To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

The following declarations of interest were made:-

Councillor C Webster – Personal interest in agenda Item 5 - parent governor at Heronsbridge School.

Councillor AW Williams – Personal interest in agenda Item 5, - Parent Governor at Coety Primary School

To receive for approval the minutes of the meeting of 10/01/2018 and 18/01/2018.

RESOLVED:                  That the Minutes of meetings of Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 dated 10 and 18 January 2018, be approved as true and accurate records, subject to Minute 23 of the Minutes of 10 January 2018, being amended to reflect that Reverend Canon Evans is a school governor of Bryntirion as opposed to Brynteg Comprehensive School.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report that detailed the items prioritised by the Corporate O&S Committee including the next delegated item to Subject O&S Committee 1; to also present the Committee with a list of further potential items for comment and prioritisation. To ask the Committee to identify any further items for consideration using the pre-determined criteria form, and finally to consider and approve the feedback from the previous meetings of the Subject O&S Committee 1 and note the list of responses including any still outstanding at Appendix A to the report.

Attached at Appendix B to the report, was the overall FWP for all the Subject O&S Committees which included the topics prioritised by the Corporate O&S Committee for the next round of Scrutiny Committees in Table A, as well as topics that were deemed important for future prioritisation at Table B.

Paragraph 4.7 of the report reminded Members of the Criteria form which Members can use to propose further items for the FWP, which Committee can then consider for prioritisation at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:                 That the report and the supporting information contained in the Appendices attached to the report be noted.

Invitees

Lindsay Harvey, Interim Corporate Director - Education and Family Support;
Cllr Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration;
Cllr H Williams, Deputy Leader;
Nicola Echanis, Head of Education and Early Help;                                                               

Gaynor Thomas, Schools Programme Manager

The Scrutiny Officer gave an outline of the report in respect of the above, the purpose of which, was to inform Members of the initial outcomes of Band A schemes, including lessons learnt, and the development of the Strategic Outline Programme for Band B of the School Modernisation Programme.

Following this the Chairperson introduced the Invitees to the meeting, following which the Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support gave a power point Presentation.

The Chairperson then invited questions to the Invitees from Members.

A Member referred to paragraph 4.4 of the report headed Lessons Learnt, and he welcomed the fact that a key lesson from Band A was that early consultation was required with Highways and Transportation Officers, in order to help inform the choice of sites (for schools), as this was directly connected to the provision of any required Safe Routes to Schools following the relevant school opening and becoming populated with children. He felt that this should form part of the Consultation.

A Member also referred to the Local Development Plan (LDP), which suggested how many cycle shelters should be provided at schools. She felt however, that larger schools have more of these, in order to encourage young people to live a healthier lifestyle.

The Schools Programme Manager confirmed that as part of the next Band of the School Modernisation Programme, the Education Department would link in with the Highways and Transportation section of the Council, in order to not only conduct a review of Safe Routes to Schools, but also to look at certain other wider issues, including car and cycle parking provision. Such provision is linked to the BREEAM assessment, i.e. the environmental and sustainability assessment which the project is measured against. All schemes must achieve a BREEAM excellent rating, which is one of the Welsh Government funding conditions for the programme.

A Member asked what the criteria was in relation to the Council paying for transport costs to/from schools.

The Head of Education and Early Help confirmed that the Council did pay for transport costs for primary aged pupils if the distance of travel was over 2 miles from pick-up point to the school, and 3 miles in terms of secondary schools.

The Chairperson noted from page 40 of the report, that Band A projects for schemes were at various different stages in terms of their completion dates. She further noted that Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw and Pencoed Primary School were in progress with completion dates of January 2019 and July 2018, respectively. She asked if these schemes were on track to be completed by these dates, to which the Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support, replied that they were.

A Member made an observation regarding parents of pupils parking near schools. He asked, if in conjunction with the reports proposals, new parking provisions were going to be introduced, or was it more a case of making existing school drop-off points safer.

The Schools Programme Manager replied by advising that,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

None.