Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee

The Children & Families Scrutiny Committee has undertaken a review on the Council’s relationships with academies. The academy programme has been in existence since 2002 and given the increasing number of schools that had converted to academies in recent years, particularly in the secondary sector, it was agreed that a review looking at how the Council engages with academies would be useful. The Review focussed on the following:-

•           Mental Wellbeing and Curriculum Provision

•           Special Educational Needs

•           School Commission, Admissions and Exclusions

The report sets out the Review’s finding and recommendations.

The Cabinet is recommended to consider the report and consider how it might respond to the report’s findings and recommendations.

Officer contact: Stephen Fox, 0161 474 3206, Stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

The Vice Chair of the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee and Lead Councillor for the Review (Councillor Paul Porgess) attended the meeting to present the final report of the Scrutiny Review ‘The Council’s Relationships with Academies’ (copies of which had been circulated) and to answer questions from the Cabinet.

There was discussion with the Lead Councillor on the report, in particular the positive relationships the Council had maintained with those schools in Stockport that had become academies and the level of cooperation there was, and how this reflected the quality of the support services provided by the Council. There was comment that currently schools had too little choice over their status, with schools unable to easily revert back to being local authority maintained. It was further commented that the good quality services provided to schools needed to be maintained in order to ensure their continued ‘buy-back’ by schools otherwise they may become financial unviable.

RESOLVED – (1) That final report be received and noted, and the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education be requested to prepare a response to those recommendations of the Scrutiny Review ‘The Council’s Relationships with Academies’ that were addressed to the Cabinet.

(2) That the Cabinet Member for Education be requested to meet with the Chair of the Children & Families Scrutiny Committee to discuss how best to ensure the timely submission of reports and updates to the Scrutiny Committee as had been recommended in the Scrutiny Review.

(3) That the gratitude of the Cabinet be recorded for the work undertaken by the Scrutiny Review Panel ‘The Council’s Relationships with Academies’ and others involved in the review.

To consider a report of the Lead Councillor, Councillor Paul Porgess.

The report outlines the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel.

The Committee is invited to comment and the report is further requested to approved the report for submission to the Cabinet.

Officer Contact: Stephen Fox on Tel: 0161 474 3206 or email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the findings and recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Panel: The Council’s Relationship with Academies.

The Lead Councillor for the Review (Councillor Porgess) presented the report and thanked members of the Panel and all those officers and external partners who had contributed to the review.

RESOLVED – That the report be approved and it be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration.