Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 21 (20 June 2017), the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement presented an update report on the creation of the new School Improvement Partnership (SIP), a not-for-profit company wholly owned by the Council and participating Borough schools.

The Cabinet Member stressed the importance of maintaining the improvement in educational standards in the Borough and the pivotal role of the SIP, alongside the Borough’s family of schools, in that aim, despite the real-term cut in Government funding and the significant increase in pupil numbers within Barking and Dagenham. 

To date, 56 of the 60 Borough schools had signed up to receive the range of statutory and priority services to be provided by the SIP on behalf of the Council.  To enable the formal establishment of the SIP and the involvement of Local Authority maintained schools, it was noted that the Council must comply with certain statutory requirements.  The Cabinet Member outlined the process and the intention to provide the SIP with a working capital facility of up to £200,000, to assist with cashflow for services that would be provided in advance of the structured payment system agreed with schools.

The Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Approve the formal establishment of a school company on the terms set out in the report, to which the Council shall have membership and directorships of the company;

(ii)  Give formal permission for Local Authority maintained schools to become members of the Barking and Dagenham School Improvement Partnership, in accordance with School Companies regulations;

(iii)  Approve a working capital facility of up to £200,000, only to be drawn as necessary, to cover payments for services provided in advance; and

(iv)  Delegate authority to the Strategic Director for Service Improvement and Integration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Law and Governance, to enter into all arrangements and agreements necessary to implement the above arrangements.