(a) Compulsory Academisation of schools
Proposed by Mr Vye and seconded by Mr Bird
“This Council welcomes the Government's decision to withdraw the proposed compulsory academisation of schools, a proposition which has been widely condemned by school staff, parents and councillors in Kent.
This council recognises the hard work and dedication of school staff in raising educational standards across the county and the vital role of parent governors in supporting schools management and also making schools locally accountable.
This council is determined to provide all children in Kent with a good education and reaffirms its commitment to supporting schools through the county council's Schools Improvement unit.”
(b) KCC Headquarters – security and public access
Proposed by Mr Heale and seconded by Mr Latchford
"This Council believes it is time to review the levels of security and public access to KCC Headquarters at County Hall in the interests of greater safety for both KCC officers and members and requests the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services to initiate this review."
(c) School and community energy schemes
Proposed by Mr Wedgbury seconded by Mr Parry
"KCC asks the Chairman of the Council to contact the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to ask her to consider supporting Community and Schools energy projects through targeted financial help. In particular we ask the Secretary of State to look again at the support available for community renewable energy schemes including the discontinuation of tax relief (SITR) for community energy schemes and the absence of a higher specific FIT tariff to encourage the deployment of school and community energy schemes. We believe targeted support will provide a number of important environmental and social benefits as well as reducing energy bills. It would also enable community buildings to play a role in developing local energy economies and continue to provide much needed local services by utilising the income generation from renewable energy."
Minutes:
(a) Compulsory Academisation of schools
(1). Mr Vye proposed and Mr Bird seconded the following motion:
“This Council welcomes the Government's decision to withdraw the proposed compulsory academisation of schools, a proposition which has been widely condemned by school staff, parents and councillors in Kent.
This council recognises the hard work and dedication of school staff in raising educational standards across the county and the vital role of parent governors in supporting schools management and also making schools locally accountable.
This council is determined to provide all children in Kent with a good education and reaffirms its commitment to supporting schools through the county council's Schools Improvement unit.”
(2). Mr Cowan moved and Mr Caller seconded the following amendment:
· In the first sentence after the word “academisation of schools” add “ by 2020/22”.
· At the end of the first paragraph add “However, it is recognised that the danger of all of Kent’s schools becoming academies has not disappeared as a result of this proposal.”
· In the last paragraph after the words “This Council is” add “ also”
(3) Mr Gough suggested a minor amendment to the amended wording proposed. Mr Cowan, with the agreement of his seconder, amended the wording of the amendment in bullet point 2 above to read:
·
At the end of the first paragraph add “However, it is
recognised that the danger of the policy being pursued
by other means all of Kent’s schools becoming
academies has not disappeared as a result of this
proposal.”
(3). Mr Vye, with the agreement of his seconder, incorporated the revised amendment into his motion.
(4). The motion, as amended, was agreed unanimously without a formal vote.
(5). RESOLVED that this Council welcomes the Government's decision to withdraw the proposed compulsory academisation of schools by 2020/22, a proposition which has been widely condemned by school staff, parents and councillors in Kent. However, it is recognised that the danger of the policy being pursued by other means has not disappeared as a result of this proposal.
This council recognises the hard work and dedication of school staff in raising educational standards across the county and the vital role of parent governors in supporting schools management and also making schools locally accountable.
This Council is also determined to provide all children in Kent with a good education and reaffirms its commitment to supporting schools through the county council's Schools Improvement unit.
(b) KCC Headquarters – security and public access
(6). Mr Heale moved and Mr Latchford seconded the following motion:
"This Council believes it is time to review the levels of security and public access to KCC Headquarters at County Hall in the interests of greater safety for both KCC officers and members and requests the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services to initiate this review."
(7). Ms Harrison moved and Mrs Brivio seconder the following amendment:
· Delete the words “time to review the levels” and add in their place “appropriate to introduce regular reviews”.
· In the first sentence after “public access to” insert the words “the whole” and after “KCC” delete “Headquarters at County Hall” and insert “Estate”.
· After the words “greater safety” delete “for both” and add “of the public and”.
· Between the words “requests” and “the Cabinet Member” insert “that”.
· After “Democratic Services delete “to” and at the end of the motion insert the word “programme.”
(8). Mr Heale, with the agreement of his seconder, incorporated the amendment into his motion.
(9). The motion, as amended, was agreed unanimously without a formal vote.
(10). RESOLVED that this Council believes that it is appropriate to introduce regular reviews of security and public access to the whole KCC Estate in the interests of greater safety of the public and KCC officers and members and requests the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic Services to initiate this review programme.
(c) School and community energy schemes
(11) Mr Wedgbury moved and Mr Parry seconded the following motion:
"KCC asks the Chairman of the Council to contact the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to ask her to consider supporting Community and Schools energy projects through targeted financial help. In particular we ask the Secretary of State to look again at the support available for community renewable energy schemes including the discontinuation of tax relief (SITR) for community energy schemes and the absence of a higher specific FIT tariff to encourage the deployment of school and community energy schemes. We believe targeted support will provide a number of important environmental and social benefits as well as reducing energy bills. It would also enable community buildings to play a role in developing local energy economies and continue to provide much needed local services by utilising the income generation from renewable energy."
(12) The motion was agreed unanimously without a formal vote.
(13) RESOLVED that the Chairman of the Council contact the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change to request her to consider supporting Community and Schools energy projects through targeted financial help. In particular the Secretary of State be asked to look again at the support available for community renewable energy schemes including the discontinuation of tax relief (SITR) for community energy schemes and the absence of a higher specific FIT tariff to encourage the deployment of school and community energy schemes. Kent County Council believes targeted support will provide a number of important environmental and social benefits as well as reducing energy bills. It would also enable community buildings to play a role in developing local energy economies and continue to provide much needed local services by utilising the income generation from renewable energy.