Cabinet

Cabinet considered the future of school improvement services for Merthyr Tydfil. It approved a new local school improvement team and a regional approach to professional learning, with new governance arrangements, and noted the financial position. It also gave the Director of Education delegated authority, in consultation with the portfolio member, to act on these matters.

1. Future direction of school improvement services

   Decided

   Cabinet approved the proposed operating model for school improvement, the proposed regional approach to professional learning and its governance arrangements. It noted the financial position. It approved delegated authority for the Director of Education, in consultation with the Portfolio member for Education, which lets an officer act without a further Cabinet vote.

   Why

   The report follows a Cabinet report of 20 November 2024 on reshaping school improvement services in line with the Welsh Government's Middle Tier Review. It says the current Central South Consortium, a joint service of five councils, would be replaced by a new local school improvement team in Merthyr Tydfil and a regional professional learning service hosted by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, with a Strategic Group of directors instead of a joint committee of elected members. Elected members asked questions, and officers explained the funding and costs, discussed the effectiveness of the new service, gave examples of collaboration and discussed capacity and staff.

   Based on the minutes, Committee Report, iia

Written by AI from the council's minutes and reports. Sentences with a number or name that can't be found in those papers are removed automatically, but mistakes are still possible. Councils publish no word-for-word record of meetings, so this says what was decided and why. Read the official papers to be sure.

1. 1

   Apologies for absence

   Minute

   Apologies for absence were received from Cllr J Scriven.

2. 2

   Declarations of Interest

   Minute

   No Declarations of Interest were received.

3. 3

   Future Direction for School Improvement Services

   Decision as recorded

   Resolved that: 2.1 The proposed operation model for school improvement be approved. 2.2 The proposed regional approach to professional learning be approved. 2.3 The governance arrangements for the proposed regional professional learning model be approved. 2.4 The financial position be noted. 2.5 The giving of delegated authority to the Director of Education in consultation with the Portfolio member for Education, be approved.

   Minute

   Presented by Cllr G Lewis. In response to questions from elected members: · The Officers explained the funding and the costs of the service. · The effectiveness of the new service was discussed. · The Officers provided examples of vertical and horizontal collaborations. · The Officers discussed capacity and staff. Resolved that: 2.1 The proposed operation model for school improvement be approved. 2.2 The proposed regional approach to professional learning be approved. 2.3 The governance arrangements for the proposed regional professional learning model be approved. 2.4 The financial position be noted. 2.5 The giving of delegated authority to the Director of Education in consultation with the Portfolio member for Education, be approved.

   Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings

   Papers: Committee Report, iia
4. 4

   Any Other Business Deemed Urgent by the Chair

   Minute

   The Chair advised that there was no other business deemed urgent.

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

The minutes record no declarations of interest.

• Brent Carter, ChairLabourPresent
• David Jones, Vice-ChairLabourPresent
• Andrew Barry, OthermbrsIndependentRecorded
• Anna Williams- Price, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Gareth Lewis, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Geraint Thomas, OthermbrsIndependentRecorded
• Jamie Scriven, Committee MemberIndependentSent apologies
• Louise Minett-Vokes, Committee MemberLabourPresent

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