Education Minutes - 11 March 2002

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE EDUCATION, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND LIFELONG LEARNING SELECT COMMITTEE HELD AT COUNTY HALL, NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT ON MONDAY, 11 MARCH 2002 COMMENCING AT 9.30 AM

Present :

Mrs J L Wareham (Chairman), Mrs D Gardiner, Mr C M Gauntlett, Mr C R Hancock, Mr J F Howe, Mr P D Joyce, Mr G S Kendall, Mr K Pearson, Mr R C Richards

Co-opted :

Sister Patricia, Mr N Mitchell, Ms M Wilson

Spokesperson :

Mr P G Harris

Apologies :

Archdeacon M Banting, Mr C B W Chapman, Mrs B D Clough

Also Present (non voting) :

Mr V J Morey

24. MINUTES

RESOLVED :

THAT the Minutes of the meeting held on 11 February 2002 be confirmed.

25. REPORT OF THE STRATEGIC DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

(a) The Family Learning Policy and The Isle of Wight Adult Learning Plan 2002/03

The Select Committee believed that both The Family Learning Policy and the Isle of Wight Adult Learning Plan 2002/03 should be taken together, but questioned the need for them to come to the Select Committee as they had not had the opportunity to scrutinise them.

The Strategic Director of Education and Community Development advised the Select Committee there had been no requirement to have a Plan prior to 1999 and it had always been an area of the budget that was susceptible to cuts. Funding for Adult Learning had moved from the LEA to the Learning and Skills Council. The funding level had changed significantly from approximately £40,000 to £180,000 per annum. There were three key elements to the Plan - Family Learning, Basic Skills and Supporting Individual Projects.

The LEA had contracted for the core provision with two learning providers, the Isle of Wight College Adult Education Division and East Cowes Family Learning Centre. In June 2001 a development proposal resulted from a survey of need for family learning on the Island and involved the appointment of two Family Learning Teachers and Learning Support Assistants to roll out the Family Literacy Courses in ten Island primary schools.

The Family Learning work had blossomed over the past three years and had been jointly funded through SRB funding the Isle of Wight Council. The Plan was in the second year of guaranteed funding but the Select Committee were advised that from 2003 it would be based on formula funding.

Members raised various points in the Plan they believed needed further clarification and advised the Strategic Director that it had been hard going and difficult to read. The Select Committee discussed how the ten schools had been selected, how families got onto the scheme and to which classes in the schools the Family Learning Programme was available.

RESOLVED :

THAT the Select Committee note both reports.

(b) Sport Action Zones Task Group - Progress Report

Members were advised on the Isle of Wight Council’s plans to bid to become a Sport Action Zone. Sport Action Zone was an initiative that would bring the benefits of sport to deprived and under resourced local communities. The bid would be for £250,000.

Sport England had been consulted and it was agreed that a structured, planned and focussed application would be made. Officers were awaiting the application form, which was due by the end of March 2002. The application would be submitted by 3 July 2002 and the results were expected on 24 September 2002. The Select Committee were told that bidding was a competitive process and the Isle of Wight would be competing against other areas in the South East Region.

A Sport Action Zone Partnership had been formed consisting of five key organisations, the Health Promotions Team, Young Offenders Team, Connexions, Crime and Disorder and Isle of Wight Partnership. The Partnership Group had agreed that the application should focus on local issues surrounding social inclusion, economic and community regeneration and tourism, using sport as the delivery tool.

The Select Committee would be advised of the result of the bid when it arrived and an updated report would be brought to the next available meeting after the 24 September 2002.

RESOLVED :

THAT the report be noted.

The Strategic Director advised Members that the Libraries Task Group had met on three occasions and had visited all libraries and Library Headquarters in January 2002. Members from the Task Group reported on the appalling staff facilities at libraries, especially those at HQ.

The Select Committee discussed the Minimum Library Standards and were told that library opening hours were very good and in the upper quartile, whilst spending on books was in the lower quartile. Members were advised that there were sixteen minimum Library Standards, some of which were contradictory to each other.

Libraries were one of the most used public buildings and a Best Value Review would be looking at how to make better use of the buildings. It was believed that libraries could be a multi-use facility and the local community should be consulted on that issue.

RESOLVED :

THAT the report be noted.

26. FORWARD PLAN

The Head of Select Committee Support indicated that the Forward Plan had been part of the agenda over the last few months, and asked if Members happy were to keep it on the agenda. The Select Committee believed that the Forward Plan should be retained as a standard agenda item.

Members discussed the supply of library books tender and were advised that the book purchasing fund was approximately £170,000 per year.

RESOLVED :

THAT the Forward Plan for March to June 2002 be noted and continue to be included on future agenda’s

CHAIRMAN