15 Consideration of Request to Exercise Call-In Powers PDF 90 KB
To receive a report regarding the consideration of a request to exercise call-in powers in relation to a decision of the Executive Member for Education.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee received a report (Item 6 in the Minute Book) from the Directors of Transformation and Governance and Children’s Services following a request by a quorum of members of the Select Committee to exercise call-in powers in respect of a decision by the Executive Member for Education to amalgamate Fort Hill Community School and Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College in Basingstoke.
The Chairman outlined that the role of the Select Committee would be to determine whether it wished to recommend to the Executive Member that he reconsider his decision taken on the school amalgamation at his meeting on 19 June, as outlined in Appendix 1.
The Head of Law and Governance and Monitoring Officer introduced the report and the purpose of the meeting. The process of call in as laid out in the Constitution, at Appendix 4 within the papers, was explained and Members were referred to the reasons for the call-in provided in Appendix 3.
The Monitoring Officer’s view was that the 19 June decision of the Executive Member for Education was in line with the budget and policy framework and that, therefore, the option open to the Select Committee was to consider whether or not to ask the Executive Member to reconsider his decision. The Monitoring Officer further outlined an aspect of the role of the Select Committee, which was to hold the Executive to account. However, this did not mean the Select Committee had the power to direct the Executive. Statutory guidance advised that the Executive should take into account the views of the Select Committee, but that it was free to take into account other factors in its decision making process and make other determinations.
The Chairman gave the Members the opportunity to ask questions of the Officers and then moved to debate. During the discussion, the following information was heard:
To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services regarding a school amalgamation in Basingstoke