Decisions

1        DRAFT AIR QUALITY ANNUAL STATUS REPORT (ASR) 2020 - The Deputy Chief Executive and Director: Commercial submitted a report seeking approval to consult on the Local Air Quality Management Annual Status Report 2020 and publish the final document following consultation.

The council as part of its regulatory duties under Local Air Quality Management, must carry out a review of air pollution every year. Industrial, domestic and traffic sources must be compared with legal limits for major pollutants.

In March 2018 following improvements in local air quality the council revoked the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) at Low Santon. The Scunthorpe AQMA was also reduced in size. There were now approximately 1700 residential properties located within the AQMA. This was equivalent to 2.4% of residential properties within North Lincolnshire.

The Annual Status Report for 2020 set out all the air pollution data for the calendar year 2019 against Local Air Quality objectives as set out in the Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000.

Some areas within the Scunthorpe AQMA still experienced elevated concentrations of PM10 or ‘near miss’ exceedance days. These were often influenced by changes in wind speed or direction which may lead to an exceedance and were associated with industrial emissions.         

The Air Quality Action Plan for the Scunthorpe AQMA was currently being reviewed in consultation with stakeholders to ensure that the revised actions continued to bring about real improvements to local air quality.

Resolved – (a) That the proposal to consult with the organisations listed at Appendix 1 to the report be approved, and (b) that relevant feedback be incorporated into the report and the final document produced for publication.

20      DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION LOCAL AUTHORITY SECTOR LED IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME - The Director: Children and Community Resilience submitted an urgent report clarifying the scope of the Department for Education (DfE) Local Authority Sector Led Improvement Programme and seeking approval for the council to submit the application to become a Sector Led Improvement partner to provide a joint package of support across children’s social care and SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

The DfE published guidance on how to apply to become a Local Authority Sector Led Improvement (SLI) partner on 16 December 2020. 

The SLI programme was designed to help councils support each other to improve their children’s services by working collaboratively, sharing good practice and providing constructive challenge.  The programme was designed to encourage collective responsibility for the performance of the sector.

Previous examples of SLI support across children’s social care had covered a vast range of practice areas and support had been provided through diagnostic services, case audits, mentoring, training and disseminating learning through conferences and events. 

To date, there had not been a SLI approach to SEND and the DfE were also seeking councils who could also offer SEND improvement support including support for strategic planning and leadership, effective financial management, workforce development, joint working and commissioning, needs assessment and coproduction with parent carers, children and young people. 

Councils were invited to submit an application to work with the DfE as a SLI partner to support children’s social care improvement, or combined improvement for children’s social care and SEND. 

As part of the application process, it was necessary to secure evidence of elected members and chief executive support prior to submission.  Key milestones were as follows:

•         11 February 2021 - Application to be submitted

•         1 July 2021 to 31 March 2022 – Successful councils to begin set up/delivery of support

The matter was urgent due to the requirement to submit the application by 11 February 2021, as set out in guidance by the Department of Education.

Resolved – That the council’s application to become a Sector Led Improvement partner to provide a joint package of support across children’s social care and SEND, to be submitted within the timescales as set out in the report, be approved.

17      EARLY YEARS DEDICATED SCHOOL GRANT FUNDING 2021/2022 – The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking consideration of the proposed unit values for the 2021-2022 funding formula for providers of Early Education to two, three and four year olds.

The council had a statutory duty to provide up to a maximum of 15 hours funded early education for 38 weeks of the year for all three and four-year olds in North Lincolnshire, and an additional extended 15 hours for children of working parents that met an eligibility criteria.

Two-year olds could claim up to 15 funded hours of early education for 38 weeks of the year where their family circumstances made them eligible.  To meet the criteria families must be eligible for free school meals or be in receipt of Universal Credit/tax credits and have an annual income of under £16,190 before tax.  Or where a child was currently or previously looked after by a council.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency published operational guidance annually, outlining the arrangements to help councils and their Schools Forums plan the local implementation of the early year’s national funding formula for the forthcoming financial year.

Councils determined their own local formula that met the requirements of statutory guidance in consultation with the Schools Forum.  Early years’ providers received funding based on participation of individual children each term.

Resolved – That the use of the formula factors and values, as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, be approved.

The corresponding report of the following item (Minute 19 refers) contains exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

19      THE CYGNETS SHORT BREAKS CHILDREN’S HOME – STATEMENT OF PURPOSE – The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking approval of the revised Statement of Purpose for The Cygnets Short Breaks Children’s Home.

All Children’s Homes were required to develop and keep under review a Statement of Purpose, indicating how the home provided individualised care to meet the quality standards for the children in their care.

The Statement of Purpose was reviewed annually, or at times of significant change. The current Statement of Purpose had been reviewed twice since March 2020 due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Resolved – That the changes made to The Cygnets Short Breaks Children’s Home Statement of Purpose, be approved.

16      APPOINTMENT/RE-APPOINTMENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITY SCHOOL GOVERNORS - The Director: Learning, Skills and Culture submitted a report seeking the re-appointment of suitable candidates to serve as a local authority (LA) governor on the governing body of various schools and the appointment of suitable candidates to serve  on the governing bodies of John Harrison CE Primary School and Barton St Peter’s CE Primary School.

Governing bodies were the key strategic decision-making body for schools. It was the governing body’s role to set a school’s strategic framework and to ensure that all statutory duties were met.  The Department for Education identified three main duties, which were:

·       ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction

·       holding the head teacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, and the performance management of staff

·       overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money was well spent

Local authority governors must have:

·       an interest in the future education and wellbeing of all children

·       the skills and desire to make a difference

·       a willingness to accept responsibility

·       an ability to work in a team, ask questions, listen and learn

·       time and commitment to undertake governor duties

·       a commitment to fulfil the Nolan principles which related to Standards in Public Life.

When a LA governor vacancy occurred, the relevant governing body identified the necessary skills, knowledge and experience that would be required of the successful candidate(s).   All potential applicants (including re-appointments) were required to complete an application form identifying their skills, knowledge and experience.   The LA nominated suitable candidates to the school and the governing body decided whether the nominee met their requirements.  The governing body may choose to reject or appoint the candidate accordingly.

Resolved – (a) That the proposal to nominate for re-appointment to the governing bodies of Bowmandale Primary School, St Luke’s Primary School and The Trentside Federation, the applicants detailed in Appendix 1, Table 2 to the report, be approved, and (b) that the proposal to nominate for appointment to the governing bodies of John Harrison CE Primary School and Barton St Peter’s CE Primary School, the applicants detailed in Appendix 1, Table 3 to the report, be approved.