WESTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
A meeting of the Western Education and Library Board was held in the Boardroom,
Headquarters Office, Omagh on Thursday 8 May 2008 at 2.30 p.m.
PRESENT: Rev R Herron (Chairman)
Mr P Duffy (Vice-Chairman)
Councillor A Brolly
Mrs F Brunt
Miss M Cunningham
Councillor M Devenney
Miss K Doherty
Councillor M Durkan
Councillor P Fleming
Mrs S Hogg
Councillor R Irvine
Councillor D McAleer
Mr E McCaffrey
Councillor P McDonnell
Mr V McKelvey
Councillor J O’Kane
Councillor T O’Reilly
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 N L Young (Recorder)
B/08/5/1
APOLOGIES
An apology for non-attendance was received from Dr Cornyn, Councillor
Hussey, Councillor Gallagher, Mrs McCafferty, Councillor McGill.
The Chairman welcomed Councillor Durkan and Councillor McAleer to
their first meeting of the Board.
B/08/5/2
MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 10 APRIL 2008
The following amendments were made: The word ‘ordered’ in the first
paragraph of page 3 to be replaced by ‘invited’. The following sentence to
be added after the second paragraph “The Chief Executive returned to the
meeting at this stage”.
Councillor McDonnell referred to B/08/4/13 and
said that what he had requested was that the Minister be asked to remove
the anomaly that existed whereby the ‘penultimate’ child could access
nursery and pre-school provision thereby disadvantaging those children
entitled to such provision. After further discussion it was agreed that this
issue would be discussed at PEAG and a decision brought back to the
Board.
The minutes were adopted on the proposal of Councillor Irwin, seconded
by Mrs Hogg.
B/08/5/3
MATTERS ARISING
(i) Item B/08/4/3(i) Remit of Area-Based Planning Groups - In response
to a query from Councillor O’Kane, the Chairman advised that a draft remit
had been prepared and issued to the various Groups for consideration.
1.
He added that one of the areas for discussion included the Entitlement
Framework. In response to a query from Miss Doherty, the Chief Executive
confirmed that two Board Officers had been nominated to sit on the Local
Area Planning Group and another Officer was nominated to act as
Secretary. On a related issue Members also voiced their concern about
the proposed membership of ESA.
In response to a query from Councillor O’Reilly, the Chief Executive
reported that legal advice had been sought around the issue of an
alternative test for academic selection to post-primary schools. He said
that the advice to date indicated that the complexity of the situation was
such that in the absence of clear direction from the Department of
Education (DE) on the future arrangements, it was extremely difficult to
outline the implications. The 5 Board Solicitors had also indicated that
Senior Counsel advice would be required sometime in the future.
(ii) Item B/08/4/3(ii) The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) advised that
a letter had been written to the Chief Executive of the Roads Service
regarding the installation of warning lights outside school premises.
(iii) Item B/08/4/3(iv) The CAO reported that the installation of CCT
systems at some schools in the Limavady Borough Council area was the
result of high levels of vandalism and security risks to staff and premises.
(iv) Item B/08/4/4(v) The CAO advised that a School Crossing Patrol
person was in place at St Joseph’s Primary School, Drumquin. Councillor
McDonnell questioned the proximity of the patrol to the School and was
advised to discuss the matter further with the Chief Transport Officer.
(v) In response to a query from Miss Cunningham, the CAO undertook to
investigate whether legislation was available advising bus drivers on the
use of hazard lights when stopping to pick up children.
(vi) Members were informed that a 5 Board leaflet on ‘Safe School
Transport – A Guide for Safe Travel to and from School for Pupils and
Parents’ was now available.
(vii) The Chief Executive reported that arrangements were being made for
a joint WELB/SELB delegation to attend a meeting of the Assembly
Education Committee to make a presentation on the collaborative
arrangements which have been in place for the past two years.
(viii) Members were informed that a copy of the letter detailing the
procedures to be followed when hiring Private Bus Contractors for
Educational and Recreational school trips has been issued to all schools
and youth groups.
In response to a query from Councillor O’Reilly, the
CAO advised that the Chief Transport Officer would clarify the term
‘Recreational’ school trips.
B/08/5/4
CHAIRMAN’S BUSINESS
There was no business.
2.
B/08/5/5
CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S BUSINESS
The Chief Executive reported that since the implementation date for ESA
had been extended to April 2009 it was appropriate to consider the
customary practice of rotating the position of Chair and Vice-Chair of the
Board for the duration of the lifetime of the Board. It was then agreed that
the Chair and Vice-Chair should rotate their positions on 1 October 2008.
It was also agreed that each of the Committees should discuss the rotation
of their Chairs and Vice-Chairs at their next meeting. This was agreed on
the proposal of Mrs Brunt, seconded by Mr McCaffrey.
Councillor Irvine left the meeting at this stage.
The Chief Executive clarified the position with regard to the withdrawal of
an outline planning application for the new Devenish College. It was noted
that this was also detailed in the circulated Property Services Report
PS/08/05/01.
The Chief Executive then summarised his engagements since the April
meeting of the Board.
B/08/5/6
CORRESPONDENCE
There was no correspondence.
B/08/5/7
REPORTS OF MEETINGS
(i) Joint SELB/WELB Youth Committee held on 16 April 2008
Councillor O’Reilly, in proposing the adoption of the Report, gave a
résumé of the business discussed at the meeting. The adoption of the
Report was seconded by Councillor Devenney and was agreed.
Councillor McDonnell left the meeting at this stage.
(ii) Services Committee held on 23 April 2008
In the absence of Mr Orr, Chair of the Services Committee, the CAO
provided a detailed account of the business discussed at the meeting.
She drew attention to S/08/4a/08 and said that a report on the number of
teaching principals absent on long term sickness would be brought to the
Services Committee in May and a report on teacher sickness related
absences would be brought to the Services Committee in June. A Report
on the sharing of data in connection with the verification of entitlement to
benefit would also be brought to the May meeting. Mrs Hogg referred to
the third paragraph on Page 5 and reiterated her concern about the
effectiveness of one Human Resources Department to serve the entirety of
Northern Ireland.
The adoption of the Report was proposed by Mrs Brunt, seconded by Mrs
Hogg and was agreed.
3.
(iii) Children and Young People’s Services Committee held on 24 April
2008
Mrs Hogg, in presenting the Report, took members through the business
discussed at the meeting. She proposed the adoption of Items 11. 1, 11.2
and 11.3 WELB Formal Statementing Procedure. The adoption was
seconded by Miss Cunningham.
The adoption of the Report was proposed by Mrs Hogg, seconded by
Councillor Devenney and was agreed.
(iv) Joint SELB/WELB Education Committee held on 24 April 2008
Miss Cunningham, in proposing the adoption of the Report, gave a
detailed account of the business discussed at the meeting. She advised
that the word ‘went’ in the third line of the penultimate paragraph of the
Report should be changed to ‘gone’. The adoption of the Report was
seconded by Mrs Brunt and was agreed.
(v) Audit Committee held on 30 April 2008
Mrs Hogg, in proposing the adoption of the Report, took Members through
the business discussed at the meeting. In response to a query from Miss
Cunningham in relation to A/08/03/16 about the discontinuation of using
cheques for the payment of purchases, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO)
stated that staff in the Finance Department were available to offer help and
advice if any difficulties arise. The Chief Executive responded to Members’
queries in relation to staff employed on DSO Cleaning Contracts and the
employment of Classroom Assistants in Voluntary Grammar Schools. The
adoption of the Report was seconded by Mr McCaffrey and was agreed.
Councillor O’Reilly left the meeting at this stage.
(vi) RPA Committee held on 23 April 2008
The Report of the RPA Committee was noted.
B/08/5/8
DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE REVIEW OF PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS
The Chief Executive presented the Board’s response to the Review of
Policy on Public Sector Jobs. Members, while welcoming the Response,
agreed a number of amendments. Subject to the inclusion of the
amendments the Response was adopted on the proposal of Miss Doherty,
seconded by Councillor O’Kane.
It was agreed to go Into Committee on the proposal of Mrs Hogg,
seconded by Councillor Devenney for the discussion on the next two
items.
4.
B/08/5/9
HUMAN RESOURCES REPORT
The Human Resources Report PE/2008/5/1 was adopted on the proposal
of Mr Wilson, seconded by Mr McCaffrey.
B/08/5/10
PROPERTY SERVICES REPORT
The circulated Property Services Report PS/08/05/01 and the tabled
Report PS/08/05/02 were adopted on the proposal of Miss Cunningham,
seconded by Miss Doherty.
It was agreed to go Out of Committee on the proposal of Mrs Hogg,
seconded by Mr Wilson.
B/08/5/11
BOARDS OF GOVERNORS – APPOINTMENTS
The following appointments were made on the proposal of Miss
Cunningham, seconded by Mr McKelvey:
Transferor Representatives:
Lisnagelvin PS
Rev M Ferry
Lisneal College
Rev M Ferry
The following appointment was made on the proposal of Mr Wilson,
seconded by Miss Doherty:
Board Representative
Academy Nursery
Mrs N Ward
The following appointment was made on the proposal of Mr Duffy,
seconded by Councillor McAleer:
Board Representative
St Mary’s PS, Killyclogher
Mr N McKenna
The following appointment was made on the proposal of Mr Wilson,
seconded by Miss Cunningham:
5.
Transferor Representatives
Aghadrumsee PS
Rev C Bell
It was agreed to defer making appointments to the following schools until
the next meeting:
Ballycolman Nursery
Limavady Nursery
Ballougry PS
Donemana PS
Groarty Controlled Integrated PS
Good Shepherd PS
St Brigid’s PS, Mountfield
St Columba’s PS, Newbuildings
St Conor’s PS, Omagh
St Mary’s PS, Tempo
St Oliver Plunkett PS, Strathfoyle
Ballinamallard PS
Belmont House Special School
B/08/5/12
SEALING OF DOCUMENTS
It was agreed to seal the following documents on the proposal of
Councillor Devenney, seconded by Mrs Hogg.
B/08/5/13
1.
Lease and Counterpart (2)
Sub-station site at Lisneal College – Irish Street
WELB & Northern Ireland Electricity PLC
2.
Conveyance
Sion Mills Branch Library
WELB – to- Oaklee Housing Asssociation Ltd
3.
Conveyance (3)
Bus Lay-by at Limavady High School
WELB –to- Department for Regional Development
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
In response to a query from Mr Wilson, the CAO undertook to investigate
the issue of legal responsibility when accidents occur at school premises
which are used as Polling Stations.
Mr McKelvey congratulated the Board on being involved with the new
revolutionary IT infrastructure as part of the e-Schools project which will
improve the quality and speed at which information on school performance
is accessible.
There was no other business and the meeting ended at 4.25 p.m.
6.