Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the report of the Corporate Director of Education which was presented to provide Members with an overview of those schools over the last 3 years that have presented as a cause for concern, their progress and the work delivered or currently underway to continue to support improvement.

The Director of Education spoke to the report and highlighted the main points contained therein.  He said Members would be aware that there had been changes and a relaxation of performance arrangements linked to COVID-19, but the report was being put forward so Members had the opportunity to scrutinise developments.

A Member raised concerns that two secondary schools seemed to show no improvement in performance year on year and without categorisation Members were relying on quarterly reports to indicate current performance.  He raised further concerns regarding the two all through schools within Blaenau Gwent which had a financial deficit and enquired what the deficit was for that school and what plans were in place to reduce the deficit.  The Director of Education said that Abertillery Learning Community had been a cause for concern for a period of time, however, he was cautiously optimistic for the future of the school.  He felt that the leadership arrangements, from a professional and Governing Body perspective, had been strengthened over the last 12-18 months and felt confident moving forward.  With regard to the financial position across the school estate, at the end of the financial year 2019/20 overall, schools across Blaenau Gwent were in a favourable position, however, all through schools were in deficit.  The projected deficit for ALC was in excess of £1m but the actual amount was in the region of £600,000.  A savings target of £175,000 had been set linked to their budget reduction deficit plan. The school had indicated that the savings target could be met, a Corporate Group had been re-established, led by the Managing Director of the Council, to closely monitor the financial sustainability and the educational standards of the ALC moving forward.  He reassured Members that plans were in place to keep the school under close scrutiny in terms of their financial planning arrangements.  He advised Members that over the next two years they would be looking to undertake a review of the ISB and the funding formula.  That review would be taken forward and ultimately reported back to scrutiny as some of the proposals were taken forward. 

A Member requested that future reports include information on school budgets that may be areas of concern.

The Committee AGREED this course of action.

Councillor M. Cook left the meeting at this juncture.

In response to a Member’s question regarding the deficit of the all through schools and if the performance of junior and primary schools in the area were also a cause for concern, the Director of Education said that in relation to the deficit there were financial deficit projections before the Abertillery Learning Community was established based upon the former comprehensive school in Abertillery.  Pupil population  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7