Agenda item

The report of Lisa Pullin (Democratic Services Officer) seeks approval to the revision of the Forum’s Terms of Reference by the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and highlights membership vacancies in order that these can be recruited to for the beginning of the academic year 2018/19.

Lisa Pullin (Clerk to the Panel) referred to the Proportionality, Membership and Terms of Reference report that had been circulated with the Agenda.  As part of best practice, a proportionality of membership review had been carried and as there had been limited changes to the numbers of Wiltshire schools which had converted to academies, it was not proposed that there were any changes made to the numbers of membership of the Schools Forum.

The Terms of Reference that were last approved in October 2015 had been reviewed by Grant Davis and he was suggesting a change to paragraph 2.2 of the Terms of Reference.  This change would clarify who had observer status to the Forum.  Any changes to the TOR’s would need to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Education & Skills through the delegated decision process.

The Forum were also being asked to confirm the current membership and note that there were currently vacancies for the following:

·       A primary academy representative

·       A secondary Governor representative

·       A primary Governor representative.

It was agreed that we should request representatives to fill these vacancies from the Primary Heads Forum and Wiltshire Governors Association.

The Forum noted that a request had been received from Lucy Townsend (Director – Families and Children’s Services) for Nick Breakwell (Head of Service – SEND) to attend future meetings of the Forum.  Discussion then followed on other bodies that could be represented at the Schools Forum meetings and it was agreed to seek representatives from the following (who would have Observer status)

·       Wiltshire Parent Carer Council

·       Wiltshire Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum

·       Local Youth Network

Resolved:

That Wiltshire Schools Forum:

a)         Notes that the proportionality of the Forum has been reviewed and that no changes are recommended.

b)         Agree to seek representatives from the following (who will have Observer status)

i)       Wiltshire Parent Carer Council

ii)   Wiltshire Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum

iii)  Local Youth Network

c)         Endorse the following changes to paragraph 2.2 to the Terms of Reference by removing the following

In addition to voting members there are 5 observers, 1 each from the 13-19 Strategic Partnership and ASK, 2 elected governor representatives from the Council’s Children Select Committee are also invited as observers ex officio and the Education Funding Agency has observer status.

And replacing it with the following wording:

In addition to voting members, the following representatives will have observer status:

i)       Education & Skills Funding Agency

ii)      Post-16 representative

iii)    Wiltshire Parent Carer Council

iv)    Wiltshire Children and Families Voluntary Sector Forum

v)      Local Youth Network

        Then request that that these changes to the Terms of Reference be presented to the Cabinet Member for Education & Skills for approval through the delegated decision process.

d)         Notes the current Membership details of the Forum.

e)         Recommends that representatives to the vacancies detailed in the report be requested to be appointed by the Primary Heads Forum (PHF), and Wiltshire Association for Secondary and Special Heads (WASSH) and Wiltshire Governors Association (WGA) as soon as possible.