Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director of Education, Work and Skills.

The report provides an update on the Monitoring Panel post-Covid and proposes a way forward.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to recommend to the Council to give approval to the dis-establishment of the Education Monitoring Panel and that its functions and duties, with particular regard to education performance, be discharged by the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee, with specific reports on School Performance scheduled for consideration in addition to the regular PPRR.

Officer contact: Tim Bowman on Tel: 07977 661073 or email tim.bowman@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Education, Work and Skills submitted a report (copies of which were circulated) providing an update on the Monitoring Panel post-Covid and proposes a way forward.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education (Councillor Wendy Meikle) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Members expressed their disappointment with the recommendations in the report and was concerned that the Scrutiny Committee would not be able to perform the functions in the same way as the Education Monitoring Panel.

·         It was noted that the Council was considering doing things differently and how the Local Authority discharged its function taking into account the Schools Strategy and the Council’s statutory functions relating to the responsibilities for schools.

·         It was reported that the role of the Director and Executive Director had responsibility for monitoring schools across the borough and ensuring that the children in the borough receive the standard of education they deserve.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Council Meeting be recommended to give approval to the dis-establishment of the Education Monitoring Panel and that its functions and duties, with particular regard to education performance, be discharged by the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee, with specific reports on School Performance scheduled for consideration in addition to the regular portfolio performance reports.