Agenda item

To receive any updates from Committee representatives on various Council Boards and Groups.

12.05 p.m. – 12.10 p.m.

 

Councillor Richard Davies gave a brief summary of the Customer Services and Education Support Service Challenge he had attended.  The following subjects had been discussed:

 

Education:

 

·         All schools were required to be fit for purpose.  There was a need to address the decline in numbers and work out how to reduce the number of surplus places, which currently stood at 21% above the WG target. 

·         New Faith School

·         Mobile Classrooms

·         Investment in senior schools

·         Investment in special schools (particularly due to a risk identified with respect to future numbers at Ysgol Plas Brondyffryn following the recent investment at Ysgol y Gogarth) 

·         An action plan was in place for absenteeism and this was now improving

·         Post 16 transport provision and payment towards it.  Possibility this would go out to tender next year.

 

Customer Service:

 

·         There was continued improvement

·         CRM challenged and to be monitored during the next 12 months

·         New website easier and clearer to use

·         Proposed efficiency savings identified of circa £30K

 

 

Councillor Geraint Lloyd-Williams reported he had recently attended a meeting with the Head of Communication, Marketing and Leisure.  The risks of arms-length companies were discussed.  Councillor Lloyd-Williams enquired whether a report could be submitted to Scrutiny regarding the performance of these companies.  The Corporate Director: Economic & Community Ambition confirmed she would take the matter to the Corporate Executive Team (CET) to discuss the arms-length companies’ performance and what aspect should be looked at by scrutiny and when this should be examined.  A full list of all arms-length companies would need to be drawn up.

 

 

Councillor Geraint Lloyd-Williams confirmed that the Council had been approached by a company that was interested in staging a half marathon in Rhyl.  There was also a possibility of holding four major events throughout the whole county.

 

 

Councillor Gareth Sandilands had recently attended the Strategic Investment Group.  Discussions included at that Group had included:

 

·         Flying Start

·         West Rhyl Housing Programme

·         World War 2 trench being put in at Bodelwyddan Castle

 

 

Councillor Arwel Roberts had recently attended a  meeting of the School Standards Monitoring Group (SSMG) and commented that the Lead Member and Head of Education were very thorough in their questioning and challenge of the school representatives in attendance.  The schools in attendance were Ysgol Esgob Morgan, St. Asaph – this was a happy school and a good school - and Ysgol Gallt Melyd –a very good school.  The next meeting was to take place on 11 November 2013 and Rhos Street School and Ysgol Brynhyfryd School would be attending.

 

 

Councillor Huw Jones informed members that he had been in Rhyl on Wednesday 23 October in a meeting with ‘Human Race’ to discuss the Etape race.   The company was keen to move things forward.  Company representatives had been shown in Events Arena, Marine Lake and Pont y Ddraig and had shown a keen interest in arranging an event from Conwy to Prestatyn, possibly including running, cycling and BMX disciplines. 

 

Councillor Bill Cowie expressed his concern, at this point, that the temporary classrooms were still a huge problem within the county.