Agenda and minutes

There were none on this occasion.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Prosperous Staffordshire Select Committee held on 12 May 2014 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

Report of the Scrutiny and Support Manager

Under the Council’s Petition Scheme a named Senior Officer is required to attend Select Committee meetings to give evidence about the issues raised by petitions with over 2,500 signatures. A petition with 2,707 signatures had been received requesting traffic calming measures at Bradwell Lane, Newcastle. A further 1,096 signatures had subsequently been added to this petition totalling 3,803 signatures (a further 1079 signatures had been collected through an online petition but this had not included addresses of signatories and therefore could not be included in the petition numbers).

The Lead Petitioner, Mrs Emma Meadon, addressed the Select Committee on the content of and background to the petition. Mrs Meadon had been a resident within this community for thirty years. There was a strong community feel amongst the 4000 residents. Bradwell Lane was used by non residents as a link between the A500 and the A50. The volume of traffic had increased over the last ten years and Mrs Meadon noted that road traffic had decreased nationally.

Mrs Meadon informed the Select Committee that the Lane was used as a “cut through” route for the hospital and was used to access the funeral parlour and crematorium. Satellite navigation systems diverted drivers through this route. Increased use by heavy goods vehicles and articulated lorries exacerbated the traffic problems. Mrs Meadon informed the Select Committee that as part of their conditions the FedEx business in this area had signed an agreement not to use the Lane. However new businesses such as TK Maxx and George at Asda had developed since and Mrs Meadon told Members that these businesses had not  be required to sign any such agreement to avoid using Bradwell Lane.

Bradwell Lane had a 30 mile per hour (mph) speed limit, however it was a straight piece of road and therefore easy for motorists to exceed this limit. The very high volume of traffic using the Lane made it extremely difficult for residents turning onto or off Bradwell Lane. In total there were seven turnings and/or junctions on this stretch of road.

Mrs Meadon informed Members that four weeks after the fatal accident, a speed check was undertaken by warranted officers of Staffordshire Police. The check took place between 6.00 and 9.30 pm. Nine people were prosecuted for speeding as a result of this exercise. A second speed check was undertaken later in the year, again by warranted police officers. On this occasion 95 motorists were caught speeding between the hours of 5.30 – 9.00 pm during a Saturday evening. Of those found speeding, two were prosecuted as they were driving at speeds over 45 mph in a 30mph area. Twenty seven were sent advisory letters as they were driving between 36-45 mph.

Mrs Meadon said she understood that there would be cost implications to any speed reduction measures, and that funding was restricted. However Mrs Meadon gave an example of road maintenance where she felt funding had been wasted in that Bradwell Lane had been resurfaced only 4 ½  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Report of the Cabinet Member,  Learning and Skills

The Select Committee established a working group in 2013 which undertook a review into the Ofsted inspection of local authority school improvement arrangements. At their meeting of 24 January 2014 their findings and recommendations were endorsed and the recommendations were agreed by the Cabinet Member, Learning and Skills. The Select Committee now received the Executive Response Action Plan which set out the proposed action being taken in respect of each recommendation, the lead officer and deadlines by which the action would be taken.

The Cabinet Member, Learning and Skills, informed the Select Committee that because of the pace and effort put into this project further progress had been made to that noted within the action plan. Eighteen primary schools had been part of a recent focused inspection and further action was underway to take account of comments made by Ofsted. Work was ongoing to help communicate effectively with all stakeholders. He highlighted the recent School Conference and the new Governors Forum as examples of good communication methods and opportunities for sharing best practice and improved communication.

The Cabinet Member suggested that in respect of recommendation 3 the Select Committee may wish to receive six monthly updates on the work of  the Ofsted Programme Board to help reassure themselves that work was on track.

The Commissioner for Education and Wellbeing updated Members on further action taken with regard to the recommendations.

Recommendation one, the data dashboard, continued to be developed and shared with schools. A letter was to be sent to all schools in September sharing the risk categorisation. The LA had invested in a  data package, Perspectives Light, which every school would be able to access and would allow data recording capabilities to be uploaded. The package would allow transparency and be a further tool for schools to use in helping to drive improvements. The package would allow schools to log and access information through a single point and would be launched in September.

Alongside this the Staffordshire Learning Net had been restructured in respect of school improvement and was now more logical, accessible and clear.

Members asked whether the new data package would replace packages already used in schools. The new programme was a data platform that would allow schools to access information on a live basis and compare data across the County as well as nationally. This would allow early sight of data comparisons and help identify trends.  The package was an enhancement rather than a replacement.

Recommendation two, sharing the new school improvement approach, Members were informed that the cascade of information was sometimes challenging. However work was ongoing to address these challenges, with district meetings for Chair of Governors and Headteachers in the Spring term involving over 200 schools and a summer conference with over 400 delegates sharing good practice and innovation.  An e-newsletter was sent into schools every three to four weeks keeping schools well informed.  The e school bag had been restructured to help easily identify key information and items for action as opposed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Report of the Scrutiny and Support Manager

The Select Committee received a report of the Scrutiny and Support Manager on work programme planning for 2014-15. The report set out the work completed over the last municipal year, and the areas of work already highlighted and/or carried over to the new municipal year.

The libraries consultation was currently underway and officers had suggested that the Select Committee may wish to consider this issue in September, for an update, and again in December with the results of the consultation. Members felt that September was too early to receive a report as the consultation would not be completed. Members raised their concerns that consultation forms were running out in a number of libraries and asked that officers be informed of this issue as a matter of urgency.

The Chairman explained that this was a flexible document that would be added to throughout the year.

Members also requested a list of individual schools performance so that they could monitor progress.

RESOLVED – That: a) the flexible nature of the work programme be noted;

b)  the existing carry over items be accepted; and

c) the report on library consultation be considered at the conclusion of the consultation rather than in September.