Appointment of Third Religious Representative on Learning and Families Committee
Perth and Kinross Council · 3 May 2023
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 3 May 2023 and its agenda
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PERTH AND KINROSS COUNCIL LEARNING & FAMILIES COMMITTEE 3 MAY 2023 APPOINTMENT OF THIRD RELIGIOUS REPRESENTATIVE ON LEARNING AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE Report by Head of Legal and Governance Services (Report No. 23/127) 1. PURPOSE 1.1 This report advises of the process to be undertaken to appoint a third Religious Representative to fill the vacancy on the Learning and Families Committee. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1 It is recommended that the Committee: • Endorses the process for the appointment of a third Religious Representative on the Learning and Families Committee. • Confirms the name of the two members of the Committee to take part in the individual discussions. 3. STRUCTURE OF REPORT 3.1 This report is structured over the following sections: • Section 4: Background/Main Issues • Section 5: Process to be Undertaken • Section 6: Conclusion • Appendices 4. BACKGROUND/MAIN ISSUES 4.1 Section 124 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides that where an education authority appoints a committee whose purposes include advising the authority on any matter relating to the discharge of their functions as education authority on their behalf, three of the members to be appointed (who shall not be members of the education authority) shall be church or other denominational body representatives. Two of the three places require to be filled in accordance with the Act by a nomination from the Church of Scotland and one by the Roman Catholic Church. 4.2 In the selection of the third person, the Act specifies that the authority must have regard to the comparative strength within the area of the various churches and denominational bodies with a presence in the area.
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4.3 Whilst the results of the 2022 census are not available yet, the 2011 census and Scottish Household survey of 2016 identified the religious beliefs within the Perth and Kinross population as follows: Count Percentage Church of Scotland 56461 38.5 Roman Catholic 13052 8.9 Other Christian 10266 7.0 Muslim 733 0.5 Other religions 1173 0.8 No religion 54555 37.2 Not stated 10412 7.1 Total Population 146652 Source: 2011 Census Households (%) Church of Scotland 29.5 Roman Catholic 5.8 Other Christian 14.5 Muslim 0.4 Buddhist 0.8 Sikh - Jewish - Hindu - Pagan - None 47.8 Another religion, please write in 1.1 Base 220 Source: Scottish Household Survey 2016 5. SELECTION PROCESS 5.1 In accordance with the requirements of the Act, nominations will be sought through a public notice, to be placed on the Council’s website and shared on social media, for a third religious representative on the Committee. A copy of the intended public notice is attached as Appendix 1. 5.2 It is proposed that public notice is published on Tuesday 9 May 2023, with nominations being accepted immediately, and remains live for a period of 6 weeks until Tuesday 20 June 2023, which will also serve as the deadline for nominations. 5.3 Once nominations have been received, nominees will be invited for an individual discussion with two members of the Committee (custom and practice has been the Convener and Opposition Spokesperson), supported by a Committee Officer from within Legal and Governance Services.
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5.4 Following the conclusion of these individual discussions (and having regard to the requirements of section 124 set out in paragraph 4.2 above), a preferred candidate will be identified, and this nomination will be presented to Committee for approval as part of a subsequent report at the meeting of the Learning and Families Committee of 23 August 2023. 6. CONCLUSION 6.1 This procedure allows the authority a means of appointing a suitable individual to act as a third Religious Representative to the Committee, which considers education matters, in accordance with the Act. Author Name Designation Contact Details Danny Williams Committee Officer Committee@pkc.gov.uk Approved Name Designation Date Lisa Simpson Head of Legal and Governance Services 21 April 2023
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ANNEX 1. IMPLICATIONS, ASSESSMENTS, CONSULTATION AND COMMUNICATION Strategic Implications Yes/None Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement Yes Corporate Plan Yes Resource Implications Financial No Workforce No Asset Management (land, property, IST) No Assessments Equality Impact Assessment No Strategic Environmental Assessment No Sustainability (community, economic, environmental) No Legal and Governance Yes Risk No Consultation Internal Yes External No Communication Communications Plan Yes 1. Strategic Implications Community Plan/Single Outcome Agreement 1.1 The proposals in this report support delivery of the Council’s objectives within the Corporate Plan and the Community Plan. 2. Resource Implications Financial 2.1 N/A Workforce 2.2 N/A Asset Management (land, property, IT) 2.3 N/A 3. Assessments Equality Impact Assessment 3.1 N/A
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Sustainability 3.3 N/A Legal and Governance 3.4 The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 requires the Council to appoint three church or other denomination representatives to the Committee which considers education matters. The process described within the report will ensure that this requirement is complied with. Risk 3.5 N/A 4. Consultation Internal 4.1 Consultation has taken place with the Convener of the Learning and Families Committee and Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services). External 4.2 N/A 5. Communication 5.1 N/A 2. BACKGROUND PAPERS N/A 3. APPENDICES 3.1 Appendix 1 – Proposed Public Notice