Issue - meetings

To put questions, if any, to Cabinet Members and Chairmen (or their representatives) under Standing Order No. 7(1) and 7(2).

Meeting: 08/03/2017 - Council Meeting (Item 149)

MEMBERS' QUESTIONS TO CABINET MEMBERS AND CHAIRMEN

 

To put questions, if any, to Cabinet Members and Chairmen (or their representatives) under Standing Order No. 7(1) and 7(3).

Minutes:

(1)  Councillor Cusworth asked what support is the Council providing to Brookfield Primary Academy in Swinton, since Ofsted gave the school an overall rating of “inadequate” following their recent inspection in September, 2016.

 

Councillor Watson confirmed that since the Ofsted inspection, one of the Principal Advisors from the Local Authority had met with the Executive Head Teacher and co-constructed a package of support which was available to the Academy. As part of this, extra support had been given to Brookfield Academy to strengthen its safeguarding processes and systems. In addition, teaching staff have attended the Council’s SATS preparation and moderation sessions and the Executive Head Teacher attended the recent Primary Head Teachers’ meeting, which focused on elements of best practice.

 

In a supplementary question Councillor Cusworth understood the Council had previously offered support to the school, but this was not accepted.  However, with a new Head Teacher in place could the Council give assurances that they and Wakefield Academy Trust were now working together.

 

Councillor Watson confirmed in part.   Prior to the inspection the school decided it did not want to take advantage of the Rotherham’s School Improvement Services offer.  Since the inspection, however, the school had been willing to work with the Council and the Head Teacher and the Senior School Improvement Adviser had co-produced a package.  However, at this moment in time financial approval from Wakefield Academy Trust was still awaited. 

 

(2)   Councillor Carter asked what was South Yorkshire Labour’s united policy on devolution to the Sheffield City Region.

 

The Leader explained how the Combined Authority was made up of the Leaders of the four South Yorkshire authorites who wished to continue moving forward with the Sheffield devolution deal.  The Combined Authority regretted the impact and judicial review from Derbyshire, but accepted the consequence of this whilst getting into the right place legally.  This now meant that the election for Mayor would be moved back to 2018.

 

Leaders would continue to pursue what options they believed for their own local authorities and this was the view the Leader had taken on behalf of this authority.

 

In a supplementary question Councillor Carter asked why, when the South Yorkshire Members of Parliament had taken a different stance looking towards a Yorkshire-wide version, could the Leaders not agree this between them.

 

The Leader pointed agreement had been reached on the position of the Combined Authority.  However, he pointed out to Members that each Leader had a responsibility to their own areas and to pursue a devolution deal in the best way.  He was personally unconvinced about a Yorkshire model of devolution as it would prove difficult to get this.  Some people may think it may be possible to do this and some people think it may be possible to achieve this and keep the Combined Authority for the Sheffield City Region with one Mayor for the whole of the Yorkshire area.  All options would be examined as they came forward, but it was the Leader’s view that the Sheffield City  ...  view the full minutes text for item 149