Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence and notification of any substitutes present

(1)       Apologies for absence were received from Mr Roper and Mr Vye. 

(2)       Mrs Dean attended as substitute for Mr Vye and Mrs Stockell attended the meeting to fill the vacancy.

To receive any declarations of interest made by Members in relation to any matter on the agenda.  Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and the nature of the interest being declared

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider and approve the minutes as a correct record

Resolved that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 July 2016 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

To receive verbal updates from the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform, the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children’s Services, the Cabinet Member for Community Services and the Corporate Director for Education and Young People’s Services.

(1)       Mr Gough (Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform) said a new Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, had been appointed since the last meeting of the Cabinet Committee.  She had deferred implementation of the national funding formula for schools for a year to enable further consideration and review.  This deferral had mixed implications for Kent.  It had been expected that Kent schools would benefit from a small increase in funding as a result of the introduction of the Fair Funding Formula which would have been welcome, particularly as schools had received “flat cash” for the last six years and pressure on budgets continued.  On the other hand, the deferral was welcome as there were concerns that some of the proposals, including a proposal to fund the Schools Block directly from the centre and separate it from the High Needs Block, would negatively impact on local flexibility and reduce incentives to work co-operatively across the whole system.

(2)       Mr Gough said the Secretary of State had set out Government policy in relation to the conversion of all schools to academies.  While it was still policy that all schools would become academies, the previous deadline of 2020/22 had been relaxed.

(3)       Mr Gough referred to the green paper on Grammar Schools Expansion and said many points in it were similar in spirit and to the recommendations of the authority’s recent Select Committee on Grammar Schools and Social Mobility.  He said the proportion of grammar school places in the county was broadly correct and new grammar school places would be provided only in response to an increasing school population as a result of housing development and to fill egregious gaps in provision.  The green paper also addressed some of the concerns of the Catholic Archdiocese which might result in the development of Catholic Free Schools which would have implications for schools expansion in Kent.

(4)       Mr Gough also referred to the consultation on converting to a mixed sex grammar school being undertaken by Meopham School in Gravesend.

(5)       Mr Hill (Cabinet Member for Community Services) said that the Community Learning and Skills service (Adult Education) had been inspected by Ofsted in June and had been assessed as good against a national standard that had been raised considerably. Mr Hill said this was an excellent achievement particularly in the light of the significant disruption experienced by the service in the past year and congratulated the service on the achievement.

(6)       Mr Hill said that 2016 was the sixtieth anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a celebratory event would be held at Detling to thank volunteers.  He said that Kent County Council was one of the largest providers of opportunities to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award in the country.  He said he had been particularly proud to attend an award ceremony at St James Palace, a few years ago, where a complete room was full of young people from Kent receiving their gold award.

(7)       Mr Hill said that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 206.

To receive a report that provides a summary of the early provisional Kent Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Assessments, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests (SATs), and GCSE and post 16 results for 2016.

(1)       Mr Gough (Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform) introduced the report which provided a summary of the early provisional Kent Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Assessments, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Standard Assessment Tests (SATS) and GCSE and post 16 results for 2016.

(2)       Mr Leeson (Corporate Director for Education and Young People’s Services drew the Cabinet Committee’s attention to the results for the Early Years Foundation Stage for Kent which had improved; performance at Key Stage 1 which was above the national average; the gap in attainment between pupils with special educational needs compared with all pupils; and the performance at Key Stage 2 which was above the national average apart from measures relating to grammar, punctuation and spelling which were in line with the national average.  He also said there was no attainment gap in reading, writing and mathematics combined for pupils for whom English was an additional language; the position at Key Stage 4 and GCSE results was pleasing and that the provisional results for the percentage of students achieving two A-Level grades A* to E showed a small decline compared with 2015 while the number of students gaining 2 plus substantial vocational qualifications was higher.  He concluded by saying that the A-Level performance was of concern with a continuing decline in results and that this reflected a similar picture nationally.

(3)       Resolved that the provisional results be noted and that they are subject to change.

Mr Ridings proposed, and the Cabinet Committee agreed, that consideration of items B4 – Early Help and Preventative Services and B5 – NEET Service Contract Award  be deferred to the end of the meeting to enable the information contained in the exempt appendices to be discussed.

To receive the report thatsets out the reasons behind the request to increase the Education and Young People’s Services Capital Budget allocation to the redevelopment and expansion of Portal House Special School, Dover from the agreed £9m to £10.39m.

(1)       David Adams (Area Education Officer- South Kent) and Keith Abbott (Director of Education Planning and Access) introduced the report which set out the reasons behind the request to increase the Education and Young People’s Services Capital Budget allocation for the re-development and expansion of Portal House Special School, Dover from the agreed £9m to £10.39m.  The report also asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member on the proposed decision to increase the funding.

(2)       Mr Adams drew particular attention to the changes to the scheme following strong local opposition that had resulted in pressure on the capital allocation.

(3)       The Committee welcomed the report.

(4)       Resolved that the Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to increase the funding allocated from the Education and Young People’s Capital Budget to the redevelopment and expansion of Portal House Special School, Dover from the agreed £9m to £10.39m.

To receive a report that sets out the reasons behind the request to increase the funding allocated from the Education, Learning and Skills Capital Budget for the expansion of Joy Lane Primary School and informs the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform of the revised costs for the project.

(1)       Marissa White (Area Education Officer-East Kent) introduced the report which set out the reasons for the request to increase the funding allocated from the Education Learning and Skills Capital Budget for the expansion of Joy Lane Primary School and informed the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform of the revised costs of the project. It also asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on the proposed decision to increase the funding from £1.5m to £3.5m.

(2)       Mrs White said that the original estimate of £1.5m was based on the provision of seven additional classrooms and ancillary facilities.  She also said that the expansion of the school had to be phased in to ensure the school could accommodate the additional pupils that had been admitted and to undertake consultation relating to the main build project following local concerns about traffic management and parking.

(3)       The original scheme had to be re-designed to address potential planning objections arising from increased pressure on the road system.  The revised scheme which would create a one-way traffic system required the demolition of a de-commissioned care home building to connect the internal roadway to Vulcan Close and the re-siting of fencing to take some of the care home site into the boundary of Joy Lane Primary School to provide additional parking spaces.  This revised scheme required additional funding.  The phasing of the project and the re-design of the main scheme had resulted in an increase in the overall cost of the project.

(4)       Resolved that the Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to increase the funding allocated from the Education and Young People’s Services Capital Budget to expand Joy Lane Primary School from £1.5m to £3.5m.

To receive a report on a proposed decision to agree to the allocation of £2,500,000 from the Education and Young People’s Services budget.

(1)       Ian Watts (Area Education Officer – North Kent) introduced the report which set out the revised project costs for the expansion of Chantry Community Academy.  The report also asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform on his proposed decision to allocate £2.5m from the Education and Young People’s Services Budget for the expansion of Chantry Community Academy.

(2)       Mr Watts said it was originally agreed to expand the academy from 1FE to 2FE in 2014, however, building work was required for the expansion to 2FE and £2.5m had been included in the KCC Capital programme submitted to Property Advisory Group.

(3)       Resolved that the decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform to allocate £2.5m from the Education and Young People’s Services budget be endorsed.

To receive a report on a proposed decision that seeks agreement that the contracts for the delivery of commissioned youth services across Kent be awarded on the terms and for the duration set out in the report.

To receive a  report that provides an update on the progress of developing an outline business case for an Education Trading Services Company.

(1)       Mr Gough (Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform) introduced the report which provided an update on the progress of developing an outline business case for an Education Trading Services Company. 

(2)       Mr Gough said that in April 2016 it had been agreed to investigate the options for an Education Services Company which would include trading based around the existing EduKent model and drew Members’ attention to the work undertaken with Ernst and Young to investigate the options for setting up an Educational Services Trading Company.

(3)       Mr Leeson (Corporate Director for Education and Young People’s Services) said there were a number of drivers including Government policy in relation to schools and the role of local authorities; the desire of Kent schools to continue to work within the “Kent family” and to purchase services from Kent County Council as well as the continuing reduction in local authority funding  and the potential for further income generation.

(4)       The proposal was welcomed by the Cabinet Committee and the importance of KCC retaining control and ownership of the Alternative Service Delivery Vehicle was emphasised.

(5)       In response to comments and questions Mr Leeson said that: the exact form of any trading arm had not yet decided; he chaired the working group which was comprised of officers; and he reported regularly to the Cabinet Member.

(6)       Resolved that the report be noted.

To receive the report from the Head of Democratic Services that gives details of the proposed work programme for the Growth, Economic Development and Communities Cabinet Committee.

Resolved that the work programme be agreed subject to consideration, at the next agenda setting meeting, of the inclusion of measures relating to the performance of the youth service.

To receive a report from the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform, Specialist Children’s Services and Community Services; and the Corporate Director of Education and Young People’s Services that

(1)       Mr Leeson (Corporate Director for Education and Young People’s Services) introduced the report which set out the performance against the targets in the Strategic Priority Statement, the Vision and Priorities for Improvement and service business plans.

(2)       Data relating to the percentage of parents getting their first preference of primary school (EYPS 2), the percentage of parents getting first preference of secondary school (EYPS) and the percentage of pupils with a Statement or Education, Health and Care Plan (SEND10) appeared to be missing or incomplete and Mr Leeson undertook to take the matter up with the management information team.

(3)       Resolved that the report be noted. 

To receive a report that provides a positionstatement for services within the EducationandYoungPeople’sService (EYPS)Directorate regarding equalityand diversitywork and provides an update on progress in delivering Kent County Council's (KCC's)Equality Objectivesfor the year2015-16.

(1)       Akua Agyepong (Corporate Lead, Equality and Diversity) introduced the report which provided a position statement for services within the Education and Young People’s Services Directorate regarding equality and diversity work and provided an update on progress in the delivery of Kent County Council’s Equality Objectives for 2015-16.

(2)       Mrs Agyepong said the Council had a statutory duty under the Equality Act 2010 to promote equality, undertake equality analyses to inform all policy decisions and to publish equality information.

(3)       Mrs Agyepong drew the Cabinet Committee’s attention to some of the Directorate’s achievements over the last year including the fall in youth unemployment for 18-24 year olds, the development of a new NEET Strategy and vulnerable learner strategy as well as the improvement in performance relating to the completion of SEN statutory assessments.

(4)       In response to comments, Mr Leeson said that, last year, action had been taken to reduce the numbers of primary school pupils permanently excluded and this was reflected in the report.  Mr Gough said that most pupils attending the Royal School for the Deaf in Margate when it closed had been found suitable placements locally.

(5)       Resolved that:

            (a)        the current performance of EYPS in relationto equality priorities in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;

(b)        the progress EYPS had made in reducing inequalities in 2015-16 and future key actions proposed in Appendix 1 to the report be noted;  and

            (c)        thisreport be received annuallyin ordertocomplywith thePublicSector EqualityDuty.

Resolved that under Section 100A 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 involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act.

To receive a report on the proposed decision to agree that the contracts for the delivery of commissioned NEET services across Kent be awarded on the terms and for the duration as set out in the report

(1)       Mr Gough (Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform) introduced the report which documented the procurement process, evaluation methodology and the award decision for the Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) Support Services contract expected to commence on 1 December and asked the Cabinet Committee to consider and endorse or make recommendations on his proposed decision.

(2)       In response to Members’ comments, officers said that: the procurement process had been thorough; robust contract monitoring arrangements would be put in place; the successful contractor already had a clear mobilisation plan; and that Members would be kept up dated on the delivery of the contract.

(3)       Resolved that the Cabinet Committee endorsed the proposed decision of the Cabinet Member for Education and Health Reform:

(a)       To agree that the contracts for the delivery of commissioned NEET services across Kent be awarded on the terms and for the duration set out in the report and exempt appendix; and

(b)       That the Head of Strategic Commissioning - Children’s would, on behalf of the Corporate Director of Education and Young People’s Services, take all such steps as are necessary to implement the decision.