Agenda and minutes

- to consider the financial implications of meeting the Museum Accreditation Standards alongside the budget-setting process for 2006-07.

In accordance with Minute No. 59 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning held on 26^th July 2005, consideration was given to a report of the Libraries, Museums and Arts Manager which contained details of the Accreditation for Museums – the new National Standards Scheme.

The Museum Accreditation Scheme is the national minimum set of standards for UK museums.  It replaces the existing Registration Scheme, under which Clifton ParkMuseum, RotherhamArt Gallery and the York and LancasterRegimental Museum have been Registered as fit for purpose.  All three museums will be invited to apply for Accredited Status in January, 2006.

The Accreditation Standards are divided into 4 sections:  Governance and Museum Management;  User Services;  Visitor Facilities;  and Collections Management.

The single greatest strength of the Service in relation to meeting the Standards is the recent improvements to user services and visitor facilities at Clifton ParkMuseum.  However, the limited capacity of the Service has meant that this has only been achieved by scaling back on delivery and the planning of improvements at both the other museums.  Similarly, the long-term focus on creating the new displays at CliftonPark Museum has, through lack of staff time and resources, witnessed a general slippage of standards for Collections Management.

In addition, a report by Internal Audit in July 2005 on the Control and Security of Collections, recommended improvements to aspects of the collections management to reduce the risk of loss.  These issues would need to be addressed to meet the Accreditation Standard.

The Accreditation Standards are both more challenging and wider ranging than those covered by the existing Registration Scheme.  Failure to achieve Accreditation will have serious implications and the work required must be planned for and delivered before the submission deadline of July 2006 of the Museums, Libraries and Arts Council.

The report set out the implications of meeting the Accreditation Standards and the investment required.

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

(2)         That the Head of Culture and Leisure liaise with the Executive Director of Finance to ensure the financial implications of meeting the Museum Accreditation Standards are being considered as part of the budget setting process for 2006-07.

(3)  That a further report be submitted to the next meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure.

- to consider how changes to tuition fees is debated and developed

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Head of Service, Resources and Access, Children and Young People’s Services on the details of changes to the Higher Education Student Finance 2006 scheme.

From 1^st September 2006, English Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can charge a variable tuition fee of up to £3,000 for each year of an undergraduate course.

Previously students have been charged up to £1200 tuition fees and assessed for a tuition fee grant according to household income.  From 2006 however, all new students, regardless of their financial circumstances, will be obliged to pay the fees charged by their university (maximum £3000 per year).

In addition, along with the higher tuition fee, a new package of living cost support will be introduced.  The £3,000 cap on fees cannot be raised by more than inflation before 2010 at the earliest.  Payment of the new tuition fee can be deferred until the end of a student’s course by the student taking out a loan to cover the cost during the course.

Those students who started courses before 1^st September 2006, ‘existing students’, will remain on the current package of financial support and be charged an annual tuition fee of around £1,200 for each year of the course.

The report set out both the financial support package for new students starting undergraduate courses from September 2006, and for existing students who started courses before 1^st September, 2006.

The level of applications will be assessed for the 2006/07 cycle in order to gain an indication of whether the increased fees have had an impact upon take-up rates for higher education amongst Rotherham students.  Currently approximately 33% of school leavers progress to higher education courses, leading to 3,000 applications for financial support.

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

(2)  That a further report be submitted to a future meeting containing details of the number of Rotherham applications for financial support in each Ward of the Borough,  in comparison to National statistics.

- to consider the way forward

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Head of Service, Resources and Access, Children and Young People’s Services which contained details of a Review of Higher Education Student Finance Delivery by the DfES.

The DfES is currently conducting an end-to-end review of student finance delivery in England to consider centralisation of the service presently operated by Local Authorities in partnership with the Student Loans Company (SLC).

Rotherham MBC receives and processes over 3000 applications for Higher Education Student Finance each year, in accordance with the Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998, the Education (Student Support) Regulations and the functions transferred by the Secretary of State to Local Authorities in England.

Application statistics suggest that on average 33% of school leavers progress to Higher Education each year in Rotherham (1998 to 2005).

The report set out details of the Authority’s Service Level Agreements and the Authority’s performance against main agreed processing targets, which it was noted had been very good this year, together with two business models chosen for the pilot scheme.

This end-to-end review, which would be considering how the present student finance can be made more customer-focused, efficient and sufficiently flexible to respond to possible future changes in higher education, will be considering:

-                       the needs of customers, including the provision of advice and the needs of under-represented student groups;

-                       the efficiency and effectiveness of delivery processes and use of technology;

-                       clear objectives and challenging performance measures, benchmarked against comparable services;

-                       the relationship between the DfES and current/future delivery partner(s), allocation of responsibility and management of risks;

-                       value-for-money and sufficient flexibility to deal with possible future changes in the higher education system

The Department will conduct a Student Finance Delivery pilot scheme in the academic year 2006/2007 to assess the impact of different delivery models on services.

If it is concluded that Student Finance functions should be fully or partially centralised, it is likely that an adjustment will have to be made to the Local Authority’s Formula Spending Share to reflect the transfer of student finance function to another body.

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

(2)         That a letter be sent to Head Teachers and Governing Bodies of the relevant schools in Rotherham, informing them of the details of the changes to tuition fees, as contained in the report now submitted.

(3)  That a letter be sent to the Secretary of State for Education, and local M.Ps, highlighting the concerns of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure of the implications of the rise in charges, as discussed.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 8 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

- to approve a request to waive Standing Orders to allow the employment of a Contractor to undertake a feasibility study

Consideration was given to a report of the Head of Culture and Leisure which sought permission to engage a known firm of consultants to undertake a feasibility study on the Herringthorpe Leisure Complex and Nursery Site.

The report set out the detail of the rationale behind the proposal and the work required to undertake a study of the Herringthorpe/Nursery site, together with the timescales required.

The study was to be funded from the Housing Renewal Pathfinder Fund.

The Head of Legal Services was in agreement to the proposal.

Resolved:-  (1)  That in accordance with Standing Order 42, a contract be established with Strategic Leisure Limited to undertake a feasibility study of possible opportunities for the Herringthorpe Leisure Complex, and community sports hub, as a consequence of the circumstances outlined in the report, now submitted, and having regard to the representations of the Officer.

(2)  That the result of the exercise be presented to the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure before the end of March 2006.

(Exempt under Paragraph 8 of the Act – report contains financial information relating to a contract for the supply of goods or services).