Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared.

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th November 2015

b)  Matters arising

The minutes of the meeting held on 25^th November 2015 were agreed and signed as a true record. There were no matters arising.

Report of the Executive Director of Place

The Cabinet Member for Education considered a report of the Executive Director of Place that provided an overview of the academy conversion process, the responsibilities and obligations that applied to the Local Authority.

The report also included details of the resources needed to meet the requirements of the process and sought approval to a proposal to secure a contribution from schools initially capped at a maximum of £6,750 towards the Council’s costs associated with the transfer. The academy conversion process required extra resource, for which the school was given an allocation towards transfer costs, although some of the costs could be offset against existing internal service level agreement arrangements, to mitigate some of the additional costs incurred. The level of contribution would be subject to annual review.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Education approves the recoupment of the Local Authority’s costs in relation to the academy conversion process with immediate effect, and subject to annual review.

Report of the Executive Director of People

The Cabinet Member for Education considered a report of the Executive Director for People that sought approval of the co-ordinated school admission schemes for 2017 and community and voluntary controlled school admission policies for 2017 (attached as appendices to the report). 

Each year the Department for Education required Local Authorities to determine the co-ordination schemes for school admissions in their areas and the admissions policies for community and voluntary controlled schools which were the responsibility of the local authority, by 28 February.

In 2006 the Cabinet had agreed that consideration of reports on school admission arrangements would be delegated to the appropriate Cabinet Member in years where there were no significant changes to admission arrangements. (Cabinet minute 196/06 refered)

The Schemes and Policies referred to in this report were considered by the School Admissions Forum on 6 November 2015. As there had been no significant changes since the 2013 version of the policies, no consultation has been required by the School Admissions Code.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Education:

1)  Approves the co-ordinated admissions scheme for primary, infant and junior schools in Coventry for 2017/18 and the admissions policy for community and voluntary controlled primary, infant and junior schools for 2017/2018.

2)  Approves the co-ordinated admissions scheme for secondary schools in Coventry for 2017/2018.

Report for the Executive Director of People

The Cabinet Member for Education considered a report of the Director of Education, Libraries and Adult Education that sought approval of a proposed Policy (attached as an appendix to the report) for the selection, nomination and removal of Local Authority Nominated School Governors. The Policy had been developed as a direct response to concerns raised by the Education and Childrens Services Scrutiny Board (2) regarding the process for nominating Local Authority Governors, including advertising vacancies to Elected Members and the wider Council, in order to attract volunteers where needed (their minute 8/15 referred), and complied with legislation and statutory guidance.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Member for Education approves the Policy for arrangements to Select, Nominate and Remove Local Authority Governors.

There are no outstanding issues

There were no outstanding issues.

Any other items of public business which the Cabinet Member decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

There were no other items of public business.