Hampshire Governors' Representative Group
Notes of meeting
Date 30 September 1999
Time 6.00 pm
Venue The Professional Centre,
Winchester
Present Ian Chrystie Fleet
John Mason Winchester
John Brailsford Havant
Martina Powell New Forest
Cynthia Hicks Winchester
Vernon Petherick Havant
Derek Richards Winchester
In Janet Sheriton Clerk
Attendance
Apologies Terry Tillman Fleet
Sylvia Vine (resigned as Fleet
governor)
Chris D'Arcy (resigned as Fleet
governor)
Paddy Ryan (resigned in Winchester
July)
Jim Watt
Richard Kearsey (resigned
as HGRG rep)
John Mason was introduced
and welcomed as Paddy
Ryan's replacement
Action
1 Election of Officers and Representatives
Chairman: Ian Chrystie - nominated by John
Brailsford, seconded by Vernon Petherick
No other nominations - elected unanimously
Vice Chairman - John Brailsford - nominated
by Ian Chrystie, seconded by Vernon Petherick
No other nominations - elected unanimously
Treasurer: John Brailsford - nominated by
Vernon Petherick, seconded by Martina Powell
No other nominations - elected unanimously
The following representatives were appointed:
Representative to Education Committee-
Martina Powell
National Governors' Council representative-
Ian Chrystie
VTSC Careers representative - Martina Powell
2 Notes of 26 May 1999 - agreed as a correct
record
3 Matters arising from 26 May 1999
Item 7 - Education & Employment Committee-
Enquiry into the role of school governors.
The clerk updated members. The Select
Committee report had now been published and
was available on the Internet. It was a
readable and balanced report. Hampshire
governors and schools were amongst those
from whom evidence was taken. Marchwood
Junior school's governing body submission in
respect of the Annual Parents Meeting was
quoted in the report and the Committee are
recommending that the statutory requirement
to hold an annual meeting be ended (Paras
65-66). A response to this and other
recommendations was expected from the
Secretary of State imminently.
Item 10f - The Governor Recruitment Members AD
Panel had Chris D'Arcy and Richard Kearsey Governor
as HGRG representatives both of whom were no Services
longer members of HGRG. A panel meeting was Members
due in November. Derek Richards agreed to Panel
take on the role and Martina Powell will paper
also attend the meeting in November. A and
further permanent nomination would be sought alert
at the next HGRG meeting. Chief
Executive
's to
change
5 Governor Representation on School
Organisation Committee (SOC)
Volunteers had been received as a result of
the Chairman's letter to all schools. The
following governor representatives were
agreed as recommendations to the County
Council
Dr Bamber - Lord Wilson School - Community
Special - Secondary - LEA Governor
Mr Geoffrey Newsome - Ringwood School-
Foundation - Secondary - Partnership
governor
Alan Fender - Wolverdene Special - Community
Special - primary - co-opted governor
Major Stephen Pope - Grateley Primary-
Community - Primary - Parent governor
Tom Wickstead - Potley Hill Primary-
Community - Primary - Parent governor
Rev John Buxton - New Milton Infant-
Community - Primary - Co-opted governor
One vacancy remained to be filled. The
secondary sector was under-represented, and
so far all appointments were men. HGRG
members would seek a further nomination from
local forums this term. Ian Chrystie and
Mike Loneragan who had represented governors
on the SOC on a temporary basis would now Ian
stand down. Lawson
The clerk was asked to pass the nominations
to Ian Lawson who would inform the nominees
of their appointment formally.
Clerk to thank Mike Loneragan and inform him
that sufficient nominations were received to AD
relieve him of his temporary duty in respect
of SOC.
6 School Admission Forum (SAF)
One nomination was received from Shirley
Pawley (Orchard Junior School). Ian
Chrystie (Mill Chase Secondary) was prepared AD
to serve. The clerk was requested to ask
Mike Loneragan (Gomer Junior) if he would
take on the role. This still left 2 All HGRG
vacancies. Further nominations would be
sought at local forum meetings by HGRG reps
this term. Any further names should be
passed to Angela Donnelly (01962 845706).
The Chairman reported that there were likely AD
to be about 6 meetings a year at different
venues around the county; meetings would be
probably on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
either at 10.00 or 2.00 pm.
The clerk to pass the agreed names to Alex
Munro who would confirm appointments
formally
7 County Governor Forum Draft Agenda
CGF Item 4 - Roger Mead to be asked to cover
"balances" and good practice in respect of Clerk to
holding of individual balances. HGRG would R Mead
like the detail of the budget setting
timetable and in particular the budget
consultation dates for partners so that it
could set a date for its joint meeting with
reps from HT Conferences.
Post meeting note - Budget consultation
dates for partners set for 13 December 1999
- 2.00 - 4.30 pm and 13 January 2000 - 2.00
- 4.30 pm
CGF Item 6 - Parent Governor Representatives
on Education Committee. The clerk reported
that Roger Mead was expected to present this
paper (not as shown on draft agenda). HGRG
members reported that DfEE leaflets had been
received in school. The clerk outlined the
issues and the areas of County Council
discretion on which they would be consulting
HGRG and HT Conferences. HGRG maintained
its view that this was an unnecessary and
unhelpful change. Nevertheless it would now
happen and they would want to make it work
as well as possible in Hampshire.
CGF Item 8 - Social Inclusion - A misprint
in Table 1 which links Havant with Romsey
rather than Petersfield was pointed out.
A question was raised concerning the cost of
setting up the Behaviour Intervention
Service and why it was necessary when EOTAS
already plays this role.
The non-attendance of "looked after
children" was raised and the limitations on
the EWS in respect of prosecuting the
non-attendance of "looked-after-children". Sheila
If HCC can't take itself to court over Arney
non-attendance should it be a disciplinary
issue if Home Care staff do not ensure
attendance?
The clerk was asked to alert Sheila Arney to
the questions
CGF Item 9 - Teachers Pay and Conditions
- HGRG looking for further
information/guidance on setting objectives
and pay for HTs
- Clarification on the position of D. Heads
in respect of both objectives and pay and
who/how these should be set
- HGRG looking for information on the
introduction of performance management and
appraisal and the role the County Council
may play in supporting schools John
- John Wakeling to identify what help HGRG Wakeling
may be able to offer locally or nationally
The clerk was asked to alert John Wakeling
to the above prior to the CGF meeting
CGF Item 11 - Communications with Governors
- Without the paper HGRG were unclear what
was to be covered by this item. Lorraine
Nevertheless governors had a number of Robinson
issues about communication and wished to see
this item higher on the Agenda (Item 6
suggested).
Both Havant and Winchester local forums were
very unhappy with the proposal recently put
to them to reduce the number of their forum
meetings which would receive County Council
administrative support from 6 to 3 per
annum. Clarendon Forum did not consider 1
meeting a term sufficiently frequent. In
Havant 1 meeting covering all of their local
areas was considered to be too large a
geographical spread. Governors felt that
their support as partners was being reduced
and that fundamental changes to management
partnership arrangements were taking place
without proper consultation. Janet Sheriton
explained that the issues were of two sorts.
Firstly Governor Services staff were working
excessively long hours and time had to be
targeted to highest priorities. Having
examined the priorities following the
introduction of Fair Funding the total
number of local forum meetings and their
different pattern around the county was one
area where some rationalisation might be
possible without causing too much damage.
In 98/9 local forums had cost £15,000 and
took 68 work days. Discussion with
governors had been held locally because the
patterns which were different in different
areas had been agreed locally.
The second lot of issues concerned the
re-focusing of the department in the light
of fair funding. Area Education Officers
had historically attended most meetings of
local forums but this role no longer
existed. The 4 ASIMs could not undertake to
attend the 27 meetings of forums which would
be held if the current pattern continued and
would be unable to help with many issues
that might be raised. It would be important
for forums to invite appropriate officers
for particular items.
During discussion and questions the JS
following issues/actions were identified:
_ The NE forums had reported their
discussions on this to HGRG in the
summer. Having agreed to 1 meeting per IC
term for all their areas they were due to
have their first meeting soon
Post meeting note - NE have now met and the
above format was agreed. JS, JB,
_ general unhappiness that Governor IC
Services is proposing to cut the level of
support that historically local forums
have received
_ a belief that the local forum networks
are as important a priority as other work
that Governor Services has to staff
_ a concern at the message this gives
governors about their value to the County
Council when recruitment is already
difficult
_ Janet Sheriton agreed to provide further
information on the cost of providing a
clerking and administrative services for
any meetings in excess of the basic 1 per
term per area office and discuss with
John Brailsford
_ Ian Chrystie to raise concerns about the
frequency and servicing of forum meetings
and the attendance of senior officers at
them in the HGRG feedback to CGF
_ the Governor Services SLA/SLS had not
been revised since before the
amalgamation of the service. This was
due to be done this term. John
Brailsford and Ian Chrystie volunteered
to help with this.
8 Chairman's Items
NGC - See item 12
9 Treasurer's Items
£300 had been spent to date. NGC fees had
not been paid but payment was in hand
10 Local Forum Items
Clarendon Forum - Questioned whether the
County Plan for School Transport is under
review.
- Guidance was sought on school budget
surpluses (see item 7 CGF Item 4)
Most other local forums were still to meet
this term.
11 HGRG Representative feedback from meetings
a) NGC - Ian Chrystie/Sylvia Vine - no
meetings held
b) Literacy Task Force - Paddy Ryan/Cynthia
Hicks - no meetings held
c) Numeracy Strategy Group - John
Brailsford - nothing to report
d) Education Committee - Martina Powell-
had not been able to attend but reported
from the minutes of the September meeting of
the Education Committee which considered the
future of Woodlands primary school in the
South East of the county.
e) VTSC Careers - Martina Powell reported
that VTSC Careers had undergone a number of
changes. A letter summarising these is
attached to these minutes as Appendix 1. AD
f) Governor Recruitment Members Panel. An
update on progress had been circulated in
place of the July meeting which was
cancelled. Martina Powell and Derek
Richards would be circulated with this as
Chris D'Arcy and Richard Kearsey were no Bob
longer HGRG members. Eardley
g) Asset Management Plans Steering Group - to note
Derek Richards had attended the first
meeting. The County Council had to complete
a survey of all school buildings by December
99. HGRG reps would seek a primary governor
for the steering group at this terms local
meetings.
12 Correspondence
The log was noted.
a) Participants for the DfEE/Ofsted
Conference were identified as Ian Chrystie
and John Mason. Clerk to put names forward AD
to DfEE. HGRG would fund if places were
confirmed by DfEE.
b) HGRG delegate for NGC Conference
20/11/99 in London agreed as Ian Chrystie. AD
Janet Sheriton would also attend.
HGRG did not wish to make nominations for
NGC officers and committee.
13 Any other business
None
The meeting closed at 9.45 pm
V2990203 RFTD A1 3
Top of this page
Hantsweb Homepage