December 1: For KCC eyes only...
Some people would probably consider it a relief to be asked
to leave a meeting of a council committee called the
Governance and Audit Trading Activities Sub Group.
On other days, I might have considered myself to be among them.
But it was something of a disappointment – though not a surprise –
when I was told I would have to leave today’s meeting of this
committee at County Hall.
So why the disappointment? As I blogged last week, the
committee, despite its rather dry title, has the job of casting an
eye over KCC’s burgeoning commercial activities that have caused
some degree of angst on the part of some businesses.
It’s a new committee, with a brief to shine a light on to the
authority’s commercial enterprises – or in its own words to
“ensure the trading activities of the council are run properly,
transparently and fairly.”
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make much of a judgement about
whether it lived up to its brief as I was asked to leave while its
members discussed behind closed doors six reports that were deemed
exempt.
The council invoked an exemption under the Local Government
(Access to Information) Act 1985.
Before I was politely ejected, there was some discussion about
the rights and wrongs of this before the meeting got under way and
to be fair, the three elected members – two Conservative and one
Lib Dem – all voiced their disquiet about the fact that so much
business would be considered out of the public glare. (Well, to be
honest I was the only “public” there).
When it came to the formal vote to move the meeting into private
session, only Cllr Tim Parter (Lib Dem) voted against. To be fair
to both Conservatives, Chris Wells and the chairman Richard Long,
did put on record their unease about the decision and were
evidently sincere about their reservations.
STOP PRESS: I’ve now learned that after the meeting, the
committee decided that four of the six reports are to be made
public. More when I see them.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HOW get Kent’s primary schools up the league
tables and on a par with the national average has, for as long as I
have covered affairs at County Hall, been a conundrum the
politicians have all pledged to resolve and all, to date,
failed.
How Kent primaries did - read our story here>>>
I’ve lost track of the number of times that I’ve heard
commitments to get primary schools to make the grade – or at least
match the national average – but despite some improvements, they
are still lagging behind the national.
Today’s set of results show, for the first time for several
years, some stalling in Kent – although that is happening
nationally too.
I interviewed Cllr Jenny Whittle (Con), the deputy cabinet
member for learning and development, about the results today and
she was admirably candid that things weren't good enough and said
she was taking a long hard look at what needed to be
done.
I do wonder whether this stalling in performanc might be a
factor when the Government weighs up whether to scrap SATS, which
have been regularly condemned by the teaching profession.
Childrens secretary Ed Balls has recently been making noises
about changing the testing regime, partly because the fed-up
teaching unions have threatened a boycott and for the first time
seem serious about doing so.
How convenient if the tables and SATs were abandoned – as they
have been in Wales – just at the point at which the upward trend
appeared to have reached its zenith.
On the other hand, KCC might just be relieved.
+++++++++++++++++++++
Council tax news.
Not sure if the rumour mill is true but I hear that KCC’s
Conservative administration is edging towards a 1.5 per cent
council tax hike next year. There apparently has been a wish to see
a zero increase (handy for Mr Cameron in a general election year)
but the sums are proving rather tricky to get it down to that
level.
Tuesday, December 01 2009