Agenda item - Member Involvement

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Agenda item

Member Involvement

To consider the following matter raised by councillors:

 

(a)      Letters: To consider a letter regarding School Transport from Councillors Wares and Mears.

Minutes:

(C)     LETTERS

 

(i)           School Transport- Councillors Wares and Mears

 

23.1      Councillors Mary Mears and Lee Wares spoke on the letter to the committee. It was considered that another authority should look at the situation as the Members felt there was a lack of information sharing with Councillors. It was noted that Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) had apologised but this was not enough. Any investigation should be independent. It has been reported that parents and carers have been horrified. The authors felt shut out of the process following the Policy, Resource & Growth Committee on 11 July 2019 when the Members were not allowed to ask further questions. Councillors Mary Mears and Lee Wares considered a cross party scrutiny panel would be the preferred way forward. It has been calculated that 32,000 hours of teaching has been lost and this is not considered acceptable by the Members.

 

23.2      The Chair considered an external investigation would be preferable to a cross party scrutiny panel and no additional review is needed. The letter is noted, although the letter referred to was not the same as the agenda.

 

23.3      Councillor Garry Peltzer-Dunn stated his preference for an external audit, independent from the Council. The honesty of appendix 1 was noted.

 

23.4      Councillor Alan Robins expressed concerns regarding which letter was being discussed. The decision of the Children, Young People and Skills (CYPS) Committee was noted.

 

23.5      Councillor Les Hamilton felt that a report should have come before CYPS first. It was noted that all parents and carers would be contact within 24 hours of the CYPS committee on Monday 16 September 2019. The phone calls need to be acted on with information for way forward.

 

23.6      Councillor Pete West questioned the way the issues were being dealt with and noted that not all Councillors agreed. The councillor did not support an external audit.

 

23.7      Councillor Robert Nemeth felt more detailed information would have been more appropriate for the A&S Committee.

 

23.8      Councillor Garry Peltzer-Dunn was informed that item 28 on the agenda included more detail and was the response to the original letter.

 

23.9      Resolved: That the Committee note the Letter.

Supporting documents:

 


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