Agenda and minutes

Venue: Ground Floor Meeting Room G02A - 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH. View directions

Contact: Amit Alva  Email: Amit.Alva@southwark.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

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    To receive any apologies for absence.

    Minutes:

    Apologies for absence were received from Lynette Murphy-O’dwyer (co-opted member) and Gregory Doey, Headteacher Pilgrims’ Way and Bellenden Primary Schools.

2.

Notification of any items of business which the chair deems urgent

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    In special circumstances, an item of business may be added to an agenda within five clear working days of the meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were no items of business which the Chair deemed urgent.

3.

Disclosure of interests and dispensations.

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    Members to declare any interests and dispensations in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting.

    Minutes:

    There were no disclosures of interests and dispensations.

4.

Minutes

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    To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2022.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The commission noted an incomplete sentence in the apologies section of the minutes and this has since been corrected.

     

    Minutes of the meeting held on 20 July 2022 was approved as a correct record.

5.

Pupil Places: Looking at shortfalls in primary pupil numbers across the borough

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    To hear from Headteachers of schools listed below on Pupil Places: Looking at shortfalls in primary pupil numbers across the borough.

     

    ·  Pilgrims’ Way and Bellenden Primary Schools- Gregory Doey

    ·  Grange Primary School- Rebecca Benjamins

    ·  Ivydale Primary School- Helen Ingham

    ·  Rye Oak Primary School- Ruth Sharp

    ·  Townsend Primary School- Anne Stonell

    ·  Victory Primary School – Makeda Williams-Pinnock

    Minutes:

    The commission first heard from Helen Ingham, Headteacher at Ivydale Primary School on the following points:

    ·  Impact of Brexit and reduction of Ivydale from a four form to three form elementary school.

    ·  Impact of Covid and families moving out of the borough.

    ·  Rehousing of families outside of the borough

    ·  School tourism creating fluctuating pupil vacancies due to the constant mobility of pupils among the schools in the borough 

    The commission then heard from Andrew Rojas, Headteacher at St. George’s Primary School on the following points:

    ·  Pupil premium rates at 60%

    ·  Drop in pupil numbers leading to budgetary constraint

    ·  Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) higher number at St.George’s Primary

    ·  Need to provide support to parents from lower socio-economic backgrounds also factoring in equality across families with regards to schools closures

    The commission then heard from Makeda Williams-Pinnock, Headteacher at Victory Primary School on the following topics:

    ·  Reduction in pupil numbers due to Victory Primary School being located in a regeneration area, parental preference is for newer school buildings

    ·  Neighbourhood migration as local businesses and industries close down such as Elephant & Castle shopping centre and families moving as parents look for employment elsewhere

    ·  Regeneration projects leading to newer buildings and higher rents in excess of £2500/month for a one bedroom flat making it impossible for lower income households to afford it.

    ·  Higher rents leading to migration has also resulted in breakdown of extended family support systems, increasing the need for childcare and its associated costs.

    The commission then asked questions on the following topics:

    ·  Council support to reduce falling rolls especially with regards to school tourism

    ·  Communication with Liaison Officers in the community and Diocese

    ·  Signs of stability post-Brexit in nursery numbers

    ·  Pressures on pupil numbers in years 5 and 6 due to pupil migration to certain primary schools and academy trusts that are feeders for certain secondary schools

    The commission learned that current Local Authority fair access protocols give parents the freedom to move schools easily by filling in a form, although this has been an important prerogative given to parents, its often been carried out without enough consideration. Headteachers also have had a role to play in meeting parents who are changing schools and furthermore there is a need to look at proper checks with children’s’ services and taking into account safeguarding factors. School hopping can have a detrimental impact on a child’s education and development. The commission also learnt that there is need for the Local Authorities to look at their respective admission protocols to ensure there are enough checks in place when parents want to move their child to another school.

     

    The commission also learnt that there is a need for better communication from liaison officers on published admission numbers for schools especially with regards to accuracy of the data. The commission learnt that there is a higher risk of Church Schools closing as the Diocese are a much smaller organisation. There is support from the Director of Education for church schools, however there have been delays  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Planning strategies for family sized homes to help mitigate falling rolls in schools

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    To receive a report from Juliet Seymour, Planning Policy Manager on planning strategies for family sized homes to help mitigate falling rolls in schools.

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The commission then received a presentation from Juliet Seymour, Planning Policy Manager, Southwark Council on planning strategies for family sized homes to help mitigate falling rolls in schools:

    ·  Brexit and people migration

    ·  Covid flexible working practices

    ·  Discrepancy in GLA Pupil Roll Projections due to migration in boroughs not factored in

    ·  Southwark Plan 2022- Family Friendly Neighbourhoods

    ·  Future work - real world analysis of child yield

    The commission then asked questions on the following point:

    ·  Protection and ring fencing of Section 106 monies for schools

    ·  Gap in population projections from GLA from 2015 onwards

    ·  Costs of private rented sector and smaller developments unfit for families

    Juliet then offered to provide the Section 106 monies report to the commission at a later date and also explained to the commission that they are working with GLA on gaps in the population projections. Smaller developments include affordable housing and approval for family sized homes in developments of less than 10 units would not pass the planning inspectorate. The commission also learnt that private rented homes have been undergoing enforcement investigations and this data would be provided to the commission. Air- quality data around schools would also be provided to the commission at a later date.

     

7.

Impact of the cost-of-living crisis on businesses in Southwark

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    To hear from Local Businesses coping with cost-of-living crisis, especially supply chain issues:

     

    ·  Jacqueline Kneebone, Regional Director for Environment, Social, Governance, Sea Containers, Lore Group and Floris Kouijzer Hotel Manager presenting a report to the commission on supply chain issues. (Report to follow)

     

    ·  Pete Avery, Federation of Small Businesses

    Supporting documents:

    Minutes:

    The commission then heard from Jacqueline Kneebone, Regional Director for Environment, Social, Governance, Sea Containers, Lore Group and Floris Kouijzer Hotel Manager and Pete Avery, Federation of Small Businesses on Local Businesses coping with cost-of-living crisis, especially supply chain issues.

    ·  Impact on Budgets and Revenues

    ·  Utility costs

    ·  Beverage and food costs post Brexit

    ·  Businesses not growing as a result of the pandemic and Brexit related lower staffing levels

    ·  Recruitment events in hospitality with jobs paying above the London living wage, 25% increase in wages over a three year period.

    ·  Supply chain issues and the need to look at multiple suppliers for the same product

     

    The commission then discussed the following topics:

    ·  Uncertain futures of micro businesses due to low levels of income and high expenses

    ·  Challenges faced by small businesses to access help from Southwark Council website

    ·  Decrease in footfall and closure of small businesses

    ·  Data on the impact of Brexit compared to the pandemic

    ·  Quality of labour

    ·  Recruitment issues and reaching the unemployed

    ·  Promoting hospitality with the council’s help, bridging the hospitality skills gap

    ·  Some dairy products have gone up by 50% and champagne by 200%

    ·  8 to 9 months lead time for parts for boiler repairs

    ·  Businesses trying to align themselves with London Living Wage leading to increase in discretionary service charges for customers

    ·  Workshops for smaller businesses, educating people in the community

    ·  Networking helps small businesses build relationships and mental health support for small business owners is quite beneficial

    ·  Council’s role as liaison in the community connecting Globe academy run by Sea Containers hotel group to young people, introducing them to hospitality

    ·  Apprenticeships for young people and complications within the schemes making it difficult for businesses to find time and resources to hire apprentices

     

8.

Cabinet Response to Report of the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission 2021-22: Review of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Provision in the Borough of Southwark

9.

Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission 2021-22: Procurement, Accessibility and Social Value

10.

Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission 2021-22 : Ethnicity Pay Gap in Southwark Council

11.

Cabinet Response to the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission 2021-22: Town Centre Action Plan - Southwark Pioneers Fund

12.

Proposed Work Programme 2022-23