Devon Association of Governors - Run by Devon Governors for Devon Governors
Draft proposal for unitary local government in Devon
BOUNDARY COMMITTEE REVIEW – DAG GUIDANCE
GBs will have seen the submissions provided by Devon and Exeter Councils in relation to the Boundary Committee’s recent review and which GBs are strongly encouraged to contribute to before the consultation closes on 26 September 2008.
The DAG Executive has taken no particular line on this issue, but would encourage GBs to:
- Participate in the consultation;
- Answer only as a Governor and refer to the impact of any proposal on the education of our children noting other aspects of the recommendations can be addressed separately.
In participating DAG would commend that you satisfy that both Councils have addressed the following points satisfactorily:
- To what extent has the Council offered to provide your GB with strategic support and how will any proposals by the BC impact on this?
- Is there a transition cost to a new Unitary and if so how much is it and where will the money come from?
- What structure will be in place to support the education of children and young people?
- Will this structure lead to any duplication of services?
- There is reference to “innovative provision”. GBs should drill down to determine how these will be provided. GBs are required to provide value for money – will their endeavours be undermined or underpinned by new proposals?
- Have Councils considered how they will replicate any scales of economy savings, currently available to the existing LA? How many of the 360+ schools and 7 PRUs will any new Unitary manage, supervise and support?
- What SEN provision will any new Authority provide? Complex “recoupment” arrangements will be needed in respect of SEN provision. This is because funding responsibility for this rests within the Authority in which a pupil is ordinarily “RESIDENT”, rather than being based on “LOCATION” of the schools.
- How does any new Unitary intend addressing the transport for schools issues?
- What training will the new authority offer its GBs?
- How will this be provided?
- Is there any shadowing responsibility before establishing a Unitary? If so how and what cost is it to be implemented?
GBs will undoubtedly have other questions they want answering and may well wish to discuss issues with other GBs across the County. DAG would encourage active use of the Discussion Board facility on the DAG website and regular reference to the Boundary Committee button on the DAG website.
PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE YOUR SAY by sending your supportive, critical or challenging comments: online at www.boundarycommittee.org.uk,
or by writing to:
Review Manager (Devon Review)
The Boundary Committee for England
Trevelyan House
Great Peter Street
London SW1P 2HW
David Tall 1 September 2008
