Decision details

To update and approve the existing Elective Home Education policy and procedures in line with the new Elective Home Education pathway.

The Chief Executive Officer considered the report presented at the informal meeting of Executive Members held on 24 August 2021. Having taken account of the comments made by Executive Members and all relevant information, he to approve the revised Elective Home Education policy and procedures, replacing those previously approved in 2016, in order to reflect the new pathway and statutory requirements.

Under his delegated decision making powers in the Officers’ Delegation Scheme in the Council’s Constitution, the Chief Executive Officer has power, in cases of emergency, to take any decision which could be taken by the Council, the Executive or a committee.
Following on from the expiry of the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 (“the 2020 Regulations”), which allowed for committee meetings to be held remotely, the County Council resolved at its meeting on 5 May 2021 that, for the present time, in light of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic circumstances, remote live-broadcast committee meetings should continue (as informal meetings of the Committee Members), with any formal decisions required being taken by the Chief Executive Officer under his emergency decision making powers and after consultation with other Officers and Members as appropriate and after taking into account any views of the relevant Committee Members and all relevant information. This approach was reviewed in July and will be further reviewed in September 2021.
The Chief Executive Officer considered the revised Elective Home Education policy and procedures presented at the informal meeting of the Members of the Executive on 24 August 2021.
He took all relevant information into account in exercising his emergency delegated powers in this matter, including the DfE advice note issued to local authorities in November 2020, the outcome of the internal review recently completed, and the views of the Members of the Executive.
The revisions to the Elective Home Education policy and procedures reflect the new pathway and statutory requirements. Further details are set out in the attached report

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