Agenda and minutes

There were none.  

To approve the record of the meeting held on 7 December 2020.

The record of the meeting held on 7 December 2020 was agreed and signed by the Chairman as correct.  

There were none. 

Members are invited to disclose any Disclosable Pecuniary Interests or Other Significant Interests in accordance with the Member Code of Conduct.  Guidance on this is set out in agenda item 4.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other significant interests (OSIs)

Councillor Josie Iles declared an Other Significant Interest in item 6 (officer advice in response to a recommended policy change) as she was Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and a Member of the Cabinet, which would need to consider and determine any recommendations made.  She therefore withdrew from the meeting for the consideration and decision of this item.

Other interests

There were none.

The Committee noted the report.

This report sets out the response to the committee’s recommendation to Cabinet to review the Education Travel Assistance Policy (ETAP) and consider whether pupils who secure a place at a Medway Grammar School on appeal should also be classed as grammar ability under the policy.

Discussion:

The Head of School Services introduced the report which provided some officer advice in relation to a recommendation made by the Committee previously, in relation to the Education Travel Assistance Policy (ETAP). The Committee, at its meeting on 27 August 2020, had recommended that Cabinet be asked to review the ETAP and consider whether pupils who secure a place at a Medway Grammar School on appeal should also be classed as grammar ability under the policy. He explained that this scenario largely related to one school and that by making the change it could result in a potentially unfair process for pupil who pass the Medway test more pupils could be disadvantaged than benefit from the proposed change.

Members considered that there was a system issue in that undersubscribed grammar schools were able to increase their intake through the admission appeal process and that this should be tackled in partnership with Headteachers and academy trusts.

Members also acknowledged that individual families presenting at a transport appeal, whose child had been successful in gaining a grammar school place via an admission appeal, would consider their child to be of grammar ability and it was very difficult as a local authority and as a Committee to disregard that view.

It was also considered that the report should have gone straight to Cabinet for consideration, with the officer advice and it was felt important that Cabinet should consider the report and be highlighted of this system issue.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report and reiterated its recommendation to Cabinet to review the ETAP and consider whether pupils who secure a place at a Medway Grammar School on appeal should also be classed as grammar ability under the policy.

This report summarises the content of agenda item 8, which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contains exempt information within one of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is a matter for the Committee to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of documents.

The Committee agreed that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the exempt material relating to agenda item 8 because consideration of these matters in public would disclose information falling within one or more categories of exempt information contained in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 as specified in agenda item 7 and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Committee considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Members are requested to consider appeals relating to applications for assistance with home to school transport.

Discussion:

The Committee considered three appeals in respect of the provision of home to school transport.

Decision:

(a)      That case number ST803, as set out in the exempt annex to the agenda, was upheld. 

(b)      That case number ST805, as set out in the exempt annex to the agenda, was upheld. 

(c)      That case number ST802, as set out in the exempt annex to the agenda, was not upheld.