Archived decisions

Contact: Colin Hinxman - 01962 847343; [email protected]

1. Part 3.D, Paragraph 1.16 of the Constitution requires that urgent decisions taken by an Executive Member must be reported to the next appropriate meeting of the relevant Policy Review Committee, together with the reasons for the urgency. There have been two urgent decisions taken by the Executive Member for Education since the Committee's last meeting, and details are set out below.

2. South Central Connexions Partnership Limited

2.1. On 21 May 2004, the Executive Member for Education decided

2.1.1 That John Wilkinson, Assistant County Education Officer (Lifelong Learning), be nominated as Director representing the County Council's interests on the Board of South Central Connexions Partnership Limited, following the resignation of Andrew Seber on legal advice.


2.1.2 That Roger Mead, Assistant County Education Officer (Resources and Planning) be nominated as alternative Director representing the County Council's interest on the Board of VT Southern Careers Limited (in the event that Andrew Seber is unable to attend), following the resignation of John Wilkinson, on legal advice.

2.1. The changes follow receipt of legal advice to the effect that the County Council's appointees to the Boards of both companies should be separate, to avoid any conflictions of interest arising.

2.2. The reason for the decision being taken as a matter or urgency was that the Board of South Central Connexions Partnership Limited was due to meet on 26 May 2004 to consider the outcomes from an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Company on 21 May 2004. It was essential that the County Council was represented on the Board at that meeting and the decision taken enabled that to happen and to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

2. Review of Primary School Provision in the East New Forest Area

2.1. On 7 June 2004, the Executive Member for Education decided

3.1.1 That the statutory notice published by Hampshire County Council on 19 March 2004 to discontinue Blackfield Infant School and Blackfield Junior School with effect from 31 August 2006, and to establish a new, 540-place, community primary school on the Blackfield Junior School site with effect from 1 September 2006, and a statutory notice published jointly by the County Council and the governing body of Blackfield Junior School on 28 May 2004, be withdrawn.


3.1.2 That a statutory notice be published, in conjunction with the governing body of Blackfield Junior School, in accordance with Sections 28 and 29 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, of the County Council's and Blackfield Junior School Governing Body's respective proposals to:


(a) Discontinue Blackfield Infant School with effect from 31 August 2006 and


(b) Make a prescribed alteration to Blackfield Junior School to become a 540-place, foundation, primary school on the Blackfield Junior School site, with effect from 1 September 2006.

3.1. The reason for the urgent decision was that agreement had only recently been reached between the County Council and the governing bodies of Blackfield Junior School and Blackfield Infant School. This meant that the earlier public notices had been superseded and could be withdrawn. New public notices could then immediately be published. As this was a variation to a previously taken key decision, the Chairman of the Education Policy Review Committee was consulted and agreed that the decision was urgent and could not reasonably be deferred.

3. Both the above decisions were notified to all Education Policy Review Committee Members in the usual way.

Recommendation:

That this report be noted.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

Published works.

Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

8aR280604