Agenda and minutes

- to receive minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting held on 23^rd January, 2007 were agreed as a correct record.

- to receive minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the International Links Committee held on 18^th January, 2007 be received.

- to note and comment on the recommendations of the report

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Learning Services which contained the details of the Key Stage 2 Assessment results for 2006, which informed of performance in Rotherham primary schools at the end of Key Stage 2, in 2006, and how they compared to the national average, and to statistical neighbours.

Rotherham had not maintained the improvements reported in 2005 at level 4+, however, some further improvements were made at level 5+.

The 2006 Key Stage 2 Level 4+ results were disappointing most particularly following the successes of the two previous years.  Declines from 2005 were reported in all areas compared to a more variable profile nationally.  Whilst the results in all curriculum areas had dropped from 2005 to 2006, the trend in performance from 2003 to 2006 was an improving trend in English, reading, writing and mathematics.  However, there was a declining trend in science.

The results of 2006 at this level present an increased gap between Rotherham’s attainment profile and that nationally.  (English – 5%, Writing – 6%, Mathematics – 5% and Science – 5%).

The higher performance at Level 5+ did reflect some gains from 2005 (English and Reading), but these did not meet the improvements reported nationally.  All Level 5+ results in Rotherham had exceeded those reported in 2004, except in science.  L5+ Reading demonstrated the highest outcome to date.  L5+ attainment remains some distance from those reported nationally.  (English – 7%, Reading – 8%, Writing – 5%, Mathematics – 5% and Science – 7%).

The report included comparative performance data with regard to:-

-                       vulnerable and underachieving groups across English, mathematics and science since 2003

-                       Ethnicity

-                       Looked After Children

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

(2)         That the declines in performance in Key Stage 2, most particularly when compared to results reported nationally and the improvements made in the previous two years, be noted.

(3)         That all schools continue to be encouraged to improve their results, and strive to reflect outcomes, at least in line with national averages.

(4)         That the Council’s drive to reduce the number of schools below DfES floor target of 65%, improve boys’ attainment and that of BME pupils and Looked After Children, be endorsed.

(5)         That the Director of Learning Services submit a report to a future meeting on work carried out in schools to address issues highlighted, and the possible affect of this work on assessment results for 2007 and beyond.

(6)  That the report be submitted to Cabinet and the Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Panel for consideration.

- that Members consider and agree to the proposal that the Council and the Diocese of Hallam exchange land

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Service Resources and Access on a proposal to exchange land between the Diocese of Hallam and the Council in order to clarify building and land ownership.

The new School sports hall has been built on land owned by the Diocese of Hallam and the Council. 

Big Lottery Funding (New Opportunities Fund PE and Sport Programme) has enabled the Council to provide a new sports hall at the school.  The land on which the new sports hall has been built was formerly used to accommodate two disused classrooms and a high jump and long jump pit.  The pits are to be relocated on the School site.

The site for the sports hall was chosen due to:

• Land availability following demolition of dilapidated classrooms
• Good access for school and community use (level site for disabled access, close to car park and main school entrance)

The land used to build the sports hall is owned by the Diocese of Hallam and Rotherham Borough Council (559m²) which it is proposed will be exchanged with a piece of land (559m²) owned by the Diocese of Hallam.  The Diocese of Hallam land earmarked for exchange is currently used as a nature garden and overspill car park/hard standing.  The school will continue to use the land exchanged on the same basis as the sports fields.

The DfES Schools Assets team have been contacted and they have confirmed that ministerial consents are not required for the exchange of land in this instance.

Resolved:-  That the proposal that the Council and the Diocese of Hallam exchange a 559m² piece of land at Pope Pius X Catholic High School to enable the Diocese of Hallam to have sole ownership of the land beneath the sports hall (plus 1m around the periphery for maintenance) be approved.

- that the Cabinet Member endorse the drive to improve standards

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Learning Services which set out in detail the assessment results of performance of Rotherham children in Foundation Stage and the end of Key Stage 1, in 2006.

All schools must conduct a form of statutory assessment at the end of each Key Stage (ages 5, 7, 11, 14 and 16).  The Foundation Stage Profile is assessed when children reach the end of Foundation Stage (age 5).  At the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7) children undertake Statutory Assessment Tasks (SATs) which, from 2005, was assessed by their teachers.  Previously, these had been externally marked.

Assessment outcomes continue to show the weakest areas of capability are within Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL) with a particular weakness in writing (average score 5.2) compared to the highest level of capability in the areas of Mathematics (Numbers as Labels and for Counting), Personal, Social and Emotional (PSE) Development (Dispositions and Attitude) and Physical Development (PD) each of which reports a local average of 6.8.

Outcomes for 2006 report improvements in a number of key areas compared to those reported in 2005.  These are:

• Emotional Development in the Personal, Social and Emotional scale (PSE)
• All aspects of Communication, Language and Literacy (CLL)
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World (KUW) and
• Physical Development (PD)

In addition, outcomes for Emotional Development in the PSE scale, Reading in the CLL scale and KUW and PD have reported the highest results to date.

The differences in performance between girls and boys are evident at this initial stage of formal assessment.  Girls outperform boys in all assessment scales.  This continues to be most pronounced in Writing, with a gap of 0.7 and Creative Development (CD) with a gap of 0.8.  The performance of girls and boys is most comparable in all elements of Mathematics and the Knowledge and Understanding of the World (KUW) Areas of Learning with a difference of only 0.2.  However boys’ performance was stronger than in previous years in the majority of assessment scales, with improvements shown in all aspects of CLL.

Rotherham continues to report an overall profile of a greater proportion of pupils working below the Early Learning Goals and a lower proportion of pupils working above the Early Learning Goals than nationally.  This picture reflects the profile of disadvantage in Rotherham as measured by the Index of Multiple Deprivation and using those factors that affect children.  However, the gap has been narrowed in the majority of instances in 2006, most particularly when the proportion of pupils working above the Early Learning Goals is compared to those nationally.  This continuing lower, but improving, profile in Rotherham presents significant challenges for Key Stage 1 provision in the drive to demonstrate overall performance, comparable with that nationally, by the end of this key stage.  The improvements reported in 2006 should begin to contribute to this drive to improve standards.

In addition, the following data performance was provided and expanded upon at the meeting:-

-  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

- to consider a formal adoption of an area of land off Sandy Lane, Bramley.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Culture and Leisure which contained the details of a request received from Northern Counties Development Limited that consideration be given to the adoption of an area of public open space on a new residential development off Sandy Lane, Bramley.

The site comprises 0.214 hectares of public open space and has recently been landscaped to provide an area of amenity grassland and whip planting.  A mature hawthorn hedge has been retained as a boundary feature along Sandy Lane.  The footpath on the public open space has already been adopted by Highways.  The area has been landscaped to a good standard and is suitable for adoption for grounds maintenance purposes.  The land is situated adjacent to the Broadlands development at Bramley, where previously in 2001 the council adopted one hectare of public open space.

It is acknowledged that there is a presumption against the council adopting any land from developers at present pending completion of the Green Spaces strategy.  However, it is advisable in this particular instance to secure ownership as this will allow both the management and maintenance of the previously adopted area and this new area to be undertaken together.  Both areas form a continuous parcel of land that is well used by local residents for walking.

The only access to the land for maintenance purposes is through the existing public open space in the Council’s ownership.  If the adoption was not approved, a right of way access agreement would be needed with the developer in order for him to gain access to the land for maintenance purposes.

The current ground maintenance costs per annum are £125.  It has been agreed with the developer that this would form the basis of a commuted sum for a ten year period i.e. £1250.00.

In addition, it has been agreed that any legal expenses incurred in drawing up the agreement would be borne by the developer.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the area of land off Sandy Lane, Bramley be formally adopted by the Council for grounds maintenance purposes from the developer Northern Counties Development Limited, subject to payment of a commuted sum to the Council equivalent to ten years maintenance.

(2)  That the Director of RIDO be requested to arrange for the transfer by a deed of dedication of the public open space from the developer.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs indicated below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

-          to consider the appropriate Contractor for the 3 Year Pantomime Contract (December 2007-January 2010)

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council)).

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Culture and Leisure which set out the details of tenders submitted for the pantomime contract in relation to December 2007-January 2010.

Three tender submissions had been considered and all three companies had been interviewed.  Over the Christmas period viewing of pantomimes produced by the short listed producers had taken place.

Resolved:-  That, on the basis of the results of the tender evaluation with regard to value for money, quality of the product offered and the increased audiences and income over the last six years, the 3 Year Pantomime Contract (December 2007-January 2010) be offered to Spillers Pantomimes Limited.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council)).

-          to reconsider the decision not to move the play area at Leewood Close in the light of the findings of the Stage Two investigation

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 – information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

Consideration was given to a report of the Director of Culture and Leisure which contained the details of a Stage Two complaint Investigation regarding the siting of a play area in Leewood Close.

The Stage Two complaint had been received from two residents in October, 2006.

At the conclusion of the Stage Two investigation, it had been agreed that the issue would be reconsidered, with the evidence from the investigation being put before the Cabinet Member to help inform a review of the previously made decision not to move the play area.

Resolved:- That, in light of the findings of the Stage Two Complaint Investigation, a further report be submitted to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure on the progress, if any, of recommendations made at the meeting of the Cabinet Member, Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 3^rd October, 2006.  This further information should focus on the exploration of a youth shelter and estimated costings, in particular, including efforts, both from the Council’s point of view and other community initiatives that are being made to address this issue.

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 – Item consists of information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual).