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Education and Home Affairs - Approved Panel Minutes - 14 September 2015

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Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel

Record of Meeting

Date: 14th September 2015

 

Present

Deputy L. M. C. Doublet , Chairman Deputy J. M. Maçon, Vice-Chairman Deputy S. Y. Mezec

Apologies

 

Absent

 

In attendance

Mr M. Robbins, Scrutiny Officer

 

Ref Back

Agenda matter

Action

 

1.  Records of Meetings

The minutes of the meetings held on the 6th, 9th, 13th and 20th July 2015 were approved for signing.

 

Item 2 06.07.15

2.  Conflicts of Interest

There were no conflicts of interest declared.  

 

516/44

3.  School Starting Age

The Panel recognised that some parents were concerned that children born late in the school year were disadvantaged by being the youngest in the class. There was concern that the Education (Jersey) Law 1999 may not be flexible enough. It considered scoping documents relating to a review and agreed to undertake the work. The budget of £20,200 was approved and the scoping documents were to be presented to the Chairmen's Committee. Work was to be undertaken to find an advisor. The Chairman would oversee the issuing of a press release to launch the review.

MR MR/LD

 

4.  Transfer of Functions.

The  Panel  noted  that   Deputy  Maçon  had  been  co-opted  onto  the Economic Affairs Scrutiny Panel to assist with a review into the Transfer of Functions.

 

510/1(72)

5.  Treatment of Confidential Documentation

The  Panel  noted  documentation  from  the  Chairmen's  Committee requesting that Scrutiny Panels remain mindful of ensuring that they do not  breach  the  confidentiality  of  documentation  received  during  the course of Scrutiny work. It was considered that all confidential documents sent to Panels should be marked as confidential by the sender.  

 

Item 1 13.07.15

516/42

6.  Special Education Needs

The  Panel  noted  the  Ministerial  response  to  the  Panel's  report, S.R.3/2015. It required the agenda for the spring quarterly public hearing with  the  Minister  for  Education,  Sport  and  Culture  to  provide  for questioning the Minister in relation to progress with the work to meet the recommendations he had accepted.

 

 

 

A copy of the report was to be sent to every school in the Island.

 

Item 5 06.07.15

516/43

7.  Prison Board of Visitors

The Panel noted the response and result of the survey that had been done within the Prison in relation to the Prison Board of Visitors. The results showed an overwhelming opinion from the prisoners that the Jurats should not be members of the board. A response had been received from 50% of the prison population.

The Panel noted a public hearing planned with the Chief Minister for 1st October and accepted the apologies of Deputy Maçon for that hearing. As lead member, Deputy Maçon would oversee the drafting of questions for the hearing.

 

Item 1 07.09.15

513/45

8.  Medium Term Financial Plan

The Panel started preparation for the forthcoming public hearings with the Ministers for Education, Sport and Culture and for Home Affairs in relation  to  the  information  provided  in  response  to  the  questions previously asked by the Panel about the MTFP.

The Panel also noted the overall timeline of the MTFP and considered that it did not allow sufficient time for scrutiny to take place. It was required that the Chairmen's Committee be advised of the view.

MR

MR

 

9.  Future Meetings

The next meeting was scheduled for 9.30am on Monday 12th October 2015 in the Blampied Room.

MR