Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member, Education, Culture and Leisure Services held on 11^th and 18^th May 2004 be received.

Dawn Rowley, Information & Performance Review Manager and Bob Toms, Senior School Improvement Adviser, attended the meeting and gave a presentation on the Rotherham Learning Grid – an IT learning initiative provided for the whole community.

The purpose of the work was to create an infrastructure that allows compatibility of all computers, to function at a reasonable speed, with security that will benefit all users in Rotherham, but particularly school pupils.

The presentation covered the following issues:-

-                      Networked Learning Communities

-                      ‘Think Different’

-                      Why Change?

-                      Classrooms of the Future

-                      Why Broadband?

-                      The Target

-                      Connectivity

-                      Advantages of RLG Broadband

-                      Content

-                      Ways you can get involved

-                      How is RLG being delivered

-                      High-Level Plan

-                      Project Monitoring

The aim was to connect 75 primary schools by September 2004, and other schools who have signed up by December, 2004.

Two examples of excellent work with pupils using ICT equipment were (1)  Foundation stage children using interactive video cameras and (2) Roscars - an initiative of 70 schools creating short films for a competition.

Resolved:-  (1)  That Dawn Rowley and Bob Toms be thanked for an interesting and informative presentation.

(2)                That a presentation on the initiative be given to The Cabinet.

(3)               That information on the progress of this work be placed on the Council’s web site.

(4)  That a Review of the initiative be reported to Corporate Management Team.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader School Improvement on the annual review and evaluation of the School Improvement Plan (Education Development Plan 2 (EDP2) Annex 2 – April 2003-March 2004.

The revised School Improvement Plan 2004/05 and the evaluation report for the 2003/04 School Improvement Plan has to be submitted to the DfES by July, 2004.

The following information was provided in Appendix A:-

Section A : Outcomes against targets

-                      Statutory targets

-                      Non-statutory targets for 2002

-                      Stretch targets for Local Public Service Agreements

Section B : Progress towards 2004 and 2005 targets

Section C : Cost Effectiveness of School Improvement Plan 2003-2004

In summary:

-                      Early Years provision and the development of Foundation Stage Units is good

-                      Attainment at Key Stage 1 (age 7) in both literacy and numeracy is close to national levels of attainment

-                      At Key Stage 2 (age 11) progress in the percentage of pupils achieving the average levels for their age, from 1998 to 2002, has been significant in both English (20%) and mathematics (24%)

-                      Challenging targets have been set to raise achievement at the end of Key Stage 3 (age 14)

-                      Activities involving all secondary and special schools, funded through Objective 1 grants, have been undertaken to improve 14-19 educational opportunities

-                      Targetted programmes, to raise the attainment of the most vulnerable children, are being developed and will be implemented throughout the timescale of the Education Development Plan

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received.

(2)                   That the revised School Improvement Plan be accepted and a full copy placed in the Members’ library and on the intranet.

(3)  That the evaluation of the School Improvement Plan for 2003 – 2004 be received.

Consideration was given to a report of the Business Development Officer, Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning on the formal creation of a Doorstep Green at Coronation Park in Maltby.  The creation ties the land into a legal framework which defines its use for the life of the Doorstep Green for up to thirty years.

The report explained that the Countryside Agency has awarded the Friends of Maltby Parks, in partnership with the Council’s Green Space Unit, a grant of £50,000 for the creation of a Doorstep Green at Coronation Park in Maltby.

The group has worked closely with the Green Spaces Unit, Maltby Town Council and Groundwork Dearne Valley to make this possible.

In order to realise this funding, a number of legal documents must be completed which tie the council into an agreement with the Friends group.  At this point the Doorstep Green comes into existence.

By dedicating this land as a Doorstep Green for up to 30 years the council is voluntarily preventing a change of use over that period.  However as an existing area of Green Space land it is unlikely that there would be any intention in the intervening period to change the land use and therefore jeopardize the Doorstep Green status.

The project will be included on the council’s grounds maintenance contract and delivered as per that specification.  In addition a dedicated Development Ranger has recently been appointed to work on the site to encourage local involvement and detached youth workers are assisting in making the park a safe place to participate in recreation.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the formal creation of a Doorstep Green at Coronation Park, Maltby be approved.

(2)  That this information, be circulated to Ward 9 members.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the above Board held on the 14^th May 2004 be received.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader, Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning on a request from George Wimpey Homes to adopt two areas of public open space, including a new play area, on a residential development off Middlewood Drive and Hesley Mews at Hesley Grange, Scholes.

Planning consent for new housing at Hesley Grange was granted subject to a Section 106 Agreement dated 21^st December 2000.  The agreement includes for the payment by the developer of a capital sum of 335,000 for provision of recreational facilities, including a play area, and future maintenance of two open spaces within the development.  It also refers to the Council being responsible for the general maintenance of the green land.

The green areas are predominately grassland with a mixture of tree and shrub planting amounting to approximately 2031 square metres.  The play area includes five different play activities, seat, litter bins and impact-absorbing surfacing.  It is fenced with self-closing gates.  The Council has now been asked to adopt them in line with the agreement.  The area has been maintained to a good standard and is suitable to be considered for adoption.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the adoption from George Wimpey Homes by Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning of the areas of public open space at Hesley Grange, marked on the accompanying plan, in line with Section 106 Agreement dated 21^st December 2000, be approved.

(2)  That the Executive Director Economic Development Service be requested to arrange the transfer of the public open space at Hesley Grange from George Wimpey Homes to the Borough Council.