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Home , Abercraf, Bausley with Criggion, Trallong, Vale of Grwyney

Public Document Pack

Cabinet

Meeting Venue Committee Room A - County Hall, ,

Meeting date Tuesday, 24 November 2015 County Hall Llandrindod Wells Meeting time Powys 3.30 pm LD1 5LG

For further information please contact Stephen Boyd 18 November 2015 01597 826374 [email protected]

AGENDA

1. APOLOGIES C219- 2015

To receive apologies for absence.

2. MINUTES C220- 2015

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held as a correct record. (Pages 5 - 18)

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST C221- 2015

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

4. COUNCIL TAX BASE FOR 2016-2017 C222- 2015

To consider a report by County Councillor Wynne Jones, Portfolio Holder for Finance. (Pages 19 - 24)

5. BENEFITS FROM RENEWABLE C223- 2015 ENERGY DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND GUIDANCE

To consider a report by County Councillor Avril York, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning. (Pages 25 - 36) 6. WELSH PUBLIC LIBRARY STANDARDS: POWYS C224- 2015 ANNUAL REPORT 2014-15

To consider a report by County Councillor Graham Brown, Portfolio Holder with responsibility for the Library Service. (Pages 37 - 46)

7. ERW BUSINESS PLAN 2015-18 C225- 2015

To consider a report by County Councillor Arwel Jones, Portfolio Holder for Education. (Pages 47 - 182)

8. TREASURY MANAGEMENT QUARTER 2 REPORT C226- 2015

To consider a report by County Councillor Wynne Jones, Portfolio Holder for Finance. (Pages 183 - 204)

9. DELEGATED DECISIONS TAKEN SINCE THE LAST C227- 2015 MEETING

To note the delegated decisions taken since the last meeting. (Pages 205 - 206)

10. FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME C228- 2015

To consider the Cabinet forward work programme. (Pages 207 - 214)

11. CORRESPONDENCE C229- 2015

To receive such correspondence as in the opinion of the Leader is of such urgency as to warrant consideration.

12. EXEMPT ITEMS C230- 2015

The Monitoring Officer has determined that category 1 of the Access to Information Procedure Rules applies to the following item. His view on the public interest test (having taken account of the provisions of Rule 11.8 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules) was that to make this information public would disclose personal data relating to an individual in contravention of the principles of the Data Protection Act. Because of this and since there did not appear to be an overwhelming public interest requiring the disclosure of personal data he felt that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Members are asked to consider these factors when determining the public interest test, which they must decide when considering excluding the public from this part of the meeting. 13. JOINT DIRECTOR OF OD AND WORKFORCE C231- 2015

To consider a report by the Chief Executive. (To Follow) This page is intentionally left blank C220- 2015

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE CABINET HELD AT COMMITTEE ROOM A - COUNTY HALL, LLANDRINDOD WELLS, POWYS ON TUESDAY, 10TH NOVEMBER 2015

PRESENT County Councillor WB Thomas (Chair)

County Councillors RG Brown, JH Brunt, SM Hayes, EA Jones, WT Jones, DJ Mayor, WJT Powell, PC Pritchard and EA York

In attendance: County Councillors AW Davies, SC Davies, DR Jones and JG Morris, and County Councillors P Harris and GM Jones for item 4.

1. APOLOGIES C196 - 2015

There were no apologies for absence.

2. MINUTES C197 - 2015

The Leader was authorised to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 20th October 2015 as a correct record.

3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST C198 - 2015

County Councillor WB Thomas declared a personal non prejudicial interest in item C200 – 2015 Early Years Review – Interim Funding Arrangements for 3 Year old Education Providers as an LEA appointed governor of Ysgol Pont Robert.

County Councillor SM Hayes declared a personal non prejudicial interest in item C208 – 2015 Support for Small Businesses.

The Leader advised that he was changing the order of the agenda to take the report on Y Fan next.

4. Y FAN LEAD MINE AND ADJACENT RESIDENTIAL C210 - 2015 PROPERTIES DRIMNIN AND BRONANT

Cabinet considered a report on residential land situated adjacent to council owned land at Y Fan which was the site of a former lead mine. The Leader confirmed that the Cabinet had received the report the requisite number of days before the meeting. He also confirmed that there had no decision taken at the meeting of the Cabinet /Management Team the previous week and that a decision could only be taken at the formal Cabinet meeting, a point that was confirmed by the Monitoring Officer. Cabinet members confirmed that they had received and read the additional documents and legal advice from Richard George and Jenkins solicitors supplied by County Councillor Graham Jones and indicated that Cllr Jones could refer to those papers if he wished to do so during the course of his representations to Cabinet. Page 5 County Councillor Graham Jones speaking as the local member challenged the report before Cabinet. He asked the Cabinet to declare the site as contaminated land and to seek financial assistance from the Welsh Government to decontaminate the site as had been done at the site of the former Brymbo works near Wrexham.

Cabinet asked officers if Welsh Government funding was available and were advised that enquiries had been made with the Welsh Government who had indicated that they had treated the Brymbo site as a one off that did not set a precedent. Cabinet then asked if the site was defined as contaminated land and if it was whose responsibility it was. The Monitoring Officer explained that the advice from the Council’s Contaminated Land Officer and legal officer, backed by the Capita Symonds report of December 2011 (Annex 1 to the report) and letter of July 2012 (Annex 2 to the report) was that the land was not contaminated. The Capita Symonds investigation had concluded that although elevated levels of lead were present on the site, they did not pose a “significant risk of significant harm” to users at that time and as such did not meet the statutory definition of “contaminated land”, and that remains the case today. The report did find that lead levels were such that they would represent significant harm to a child aged 0 to 6 living on the site. Cabinet were advised that there were no children of that age living at either of the properties. If, in future, there were female children aged 0 to 6 living at either property the site would be re-evaluated and it would be likely to be found to be contaminated.

Cabinet was advised that the site of the two properties had never been in the ownership of the Council and that the Capita Symonds report of July 2012 had confirmed that there was no contamination of the properties from Council owned land. Cabinet was further advised that if remedial works were required then the costs would fall to the landowners. If they did not have the financial means to undertake the works then the Council may have to pay to have the work undertaken then seek to recover the costs from the landowners.

County Councillor Phil Pritchard moved an amendment to the recommendation in the report “Resolved that the contents of the report are noted” but there was no seconder.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That the contents of the report are To clarify the Council’s position on noted and that it is resolved that no this matter. further action is taken at this time.

5. FINANCIAL OVERVIEW AND FORECAST AS AT 30 C199 - 2015 SEPTEMBER 2015

Cabinet received the financial overview and forecast report for the period ended 30th September 2015. The forecast overspend was £3.813m, slightly down on the figure last reported. The Chair of the People Scrutiny Committee asked about the costs to schools of implementing the Living Wage in respect of cleaning services that had been transferred and was advised that there was no Page 6 information as to how the Government would implement the increase but that in line with all Council services schools would have to absorb the costs. Schools could also seek to make savings by going out to the market and by working in clusters to procure services. The Portfolio Holder for Finance suggested that this was an area that scrutiny could look into. In response to a question about unachieved income by the Building Design Team, the Head of Regeneration, Property and Commissioning explained that a number for major capital projects had not progressed as planned.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That: To monitor the Council’s financial 1. the contents of the report are performance and ensure that noted by Cabinet; and spending remains within approved 2. Cabinet supports appropriate limits and that the 3% minimum action by services to curtail or general fund reserve is maintained. reduce the reported forecasted service deficits. 3. it is noted that there are no Capital virements as set out in paragraph 5.3.

6. EARLY YEARS REVIEW – INTERIM FUNDING C200 - 2015 ARRANGEMENTS FOR 3 YEAR OLD EDUCATION PROVIDERS

Cabinet considered proposals for interim funding arrangements for the providers of education for 3 year olds. The proposals were intended to improve the sustainability of the current providers until a full tendering process had been completed in line with the proposed change to the age of admission to Primary schools in the Authority. As part of the proposals funding would be withdrawn from 5 settings with the smallest number of children attending from January 2016. Officers advised that local Members for these 5 settings had not been consulted but it was felt that the principle should be agreed by the Cabinet first. They would be contacted after the meeting.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: 1. That Cabinet approve the amended To ensure that settings are funding funding arrangements with effect from as efficiently and effectively as 1 November 2015 (retrospectively), with possible within the current funding existing settings funded a minimum of envelope. the funding due under the current arrangements until December 2015. All settings are funded on the new formula from January 2016. 2. That the five smallest settings are informed that due to historic and ongoing low numbers that they will not Page 7 be a funded setting from the start of the Spring 2016 term (Option 2).

7. EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND (ESF) PROPOSALS C201 - 2015 2014-2020

Cabinet considered the submission of European Social Fund (ESF) applications for two projects, Cynnydd and Cam Nesa, to enhance the delivery of support and provision for vulnerable young people in Powys. The additional ESF funds would be utilised to improve the core Youth Service work of targeted support, enabling the enhanced support of a greater number of young people. The proposals were welcomed by Members.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: To accept the paper and submit two To further progress the work of applications for ESF funding, for the supporting the most vulnerable Cynnydd and Cam Nesa projects. young people in Powys.

Funding will enable current services to increase the number of young people they are able to support. To give the Portfolio Holder the Should such a scenario occur, delegated authority to redesign the decisions will be required project proposals, where the amount promptly, and delegating the offered by WEFO is less than is authority to the Portfolio Holder required to efficiently and will enable such decisions to be successfully deliver the project/s as made. proposed. To give the Portfolio Holder the Should such a scenario occur, delegated authority to reject the grant decisions will be required offer from WEFO, where following promptly, and delegating the redesign, the amount continues to be authority to the Portfolio Holder less than is required to efficiently and will enable such decisions to be successfully deliver the project/s. made.

8. DECC ELECTRICITY LINE APPLICATIONS C202 - 2015

Cabinet considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning on a number of electric line applications that the Council had been consulted on.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That no objections be raised in In order to comply with the respect of 11kV overhead lines at: Electricity Act 1989 consultation 1. DECC/2015/0002-New process. connection to an existing Page 8 overhead electricity line, Rhosyglascoed y Isaf,

2. DECC/2015/0003-Installation of an overhead electricity line, Yr Hen Stable,

3. DECC/2015/0004-Connection of an underground supply to existing electric line application, Mill Farm, Oswestry

4. DECC/2015/0005-Connection of an underground supply to existing electric line application, Brynderw, ,

5. DECC/2015/0007-New 11kv electric line, between Cilleni and Nant Bran Valleys, to ’r Fan)

6. DECC/2015/0008-New 11kv electric line to part replace the existing 11kv electric line, middle Hivron to The Farm, Hivron,

County Councillor Phil Pritchard abstained having missed part of the debate.

9. COMMUNITY DELIVERY C203 - 2015

Cabinet considered the principals required to be in place to support the future delivery of the Community Delivery initiative and to support service strategy to achieve the savings outlined in the Medium Term Financial Strategy. The Strategic Director Place confirmed that the list of services that could be transferred would be circulated to Town and Community Councils. He also advised that where there was no interest from Town and Community Councils in taking on services, the County Council would either stop services or run them at a bare minimum.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: 1. To confirm that potential funding To continue working with for Community Delivery will be based communities to enable them to on a maximum of 40% of the cashable become more self-reliant and self- savings set against the minimum sustaining. To confirm the funding specification for service delivery, approach to ensure service reducing to 35% after 1 year and 30% strategy to achieve savings via the Page 9 after 2 years. The funding is to remain MTFS is not compromised. To for a period of up to 5 years with a enable Town & Community review of the arrangements being Councils to have relevant carried out in the third year. information when setting their budgets for the coming year. 2. The County Council will carry out a review in the third year to determine if the arrangements will continue or will come to an end.

3. To confirm the approach with To enable the County Council to regard to asset transfers via the consider all requests in line with Community Delivery initiative or any other initiatives that will influence other initiative will follow the current the final outcome. agreed procedures i.e. submitting an EOI for consideration and decision.

10. COUNCIL’S RESPONSE TO THE WELL-BEING OF C204 - 2015 FUTURE GENERATIONS () ACT DRAFT STATUTORY GUIDANCE CONSULTATION

Cabinet considered a response to the Welsh Government consultation on the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act statutory guidance.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That the response be submitted to To ensure that the council’s views Welsh Government are considered.

11. OLDER PEOPLES DAY TIME ACTIVITIES C205 - 2015

Council had agreed in the budget setting process for 2014/15 to reconfigure day time activities for older people and withdraw from Council direct delivery and invest in new models of care. Since then, despite hard work from councillors and officers, it had not been possible to reach a successful long term conclusion for the remodelling of the service. Cabinet were asked to approve a pre consultation on a range of options for the future provision of day care services for the elderly that would help inform a full consultation starting in January.

The Chair of the People Scrutiny Committee asked that following the consultation Scrutiny be given the opportunity to look at any report before it came back to Cabinet.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: 1. To begin Pre-Consultation on the future provision of day-care In order to fulfil our statutory services for the elderly. duty to provide a quality service offer and respond to financial 2. To carry out formal consultation pressures and changing during January-March 2016. legislation there is a need to seek Page 10 the wider views of the community 3. To continue to explore the viability on the way forward for Day of other service delivery options as Centres/day time activities. outlined in the report. Having a full consultation will ensure a balance of views for the Council to consider.

12. JOINT COMMISSIONING STRATEGY FOR OLDER C206 - 2015 PEOPLE IN POWYS

The Council and Powys Teaching Health Board had worked together to produce a draft Joint Commissioning Strategy for Older People in Powys. The purpose of the strategy was to set out how Adult Social Care and PTHB together with 3rd sector partner organisations would work with older people, their carers and families to understand and meet their needs within the context of national guidance, wider local plans and available resources. The strategy would provide a clear direction regarding the future planning and delivery of services for older people in Powys.

County Councillor Dawn Bailey, the Council’s dementia champion had written to highlight her concerns that a Joint Dementia Action Plan had not been developed despite a reference to it in the Joint Commissioning Strategy document. The Portfolio Holder therefore proposed the following amendments to the Joint Commissioning Strategy:

Page 5 – “This Commissioning Strategy and Plan should be read in conjunction with the Integrated Carer’s Commissioning Strategy, the Integrated Strategy for People with Learning Disabilities, the emerging Dementia Plan, A Place Called Home Plan and the Hearts and Minds (Mental Health) Strategy.”

Page 25 – Add in 2016 as the timeframe for delivery of the Dementia Plan.

These changes would be communicated to PTHB who had yet to consider the Joint Commissioning Strategy.

The Chair of the People Scrutiny Committee asked that following consultation Scrutiny be given the opportunity to look at any report before it came back to Cabinet.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: The Cabinet agree to commence a To enable Health and Adult Social joint consultation between Powys Care to meet the challenges that County Council and Powys Teaching face the service going forward in a Health Board on the draft clear, open and collaborative commissioning strategy as amended manner. above for a period of twelve weeks from November 2015.

Page 11 13. POWYS SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS C207 - 2015 QUARTERLY UPDATE

Cabinet received details of safeguarding work undertaken by Children’s Services and Adult services.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That Cabinet accepts the Safeguarding is everyone’s safeguarding update in line with its business and this report provides safeguarding responsibilities. assurance to Cabinet of work that is underway both locally and regionally on important safeguarding matters.

14. REGENERATION: SUPPORT FOR SMALL C208 - 2015 BUSINESSES

Cabinet considered proposals for targeted support for small businesses from Regeneration Services through a capital growth fund to be channelled into property development either as match funding for regeneration bidding or to develop “move on” accommodation for expanding businesses within the Council’s pre-existing workshop estate.

Members asked if the funding available could be increased by generating capital receipts through the sale of some properties and the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning confirmed that the service was looking to rationalise its property estate. It was also confirmed that the service would be flexible in working with private businesses in allowing different levels of match funding and in carrying over funding from year to year. The Head of Service confirmed that the timescales placed on grants would be agreed in negotiations with businesses.

Members welcomed the turn-around in the workshops portfolio which was running with almost full occupancy at a small annual profit.

RESOLVED Reason for decision: 1. That the Small Business Grants One of the County Council’s key facility is realigned to target business priorities is to support the local growth within the County and it economy. This is a flexible and continues to be managed by the sustainable means by which to Regeneration team to invest in match provide practical help for small funding and/or the development of the expanding businesses. Council’s workshop estate as outlined in the proposal section of the report. This will negate the need to have 2. That the Head of Service for an administratively burdensome Page 12 Regeneration, Property and and staff intensive grant or lending Commissioning, be given delegated procedure. authority to agree spending in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and the Portfolio Holder for Property Buildings and Housing.

3. Where match funding for such a grant is provided by a private business, the Council will require an appropriate charge to be registered in respect of the property to protect the Council’s interests.

4. Where such a grant is provided in accordance with recommendation 1 above, the tenants of the property will not be allowed to continue to occupy any one or more of the Council’s starter workshops.

15. NANT HELEN S106A GRANT SCHEME C209 - 2015

Cabinet considered the scheme for administering the Nant Helen S106a grant scheme. The scheme was worth £700,000 over seven years and would benefit the communities of , Tawe Uchaf and . County Councillor Sandra Davies thanked the officers involved in setting up the scheme.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: To approve the administrative To ensure Powys’ communities and process for the Nant Helen s106a environment benefits from external Grant Scheme as outlined in the funding opportunities. To deliver a report. wide range of benefits for local communities.

16. MID WALES CONJOINED WIND FARM INQUIRY C211 - 2015 DECISIONS

Cabinet received for information a report on the outcome of the Mid Wales conjoined wind farm inquiry. Members were advised that two applicants had submitted requests for judicial reviews. If allowed they would be heard by the middle of March 2016 at the latest. Cabinet was also advised that a judgement on the Garreg Llwyd appeal was expected before Christmas.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That the report be received. Request by Members

Page 13 17. ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN 2014/2015 – C212 - 2015 PLANNING SERVICES

Cabinet received the annual performance plan for the Council’s Planning Services that was required to be submitted to Welsh Government.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: That the contents of the report are The authority is legally required to noted. prepare and submit an Annual Performance Report.

18. DOG FOULING – ENFORCEMENT IN POWYS C213 - 2015

Cabinet considered a report on enforcement action in relation to dog fouling in Powys. Cabinet was advised that although the Police and Crime Commissioner had offered to authorise PCSOs to issue Fixed Penalty Notices, this could only be done across of the whole of the Dyfed Powys force area and that there had been no support from the other councils. Therefore, given the financial constraints on the authority existing resources and arrangements would have to be utilised to deliver a viable action plan to tackle this issue. The existing Memorandum of Understanding with Dyfed Powys Police was felt to be still fit for purpose and a communications plan had been developed to encourage dog owners to clear up after their pet. The plan included the distribution of posters in communities, an ongoing social media campaign highlighting the issues with dog fouling and regular news releases to remind dog owners of their responsibilities.

The Portfolio Holder noted that the opposition group leaders were unhappy with what was proposed but given the circumstances he had no option but to manage the service with existing resources. He agreed to bring the communications plan to the Cabinet in January.

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: 1. That Cabinet acknowledges that the The Dyfed Powys Police Authority Council cannot proceed with the will not support one local authority Police and Crime Commissioner’s pursuing PCSO’s issuing Fixed offer that PCSO be authorised to Penalty Notices unless a regional issue Fixed Penalty Notices and on approach is taken this basis there is no merit in changing the current legislative framework.

2. That Cabinet notes that the existing That existing arrangements are fit Memorandum of Understanding for purpose and so we can with Dyfed Powys Police is continue to work with the police on currently in the process of being intelligence gathering and where reviewed but is generally ‘fit for necessary taking enforcement purpose’. action

Page 14 3. That the proposed communication To assist in the delivery of a and education strategy detailed in change in culture in relation to dog this report is invoked by the Local fouling Authority.

4. That Cabinet acknowledges the role that County Council, Town and Communities need to be Community Councillors have to encouraged to adopt an approach play in reducing the anti-social where this issue can be tackled behaviour of dog owners who do locally not clean up after their animals

19. DELEGATED DECISIONS TAKEN SINCE THE LAST C214 - 2015 MEETING

Cabinet received for information a list of delegated decisions taken since the last meeting.

20. FORWARD WORK PROGRAMME C215- 2015

Cabinet received the forward work programme. The Leader advised that the next meeting on 24th November would start at 3.30 p.m.

21. CORRESPONDENCE C216- 2015

There were no items of correspondence reported.

22. EXEMPT ITEMS C217- 2015

RESOLVED to exclude the public for the following items of business on the grounds that there would be disclosure to them of exempt information under category 3 of The Local Authorities (Access to Information) (Variation) (Wales) Order 2007).

23. HOME CARE OPTIONS APPRAISAL C218- 2015

Cabinet considered proposals introduce improved transitional contractual arrangements to support the work to finalise long-term domiciliary care commissioning proposals that promote personal independence. This would help to maintain and further develop the existing domiciliary care market currently operating under different contractual arrangements across the County.

The Chair of the People Scrutiny Committee welcomed the detailed briefing he had received prior to the meeting and asked for a further briefing before the next report back to Cabinet. Page 15 Externally commissioned home care – south

RESOLVED Reason for Decision: 1. To consolidate existing spot- 1. Preferred option following full contract arrangements held by options appraisal. larger domiciliary care providers 2. Will further support the in south Powys for a period of development of a sustainable two years into formal ‘floor and domiciliary care market across ceiling’ contracts. Contracts will Powys. also be ‘zoned’, with providers 3. Will maintain the existing concentrating delivery of care provider market, whilst hours within agreed geographic maximising use of market locations (Option 3c). capacity. 4. Will support the council to better 2. The Head of Adult Social Care be control domiciliary care costs. requested to undertake further work to review the benefits of implementing a Dynamic Purchasing System, and submit a future report detailing the outcome of this review for possible implementation in the future.

Externally commissioned home care – north RESOLVED Reason for Decision To maintain existing contractual 1. Preferred option following full framework arrangements in north options appraisal. Powys, and look to harmonise 2. Existing contractual contractual arrangement across the arrangements are meeting County when the current Framework citizens need. Agreement ends in 2018. 3. Provides flexibility to harmonise contractual environment once current Framework ends.

In-house home care RESOLVED Reason for Decision 1. To consult and following 1. Improvement in rates of pay of consultation with Domiciliary domiciliary care workers will Care Staff to raise their hourly support staff retention, reduce the pay rate in line with the potential for service disruption for Council’s current re-ablement citizens, and reduce reliance of workforce. This is on the basis the In-House Domiciliary Care that all other terms and service on agency staff to deliver conditions of domiciliary care some care support. workers’ employment remaining 2. Transfer to an Arms-Length Body the same as when they TUPE is the preferred option following transferred into the Council. full options appraisal. 2. To develop a detailed business 3. Will enhance market capacity by Page 16 case and structural and supporting the development of a governance model with a view to sustainable domiciliary care transfer of the in house service service competing within the to a new integrated arm’s length existing market. body. 4. Will maintain the existing provider market, whilst maximising use of market capacity. 5. Will assist the council to better control domiciliary care costs.

County Councillor W B Thomas (Chair)

Page 17 This page is intentionally left blank C222- 2015

CYNGOR SIR POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL.

CABINET EXECUTIVE 24th November 2015

REPORT AUTHOR: County Councillor W Jones Portfolio Holder for Finance

SUBJECT: Council Tax Base for 2016-2017

REPORT FOR: Decision

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Section 33 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992 requires each Billing Authority to calculate the basic amount of its Council Tax by applying a formula which includes calculating the Authority's Council Tax Base.

1.2 Setting the Council Tax base is an annual statutory requirement and enables the Authority to set the budget.

1.3 The Council Tax Base is the adjusted number of dwellings in the Council's area belonging to each valuation band modified to take account of a number of assumptions and factors including the proportion applying to dwellings in each Council Tax Band together with discounts, exemptions and an estimate for losses on collection.

1.4 This calculation is made in accordance with the "Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (Wales) Regulations, 1995", as amended.

1.5 The Council Tax Base calculation for 2016/17 is based on the list prepared by the Valuation Office Agency, as at 31st October for the financial year.

2. THE CALCULATION

2.1 Appendix A sets out, in a standard format, the calculation of the 2016/17 Council Tax Base.

2.2 The estimated collection rate on non-military dwellings is 98.5%.This is the same estimated collection rate as used in 2015-16.

2.3 For military dwellings the Regulations require Authorities to assume a 100% collection rate on dwellings which have residents and 50% for those which do not.

2.4 The breakdown of the Council Tax Base for each Community is set out in paragraph 3.2 below.

1 Page 19 3. RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended:

3.1 That the report on the calculation of the Council Tax Base for the whole and parts of its area for the year 2016/17 be approved.

3.2 That, pursuant to the report and in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (Wales) Regulations, 1995, as amended, the amount calculated by the Powys County Council as its Council Tax Base for the whole of its area for the year 2016/17 shall be 61,185.66 and for the parts of the area listed below for the year 2016/17 shall be for the:

Community of:

Abbeycwmhir 125.29 133.27 218.77 with 719.64 317.56 Bausley with 359.43 375.78 734.61 Betws Cedewain 230.98 3441.49 424.73 1070.10 446.80 704.77 351.15 306.24 287.13 Churchstoke 840.50 Cilmery 229.90 409.17 Cray 133.76 1073.65 Cwmdu and District 557.21 Disserth & Trecoed 545.39 154.25 Dwyrhiw 277.87 252.16 Felinfach 383.85 779.73 231.87 656.01 546.28 Glascwm 266.74 Glyn Tarrell 297.77 860.99 488.36

2 Page 20 Hay-on-Wye 843.06 223.99 Kerry 940.77 Knighton 1312.32 Llanafanfawr 238.57 Llanbadarn Fawr 334.11 143.12 198.87 488.76 118.10 141.05 437.14 Llandrindod Wells 2320.27 & Arddleen 702.80 533.77 190.40 Llanerfyl 217.78 789.08 274.42 Llanfihangel 272.94 116.72 319.34 700.83 Llangammarch 255.41 Llangattock 567.75 196.21 Llangorse 553.37 Llangunllo 196.90 390.65 583.51 Llangyniew 304.96 195.23 1159.74 313.43 286.44 Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant 583.22 Llansantffraid 697.48 348.49 122.83 105.30 Wells 391.54 572.29 249.30 874.48 470.78 178.97 Meifod 680.73 136.92 Mochdre with 246.94 Montgomery 715.70 335.89 222.51 Newtown & 4273.32

3 Page 21 387.70 284.17 Pen Y Bont Fawr 252.16 & Llandegley 204.58 & Norton 1265.63 903.15 310.96 719.15 Talybont-on-Usk 388.42 Tawe Uchaf 591.69 200.84 449.06 222.61 377.85 651.18 484.03 Welshpool 2618.26 Whitton 206.85 257.87 250.88 Ystradgynlais 2856.92 61,185.66

4. SUPPORT SERVICES (Legal, Finance, HR, ICT, BPU)

4.1 The Finance Department commented: “This report sets out the Council Tax base calculation for 2016/17, which enables the Council to set its budget for 2016-17”.

4.2 The Professional Lead-Legal has no comment to make regarding this report.

5. STATUTORY OFFICERS

5.1 The Strategic Director Resources (S151 Officer) confirms the comments made by finance and the importance of the report in the budget setting process.

5.2 The Solicitor to the Council (Monitoring Officer ) has commented as follows: “ I have nothing to add to the report”.

6. MEMBERS’ INTERESTS

6.1 The Monitoring Officer is not aware of any specific interests that may arise in relation to this report. If Members have an interest they should declare it at the start of the meeting and complete the relevant notification form.

Recommendation: Reason for Recommendation:

4 Page 22 1. That the calculation of the Council To meet the legal requirement of the Tax Base for the whole of its area Council to set a Council Tax Base for for the year 2016/17 of 61,185.66 be 2016-17 approved,

2. That the calculation of the Tax Base for each Town & Community Council contained within section 3.2 above, be approved.

Relevant Policy (ies): Within Policy: Y Within Budget: Y

Relevant Local Member(s): Person(s) To Implement Decision: Strategic Director - Resources Date By When Decision To Be Implemented: Immediately Contact Officer Name: Tel: Fax: Email: A M Griffiths 01874 623309 [email protected]

5 Page 23 APPENDIX A

COUNCIL TAX BASE 2016/2017

Banding: @ A B C D E F G H I TOTAL Chargeable Dwellings. 0 5372 8782 12381 9898 11765 9155 4018 581 198 62,150 Disabled Band Reduction 0 8 45 86 72 128 92 48 7 26 512 Adjusted Chargeable Dwellings 8 5409 8823 12367 9954 11729 9111 3977 600 172 62,150

Adjustments: No Discount 5 2240 4581 7669 6650 8542 7243 3319 479 143 40,871 One Discount 3 3164 4229 4683 3299 3177 1851 652 93 28 21,179 Two Discounts 0 5 13 15 5 10 17 6 28 1 100 Total 8 5409 8823 12367 9954 11729 9111 3977 600 172 62,150 Page 24 Page Discount Calculations: Total Discounts 3 3174 4255 4713 3309 3197 1885 664 149 30 Reduction for Discounts 0.75 793.50 1063.75 1178.25 827.25 799.25 471.25 166 37.25 7.50

Net Chargeable Dwellings. 7.25 4615.50 7759.25 11188.75 9126.75 10929.75 8639.75 3811 562.75 164.50 Ratio to Band D 5/9 6/9 7/9 8/9 9/9 11/9 13/9 15/9 18/9 21/9 Band D Equivalent 4.03 3077 6034.97 9945.56 9126.75 13,358.58 12479.64 6351.66 1125.50 383.83 61,887.53

Military Properties: Number of Properties 0 2 47 44 68 32 15 0 1 8 217 Band D Equivalent 0 1.33 36.56 39.11 68 39.11 21.66 0 2 18.67 226.44

Collection Rate 98:5% 60,959.22 Military Band D 226.44 Equivalent: COUNCIL TAX BASE: 61,185.66

6 C223- 2015

CYNGOR SIR POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL.

CABINET EXECUTIVE 24th November 2015

REPORT AUTHOR: County Councillor Avril York Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning

SUBJECT: Community Benefits from Renewable Energy Development Policy and Guidance

REPORT FOR: Decision

1. Summary

1.1 Powys County Council’s Community Benefits from Wind Energy Development policy was originally produced in 2009 and has recently been reviewed by Regeneration Services. Renewable energy schemes have developed significantly in the last eight years and the proposals in this report reflect those changes.

1.2 In the Technical Advice Note 8 (TAN 8), Welsh Government has defined specific areas of the countryside which are deemed suitable for large scale Wind Farm developments, i.e.: those of 5 Megawatts (MW) or more of installed capacity. The defined areas within Powys are in the mid and north of the county. However, there is also the possibility of other large renewable developments in the county such as Solar and Hydropower.

1.3 Community benefit is a “goodwill gesture” (either in cash or in kind), recommended by Government, to mitigate the impact of developments, and voluntarily donated by a developer/operator for the benefit of communities affected by development. (Community benefits cannot be made part of a S106 agreement.)

1.4 Members will also be aware that there are various renewable energy developments and electricity connection proposals currently in the planning system.

2. Proposal

2.1 Since the Powys County Council’s Community Benefit from Windfarms Policy was compiled in 2009, there have been major advances concerning negotiations over community benefit from renewable energy developments, with an industry led and central government backed initiative to consolidate the approach across the UK.

Page 25 1 2.2 The provision of community benefit is now recognised and commonplace in other areas of the UK, with many developers providing voluntary contributions in various forms over the lifetime of the project. Even though the provision of benefits is voluntary, community benefit schemes have become a well-established and integral characteristic of wind farm developments of over 5 MW capacity. Single wind developments of under 5 MW generally have not attracted community benefits, however future single turbine developments will be expected to demonstrate the same community benefit as larger scale developments.

2.3 Community benefits are not part of the planning process and must be negotiated independently. The role of Regeneration Services, alongside other organisations, will be to identify means whereby communities can participate in and benefit from the development and use of renewable energy across Powys. Regeneration Services will negotiate with developers who wish to work with the Council. However, it is recognised that developers may wish to set up and administer Powys-wide funds themselves or engage with other organisations to deliver these benefits. Larger developers are tending to employ specialist community orientated staff who negotiate directly with local groups.

2.5 The best outcomes tend to be achieved when benefits are tailored to the needs of the local community. However, in the absence of readily available information about what has happened elsewhere, it can be difficult for communities to find out what they might expect from a community benefits package and to feel confident about negotiating and agreeing benefit packages.

2.6 The Department of Energy and Climate Change has produced best practice guidance for all those involved in community benefit consultations. The updated Powys guidance mirrors this best practice model (see appendix 1).

2.7 Adoption of this revised policy will ensure that the Authority is following defined guidance on the approach to community benefits from renewable energy development proposals and is in step with the rest of the UK.

3. One Powys Plan

3.1 The achievement of community benefits from renewable energy will be reported through the Stronger Communities Programme Board. This proposal also forms part of the Council’s Regeneration Strategy outlined in the One Powys Plan supporting targets such as:

 Empowering and improving the economic health of Powys  Encouraging innovation, strengthening local services, communities & partnerships

Page 26 2  Supporting Communities to tackle issues of local importance

4. Options Considered/Available

4.1 Option 1, which is of limited value to the County, the Authority can retain the current policy, which is outdated in comparison to the national approach to community benefits from renewable energy development.

4.2 Option 2, the Authority can adopt the new guidance (as shown in Appendix 1) aligning any future negotiations on community benefit with the recognised approach across the UK which will give better opportunities to Powys communities.

5. Preferred Choice and Reasons

5.1 The second option at 4.2 is preferred. This will ensure that the Authority engages in proposals on any future community benefits from Renewable Energy developments, alongside partner organisations. The guidance defines Powys County Council’s expectations from any proposed development in addition to recognising best practice guidance will ensure the best possible outcome for Powys residents.

6. Sustainability and Environmental Issues/Equalities/Crime and Disorder//Other Policies etc

6.1 The initiative helps improve conditions and contributes to enhancement of the local built environment. It also benefits all members of the communities hosting Renewable Energy developments.

7. Children and Young People's Impact Statement - Safeguarding and Wellbeing

7.1 Not applicable

8. Local Member(s)

8.1 Local members will be engaged through the community engagement process should the need arise.

9. Other Front Line Services

9.1 This initiative should have no impact upon other front line services, however the benefits gained in the future may support service delivery.

Page 27 3 10. Support Services (Legal, Finance, Corporate Property, HR, ICT, Business Services)

10.1 Legal Services support the recommendation. Further consideration may need to be given to the implementation of the policy and the administrative resources required once decisions on the various renewable energy applications are known.

10.2 Finance have noted the detail in the report. Once the decision has been made as to how the provision of community benefits in relation to renewable energy developments will be implemented and administered, then further consideration will need to be given to resources required, if any, by the Council.

11. Local Service Board/Partnerships/Stakeholders etc

11.1 This should have no implications for or require involvement of the LSB at this stage in the process.

12. Corporate Communications

12.1 The report is of public and service interest and requires a proactive news release and social media to publicise decision.

13. Statutory Officers

13.1 The Strategic Director Resources (S151 Officer) notes the comments made by Finance

13.2 Solicitor to the Council (Monitoring Officer): “I note the legal comment and have nothing to add to the report”.

14. Members’ Interests

14.1 The Monitoring Officer is not aware of any specific interests that may arise in relation to this report. If the Portfolio Holder(s) have an interest he/ they should declare it, complete the relevant notification form and refer the matter to Cabinet for decision.

Page 28 4 Recommendation: Reason for Recommendation: Cabinet to agree Community Benefits To ensure Powys is best placed to from Renewable Energy Development secure any potential benefits from any Guidance as detailed in Appendix 1 to renewable energy developments that this report. may occur in the County in the future. Relevant Policy (ies): Within Policy: Yes Within Budget: Yes

Relevant Local Member(s):

Person(s) To Implement Decision: Regeneration Manager, Jenni Thomas Date By When Decision To Be Implemented: Ongoing Contact Officer Name: Tel: Fax: Email: Jenni Thomas 01597 827672 [email protected]

Background Papers used to prepare Report:

“Community Benefits from Onshore Wind Developments: Best Practice Guidance for England.” Author: Department of Energy and Climate Change. 2014.

“Wind Farm and Electricity Connection project board” Author: Cllr Avril York, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration and Planning. 10th February 2015.

Community benefits from windfarms 2009 Author: Regeneration

Page 29 5 Appendix 1

Powys Guidance for Community Benefits from Renewables Energy 2015

Powys County Council first adopted a Community Benefit Policy in 2009. Since then, the overarching view of community benefit arrangements has progressed. The Council has no powers to oblige developers to pay community benefits which, along with their differing administration arrangements, are wholly voluntary and are driven by the developers’ willingness to contribute. Community benefits are not a material consideration in the planning process. This Guidance document will supersede the 2009 policy. Powys County Council considers that there is a case for forging strong long- term relationships with renewable energy developers in order to ensure that maximum benefit is delivered to local communities.

It seeks to maximise the benefit to local communities and the local economy through a range of different activities, which can bring mutual benefits to the developer and the community.

This guidance is designed to relate to community funds associated with commercial developments. However some of the principles will apply equally to funds derived from renewable projects owned solely by the community with the principal difference being that community projects will usually provide all surplus funds as community benefits.

This Guidance has been prepared to align with the current protocol for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments, its purpose is to secure the maximum economic and community benefit for communities in Powys.

This document represents Powys County Council’s guidance to assist communities and developers in their consideration of community benefits from new onshore renewable energy developments including wind, hydro, biomass and solar.

It is intended that this document will be an effective tool for local communities and renewable developers to inform their discussions. The guidance seeks to identify the key principles to be considered and aims to promote best practice. It covers items that are not statutory and so it is for communities and developers to decide on a voluntary basis which elements are most appropriate for them.

Community benefits in relation to renewable energy vary greatly in how they are delivered and what form they take. They can include monetary payments (funds) or other voluntary benefits provided to the community such as direct funding of projects, one off funding, local energy discount scheme, or other site-specific benefits. In line with central government guidance, community

Page 30 6 benefits do not include direct economic or supply chain benefits or infrastructure provision which is directly related to (or arising from) the individual developments such as local jobs or purchasing.

The required level of direct funding support from developers to the local community is at least £5,000 per Mega Watts (MW) of installed capacity per annum for the life of the project.

The following principles are intended to guide communities and developers in their discussions regarding community benefit. It is acknowledged that each community benefit arrangement is different due to the differing nature of the developments and communities involved, therefore some elements may be more applicable than others, flexibility will be required.

It is intended that Communities and Developers will work together to produce a strategic community investment/ development plan for the distribution of community benefit funds.

Community Benefit Plan Principles:

1. Community benefits are provided for all new or repowered renewable developments;

2. Community benefit in relation to onshore wind is equivalent to at least £5,000 per megawatt of installed capacity per annum for the life of the project; the community benefit for other forms of onshore renewables is based on providing a contribution equivalent to, at least, £5,000 per megawatt of installed capacity per annum for an identified agreed period;

3. All community benefit payments should be index linked to ensure that annual payment levels are increased in line with inflation;

4. This is in addition to the voluntary community benefit associated with the development. A community investment option, enabling the community to purchase a share in the renewable energy development, should be explored for all new commercial renewable developments;

5. Community benefit funds should seek to address local community needs within the renewable development catchment area agreed by the developer and communities. The affected surrounding communities needs will be considered where funding is sufficient and the need has been demonstrated by a community investment/development plan;

6. An area of other local communities affected by the development should be considered as a whole when developing a community benefit plan with developers, Communities are encouraged to consider how they

Page 31 7 access services, facilities and employment and how the funds could be used to improve these through job creation, skills and education, improvements to local area which support the communities where the renewable energy development is located etc. Communities and developers should determine how this strategic fund is best delivered, this could include:

a. A locally administered fund which is open to applicants from across the area; b. Provision of funds for a Common Good Fund (to operate for the benefit of wider community)

Developers are encouraged to:

1. Operate community benefit arrangements in accordance with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments;

2. Engage with the local community early in the process, separately to consultation on the planning process, making it clear to them that the receipt of community benefit is not dependent upon their support for the planning proposal;

3. Carry out consultation in an open and inclusive way allowing the community sufficient time to respond (particularly in relation to community buy in discussions); Provide clear timescales for community involvement and/or decisions;

4. Provide support to communities, wherever possible, to secure the development of a community investment/development plan to allow the maximum community and economic benefit to be delivered from any future community renewable fund(s) and/or other sources of external funding;

5. Explore opportunities for community investment with local communities in line with DECC Good Practice Principles for Shared Ownership of Onshore Renewable Energy Developments;

6. Be flexible in relation to the governance structure for community benefit funds and work with the community to find a solution which accommodates their needs and ensure decision making in relation to allocation of funds is carried out at a local level, in an open and transparent way;

Page 32 8 7. Where existing renewable developments are being upgraded (re- powered) ensure that there are early discussions with the community to secure continuity of funds and to update community benefit arrangements to reflect the principles within this guidance;

8. Investigate with the Council the opportunity to enter into a strategic discussion to define wider local economic opportunities;

9. Define an appropriate geographical area to ensure communities affected by the construction or operation of the renewable energy development can access community benefit (the local community);

10.Start community benefit from the start of the construction period for the main element of the renewables project (although payments could be deferred until the site is operational);

11.Include a facility to enable projects to be funded for several years or for large projects to be funded by making advanced, aggregated payments when possible and if requested by the community;

12.Ensure community benefit arrangements will be honoured should the site be sold.

Communities are encouraged to:

1. Be aspirational – this is an excellent opportunity to make a difference not only to your local area but also to the wider community;

2. Create a community investment/development plan to provide a strategic view of community priorities including links to other communities across the area and addressing key issues including support for community facilities, infrastructure and organisations, job creation or new businesses, improving skills of local people, support for tourism or other key economic sectors and addressing issues of rural isolation and fuel poverty. This may identify support to key facilities/services;

3. Any plan should be sustainable and give full consideration to meeting the ongoing revenue liabilities related to maintaining services and facilities in the long-term including in the period after community benefit payments have ceased. The plan should be reviewed periodically to reflect changing circumstances and needs;

4. Create a robust governance structure to administer community benefit funds which includes open and transparent allocations of funding;

Page 33 9 As well as the Authority’s Regeneration Services, Organisations such as UK Renewables and Powys Association of Voluntary Organisation, and some developers may be able to assist:-.

 Create a decision making process which is fair, transparent and proportional to grant amount with any assessment criteria publicly available;

 Seek representation from all sectors of the community on community benefit fund administrating bodies to make them as inclusive and representative as possible;

 Report on the operation of the community benefit fund and how funds have been distributed annually with a five yearly review to ensure it is operating effectively, maximising benefit and delivering the community investment/development plan;

 Seek match funding where possible to maximise the benefit received;

 Consider long-term aims of the community including whether to invest some of the fund to buy into the commercial renewable project or alternatively to develop your own renewable project to provide an additional income. The community investment plan may identify this as an action or opportunity;

 Work with neighbouring communities where funds and/or projects are operating across administrative boundaries.

Powys County Council will:

1. Offer guidance to local community groups on appropriate governance of community benefit funds, further information can be provided by the Council’s Regeneration Team;

2. Offer support to community groups who are preparing Community Investment/ Development Plans or involved in consultation and engagement with their community through our Regeneration Team;

3. Maintain details of community benefit funds operating across Powys and make these available on the Authority’s website;

4. Have a statutory duty in relation to the determination of planning applications and will keep the consideration of community benefit arrangements separate from this planning decision process. The

Page 34 10 Regeneration Service will however provide guidance in relation if requested to do so by either communities or developers;

5. Will review this guidance every two years to ensure that it remains up to date.

Page 35 11 This page is intentionally left blank C224- 2015

CYNGOR SIR POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL

CABINET EXECUTIVE 24th November 2015

REPORT AUTHOR: County Councillor Graham Brown Portfolio Holder for Commissioning & Procurement

SUBJECT: Welsh Public Library Standards: Powys Annual Report 2014-15

REPORT FOR: Decision

1. Summary

1.1 The purpose of the report is to receive and give consideration to the Annual Report from the Welsh Government on the Library Service, for the year 2014- 2015, as required under the Welsh Public Library Standards (5th Framework).

1.2 The Welsh Government has a supervisory and monitoring role in relation to the 22 Library Authorities in Wales.

1.3 Welsh Public Library Standards (WPLS) were first developed in 2002. The period 2014-2015 is covered by a fifth performance framework, “Libraries making a difference”. Under this framework, the Authority’s performance was measured against a revised set of 18 Core entitlements and 16 key Performance Indicators, which includes impact and outcome measures for the first time, in order to reveal the wide range of benefits that result from public library use, such as improvements to people’s literacy skills, digital skills and health and wellbeing. 1.4 The Standards are intended to help define the responsibilities of library authorities in providing a “comprehensive and efficient” service under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964. The performance framework aims to:

 enable the Minister for Culture and Sport to fulfil the statutory requirements of the 1964 Act in respect of superintending the provision of a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service by local authorities;  provide a robust assessment of the performance of library services;  have clear links to the Welsh Government’s agenda, to ensure credibility across local government in Wales;  incorporate outcome measures to show the benefits of using libraries;  act as a driver for improvements to library services and local communities

1.5 For the year 2014-15, Powys Library Service met 17 of the 18 core entitlements, and partially achieved the 18th. The new framework has 16

Page 37 quality indicators, of which 7 have targets; for those with targets, Powys met 3 in full, 3 in part, and failed to meet one. The key performance indicators of library visits per thousand population (actual and virtual) were well above the Welsh median, proving increased benefit to Powys citizens. The full report is attached at Appendix A.

2. Proposal

2.1 It is proposed that the outcomes in the Welsh Public Library Standards Annual Report from Welsh Government on Powys Library Service 2014-15 are duly noted and considered in forward planning, so that the library service strives to maintain performance at this level, and seeks to address as far as possible the areas which do not currently meet Welsh Government’s standard.

3. One Powys Plan and Powys 2020 vision

3.2 The Library Service plays an important strategic role in delivering current corporate and multi-agency objectives, and in particular contributes strongly to the achievement of a range of Powys One Plan and 2020 vision outcomes such as literacy, skills and learning, digital inclusion, addressing poverty, and health and well-being:  Supporting people in the community to lead fulfilled lives: the local library provides a neutral space for all members of the public to enjoy in a safe and inclusive atmosphere, using services which benefit their skills and learning, personal health and wellbeing, and ability access to wider council and democratic processes  Developing the economy: provision of good quality hardware and internet access (including wi-fi) enables residents to access government and other online services (e.g. to file VAT returns online, and access the HMRC site), supporting small businesses to develop skills, and assisting job seekers to find and apply for employment opportunities  Improving learner outcomes for all, minimising disadvantage: through free provision at the point of access, libraries continue to support learners of all ages and abilities locally, through provision of up-to-date learning materials and facilities, promoting equality and addressing the poverty agenda.  Stronger, safer and economically viable communities – libraries bring people together in Powys so they feel that they matter, belong and can contribute to their community.  Integrated health and adult social care – older people are helped to lead fulfilled lives within their communities, carers and families have a safe place to go and receive support, and mental health and wellbeing is improved through mental stimulation and bibliotherapy schemes, all contributing to “Powys citizens are supported and empowered to lead active and healthier lives”.  Transforming learning and skills – resources and facilities help children and young people, and their families to achieve their potential, as well as supporting students of all ages. Jobseekers in particular make heavy use of library resources.  Financially balanced and fit for purpose public services – the library service is commissioned to deliver a face-to-face gateway to council services and the democratic process through the library+ project, and also works in

Page 38 partnership with many other statutory and voluntary sector organisations such as PtLHB (Bookstart, health promotion materials/activities), Workers Education Association for computer training and access, and local history societies.

4. Options Considered / Available

4.1 The Authority is obliged to comply with the reporting requirements of the Welsh Public Library Standards, and to pay due regard to concerns raised in the Welsh Government’s Annual Report 2014-15 in forward planning of service delivery.

5. Preferred Option

5.1 To note the contents of the Welsh Public Library Standards report in order to inform forward planning of the Library Service and aid compliance with the Welsh Public Library Standards going forward into the remainder of this framework period.

6. Local Member(s) N/A

7. Support Services (Legal, Finance, HR, ICT, BPU)

Legal - The Professional Lead-Legal agrees with the aims set out in this report

Finance - the contents of the Welsh Public Library Standards report are noted and need to be reflected in order to inform forward planning of the Library Service and take into account the substantial reductions in provisions in the future

8. Local Service Board/Partnerships/Stakeholders etc

9. Corporate Communications

9.1 No proactive communication action required

10. Statutory Officers

10.1 The Strategic Director Resources (S151 Officer) notes the comments made by finance

10.2 The Solicitor to the Council (Monitoring Officer) has commented as follows: “I note the legal comment and have nothing to add to the report.”

11. Members’ Interests

11.1 The Monitoring Officer is not aware of any specific interests that may arise in relation to this report. If the Portfolio Holder(s) have an interest he/ they

Page 39 should declare it, complete the relevant notification form and refer the matter to Cabinet for decision.

Recommendation to Council Reason for Recommendation: That the outcomes in Welsh To aid compliance with the Government’s Annual Report on the requirements of the Welsh Public Library Service 2014-15 in Appendix A Library Standards 2014-2017. to the report be duly noted, and considered in forward planning.

Relevant Policy (ies): Within Policy: Y Within Budget: Y

Relevant Local Member(s): N/A

Person(s) To Implement Decision: Kay Thomas Date By When Decision To Be Implemented: With immediate effect

Contact Officer Name: Tel: Fax: Email: Kay Thomas 01597 826864 01597 826872 [email protected]

Background Papers used to prepare Report:

‘Libraries making a difference: the fifth quality framework of Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-2017’, Welsh Government, 2014

Appendices:

Appendix A - Powys Library Service Annual Report 2014-15

Page 40 Welsh Public Library Standards 2014-17

Powys County Council

Annual Assessment Report 2014-15

This report has been prepared based on information provided in Powys’ annual return, case studies and narrative report submitted to Museums, Archives and Libraries Division of the Welsh Government.

1) Executive summary Powys met 17 of the 18 core entitlements in full, and partially met 1. Of the 7 quality indicators which have targets, Powys achieved 3 in full, 3 in part and failed to achieve 1. Powys is to be praised for its recent investment in its built estate, but perennial problems in other areas, combined with reductions in budgets are beginning to affect performances in a number of areas. • Users own words were used to describe the impact of the services they value. • ICT support and training sessions for individual development are available in all libraries, but reader development programmes for adults are more limited. • Powys meets the target for easy access to service points with a comprehensive mobile service in what is a very rural county. Visits to library premises have fallen slightly, as have virtual visits; but both are above the median for Wales, with virtual visits being the second highest per capita in Wales. This reflects the investment in e-resources. Attendance at events per capita is below the median for Wales. Speed of supply of requests is also below the median for Wales. • Powys has failed to achieve the targets for overall acquisitions, partly owing to changes in the LMS and development of EDI systems during the year. Both acquisitions per capita and replenishment rate are below the median for Wales. Acquisitions of materials for children and in the Welsh language meet the targets. ICT provision in branches is adequate, but there is a lack of provision on the mobile fleet. • Powys only just missed the target for overall staffing levels, and the professional staffing level is high. The level of staff training during the year was the highest in Wales, with an emphasis on training in the new LMS and for mobile drivers. No volunteers are used. Spending was higher than last year, with the inclusion of additional resources for delivery of the Library Plus service, and the largest proportion in Wales on other operating costs, and the second lowest proportion on information resources. The average cost per visit is £2.99, above the median for Wales. • Compared to the rest of Wales, Powys performs relatively poorly on indicators in the area of Customers and communities, and Learning for life. Results in the areas of Access for all, and Leadership and development are more mixed, with some indicators showing a good performance, and others rather poorer.

Page 41 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 1 Powys • Previous reports noted missed targets on acquisitions and recent reductions in budgets are unlikely to help improve this situation. The loss of the specialist Bookrunner mobile for children has also had a negative impact on a number of areas of performance.

2) Performance against the standards The standards framework comprises of core entitlements, quality indicators with targets, quality indicators with benchmarks and impact measures. Section 2 summarises achievements against the core entitlements, the quality indicators which have targets, the quality indicators showing performance against others, and impact measures. A narrative assessment of the authority’s performance is made in Section 3. a) Core entitlements Powys is meeting 17 of the 18 core entitlements in full, and partially meeting 1. The entitlement which is only partially met is in the area of Leadership and development; Powys’ overall service vision and strategy are currently being developed and are therefore not available online. Objectives for the year are incorporated into service business plans, which are internal documents. b) Quality indicators with targets There are 16 quality indicators (QI) within the framework. Of the 7 which have targets, Powys is achieving 3 in full, 3 in part and is failing to achieve 1 of the indicators:

Quality Indicator Met? QI 3 Individual development: Partially met a) ICT support  b) Skills training  c) Information literacy  d) E-government support  e) Reader development  QI 5 Location of service points  Met in full QI 8 Up-to-date reading material: Not met a) Acquisitions per capita  or Materials spend per capita  b) Replenishment rate  QI 9 Appropriate reading material: Met in full a) % of material budget on children  b) % of material budget spent on Welsh  or Spend on Welsh per capita  QI 10 Online access: Partially met a) All service points * Computers per capita  b) Wi-Fi provision  QI 13 Staffing levels and qualifications: Partially met a) Staff per capita  b) Professional staff per capita  c) Head of service qualification/training  Page 42 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 2 Powys Quality Indicator Met?

d) CPD percentage  QI 16 Opening hours per capita  Met in full * In this first year of the new framework, MALD agreed that authorities would not be penalised on this indicator if all static service points provide internet access but their mobiles did not. c) Impact measures The framework contains three indicators which seek to gather evidence of the impact that using the library service has on people’s lives. Through these and other indicators it is possible to see how the library service is contributing towards educational, social, economic and health and wellbeing local and national agendas. These indicators do not have targets. Not all authorities collected data for the impact indicators, and ranks are included out of the numbers of respondents stated, where 1 is the highest scoring authority.

Performance indicator Powys Rank Lowest Median Highest QI 1 Making a difference b) % of children who think that the library helps them n/a 63% 93% 95% learn and find things out: e) % of adults who think that the library has made a n/a 73% 87% 92% difference to their lives: % of children who think that the library has made a n/a 43% 79% 90% difference to their lives: QI 4 b) % of attendees of training sessions who said that n/a 80% 93% 100% the training had helped them achieve their goals:

Powys did not conduct an impact survey during 2014-15. Formal feedback was not collected from attendees at training sessions in 2014-15; informal feedback is reported as being uniformly positive.

The authority described 4 impact case studies in the users’ own words:

 an individual with no home broadband who used the computers for job seeking and information;  an older user who values the book collection and social aspects of visiting the library;  a long standing member who describes the library as ‘an important part of my life’; and  the parent of an autistic boy who is a frequent visitor at weekends and in the school holidays. d) Quality performance indicators and benchmarks The remaining indicators do not have targets, but allow performance to be compared between authorities. The following table summarises Powys’ position for 2014-15. Ranks are included out of 22, where 1 is the highest, and 22 the lowest scoring authority, unless stated otherwise. (Indicators where fewer than 22 authorities supplied data are obtained from customer surveys which only need to be carried out once during the three year framework period, or those where relevant data elements were not available to some

Page 43 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 3 Powys authorities.)

Performance indicator Powys Rank Lowest Median Highest QI 1 Making a difference a) new skills (October 2012) 60% 8 / 9 55% 72% 93% c) health and well-being (October 2012) 39% 8 / 9 29% 58% 91% d) enjoyable, safe and inclusive n/a 84% 97% 98% QI 2 Customer satisfaction a) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ choice of books (October 82% 10 / 10 82% 89% 97% 2012) b) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ customer care (October 99% 1 / 10 93% 99% 99% 2012) c) ‘very good’ or ‘good’ overall; (October 2012) 96% 5 / 10 94% 96% 99% d) child rating out of ten (February 2014) 9.3 2 / 9 8.0 9.2 9.4 QI 4 User training a) attendances per capita 26 11 2 26 278 c) informal training per capita 162 11 / 21 16 162 484 QI 6 Library use a) visits per capita 4,540 8 2,637 4,177 5,955 b) virtual visits per capita 1,571 2 212 923 2,449 c) active borrowers per capita (8 months data only) 97 21 71 155 288 QI 7 attendances at events per capita 68 18 21 192 464 QI 11 Use of ICT - % of available time used by the public a) equipment 37% 10 23% 36% 70% b) Wi-Fi services n/k 4% 37% 79% QI 12 Supply of requests a) % available within 7 days 65% 20 62% 69% 81% b) % available within 15 days 80% 18 74% 84% 94% QI 13 Staffing levels and qualifications (v) a) total volunteers 0 17 0 14 74 b) total volunteer hours 0 17 0 527 2696 QI 14 Operational expenditure a) total expenditure per capita £18,278 3 £8,966 £14,054 £20,796 b) % on staff, 54% 15 45% 57% 77% % on information resources 7% 21 5% 13% 21% % on equipment and buildings 3% 18 0% 4% 27% % on other operational costs; 37% 1 4% 22% 37% c) capital expenditure per capita £1,873 3 £0 £266 £2,126 QI 15 Cost per visit £2.99 7 £2.07 £2.87 £3.92 QI 16 Opening hours (see note) (ii) a) % hours unplanned closure of static service 0.03% 12 0.0% 0.02% 0.52% points b) % mobile stops / home deliveries missed 3.3% 18 / 19 0.0% 0.4% 5.4% Note: Rankings here have been reversed, so that 1 is the lowest scoring authority.

Page 44 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 4 Powys 3) Analysis of performance The core entitlements and quality indicators are divided into four key areas. This section of the report outlines performance against the quality indicators within these four areas. Powys has 17 service points open for 10 or more hours per week, plus one which is community managed and not included in the return. The library management system was upgraded in July 2014, which has impacted on the availability of some data elements. a) Customers and communities The most recent customer survey of adults was undertaken in October 2012, and of children in February 2014, both prior to the current framework.. Reader development programmes for adults are only available in half the authority’s libraries. The authority notes single staffing of some branches as the barrier to achieving more in this area, although some partner organisations are involved. Formal and informal training levels per capita are close to the median for Wales. b) Access for all The Bookrunner mobile libraries which provided services via primary schools were withdrawn during the year. Four larger libraries were transformed to the library+ model, offering a first point of contact for all council services, and generating new members for the library. The combination of these changes and temporary closures for modernisation projects, has led to a small fall overall in visits to library premises compared to 2013-14. Virtual visits have also fallen, in part owing to a change in counting procedures. Both these indicators are above the median for Wales. The upgrading of the LMS led to the loss of data on active borrowers for the first part of the year. A wide variety of events were held in libraries during the year, although attendance was down slightly compared to last year, and is below the median for Wales. c) Learning for life Powys has failed to achieve the targets for overall levels of acquisitions. Both acquisitions per capita and replenishment rate are below the median for Wales. A variety of circumstances have contributed to this, but the authority notes that the level of spending is an ongoing problem which is unlikely to be resolved in the foreseeable future. The replenishment rate for lending stock at 10.9% only just failed to meet the target of 11%. The targets for the balance of spending on materials for children and in the Welsh language were met, however, and the Bookrunner stock was distributed amongst the branch libraries, giving a further boost of new material for children.

The authority narrowly misses the target for PCs per capita (8.6 compared to a target of 9), but notes an additional 20 PCs for children with restricted internet access, a further 14 dedicated to accessing the catalogue, also with restricted access to the internet, and 4 tablet devices for local history and outreach work. All static sites provide access to the internet and Wi-Fi connectivity; however this is not currently available on the mobile libraries. Data on usage of the Wi-Fi network is not available. Powys is planning to trial internet access on a new mobile due to come into operation in 2016. Figures for speed of supply of requests are based on a sample period, and are below the median for Wales as a whole. d) Leadership and development Overall staffing has been reduced during 2014-15, and narrowly misses the target (3.45 Page 45 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 5 Powys compared to 3.6). The service meets the targets for professional staffing, and the head of service is a Chartered Librarian. Staff training occupied 4.7% of working hours during the year, including training on the new LMS and a requirement for mobile drivers to undertake the certificate of Professional Competence before September 2014. This is the highest level of training in Wales. Powys did not formally use volunteers, however this does not include work experience placements, and a group of teenagers supporting adults with digital queries in one library.

Gross expenditure per capita is the third highest in Wales, with the highest proportion spent on other operating costs. As a consequence, the percentage spend on information resources is the second lowest in Wales. Net expenditure per capita is given as £16,771 per 1,000 population, although the authority notes that the figure which will be reported to CIPFA is lower. The increase noted compared to last year (6.5%) is a result of a lower population estimate, and additional funds for the delivery of library+ services in larger branches. Overall cost per visit was £2.99, above the median for Wales.

Opening hours meet the target set. Mechanical problems continued to cause disruption to mobile services, and action has been taken to address this in 2015-16.

4) Strategic context The library service has contributed to several Programme for Government strategies and priorities. Skills sessions for people of all ages support growth and sustainable jobs. Most libraries now offer access to a variety of county council services, all libraries will offer this from 2015-16. This model, together with some co-location is seen as offering a sustainable way forward to accessing public services in a rural county. A variety of learning opportunities are delivered, both as class visits and independent sessions. The library also provides a range of services in support of health and well-being, including Book Prescription Wales and healthcheck software.

5) Conclusion Powys is to be praised for its recent investment in its built estate, but perennial problems in other areas, combined with reductions in budgets are beginning to affect performances in a number of areas.

Page 46 Annual Assessment Report 2014-15 6 Powys C225- 2015

CYNGOR SIR POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL.

CABINET EXECUTIVE 24th November 2015

REPORT AUTHOR: County Councillor Arwel Jones Portfolio Holder for Education

SUBJECT: ERW Business Plan 2015-18

REPORT FOR: Information

Summary

Powys Local Authority is one of the six constituent authorities that constitutes the ERW school improvement consortium. The consortium comprises of Powys, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Neath Port Talbot and . ERW is governed by a legally constituted Joint Committee which is made up of the six Local Authority leaders and chief executives. The cabinet of each Local Authority has adopted the legal agreement in place for ERW’s operation and governance.

ERW has produced a three year business plan for the period 2015-18 which will be monitored, evaluated and updated on an annual basis, It has been formally discussed and agreed by the Joint Committee on February 9th 2015,

There are three priority outcomes;

 Leading Learning,  Teaching and Learning and  Support for Learning.

In addition, the region is working to reduce the impact of poverty on attainment and embed a self-improving system of school led improvement.

There are 13 work streams supporting the delivery of the priority areas noted above.

Proposal

For the cabinet to receive for information and interest the ERW Business Plan 2015-18

Page 47 1 One Powys Plan

Transforming Learning and Skills is one of the key themes of the One Powys Plan. Contained within the plan on page 22 is direct reference to ERW ;-

“ Fully implement the Education through Regional Working(ERW) school improvement strategy…”

Options Considered/Available

To note the content of the ERW Business Plan

Preferred Choice and Reasons

To note the content of the ERW Business Plan

Sustainability and Environmental Issues/Equalities/Crime and Disorder,/Welsh Language/Other Policies etc

The proposal has no implications for any of the above

Children and Young People's Impact Statement - Safeguarding and Wellbeing

ERW places safeguarding and the well-being of children and young people at the core of it regional strategy for school improvement

Local Member(s)

The ERW Business Plan and strategy for school improvement applies with equal force across the whole county and therefor has no particular significance for any particular electoral division

Other Front Line Services

The proposal has no implications for or needs the involvement of other front line services

Support Services

Finance Business Partner notes the content of the ERW Business Plan, the contribution stated in Appendix 4 has been ring-fenced as part of the 2015/2016 Budget setting process.

Legal – The recommendation can be supported from a legal point of view

Local Service Board/Partnerships/Stakeholders etc

The proposal has no direct implication for or needs the involvement of the LSB or any other partner or stakeholder

Page 48 2 Corporate Communications

No communications action required at this stage. Communication activity is co-ordinated through ERW with full involvement from all member councils.

Statutory Officers

The Strategic Director Resources (S151 Officer) notes the comments made by finance.

The Solicitor to the Council ( Monitoring Officer) has commented as follows: “ I note the legal comment and have nothing to add to the report.”

Members’ Interests

The Monitoring Officer is not aware of any specific interests that may arise in relation to this report. If Members have an interest they should declare it at the start of the meeting and complete the relevant notification form.

Recommendation: Reason for Recommendation: To receive the ERW Business Plan To raise awareness of ERW strategy 2015-18 and operation

Relevant Policy (ies): One Powys plan 2014-17 ERW Business Plan 2015-18

Within Policy: Y Within Budget: Y

Relevant Local Member(s): NA

Person(s) To Implement Decision: Ian Roberts, Head of School Service Date By When Decision To Be Implemented: NA

Contact Officer Name: Tel: Fax: Email: Ian Roberts 01597 826422 - [email protected]

Background Papers used to prepare Report:

ERW Business Plan 2015-18

Page 49 3 This page is intentionally left blank

ERW Ein Rhanbarth ar Waith Education through Regional Working

Business Plan

2015 – 2018 Date: April 2015

Page 51

This is a live document and may be amended as required to meet our priorities. Specifically, there will be annual updates

Version 2 11th February 2015

Version 3 6th March 2015

Version 4 12th March 2015

Version 5 – final checks 25th March 2015

Version 6 - final 15th April 2015

2 Page 52 CONTENTS

Foreword

Governance

Introduction

ERW

Vision

Mission statement

Section 1 Priorities

Leading learning Teaching and learning

Support for learning

Section 2 Internal Improvement Plan

Section 3 Planning and accountability structure

Democratic accountability Framework

Delivery structure and day to day arrangements

Section 4 Roles & responsibilities and operating procedures

Section 5 Success Criteria

Appendix 1 Explanatory Notes

Appendix 2 Strategies Appendix 3 Annual Overview Appendix 4 Finance Appendix 5 Categorisation Overview

Appendix 6 Performance Data

3 Page 53 FOREWORD

The Foreword by the Joint Committee sets out the commitment of ERW to delivering its Business Plan 2015 – 2018.

4 Page 54 Foreword

As a Joint Committee, we can fully support the priorities and actions noted in this document. We recognise that we will have to make difficult decisions in order to implement some of the high aspirations, but we feel that we have a new, strong, motivated team centrally and across the hubs and an enthused workforce within schools ready to empower learners to achieve the best they can.

As a region, we will enable and encourage schools to collaborate effectively. In order that school improvement and pupil performance is sustained and improved, we will support leadership at all levels within schools and develop further expertise and capacity where and when it is required.

These next three years will be exciting and innovative for education as we implement significant curricular changes and our school staff will need to be dextrous and skilled to respond to the challenges of implementation.

As members of the Joint Committee and representing our respective Local authorities, we the undersigned endorse this plan as a joint statement of intent for the coming three years.

Councillor Kevin Madge, Leader Carmarthenshire County Council Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn, Leader Ceredigion County Council Councillor Ali Thomas, Leader Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Councillor Jamie Adams, Leader Pembrokeshire County Council Councillor Barry Thomas, Leader Powys County Council Councillor Jennifer Raynor, Cabinet Member for Education City and County of Swansea

5 Page 55 GOVERNANCE

This section explains how ERW’s governance operates and how the delivery of the Business Plan will be governed.

6 Page 56

“ERW is an alliance of six local authorities governed by a legally constituted joint committee. Its aim is to implement the agreed regional strategy and business plan to support school improvement. “

The ERW Consortium was re-established following the release of the National Model for School Improvement (Welsh Government in February 2014). The National Model outlines the Welsh Government’s vision of regional school improvement consortia. The ERW Consortium was reformed in April 2014, with the Managing Director commencing in May 2014. The Cabinet of each respective Local Authority within the Region has adopted the Legal Agreement in place for ERW’s operation and governance.

The Consortium comprises of six Local Authorities; Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Powys, the County Borough of Neath Port Talbot and the City and County of Swansea. The purpose of ERW is to deliver a single consistent and integrated professional school improvement service for children and young people in a range of settings within the six Local Authorities

ERW is governed by a legally constituted Joint Committee.

The Joint Committee membership is made up of the six Local Authority Leaders

ERW’s Joint Committee is advised by the Executive Board. The Board is made up of the six LA Directors, external school improvement experts, Headteacher representatives and the Managing Director. The ERW Delivery Board takes responsibility for the operational delivery of the ERW Business Plan. This is the region’s Leadership Team and is chaired by the Managing Director. All local authority Chief Education Officers sit on the board or are represented at this level.

7 Page 57 Priorities for 2015 – 2018

ERW’s priorities for 2015 – 2018 are:  Leading Learning  Teaching and Learning  Support for Learning

These are supported by cross cutting work streams which may be amended yearly depending on operational changes and needs. The illustration on page 9 is a high level overview of the implementation arrangements for the ERW Business Plan.

The priorities reflect and inform the Single Plan priorities for each local authority.

Powys Challenge Plan • People in Powys have the skills to pursue their ambitions

Powys One Plan • Transforming learning and skills

Ceredigion for all • Supporting families to thrive and reach their potential • Enable all children and young people to reach their potential • Celebrate achievement • Improve literacy and numeracy & attendance

Carmarthenshire Single Plan

• People in Carmarthenshire fulfil their learning potential & Opportunities for Lifelong Learning • Skills and training for employment • Supporting families to develop children’s learning • Inclusive society • Increasing learning, education and training

Pembrokeshire Plan

 Children, Young People and families have the opportunity to fulfil their learning potential and to live healthy and happy lives  Access to quality learning and training opportunities

The One Swansea Plan • People learn successfully • Attendance • School achievement (school readiness & child poverty)

Neath Port Talbot Single Integrated Plan  People in Neath Port Talbot fulfil their learning potential

8 Page 58 • People in Powys have the skills to pursue their ambitions • Transforming learning and skills

• Supporting families to thrive and reach their potential • Enable all children and young people to reach their potential • Celebrate achievement • Improve literacy and numeracy & attendance

• People in Carmarthenshire fulfil their learning potential & Opportunities for Lifelong Learning

• Skills and training for employment • Supporting families to develop children’s learning

• Inclusive society • Increasing learning, education and training

• Children, Young People and families have the opportunity to fulfil their learning potential and to live healthy and happy lives • Access to quality learning and training opportunities

• People learn successfully • Attendance • School achievement (school readiness & child poverty)

• People in Neath Port Talbot fulfil their learning potential

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11 Page 61 The planning and accountability framework illustrated on page 9 reflects the delivery and accountability arrangements. Further details can be found in section 3 Planning and Accountability.

12 Page 62

ERW Organisational Design

ERW’s Business Plan is made up of work streams aimed at delivering its three priorities. The work streams are also illustrated in the organisational design.

ERW is a partnership which is managed in a three dimensional matrix management system as illustrated below.

13 Page 63 INTRODUCTION

This section introduces the region and outlines ERW’s vision for improvement. It shares the regional mission statement and explains how it will enhance and develop the National Model of School Improvement.

National Model: http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dcells/publications/140217-national-model-for-regional- working-en.pdf and Strategy

14 Page 64 ERW

ERW is a single integrated regional professional school effectiveness service driving school improvement and learner achievement across the combined area of six local authorities in the South West and Mid Wales region within three hubs:-

 Carmarthenshire/Pembrokeshire

 Ceredigion/Powys

 Neath Port Talbot/Swansea

This model of regional strategy delivered through the three hubs has been successfully trialled and strengthened to ensure effective delivery across the large geographical area, the full diverse range of schools that mirrors the Welsh scenario and the bilingual nature of the region.

The ERW strategy sets the following expectations and challenges:

• Ensure effective performance in all schools • Robustly and consistently challenging the performance of schools and the outcomes achieved by learners • Deploy a differentiated system of professional support to schools in proportion to need through nationally agreed categorisation framework • Supporting strategies to develop the literacy and numeracy skills of learners • To improve outcomes for disadvantaged learners • Facilitate effective school to school support in order to improve performance and outcomes • Managing and deploying well trained challenge advisers to challenge performance and broker bespoke support

15 Page 65

Vision

“consistently high performing school network across the region with every school a good school offering high standards of teaching under good leadership resulting in all learners achieving their maximum potential”

ERW’s vision is for a consistently high performing school network across the region with every school a good school offering high standards of teaching under good leadership resulting in all learners achieving their maximum potential. In order to achieve this vision, we will build school capacity through support, challenge and intervention to become self improving, resilient organisations which continually improve outcomes for learners.

Mission Statement

ERW’s mission is to:

“build school capacity through support, challenge and intervention to become self improving, resilient organisations which continually improve outcomes for learners” through ensuring effective performance in all schools across the region by:

 Robustly and consistently challenging the performance schools and the outcomes achieved by all their learners

 Deploying a differentiated system of professional support to schools in proportion to need that is identified through a nationally agreed assessment and categorisation framework applied consistently across the region

 Supporting the deployment of national and regional strategies to develop the literacy and numeracy and digital skills of learners and to improve outcomes for disadvantaged learners

 Facilitating and developing effective school to school support in order to improve performance and outcomes through the deployment of experienced and successful lead practitioners

 Managing and deploying well trained change advisers across the region and within the hubs to challenge performance and signpost appropriate relevant support

 Triggering formal interventions in schools that fail to perform to the required standard

 Building capacity and resilience within schools so that we will enable a self improving system within the region

16 Page 66 Developing and delivering the National Model of School Improvement in ERW

The region is totally committed to working within the co-constructed National Model.

Our collaboration locally within education services across six local authorities over the last five years has led to significant improvements in our way of working and the development of the hub arrangement delivering regional and national priorities is having significant positive impact. The region wants to further maximise our collaborative advantage in order to make the best use of our resources to influence learner outcomes.

Strengthening our governance arrangements and challenging each other at local authority level have been key characteristics of our work during the last few years. This robust discussion means that we have come to a consensus on the future goals and arrangements. All stakeholders are aware of what their contribution has to be to show continued improvements regionally. All stakeholders recognise our development journey and can see visible improvements.

With the positive trialling of pupil tracker systems in hubs we will have an agreed common intelligence system across the region fully operational in all schools by September 2015. We have also agreed to widen and speed up the pace at which we bring support services for learners into the regional fold. Our evidence clearly demonstrates the impact of multi-agency working on attendance and outcomes in all key stages and post 16.This is clearly articulated in our regional strategy. We will this year strengthen the infrastructure regionally to share information more easily so that our analysis of the bespoke needs of schools are better captured and planned for. This will enable us to drive better collaboration between schools and to enable schools to undertake some functions that traditionally would have been centrally led and delivered.

However, despite having regional KS4 outcomes above the Welsh average for over five years, we recognise that the pace of improvement on the most significant indicators at all key stages is not consistent across the region and therefore not good enough. The support and intervention we have been able to give each other within and across local authorities has enabled us as a region to have no LA in follow up. This way of working is having a very positive effect with significant improvements made. As these Local Authorities improve their services, the Hub’s capacity to deliver the regional and national priorities increases. Now that we have no LA in follow-up, we can focus on key improvements which aim to reduce inter-local authority variation. In addition, the central team is at full capacity for the first time ahead of a Business Planning year, with a Managing Director in post, three Hub Leads and additional central capacity to manage the business functions internally. Our own self-evaluation tells us that we have become more rigorous and robust in the implementation of the school categorisation system. The arrangements for our core visits in the Autumn and Spring are clearer and more consistently delivered. Our knowledge of schools is more consistent across the region and as a consequence we are able to provide better quality and better focused support, challenge and intervention earlier in schools that demonstrate underperformance and with greater impact. Schools tell us that the support is better focused and targeted to need. We will also focus on rewarding our best teachers whilst tackling underperformance so that learners get good

17 Page 67 teaching every day. Supporting teachers will be a key priority for us, using our capacity to give useful tools and resources to teachers, so that they can better focus on learner needs. This is especially important as we tackle the link between poverty and educational attainment, and focus on supporting boys to benefit consistently from a good quality education system.

We will work productively with external partners to bring about improvement. We are working well with higher education partners to support improvement in initial teacher training and early support for teachers in their careers. Our partnership with the University of Wales Trinity St David is already overcoming some sectoral boundaries previously hindering effective transition between the student experience and the classroom. We are dovetailing resources and avoiding unnecessary duplication so that schools get resources that are helpful in a timely way. Successful actions and initiatives that bring about improvement will then be shared across Wakes and other regions so that further improvement can be sought by sharing and working with others.

Regional Priorities and National Priorities

ERW is confident in tackling identified challenges and building on our strengths. This requires prioritising the most important aspects of our work and targeting the necessary support to both schools and learners in a timely way. Responding proactively to the objectives set out in Qualified for Life1 and the curricular changes ahead post Donaldson will require a significant focus on workforce support and development. The New Deal and the Furlong recommendations are welcomed. These key drivers of education in Wales currently, reflect well the direction in which ERW has been steered in recent years. As a region we are strengthening existing partnerships with higher education and supporting school staff to rebuild confidence and morale whilst re-skilling for a digital future.

The self improving system for education will require these strategic partnerships to work together creatively so that the system shapes its own dextrous workforce.

Raising standards of teaching for all will be a key priority for the region. We strive for every teacher to be a good teacher over time, and for pupils to receive good or better teaching every day in every lesson.

“The quality of teaching in a school has a direct impact on the standards that pupils achieve. It is the single most important factor in helping pupils to achieve their potential.”

Estyn Annual Report 2013-14

1 http://gov.wales/docs/dcells/publications/141001-qualified-for-life-en.pdf

18 Page 68 We therefore need to consistently and with a common approach recognise and reward the increasing excellence by some teachers, as well as tackle underperformance, across our six local authorities. The proportion of adequate or unsatisfactory teaching is increasing at a quicker pace than the proportion of excellent teaching. This means that we must tackle this issue now. Estyn also reports that ‘improving teaching’ is one of the most common recommendations in school inspections. In ERW the percentage of schools with this as a recommendation is nearly 10%. This is an important aspect for us to consider, even in good or better schools, where inter department and inter school variation affect the standards of teaching.

Supporting and delivering the Minister’s New Deal to support teachers and school leaders will dovetail with our work on improving teaching. ERW will support teachers to strive for excellence and support teachers with new areas of work and curricular changes. We know that most of our teachers are good, and teach well consistently. We must support teachers to being consistently good and better. We are committed to leading a changing climate in education, in light of the Donaldson review of the curriculum and as the role of technology in pedagogy becomes increasingly essential. Raising our digital competency across all areas of delivery is key to more efficient and effective working.

We will work to demonstrate improved use of skills in line with the requirements of the new GCSEs, and PISA. We will engage with schools through EIG funded programmes to prioritise and focus our work in the right areas.

Building our capacity to lead the most effective departments and subject areas will means additional support where we have identified areas for development. The changes to science for example will lead to a retraining programme in some schools, making sure all staff have the skills for future curriculum delivery.

As a region, we need to capitalise on the current infrastructure for digital learning as means of engaging pupils and teachers in learning opportunities. We will work on maximising our use of the technology and skills available to enhance pedagogy and school improvement.

We also recognize the need to improve the attainment of specific groups of learners. For those in receipt of FSM we will support schools to make best and targeted use of the additional resources for these pupils. In addition, we will encourage schools where interventions to reduce the impact of poverty on educational outcome are working well, and capitalise on their experiences to support others. We also aim to raise standards and tackle risk of underachievement for pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds in particular those learning English (and /or Welsh) as an additional language

(EAL). Specialist advice, support, guidance, continuing professional development and training is a pivotal element of this work to make sure that pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds are: fully included and happy in school;

19 Page 69 attend school regularly; have their language and learning needs appropriately assessed and met; achieve within the National Curriculum (NC) at levels in line with their starting point/fluency in English; and achieve their individual academic potential. This means that we need to make sure that all schools know their pupils well, and support them accordingly.

Regionally, the teaching and learning of boys needs attention. Currently performance is slightly weaker than that of other regions. A clear analysis is required as well as a focus on successful strategies. Already we have established priorities to make sure that our resource development takes full account of their needs and that we can build on schools’ best practice

Supporting the development of Welsh medium education with appropriate access to bespoke data analysis for core visits and high quality resources at all key stages will be a priority early in the year. This will enable our teachers to have improved access and consistent access to resources they need to support learners.

Our role in fully embedding the LNF across all key stages in welcomed and will be planned in line with the work already underway at a regional level. Securing a good foundation for learners in the Foundation Phase to build the literacy and numeracy skills will be prioritised.

Towards the end of 2014, ERW refreshed its self evaluation report in preparation for a number of internal and external reviews. This plan takes account of the recommendations from key reviews and the useful feedback from inspection, audit and regulatory bodies.

From September 2015, we will formally implement our regional strategy for a self improving system, building on work underway to strengthen interschool support and school to school work. This will signify a key step forward in the region’s work towards a self improving system.

Sustained planning and improvement over three years is a goal which we aim to deliver in the second part of the plan. This section outlines the internal and organisational ways that ERW must strengthen accountability, communication, systems and processes to enable greater efficiency and yield to learner outcomes. Identifying how we deliver value for money in improving learner outcomes is key to a successful partnership with schools and others.

Qualified for Life also sets out key challenges, they are increasingly relevant as we respond positively to Furlong and Donaldson’s recommendations. In ERW, those national challenges are also relevant and we have responded positively too many already. Regionally, our arrangements for moderating and standardising teachers assessments are good and have been shared nationally. Our steps to secure robust support for the workforce in schools as they manage significant change is moving ahead.

The Minister set out clearly his vision for Wales in Qualified for life, and ERW notes in this document how we will support and engage in the implementation of key government policies. We want to support our regional workforce, to regain confidence in teaching as a profession

20 Page 70 through effective support and challenge; we want to build leadership capacity from the inside out and work together to capitalise on the region’s strengths to share this together; we seek a rich curriculum with valued outcomes for all. This picture will change, as we await the Minister’s response to recent reviews, we are committed to change for improvement.

Implementation

The Business Plan will highlight and take action to mitigate pressures, national and local priorities, risks and areas for development. Key strengths and effective practice will be built upon.

This diagram below illustrates some of the competing pressures, changes and challenges on the regional school improvement system. Our internal organisational improvement priorities are focused on consistency, communication and securing value for money whist raising standards for learners. This year we will focus on using our increased capacity for communications and marketing to make sure that our messages of support, improvement and strategy are focused and consistently clear.

21 Page 71

external

internal

22 Page 72 SECTION 1

This section outlines ERW’s priorities for school improvement and improving learner outcomes. It provides oversight of the previous year and set targets for the next two years. Actions are noted according to work stream. The region’s priorities are grouped into three strategic themes:

1. Leading Learning 2. Teaching and Learning 3. Support for Learning

The Work stream Overview provides an at a glance reflection of the planned work.

Responsible officers are named in section 4.

23 Page 73 Workstream overview

2015 - 16 April - May - June July - Aug - Sept Oct - Nov - Dec Jan - Feb - March Workstreams 2015 2015 2015 2016

Planning for pilot Professional Learning Schools (ERW/UWTSD) HTLA programme successfully completed Key schools indentified for Profesional Learning Schools Implement & trail PLS with schools Implement new leade r s h ip programme Completion intelligence gathering of LA Comprehensive regional programme in place for programmes and the links to the national professional learning Clear New Deal for teachers offer programme. NPQH programme successfully completed Aspiring leaders - Programme extended across Professional learning Monitoring, evaluation and review of hub training Monitoring and evaluating the existing programmes Formulation of regional strategy and delivery plan ERW, Identification of suitable delegates with UWTSD (OLEVI) for NQT Ongoing new HTLA programme delivered Regional intelligence gathering of LA and school to NPQH - Ongoing delivery, evaluation and review at Delivery of agreed training programme for Advisors school programmes both within ERW and in other regional level regions Ongoing bespoke programme for all Headteachers to deliver training with regard to new WG initiatives and guidelines

Strategy in place Identify key schools to lead on sharing successful strategies Populate to new V.A.P. Share effective practice on website to build on Reducing the impact Agree a common V.A.P. across the region Seminars to promote. success on 2015 conference. 2nd core visit to focus on pupil level progress of poverty on ERW Toolkit to identify school lit of success to Support identified schools that are not closingf the Place intervention strategies to target key schools (FSM) attainment signpost (EIG) gap. which schools then sit within each area and what 2nd visit to measure impact to write next plan EIG Work done to explain types of poverty experience Poverty map highlighting types of poverty in ERW are they doing to overcome. in ERW.

Regional strategy refreshed and embedded Literacy and Clear work plan for school to school LNF support Review work of S2S and effectiveness of Review local capacity for LNF Key schools to take on dvelopments for 2015-17 dovetailed support with LA services Numeracy All schools successfully categorised with bespoke Categorisation published on my local schools Categorisation programme of support

Quarterly update on progress and review of impact Quarterly update on progress and review of impact Quarterly update on progress and review of impact Schools Causing Review capacity of schools identified to be self Review capacity and progress in SCC schools – Quarterly update on progress and review of impact leading form September. one year on. Post results review of new schools to receive Concern intervention. Identify new possible schools for SCC prgramme Agree common template for SCC.

Hub QA x3 Overall lessons learnt from operational school Hub QA x3 Hub QA x3 Hub QA x3 Quality Assurance improvement work to feed SER May final version of SER

Enable and agree key steps for implementation. All information to be available on ERW website, in line with branding. In light of WG review, agree strategy for the improved delivery of Governor Support. Training and all information to be available on the Implement improvements. Governor Support ERW website in line with branding Data training, Autumn Core Visit and school Prioritise information available on the ERW categorisation (Regional or Hub) Betsan to fill gaps website, including online application for training Named link officer for governor support at hub programmes level Delivery of statutory and non-statutory training programmes

Annual Self analysis review. Securing capacity of Training and development for advisers - taregted Training and development for advisers - generic Training and development for Advisers - generic Challenge Advisers

Review of progress with x3 policies HR On going engagement with pilot schools – support Implement appraisal policy as part of New Deal and engagement Sign off of pay policy offer

Programme of support to all schools to include Self Improving Strategy agreed and implementation formally See above Professional Learning Schools S2S and increase on this year by 50% schools system Dialog fully functioning secondary sector Implement Dialog for primary Agree common approach for roll out post implementation of Heath checks in all LAs Safeguarding September

Quarterly update of ILP for special schools and unit Cwmpawd update with new curricular changes Quarterly update of ILP for special schools and Quarterly update of ILP for special schools and Quarterly update of ILP for special schools and unit GCSE programme stocktake on capacity of all unit schools to take on new curriculum unit Cwmpawd available for all GCSE programme to target urgently those in need Enable sharing of emerging excellent practice in Identify key schools (all phases) to share practice 2nd quarterly update of ILP for special schools of early support and unit delivery of new GCSE Curricular support for foundation subjects to strengthen the Monitoring and evaluation of the impact on Traunch 2 of GCSE’ Welsh Bac and A Level development of literacy and numeracy skills PISA type and the new essential and practice and outcomes in across all phases employability skills to be further developed and specifications support EOTAS provision in Key Stage 4 across ERW School not making sufficient progress to be incorporated in all subjects at key stage 3 to Training to continue for schools in new Science reviewed targeted for additional support in order to raise enable successful transition into key stage 4 SoW and best practice identified to be shared standards Challenge advisers and subject specialists to be confident to challenge and support performance in schools in line with new specifications

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Moni toring, support, All common plaPagens and comms fo r A74CV in place All plans for spring visit agreed for next term. and ready for September roll out. September Hub Undertake ACV QA of ACV drawn together challenge, seminar by sector to roll out common intervention, advice. expectations ACV.

Leading Learning

Priority Outcome

To improve the quality of leadership and its impact on improving outcomes across the consortium

Priority Outcome Dashboard

OUTCOME BASED HUB 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 SUCCESS CRITERIA TARGETS TARGETS Percentage (Number) Northern 60.8 (93) 68 of schools judged as A or B on categorisation Western 72.0 (363) 78.6 (143) 78

Eastern 75.1 (127) 78

Percentage (Number) Northern 5.9 (9) 4.5 of schools judged as RED on categorisation Western 4.4 (22) 3.3 (6) 3.6

Eastern 4.1 (7) 4.0

Percentage (Number) Northern 35.3 (54) of schools judged as AMBER on categorisation Western 28.4 (143) 26.9 (49)

Eastern 23.7 (40)

Percentage (Number) Northern 43.1 (66) of schools judged as YELLOW on categorisation Western 50.4 (254) 55.5 (101)

Eastern 51.5 (87)

Percentage (Number) Northern 15.7 (24) 17 of schools judged as GREEN on categorisation Western 16.9 (85) 14.3 (26) 17

Eastern 20.7 (35) 25

FTE Challenge Northern Advisor per Hub

Western

Eastern

25 Page 75 NPQH numbers Northern 20/10 entering/ completing

Western 60/40 11/6

Eastern 29/24

HTLA numbers Northern 15/10 entering/ completing

Western 44/32 14/11

Eastern 15/11

Newly qualified Northern teachers

Western

Eastern

New HTs supported Northern

Western

Eastern

Vacancies HTs

Vacancies Governors

Proportion of GBs categorised as....

26 Page 76 Work stream Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Categorisation Implement the national categorisation framework for schools and use it as a Managing Director Core and targeted EIG April 2014 tracking tool to facilitate an annual comparison and to track the progress being onwards. made by individual schools, Local Authorities and hubs within the consortium and Heads of Hub to ensure that resources are targeted to areas of greatest need. Specific action in Autumn/ Specifically to make the Ladder of Support explicit in terms of Leadership and to spring. focus on second judgment.

Professional Identify, train and support lead schools and lead practitioners and commission Managing Director April 2014 Learning them to deliver support to schools according to need. Core and EIG, also PLS in Hub leads additional WG summer term The work on PLS and Index of Excellence will drive this aspect. Brokered aspect of resources ACV key Hub Leads for training

MSCI 77 Page Facilitate the dissemination effective practice that exists within schools within the Challenge Advisers Core and grant April 2014 consortium. Broker support for schools. onwards Regional and Hub leads Strengthen use of ACV for brokering effective work between schools. for S2S

Professional Develop and deliver universal training modules for leaders at all levels within HLD EIG and core April 2014 Learning schools to address areas of development identified through ACV or through Hub training leads onwards Performance Management Reviews

Professional Develop a regional training programme to support the development of aspiring Core and grant April 2014 Learning head teachers. HLD onwards

MSCI Support the 4 SCC schools to communicate effectively and work in partnership G Grant funding July 2014 with WG to meet requirements of grant Managing Director onwards Capacity build in the 4 schools as required according to need

HR Pay policy sign off for 2015-16 jointly agreed Chair of HR Group Core and grant July 2015

MSCI Increasing use of school leaders in spring visit. Targeting the visit on sharing HOH Core and grant Spring 2016 excellent practice and supporting sharing in a targeted way. Chair T&L

SISS Focused development of HRS in identified secondary schools – focus on reducing HLD SEG July 2015- in-school variability August 2017 Page 78 Page

Challenge To maintain fte per hub of challenge advisors to enable the consortium to deliver LA resources April 2014 Advisers the level of support outlined in the regional Ladder of Support and Intervention Heads of Hub

Challenge To develop and deliver an induction programme for newly appointed Challenge Core and grant September Advisers Advisors. Hub level delivery of core programme. Heads of Hub 2014

QA To develop and implement consistent quality assurance processes at Regional and Quality work stream Core and grant December hub level & securing consistent quality of service delivery to schools as set out in lead 2014 Ladder of Support & other Heads of Hub

Managing Director All LA directors

Professional To develop a universal training programme to improve the quality and SEG July 2015 Learning consistency of the performance of Challenge Officers currently in post to develop Heads of Hub a greater level of challenge and support & to respond to the areas of professional September development identified by Challenge Advisors through their self –evaluation HLD 2015

Hub leads T&D December 2015

February 2016

Challenge To develop and implement a framework to be utilised by Challenge Advisors to Core and grant End April 2015 Advisers self- evaluate their professional performance and to identify areas for further Managing Director – confirm development skills and re HOH assess in June

2015 & annually Page 79 Page Data base on website from April 2015

SISS To enhance and strengthen the regional menu of bespoke brokered support... Core , EIG Heads of Hub MSCI to include specifically governor support and HR Delivery Board June – July 2015

From 2016 - to support greater inclusion support via LAs to schools 17

HR Rewarding Excellence programme - training HT and Challenge Advisers to fully HRD Core and grant Termly understand the principles and monitor progress of schools in supporting effective CPD for all staff – ( linked to New Deal entitlement)

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MSCI Review and refresh Challenge Adviser handbook HOH Core and grant As required annually July

Leading Implement the Leadership strategy Chair LLPB Core and grant Annual Learning HLD programme established and improved annually

Professional Develop a comprehensive Leadership programme, in line with the strategy. HLD and Hub Core and grant As above Learning Finalising of module details by UWTSD. Delegates signed up to the programme, Leadership leads enhance programme year on year building on evaluation and success

Professional To develop school led improvement system through Professional Learning Schools HLD Core and grant Target 30 Learning in partnership with UWTSD. To enhance current pilots and emerging programmes schools per Page 80 Page around identified specialisms year

Schools adopting regional guidance; Monitoring of progress in pilot school; Monitoring, evaluation and review of modules; Monitoring, evaluation and review of practice

Professional CPD Challenge Advisers - establish rolling regional programme, specifically Managing Director Core and grant Termly Learning designed to secure consistency in transient workforce HOH

Professional To roll out aspiring leaders programme across the region. All phases, specifically HLD Core and grant July – Sept Learning PRU / Special 2015. Phased for each sector and LA area

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Professional Amend training for NQTs in line with requirements nationally, linking to work in HLD and Hub training Core and grant September – Learning EAS and the PS work with ITT. Implementation of a coordinated and consistent leads December approach to developing NQTs across region 2015

Follow up and developments for next 2 academic year

Monitoring, Consistent use of powers by LAs when intervening in schools X6 Directors Core and grant As necessary Support Challenge HR Develop and implement a cross region system for improving teacher appraisal, HRD Core and grant Briefing to all CPD offer and support and review ongoing feedback from pilot schools. Deliver schools and Rewarding Excellence programme, and communicate consistently to GBs and HTs staff June/ July 2015 Page 81 Page at LA level. Deliver as part of Ladder of support. (supported at LA level with Hub leads)

July/ August 2015

Monitoring, Single school development plans – specific work at Hub level to support the HOH & LA leads Core and grant June, July Support rollout of the new requirements. The expectations around PDG in particular will 2015 Challenge require specific support and guidance. Effective self evaluation arrangements will need to be explicit and linked to performance management of staff.

Professional Ongoing and up to date Development for Challenge Advisers – new SSDP HLD Core and grant June , July Learning requirements; HR, LNF; internal requirements for pre Estyn reports. HOH 2015

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Governor  create a single ERW governor training programme, with local, hub Hub/ LA governor leads Core and grant Support and inter-hub delivery accessed via the ERW website

 to further develop the training evaluation process to investigate the long term effectiveness of training

 use new ERW website to place all resources and common programme in a well situated, visible place

Governor Prepare and deliver common statutory and non-statutory programmes for ERW GSO group Core and grant April – June Support 2015  Safeguarding (LA) Governor Ensure common delivery and communication methods through ICT e.g. electronic GSO group Core and grant April – June Support Page 82 Page newsletters; updates and training. Make best use of digital learning to support 2015 GBs

Governor  Review and update ladder of support and menu to include the support to Hub Governor Leads Core and grant June 2015 and Support Governing Bodies. build support for governors into the regional menu then termly of support to schools

Governor  highlight the role of Governor Support in the Ladder of support and Hub Governor Support Core and grant July – Support intervention as we categorise schools. Leads September 2015  planned co-ordinated programme for 2015-16, with bespoke elements according to need, delivered in some cases on a school to school basis

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Governor Prepare and deliver annual conference at Hub level so that all governors are fully Governor Group Core and grant January – Support aware of developments and can engage with the best practice across the region March 2016 then annually

Governor Collate and monitor additional measurable outcomes for the Business Plan Governor Support Core and grant April 2015 Support dashboard appendices e.g. governor vacancies; turnover etc Group

Page 83 Page

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Teaching and Learning

To raise standards of teaching and learning for all learners across the region consistently in all Key Stages.

Priority Outcome Dashboard

Baseline Data April 2014 April 2015 April 2016 Context For Improvement (2013 data) (2014 data) Targets Increase the % achieving the FPI at the Powys 84.7 89.6 85.1 89.0 end of the Foundation Phase from Ceredigion 85.9 87.9 82.4% Pembrokeshire 84.5 88.7 82.8 82.4 85.9 85.7 Carmarthenshire 81.6 84.1 Swansea 80.1 83.9 80.7 84.0 NPT 81.7 84.2 Page 84 Page Improve the LA positions at Powys 16 9

Foundation Phase so as to reflect the Ceredigion 12 5 expected WG ranking or better Pembrokeshire =13 10

Carmarthenshire 9 16 Swansea 19 21

NPT =20 15 Increase the % achieving the CSI at the Powys 86.4 88.3 86.7 88.6 end of KS2 from 84.5% Ceredigion 87.3 89.1 Pembrokeshire 82.8 88.7 84.5 84.5 88.0 87.3 Carmarthenshire 85.4 87.4 Swansea 84.3 87.3 83.4 86.2 NPT 82.0 84.1 Improve the LA positions at KS2 so as Powys 8 7

to reflect the expected WG ranking or Ceredigion 5 13 better Pembrokeshire 9 19

Carmarthenshire 12 18 Swansea 11 9

NPT 17 20

Increase the % achieving the CSI at the Powys 83.0 86.5 83.3 87.3 end of KS3 from 78.1% Ceredigion 83.8 89.0 Pembrokeshire 80.0 81.1 78.3 78.1 83.2 81.7 Carmarthenshire 77.1 84.5 Swansea 76.4 80.6 75.1 77.8 NPT 73.1 73.1 Improve the LA positions at KS3 so as Powys 5 =3

to reflect the expected WG ranking or Ceredigion 2 2 better Pembrokeshire 7 12

Carmarthenshire 9 11 Swansea 12 14

NPT =18 16 Increase the % achieving the L2+ Powys 58.1 59.6 59.4 60.2 indicator at the end of KS4 from 55.6% Ceredigion 62.0 61.4 Pembrokeshire 51.9 53.3 Page 85 Page *Figures may be higher than those officially 53.1 55.6 56.6 58.0 published due to late re-marks being Carmarthenshire 53.9 58.7 included here Swansea 55.3 59.2 55.6 57.9 NPT 56.0 55.8 +National Reading Test in English – Powys 88.7 86.8 88.7 86.7 improve hub test scores to ensure that Ceredigion 88.8 86.6 the percentage of pupils achieving Pembrokeshire 87.1 85.2 scores of 85+ are comparable to or 86.5 86.6 84.6 84.7 Carmarthenshire 86.0 84.2 better than the Welsh average of Swansea 86.1 84.9 85.4% and show progress 85.6 83.9 NPT 84.7 82.2 +National Reading Test in Welsh – Powys 93.6 86.4 91.3 84.9 improve hub test scores to ensure that Ceredigion 90.3 84.2 the percentage of pupils achieving Pembrokeshire 91.6 85.8 scores of 85+ are comparable to or 89.6 90.3 84.8 84.8 Carmarthenshire 89.1 84.6 better than the Welsh average of Swansea 90.8 84.5 90.7% and show progress 90.8 84.6 NPT 90.8 84.8

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Increase the % of boys achieving the Powys 81.2 86.7 81.7 86.2 FPI at the end of the Foundation Ceredigion 82.8 85.0 Phase from 78.0% Pembrokeshire 80.9 85.2 79.0 78.0 81.6 81.6 Carmarthenshire 77.8 79.3 Swansea 75.2 79.3 75.3 79.4 NPT 75.5 79.6 Increase the % of boys achieving the Powys 84.0 84.6 84.6 85.3 CSI at the end of KS2 from 81.3% Ceredigion 86.1 86.4 Pembrokeshire 80.7 84.7 81.5 81.3 84.4 83.8 Carmarthenshire 82.0 84.3 Swansea 80.2 83.9 79.3 82.6 NPT 77.7 80.0 Increase the % of boys achieving the Powys 78.2 83.9 78.9 84.7 CSI at the end of KS3 from 73.1% Ceredigion 80.2 86.2 Page 86 Page Pembrokeshire 75.5 75.6 74.3 73.1 79.3 78.4 Carmarthenshire 73.4 81.5 Swansea 71.7 77.8 69.0 74.4 NPT 64.7 69.0 Increase the % of boys achieving the Powys 52.4 53.3 54.3 55.3 L2+ indicator at the end of KS4 from Ceredigion 58.3 59.4 50.6% Pembrokeshire 45.9 48.7 48.1 50.6 53.1 53.1 *Figures may be higher than those Carmarthenshire 49.6 56.1 officially published due to late re-marks Swansea 50.6 54.2 50.8 51.9 being included here NPT 51.2 48.5 Decrease the % of NEET (Young people Powys 2.7 N/A N/A N/A not in education, employment or Ceredigion 1.3 N/A training) – 1 year lag in data here (new Pembrokeshire 3.4 N/A data not out until end of April) N/A N/A N/A N/A Carmarthenshire 3.0 N/A

* No Hub or ERW %s possible due to the Swansea 3.9 N/A N/A N/A way the data is published NPT 4.4 N/A

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Increase the % achieving 5A*A (GCSE Powys 18.6 17.6 19.0 19.4 or equivalents) at the end of KS4 Ceredigion 19.8 23.0 Pembrokeshire 15.2 14.1 15.5 16.6 15.5 16.3 Carmarthenshire 15.7 16.5 Swansea 16.3 16.1 16.3 15.2 NPT 16.1 13.7 Increase the % achieving 5A*A+ (GCSE Powys 9.9 9.4 10.1 9.8 or equivalents) at the end of KS4 Ceredigion 10.6 10.6 Pembrokeshire 9.1 8.7 * pupils have to also achieve A*/A in 8.9 9.5 9.5 9.2 English/Welsh and Mathematics Carmarthenshire 8.9 10.1 Swansea 10.3 10.0 9.7 8.6 NPT 8.6 6.5

Page 87 Page

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Work stream Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

MSCI Develop a regional pupil tracking system to ensure that challenge in terms Core, April 2014 to April 2015 of performance and improvement can be undertaken at an individual pupil Managing Director LA possible level Heads of Hub

MSCI Through categorisation and core visits to ...Challenge schools to identify Core and grant Ongoing through annual vulnerable groups of pupils in order that they receive a common Challenge Advisers progress visits entitlement of targeted support and provision to ensure a sustained impact on outcomes and wellbeing

MSCI Facilitate the delivery of bespoke support to schools where there is Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Page 88 Page underperformance utilising practitioner expertise at all levels of the system Challenge Advisers i.e. whole school, department, subject and individual practitioner level Leaders of Learning

Teaching and Challenge schools to ensure that they use assessment information Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014, Learning diagnostically to influence teaching, learning and pupil progress & to target Challenge Advisers specifically in ACV each year MAT; FSM, BOYS LOL

Teaching and Support the development of effective teaching and learning strategies in Core and grant Learning schools and including the further development and embedding of Heads of Hub assessment for learning strategies as an integral part of the learning and teaching process T&L group Monitoring, Develop the use of the Learning observation tool and link to new Digital Core and grant Pilot in xyz Support learning developments Challenge Advisers Complete with improvements Challenge HOH All - sect 2015

Teacher Develop and implement regional consistent assessment and moderation Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Assessment procedures to ensure that end of key stage data is reliable and robust Managing Director

Assessment leads 38

Teacher Challenge individual and clusters of schools in terms of their assessment Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Assessment and moderation arrangement to ensure consistency and reliability Heads of Hub

Challenge Advisers

Professional Support the development of effective school leadership to enable head Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Learning teachers to self-evaluate and challenge underperformance within their HLD own schools Challenge Advisers Quality Quality assure the work of all Challenge Advisors to ensure that all schools Core and grant Ongoing termly and feedback receive a high level of challenge and support Managing Director on specific reports from April 2015 Heads of Hub Self analysis in June/ July annually Teaching and Use best practice to share on key aspects of teaching resources on website Communications Core and grant Ongoing termly updates Learning Page 89 Page Professional OTP/ ITP – deliver and cascade successful programmes to build confidence HLD Core and grant As required Learning and competence in system workforce and support teachers to strive for excellence Teaching and Cwmpawd, dialog, LOT, Teacher centre, person centred planning tool for MD HDL Core and grant May 2015 and update termly Learning SS - sit on ERW site as interoperable systems for schools and advisers to access. Teaching and T&L strategy Chair T& L group - BR Core and grant May 2015 Learning School to School Increase the use of school to school support establishing a more flexible, Core and grant By April 2014 Support effective and responsive mechanism for commissioned school to school Delivery Board support including 50 – 90 and HRS - leading to a self improving system Challenge Advisors

39

Literacy and Improve the quality of provision for literacy and numeracy – including Core and grant Implement Numeracy training, engagement. Delivery Board Ongoing Identify gaps following NSP and provide immediate intervention for Hub leads for literacy support where necessary and numeracy (operational responsibility)

Literacy and Improve GCSE outcomes in English and Mathematics: Core and grant Ongoing Numeracy Delivery Board Support, coordinate and monitor the work underperforming schools and action any necessary follow-up work by Challenge Advisers / Lead Heads of Hub Practitioners, including the commissioning of School-Based Lead Practitioners of Literacy and Numeracy.

Page 90 Page Monitoring, Core and grant Ongoing, with full Support Implement fully and consistently the Regional Ladder of Support and Delivery Board implementation of the national Challenge Intervention model for school improvement from April 2014 Refine the 2014 – 2015 Ladder of Support and Intervention in response to Leaders of Learning current developments Managing Director

Literacy and Contribute to improved performance by pupils in PISA tests by: Core and grant From April 2014 Numeracy Delivery Board Developing training materials to improve pupils’ reasoning and problem- solving skills. Leaders of Learning Developing, coordinating and implementing regional training on mathematical reasoning (as part of the LNF) Deploying Lead Practitioners of Literacy and Numeracy to improve subject- specific underperformance, with an emphasis on improving pupils’ skills in the QWC (Quality of Written Communication) aspects of GCSE assessment

40

Literacy and Central capacity to review and support the development of the LNF Core and grant Ongoing with arrangements in Numeracy programme and dovetail the school improvement Managing Director place by Sept 2014 and reviews in line with governance of region and Exec Board

Self Improving To provide on- going professional development, training and support Core and grant Lead up in July 2014 System Challenge Advisers and School leaders together to use school to school Managing Director Termly for 2014-15 support as responsive mechanism for commissioned school to school support in line with the categorisation model Headteachers Representative Board

Delivery Board Monitoring, 91 Page intervene in schools causing concern, including full, robust and consistent HOH and director Core and grant On going Support use of statutory powers to issue warning notices Challenge

MSCI HOH Core and grant ongoing Support, coordinate and monitor existing and fully engage with ongoing Managing Director WG initiatives to support the improvement of underperforming schools All staff

Teaching and Challenge on WL teaching – proportion and quality?? HOH and DL Each autumn annually Learning Core and grant To support the development of WL skills amongst pupils , and to challenge schools on the access to Welsh full/ 2nd/ challenge etc Literacy and Train advisory staff, lead schools and Challenge Advisers on Train the Managing Director Core and grant June 2014 Numeracy Trainer model for LNF Roll out 2015 – 2017

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Literacy and Develop digital pedagogy expertise to enhance the delivery of literacy and Head of Digital Core and grant Build in line with Digital Numeracy and numeracy Learning Learning Plan Digital Learning

Teaching and To challenge schools to ensure that FSM pupils receive their entitlement Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Learning of targeted support and provision to ensure a sustained impact on Managing Director outcomes and wellbeing and that all aspects of their progress is effectively tracked and monitored Heads of Hub

Challenge Advisers

Teaching and To support schools to make effective use of the PDG by working with the Core and grant Ongoing from April 2014 Learning individual Local Authorities to develop and disseminate advice and Heads of Hub guidance to schools in line with the guidance issued by the Welsh Page 92 Page Government Challenge Advisers

Teaching and To support the effective use of the PDG by training Challenge Advisors to Core and grant April 2014 onwards Learning enable them to challenge schools on their use of the PDG Managing Director

Heads of Hub

Teaching and To support schools by facilitating the sharing of effective practice by Core and grant April 2014 onwards Learning working in partnership with the individual local authorities within hubs to Managing Director identify and disseminate effective tools that have been shown to work in line with the guide for practitioners Delivery Board

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Quality To ensure that outcomes for pupils affected by deprivation are considered Core and grant April 2014 onwards in all strategies/activity areas including the regional Numeracy and Literacy Managing Director Strategy, Teaching and Learning Strategy, digital learning work stream Heads of Hubs

Quality To facilitate school to school support by creating and facilitating/d Core and grant April 2014 onwards disseminating case studies of effective practice Managing Director

Communications HLD HOH

Curriculum To adequately monitoring and Quality Assure the work of subject 14-19 lead Core and grant 6 weekly group meetings specialists across the 6 LAs L&N lead Page 93 Page HOH

Self Improving Facilitating school to school support and delivering training to ensure that Core and grant Ongoing School System teachers within the six Local Authorities have the skills, expertise and Managing Director techniques that they require to enable them to deliver the requirements Monitored Annually of the Literacy and Numeracy Framework Heads of Hub Hub Leads for Numeracy and Literacy

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Self Improving Reducing within school variation by supporting schools to collaborate Managing Director School System effectively together

Literacy and Comprehensive programme of LNF support Core and grant September 2014 Numeracy *must focus on excellence for those who are good and picking up rear. Managing Director

Review of schools in need of support in advance of next academic year Heads of hub HLN Page 94 Page Teacher Support schools to make effective use of assessment, including data from Core and grant Ongoing Assessment the reading and numeracy tests, to inform improvements to teaching and Managing Director

learning Monitored Annually Hub Leads for Numeracy and Literacy

Literacy and Deliver additional targeted support to individual / groups of teachers Core and grant Ongoing Numeracy through the deployment of Lead Practitioners of Literacy and Numeracy HLN Heads of Hub Monitored Annually  quality assurance and focus on target groups and staff must be secure Hub Leads for Numeracy and Literacy

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Literacy and Facilitating the sharing of best practice through the use of Lead Core and grant Ongoing Numeracy Practitioners of Numeracy and Literacy, regional/ hub seminars and case HLN studies using PLS model in identifying 3 key schools as regional leaders of Monitored Annually Hub Leads for LNF Numeracy and Literacy

Develop an integrated approach to ensure consistently high quality Core and grant Ongoing Curriculum teaching and learning within Welsh, English and Mathematic lessons HLN Support across all key stages Monitored Annually Hub Leads for Numeracy and Literacy

Page 95 Page

MSCI Support the use of the scrutiny of pupils’ work as an integral part of the Core and grant school’s self-evaluation and improvement process Heads of Hub Ongoing

Hub Leads for Monitored Annually Numeracy and Literacy

Curricular Science and maths capacity for new curriculum - within GSCE and PLS HLD Core and grant TBC Support programme to build our capacity

Welsh in Provide targeted data set for Welsh medium schools and those with HOH Core September annually Education significant proportion doing Welsh first language

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Curricular Comprehensive planning for new curriculum. Bespoke support for every HLN & leaders of Grant TBC Support core department delivered to high level of quality. Consistency of learning messaging to all.

MSCI Training for challenge advisers on LNF – update on expectations of what is HOH Grant July 2015 good and excellent to secure striving for best and excellent practice

Curriculum Supporting schools to develop the problem solving skills of their pupils’, Core and grant September 2015onwards Support ensuring continuity and progression from the learning that takes place in Teaching and the Foundation Phase through into key stage 2 and key stage 3 Learning Group LOL Curriculum To develop with the support of the WG a bank of Pisa based tests to unclear As required Support support schools to improve pupils’ performance in the Pisa tests and to

Page 96 Page equip them for the workplace and life Leaders of Learning

MSCI To identify lead practitioners to support the performance of individual Grant and core April 2015 onwards, annual teachers Challenge Advisers refresh

Managing Director through OTP Curriculum To support the development of strategies that meet the needs of the more Grant and core April 2015 onwards Support able and talented pupils. Make best use of PLS to drive the knowledge Challenge Advisers form within schools Managing Director

Curriculum To support the development and implementation of effective assessment Grant and core April 2014 onwards Support for learning strategies through the facilitation of professional learning Teaching and communities, school to school support and training sessions and PLS Learning Group Managing Director

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Monitoring To provide on- going professional development, training and support to Grant and core Lead up in July 2014 Support schools as responsive mechanism for commissioned school to school Strategic Lead and Termly for 2014-15 Challenge support in line with the categorisation model Manager Welsh in Effective coordination and oversight of WESPs at a regional level Chair Welsh in Core and grant Termly Education Education

Curriculum Work through the Foundation Phase leads in each LA to effectively Foundation Phase Core and grant From June 2015 –annual review Support coordinate the work underway. – the work of foundation phase advisory Group Chair teachers will be embedded in the Ladder of Support and be part of brokered support to schools Curriculum Structure a Hub lead for Foundation Phase and develop consistency and Foundation Phase Core and grant April 2105 Support quality roles in oversee in intervention programmes in Foundation Phase. Group Chair

Curriculum Focus on common strategies for: Foundation Phase Core and grant September 2015 support 97 Page Delivery of 5 Foundation Phase core modules; Target years 1 & 2 for Group Chair support as necessary Curriculum Secure delivery of statutory base line for reception pupils Foundation Phase Core and grant September 2015 Support Group Chair

Curriculum To put in place the effective support, resources and infra structure for Chair of 14-019 Core and grant All year Support schools to develop the WBQ Group

Curriculum To put in place the effective support, resources and infra structure for Chair of 14-19 Group Core and grant Annual review Support schools to best respond to curricular changes 14 – 19 and to work with FE WBL partners accordingly Digital Learning To appoint a digital learning regional lead Managing Director Core and grant As soon as possible for one year initially

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Digital Learning To develop and embed a regional digital learning work stream to meet MD HDL Core and grant September 2015 national and regional priorities

Digital Learning Develop digital capacity and pedagogy in region to meet curricular needs HDL Core and grant Sept 2015 – March 2018 and changes

Welsh in Review support required for Welsh as a second language at secondary Chair Welsh in Core and grant Ongoing Education Education Group

Welsh in Ensure that significant resources of high quality are available Chair Welsh in Core and grant Ongoing Education Education Group

Welsh 98 Page in To enable the group of six officers from each LA to meet as a network Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education termly to share practice and progress against the Business Plan priorities Learning Group Chair within the group’s oversight. The group should identify key areas of operational work where they can work together to develop a joint project.  Pooling and developing resources 2015  Siarter iaith 2016

Welsh in Developing a specific data set for Welsh medium schools and those where Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education Welsh1st language to taught to GCSE. This data analysis will add to the Learning Group Chair challenge and data discussion during the ACV. This will enable greater consistency in target setting at WESP level and in supporting improvement in take up and outcomes Welsh in Work with WG to develop and enhance the policy around Welsh in Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education education as part of the curricular changes Learning Group Chair

Welsh in To develop a common introductory section for each WESP including how Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education ERW’s 6 LAs are working together on key tasks and work streams. This will Learning Group Chair highlight any common areas of implementation

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Welsh in Under the requirement for the EIG, that each LA submits their plan aligned Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education to the local authority’s plan. Where specific regional tasks are Learning Group Chair implemented together, the Welsh in Education group should cost this and add to a central allocation Welsh in Develop capacity to support Welsh 2nd Language. Consider how this can be Teaching and Core and grant Ongoing to April 2016 Education delivered to meet the need Learning Group Chair

Curriculum Secure consistent support for non maintained settings. Consider impact of Chair – Foundation Core and grant Evaluate December 2015 with support reduced resources on staffing Phase group plans for March 2016-17

MSCI Target reviews and support to schools at risk of causing concern or at risk Head of Hub – Core and grant Termly update and of statutory intervention Intervention/ schools interventions as necessary causing concern Curriculum Dovetail additional Arts resources with Professional Learning schools and Head of Hub – Core ad grant From September 2015 within support 99 Page focus use or resources at Digital Arts and literature. Enable focused arts intervention & HLD grant conditions interventions to target regional priorities of literacy, numeracy and digital learning

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Support for Learning

Priority Outcome Dashboard Priority Outcome

To provide high quality support for learners when and where they need it – so that they can fully engage and attain. Baseline Data April 2014 April 2015 April 2016 Context For Improvement (2013 data) (2014 data) Targets Increase the % of FSM pupils achieving FPI at the end of the Powys 73.8 73.4 71.7 75.2 Foundation Phase from 68.2% Ceredigion 68.2 78.3 Pembrokeshire 74.7 74.2 69.0 68.2 71.4 71.9 Carmarthenshire 64.3 69.6 Swansea 65.1 72.2

Page 100 Page 66.7 71.4 NPT 69.3 70.0 Increase the % of FSM pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 74.3 77.6 72.1 76.6 KS2 from 70.0% Ceredigion 68.0 74.3 Pembrokeshire 70.3 75.9 71.8 70.0 77.1 72.7 Carmarthenshire 72.9 78.1 Swansea 69.9 71.6 68.3 68.8 NPT 65.7 65.2 Increase the % of FSM pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 54.0 64.3 57.6 68.3 KS3 from 53.0% Ceredigion 62.2 74.4 Pembrokeshire 56.2 54.0 55.0 53.0 66.1 61.1 Carmarthenshire 54.1 74.6 Swansea 51.1 59.5 50.6 56.2 NPT 50.0 52.1 Increase the % of FSM pupils achieving the L2+ indicator at Powys 31.4 38.0 29.9 36.1 the end of KS4 from 28.8% Ceredigion 27.0 32.3 Pembrokeshire 28.2 25.0 28.8 28.8 27.2 28.7 Carmarthenshire 29.3 28.7 Swansea 27.5 26.7 28.5 27.8 NPT 30.1 29.4

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Increase the % of LAC pupils achieving FPI at the end of the Powys 33.3 83.3 50.0 77.8 Foundation Phase from 49.3% Ceredigion 66.7 66.7 Pembrokeshire 75.0 50.0 33.3 49.3 37.5 54.4 Carmarthenshire 25.0 35.0 Swansea 47.1 60.9 58.1 60.0 NPT 65.4 58.3 Increase the % of LAC pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 42.9 37.5 42.9 64.3 KS2 from 49.4% Ceredigion 42.9 100.0 Pembrokeshire 45.5 55.6 55.2 49.4 53.3 57.0 Carmarthenshire 61.1 52.4 Swansea 45.0 76.9 47.4 57.1 NPT 50.0 45.5 Increase the % of LAC pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 6.7 53.8 16.7 70.4 KS3 from 32.8% Ceredigion 33.3 85.7 Pembrokeshire 16.7 38.5 Page 101 Page 29.3 32.8 50.0 55.8 Carmarthenshire 31.4 55.6 Swansea 48.5 57.1 41.3 52.2 NPT 33.3 50.0 Increase the % of LAC pupils achieving the L2+ indicator at Powys 25.0 28.6 14.3 13.3 the end of KS4 from 13.6% Ceredigion 0.0 0.0 Pembrokeshire 15.8 0.0 9.6 13.6 17.8 16.5 Carmarthenshire 6.1 25.8 Swansea 20.7 8.3 16.9 16.3 NPT 13.3 24.0

** These figures are based on very small numbers in some cases.**

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Baseline Data April 2014 April 2015 April 2016 Context For Improvement (2013 data) (2014 data) Targets Increase the % of Children in Need achieving FPI at the end of Powys 33 63 the Foundation Phase Ceredigion 48 57 Pembrokeshire 56 *

Carmarthenshire 38 36 Swansea 44 61

NPT 64 39 Increase the % of Children in Need pupils achieving the CSI at Powys 32 44 the end of KS2 Ceredigion 37 52 Pembrokeshire 43 39

Carmarthenshire 44 56 Swansea 38 49

Page 102 Page NPT 43 47 Increase the % of Children in Need pupils achieving the CSI at Powys 26 33 the end of KS3 Ceredigion 55 41 Pembrokeshire 22 35

Carmarthenshire 35 61 Swansea 30 47

NPT 32 39 Increase the % of Children in Need pupils achieving the L2+ Powys * 17 indicator at the end of KS4 Ceredigion * * Pembrokeshire * *

Carmarthenshire 13 13 Swansea 11 13

NPT 13 16

Impossible to calculate HUB/ERW %s due to lack of data on StatsWales

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Baseline Data April 2014 April 2015 April 2016 Context For Improvement (2013 data) (2014 data) Targets Increase the % of EAL achieving FPI at the end of the Powys 78.3 92.7 85.3 86.4 Foundation Phase Ceredigion 96.6 76.0 Pembrokeshire 96.0 90.9 86.0 82.8 80.8 83.4 Carmarthenshire 82.7 77.2 Swansea 78.4 81.2 81.1 83.7 NPT 89.0 92.3 Increase the % of EAL pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 91.3 80.0 93.3 81.6 KS2 Ceredigion 95.5 83.9 Pembrokeshire 82.6 87.5 83.3 86.3 88.2 88.2 Carmarthenshire 83.8 88.5 Swansea 85.2 89.2 85.7 90.0 NPT 87.8 92.8 Increase the % of EAL pupils achieving the CSI at the end of Powys 73.9 82.4 Page 103 Page 75.8 88.6 KS3 Ceredigion 80.0 92.6 Pembrokeshire 88.0 88.5 72.6 79.6 88.5 84.1 Carmarthenshire 62.2 88.5 Swansea 84.4 80.6 82.1 82.2 NPT 72.1 88.5 Increase the % of EAL pupils achieving the L2+ indicator at Powys 19.0 65.2 38.9 69.6 the end of KS4 Ceredigion 66.7 73.9 Pembrokeshire 60.7 50.0 59.7 60.6 61.0 66.0 Carmarthenshire 59.0 67.3 Swansea 64.9 64.5 64.7 66.8 NPT 64.3 76.0

** Some LAs have small cohorts

** Swansea has such a large cohort compared with all other LAs, that data is driven by them mostly

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Work stream Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Support for Learning Develop and establish consistent principles and September 2014 practices in each of the individual Local Authorities Managing Director Core and grant onwards relating to the monitoring and responding to issues to attendance Attendance Group

Support for Learning Develop a consistent process for collecting and Core and grant September 2014 monitoring data across the consortium to ensure the Data officer onwards

Page 104 Page tracking and monitoring of the attendance rates of Attendance Group specific vulnerable groups of pupils

Support for Learning Penalty notices guidance - implementation Attendance group Core and grant September 2014 onwards

Support for Learning Supporting the development of evidence practice by Core and grant September 2014 facilitate the sharing of effective practice on Attendance Group onwards attendance

Support for Learning Strengthening partnerships between Challenge Core and grant October 2014 Advisors and the Educational Welfare service to ensure Managing Director onwards a consistent approach to improving attendance Attendance Group

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Support for Learning VAP – oversee a move towards a consistent use of VAP Regional strategic lead for Core and grant From September to better understand characteristics of vulnerable Poverty 2016 learners so as to better support them

Safeguarding Review the regional safeguarding procedures so as to Core and grant April 2014 onwards align best practice across the region Support for Learning Group Chair

Managing Director

Safeguarding Collate a hub safeguarding health-check data base so as Core and grant April 2014 onwards to ascertain the regional position and action Hub Lead Officers on improvements Safeguarding

Page 105 Page Safeguarding Include safeguarding training within the regional Core and grant April 2014 onwards training/ CPD menu (not stat training run locally but Regional CPD/SEG Group school process)

Poverty Identify good practice in 3 areas 0-5, 5-13 and 14-19 Poverty strategic lead Core and grant Termly HOH

Poverty ACV follow up on impact – bespoke challenge of Poverty strategic lead Core and grant PDG/EIG Measure impact of partnership and resources Monitor progress and impact on VAP groups Identify and coordinate Professional Learning Schools Embed process into planning Review new list of top 20 and bottom 20

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MEAG Establish terms and conditions for reconfigured MEAG Chair of MEAG Group Core and grant 2015 group

MEAG Develop effective methods of refocusing and building Core and grant 2105 on best practice across the region. Chair of MEAG Group Review and evaluate MEAG Focus on the needs and requirements across the Chair of MEAG Group Core and grant 2016-17 region, use expertise and resources to best target areas and groups of need. Review impact of training model used for LAC PDG Support for Learning Develop and implement regional training model to Chair of MEAG Group Core and grant May 2015 build capacity for LAG PDG Implement in Page 106 Page advance of September 2015

Support for Learning Review and analyse impact of central capacity and Chair of Group Core and grant January 2016 model of building school capacity.

Support for Learning Identify lead schools for LAC PDG as part of Chair of Group Core and grant January 2016 Professional Learning Schools

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SECTION 2

Internal Improvement Priorities

This section outlines ERW’s internal arrangements for its effective operation, organisational improvement systems and actions. It provides a review of the previous year’s action and progress and sets targets for the next two years. Actions are largely process focused, with the overall aim to enable the deliver the outcomes noted in Section 1.

1. Systems and structures and accountability structure 2. Planning for improvement 3. Communication 4. Accountability

(The work will be supported through a shared services framework and under the advice of the Advisory Board. The Advisory Board has been set up to support and advise ERW and its senior team in ensuring that the organisation follows due and legal process in its delivery of its core functions.)

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58 Page 108 1.Planning for improvement PRIORITY

Establish robust arrangements for the effective operation of ERW through effective planning for improvement.

SUCCESS CRITERIA Actual 2015 Target 2015 - 2016 Target 2016 - 2017 Target 2017 - 2018 Fewer risks identified as ‘high’ following mitigating actions 25% 15% Improved and consistent engagement with regional priorities across all LAs Adequate Good Consistent understanding across region and stakeholder of key aims and modus Weak Good operandai Assurance finding by internal audit of satisfactory Satisfactory Good

Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Business Plan – completed on time and to a high standard Managing Director Core and grant Quarterly reporting and updates – June, Sept, December, March Page 109 Page Updates as necessary January Dash board Self evaluation arrangements - to include an annual report Managing Director Core and grant May – annually & HOH Ongoing QA feeding to process Supporting schools and GBs to have capacity External review/evaluation. Undertake external review of Communications officer Core and grant June/ July 2015 satisfaction, brand ect (This will provide objective judgement on success) Advisory group – establish advisory group in line with Legal Managing Director Core and grant April 2015 and half termly Agreement* responsibilities laid out for constituent LAs Risk register and mitigation arrangements Managing Director Core and grant Ongoing quarterly

Effective financial planning Section 151 officer and Core and grant Ongoing quarterly reporting – 6 weekly monitoring meetings Finance office Needs analysis – to inform plan. LMI Education requirements Data officer Core and grant Ongoing for future commissioned from RLP to inform process of Draft scheduled for April planning Advisory group to function effectively and fully and create MDthe Core and grant As above. Termly meetings support network required for the region – establish shared services framework

2. Communication

PRIORITY Improve consistency and quality of communication, and secure effective communication arrangements for all stakeholders

SUCCESS CRITERIA Actual 2015 Target 2015-2016 – Target 2016-2017 Target 2017 – 2018 2017 During the past 12 months, as ERW’s work has Clearer systems for sharing information developed and widened – effective arrangements widely understood by all stakeholders to transfer information have not evolved quickly

Page 110 Page enough

Fewer complaints ( note actual 2014-15) Communications considered all work streams 1 70% 80% 90%

Clear understanding of ERWs role and functions (current position unclear, survey planned for this year)

Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Engage suitable partner to deliver strategic expertise Managing Director Core and grant Immediate through Sir Gar PR

New website Communication lead Grant Ongoing effective updating

Communications capacity Managing Director Core and grant Immediate Use of social media Communication lead As required June 2015 and ongoing

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Effective use of website as primary link All Advisers Core and grant From April 2015 Refresh/ review April 2016 Newsletter Communication lead Core and grant At least termly but as required Engage with WG formally termly to provide update on key Managing Director Core and grant Half termly with WG link and termly with communications areas of work and identify emerging issues and communication lead for WG lead Publish minutes of key working groups on website Operational manager Core and grant 6 weekly updates for key working groups and communication lead Regional satisfaction survey Undertake cross region analysis Managing Director Core and grant Jan- Feb 2016 on feedback and progress Operational manager

Page 111 Page

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3. Accountability

PRIORITY Strengthen and maintain robust and rigorous processes for accountability and to ensure the effective administration of agreed systems and processes.

SUCCESS CRITERIA Current position 2014-15 Target 2015 – 2016 Target 2016-2017 Target 2017-2018 Value for money adequate Good Good Very good

Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Annual focused area focused through internal audit – area of focus Managing Director, Section 151 Core and grant Annually agreed between MD, Head of Internal Audit and Section 151 officer. officer, head of internal audit Page 112 Page CIPFA regulations used and accepted Managing Director, Joint Committee Core and grant April 2015

Internal system to hold reports/ school intelligence/ MIS Executive Board Core and grant Operational by September 2015 All LAs to use and adopt single pupil level tracking system to use TC Executive Board TBC Remaining LA s by September 2015 Joint Committee and Executive Board meetings to be held termly Operational Manager & Head of Core and grant Quarterly arrangements on place under arrangements set out in Legal Agreement Democratic Services CCC Establish clear terms for reference for key groups to aid Operational manager Core and grant April 2015 understanding across and beyond region Publish all relevant documentation on new website Administrative support team and core and grant Ongoing Operational Manager Provide précis of main issues for cascading following each HT board Managing Director and Chair Core and grant Ongoing meeting Scrutiny FWP framework agreed Managing Director, scrutiny officers Core and grant Regularly as set out in the forward work programme Sharing effective practice and making best use of website and Communications lead Core and grant April onwards 2015 networks to share practice amongst members Simple monitoring dashboard against Business Plan actions and Data officer Core and grant April 2015 and update quarterly outcomes

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Value for money measures identified and current use of effective TBC Core and grant September 2015 tracking and scheduling tool Challenge and Review events with WG well managed Managing Director and Lead Core and grant As required 3 – 4 times annually Director, Lead Chief Executive Consistent Performance management arrangements for Challenge Managing Director and HOH and Core and grant Biannual process with agreed Advisers Director of all LAs process from July 2015 Finance Officers Group to facilitate and use Finance Group to share Finance Lead Core and grant Termly expectation and information Ongoing HR Group to facilitate local training with Headteachers (using HR Group Chair Core and grant Termly common template) Ongoing Review and strengthen legal group to support operational work of Chair Legal group Core and grant Termly ongoing Advisory Board

Page 113 Page

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4. Systems and structures

PRIORITY Effective arrangements in place for the operational working of ERW

SUCCESS CRITERIA Current position Target 2015 – 2016 Target 2016-2017 Target 2017-2018 Consistent engagement and contribution across LAs Varied in kind contributions Consistently high Effective systems well understood ( see survey)

Action Responsibility Resources Timescale

Page 114 Page Maintain and sustain fully functioning team – admin , finance etc Operational Manager Core and Ongoing with annual review of capacity needs grant Internal policies and procedures – complaints, safeguarding, ect Managing Director Core and Annually reviewed grant Digital capacity built– reduce travel etc Managing Director Core and June 2015 and Operational grant Manager Support and administer working group within new arrangements Group chairs Core and From April 2015 Operational Manager grant Termly QA of Challenge Adviser reports to Estyn, ACV, Heads of Hub Core and Termly QA report grant IT capacity enhanced to reduce burden of travel and increase capacity for work and Managing Director Core and Completed by 7th April 2015 engagement PCC grant Data timetable/ schedule Data officer Core and Maintain and manage schedule on a termly basis grant Review membership of key groups to ensure best representation and involvement Managing Director Core and September 2015 of schools grant Support for local authorities to sustain and strengthen education infrastructure Managing Director, Core and As required Lead Director grant Lead Chief Executive

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Framework for Shared services in place Managing Director Core and May 2015 and updated as required grant Digital monitoring / value for money system Managing Director Core and June 2015 and update grant Page 115 Page

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SECTION 3

This section sets out the accountability arrangements including managing risk, scrutiny

Risk Register

ERW’s risk register has evolved in line with Internal Audit expectation and feedback from Estyn and the WAO. From April 2015, the register will form part of the Business Plan cycle as outlined in the overview noted in the introduction. It will inform the Self evaluation and annual refresh of the Business Plan 2015 – 2018.

 Democratic Accountability and Scrutiny Framework

The cross region forward work programme for 2014 – 2015 has enabled the region to build on the most effective scrutiny practices across the six LAs. From April 2015, a structured framework will be established to strengthen arrangements

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Risk Register

The Managing Director takes responsibility for coordinating and managing the risk register, however, named LAs or individuals will be noted as owners, and will be responsible for mitigating actions in conjunction with ERW’s central team. The register is monitored quarterly by the Operational Manager.

ERW has identified the process of taking action to mitigate risk and managing risks between the LA and the region as a key area to strengthen and to build on the current position. Quarterly updates are made bringing together the risks of the six LAs and ERW to make sure that the processes are effectively working together rather than avoiding or missing issues.

The risk register is a standing agenda item on both Executive Board and Joint Committee.

The format of the register will allow for the following stages to take place in terms of mitigation.

 Terminate  Tolerate – accept e.g. WG use of grants  Transfer to 3rd party / LA  Treat – mitigate, reduce to acceptable level.

The ERW register is split into three sections 1. Corporate risks 2. Operational school improvement risks 3. Financial risk

Effective management of the region’s risk will enable us to support the organisation’s objectives, make effective use of resources and deliver outcomes as intended. Effective planning to mitigate risks will maximise opportunities nad protect ERW’s reputation and assets.

Democratic Accountability and Scrutiny

In ERW’s organisational design all roads lead to Local Democratic Accountability and Scrutiny. All work streams and activity both locally and regionally are led by the Joint Committee and are accountable locally. We think this is critically important because the resources and statutory duties lie with the LA.

Last financial year we established a Regional Forward Work Programme for scrutiny - this included unverified pupil performance data as early as possible; verified data once available; progress of ERW Business Plan; ERW governance & categorisation.

67 Page 117

Following positive feedback on the Regional forward work plan as operational in 2014 – 2015, the Joint Committee agreed to build on this model for the coming three years. The regional FWP is coordinated centrally by the Operational Manager, and overseen by the Managing Director and a group of scrutiny officers form the six LAs. It has been agreed by the Joint Committee, Executive Board and Scrutiny officers to work towards a common strategy, plan and approach whilst working within local arrangements and schedules.

As a region, we have reviewed other Joint Committee arrangements that we have established eg highways, reviewed current best practice and taken advice from CFPS (Centre for Public Scrutiny funded and commissioned by WG) and WLGA as to the best model.

For 2015 – 2018, the six Local Authorities within ERW have agreed a Regional Forward Work programme 2015 – 2018 and range of common actions with regard to Scrutiny activity and more general member engagement and development with regard to the regional school improvement service. It is agreed that a Regional Forward Work programme with additional capacity to add to it as required will

 Provide elected members with the required oversight and scrutiny locally;  Secure the effective coordination of regional work  Make sure that the local statutory responsibility for school improvement, and the work of locally employed officers is overseen locally;  Not add to the bureaucratic burden and the work of both officers and members, and minimise the risk of duplicating roles;  Enhance all members’ information on the region’s work  Allow high quality challenge and focused accountability of the region’s work  Build on best practice

In addition, it is recognised that the function is important not the model, and that we can increasingly share the most effective scrutiny practice between the six local authorities. Each LA’s constitution is slightly different and we do not want to stray unnecessarily to these areas. Geographical considerations do not support working singularly to consider local responsibilities. In the Legal agreement setting up the ERW Joint Committee, it is noted that there is no need to burden staff unnecessarily with scrutiny.

The work programme for 2015 – 2018 aims to:

 build on existing effective practice across the six authorities;  support members by providing high quality, accurate and consistent information on school performance as well as ERW’s performance;  enable members to be fully informed and therefore be in a better position to challenge and question the region’s performance as well as focusing on their individual authority;  provide a stable foundation on which to evolve an increasingly common approach across the region;  provide a clear Forward Work Programme of both information to members and scrutiny topics; and  use a best practice model to set out expectations of scrutiny of ERW’s work.

68 Page 118

The main focus of this year’s work will fall into the following aspects – information giving and scrutiny activity.

 This year, on request from members, we have added the makeup and performance of the challenge adviser team.  We are also sharing best practice – calling schools to scrutiny where necessary; targeted investigations on key issues.  All 6 chairs of scrutiny are also meeting annually - (NPT hosting 2015) with officers working well together.  We will also provide a seminar to all elected members in the region annually on ERW’s work, highlighting the context in each Local Authority  These common areas in the Forward Work Programme will be performance data; categorisation; ERW business Plan progress.

69 Page 119 SECTION 4

This section includes the operating procedures for ERW and outlines the roles and responsibilities of key individuals and groups for delivering the ERW strategy. These groups are reviewed in line with ERW’s business needs, plans and national priorities.

70 Page 120

Executive Board Headteacher Representative Board

Delivery Board

Leading Learning Priority Board Teaching and Learning Priority Board Support for Learning Priority Board

Page 121 Page NPQH Self Improving School System Attendance

Governor Reference Group Digital Learning Safeguarding

Governor Support Welsh in Education ALN Reform

14 – 19 Literacy and Numeracy

Advisory Group HR Legal Scrutiny Finance Data

The implementations of ERW’s work streams for the next three years requires each Local Authority to maintain its commitment to ERW of securing a full complement2 of Challenge Advisers who meet the required National Standards and adhere to ERW’s Code of Conduct.

In order to deliver the priorities set out in its Business Plan and Strategy, ERW and the constituent six local authorities have established a small number of working groups to support delivery.

The aim is to illustrate how this structure supports the effective delivery and accountability of the region’s work and supports the dual accountability of each individual to the Local Authority Director and the Managing Director. Responsibilities set out here should be reflected in the performance management and appraisal systems of each employing Local Authority.

The region is led by the Joint Committee, advised and supported by the Executive Board. The Delivery Board has operational oversight of the work streams in the Business Plan as well as the delivery of our strategies via the Strategic Priority Boards.

There are four other enabling groups which support the infrastructure of ERW:

 Advisory Board

 Data Group

 Scrutiny Officers

 HR Officers

 Finance Officers

2 As set out in the agreement between the LAs 2013

Page 122 Roles and Responsibilities

Chairs of groups:

 To agree a schedule of dates for the academic year with the group.

 To communicate with the administrative support officer for room bookings, agenda setting, circulation of documentation etc.

 All meeting papers to be circulated one week in advance of meetings via your administrative support officer and that any additional papers should not be distributed on the day.

 The minutes of the previous meeting to be completed and forwarded to the chair for approval and signed off within five working days of the meeting.

 The chair and administrative support officer to be responsible for ensuring that all actions have been undertaken and completed prior to the next meeting.

 All actions should be reviewed and recorded at the end of each meeting.

 The Operational Manager to meet on a termly basis with each Chair from the Priority Boards and Working Groups to evaluate and monitor process and its effectiveness in their roles and responsibilities.

 Short Terms of Reference to be adhered to.

 Membership should be consistent and attendance good

Directors:

 Make sure that those representing authorities are the right individuals and fully contribute to the work of the group.

 Utilise internal performance management arrangements to hold staff to account for regional roles and responsibilities.

Administrative Team:

 To make sure that all record of meetings and papers are circulated on time and to a high standard.

 Monitor all actions with escalation reporting where necessary

73 Page 123 Name of group: Delivery Board

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Overall oversight and delivery of regional work streams  Securing consistency and quality  Strategy oversight  Capacity building  Peer challenge  Forward planning and operational  Decision making  Regional Senior Management Team

Membership: See attached spreadsheet

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Betsan O’Connor.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances as delivering information on progress of projects.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

74 Page 124 Name of group: Headteacher Representative Board

Title: Terms of reference - written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group: To act as a reference point for ERW in terms of its interface with school leaders:

 Enabling ERW to test ideas and principles in advance of policy formulation and during policy development.  Advising ERW of potential strengths and weaknesses of proposed policies and strategies.  Embracing and advocating a regional approach to problem solving.  Acting as a general conduit for information, using the aide memoire.  Feeding back to relevant headteacher groups on a regular, agreed basis.  Receiving the views of headteacher colleagues on agreed items.  Not discussing every issue facing the region with every colleague.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Mike Gibbon.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources:  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

75 Page 125 Name of group: Leading Learning Strategic Priority Board

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Professional learning.  Oversight and leadership of all training and CPD.  Headteacher / Teacher performance management and appraisal.  Capacity building.  Oversight and leadership of ERW Leading Learning Strategy.  Monitoring actions of operational working groups.  Set the focus for sub groups and hold to account.  Take responsibility for Business Plan action identified.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams individual LAs and the Delivery Board.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Kate Evan-Hughes  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources (including confidential materials):  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

76 Page 126 Name of group: Teaching and Learning Strategic Priority Board

Title: Terms of reference - written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  GCSE / PISA.  50 – 90.  Literacy and Numeracy.  Curricular changes.  Foundation Phase.  IT for Learning.  Take responsibility for Business Plan action identified.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams in LAs, the delivery board and other stakeholders.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Barry Rees  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources (including confidential materials):  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

77 Page 127 Name of group: Support for Learning Strategic Priority Board

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Safeguarding Health Check used consistently regionally.  Monitoring system.  Oversight of working groups and actions.  Set strategy and scope for the next stage of regional working, e.g. EOTAS, LAC.  Set the focus for sub groups and hold to account.  Take responsibility for Business Plan action identified.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Gareth Morgans.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

78 Page 128 Leading Learning – Working Groups

Name of group: Governors Reference Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Oversight and informed of ERW progress and priorities.  Statutory.  Quick wins – agendas / general.  Reports, training and fact sheets.  Strategic / school inspection.  Check EAS aspect.  Copy all training to Helen Morgan Rees.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  The present chair is Eifion Evans.  Topics for the agenda be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

79 Page 129 Name of group: HR Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Strategic planning – HR.  Delivering Rewarding Excellence Programme.  Enabling engagement with Trade Unions.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams, the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The current chair is Ceri Davies  Topics for the agenda be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

80 Page 130 Name of group: 14-19 Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To provide the region with a unified strategic direction to bring about improvements in outcomes in the 14-19 phase and learner progression in line with the Youth Engagement & Progression Framework (YEPF).  To maintain a strategic overview of the work of Local Authority & Hub 14-19 Networks and monitor their progress.  To develop and support partnership working between education, training, health, social care, voluntary sector and youth support providers in the 14-19 phase and YEPF.  To be accountable for specific funded programmes through the current 14-19 RNDP grant and future Education Improvement Grant.  To facilitate sharing of effective practice across the region.  To establish task and finish groups as and when appropriate. The full group will decide the composition and Chair (if any) of these T and F groups.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams, the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Rob Hillier.  Topics for the agenda be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

81 Page 131 Teaching and Learning – Working Groups

Name of group: self Improving school system

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Effective delivery of Project.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams, the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Ian Thompson ( temp )  Topics for the agenda be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources:  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

82 Page 132 Name of group: Digital Learning Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Capacity building.  Support capacity building for digital literacy.  Develop support for school for new curriculum.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams, the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Ann Stoker.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

83 Page 133 Name of group: Literacy and Numeracy Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Operational consistency.  Training and development.  Strategy Implementation.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams the delivery board and the LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chair is Alan Edwards.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

84 Page 134 Support for Learning – Working Groups

Name of group: Attendance Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015.

Purpose / role of the group:  Penalty Notices.  Grant facilitation.  Best practice.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Stuart Bradley.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources (including confidential materials)  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

85 Page 135 Name of group: Safeguarding Working Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015.

Purpose / role of the group:  Secure consistent arrangements for health checks across all schools in the region.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Alison Parkinson.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

86 Page 136 Name of group: ALN Reform

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To bring together ALN Leads to develop an ERW approach to supporting implementation of ALN Reform  To support our schools and services to implement ALN Reform.  To develop an approach to delivering/supporting /sustaining PCP training in the three ERW Hubs.  To consider performance data of vulnerable groups (SEN, LAC, EAL) and provide report on outcomes, trends, issues.  To consider developing an ERW training programme on SEN issues.  To identify and share good practice.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams the delivery board and LAs.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Nichola Jones.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

87 Page 137 OTHER

Name of group: Advisory Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To create a secure infrastructure for ERW and the central team.  To provide pro-active advice as ERW plans its operational work.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. Chair yet to be nominated.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

88 Page 138 Name of group: Data Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To co-ordinate data requests made of schools.  To improve the way we use intelligence and reducing the burden on schools.  To set out annually: - Data required to be collected from schools - Eliminate duplication - Way data can be presented

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams and chair to report to HAM and BOC.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Gwion Dafydd.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

89 Page 139 Name of group: Finance Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To co-ordinate finance requests made of schools / LAs.  To improve the way we manage communications and reduce the burden on schools.  To set out annually: - Accountability / report requests - Timescales  Coordinate requests and answerability  Not for decision making but to inform officers to advise Directors  Enable and facilitate advice and discussion  Share best practice

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams and chair to report to HAM and BOC.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Matthew Holder.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

90 Page 140 Name of group: Legal Group

Title: Terms of reference – written March 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To co-ordinate and action legal requests made across six LAs  To improve the way we manage communications  To set out annually: - Accountability / report requests - Timescales  Coordinate requests and answerability  Not for decision making but to inform officers to advise Directors  Enable and facilitate advice and discussion  Share best practice  Reduce burden

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams and chair to report by exception to MD.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is TBC.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

91 Page 141 Name of group: Scrutiny Group

Title: Terms of reference – written March 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  To co-ordinate and facilitate the joint regional scrutiny Forward Work Programme  To improve the way we manage communications and accountability  To set out annually: - A work plan and respond to additional requests  Coordinate requests and answerability  Not for decision making but to inform officers to advise elected members and directors  Enable and facilitate advice and discussion  Share best practice

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams and chair to report by exception to MD.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Liz Patterson  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

92 Page 142 Name of group: Trade Union Reference Group

Title: Terms of reference – written January 2015

Purpose / role of the group:  Is a forum for ERW, local authority, teaching association and other trade union representatives to discuss and address strategic and region-wide workforce matters relating to teachers, school leaders and support staff.  Provides a formal opportunity for all trade unions to represent the views of their members in relation to the workforce implications of region-wide school improvement activities.  Participants in the forum aim to work in partnership to reinforce the importance of positive and effective workforce engagement leading to the raising of standards in schools.  The representatives of ERW's six constituent local authorities work collectively and collaboratively with the trade unions within the context of the Forum; all employer- related decisions required are subsequently made at the level of each individual local authority, recognising that ERW does not have an employer status in relation to the schools workforce.

Membership: See attached spreadsheet.

Accountability:  Individual group members are responsible for reporting back on activities of the group to their teams and LA.

Review:  As part of the ERW annual review this group will be reviewed annually on its relevance and value of its work and the terms of reference.

Working methods / ways of working:  The method of working will be a shared learning approach and joint decision making.  Sub groups to be convened if necessary to deliver particular work streams.  The chosen working method involve in practical terms will be meetings:-

 Meetings will be held twice a term.  A nominated chair from within the group will chair the meeting. The present chairperson is Aled Evans.  Topics for the agenda to be generated from the business plan and work streams.  Meeting papers to be circulated by email a week in advance of the meeting date.  Format of meetings be formal and may include small group discussions.  Non-members may be invited to group meetings under certain circumstances.  ERW central team will provide secretariat for the group.

Sharing of information and resources  Group members will share information and resources via email.  There will be a web space for the group, it will be password protected and managed by the central team.

93 Page 143 Delivery Board

Cadeirydd / Chair: Betsan O'Connor Cymorth / Support: Louise Fraser-Cole

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Betsan O'Connor ERW [email protected] Barry Rees Ceredigion [email protected] Ian Roberts Powys [email protected] Gareth Morgans Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Helen Morgan Rees CNPT / NPT [email protected] Meinir Ebbsworth Ceredigion [email protected] Alan Walters Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Andi Morgan Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Sue Crowley Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Mike Daley CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Yan James Powys [email protected]

Sian Pascoe Abertawe / Swansea [email protected] Chris Millis CNPT / NPT [email protected]

James White Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Graham Jones ERW [email protected] Alan Edwards ERW [email protected] Ian Thompson ERW [email protected]

Ruth Lee ERW [email protected]

94 Page 144 Leading Learning Priority Board

Cadeirydd / Chair: Kate Evan-Hughes Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Kate Evan Hughes Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Andi Morgan Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Ian Thompson ERW [email protected] Robert Jenkins Ceredigion [email protected] Sian Fielding Powys [email protected] Tom Fanning Ceredigion [email protected]

Nicola Morgan CNPT / NPT [email protected] Paul Hughes Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Graham Jones ERW [email protected]

Working Group - Governor Reference Group Cadeirydd / Chair: Eifion Evans Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Eifion Evans Ceredigion [email protected]

Betsan O'Connor ERW [email protected]

Arthur Davies CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Eleri Maskall Ceredigion [email protected]

Jane Davies Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Jeff Bowen Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Richard Warrender Ceredigion [email protected]

Robert Elward Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Stuart Walder Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Huw Roberts CNPT / NPT [email protected] Huw Patrick Powys [email protected]

Working Group - Governor Support Group Cadeirydd / Chair: Huw Roberts Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Huw Roberts CNPT / NPT [email protected] Sir Gar-Sir Benfro / Carmarthen-

Steve Russell-Stretch Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Beth Groves Powys [email protected]

Kathryn Thomas Abertawe / Swansea [email protected] John Burge CNPT / NPT [email protected] Angela Evans Ceredigion [email protected]

Nia James Ceredigion [email protected] Amanda Ryan Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Paul Hughes Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

95 Page 145 Working Group - HR Group Cadeirydd / Chair: Graham Jones Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Graham Jones ERW [email protected] Ceri Davies Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Cathryn Davies Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Caroline Lewis Ceredigion [email protected]

Lorna Simpson Powys [email protected]

Leslie Heger Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Working Group - 14 - 19 Cadeirydd / Chair: Rob Hillier Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Rob Hillier Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Matt Morden Sir Gar / Carmarthen [email protected]

Sian Pascoe Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Elen James Ceredigion [email protected]

Marian Evans Powys [email protected]

Sian Davies CNPT / NPT [email protected]

96 Page 146 Teaching and Learning - Priority Board

Cadeirydd / Chair: Barry Rees Cymorth / Support: Sarah Hughes

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Barry Rees Ceredigion [email protected] Sue Crowley Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Lynette Lovell Powys [email protected]

Sian Pascoe Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Heidi Brenton Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Gill Eales Powys [email protected]

Leyton Jones Abertawe / Swansea [email protected] Ann Stoker CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Alan Edwards ERW [email protected] Catrin Griffiths Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Daniel Owen Powys [email protected]

Working Group - 50 - 90 Cadeirydd / Chair: Leyton Jones Cymorth / Support: Sarah Hughes

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Leyton Jones - (Cadeirydd / Chair) Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Daniel Owen Powys [email protected] Christine Williams Ceredigion [email protected]

Sian Rowles Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Aneirin Thomas Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Hefina Thomas SCC [email protected]

Alyson Thomas Leaders of Learning [email protected]

Rhys Harris CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Working Group - IT for Learning Cadeirydd / Chair: Ann Stoker Cymorth / Support: Sarah Hughes

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Ann Stoker CNPT / NPT [email protected] Greg Morgan Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Kay Morris Ceredigion [email protected] Eurig Townes Powys [email protected] Steve Jones Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Bethan Williams Leaders of Learning [email protected]

Duncan Whitehurst Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

97 Page 147

Working Group - Literacy & Numeracy Cadeirydd / Chair: Alan Edwards Cymorth / Support: Sarah Hughes

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Alan Edwards - (Cadeirydd / Chair) ERW [email protected]

Eva John Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Marian Morgan Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Kerry Templeton Abertawe / Swansea [email protected] Alyson Thomas Leader of Learning /NPT [email protected] Meinir Ebbsworth Ceredigion [email protected]

Rhian Rees Ceredigion [email protected]

Liwsi Harries Ceredigion [email protected] Lynette Lovell Powys [email protected]

Alison Beynon NPT [email protected]

Llinos Jones Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Nia Vaughan Ceredigion [email protected]

Working Group - Cymraeg Mewn Addysg / Welsh in Education Cadeirydd / Chair: Catrin Griffiths Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Catrin Griffiths Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Nerys Llewelyn Ceredigion [email protected]

Delyth Jones Powys [email protected]

Nerys Jones Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Rhian Dunn Leader of Learning [email protected]

Gill Richards CNPT / NPT [email protected] Marian Phillips Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Delyth Mainwaring Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Gwenan Hughes Powys [email protected]

98 Page 148

Support for Learning Priority Board

Cadeirydd / Chair: Gareth Morgans Cymorth / Support: Louise Fraser-Cole

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Gareth Morgans Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Joan Bessant ERW [email protected]

Nichola Jones Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Hayley Lervy CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Gillian Evans Ceredigion [email protected]

Keith Bralstaff Powys [email protected] Cressida Morgan Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected] Stuart Bradley Ceredigion [email protected]

Gwion Dafydd ERW [email protected] Cheryl Loughlin Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Robin Brown Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Working Group - Attendance Cadeirydd / Chair: Stuart Bradley Cymorth / Support: Louise Fraser -Cole

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Stuart Bradley Ceredigion [email protected]

Joan Bessant ERW [email protected]

Cara Huggins Sir Benffo / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Imtiaz Bhatti Powys [email protected]

Phil Monaghan Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Lesley Mathews CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Bethan T James Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Susan Griffiths Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Working Group - Safeguarding Cadeirydd / Chair: Cheryl Loughlin Cymorth / Support: Louise Fraser-Cole

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Cheryl Loughlin Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Joan Bessant ERW [email protected]

Amanda Hinton CNPT / NPT [email protected] John Mitson Powys [email protected]

Bethan Tinney Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Kathryn Thomas Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Sera Llewelyn Ceredigion [email protected]

99 Page 149

Working Group - ALN Reform Cadeirydd / Chair: Nichola Jones Cymorth / Support: Louise Fraser -Cole

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Nichola Jones Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Joan Bessant ERW [email protected] Gillian Evans Ceredigion [email protected]

Rebecca Williams Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Cheryl Hopkins Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Keith Bralstaff Powys [email protected] Hayley Lervy CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Cheryl Jones Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Data Working Group Cadeirydd / Chair: Gwion Dafydd Cymorth / Support: Gwion Dafydd

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email

Gwion Dafydd ERW / Ceredigion [email protected]

Rhodri Beaumont Ceredigion [email protected]

Chris Cooper Powys [email protected]

Lisa Jenkins Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Neil Morris Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Siân Rowles Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Glenn Evans Sir Gâr / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Mark Thomas Sir Gâr / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Mike Jones Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Sian Pascoe Abertawe / Swansea [email protected]

Carl Glover CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Mike Daley CNPT / NPT [email protected]

100 Page 150

Headteacher Representative Board

Cadeirydd / Chair: Mike Gibbon Cymorth / Support: Sarah Hughes

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Edna Davies Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Anne Lloyd Swansea [email protected]

Helen Starkey Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Hugh Davies Swansea [email protected]

Jan Kingston Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Karen Lawrence Powys [email protected] Mike Gibbon Neath Port Talbot [email protected]

Sally Speedy Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Tom Fanning Ceredigion [email protected] Steve Perks Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Wyn Evans Ceredigion [email protected] Julie Kay Powys [email protected] Tracey Senchal Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Dr Nick Poole Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected] Gwilym Jones CNPT / NPT [email protected]

Trade Unions Cadeirydd / Chair: Aled Evans Cymorth / Support: Ruth Moore

Enw / Name ALl / LA Ebost / Email Aled Evans CNPT / NPT [email protected] Betsan O'Connor ERW Betsan.O'[email protected]

Graham Jones ERW [email protected]

Caroline Lewis Ceredigion [email protected]

Ceri Davies Sir Benfro / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

Karen Holt CNPT / NPT [email protected]

John Bevan Powys [email protected] Lesley Heger Sir Gar / Carmarthenshire [email protected]

Cathryn Davies Sir Gar / Pembrokeshire [email protected]

101 Page 151

SECTION 5

Success Criteria

This sections highlights key success criteria for each work stream

102 Page 152

Success Criteria

This section draws together all the success criteria that ERW expect over the next three years. Each work stream has identified challenging and aspirational questions

 Literacy and Numeracy

 Digital Learning

 Reducing the impact of poverty on attainment (Poverty)

 Professional Learning (and Leadership)

 Self Improving School System

 Curriculum Support (14-19, FP, GCSE, Welsh Bac, PISA)

 Governor Support

 Welsh in Education

 HR

 MEAG

 Teacher assessment

 Monitoring, support, challenge, intervention (and categorisation) MSCI

 Safeguarding

 Support for Learning

 Schools Causing Concern

 Quality Assurance

103 Page 153 Work stream: Literacy and Numeracy

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are learners developing their literacy and numeracy skills at and above expected levels?  Are learners able to apply their literacy and numeracy skills successfully in context across the curriculum?  Do ERW schools have the capacity to deliver and drive improvement in literacy and numeracy?  Is numeracy being as well developed across all subjects as literacy?

 Do ERW’s schools comply with all statutory requirements of the LNF?  Are schools being provided with the correct and necessary support to help them improve?  Are we challenging pupil progress Worksufficiently stream: to ensure all pupil Literacys make good and or better Numeracy progress in their literacy and numeracy skills?  Is our bespoke and central training fit for purpose?  Are LPLNs being used effectively toWhat add capacity andsuccess support school improvement?will look like  Are Challenge Advisers effectively brokering support from subject specialists, to target and drive school improvement?

2016 – 2017

 Is the LNF embedded in our schools?

 Are all green and yellow schools engaging in supportive arrangements where they can build their own capacity whilst supporting others?  Do we have confident schools taking risks to strive for excellence?  Are we strengthening the index of excellence by including specific practice in relation to literacy and numeracy development?  Are we effectively Quality Assuring the work of subject specialist officers across all LAs?

2017 – 2018

 Are schools well supported by each other?  Have standards in literacy and numeracy accelerated at a quicker pace than in the previous three years and at a faster pace than other regions?  Are our learners better able to engage with further learning because of improved literacy and numeracy skills?

104 Page 154

Work stream: Digital Learning

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are learners developing their ICT skills at and above expected levels?  Are learners able to apply their ICT skills successfully in context across the curriculum?  Are teachers and support staff fully equipped support learners to develop and use their ICT skills for learning?  Do ERW schools have the capacity to deliver and drive improvement in ICT for learning?  Do ERW schools monitor their e-safety practices in school?

 Are learners able to keep themselves safe online?  Are schools being provided with the correct and necessary support to help them improve?  Are we challenging pupil progress sufficiently to ensure all pupils make good or better progress in their ICT skills?  Is our bespoke and central training fit for purpose?

 Are Hwb+ accredited trainers being used effectively to add capacity and support school improvement?  Are Challenge Advisers effectively brokering support from subject specialists, to target and drive school improvement?

2016 – 2017

 Is ICT as a cross-curricular skill embedded in our schools?  Are all green and yellow schools engaging in supportive arrangements where they can build their own

capacity whilst supporting others?  Do we have confident schools taking risks to strive for excellence?  Are we strengthening the index of excellence by including specific practice in relation to ICT development?

 Are we effectively Quality Assuring the work of subject specialist officers across all LAs?  Have we developed teachers’ digital pedagogy to deliver new curriculum?

2017 – 2018

 Are schools well supported by each other?

 Have standards in ICT as a subject and across the curriculum accelerated at a quicker pace than in the previous three years and at a faster pace than other regions?

 Are our learners better able to engage with further learning because of improved ICT skills? 105 Page 155

Work stream: Poverty

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are pupils on FSM showing accelerated progress to reduce the impact of poverty on attainment?  Do we have a common Vulnerable Assessment Profile across the region?  Has good practice in transition at all phases been identified and signposted? Learners make informed choices that raise aspiration in family.  Do we have a common data toolkit that identifies successful schools in closing the gap?  To narrow the attainment gap at the end of Foundation Phase by 15% by the end of 2016.  To raise attainment by 15 year olds eligible for FSM of the level 2 inclusive of E/W and Maths to 30% by 2016.

 To reduce the number of young people who are NEET across the ERW region on leaving Year 11 to 3.5% of cohort.

2016 – 2017

 Schools take a central role in coordinating and planning early interventions within the community, working with all agencies.  Do all schools self-evaluate; plan and deliver the appropriate curriculum for all learners.  Reduce the impact of poverty on attainment at the end of the Foundation Phase by 10% by 2017.  To raise attainment by 15 year olds eligible for FSM of the level 2 inclusive of E/W and Maths to 37% by 2016.  To reduce the number of young people who are NEET across the ERW region on leaving Year 11 to 3.3% of cohort.

2017 – 2018

 Learners from deprived backgrounds benefit from the highest teaching and learning.

 Successful schools have active and effective leadership and deploy staff appropriately and effectively to tackle poverty.  Reduce the impact of poverty on attainment at the end of the Foundation Phase by 8% by 2017.

 To raise attainment by 15 year olds eligible for FSM of the level 2 inclusive of E/W and Maths to 40% by 2016.  To reduce the number of young people who are NEET across the ERW region on leaving Year 11 to 3.1% of cohort.

106 Page 156

Work stream: Governor Support

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Have we organised an appropriate training programme?  Are governors confident in their role?

 Are governors fulfilling their statutory duty?  Is there a high quality training programme and support package being delivered consistently across the region?  Are governors in key roles aware of their responsibilities and able to deliver in a safe and effective way?  Do governors understand their critical role in supporting and challenging their school to raise standards?  Do governors fully understand the national categorisation of schools and the impact of their role?

Work stream: Professional Learning/Leadership 2016 – 2017

 Have we have targeted the appropriate resource according to need?  Have we highlighted the appropriate current priorities?  Has the training and support impacted upon What the ability does of governors success to challenge lookand offer like? support to their schools?  Has the delivery methods been effective and how can they be improved (ICT / social media)?  Are the Governor group and the hubs working effectively to deliver the agreed programme?  Is communication effective between governor support and school improvement?

2017 – 2018

 How well does the school to school support extend to governor support?

107 Page 157

Work stream: Curriculum Support

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are schools well equipped to meet the necessary changes to the curriculum?  Are our advisers fully informed and able to advise schools on recent and proposed curricular changes?

 Are we prepared for the changes to the GCSEs for 2015/2016?  Are all schools effectively implementing the statutory requirements for foundation phase?  Are Primary schools better equipped to develop pupils Scientific Literacy?  Are schools well supported early enough to plan for effective curriculum change?  Do all groups of learners perform at or above expected levels in all curricular subjects?  Is there a reduction in the gender and FSM gap in performance?  Are learner needs being identified at an early stage and appropriate support and curricular provision put in place?  Are Challenge Advisers effectively brokering support from subject specialists and lead schools, to target and drive school improvement?

2016 – 2017

 Do we have effective systems to identify and share best practice across all key stage, particularly in Foundation Phase?

 Do learners have access to an inclusive and varied curriculum to meet their individual needs, especially at Key Stage 4?  Do we have confident schools taking risks to strive for excellence?  Are we effectively quality assuring the work of Challenge Advisers and subject specialists across all LAs?

2017 – 2018

 Are schools well supported by each other?

 Are we enhancing the effective practice embedded in Foundation Phase?  Have standards in all subjects and phases accelerated at a quicker pace than in the previous 3 years and at a faster pace than other regions?  Are our learners better able to engage with further learning because of their improved literacy and numeracy skills?

108 Page 158

Work stream: Teacher Assessment

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Have we organised an appropriate training programme?  Are Leaders of assessment confident in their role?

 Are schools fulfilling their statutory duty?  Is there a high quality training programme and support package being delivered consistently across the region to support and enable schools to standardise and moderate well?  Do governors understand their critical role in supporting and challenging their school to raise standards and making sure assessment is fair and robustly moderated?  Are we confident about the impact of accurate teacher assessment?

2016 – 2017

 Have we have targeted the appropriate resource according to need?  Have we highlighted the appropriate current priorities?  Has the training and support impacted upon the ability of schools and their leaders of assessment to challenge and offer support to their peer schools?  Has the delivery methods been effective and how can they be improved (ICT / social media)?

2017 – 2018

 Does the workforce have confidence In the TA system?

 Have regional systems to moderate and standardise TAs, increased resilience in schools to asses confidently and consistently?

109 Page 159

Work stream: Early Years and

Foundation Phase

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Have standards increased in LLC, MD and PSDCDWB across the region?  Have numbers of teachers and practitioners with the necessary skills to improve and influence others in their schools

and settings particularly in relation to exemplary Foundation Phase pedagogy increased?  Have all relevant practitioners working in the Foundation Phase been trained?  Has Foundation Phase training and guidance had a direct impact on the raising of standards in teaching and learning?  Have children needing additional support in the Foundation Phase been indentified and supported?  Have the highest achieving schools in regards to standards and pedagogy been identified and are they being used to support teams and sharing good practice school to school?  Are coordinators involved in self evaluation processes?  Is there accurate standardisation and moderation across the region?

201 6 – 2017

 Are teachers in Reception and Yr 2 classes all using the Foundation Phase Pupil Profile successfully?  Is training for Nursery / Non – maintained and Year 1 teachers on FPP?  Are the revised areas of learning successfully planned for in Foundation Phase classrooms?

 Can the region continue to increase standards in LLC, MD and PSDWBCD across the region?  Can pupils develop literacy and numeracy skills above expected levels?  Are Foundation Phase pupils able to use Literacy and Numeracy skills across all Areas of Learning?  Is there effective use of outdoor provision in developing children’s Literacy and Numeracy skills?  Is there Quality Assurance of FPP and TAs?  Are Coordinators involved in the self evaluation processes?

2017 – 2018

 Is tracking of pupils of FPP used effectively to identify ALN and MAT pupils from an All Wales baseline?

 Is early identification used effectively to support all learners with learning differences?

 Can the region continue to increase standards in LLC, MD and PSDWBCD across the region?  Are pupils developing literacy and numeracy skills above expected levels?

 Are Foundation Phase pupils able to use Literacy and Numeracy skills across all Areas of Learning?  Is there effective use of outdoor provision in developing children’s Literacy and Numeracy skills?  Is there Quality Assurance of FPP and TAs? 110 Page 160

Work stream: Self Improving School System

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Has the rollout of the Index of Excellence in all secondary schools in the region be implemented, to include effective monitoring?  Second core visit – Has sustaining teaching and learning as a focus for second core visit found that all schools are engaged in school to school support? (100% of schools to receive entitlement according to agreed ERW guidance)  School self-evaluation & Improvement planning – Do all SER and SIP to comply with WG legislation?  Are schools fully engaged in the process of developing a self improving system across the region?  Do we have successful pathfinders which can share effective strategies for the next two years?

 Are we able to evidence improved outcomes due to effective school to school support?  Is morale enhanced?

2016 – 2017

 Have we seen improvements to the index profile of secondary schools and successfully rolled out to all primary schools? – Improvement in secondary school profile and profile of categorization. Introduce primary schools to process

 Second Core Visit – have we maintained focus on teaching and learning and support between schools?  School self-evaluation & Improvement planning – Is the judgment on planning is focused more on outcomes for learners than systems and processes?

 Is the proportion of brokered support between schools increasing at the planned pace?  Are all green and yellow schools engaging in supportive arrangements where they can build their own capacity whilst supporting others?  Do we have confident schools taking risks to strive for excellence?  Are we strengthening the index of excellence and maintaining its focus?

2017 – 2018

 Are schools well supported by each other?  Are the few schools not engaged with others supported and facilitated to engage?  Have standards accelerated at a quicker pace than in the previous three years and at a faster pace than other regions?

111 Page 161

Work stream: Monitoring, Support, Challenge

and Intervention

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Is the national categorisation system consistently implemented across the region by suitably trained and effective Challenge Advisers? As a consequence, is challenge, support and intervention for schools robust, appropriate and credible?  Is school to school support increasing and recognised as an important part of school improvement and for developing leadership skills in schools across the phases?  Has Challenge Adviser training and self analysis led to all meeting the national standards and providing high quality support to schools?  Are pre-inspection reports to Estyn accurate, fair and objective?

2016 – 2018

 Is the national categorisation system fully embedded and consistent across the region?

 Is school to school support embedded across the region? Do schools benefit from this support while developing their own leadership skills in providing systemic change?

112 Page 162 Work stream: Professional Learning

and Leadership

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are the pilot Professional Learning Schools are developing effectively in supporting ITET students?  Have the LA training programmes for NQTs been evaluated and reviewed?  Is a suitable modular middle leader programme is being delivered and accessed through UWTSD? Is

regional guidance for middle leader training at LA and school level available, supported by signposting to examples of good practice?  Are effective OTP and ITP programmes are being delivered (OLEVI/UWTSD)?  Have pilot programmes for secondary aspiring senior leaders and Headteachers have been completed and reviewed?  Will the content of the revised national NPQH programme be delivered effectively to meet specific LA needs across the region?  Has the pilot programme for newly appointed/acting/new primary Headteachers has been completed and reviewed? Do existing newly appointed HT networks have a common curriculum and is national funding employed effectively in support of their content?  Have bespoke professional learning events for Headteachers have been planned, delivered, evaluated and reviewed?

 Has Challenge Adviser training has been planned, delivered, evaluated and reviewed?

201 6 – 2018

 Is an increasing number of Professional Learning Schools evident?  Is a consistent and effective NQT professional learning programme being successfully delivered across the three hubs within the region?  Is the UWTSD middle leader modular programme fit for purpose and is it being delivered effectively across the region?  Do the OTP and ITP programmes successfully develop good and excellent teachers across the region?

 Are the aspiring secondary senior leaders and Headteachers programmes being delivered effectively across all hubs in the region?  Does the NPQH programme effectively supports the region’s Headteacher leadership needs for the future?  Are newly appointed/acting/new Primary Headteachers able to access effective practical training across

the region?  Do professional learning events for practising Headteachers working in all sectors/settings have credibility and effectively address national and regional priorities and developments?  Can Challenge Advisers access appropriate professional learning at national and regional levels?

113 Page 163

Work stream: Welsh in Education

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Have we given schools suitable data and information in order to compare their performance in Welsh and through the medium of Welsh?

 Have we provided high quality resources to schools?  Have we developed a regional language charter?  Has Welsh GCSE improved outcomes following interventions to support the new programme of study?

2016 – 2017

 Are schools better placed to deliver the new curriculum and the use of Welsh as a consequence of the support we have provided?  Have we consistently built on our regional coordination of the WESPs and welsh in education?

114 Page 164

Work stream: Minority Ethnic Pupils

What will success look like?

2015 – 2016

 Are pupils Minority Ethnic showing accelerated progress to narrow the gap at all levels?  What does good practice look like?  Are schools aware of which family of schools they belong to on the basis of minority ethnic pupils?  To narrow the attainment gap at the end of KS4 by 2016 (individual LA determined)

2016 – 2017

 Schools take a central role in coordinating and planning early interventions within the community, working with all agencies.  Do all schools self-evaluate; plan and deliver the appropriate curriculum for all learners.  To continue to narrow the attainment gap at the end KS4 by2017 (individual LA determined)

2017 – 2018

 Learners from deprived backgrounds benefit from the highest teaching and learning.  Successful schools have active and effective leadership and deploy staff appropriately and effectively to support attainment of minority ethnic groups.  To continue to narrow the attainment gap at the end KS4 by2018 (individual LA determined)

115 Page 165

Appendix 1

Explanatory Notes

 All pupil performance data used is verified by WG and published in the Statistical Bulletin unless noted otherwise

 ERW adheres to CIPFAs expectations and as outlined in the ERW Code of Corporate Governance (hyperlink)

 ERW works within the boundaries set out in the inter-authority legal agreement which established the Joint Committee

 HOH = Head of Hub

MD = Managing Director

HLD = Head of Leadership and Development

HLN = Head of Literacy and Numeracy

HHR = Head of HR

HDL = Head of Digital Learning

LOT = Learning Observation Tool

Deialog = Index of Excellence

SISS = Self improving school system

LOL = Leaders of Learning

MSCI = Monitoring, Support, Challenge, Intervention

116 Page 166 Appendix 2

The following six strategies support the delivery of ERW’s Business Plan.

 Leadership of Learning  Teaching and Learning  Support for Learning  Self improving school system  Literacy and Numeracy  Reducing the Impact of Poverty on Attainment

117 Page 167 Appendix 3

Annual overview

Month Finance Data Planning and improvement Progress report BP In Out In Out April PLASC Data from Financial plan review LAs May Annual self evaluation report June Advert in Secondary Challenge Adviser self analysis End of quarter 1 report Press for School NEWBES and review Inspection of pupil data PRU ERW Cohorts MONITORING RISK REGISTER Page 168 Page accounts(Start June) Certified Pre Audit Accounts (Internal) July Accounts on All NDC data for Provisional Revise arrangements for Ladder view for public Primary and Categorisation of Support and Intervention Inspection for Secondary ERW Primary 20 days. Draft Secondary Schools financial Attendance statements to School changes each Director in Sept including of Finance Mergers Closures Openings

August WJEC PDFS A ERW Position Level from All re A Level LAs Combined results GCSE school ERW Position level cohort and RE GCSE Grade(Template) September ERW JOINT Provisional ERW Primary MONITORING RISK REGISTER End of quarter 2 report Committee to SSSPs and Data Pack V1 approve and Candidate and ERW publish Reports Secondary accounts Data Pack V1 together with released for an audit Individual certificate(End schools Las

Page 169 Page Sept) and ERW Annual Governance Statement Primary signed Attendance October ERW Staff performance management Secondary Data Pack V2 Provisional Categorisation ERW Secondary Schools November Final SSSPs and Candidate Reports

119

December ERW Primary MONITOR RIK REGISTER End of quarter 3 report Data Pack V2 and ERW Secondary Data Pack V3 Secondary Quartile Summary January WG publish categorisation on My Local School February March Staff performance management End of quarter 4 report Page 170 Page END OF YEAR review of BP

ALSO END OF YEAR STATEMENT JC MEMBER – JON HASWELL

120

Appendix 4

Finance

This section sets out the value of grants offered to ERW and the Central Budget and Local Authority contributions for 2015- 2016

Page 171 The monetary values of the grants received during 2014-2015 are listed below;

Grant Name Value (£) Pupil Deprivation Grant 17,647,632 School Effectiveness Grant 7,582,502 14-19 Learning Pathways 2,825,433 Welsh in Education 1,778,590 Schools Challenge Cymru 1,311,134 GCSE / Milan 1,219,900 Regional Collaboration Fund 520,000 Physical Literacy 230,000 Band 4/5 Schools 170,000 Lead Practitioners - Tranche 1 & 2 162,000 Attendance Grant 150,000 Mentoring Support for Headteachers 87,900 Welsh Baccalaureate 75,000 New Areas of Learning 75,000 Learning in Digital Wales CPD 71,048 Numeracy & Literacy 67,700 Pupil Deprivation Grant – Capacity 50,000 Higher Level Teaching Assistants 42,690 National Qualification for Headteachers 40,000 Lead Practitioners – ALN 25,000 Yr 6 National Numeracy Tests 5,000

Total 34,136,529

122 Page 172 Central Team Budget for 2015-2016

Annual Cost 2015-2016 Budget Approved by Joint Committee (£000’s) CENTRAL COSTS Salaries 379 Travel, Subsistence, Training & Development 10 389

RUNNING COSTS Accommodation 20 Stationary/Telephone/Printing/Equipment/IT 21 Translation 10 Conference Support / Programme Costs 10 61

FACILITATION Infrastructure Agreements 53 53

TOTAL ESTIMATED COST 503

ANNUAL INCOME Local Authority Contributions 250 Grant Support 153 Local Authority Reserves 100 TOTAL ESTIMATED INCOME 503

NET EXPENDITURE -

Local Authority Contributions

Local Authority Contribution (£’s) Carmarthenshire 52,250 Ceredigion 18,500 Neath Port-Talbot 39,750 Pembrokeshire 35,250 Powys 36,000 City and County of Swansea 68,250 Total 250,000

123 Page 173 Challenge Advisers

Each Local Authority commits to securing 59 FTEs to work as part of the ERW team.

124 Page 174

Appendix 5

Breakdown of schools as categorised in ERW 2014 – 2015

PRIMARY SCHOOL CATEGORISATION

ERWEin Rhanbarth ar Waith Education through Regional Working

3.8 4.5 6.1 2.0 3.3 5.9 4.1

23.1 31.8 28.6 29.7 23.0 41.2 30.0

51.3 51.5 40.8 51.5 62.3 40.0 49.5

78 66 49 101 61 85 21.8 12.1 24.5 16.8 11.5 12.9 16.4

125 Page 175 SECONDARY SCHOOL CATEGORISATION

ERWEin Rhanbarth ar Waith Education through Regional Working

7.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.0 8.3 6.3

7.1 0.0 28.6 25.0 25.0 25.0 17.2

50.0 54.5 71.4 58.3 50.0 58.3 56.3

14 11 7 12 8 12 35.7 45.5 0.0 16.7 0.0 8.3 20.3

126 Page 176 Appendix 6

Ceredigion 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 FPI 81.4 85.9 87.9 LCW 86.1 88.1 90.6 LCE 80.0 85.0 88.1 MDT 89.0 90.7 90.5 PSD 91.0 96.0 95.9

Powys 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Pembrokeshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

FPI 79.3 84.7 89.6 FOUNDATION PHASE FPI 79.8 84.5 88.7 LCW 80.8 82.2 91.6 PERFORMANCE LCW 82.7 85.5 91.8 LCE 84.4 88.2 91.0 LCE 83.8 87.0 89.4 MDT 85.9 88.7 91.3 MDT 88.0 88.4 91.6 PSD 90.2 93.8 96.2 2011/12 - 2013/14 PSD 88.7 94.0 95.7

Page 177 Page Carmarthenshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 NPT 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 FPI 82.0 81.6 84.1 FPI 77.2 81.7 84.2 LCW 85.4 86.2 89.2 LCW 85.2 87.4 91.8 LCE 83.8 81.0 81.1 LCE 81.0 84.1 84.2 MDT 86.8 85.9 88.1 MDT 84.5 85.4 87.6 PSD 92.7 93.0 94.0 PSD 89.7 93.3 94.3

Swansea 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 WALES 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 FPI 77.6 80.1 83.9 LCW 85.8 89.4 89.0 FPI 80.5 83.0 85.2 LCE 81.3 81.6 85.5 LCW 85.9 86.7 89.8 LCE 83.4 85.2 86.6 MDT 84.8 85.7 87.1 MDT 86.6 87.4 88.7 PSD 89.8 93.2 94.1 PSD 90.8 93.0 94.2

If a figure is coloured green, that LA was the highest performer in that subject in that

year. 17/10/2014 Date: If a figure is coloured red, that LA was the lowest performer in that subject in that year.

Ceredigion 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 CSI 86.4 87.3 89.1 Welsh 84.8 83.4 88.8 English 88.2 90.4 91.2 Mathematics 89.7 88.8 92.3 Science 91.5 91.7 93.6

Powys 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Pembrokeshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

CSI 84.8 86.4 88.3 KEY STAGE 2 CSI 82.7 82.8 88.7 Welsh 87.9 84.3 92.9 PERFORMANCE Welsh 84.3 86.7 87.6 English 87.5 88.5 90.3 English 86.6 86.5 90.7 Mathematics 88.3 89.1 90.3 Mathematics 87.0 86.7 90.9 Science 90.6 90.8 92.1 2011/12 - 2013/14 Science 90.3 90.7 93.2

Carmarthenshire 178 Page 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 NPT 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 CSI 83.9 85.4 87.4 CSI 80.7 82.0 84.1 Welsh 83.2 84.5 84.4 Welsh 87.3 91.0 87.7 English 85.7 87.2 90.0 English 83.7 85.5 86.3 Mathematics 88.4 88.1 89.7 Mathematics 84.5 85.5 86.9 Science 89.9 90.7 91.1 Science 87.4 87.8 87.6

Swansea 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 WALES 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 CSI 83.6 84.3 87.3 Welsh 90.6 91.2 89.5 CSI 82.6 84.3 86.1 English 86.2 87.4 88.8 Welsh 84.0 86.7 88.1 English 85.2 87.1 88.4 Mathematics 88.3 86.9 89.8 Mathematics 86.8 87.5 88.9 Science 88.7 88.7 90.8 Science 88.5 89.7 90.3

If a figure is coloured green, that LA was the highest performer in that subject in that year. 17/10/2014 If a figure is coloured red, that LA was the lowest performer in that subject in that year. Date:

128

Ceredigion 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 CSI 81.7 83.8 89.0 Welsh 88.1 89.4 89.8 English 85.9 89.1 90.5 Mathematics 87.6 86.9 91.5 Science 89.4 91.7 93.5

Powys 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Pembrokeshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

CSI 76.8 83.0 86.5 KEY STAGE 3 CSI 76.9 80.0 81.1 Welsh 87.8 90.2 94.2 PERFORMANCE Welsh 87.0 90.2 95.3 English 82.9 87.3 90.3 English 83.3 85.1 85.8 Mathematics 84.6 88.2 89.8 Mathematics 85.3 85.9 87.4 Science 86.4 90.5 94.4 2011/12 - 2013/14 Science 85.6 89.2 91.2

Carmarthenshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 NPT 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Page 179 Page CSI 74.3 77.1 84.5 CSI 68.8 73.1 73.1 Welsh 83.2 83.6 88.7 Welsh 80.3 85.5 86.0 English 81.6 83.1 88.5 English 75.6 79.1 80.6 Mathematics 82.2 83.8 88.4 Mathematics 76.9 79.3 79.9 Science 84.6 86.2 91.1 Science 79.2 82.8 84.3

Swansea 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 WALES 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 CSI 73.3 76.4 80.6 Welsh 88.6 87.6 89.9 CSI 72.5 77.0 81.0 English 80.2 82.3 85.1 Welsh 84.2 87.6 90.1 English 79.3 82.9 85.9 Mathematics 81.0 82.4 86.9 Mathematics 81.1 83.9 86.5 Science 83.1 85.9 89.8 Science 83.6 87.0 90.4

If a figure is coloured green, that LA was the highest performer in that subject in that year. 17/10/2014 If a figure is coloured red, that LA was the lowest performer in that subject in that year. Date:

129

Ceredigion 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 L2+ 52.1 62.0 61.3 L2 77.6 83.4 87.3 L1 94.5 95.4 97.1 CSI 52.0 59.4 59.7 CapPoints 338.8 351.5 358.7

Powys 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 Pembrokeshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

L2+ 61.5 58.1 59.2 KEY STAGE 4 L2+ 56.1 51.9 52.8 L2 78.5 82.6 85.8 PERFORMANCE L2 75.8 78.1 82.4 L1 95.1 94.9 96.3 L1 92.3 93.5 94.5 CSI 58.2 53.2 55.9 CSI 53.2 49.3 49.4 CapPoints 342.0 346.0 350.8 2011/12 - 2013/14 CapPoints 328.3 336.0 343.2

Page 180 Page Carmarthenshire 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 NPT 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 L2+ 51.1 53.9 58.3 L2+ 54.1 56.0 55.6 L2 69.5 78.0 84.2 L2 82.3 87.0 89.1 L1 92.7 94.8 95.2 L1 95.5 95.9 96.5 CSI 48.7 50.6 55.5 CSI 50.8 52.6 53.6 CapPoints 326.7 342.1 350.3 CapPoints 339.0 350.3 350.8

Swansea 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 WALES 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 L2+ 54.6 55.3 58.7 L2 74.6 79.3 85.1 L2+ 51.1 52.7 55.1 L1 92.8 93.8 95.2 L2 72.6 77.8 82.0 L1 91.8 93.2 93.8 CSI 52.5 52.9 55.7 CSI 48.9 49.2 51.9 CapPoints 328.8 338.9 348.3 CapPoints 323.5 333.1 340.0

If a figure is coloured green, that LA was the highest performer in that subject in that year. 17/10/2014 Date: If a figure is coloured red, that LA was the lowest performer in that subject in that year.

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This page is intentionally left blank C226- 2015

CYNGOR SIR POWYS COUNTY COUNCIL.

AUDIT COMMITTEE 12th November 2015

CABINET 24th November 2015

REPORT AUTHOR: County Councillor Wynne Jones Portfolio Holder for Finance

SUBJECT: Treasury Management Qtr 2 Report

REPORT FOR: Information

1. Summary

1.1 CIPFA’s Treasury Management Bulletin issued in March 2009 suggested:

“In order to enshrine best practice it is suggested that authorities report formally on treasury management activities at least twice a year and preferably quarterly.”

The CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management emphasises a number of key areas including the following:-

xi. Treasury management performance and policy setting should be subject to scrutiny prior to implementation.

1.2 In line with the above this report is providing information on the activities for the quarter ending 30th September 2015.

2. Economic Background and Forecasts

2.1 The economic background is attached at Appendix B.

2.2 The most recent forecast of interest rates by the Authority’s advisor is as follows:

Dec 15 Mar 16 Jun 16 Sep 16 Dec 16 Mar 17 Jun 17 Sep 17 Bank 0.50% 0.50% 0.75% 0.75% 1.00% 1.00% 1.25% 1.50% rate 5yr 2.40% 2.50% 2.60% 2.80% 2.90% 3.00% 3.10% 3.20% PWLB 10yr 3.00% 3.20% 3.30% 3.40% 3.50% 3.70% 3.80% 3.90% PWLB 25yr 3.60% 3.80% 3.90% 4.00% 4.10% 4.20% 4.30% 4.40% PWLB 50yr 3.60% 3.80% 3.90% 4.00% 4.10% 4.20% 4.30% 4.40% PWLB

Page 183 3. Treasury Management Strategy

3.1 The Treasury Management Strategy approved by Full Council on 5th March 2015 is at Appendix A.

3.2 The Authority’s investment priorities within the Strategy are: -

(a) the security of capital and (b) the liquidity of its investments.

3.3 The Authority aims to achieve the optimum return on its investments commensurate with proper levels of security and liquidity. The risk appetite has been low in order to give priority to security of investments.

4. Current Investments

4.1 The current investment market is difficult in respect of earning the level of interest rates commonly seen in previous years as rates are very low and in line with the 0.5% Bank Rate.

4.2 The Authority’s investment position as at 30th September 2015 is as shown below:-

Invested with: Principal Interest Start Maturity Date £000’s Rate Date Santander 9,050 0.40% N/A Deposit A/c BOS 3,250 0.40% N/A Deposit A/c HSBC 55 0.25% N/A Deposit A/c Total 12,355 0.40%

Lloyds TSB - LAMS 1,000 3.20% 13.08.12 14.08.17

4.3 There have been no relevant credit rating changes in the last few months in respect of the banks that the Authority utilises for deposits.

4.4 Local Authority Mortgage Scheme:

In August 2012, following a Cabinet report, the Authority entered the Local Authority Mortgage Scheme with an allocation to Lloyds TSB of £1M. Under the scheme this was deemed as Capital Expenditure. However, the Wales Audit Office (WAO) opinion differed from this in that they suggested it should be treated as an investment. Unfortunately, despite meetings and extensive correspondence by Capita Treasury with the Welsh Government, Welsh Local Government Association and the Wales Audit Office, agreement on the accounting treatment for Welsh authorities has not been reached despite the provision of 3 separate legal opinions supporting the Capital Expenditure position. As such, Capita have said that they are not sure there is much more they can do in Wales. This Authority has concurred with WAO’s requirement to treat this as an investment and, as such, the amount is included in the table above and is being accounted for as an investment. Council approved this investment following a retrospective report on 16th May 2013.

Page 184 4.5 Glitnir: The winding up board of Glitnir made a distribution to creditors in a variety of currencies in March 2012. An element of the distribution was in Icelandic Kroner (ISK) which was placed in an escrow account in Iceland. This element of the distribution has been retained in Iceland due to currency controls currently operating in Iceland and, as a result, is subject to exchange rate risk over which the Authority has no control. The distribution has been made in full settlement, representing 100% of the claim.

Cabinet will be aware that this Authority did not take up a sale of escrow option but decided to retain the money in escrow until such time as there is further information forthcoming from the Icelandic government.

4.6 Redemption Penalties: There are no current fixed investments to redeem.

4.7 Investment returns in future years: Our advisors’ current suggested earning rates for investments for budgeting purposes are as follows:-

Suggested Rate now Suggested Rate previous 2015/16 0.50% 0.60% 2016/17 0.90% 1.10% 2017/18 1.50% 1.75%

These are based on investments for three months duration in each year.

5. Credit Rating Changes

5.1 There have been no credit rating changes relevant to this Authority’s position during the last quarter.

5.2 An update in respect of credit rating methodology is at Appendix B.

5.3 The credit rating list for end of September is attached as a separate file to this report.

6. Borrowing / Re-scheduling

6.1 Effective management of the Authority’s debt is essential to ensure that the impact of interest payable is minimised against our revenue accounts whilst maintaining prudent borrowing policies.

6.2 The Authority’s Capital Position:

The Council’s underlying need to borrow for capital expenditure is termed the Capital Financing Requirement (CFR). This figure is a gauge of the Council’s indebtedness. The CFR results from the capital activity of the Council and resources used to pay for the capital spend. It represents the current year’s unfinanced capital expenditure and prior years’ net or unfinanced capital expenditure which has not yet been paid for by revenue or other resources.

Part of the Council’s treasury activities is to address the funding requirements for this borrowing need. Depending onPage the capital 185 expenditure programme, the treasury service organises the Council’s cash position to ensure that sufficient cash is available to meet the capital plans and cash flow requirements. This may be sourced through external borrowing or utilising temporary cash resources within the Council.

Net external borrowing (borrowings less investments) should not, except in the short term, exceed the total of CFR in the preceding year plus the estimates of any additional CFR for the current year and next two financial years. This allows some flexibility for limited early borrowing for future years.

CFR Position:

2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 As at 31.03.15 Original Original Original Actual Estimate Estimate Estimate £M £M £M £M Capital Financing Requirement 224,482 227,799 319,727 329,533

6.3 The Authority had outstanding long-term external debt of £150.8M at 31st March 2015. In relation to the CFR figure for 31st March 2015, this equated to the Authority being under borrowed by £73.7M. This is a prudent and cost effective approach in the current economic climate. However, internal borrowing is only a temporary situation and, based on capital estimates, it will be necessary for the Authority to borrow at stages over the next few years. As such, the Authority needs to be mindful that it may be prudent to borrow whilst interest rates are at their low levels and carry the cost of this borrowing as opposed to borrowing at a future date at increased rates.

6.4 Capital Budget/Spend per efinancials:

Capital: Approved Budget Working budget Actual %age Capital Spend spend (not including commitments) 128,931,594 June 136,989,764 75,576,339 55.17% Sept 141,157,883 83,517,819 59.20%

The figures above include the figures for the self-financing of the HRA. The financing of the approved capital budget included £97.4M of Prudential borrowing in total. £72.4M was borrowed on 2nd April in respect of the self-financing of the HRA. The exact structure of loans arranged for the HRA purpose reflected the requirements of the HRA business plan, the overall requirements of the Council and certain limitations (e.g. the minimum average duration of any borrowing) put in place by the Welsh Government. The loans were, therefore, arranged at a set of bespoke, higher PWLB interest rates that applied only to Welsh HRA self-financing authorities and may make these loans less flexible, from a restructuring point of view, than would normally be the case.

Page 186 6.5 Debt Maturity Profile as at 30.09.15:

(please click on the graph below and increase the percentage in the toolbar above for an enhanced view)

DEBT MATURITY SCHEDULE

20,000,000.00

18,000,000.00

16,000,000.00

14,000,000.00

12,000,000.00 PWLB

£ 10,000,000.00 LOBO's OTHER 8,000,000.00

6,000,000.00

4,000,000.00

2,000,000.00

0.00

Financial Year

6.6 Target rates:

Our advisors’ target rates and current PWLB rates are set out below:

Target Target Period Borrowing rate at borrowing rate borrowing rate 30.09.15 now previous 5 year 1.98% 2.30% 2.20% 10 year 2.58% 2.90% 2.80% 25 year 3.30% 3.40% 3.50% 50 year 3.18% 3.40% 3.50%

6.7 Rescheduling:

The Public Works Loans Board released a circular regarding rates on 20th October 2010. As a result of this, rates immediately increased by 0.87-0.88 basis points across the board. The overall impact of this circular was that it is far more difficult for authorities to reschedule debt Page 187 6.8 Members are aware that officers continue to look for interest savings on a daily basis by monitoring rates that may mean the Authority can re-schedule some of its debt or prematurely repay debt if applicable. However, PWLB interest rates have not been conducive towards rescheduling.

7. Prudential Indicators

7.1 All TM Prudential Indicators were complied with in the quarter ending 30th September 2015.

Proposal

It is proposed that the Treasury Management quarterly report is received.

Statutory Officers

The Strategic Director – Resources (s151 officer) notes the content of the report and supports the recommendation. It is important that Cabinet continues to be informed about this key activity.

The Solicitor to the Council (Monitoring Officer) has made the following comment: “I have nothing to add to the report”.

Recommendation: Reason for Recommendation: That the Treasury Management To ensure Cabinet remains informed Quarterly Report be received about current Treasury Management performance Relevant Policy (ies): Treasury Management Policy Within Policy: Y Within Budget: N/A Person(s) To Implement Decision: N/A Date By When Decision To Be N/A Implemented: Contact Officer Name: Tel: Fax: Email: Ann Owen 01597 826327 01597 826290 [email protected]

Background Papers used to prepare Report:

CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management and Cross Sectoral Guidance Notes Treasury Management Policy Statement Advisors’ Information WAG Guidance on Local Government Investments 2010 PWLB circulars

Page 188 Appendix A:

Approved Treasury Management Strategy 2015/16:

7.5 “High” credit quality:

7.5.1 It is proposed that the Authority continue with the following in respect of defining a “high” credit quality. If a rating is not available from any of the rating agencies then the available ratings will be used. Members will note that this proposal excludes investments with some banks off the advisors’ suggested list:-

Long Term Ratings (in respect of long-term investments):

Permitted Permitted Permitted Fitch Ratings Moodys Ratings S&P Ratings AAA Aaa AAA AA+ Aa1 AA+ AA Aa2 AA AA- Aa3 AA-

Short Term Ratings (in respect of short-term investments):

Permitted Permitted Permitted Fitch Ratings Moodys Ratings S&P Ratings F1+ N/A A-1+ F1 P-1 A-1

7.6 Country limits:

7.6.1 It is proposed that the Authority will use approved counterparties from the UK and approved counterparties from other countries with the following sovereign credit ratings:- Permitted Permitted Permitted Fitch Ratings Moodys Ratings S&P Ratings AAA Aaa AAA

Country Maximum Investment Credit Rating/Other per Country Assessment of Risk

AAA countries £20M (held in call As per rating list (listed at Appendix D) accounts)

UK No Maximum Investment As per rating list

Page 189 7.7 Group/Institutions - Counterparty Criteria/Limits:

Specified Investments:

Institution Maximum Maximum Credit Rating/Other Investment per Length Assessment of Risk Group/Institution £M UK Banks 20 Up to 364 days As per Capita’s (a maximum £10M matrices and the to be held in fixed Authority’s definition of term investments) a high credit rating Foreign Banks 5 Up to 364 days As per Capita’s matrices and the Authority’s definition of a high credit rating Other Local 25 Up to 364 days N/A Authorities

Non-Specified Investments:

Institution Maximum Maximum Credit Rating/Other Investment per Length Assessment of Risk Group/Institution £M UK Banks 10 Up to 2 years As per Capita’s (£2M limit with any matrices and the one institution) Authority’s definition of a high credit rating Lloyds Bank 5 Up to 5 years N/A (as a mortgage lender in the LAMS scheme) Foreign Banks 2 Up to 2 years As per Sector’s matrices and the Authority’s definition of a high credit rating Money Market 10 N/A All are AAA rated plus Funds the parents/owners (max. of 5) must meet the Authority’s short term investment criteria Other Local 10 Up to 2 years N/A Authorities European 3 2-3 years N/A Investment Bank Bonds Note: Limits for Specified and Non-Specified are combined limits. The maximum limit will also apply to a banking group as a whole.

Page 190 Appendix B

The main rating agencies (Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s) have, through much of the financial crisis, provided some institutions with a ratings “uplift” due to implied levels of sovereign support. Commencing in 2015, in response to the evolving regulatory regime, all three agencies have begun removing these “uplifts” with the timing of the process determined by regulatory progress at the national level. The process has been part of a wider reassessment of methodologies by each of the rating agencies. In addition to the removal of implied support, new methodologies are now taking into account additional factors, such as regulatory capital levels. In some cases, these factors have “netted” each other off, to leave underlying ratings either unchanged or little changed. A consequence of these new methodologies is that they have also lowered the importance of the (Fitch) “Support and Viability” ratings and have seen the (Moody’s) “Financial Strength” rating withdrawn by the agency.

In keeping with the agencies’ new methodologies, the credit element of our advisors’ assessment process now focuses solely on the Short and Long Term ratings of an institution. While this is the same process that has always been used by Standard & Poor’s, this has been a change to the use of Fitch and Moody’s ratings. It is important to stress that the other key elements to the process, namely the assessment of Rating Watch and Outlook information as well as the Credit Default Swap (CDS) overlay, have not been changed.

The evolving regulatory environment, in tandem with the rating agencies’ new methodologies, also means that sovereign ratings are now of lesser importance in the assessment process. Where, through the crisis, clients typically assigned the highest sovereign rating to their criteria, the new regulatory environment is attempting to break the link between sovereign support and domestic financial institutions. While this authority understands the changes that have taken place, it will continue to specify a minimum sovereign rating of AAA (excluding the UK). This is in relation to the fact that the underlying domestic and, where appropriate, international economic and wider political and social background will still have an influence on the ratings of a financial institution.

It is important to stress that these rating agency changes do not reflect any changes in the underlying status or credit quality of the institution, merely a reassessment of their methodologies in light of enacted and future expected changes to the regulatory environment in which financial institutions operate. While some banks have received lower credit ratings as a result of these changes, this does not mean that they are suddenly less credit worthy than they were formerly. Rather, in the majority of cases, this mainly reflects the fact that implied sovereign government support has effectively been withdrawn from banks. They are now expected to have sufficiently strong balance sheets to be able to withstand foreseeable adverse financial circumstances without government support. In fact, in many cases, the balance sheets of banks are now much more robust than they were before the 2008 financial crisis when they had higher ratings than now. However, this is not universally applicable, leaving some entities with modestly lower ratings than they had through much of the “support” phase of the financial crisis.

Page 191 Economic Background

UK:

UK GDP growth rates of 2.2% in 2013 and 2.9% in 2014 were the strongest growth rates of any G7 country. The 2014 growth rate was also the strongest UK rate since 2006 and the 2015 growth rate is likely to be a leading rate in the G7 again, possibly being equal to that of the US. However, quarter 1 of 2015 was weak at +0.4% (+2.9% y/y) although there was a rebound in quarter 2 to +0.7% (+2.4% y/y). Growth is expected to weaken to about +0.5% in quarter 3 as the economy faces difficulties for exporters from the appreciation of Sterling against the Euro and weak growth in the EU, China and emerging markets and, also, the dampening effect of the Government’s continuing austerity programme although the pace of reductions was eased in the May Budget.

Despite these difficulties, the Bank of England August Inflation Report included a forecast for growth to remain around 2.4 – 2.8% over the next three years, driven mainly by strong consumer demand as the squeeze on the disposable incomes of consumers has been reversed by a recovery in wage inflation at the same time that CPI inflation has fallen to, or near to, zero over the last quarter. Investment expenditure is also expected to support growth. However, since the report was issued, the Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) for services on 5th October indicated a further decline in the growth rate to only +0.3% in Q4, which would be the lowest rate since the end of 2012. In addition, worldwide economic statistics and UK consumer and business confidence have distinctly weakened so it would not, therefore, be a surprise if the next Inflation Report in November were to cut those August forecasts.

The August Bank of England Inflation Report forecast was notably subdued in respect of inflation which was forecast to barely get back up to the 2% target within the 2-3 year time horizon. However, with the price of oil taking a fresh downward direction and Iran expected to soon re-join the world oil market after the impending lifting of sanctions, there could be several more months of low inflation still to come, especially as world commodity prices have generally been depressed by the Chinese economic downturn. There are, therefore, considerable risks around whether inflation will rise in the near future as strongly as had previously been expected. This will make it more difficult for the central banks of both the US and the UK to raise rates as soon as was being forecast until recently, especially given the recent major concerns around the slowdown in Chinese growth, the knock on impact on the earnings of emerging countries from falling oil and commodity prices, and the volatility we have seen in equity and bond markets in 2015 so far, which could potentially spill over to impact the real economies rather than just financial markets.

Page 192 By virtue of paragraph(s) 14 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

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Page 193 This page is intentionally left blank Delegated Decision List

6 November Portfolio Holder for Highways Budget virement, flood alleviation scheme, Lledan Brook Welshpool 11 November Portfolio Holder for Education Appointment of school governors Treowen CP School and Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd C227- 2015 Page 205 Page This page is intentionally left blank Cabinet Forward Work Programme

Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder November Business Unit Asset Delivery Plan Cllr Avril York Portfolio Holder Regeneration Capital Plan (O) David Micah November Builth & Knighton Bowling Clubs CAT (O) David Pritchard Portfolio Holder November Food and Feed Plan and Health & Safety Cllr John Powell Portfolio Holder Service Plans (O) Bev Cadwallader November Planning Performance Agreement for Town Cllr Avril York Portfolio Holder C228- 2015 and Country Planning Act applications (O) Gwilym Davies November Purchase of Industrial Unit (O) Cllr Avril York Portfolio Holder Cllr Darren Mayor

Page 207 Page Natasha Morgan 8 December Risk Register (I) All Portfolio Holders 8 December ASC restructure implementation update (S) Cllr Stephen Hayes Joy Garfitt 8 December SIP Quarterly reports (I) Cllr Barry Thomas Peter Jones 8 December 15 December Response to LDP Comments (S) Cllr Avril York Cabinet Peter Morris 8 December 15 December Budget Setting Process and Provisional Cllr Wynne Jones Cabinet Settlement (S) David Powell 8 December 15 December Reserves Policy (S) Cllr Wynne Jones Cabinet David Powell Caroline Evans 8 December 15 December Initial Findings of Farm buildings condition Cllr John Powell Cabinet survey (I) David Cox Hugo Van Rees

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 8 December 15 December Future of Animal Health Enforcement (S) Cllr John Powell Cabinet Ken Yorston 8 December 15 December Sale of Goppas Farm (O) Cllr John Powell Cabinet David Cox Hugo Van Rees 8 December 15 December Sale of Waen Aberhafesp (O) Cllr John Powell Cabinet David Cox Hugo Van Rees 8 December 15 December Lease of Wyeside Caravan Park, Rhayader Cllr Avril York Cabinet (O) David Cox Page 208 Page Natasha Morgan 8 December 15 December Southfields Redevelopment (O) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet/ Natasha Morgan Portfolio Holder 8 December 15 December Safeguarding Quarterly Report (O) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet Joy Garfitt Pauline Higham 8 December 15 December Strategic Equality Plan 6 Months Progress Cllr Phil Pritchard Cabinet report (I) Bets Ingram

8 December 15 December Adult Social Care Monitoring of Service Cllr Stephen Hayes Cabinet Improvement Plan (I) Joy Garfitt 8 December 15 December Financial Outturn report for October (S) Cllr Wynne Jones Cabinet Jane Thomas 8 December 15 December Shared Apprenticeship Scheme (O) Cllr Phil Pritchard Cabinet Jayne Bevan 8 December 15 December Brecon Learning Campus (S) Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Marianne Evans 8 December 15 December Integration/Joint Partnership Board with Clive Pinney Cabinet PTHB (S)

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 8 December 15 December Power Line Planning Act 2008 Delegate Cllr Avril York Cabinet Applications (O) Gwilym Davies 8 December 15 December Re:Fit Proposals and programme (O) David Cox Cabinet Gareth Richards 8 December 15 December Revised Corporate Asset Policy (S) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet David Micah 8 December 15 December Funding/Planning for Major Event (O) Cllr Avril York Cabinet Sue Bolter 8 December 15 December Strategic Asset Management Plan (S) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet David Cox 8 December 15 December Development Management Improvement Cllr Avril York Cllr Avril York

Page 209 Page programme (O) Ken Yorston Cabinet 8 December 15 December Archives/Information Management Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet accommodation project (O) Catherine Richards 8 December 15 December Adult Social Care Voluntary Sector Grants Cllr Stephen Hayes Cabinet (O) Sally Beech 8 December 15 December Carers Strategy Cllr Stephen Hayes Cabinet Heather Parry 8 December 15 December Development Management Improvement Cllr Avril York Cabinet Delegation of Power Line Applications to Gwilym Davies Portfolio Holder and Head of Service (O) 8 December 15 December School Transformation Programme - Draft Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation Jan – Recommendation related to Ysgol Dolafon’s Marianne Evans Feb 2016 Welsh stream (S) 8 December 15 December School Transformation Programme – Draft Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation Jan – Recommendation related to Nantmel CiW Marianne Evans Feb 2016 School (S) 8 December 15 December Closure of Crickhowell Special Unit – Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period Jan - Feb outcome of statutory consultation (O) Keith Brelstaff

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 8 December 15 December New School Reorganisation Policy 2015 (S) Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Marianne Evans 8 December 15 December School Transformation Programme Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation (dates Strategic Outline Case Welshpool Town Marianne Evans tbc) Primary Schools (S) December Farm Estate Asset Delivery Plan (S) Cllr John Powell Portfolio Holder David Cox December Business Unit Asset Delivery Plan / Cllr Darren Mayor Portfolio Holder Regeneration Capital Fund (O) Cllr Avril York David Cox Page 210 Page 5 January Brecon Cultural Hub funding position (S) David Bradley Cabinet 5 January Building Control Full Business Case (O) Cllr Avril York Cabinet Heather Jones 5 January Consultation document on Admissions Cllr Arwel Jones / Cabinet Consultation with Public, Code (O) Gareth Jones Schools & other LA’s 5 January Revised Home to School and College and Cllr Arwel Jones / Cabinet Consultation with Learners, Post 16 Transport (S) Gareth Jones Parents and Schools 5 January Payments to Temporary and Supply Staff in Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Consultation with staff and Schools (S) Gareth Jones unions 19 January 26 January Rent increase and the introduction of Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet service charges (O) Simon Inkson 19 January 26 January Garage rent increase & strategy for garage Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet sites (O) Simon Inkson 19 January 26 January Strategic Review of Grants (S) Cllr Avril York Cabinet Caroline Evans 19 January 26 January Schools Service Asset Management Plan Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet (S) Gareth Jones 19 January 26 January Schools Major Improvement Investment Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Plan 2016-17 and draft 2017-18 / 18-19 Gareth Jones

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information plan (S) Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 19 January 26 January School Transformation Programme – Draft Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation recommendation related to Llanfihangel Marianne Evans Feb/March Rhydithon CP School (S) 19 January 26 January School Transformation Programme - Draft Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation recommendation related to Llanbister CP Marianne Evans Feb/March School (S) January Outcome of the Garreg Llwyd Wind Farm Cllr Avril York Cabinet appeal (I) Gwillim Davies 16 February 23 February Reporting the outcomes from the Gypsy & Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet Traveller Accommodation Assessment (S) Simon Inkson

16 211 Page February 23 February Secondary School Reorganisation Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Statutory consultation Programme- draft recommendations Marianne Evans Feb/March related to South/Mid Secondary Schools (S) 16 February 23 February Changes to Fair Funding Formula and Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Following Consultation in Dec Scheme for Financing School (S) Gareth Jones / Jan 16 February 23 February Supply Teachers Insurance – Mutual Fund Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Consultation with Schools (Establishment) (O) Gareth Jones February Accommodation Strategy (O) Cllr Stephen Hayes Cabinet Lee Anderson 8 March SIP Quarterly reports (I) All Portfolio Holders 8 March 15 March Progress report for JVC Property Services Cllr Avril York Cabinet (O) Sue Bolter 8 March 15 March Economic Development Plan (S) Cllr Avril York Cabinet Jenni Thomas Kate Todman

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 8 March 15 March Secondary School Reorganisation Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Tbc Programme – draft recommendations Marianne Evans related to Welsh Medium Education in North Powys, including Ysgol Bro Hyddgen Strategic Outline Case (S) 8 March 15 March Closure of Crickhowell Special Unit- Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection Report (O) Keith Brelstaff 8 March 15 March School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period April outcome of statutory consultation Ysgol Marianne Evans Dolafon Welsh stream (S) Page 212 Page 8 March 15 March School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period April outcome of statutory consultation Nantmel Marianne Evans (S) March Local Housing Market Assessment Report Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet (S) Simon Inkson March Local Housing Strategy (S) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet Simon Inkson 5 April 12 April School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period May outcome of statutory consultation Marianne Evans Llanfihangel Rhydithon Welsh stream (S) 5 April 12 April School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period May outcome of statutory consultation Marianne Evans Llanbister CP School (S) 5 April 12 April School Transformation Programme – Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period May outcome of statutory consultation Welshpool Marianne Evans Primary Schools (S) 5 April 12 April Strategic Equality Plan (S) Cllr Phil Pritchard Cabinet Bets Ingram

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 5 April 12 April Landlord Services Policies (S) Cllr Darren Mayor Cabinet Simon Inkson May Outcome of condition surveys for the Farm Cllr John Powell Cabinet Estate – impact and consequences (I) David Cox Hugo Van Rees 7 June 14 June School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection Report Ysgol Dolafon Welsh Marianne Evans stream (S) 7 June 14 June School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Nantmel (S) Marianne Evans 28 June SIP Quarterly reports (I) All Portfolio

Page 213 Page Holders 12 July 26 July School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Llanfihangel Rhydithon (S) Marianne Evans

12 July 26 July School Transformation Programme– Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Llanbister CP School (S) Marianne Evans 12 July 26 July Secondary School Reorganisation Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Objection period September Programme - outcome of statutory Marianne Evans consultation Mid and South schools (S) 12 July 26 July School Transformation Programme – Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Welshpool Primary Schools (S) Marianne Evans July Brecon Learning Campus (S) Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Marianne Evans 6 September SIP Quarterly reports (I) All Portfolio Holders 1 November 8 November Secondary School Reorganisation Cllr Arwel Jones Cabinet Programme - Mid and South schools (S) Marianne Evans

Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information Cabinet/ Cabinet Matter for Decision Portfolio Holder/ Decision Maker Details of any consultation Management Officer Cabinet to be undertaken Team Portfolio Holder 6 December SIP Quarterly reports (I) All Portfolio Holders

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Key S = Strategic – key corporate plans or initiatives 18/11/2015 O = Operational – service delivery I = For information