Get documents about "The Future of Local Government in Cheshire
Document Sample
Spring 2007
Cheshire
Governor
A Newsletter for School Governors in Cheshire
Joint Area Review Results
The Future of Local Government
There is no better part of England to live in than Cheshire if you’re under
the age of twenty…and that’s official! It’s the verdict of the toughest in Cheshire
scrutiny of all services affecting the welfare of children and young people
ever to be held across the county. The Joint Area Review (JAR) report The County Council has responded to the Government White Paper
completes a remarkable treble of first class results involving Government “Strong and Prosperous Communities” by submitting a proposal for a
inspection of Cheshire’s services for youngsters. Both Cheshire County new Cheshire Council.
Council’s Youth Service and the county’s Youth Offending Team have
both received glowing reports from their inspectorates. The aim of the White Paper is “to give local people and local communities
more influence and power to improve their lives”. Proposals include:
The two-month-long JAR examination of what life is like for the young in
Cheshire involved a team of representatives from five different Government • Making councils more accountable to the public
Inspectorates. Inspectors looked at social care and education, health, • A requirement to give local citizens and localities more say in making
safeguarding, sports and leisure facilities, the Criminal Justices System, policy and reaching decisions
counselling and support for vulnerable youngsters, including those with • Reducing top down control from central government
drug/alcohol abuse, or bullying problems. • Better services through joining-up with other public service providers
such as police, fire and health.
Joan Feenan, Cheshire County Council’s Director of Children’s Services
said: “This was certainly no paper exercise. It was the most exacting Cheshire County Council’s response
examination ever undertaken of every service in this county affecting
the well being of our children and young people. Inspectors left no stone Cheshire County Council has therefore recommended to the Secretary
unturned in investigating how services performed individually and how of State that the County Council and six District Councils be replaced by
we worked together to improve the life-chances of our youngsters - a single unitary Cheshire Council which would operate through fifteen
particularly the vulnerable. In other words, in the context of the Climbié area committees for local matters. The County Council considered
Report they wanted to know that there were no children falling through this the best solution in view of the need to meet the White Paper’s
the gaps. stipulated criteria for restructuring. These require a solution which:
What did the inspection find? • is for the whole County area
• Overall, children and young people in Cheshire are doing well • delivers value for money
• Services are often better than those children and young people • is self-financing, so that any costs are covered by savings over a
receive nationally and in similar areas short period
• Services are working to improve the lives of youngsters who aren’t • needs no increase in council tax to finance reorganisation
doing as well as most in Cheshire • includes arrangements which provide strong, effective leadership
In more detail… • gives more influence to local communities and empowers town and
• The council and its partners work well together and are improving parish councils
children’s lives • enables services to be more joined-up.
• Local services agree where to target resources to make a real
difference In addition, Members were very conscious of the need to retain a
• Service providers are on the right track to sustain improvements strong voice for Cheshire in the North West Region and nationally in
• Services to support families, safeguard and help children grow up in view of the growing influence and pressures from the City Regions like
their own communities are good Liverpool and Manchester. It was also felt essential to keep Cheshire
• More work is needed to help young people in care and young offenders together as a single entity and to champion the interests of Cheshire’s
to do well people, its businesses and its communities.
• Young people are able to have their say and be listened to
• Cheshire has a skilled, committed and stable workforce working What happens next?
for children, although more could be done to work with voluntary,
community and faith organisations The Government is considering all proposals received and will make an
• Diversity in the workforce and policy development needs to be initial decision at the end of March. It will then consult key stakeholders
developed before making a decision. A final decision on future local government
structures is expected at the end of July.
The council and its partners will tackle the recommendations made in
the JAR report and that the Cheshire Children and Young People’s Plan If the Government decides to make changes, the new unitary authority
takes on board the priorities for action, so that they can continue to do would be elected in May 2008, and would be expected to be fully
everything they can to improve the experience of all children and young operational by April 2009.
people growing up in Cheshire.
For further information please visit the Council’s website www.cheshire.
Copies of the children’s version of the report and the full report can be
gov.uk/lgr where you will find copies of the Council’s full submission, or
obtained from the Ofsted website – www.ofsted.gov.uk (Follow link to
telephone 01244 602254.
Inspection Reports, then link called Local Authorities A-Z).Additional
information is available on The Cheshire Children and Young People’s
Strategic Partnership (CYPSP) website – www.cheshireschildren.co.uk
Consultation on School Transport Budget and Funding Update
(Discretionary) in Cheshire 2006-7 Over-allocation of Budgets
We would like your views on possible changes to our policy for providing Back in June 2006 we recalculated your 2006-7 budget to take account
discretionary school transport in Cheshire. Your responses will help us of the reduction in Dedicated Schools Grant. At the time we told you
to develop a school transport policy that meets the needs of parents and that your budgets would not be reduced in-year. Instead, we advised
reduces costs to the Council and all Cheshire’s Council Tax payers. you to set aside the amount of the reduction in order to mitigate the
impact on your 2007-8 budget.
There is a growing gap between the amount of income that we receive
and the costs of the services that we deliver. Cheshire’s funding gap After discussions with the DfES and having consulted the Schools Forum,
is estimated to be over £37 million over the next 4 years. The Council it was been agreed that a more practical solution would be to redetermine
must take action now to begin to reduce its costs. Some decisions may your 2006-7 budgets as at 31 March 2007, removing the over-allocation
be unpopular and would be taken reluctantly, but we have few options: and leaving your carry-forward at the correct level ie not inflated by the
Council Tax increases are restricted to 5% by the Government, while amount set aside to meet the reduction. The redetermination on 31
our costs are rising faster than that, and Cheshire’s Government grant March will be the final budget adjustment for 2006-7 and the amount will
increase of 2.7% for 2007-8 is the lowest possible - significantly below be confirmed to you. In practical terms, this should make no difference
the national average of 4%. Like many authorities, we are therefore to how you have been planning to meet the reduction in budget, but just
faced with a choice between either raising income from service charges tidies everything up more neatly for a clean start in 2007-8.
or cutting budgets and services. 2007-8 Budgets
This combination of increasing costs and duties means that we must At the time of writing, we are making the final checks on the budget
now review the extent to which Council Tax subsidises school transport. model before notifying you of your 2007-8 budgets. We needed some
We may have to provide less free discretionary transport and ask final approvals from the Schools Forum at the beginning of March,
parents to contribute towards the costs. This could mean increased and want to be sure we have the latest and most accurate information
charges, or even withdrawal of subsidised transport completely where available before issuing budgets so we avoid the uncertainties you all
the law allows unfortunately experienced last year. There will be, as usual, a detailed
letter to schools explaining key features of the 2007-8 budget which we
You can submit your views online at: www.cheshire.gov.uk/ will send to Chairs of Governors as well as Headteachers.
EducationAndLearning/schooltransport/consultation
Government Review of School Funding Arrangements
The consultation will close on 30 May 2007 and results will be available
The DfES has just launched a major review of school funding looking
in the autumn. Any new arrangements are likely to be implemented
at issues such as the Dedicated Schools Grant and the Minimum
from September 2008.
Funding Guarantee. The consultation paper is very wide ranging and
also covers 14-19 funding, deprivation funding, early years and the role
Extended Schools of Schools Forum. At the time of writing, a briefing/discussion on the
review is planned to take place at the Governors’ Forum on 21 March.
ToolKit for Governors We will keep you informed on how your Governing Body can get
involved and respond to the consultation.
The national Extended Services
toolkit for Governors was created Schools Forum meeting with Cheshire MPs
at the request of governors, the
DfES and the national governor The Cheshire Schools Forum met with five out of the eight Cheshire
organisations and the content has Members of Parliament at County Hall on 19 January to discuss
been developed with their input. Cheshire’s case for a fairer share of national schools’ funding. This
was the first time that such a meeting had taken place. It was agreed
The toolkit has been designed to that the Forum and the MPs would keep in touch over the issues raised
help schools, in partnership with and that a futher meeting would be held when futher analysis had been
other agencies, to develop extended carried out.
services and promote the well being
of pupils, raise standards and ensure Rural Pathfinder Project
that every child benefits from the
Did you know that of the 800 square miles that Cheshire covers, over
Every Child Matters programme.
80% of it is rural? Latest population statistics estimate that around
680,000 people live in our County and 40% of these live in rural
Governors have an essential strategic and leadership role to play in
areas?
the development of extended services, in particular in ensuring that the
services meet the community’s needs in a sustainable way.
Cheshire have been invited by the Development directorate of the
Training and Development Agency (TDAD) to be part of a pathfinder
Some schools are already offering extended services, others are just
project to help solve the challenges faced by rural schools and
starting and working out how to go about it. Whatever stage your school
communities in implementing extended services.TDAD have a remit
is at this toolkit can help.It can be used as a checklist or self evaluation
from the DfES to support local authorities to deliver the Extended
framework for schools already providing the extended services full core
Services agenda.
offer and help schools that are still developing their extended services.
Four authorities have been invited to participate in the project – Dorset,
The toolkit is made up of 5 modules designed to help governors assess
Norfolk, Shropshire and Cheshire. The work will take place between
the progress of their school when considering the development of
December 2006 and July 2007.
extended services. It will also help identify priorities for action.
A number of rural schools from the Chester, Nantwich and Macclesfield
The DfES have indicated that the Governor’s toolkit will be launched
areas have been invited to participate along with partner agencies. Two
nationally in April / May to coincide with the launch of a revised and
one day workshops will be held and ideas, best practice and solutions
updated Extended Schools prospectus.
to challenges will be gathered and shared locally and nationally.
For further information about the extended services programme or
Cheshire are delighted to be involved in this project as it is a really
requests for training or support contact your Extended Services Locality
good opportunity to raise the profile and influence the shaping of rural
Co-ordinator. Please see the Spring Term 2007 Director of Children’s
strategy in Cheshire in a way that makes sense to children, young
Services Report for details.
people and families.
Page 2
Transforming Learning Financial Management
Communities Update Standards in Schools
Knutsford, Wlimslow & Poynton All Secondary Schools have now been visited by Audit and Risk
Cheshire County Council’s Executive have approved the launch of Management to help them prepare for external assessment against
formal public consultation into a proposal to create an all-through Vernon the DfES Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS). They
primary school with 315 places in Poynton. will now be externally assessed as soon as they are ready and so far
However Members decided against proceeding further with consultation Congleton High School, Henbury High School, Ellesmere Port Catholic
into an option to amalgamate Little Bollington CE and High Legh primary High School and Christleton High School have been successful.
schools. Instead, they asked officers to work with the two schools to
explore the potential for greater collaboration, including the possibility of Primary and Special Schools will need to be externally assessed against
federation. the standard over the next three years in the ratio of 40:40:20. It is
proposed that assessment be undertaken on a geographical basis by
Chester & Rural Chester Education Improvement Partnership (EIP). This will enable members of
Also approved was the launch of formal public consultation into the the partnership, including Secondary Schools that have been through the
amalgamation of two pairs of schools, the closure of two schools and process, to support each other. We have selected the following schools
relocation of a nursery school. Members decided against proceeding to be included in the visits programme and external assessment round
further with a closure option for Huxley Primary School and asked for during April 2007 to March 2008:
further investigation into the potential for greater collaboration including
federation with local schools.
• 23 Primary Schools and 2 Special Schools within the Crewe EIP
Members requested a report for the next meeting into an alternative • 29 Primary Schools and 2 Special Schools within the Ellesmere Port
option suggested during informal consultation to relocate Newton Primary EIP
School to the site of neighbouring Woodfield School, with enlarged • 27 Primary Schools and 1 Special School within the Macclesfield
capacity. Drop-in sessions take place at these two schools to gather and Bollington EIP
views on both this option and the option to enlarge Newton school on its
current site to accommodate pupils from a closed Woodfield School. • 9 Primary Schools within the Poynton and Disley EIP
• 6 Primary Schools within the Neston and Willaston EIP
Formal consultation into the following options will take place later in this
• 20 Primary Schools within the Nantwich EIP.
school term and early next term:-
• Amalgamation of Saughall The Thomas Wedge CE Voluntary
Controlled Junior School and Saughall The Ridings Community Infant Schools can buy back a three day support visit through the SBSA which
School to form an all-through voluntary controlled primary school will be followed by an external assessment when they are ready. In the
on a single site, providing 10 class bases and a planned admission 2006-2007 budget information letter schools were advised to put money
number of 40 aside in their budget for the costs of their Financial Management Standards
• Amalgamation of St Thomas of Canterbury CE Voluntary Aided in Schools assessment. The budget for 2007-2008 agreed by Council
Junior School and Victoria Community Infant School as an all- included a growth item to recognise the additional costs of preparing
through voluntary aided primary school providing 50 places on the for and purchasing external assessment for Financial Management
existing sites, with an appropriate building project to improve the Standards in Schools. This has been included in the funding formula as
accommodation to support the proposed changes a lump sum for all schools.
• Closure of Boughton St Paul’s Infant and Nursery School in August All Primary and Special schools will be able to start work on preparing to
2008 with displaced pupils being offered places at Cherry Grove meet the standard from April next year either via the day to day advice
Primary School and other nearby schools subject to availability and support they buy back from Children’s Services Finance Budget
• Closure of Harthill Primary School in August 2008 Officers or by tackling the necessary work based on a series of Finance
• Relocation of St Mary’s Nursery to occupy surplus capacity at Bulletins which will be issued to all schools and which will identify key
Overleigh St Mary’s CE Primary School from September 2008. areas and make suggestions on how they should be tackled in order to
meet the Standard.
Winsford, Middlewich & Tarporley
The review for this locality was recently launched with over 130 education Five primary schools and one special school will be visited during March by
stakeholders including Headteachers, Governors and Councillors way of a pilot. Arrangements have now also been made to visit eleven of
attended a conference at Oulton Park to hear how the TLC initiative will the schools in the Ellesmere Port EIP during April. All remaining visits for
review the schools provision in this area. next year will be planned on the basis of liaison with the representatives
and members of each EIP and with the schools. Headteachers will be
Delegates heard from Councillor Shirley Harris, Executive Support informed of their approximate dates shortly. All schools will be given a
Memberfor Children’s Services; Joan Feenan, Director of Children’s minimum six weeks notice before a visit. We will inform all other schools
Services and Margaret Gill, Lead Officer for the review. which year they will be included in as soon as possible.
The presentations outlined the background and key drivers for the review
and what had been achieved in previous reviews across the County.
Joan Feenan urged all stakeholders to “Seize the opportunity to ensure
that every child in the locality can succeed and that the case for change Governor Training
requires that the status quo is not an option.”
Just a reminder that there are still vacancies on many courses
Margaret Gill provided detailed explanation of the local data gathered planned for the rest of the academic year.
to date including the decline in primary pupil numbers of over 10%
since 1999 and the forecast for 906 surplus places by 2011. Whilst the Please contact INSET to book your place
numbers of secondary surplus places is not as acute, the forecast for
2011 is currently over 490. Delegates also heard about the Government’s You will be notified of any additional courses which may be organised
expectations for Childcare, Children’s Centres and Extended Schools for the summer term 2007 via your Training Liaison Governor.
which will impact on every school and their future development.
The review will now involve meetings with Headteachers, staff and
Governors in the locality followed by publication of the emerging options
in late May. This will be followed by a series of public consultations before
any final decisions can be approved by full council with implementation
from September 2008 at the earliest.
http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/governors Page 3
Performance Management 2007 Governor Briefings
Briefings For Governors Please note the changes to some venues and dates:
The series of briefings for schools detailing the arrangements for the Briefings on the Director of Children’s Services Report have been
revised Performance Management regulations ended on 20 February arranged for the Summer term
with nearly 300 schools attending overall. The next stage is for schools
to start planning for the implementation of the revised regulation from 27 April Fourways Inn, Delamere 10am
1 September 2007, aiming to have their first planning statements 1 May Eaton Bank School, Congleton 6.30pm
for Teachers and Headteachers completed by 31 October and 31 2 May Cheshire County Sports Club, Chester 10am
December respectively. 2 May Civic Hall, Ellesmere Port 6.30pm
8 May Victoria High School, Crewe 6.30pm
As schools develop their plans around the revised regulations they 9 May Heritage Centre, Macclesfield 6.30pm
will be consulting with staff and the school trade union representatives
on the arrangements for Performance Management generally and Refreshments are available half an hour before the start time. Chairs
on the Policy and Classroom Observation Protocol specifically. It and Vice Chairs are invited, but other governors may wish to attend
is a requirement of the regulations that schools have a Policy and in their absence. If possible, please contact the School Governance
Observation Protocol in place. The briefings have generated quite a Team to let them know that you will be attending.
few supporting documents which have been placed on the Personnel
Intranet and can be downloaded by your school from:
www/Services/Corporate/Personnel/Education/CSPIS/pm.htm Governors’ Forum
Further information is available at www.teachernet.gov.uk
The Cheshire Association of Governing Bodies forum this term took
In addition to briefing schools, the Local Authority has also worked place on 21 March.
with the Cheshire Teacher Trade Unions to discuss and agree the
revised arrangements for Performance Management. The next forum will be held on 13 June 2007. As usual, it will take place
at Woodford Lodge Professional Centre in Winsford. Sandwiches and
Further activity to support Performance Management is planned and other refreshments will be available from 6.30pm for a 7pm start.
a series of twenty workshops for Governors is scheduled for the
summer term, beginning in April. All Governors are welcome.
Morning 9.00am - 1.00pm
06GOV6014C
06GOV6014D
03/05/2007 Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port
04/05/2007 Macclesfield Football Club, Contact Information
Macclesfield
06GOV6014H 21/05/2007 Cheshire County Sports Club, School Governance Team and Governor Helpline
Chester
06GOV6014L 15/06/2007 Crewe Alexander Football Club,
Tel 0845 141 0110 or 0151 357 6821
Crewe
E-mail SchoolGovernance@cheshire.gov.uk
06GOV6014M 18/06/2007 Hebden Green Community School,
Fax 0151 357 6844
Winsford
Website http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/governors
06GOV6014N 25/06/2007 New Life Church, Congleton
Afternoon 1.30pm - 5.30pm INSET Training Enquiry Line
06GOV6014A 25/04/2007 Cheshire County Sports Club,
Chester Tel 01244 602601
06GOV6014B 26/04/2007 Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port E-mail INSET@cheshire.gov.uk
06GOV6014E 10/05/2007 New Life Church, Congleton Fax 01244 603813
06GOV6014F 15/05/2007 Macclesfield Football Club, The enquiry line is open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm, Friday
Macclesfield 8.30am to 4.30pm.
06GOV6014G 18/05/2007 Hunters Lodge, Crewe
06GOV6014I 22/05/2007 Hebden Green Community School, Cheshire Association of Governing Bodies
Winsford
06GOV6014J 30/05/2007 Woodford Lodge, Winsford Chair Mrs Jenny Turner
06GOV6014K 08/06/2007 Forest Hills Hotel, Frodsham 63 Earlsway, Curzon Park, Chester, CH4 8AZ.
Tel 01244 674960
Evening 6.30pm - 8.30pm E-mail jennyturner63@btinternet.com
06GOV6015A 25/04/2007 &
26/04/2007 Holiday Inn, Ellesmere Port Secretary Mr Duncan Haworth
06GOV6015B 15/05/2007 Hebden Green Community School, 39 Gorstons Lane, Little Neston, Neston, Cheshire CH64 4EF.
Winsford & Tel 0151 353 8448
22/05/2007 Portal Golf Club, Tarporley E-mail phaworth@easynet.co.uk
06GOV6016C 16/05/2007 &
23/05/2007 Macclesfield Football Club,
06GOV6015D 31/05/2007 &
Macclesfield Contributions and Comments
07/06/2007 Swan and Lion Hotel, Congleton
06GOV6015E 12/06/2007 & If you would like to contribute to future newsletters, please make
19/06/2007 Hunter’s Lodge, Crewe contact with the School Governance Team.
06GOV6015F 25/06/2007 &
02/07/2007 Mollington Hotel, Chester Any comments about the newsletter should be addressed to
Andrew Kent, School Liaison Manager, Room 396, County Hall,
Full details have been sent to all governors and are also available on Chester, CH1 1SQ.
the governor web pages. Please contact INSET if you would like to E-mail andrew.kent@cheshire.gov.uk
book onto one of these workshops.
Page 4 http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/governors
Related docs
