Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mike Hancock who was unwell and Councillor Wemyss who was in transit.

Councillor Winnington made a non-pecuniary interest in that he works for the Department for Work and Pensions who are mentioned within the report.

Minutes of 24 February 2014 are attached for approval.

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of 24 February 2014 are approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED that the minutes of 24 February 2014 be approved as a correct record and signed by the chair.

The panel's final report will follow, to be available for sign-off at this meeting.

RECOMMENDED that the panel officially sign off their report for submission to Cabinet on 9 June 2014.

Members of the panel had received a draft copy of the report for discussion before the final sign-off.  Councillor Winnington as chair introduced the report; the review had evolved from the initial starting point and it had been important to focus on making recommendations to Cabinet which would be useful and able to be implemented. 

Lyn Exley, the Post-16 Curriculum Adviser was in attendance and had circulated her revised evidence with regard to the areas of insufficient provision as she had previously shared an earlier consultation draft with the panel which had now been updated and sent to the schools for them to sign up to.  The panel members were happy to take on board the revisions as circulated.  When asked to comment on the report she commented that the two secondary schools that had given evidence, Mayfield and Admiral Lord Nelson, were exemplars of good provision of careers advice and both were represented at the Careers Education & Information Advice & Guidance (CEIAG) group meetings.  However not all local schools gave this level of provision.  In response the chair stressed that in seeking evidence from other sources the panel wished to see improved links between schools and businesses to help encourage business awareness.

Paddy May, the Corporate Strategy Manager, referred to the conclusion 3 on procurement initiatives to encourage apprenticeships (which had also been referred to within a recent council notice of motion) and he reported that a Joseph Rowntree Foundation report was soon due out on the subject.  The city council were also building on the Section 106 work which Southampton CC had led on.  It was further noted that Penny Lane's report 'Grow our own: Delivering Apprenticeships for Portsmouth' would be considered by the Cabinet on 7 April 2014 and the panel were grateful for her evidence as the two reports were interlinked.

Also present were Sandra Wilkie and Kate Brady (HR) who were also working on a paper for the Strategic Directors' Board at the city council regarding PCC working in partnership on apprenticeships, giving consideration to the wage implications, and they had been involved in Penny Lane's report to Cabinet.  Linda Taylor was also present to represent City Development who felt that the recommendations were sensible and she reported that Sam Cox, Skills and Training Development Adviser and Gemma Limburn (HR) were working on taking forward apprenticeships in the city council and externally, plus there were links to the Shaping the Future of Portsmouth's Skills Group.

Councillor Will Purvis as a member of this panel and as the chair of the Education, Children & Young People Scrutiny Panel reported that the recommendations of their review of governors would also mirror the need for business skills for governors.

Debate took place regarding the responsibility for local authority schools and it was agreed that recommendation (1) should be changed from schools being "encouraged" to schools being "challenged" to appoint business mentors and link persons.

Councillor Winnington as chair thanked everyone who had been part of the review as panel  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.