Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED: That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be approved, as amended; (b) That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and (c) That the progress made in completing the outstanding actions be noted.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the Education and Youth portfolio’s cost pressures; (b) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the schools’ budget cost pressures; (c) That the Committee requests that there be no top slicing of schools budgets as part of the final 2026/27 Budget; and (d) That the Chair write to Welsh Government, on behalf of the Committee, to outline its concern around the need for adequate funding to be provided to Local Authorities to allow for delivery of mandatory requirements.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee acknowledges the sickness absence levels in schools but was concerned on the effect that corporate decision making was having on schools; (b) That the Committee was encouraged that there were appropriate mechanisms in place to support school leaders to effectively manage the health and wellbeing of their workforce; (b) That the Committee recommend that the Model Policy be updated and made available to schools to use; and (d) That the sickness absence report for schools be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee support the recommissioning proposal in order to progress with internal and external commissioning; (b) That Officers be supported in the shift towards a more collaborative and flexible approach, which supported partnership working and shared outcomes whilst utilising the strengths of internal services, supported by external commissioning; (c) That the Committee support the Flintshire outcomes for Families First as follows: 1. Parents, children and young people have their needs met effectively by playing a key role in shaping and delivering the support they need. 2. Parents, children and young people receive the right help at the right time, preventing challenges from escalating into a crisis. 3. Parents, children and young people confidently maintain strong, positive relationships. (d) That the Committee support the strategic and operational need to upskill staff with a range of specialisms across the Families First Partnership, which would not only help ensure that the journey through Families First was more efficient and effective, but also created a highly skilled and resilient workforce within Flintshire County Council; and (e) That an update report on Families First be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee endorse Flintshire play Development ‘The Power of Play in Flintshire Schools’ report; (b) That the Committee committed to supporting the future of Flintshire Play Development schools projects/ activities to support children’s health and wellbeing, raising attainment, attendance and supporting the reduction in lowering exclusion rates; and (c) That the Committee recognises and endorses the significant contribution of informal and non-formal learning opportunities in delivering an engaging and inclusive education offer.
The Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator advised that apologies had been received from the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee and sought nominations for a Chair for the meeting. Councillor Fran Lister proposed Councillor Carolyn Preece, which was seconded by Councillor Andrew Parkhurst. RESOLVED: That Councillor Carolyn Preece Chair the meeting.
Councillor Fran Lister declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 6 – Sickness Absence Report for Schools.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
The minutes of the following minutes were presented for approval, 8 October, 23 October and 6 November. RESOLVED: That the minutes be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be approved, as amended; (b) That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and (c) That the progress made in completing the outstanding actions be noted.
The Overview & Scrutiny Facilitator presented a report to consider the Committee’s current Forward Work Programme and progress with Actions. Councillor Dave Mackie requested that an item outlining the training courses available to teaching staff, the number of attendees on the training courses, the assistance provided to schools to attend training courses and what results could be seen following attendance on the courses, be added to the FWP as a regular item. It was agreed that the information requested by Councillor Mackie would be captured in line with the new school improvement operating model, as part of the annual performance monitoring report. Councillor Andrew Parkhurst referred to a previous action, that the report presented to the Governance & Audit Committee around Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks at Schools be presented to the Committee, and asked that a report be presented as soon as possible. The Chief Officer agreed to present a report at the next meeting of the Committee. Councillor Parkhurst also asked if a report on Flint High School could be presented to the Committee at the meeting scheduled for 29th January, 2026. The Facilitator advised that the Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure had liaised with the Chair of the Committee ahead of the meeting to agree for a report to be presented to the 29th January, 2026 meeting. RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be approved, as amended; (b) That the Facilitator, in consultation with the Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises; and (c) That the progress made in completing the outstanding actions be noted.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the Education and Youth portfolio’s cost pressures; (b) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the schools’ budget cost pressures; (c) That the Committee requests that there be no top slicing of schools budgets as part of the final 2026/27 Budget; and (d) That the Chair write to Welsh Government, on behalf of the Committee, to outline its concern around the need for adequate funding to be provided to Local Authorities to allow for delivery of mandatory requirements.
In presenting the report the Chief Officer (Education & Youth) provided a summary of the cost pressures for the year ahead for the portfolio and schools. Information on the Authority’s budget pressures was provided together with an outline of the work being undertaken following the draft Welsh Government (WG) Budget and provisional Welsh Local Government Settlement. Following questions from Councillor Mackie around the cost pressures in relation to the Joint Archive Service, the Chief Officer advised that an update report on the Joint Archive Service would be presented to the Committee in the new year. In response to a request from Councillor Fran Lister, it was agreed that a report on resource units would be presented to the Committee at a future meeting and that the report would include information on the existing provision and how the Local Authority was looking to develop it. Two additional recommendations, to those listed in the report, were suggested and supported by the Committee, as follows:- • That the Committee requests that there be no top slicing of schools budgets as part of the final 2026/27 Budget • That the Chair write to Welsh Government, on behalf of the Committee, to outline its concern around the need for adequate funding to be provided to Local Authorities to allow for delivery of mandatory requirements; and RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the Education and Youth portfolio’s cost pressures; (b) That the Committee thoroughly scrutinised the schools’ budget cost pressures; (c) That the Committee requests that there be no top slicing of schools budgets as part of the final 2026/27 Budget; and (d) That the Chair write to Welsh Government, on behalf of the Committee, to outline its concern around the need for adequate funding to be provided to Local Authorities to allow for delivery of mandatory requirements.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee acknowledges the sickness absence levels in schools but was concerned on the effect that corporate decision making was having on schools; (b) That the Committee was encouraged that there were appropriate mechanisms in place to support school leaders to effectively manage the health and wellbeing of their workforce; (b) That the Committee recommend that the Model Policy be updated and made available to schools to use; and (d) That the sickness absence report for schools be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
The Corporate Manager (People and Organisational Development) presented the report which provided an overview of the Schools Sickness Absence rates for the past three financial years. It also included a forecast for 2025/26 based on recorded absence in Quarter 1 and Quarter 2. Following comments made by Councillor Mackie on the graphs shown at section 1.02 of the report, the Corporate Manager said that she would ask her colleague to re-work the graphs so that they were presented in the same way as the long-term sickness graphs and circulate them to the Committee following the meeting. Following a discussion on an annual update report being presented to the Committee, it was agreed that this be added to the Forward Work Programme and that the Corporate Manager liaise with the Chair around the format of the report to be presented. Councillor Mackie suggested two additional recommendations, supported by the Committee, as follows:- 1. That the Committee acknowledges the sickness absence levels in schools but was concerned on the effect that corporate decision making was having on schools; and 2. That the Committee recommend that the Model Policy be updated and made available to schools to use. The Chair suggested a further additional recommendation, supported by the Committee, that the sickness absence report for schools be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis. RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee acknowledges the sickness absence levels in schools but was concerned on the effect that corporate decision making was having on schools; (b) That the Committee was encouraged that there were appropriate mechanisms in place to support school leaders to effectively manage the health and wellbeing of their workforce; (b) That the Committee recommend that the Model Policy be updated and made available to schools to use; and (d) That the sickness absence report for schools be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee support the recommissioning proposal in order to progress with internal and external commissioning; (b) That Officers be supported in the shift towards a more collaborative and flexible approach, which supported partnership working and shared outcomes whilst utilising the strengths of internal services, supported by external commissioning; (c) That the Committee support the Flintshire outcomes for Families First as follows: 1. Parents, children and young people have their needs met effectively by playing a key role in shaping and delivering the support they need. 2. Parents, children and young people receive the right help at the right time, preventing challenges from escalating into a crisis. 3. Parents, children and young people confidently maintain strong, positive relationships. (d) That the Committee support the strategic and operational need to upskill staff with a range of specialisms across the Families First Partnership, which would not only help ensure that the journey through Families First was more efficient and effective, but also created a highly skilled and resilient workforce within Flintshire County Council; and (e) That an update report on Families First be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
The Senior Manager - Flintshire Youth Service introduced the report providing an overview of the Families First grant which was part of the wider Children and Communities Grant (CCG). The grant had previously been managed within the Education and Youth Directorate but was now being recommissioned from 1 April 2026. The Chair suggested a further additional recommendation, supported by the Committee, that an update report on Families First be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis. RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee support the recommissioning proposal in order to progress with internal and external commissioning; (b) That Officers be supported in the shift towards a more collaborative and flexible approach, which supported partnership working and shared outcomes whilst utilising the strengths of internal services, supported by external commissioning; (c) That the Committee support the Flintshire outcomes for Families First as follows: 1. Parents, children and young people have their needs met effectively by playing a key role in shaping and delivering the support they need. 2. Parents, children and young people receive the right help at the right time, preventing challenges from escalating into a crisis. 3. Parents, children and young people confidently maintain strong, positive relationships. (d) That the Committee support the strategic and operational need to upskill staff with a range of specialisms across the Families First Partnership, which would not only help ensure that the journey through Families First was more efficient and effective, but also created a highly skilled and resilient workforce within Flintshire County Council; and (e) That an update report on Families First be added to the Forward Work Programme on an annual basis.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee endorse Flintshire play Development ‘The Power of Play in Flintshire Schools’ report; (b) That the Committee committed to supporting the future of Flintshire Play Development schools projects/ activities to support children’s health and wellbeing, raising attainment, attendance and supporting the reduction in lowering exclusion rates; and (c) That the Committee recognises and endorses the significant contribution of informal and non-formal learning opportunities in delivering an engaging and inclusive education offer.
In presenting the report the Lead Officer - Play Development provided an update on the Flintshire Play Development programme which aligned with the wider objectives of the Education and Youth Portfolio. An outline of the projects was provided with specific reference to the Play Pals project and Loose Parts project. RESOLVED: (a) That the Committee endorse Flintshire play Development ‘The Power of Play in Flintshire Schools’ report; (b) That the Committee committed to supporting the future of Flintshire Play Development schools projects/ activities to support children’s health and wellbeing, raising attainment, attendance and supporting the reduction in lowering exclusion rates; and (c) That the Committee recognises and endorses the significant contribution of informal and non-formal learning opportunities in delivering an engaging and inclusive education offer.
There were no member of the public in attendance.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Dyw'r cyngor ddim wedi cofnodi presenoldeb ar gyfer y cyfarfod hwn.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.