Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest on this occasion.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee received the Stafford 14-19 Partnership Business Plan 2019-24 and were requested to approve it. They were reminded that the Stafford 14-19 Partnership was a collaboration of five schools in Stafford enabling the delivery of a large Post 16 curriculum in wider subject areas which may not be viable in the schools if working alone.  It also works together to include provision for specific groups of 14-16 year olds particularly addressing the needs of gifted and talented and those at risk of being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

The Committee were advised that at the Charities and Trusts meeting on 4 June 2019, the Committee approved in principle that it would fund £185,492 for the 2020/21 academic year however due to underspends in several areas the amount requested is £155,624.

The Committee were requested to approve Stafford 14-19 Partnership’s request for an estimated sum of £191,294 for the 2021/22 academic year. The Committee were advised that this increase is required to meet the continued anticipated shortfall on income due to lower pupil numbers accessing central Partnership courses.

RESOLVED – That (a) - the updated Stafford 14-19 Partnership Business Plan 2019-2024 (hereinafter called the Business Plan) and 2019/20 Partnership Update report be approved.

(b) the funding request to the Staffordshire Education Centre Charity (registered number 528604) as set out in the report and Business Plan for 2020/21 and 20/22 academic years be approved.

For 2020/21 academic year this will be a sum of £155,264 as set out in the Business Plan.

For 2021/22 academic year the Stafford 14-19 Partnership is requesting an estimated sum of £191,294 as set out in the Business Plan.

(c) Staffordshire County Council’s Assistant Director- Skills and Employability, continues to be authorised to approve the release of funds set out above subject to the successful delivery of the 2020/21 element of the Business Plan.

The Committee were presented with the 2019/20 Annual Accounts for each of the Endowment Charity Funds where Staffordshire County Council had been appointed Sole Trustee.

The Committee were advised that 3 of these Charities have income levels of over £25,000 and therefore must submit a copy of their annual accounts, along with a report from an independent auditor and a brief Annual Report, to the Charities Commission.

RESOLVED – (a) That the Committee approve the 2019/20 Annual Accounts for the 9 Charities where the Council is the Custodian Trustee.

(b) That the Committee approve the Trustee’s Annual Reports for the 3 Charities which are required to submit such to the Charity Commission.

The Chairman to move:-

PART TWO

(reports in this section are exempt)

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 indicated below.

(Exemption paragraph 3)

RESOLVED – That the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 19 November 2019 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman.