Agenda and minutes

The minutes of a previous meeting held on 4^th April, 2006 were agreed as a correct record.

Clerical Correction

Resolved:-  That Minute No. 183 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 14^th March, 2006 be altered as follows:-

Resolution 2 to be deleted and replaced with “That a further report be submitted to a future meeting containing details of the outcome of the consultation”.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the above Panel held on 4^th April, 2006 be received.

Pursuant to Minute No. C50 of January 2000, consideration was given to a nomination received to fill an LEA vacancy on a school governing body.

Resolved:-  That, subject to a satisfactory check being undertaken, the following appointment be made to a school governing body with the effective date of appointment, as agreed:-

BadsleyMoor Infant School               Mrs. M. M. Wheatley             25/04/06

- to consider proposed term dates for 2007/08

Consideration was given to a report of the Manager, School Organisation, Planning and Development, Resources and Information on the outcome of discussions with the Teaching, and Non-teaching Unions’ Consultative Group in relation to the neighbouring South Yorkshire Authority’s proposed term dates and the Local Government Association’s recommendations for the school year 2007/2008.

The LGA has published guidance for 2007/08 and the principles behind their recommendations are:

• A return date for 2007 of Monday, 3^rd September (being as near to 1^st September as possible)
• An even distribution of term lengths across the year
• A start date for ‘term 5’ (Summer Term) during the second, or early in the third week of April (irrespective of the incidence of Easter)
• A summer holiday of at least 6 weeks for those schools which want this length of break
• A 7 school-day break at October half term
• A calendar based on 190 pupil days for 2007/08 and allowing the five INSET/CPD days to be set by the Head Teacher

To assist in the determination of term dates, as well as the above information from the LGA, officers from the Authority had met with the other Authorities in South Yorkshire and suggested co-ordinated dates had been drafted for South Yorkshire.  Copies of all these dates were attached as an Appendix to the report submitted.

The LGA proposals had been considered by the Consultative Group and concern had been expressed at some of their recommendations.  These concerns had centred around (1) the failure to include the five in-service training days (2) the inclusion of two additional days in the October half-term break, which created a split week.  There was, however, general support for the return date on 3^rd September and the dates of the half terms’ breaks which were similar to the South Yorkshire suggested dates.

The recommendations made were:-

• To commence the 2007/08 School Year on the 3^rd September 2007
• To take a week at October half term (this is counter to the LGA proposal, which was to add two days and which would create a split week)
• The Easter holiday to fall at the start of the Holiday break, which gives a more even term structure

Resolved:-  That the proposed term dates, as contained in Annex A now submitted for 2007/08, be adopted and circulated to all schools, along with a list of the Local Election dates for the next five years.

- to agree that in the absence of any objections, a formal consultation on the proposal is begun

Further to Minute No. 174 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 21^st February 2006, consideration was given to a report of the School Organisation, Planning and Development Manager on the outcome of a pre-statutory consultation regarding a proposal to make prescribed alteration to the age range at East Dene Junior and Infant School.

East Dene Junior and Infant School is currently a 4-11 age range school.  The proposal is to change the age range to 3-11 years to allow younger pupils to be admitted to a Foundation Stage Unit.  It is proposed to make a prescribed alteration to East Dene Junior and Infant School from September 2006.

The school will have 350 places (R-Y6) with a foundation stage unit that can accommodate up to 50 pupils on a part-time basis (25 pupils in the morning and 25 in the afternoon).  The admission number of 50 to the school (reception onwards) will replace the former admission number of 60 with PFI in 2006/07.

Consultations had been undertaken with School staff, Parents and the School Governors.  In addition, copies of the consultation papers had been sent to neighbouring schools and Ward Members.

The only concern expressed by the Governing Body had been in relation to the availability of funding to create the external rubberised soft play area for the foundation stage unit.  The PFI programme did not include this type of play area and the Governing Body had been informed that this additional cost would fall on the school.

Officers explained that the cost could be funded from the school’s devolved formula capital grant.

Resolved:-   That, in the absence of any objections, formal consultation on the proposal is begun with publication of the ‘Statutory Notices’ and that a further report be submitted to a future meeting containing the details of the outcome of the formal consultation.

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Head of Service, Resources and Access on a request received from The Clifton Team Strategy Group to name the new multi-agency team building “The Place”.

The Clifton Team are a co-located multi-agency team consisting of health, education and social services staff providing statutory services to children in the Clifton Community.

A competition involving local schools and the local community was launched to give children and young people an opportunity to name the new building.

Resolved:-  That the request to name the new multi-agency team building at the Clifton Team Strategy Group be approved.

Further to Minute No. 197 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 14^th March 2006, the Head of Culture and Leisure gave a presentation on the Green Space Strategy and Restructure.

The presentation set out the details of:-

• Best Value Review – Action Plan
• New Staff Structure
• New Structure Objectives
• Division of Service into three parts

      RotherValley CountryPark

      Operations

      Development

·                    Progress

Recent progress in the work of Green Spaces included the following:-

·                Green Space Audit and needs assessment completed allowing local standards to be set (in accordance with PPG17) and resources to be prioritised through a Green Space Strategy (in preparation);

·                Playing Pitch Audit and user survey completed, leading to preparation of Playing Pitch Strategy;

·                Urban Parks Ranger team has been established (part of Rotherham Warden Service), increasing confidence in and use of parks by delivering events and activities, helping to monitor the condition of parks, and working with other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime;

·                Establishment of eight ‘Friends’ groups for individual green spaces and assisting with management, development and events;

·                Substantial inward investment in priority sites, including £1.6 million in 2005-06 from HMR Pathfinder, £940,000 BLF ‘Transforming your Space’ award with focusing on facilities for young people, and disadvantaged areas of Rawmarsh and Maltby, £650,000 investment in Canklow Recreation Ground, and many others;

·                Confirmation of new structure for Green Spaces Unit, including a larger and more flexible front-line operational team allowing greater focus on work with communities to improve services in priority areas, park managers for more accountable and joined up site management and a dedicated development team;

·                Successful out-sourcing of selected service elements including golf course and children’s amusements leading to increased investment, improved service and reduced costs to the Council;

·                Investment in allotments and improved marketing has reversed long decline in levels of use and has opened up opportunities for involvement by target groups;

·                Green Flag Awards – RotherValley and ThryberghCountry Parks

It was noted that UlleyCountry Park had been chosen as one of the next two sites to apply for Green Flag status.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the current progress be noted and the objectives of the new structure welcomed.

(2)         That a more detailed report on the Green Space Strategy be submitted to a future meeting.

(3)         That an update on the situation be sent to all Members.

(4)         That, as part of the ongoing review of the situation, a progress report be submitted to a future meeting (approximately September, 2006).  This report to include information on the impact of the restructure, with particular emphasis on Ulley Country Park.

In accordance with Minute No. 183 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 14^th March 2006, consideration was given to a report of the Acting Head of Service, Resources and Access on the outcome of pre-statutory consultations with School Governors, Staff and Parents, on a proposal to amalgamate Maltby Manor Infant and Maltby Manor Junior Schools by closing both schools and opening a new Maltby Manor Primary School.

Maltby Manor Infant and Maltby Manor Junior are both separate schools. 

The conditions for consultation on amalgamation, as outlined in the report submitted, are met.

A number of issues were raised at the pre-statutory meetings and officers from the Authority had responded to questions asked.  These had related to:-

-                       proposed date of amalgamation

-                       location of the one Head Teacher

-                       distance between the two schools and physical linking of buildings

-                       provision of facilities if staff to be located in two schools

-                       provision of school meals

The statutory consultation timetable is:

            Publication of statutory notices                      5^th May 2006

            6-week period for representations and         16^th June 2006

            objections closes

            LEA/School Organisation Committee           by 7^th July 2006

            decision

            Implementation                                               1^st April 2007

It was noted that in view of concern expressed regarding the tight timescale for appointment of a new Head Teacher, and following discussion with the Governing Body and existing Head Teachers, the date of amalgamation had been postponed until 1^st April, 2007.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the statutory consultation on the proposal to the amalgamation of Maltby Manor Infant and MaltbyManor JuniorSchools by closing both schools and opening a new Maltby Manor Primary School as described in Appendix A, now submitted, is begun.

(2)  That a further report be submitted to a future meeting with details of the outcome of the formal consultation.

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 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

-          to consider the grant applications outlined in the report

(report contains financial information)

In accordance with Minute No. 211 of a meeting of the Cabinet Member for Education, Culture and Leisure Services held on 3^rd February 2004 consideration was given to a report of the Head of Culture & Leisure which contained a list of grant applications for Community Arts Projects.

This was the third year of this small arts grants scheme, managed by the Community Arts Service, out of funds originally routed through Arts Council England.

All projects would be required to complete a report to enable RMBC to monitor the amount of arts activity in the Borough and the success of the scheme.

The report included a summary of projects and conditions of grant funding since the formation of the arts grants scheme in 2001.

Whilst the meeting welcomed the wide variety of project activities, a discussion took place on ways of encouraging other community groups to take advantage of the scheme in future.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the grant applications, as submitted in the report, be approved.

(2) That a future report be awaited on the Rural Touring Initiative.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 – item relates to the financial or business affairs of any particular person).