Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Assistant Director of Finance / Assistant Director of Education.

Consideration was given to a report of the Assistant Director of Finance and Assistant Director of Education, which provided additional information to that provided in the previous School’s Forum report presented on 26 November 2019.  This report included the potential implications of the decision not to de-delegate Trade Union Support and was in response to a request made by the Secondary Sector to defer their vote on the de-delegated services to allow consultation with wider stakeholder colleagues.

Consideration was given to a point raised at the last meeting with regard to Special Schools and their position in the voting process for de-delegation.  It was explained that operational guidance suggests that Special Schools and the Pupil Referral Service are not part of the voting process but can buy back in the same way that Academies can.  The members of the Forum, therefore, considered whether Maintained Special Schools and the Pupil Referral Service wanted to be part of the de-delegation vote and therefore agree that their School’s Forum representatives make the annual decision and buy back on behalf of the sector, and whether the Schools’ Forum members agree to this amendment to the current voting process.

Following a request from members of the Forum with regard to financial efficiency and the role of Trade Unions, an overview of the roles and responsibilities of Trade Union Support was provided.  It was explained that Tameside schools have for many years had access to Trade Union Support through a Service Level Agreement arrangement that recognises the main Trade Unions and professional associations that support the various public sector employee groups across the whole school workforce.

Furthermore, it was made clear that this support provides schools with centrally co-ordinated Trade Union services to support schools’ and leaders’ statutory obligations. In particular, it was explained that this provides schools, school leaders and Governing Bodies with support and expertise in employment related matters, helping to resolve workplace issues early on and providing a significant and positive contribution to school leaders with their management of change and the implementation of policies and procedures.

It was explained that local Trade Union representatives undertake a variety of roles in collective bargaining and working with school leaders and managers, communicating with union members, liaising with relevant Trade Unions at regional and national level and greatly assisting in the handling of individual matters concerning school based employees.  The positive benefits for school leaders, employees and union members were outlined, including:

• Time and resources directed solely to Tameside schools’ priorities with less competing and conflicting demands
• Progression of employee relations issues within schools undertaken and concluded in a timely manner
• Full knowledge and understanding of local needs and pressures
• Progression of school employment procedure review and implementation undertaken more speedily
• The development of effective, collaborative working relationships to enable smoother progression of school based organisational matters, such as school staffing re-organisation and health and safety matters
• Locally based resulting in easier access and speedier responses to requests for service
• Direct access to senior officers  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50