will be submitted to Cabinet in due           course.

Member Scrutiny:

The Partnership Agreement was presented by the Children and Young People, Governance Manager.  Members of the Select Committee were invited to ask questions and comment as follows:

·         County Councillor M. Groucutt explained that the Partnership Agreement had been reviewed due to concerns raised by the Monmouthshire Association of School Governors; mainly, that the document identified functions for governors that would ordinarily be the domain of school leadership.  Governors undertaking such functions would have to rely on information received only.  Since the review and following alteration of some wording, Councillor Groucutt endorsed and commended the document that now resolves the concerns of governors.

·         The representative of the Monmouthshire Association of School Governors confirmed that the association appreciated the opportunity to resolve concerns and were satisfied with the revised version.

·         A Committee Member suggested some technical changes to ensure the document was up to date and agreed to e mail her suggestions separately for incorporation prior to consideration by Cabinet, and onward progression to school governing bodies.