To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2018.

Decision

The minutes of the meeting held on 10 October were agreed as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director (Development)

This reports informs Members of the consultation being held by HS2 Ltd. on the recently published Working Draft Environmental Statement (WDES) in relation to the construction of HS2 Phase 2b, with a specific focus on the proposals within Manchester.

The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director (Development), which informed Members of the consultation being held by HS2 Ltd. on the recently published Working Draft Environmental Statement (WDES) in relation to the construction of HS2 Phase 2b, with a specific focus on the proposals within Manchester.

The Head of City Centre Growth and Regeneration referred to the main points and themes within the report which included:-

·                The working draft Environmental Statement (WDES) described the potential environmental effects of building and operating Phase 2b of HS2 as well as proposed ways to avoid, reduce, mitigate and monitor the effects;

·                Within the City Council administrative boundary, the WDES covered land and roads at the Airport and M56, a 7.5 mile tunnel under South Manchester to Ardwick Depot, four vent shaft locations and tunnel portal, a viaduct and the HS2 station at Piccadilly;

·                The locations of the four proposed vent shafts, their diameter and height;

·                Detail of the Council’s concerns about some of the proposed locations of the ventilation shafts, including considerable transport movements arising from the movement of materials to and from the sites, associated with the construction process;

·                Details of the consultation process that HS2 Ltd. would be holding from late October to early December 2018;

·                there would be an overall response to the consultation from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.  In addition, Manchester City Council, Trafford Council and Wigan Council (where a HS2 depot will be located) would all submit individual responses, which would feed into the overall GMCA response; and

·                Given that the Working Draft was based on a superceded design, it was intended that the Council’s response would cover the major issues of concern highlighted in previous consultation responses, and during the ongoing design work with HS2 Ltd.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committees discussions were:-

·                How were general discussions between the Council and HS2 Ltd going;

·                What discussions were taking place around the proposals for the HS2 station at Piccadilly;

·                It was felt that there was a lack of detail in HS2’s proposals for Members to effectively contribute to;

·                How confident was the Council that alternative appropriate locations for the ventilation shafts could be located and what would happen if an agreement could not be reached;

·                There was concern of the potential disruption that would be caused to Manchester residents and the impact to businesses from the current proposed locations of the ventilation shafts;

·                What was the timescale for the construction of the ventilation shafts and was the route of HS2 now fixed; and

·                Did HS2’s proposed route and  locations for the ventilation shafts contradict what the Council envisaged for HS2 in the city.

The Head of City Centre Growth and Regeneration advised that discussion to date with HS2 Ltd had been challenging but the Council was hopeful that these would improve.  It was reported that the WDES that had been produced by HS2 Ltd was based on an initial design had been amended on two further occasions.  As such HS2  ...  view the full minutes text for item 49.

Report of the Chief Executive of the LTE Group.

This report provides an update on the work of LTE Group, including a wider overview and detail of the broader work in education and skills performed by LTE Group in support of the Manchester and Greater Manchester skills strategy.  The report also includes an update for The Manchester College together with an overview and performance update for Total People and provision of apprenticeships.

The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive – LTE Group, which provided a progress update on the broader work in education and skills performed by LTE Group in support of the Manchester and Greater Manchester skills strategy.  The report also included an update for The Manchester College together with an overview and performance update for Total People and provision of apprenticeships.

The Committee received a presentation from Officers from the LTE Group which included the following main points and:-

·                The strategic aims of the Manchester College 2020 strategy;

·                The challenges that faced both the 16-18 and post 19 learners markets;

·                Study programme expectations for Manchester College students;

·                Performance details of the College’s 2018/19 Ofsted self-assessment;

·                ALPS performance across BTEC, A-Levels and AS Levels;

·                Work experience offer performance;

·                The performance of Total People, which continued to perform well above national achievement rates for training providers in terms of performance of apprentices and employers;

·                The contribution to professional learning of MOL, providing high level online only programmes;

·                The work of the Novus Works initiative which had engaged with more than 600 ex-offenders in helping them into full time employment on release; and

·                The launch and first year performance of UCEN, which was a study offer specifically to address the needs of local residents who were not able to study in higher education through the normal channels.

Some of the key points that arose from the Committees discussions were:-

·                Was there any financial pressure on the College to keep students on courses;

·                How would the College compare if its ALPs performance was benchmarked amongst comparator institutions;

·                Was there any specific reasons as to what was driving the College’s performance improvements;

·                Clarification was sought as to what the self-assessment teaching and learning percentages referred to;

·                Why was there no data around destinations;

·                Was there any specific reasons as to why A Level intake was showing the least value added in the ALPS performance;

·                Despite the positive performance of Total People, less than 1% of apprenticeships were being delivered by Total People services, as such who was delivering the remaining apprenticeships and how was the quality of these apprenticeships being ensured; and

·                Did Manchester College work with other colleges outside of Manchester to improve the level of education for Manchester residents

The Committee was advised that the College was under no financial pressure to retain students on courses.  The Committee was assured that the College was the only organisation within the Association of Colleges to have delivered its financial targets consistently for the last six years and although the College did have a zero tolerance approach to certain issues that would result in the removal of students from courses if these were breached, the College looked to engage with all students in a positive manner.  In order to do this, it was reported that the College had established campus support teams to help re-engage students into their studies.

Officers explained that benchmarking of ALPS was not published nationally but the College was starting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 50.

Report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit

This report provides the Committee with details of key decisions that fall within the Committee’s remit and an update on actions resulting from the Committee’s recommendations. The report also includes the Committee’s work programme, which the Committee is asked to amend as appropriate and agree.

The Committee considered a report of the Governance and Scrutiny Support Unit which contained key decisions within the Committee’s remit and responses to previous recommendations was submitted for comment. Members were also invited to agree the Committee’s future work programme. 

A Member commented that he felt that the Committee should have received the Annual Property report which was to be scrutinised by the Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee on 8 November 2018 as at it contained reference to areas that fell within this committees remit.  The Chair suggested that this report be circulated to Committee Members for information

Decision

The Committee:-

(1)       Notes the report;

(2)       Agrees the work programme; and

(3)       Requests that the Scrutiny Team Leader circulates the Annual Property report to all Committee Members for information.

Item of business withdrawn

This item was withdrawn.

Item of business withdrawn

This item was withdrawn.