Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mark Crane and Michael Harrison.

Resolved –

That the public Minutes of the meetings held on 21 May 2024 and 28 May 2024, having been printed and circulated, be taken as read and confirmed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

Please note that at agenda item 6 Appendix B is confidential, however it is not anticipated that the public will need to be excluded for consideration of the item.

Resolved –

That on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006, the public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of Minute no 470 – CYPS Schools Capital Programme should there be a requirement to discuss the information contained in Appendix B to the report.

Members of the public may ask questions or make statements at this meeting if they have given notice to Elizabeth Jackson, Principal Democratic Services Officer Elizabeth.jackson@harrogate.gov.uk by midday on Thursday 6 June, three working days before the day of the meeting.  Each speaker should limit themselves to 3 minutes on any item.  Members of the public who have given notice will be invited to speak:

·          at this point in the meeting if their questions/statements relate to matters which are not otherwise on the Agenda (subject to an overall time limit of 30 minutes)

·          when the relevant Agenda item is being considered if they wish to speak on a matter which is on the Agenda for this meeting

If you are exercising your right to speak at this meeting, but do not wish to be recorded, please inform the Leader who will instruct anyone who may be taking a recording to cease while you speak.

There were no public questions or statements.

Recommendations

i)                 Approve the proposed Schools Capital Programme for 2024/25 as summarised in Appendix A

ii)         Approve the Planned Capital Maintenance Programme for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix B

iii)        Agree the continuation of the approach for dealing with any schools that convert to Academy status following the approval of the programme as laid out in paragraph 3.3

Considered –

A report of the Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service presenting the Schools Condition Capital Programme for 2024/25 for approval.

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, presented the report and advised that the council had received a Schools Condition funding allocation of £5,883,316 for 2024/25 for community and voluntary controlled schools only.  The amount was lower than in previous years due to schools converting to academy status. There was currently a backlog of maintenance of £22.3 million and further planned maintenance of £73.3m over the next 5 years and it was important that investment was focussed on the most significant issues.  Investment priorities were agreed by the Executive in 2022 and were listed at section 5.2 of the report.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)                 the proposed Schools Capital Programme for 2024/25 as summarised in Appendix A be approved

ii)         the Planned Capital Maintenance Programme for 2024/25 as set out in Appendix B be approved

iii)        the continuation of the approach for dealing with any schools that convert to Academy status following the approval of the programme as laid out in paragraph 3.3 be agreed

Recommendations

i)                 Approve the approach (section 5.3) to the allocation of the programme and capital funds to providers

ii)                Delegate to the director of children and young people’s services the authority to administer the grant in line with those principles.

Considered –

A report of the Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service providing information on the plan to manage the National Expansion of Childcare grant funding for Early Years and Wraparound Provision through Capital and Revenue grants. The funding was to be administered through NYC through an application process where existing and new providers applied to support the council to meet its sufficiency duties. 

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills, presented the report which followed a grant acceptance report considered by the Executive in November 2023.  The ambition was that by 2026 all parents and carers of primary school-aged children would be able to access term-time childcare from 8 am to 6 pm, either in school or another setting, to enable parents to access employment and improve labour market participation.  Paragraph 5.3 set out a proposed approach to distribution of the funds.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)                 the approach (section 5.3) to the allocation of the programme and capital funds to providers be approved

ii)                the Corporate Director – Children and Young People’s Service be delegated the authority to administer the grant in line with those principles

Recommendations

i)                 the proposed amendments to the LGPS Discretions Policyset out in Appendix 1 be recommended to full Council for approval

ii)                it be recommended to full Council that Council delegates to the Assistant Chief Executive Business Support & HR the power to make in-year minor administrative amendments to the LGPS Discretions Policy and that consequential amendments be made to the Constitution by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services to reflect the delegation

Considered –

A report of the Assistant Chief Executive HR and Business Support presenting minor administrative amendments to the LGPS Discretions Policy and recommending a proposed delegation to the Assistant Chief Executive HR and Business Support to make minor in-year administrative amendments to the Policy.

Councillor Gareth Dadd, Executive Member for Finance and Resources, introduced the report and advised that the proposed amendments related to amending references to the predecessor authority North Yorkshire County Council to North Yorkshire Council.

Resolved (unanimously) – that:

i)                 the proposed amendments to the LGPS Discretions Policyset out in Appendix 1 be recommended to full Council for approval

ii)                it be recommended to full Council that Council delegates to the Assistant Chief Executive HR and Business Support the power to make in-year minor administrative amendments to the LGPS Discretions Policy and that consequential amendments be made to the Constitution by the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services to reflect the delegation

Recommendations

i)                 That the Executive appoint Cllr Mark Crane to the Shareholder Committee

ii)                That the Executive appoint to the North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

Considered –

A report of the Assistant Chief Executive Legal and Democratic Services setting out appointments to be made by the Executive to the Shareholder Committee and the North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE).

Resolved – that:

i)                 Councillor Mark Crane be appointed to the vacancy on the Shareholder Committee

ii)                Councillor Simon Myers be appointed to the vacancy on the North Yorkshire Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education

Considered –

The Forward Plan for the period 3 June 2024 to 30 June 2025 was presented.

Resolved -   That the Forward Plan be noted.