The questions which have been received from members of the public for this Council meeting are set out in the attached report.  A maximum period of 20 minutes is allocated to this agenda item.

The following question followed by a supplementary question was put and was responded to by the relevant Executive Member:-

6.1 Question from Abu Talha Chowdhury:

Can the Mayor outline under what circumstances and in which areas, together with relevant Acts, could the local authority intervene in the schools maintained by the authority - and separately how it differs from a school run by a trust or as a free school?

Response of Councillor Rachael Saunders, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education & Children's Services:

To our frustration the ability of the Local Authority to have a leadership role over education is reducing but it remains something that is hugely important to us. Local Authorities may only intervene when the education of the pupils in any individual school is at risk. This includes issues relating to standards, safeguarding, and finances, including pay and conditions. Local Authorities can only intervene in Local Authority maintained schools. Academies and free schools come under the purview of the Regional School Commissioner (RSC) who has the same powers but for all schools including maintained schools. So we can only intervene in maintained schools, the Regional Commissioner can intervene in all schools.

We are in regular contact and have regular discussions with the Regional School Commissioner as you would expect.  Where a school is considered at risk of failing, the Local Authority has the power to issue a formal warning notice. We would usually do this alongside the RSC. There are three forms of intervention: schools that have been judged inadequate by Ofsted, schools that are coasting and schools that have failed to comply with a warning notice.

Supplementary question from Abu Talha Chowdhury:

Can you provide updates on the two motions relating to schools; the death of Nasar Ahmed, Bow School and the results of the investigation at Ian Mikado school. In relation to the Ian Mikado motion, can you confirm that the first Chair of Governors made serious objections to this appointment and said that ‘some crimes should discount individuals from working in schools’ but he was pushed out and eventually left. This quoted evidence collaborates with the member of the governing body of Ian Mikado school, Lisa Stepanovic who came here at this very Council on 20^th July 2016, and said that children told me that they were not allowed to challenge this, I was told that I could not challenge it.

In order to be transparent, could the Deputy Mayor inform who were the two Councillors that were involved in the decision making process of this appointment at Ian Mikado school, and have the recommendations arising out of the review been now fully implemented by the Council and school, if so, what actual changes have taken place?

The Lead Member talked about safeguarding, so my question was which two Councillors were involved in the decision making of safeguarding the children at Ian Mikado school.

Councillor Rachael Saunders’s, response to supplementary question:

The issues you raised are really important both in terms of Ian Mikado and Bow School. A number of investigations have been undertaken in both cases in terms of the statutory issues and the work of the Council. A number of complaints have been investigated. I don’t think it’s responsible for me without receiving notice of your question to freelance and give an update on the safeguarding issues but I would be happy to write to you or to meet if you find that easier.  

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