Agenda and minutes

No disclosable pecuniary interests were made.

(a)  To agree the minutes from the meeting of Cabinet on 8^th March 2016

(b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 8th March 2016 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Place that sought determination of the Statutory Notice for proposed alterations to Tiverton School and Whitley Abbey Primary School.

Following the report to Cabinet on 9th February 2016 (minute 112/16 referred) on the responses to the pre-statutory consultation to make prescribed alterations to Tiverton School and Whitley Abbey Primary School, a Statutory Notice was published on 22nd February 2016 in line with the requirements of the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013. Under the proposals Tiverton School, which currently catered for children aged three to eleven who had severe learning difficulties or profound and multiple learning difficulties would become a Broad Spectrum School co-located on the Whitley Abbey Primary School site and catering for up to 88 pupils. Furthermore the age range at Whitley Abbey would be extended from 4-11 to 3-11 years of age to enable a new 26 full time equivalent nursery class to be established. No further representations had been received.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet determines the Statutory Notice published on 22nd February 2016 by approving the proposals for prescribed alterations to Tiverton School and Whitley Abbey Primary School, subject to planning consent, taking into account the Department for Education decision-makers guidance attached as appendix 3 of the report.

Report of the Chief Executive

The Cabinet considered a report of the Chief Executive that sought approval of the revised assurance document that set out how management arrangements continued to facilitate the roles of the Director of Children Services and Director of Adult Services.

In September 2013, the City Council established the People Directorate consisting of the former Community Services and Children, Learning and Young People Directorates. This resulted in the Executive Director of People taking on statutory responsibilities for and being designated as both the Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Adult’s Services.

The Director of Children’s Services was appointed for the purposes of discharging the education and children’s social services functions of the Local Authority (section 18, Children Act 2004). The Director of Adult Social Services was accountable for the delivery of local authority social services functions in respect of adults (section 6(1), Local Authority Social Services Act 1970).

In October 2015 changes were made to the management structure of the People Directorate and new appointments made to strategic roles. This included an Executive Director of People taking on the statutory responsibility and designated role of Director of Children’s Services and Director of Adult’s Services supported by three Directors’ (Education, Children and Adults respectively). The assurance document was updated prior to the appointments and now that the new structure had embedded six months into its inception, a review had been undertaken to provide assurance as to the effective discharge of the Director of Children Services and Director of Adult Services functions.

The report presented the revised Assurance Document, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, the Directorate Structure Chart, attached as Appendix 2 to the report, and the Assurance Report and Governance arrangements, attached as Appendix 3 to the report, which outlined how management arrangements would ensure that the role of Director of Children’s Services and Director of Adult Services were effectively discharged.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves the revised Assurance Document attached as Appendix 1 to the report, having considered the report outcomes detailed in Appendices 2 and 3 to the report.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources

The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources that contained details of an outstanding issue and summarised the current position in respect of the matter.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet notes the dates for future consideration of the outstanding issue.

Authority for Attendance at Conference

RESOLVED that the Cabinet approves the attendance of Councillors Mrs Lucas, Taylor, Lancaster and R Singh and the Chief Executive at the Local Government Association Annual Conference, to be held in Bournemouth from 5^th to 7^th July 2016.

(NOTE: The Chair decided to take this matter as urgent business because of the special circumstances involved, the reason for urgency and special circumstances being the need to finalise booking arrangements for the Conference at the earliest opportunity.)