Agenda item

Minutes of Previous Meeting

To approve the minutes of the meeting of Committee held on 3rd September, 2018

Minutes:

4.1

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 3rd September 2018, were approved as a correct record and, arising therefrom:-

 

 

 

(a)      further to comments raised by Councillor Bob Pullin, in connection with a request for statistics regarding indices of deprivation for Batemoor, Jordanthorpe and Lowedges, the Policy and Improvement Officer (Deborah Glen) stated that, as requested, Kate Wilkinson (Service Manager – Performance and Analysis Service) had circulated statistics to Councillor Pullin based on neighbourhood level; Ms Wilkinson stated that the specific information being requested could only be created from lower level super output areas, which required the creation of a bespoke geography, and which, whilst possible to be provided, would not be straight-forward;

 

 

 

(b)      further to comments from Councillor Mohammad Maroof, regarding the possibility of changing monitoring information held by relevant colleagues regarding data on exclusions/attainment of pupils of rural Pakistan (Kashmir and Mirpur) origin being extracted from figures for children of general Pakistani origin, and included in future attainment reports, as well as whether information could be obtained in terms of the language spoken in family households, in order to ensure they received adequate support, and that there was adequate recording of this;  Pam Smith stated that the Authority was dependent on information received from schools in this regard, and that, with effect from two years ago, there was a statutory requirement on all schools to report the number of children speaking a different language at home, but recent changes meant that schools were no longer required to do this, resulting in the Authority asking schools to continue to provide this information on a voluntary basis;

 

 

 

(c)      Councillor Cliff Woodcraft stated that, further to the item on the call-in of the Cabinet Member decision on Short Breaks Consultation – Implementation Phase, there was still a requirement for further clarity on the Cabinet Member’s response to the further correspondence from the Parent Carer Forum. The Chair confirmed that Councillor Jackie Drayton was formulating a response, to be sent to the Forum, and shared with this Committee; and

 

 

 

(d)      Councillor Bob Pullin stated that, further to his request for information on the support provided to Roma, gypsy and traveller children, following the loss of the dedicated resources (half a post), he had been informed that the decision to delete the post had been reversed, and that the post-holder was still in post, and was continuing to lobby national associations for assistance in this regard;  Councillor Pullin made reference to the recent closure of the National Association for the Teaching of Travellers, indicating that this was likely to make the post-holder’s job somewhat more difficult, and requested that this issue be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

 

 

4.2

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

 

 

 

(a)      requests:-

 

 

 

(i)            further to the comments made by Councillor Mohammad Maroof, a message be sent to the Council’s representative on the Schools Forum to try and ensure that schools continued to record and report the five-stage proficiency in English code; and

 

(ii)           Councillor Jackie Drayton (Cabinet Member for Children and Families) to share with this Committee, her response to the latest communication from the Parent and Carer Forum with regard to the outstanding issues raised; and

 

 

 

(b)      agrees that the issue regarding support provided to Roma, gypsy and traveller children be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

 

Supporting documents: