WESTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
A meeting of the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) was held in the
Boardroom, Headquarters Office, Omagh, on Thursday 10 September 2009 at 2.30 p.m.
PRESENT: Mr P Duffy (Chairman)
Rev R Herron (Vice-Chairman)
Mrs F Brunt
Councillor A Brolly
Councillor M Coyle
Miss M Cunningham
Miss K Doherty
Councillor M Durkan
Mrs S Hogg
Councillor R Irvine
Councillor P McDonnell
Mr V McKelvey
Mr A Orr
Mr W Reilly
Mr A Smyth
Mr R Tierney
Mr W Wilson
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr B Mulholland (Chief Executive)
Mr O Harkin (Chief Finance Officer)
Mr P Mackey (Head of Teaching, Learning, Curriculum & Youth)
Mrs R Watterson (Chief Administrative officer)
Dr C Mangan (Head of Children & Young People’s Services)
Mr G Doran (Head of Youth)
Mrs B Mullin (Adviser for Learning Communities) - For Item 8
Mrs C Mack (Adviser for School Management) – For Item 11
Mrs A Devine (Communications Officer)
Mrs N Young (Recorder)
B/09/9/1
APOLOGIES
An apology for non-attendance was received from Dr Cornyn, Councillor
Gallagher, Councillor Hussey, Councillor Logue, Mrs McCafferty, Mr
McCaffrey, Councillor O’Kane and Councillor O’Reilly.
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MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 11 JUNE 2009
The minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2009 were adopted on the
proposal of Mrs Hogg, seconded by Councillor Irvine.
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MATTERS ARISING
There were no matters arising.
B/09/9/4
CHAIRMAN’S BUSINESS
(i)
The Chairman, on behalf of the Board, extended congratulations to
Councillor Brolly on her appointment to the Board of the Northern
Ireland Library Authority: Libraries NI. Congratulations were also
extended to Barry Mulholland on his appointment to the Education
Skills Authority (ESA) as Director of Education, Quality and
Standards and to Dr Clare Mangan on her appointment to ESA as
Director of Children and Young People’s Services.
(ii)
Copies of the Transfer 2010 ‘A Guide for Parents’ and of the
magazine ‘Linked’ Issue Nine, were circulated for Members’
information.
(iii)
A summary of the WELB Annual Report and Accounts 2008/09 was
tabled for Members’ information.
The Chief Finance Officer (CFO) advised Members that the Annual
Report and Accounts for the year to 31 March 2009 were completed
and presented to the Finance Committee on 14 May 2009 and were
subsequently adopted and forwarded to the Department of
Education (DE) and the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO) on 15
May 2009. Arising from the Audit process, minor amendments were
made and the Board’s Auditors, KPMG, presented their Report to
the Audit Committee on 8 September 2009 which confirmed that the
Board should approve the Accounts without any further changes.
The CFO then proceeded to detail the Board’s financial
performance during 2008/09. In conclusion, he reported that the
Board’s financial target is to contain expenditure within the accrued
limits for DE, the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL)
and the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL), all of
which have been achieved for the financial year ended 31 March
2009.
The Chairman advised Members that, arising from a discussion at
the Audit Committee on 8 September, Board Members are required
to ‘Declare an Interest’ or register ‘A Conflict of Interest’ prior to
commencing the business of a meeting.
In response to a query from Mr Reilly, the CFO outlined his
understanding, based on earlier DE assurances, that schools’ which
have a funding surplus at 31 December 2009 would be allowed to
carry this forward but he added that he would seek clarification on
this issue from the DE.
Members congratulated the CFO and his staff on receiving an
unqualified opinion on the Annual Accounts.
The WELB Annual
Report and Accounts 2008/09 were adopted on the proposal of Mr
Reilly, seconded by Mr Wilson.
(iv)
Members were reminded that the Annual Association of Northern
Ireland Education and Library Boards’ Conference would take place
on 19/20 November and that responses with regard to attendance
should be returned as soon as possible.
(v)
The Chairman advised Members that due to the recent appointment
of the Chief Executive and Dr Mangan to ESA, he and the ViceChair should be delegated power to monitor the business of the
Board and to establish a process for filling the vacancies if this
became necessary. This was agreed on the proposal of Councillor
Irvine, seconded by Mrs Hogg.
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CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S BUSINESS
The Chief Executive summarised his engagements since the June
meeting of the Board.
The Chief Executive advised Members that as the life time of the Board
had been extended to 31 December 2009, the Chair of the Board and the
Chairs of the various Committees would be required to rotate their
positions as from October 2009.
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CORRESPONDENCE
There was no correspondence.
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REPORTS OF MEETINGS
(i) Joint Youth Committee held on 17 June 2009
In the absence of the Chairman, Mrs Hogg presented the Report.
She
drew attention to Y/09/06/3 and advised that a paper on the way forward
for the Youth Service and Special Education would be brought to the next
meeting of the SELB Board. Mrs Hogg gave a summary of the other
business discussed at the meeting. The Report was adopted on the
proposal of Mrs Hogg, seconded by Councillor Durkan and was agreed.
(ii) Finance Committee held on 24 June 2009
Councillor Irvine, in proposing the adoption of the Report, drew attention to
F/09/06/3 Accounting Arrangements for 2009-10 and advised that a letter
seeking clarification on governance arrangements relating to the hand –
over of financial management responsibilities from the Board to ESA has
been sent to DE.
He gave a detailed account of the main business
discussed at the meeting.
The adoption of the Report was seconded by
Mrs Brunt and was agreed.
(iii) Services Committee held on 24 June 2009
Mr Orr, in proposing the adoption of the Report, referred to S/09/6/03(ii)
Pupil/Road Safety and advised that the arrangements with regard to the
sourcing of reflective fabrics into school uniforms were ongoing. He drew
attention to S/09/6/10 Outstanding Building Control Approvals and said
that a detailed report would be brought to the October Services Committee
The adoption of the Report was seconded by Miss Doherty and was
agreed.
(iv) Joint Children and Young People’s Services Committee held on 25
June 2009
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Mrs Hogg, in proposing the adoption of the Report, gave a detailed
account of the business discussed at the meeting. She highlighted Item 9
the Presentation by the Head of Children and Young People’s Services on
the Development of Services and Provision in the CYPS Department
across SELB and WELB and Item 11 a Presentation on Regional Criteria
for Statutory Assessment. Mrs Hogg then proposed that Item 14 WELB
Formal Statementing Procedures be adopted. This was seconded by Miss
Cunningham.
The adoption of the Report was seconded by Miss
Cunningham and was agreed.
(v) Joint WELB/SELB Education Committee held on 25 June 2009
Miss Cunningham, in proposing the adoption of the Report, gave a
detailed account of the business discussed at the meeting.
She
highlighted the discussion on E/09/06/10 Governor Support Service and
advised that statutory training on Recruitment and Selection and Child
Protection would take place next term.
All other training will be the
responsibility of ESA. The adoption of the Report was seconded by Miss
Doherty and was agreed.
(vi)Teaching Appointments Committee: 51st and 52nd meetings held on 26
May 2009; 53rd meeting held on 18 June 2009.
The Reports were noted.
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PUPIL/ROAD SAFETY PRESENTATION
Mrs Bridie Mullin, Adviser for Learning Communities, was in attendance to
make a Presentation on Pupil/Road Safety issues. Mrs Mullin said that
because of the number of fatalities and incidents of serious injuries to
school going pupils, particularly in the Fermanagh area, a Pupil/Road
Safety Focus Group was established.
The aim of the Group was to
develop an initiative to ensure pupils, teachers, principals, parents and the
wider community were well informed of safe practices and to draw up an
Action Plan on the way forward.
Issues which the Group specified in the
Action Plan and which are being developed include the following: the
inclusion of road safety in KS3 Curriculum; the need for reflective gear (not
florescent); the use of multi-media to get the message across, consistent
messages, peer delivered programmes; post 17 advanced driving training;
post 16 motor bike lessons in school; motor vehicle studies to be available
and KS3 hands on curriculum including computer based games.
Mrs
Mullin added that all these proposals were at an advanced stage and that
the Official Launch of the Pupil/Road Safety Initiative will take place on 20
October 2009. In conclusion, she added that the plans for the future were
to revise the Action Plan for the transition into ESA to include the following:
the development of the Website; that the Education and Training
Inspectorate (ETI) will monitor policy and practices on road safety as part
of the pastoral care inspections within all school inspections; that the
Public Health Authority (PHA) would become involved in the Pupil/Road
Safety initiative; a requirement to have legislation that all school uniforms
would be reflective; that guidance on school clothing be issued to Boards
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of Governors and the need to develop multi-media communication
systems to reach young people.
Members welcomed the initiative taken by the Board and congratulated
Mrs Mullin on her presentation and on her work with the Group. It was
stressed by Members that young people need to be taught to take
responsibility for their own safety when out on the roadways.
It was agreed to go Into Committee on the proposal of Mrs Hogg,
seconded by Councillor Irvine.
IN COMMITTEE
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HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT
The Human Resources Report 1 (PE/2009/9/01) which contained
notification of panel appointments authorised during the summer recess
was adopted on the proposal of Mrs Brunt, seconded by Councillor Irvine.
The tabled Human Resources Report (PE/2009/09/01) was adopted on the
proposal of Councillor Irvine, seconded by Mrs Hogg.
B/09/9/10
PROPERTY SERVICES REPORT 1
The Property Services Report 1 which contained tenders which were
approved during the summer recess was adopted on the proposal of
Councillor Irvine , seconded by Mrs Hogg.
It was agreed to go Out of Committee on the proposal of Mr Orr, seconded
by Miss Doherty.
OUT OF COMMITTEE
B/09/9/11
BOARD OF GOVERNORS
(i)
Reconstitution
Mrs Cynthia Mack, Adviser for School Management, gave an overview of
the procedure for nominating Board Representatives to Boards of
Governors of Controlled and Maintained Schools and an update on the
numbers of Governors who have intimated their availability to be
reconsidered for appointment.
She said it was important to have the
nominations completed prior to the take over by ESA and therefore it was
proposed to have a full day workshop for the purpose of nominating Board
Representatives to the Controlled and Maintained Schools. It was pointed
out that existing Boards of Governors would continue until their
replacements were confirmed.
Any new Governors who have not
previously served on a school Board of Governors will be required to go
through a vetting procedure before taking up the position of school
Governor. At the next Reconstitution process in 2013 all Governors will be
vetted.
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A discussion ensued about the availability of Members for the Workshop
and the opportunity for Members to forward, in writing, the names of
nominees.
It was noted that if nominations exceeded the number of
places available the Board would then consider the nominations and make
the appointments at its meeting on 8 October. After further discussion it
was agreed that a full day Workshop should take place on Thursday 1
October 2009 commencing at 10.15 a.m.
Mrs Mack then drew attention to the circulated paper containing
nominations of Transfer Representatives for Controlled Primary Schools in
each District Council area. The Transferor Representative nominees were
adopted as follows:
Derry District Council area - proposed by Councillor Irvine, seconded
Mrs Brunt.
Fermanagh District Council area - proposed by Mr Orr, seconded
Councillor Brolly.
Limavady Borough Council area - proposed by Mrs Brunt, seconded
Councillor Irvine.
Omagh District Council area - proposed by Councillor Coyle, seconded
Miss Doherty.
Strabane District Council area - proposed by Miss Doherty, seconded
Mr Reilly.
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The Chairman thanked Mrs Mack and the Governor Support staff for the
work they are doing in the Governor Support Service.
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SEALING OF DOCUMENTS
It was agreed to seal the following documents on the proposal of Miss
Cunningham, seconded by Councillor Irvine:
Lisnagelvin Primary School
Grant of Easement and copy
WELB & NIE plc
B/09/9/13
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
(i)
Mr Wilson said he recently visited the Museum Cafe at the Ulster
American Folk Park during a busy lunch-time period when many
foreign nationals, senior citizens and young children had arrived for
lunch. He recorded his congratulations and appreciation of the
professionalism, patient and positive way in which the staff in the
Museum Café dealt with the situation.
(ii)
In response to a query from Councillor Irvine, the Chief Executive
stated that a celebratory event for Board Members would be
organised prior to the 31 December 2009.
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(iii)
In response to a further query from Councillor Irvine, the Chief
Executive advised that no date had been agreed for his transfer to
ESA.
There being no further business the meeting concluded at 4.00 p.m.
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