Agenda item

Report of the Town Clerk.

The Board considered a report of the Town Clerk that sought approval in principle of the establishment of a temporary part-time consultant project manager role to develop a business plan to assess the feasibility of the proposed new Education Office. The report included a report which was submitted to the Policy and Resources Committee on 3 July 2014, a report of the Livery Education Working Party and a resolution from the Policy and Resources Committee.

The report noted that one-off funding was needed for a six month period to develop a business plan to assess the feasibility of a new Education Office, as recommended by the Livery Education Working Party.

Members discussed the report in detail with the following points being made:-

·         The Livery Schools Link (LSL) provided a valuable co-ordinating link between Livery Companies and the education sector but it was not able to be fully effective owing to lack of sufficient support as well as resources.

·         The creation of an Education Office should be self-funded and would act in a facilitator role to link the livery education contribution, promote collaboration and identify opportunities for further livery involvement within the wider City context.

·         The first aim to attract 100% support from Livery Companies within the first 12 months was felt laudable if over optimistic.

·         Members were concerned about the costs involved with the proposals in light of the Service Based Review but supported the sentiment behind the proposals.

·         Members also noted that whilst any review undertaken by the LSL would arguably not be entirely impartial, they felt that failure to proceed with current momentum of the proposal would likely lead to an opportunity being lost to improve the coordination of the Livery’s role in education.

·         It was noted that the Company of Educators were happy with the proposals.

·         It was also felt that, if possible, transparency was required around recruitment to the role of consultant project manager.

·         The Board would work closely with the Livery Committee as the consultation process progressed.

RESOLVED – That the Education Board:-

·      Note the report and support in principle the establishment of a temporary part time consultant project manager role which will develop the business plan for the education office; and

·      Recommend that the Policy and Resources Committee agree the proposal to use £13k from 2014/15 and £3k from 2015/16 of the Committee’s contingency fund, taken from City’s Cash, to cover the recruitment of a part-time consultant project manager for a one-off six month period.