Agenda and minutes
Venue: MP702, 7th Floor, Mulberry Place, 5, Clove Crescent, London E14 2BG
Contact: Elizabeth Dowuona, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4207, E-mail: elizabeth.dowuona@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS PDF 64 KB To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992.
See attached note from the Monitoring Officer.
Minutes: There was none.
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REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION |
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LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS PDF 98 KB The report sets out for Members the details of applicants who have expressed an interest in being appointed to local authority school governor positions at Tower Hamlets schools. The Committee is asked to endorse or reject the nominations for appointments set out in the report.
Additional documents: Minutes: The report was introduced by Hania Franek, Head of School Governance and Information, who provided some background to the application and the reasons for urgency. She reported that following an Ofsted inspection, Raine’s Foundation School was placed under special measures. The school was categorised as a failing school requiring improvement. The report indicated that the governing body did not provide effective challenge to leaders and did not hold them to account sufficiently well.
As a result, the governing body voted to disband itself and requested that the local authority, assisted by the London Diocesan Board for Schools and Department for Education took over responsibility for the school until such time as a new governing body could be appointed. The local authority and London Diocesan Board for Schools proposed establishing an Interim Executive Board of skilled professionals to be responsible for the governance of the school for an interim period prior to forming another governing body. Following discussions with the London Diocesan Board for Schools and the Raine’s Foundation it was agreed to set about arranging the appointment of seven new permanent members of the governing body with the skills needed to make it effective. It was therefore important start the appointment process without delay.
It was noted that Tim Williams was identified to become a member of the Interim Executive Board and was now applying to be the LA governor. Mr Williams, currently employed as a local authority officer in schools had a vast knowledge and experience in all aspects of schools, the school curriculum and young people, at both a strategic and day to day level.
Officers proposed with respect to Tim Williams’ nomination, that an exception to the protocol on the appointment of local authority governors, which debarred officers of the Directorate from being appointed as Local Authority governors. This was on the grounds that the protocol on the appointment of local authority governors, adopted by the Local Authority in 2005/6, had been applied to governing bodies, but not to Interim Executive Boards.
Members noted Tim Williams’ extensive experience in education and considered that he would make an effective contribution to the governing body at Raine’s Foundation School.
RESOLVED -
That Tim Williams be nominated for appointment as a governor at Raine’s Foundation School under the 2012 School Governance Regulations.
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EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC In view of the contents of the remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt the following motion:
“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”
EXEMPT SECTION (Pink Papers)
The exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information, which is personally sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. If you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please hand them to the Committee Officer present.
Minutes: RESOLVED –
That in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting on the grounds that the remaining agenda item contained information defined as exempt or confidential in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
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LOCAL AUTHORITY GOVERNOR APPOINTMENTS EXEMPT APPENDICES The report sets out for Members the details of applications of applicants who have expressed an interest in being appointed to local authority school governor positions at Tower Hamlets schools.
Minutes: The appendices were noted.
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Late Item - Response to the Recommendations made under S11 (3) Audit Commission Act 1998 PDF 154 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: The Chair agreed the reasons for urgency as set out in the report.
Kevin Miles, Chief Accountant, Corporate Finance then introduced the report which set out how the actions agreed at Full Council (held on the 20th January 2016) relating to the recommendation made by KPMG under S11(3) of the Audit Commission Act 1998 would be delivered.
He highlighted the process on how the decisions of Full Council on 20th January 2016 would be implemented to provide additional assurance to the external auditors, KPMG.
Responding to Members’ questions, the following points were noted:
· The Council endorsed the S11 report accepting the recommendation made by KPMG under Section 11 (3) of the Audit Commission Act 1998 which required an action plan to be drawn up to address the issues identified in the Section 11 regulations.
· A Governance Working Group had been set up to draw up the Action Plan, which would set out each individual action, the lead officer with responsibility for delivering the action and the timeframe within which the action will be delivered.
· The Council also endorsed the actions already put in place by the Corporate Director of Resources in response to the recommendation.
· It was envisaged that report on the progress on the Action Plan satisfying the S11 notice would be submitted to the next ordinary meeting of the Audit Committee on 22 March 2016 for approval.
RESOLVED -
1. That the production of an action plan by the Governance Working Group which sets out each individual action, identifying the lead officers and the timeframe for completion to be undertaken as part of the Council’s Governance Review be noted and endorsed.
2. That the progress of the Action Plan be monitored and reported to the General Purposes Committee periodically and submitted as a standing agenda item to the Audit Committee.
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