VB are reporting live from the April Cabinet meeting at County Hall (all papers here)
For details of agenda items, check the document at the bottom of this post.
We will endeavour to report presentations and discussions as accurately as possible. Text surrounded by () signifies VB’s comments.
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[18.00] Start
And we’re off! Not too many members of the public this time.
Declarations of interest:
Cllr Pugh, personal interest, “Family members to be” + Stag Lane project
Cllr Brown – Paper D – “Some of the people involved”
(Think Cllr Giles did the same)
Cllr Pugh: Family to be – Newchurch school
Post event update: Cllr Mazillius – Schools – His son provides architectural service to the council.
[18.08] Update 1
Public Q: (see image below) Sustainable Act
Cllr Pugh we’re not rushing to respond. Local services being developed. If we can identify things that are beneficial
Public Q 2 (email): (see image below)
Cllr Pugh: The summation of costs were estimates. Doesn’t include Voluntary Aided schools. (Something about Investment opportunities)
Northwood – a ‘bulge’ year of pupils. Decanting of pupils. Mobiles have come mostly from Middle schools and are remodelled for Primary use.
Supplementary question: Monitor school results to see if improvement are made?
Cllr Pugh: Don’t want to pre-empt KS2 results for this year.
[18.16] Update 2
Public Q 3: Biomass plant – how it considered green and sustainable
Cllr George: It’s not in front of us as a planning app, so we don’t know the details. We understand that the material is continually renewing – a 10 year cycle
Supplementary Question: If this comes from a forest far away, is it sustainable? Air quality. Aesthetically, I understand there’s a concern
Cllr Brown: We can only take a broad view. Material can be grown in any area, including the IW. Supply lines will be in planning app. Rest also planning.
Public Q: Removal of travel assistance to faith schools
Cllr Pugh: There’s a consultation. Want to make sure we don’t just refer the current unfairness.
Supp Q: Ask that the time scale is long enough to make sure there’s enough notice. Make consultation deep and meaningful
Cllr Pugh: We will bear this is mind.
Now move to Paper B – Schools Capital programme. £25.5m over next two years.
Cllr Pugh: Biggest spends – Haylands and Ventnor new builds. £6.5m + £7.4m
Split to Phase 2, 3 Academy setup costs – Autistic Spectrum Disorder provision. £2.85, £21.3m, £1m + £300k
[18.26] Update 3
Cowes Pathfinder – Mainland contractor (they now have an office on the Island) a significant boost for Island business, in helping in the build.
£1m highway improvements included in £21m. £1.443m for Island Innovation Trust Sixth Form (Nodehill Middle School)
Cllrs Pugh and Brown will be making a decision soon which school buildings will be sold off.
£467k Dioceses will invest in a year for 4-11 year olds. Two diocesan authorities.
Cllr Mazillius: Mr Miller is an outstanding example of a concerned parent (He’d asked school questions before).
I’d been asked if I was OK that planning app for school/highways went to delegated decision. I’m convinced that travel to the school will be totally safe
Cllr Jones-Evans: Nodehill. A very important building. Please confirm it’s for the long term use.
Cllr Pugh: This is for educational use. A five year lease. The building needs a lot of work, sympathetic. Possibly a county library on that site. Remain open minded about its use.
Cllr Jones-Evans: Any highways changes needed for it to be a college from a school?
Cllr Pugh: We’ll minimise car access for the pupils. Don’t think there’s any substantial highway changes
Cllr Churchman: Can you confirm the number of pupils at Sandown?
Cllr Pugh: Numbers have been adjusted downwards. AET applied for this
Vote: 6 – Cllr Mazillius abstained (my son might get some work from this)
[18.45] Update 4
Paper C – Reconfigure Social Work Practice
Cll Cousins: IW had a problem getting social workers historically. Have increased salaries, while vacancies were at 40%. Was trialled in Hackney
Last Island Ofsted of Safeguarding and Looking after Children Services (7-17 Sept 2010), they were judged as Adequate (only meeting minimum requirements)
Option 1 recommended – Long-term precedent has been set. Implement by Summer 2011.
Cllr Pugh: Would be beneficial for us to visit Hackney to chat to them about it.
Cllr Mazillius: Want to support this.
Cllr Cameron: Good for Social workers … and the Children as well
Cllr Cousins: I’ve spoke to colleges on the Mainland – they are very jealous
Cllr Jones-Evans: Where was Hackney before they implemented this?
Cllr Cousins: In the doldrums. Special measures. Now they’re very highly rated. Staff sickness problems we have on IW, should be helped by this teams approach
Vote 7 for
[18.54] Update 5
Paper D: Stag Lane
Cllr Brown: 12 month time limit was applied should discussions prove abortive. They have not. Cost of site remediation exceeds land values. Propose to extend a further 15 months. Cllr Pugh seconds.
Vote 7 for
Cllr Pugh: Corp plan going to full council in June
END OF MEETING
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Update 20.Apr.2011
We’ve embedded the official version of the minutes below
