1. Election of Chair and Vice Chair

ACTION

No nominations were received prior to the meeting. Nominations were called at the meeting.

Doug Campbell was nominated and second for Chair and Derek Nelson was nominated and second as Vice Chair for 2007-8.

2. Apologies

Doug Campbell

Ros Carver

Keith Diffey

Phil Heeley

Kim Burchill

Ashley Milum

Claire Benny

Rebecca Lock

3. Minutes of Last Meeting and Matters Arising

Somerset Music Board

Claire Barnett-Jones was welcomed to the Board. Claire has joined the Board as a youth representative. Ashley Milum has also accepted a position on the Board as a youth representative but was unable to attend the meeting. Keith Diffey has accepted a position on the Board as the SASH representative.

Graham has spoken with Rod Salter who is interested in becoming a Trustee.

Since the last Board meeting another six authorities have purchased a copy of the classroom support software. Somerset Music received a commission from each copy sold. Somerset Music is continuing to work with Charanga and is currently developing Key Stage 3 software.

The agreed changes were made to the Somerset Music Board Constitution and the amended version was circulated to Board members.

The Clerk circulated a form to all members to register any pecuniary interests.

Somerset Music Board Finance Sub-Committee

The Finance Sub-Committee agreed that minutes of the Finance Committee will be circulated to all Board members.

Standards Fund 116b (Item 5) - 160 schools have chosen to access 116b funding. Approximately £70,000 of funding has not been taken up. This funding will cover Somerset Music's monitoring role.

FK

4. Wider Opportunities

Madeleine Casson gave a presentation on the success of the Wider Opportunities Project in Somerset. There has been a significant increase in schools participating in Wider Opportunities and an increase in schools delivering in house whole class music tuition. A comparison with other authorities has shown that Somerset is very good to excellent, with some authorities only just starting Wider Opportunity Projects.

Pauline Clarke recommended that schools could approach local councillors, who have a budget to spend locally, which could support music projects. Derek Nelson mentioned that he had donated £500 each to six schools in his area for music tuition and appreciation.

The Country Dancing Day held at Wells Cathedral Green on the 16^th June which included a celebration of music tuition

Graham Bland thanked both Madeleine Casson and Diane Rivaud for their support in delivering Somerset Music's vision of access and excellence. The Board also congratulated them.

5. Self Evaluation

Giles Mongare introduced Somerset Music's self evaluation process to the Board.

Somerset Music first engaged in the self evaluation process in October 2006. The process followed the Federation of Music Services self evaluation toolkit. A considerable amount of time has been put into the process, which included contributions from the Permanent Teaching Team, Visiting Instrumental Tutors and the Business Support Team.

Somerset Music is currently unaware of the outcome of this process. The service is committed to self evaluation but will challenge the current method to focus on outcomes rather than the process.

The DfES have decided that music service should be peer monitored. Approximately 30 people from music services across the country are being trained to become peer moderators, including Graham Bland and Diane Rivaud. This training is funded by the DfES. Peer moderators will take on the role of the critical friend. Through the involvement of peer moderation Somerset Music will be able to gain insight to how other authorities are working with self evaluation.

The Board agreed that they have an accountability role. To carry out this role there is a requirement for baseline data and comparisons with other authorities.

6. Service Development Plan

Diane Rivaud presented the draft service development plan to the Board. The draft plan has been developed by staff across the service and is currently being discussed at various staffing groups. Development of the plan has not been a top down process and has involved all staff in identifying service priorities for 2007/8.

The development of service objectives link to both national and local priorities. The draft plan has five objectives including quality and learning, breadth and access, resource management, customer care and partnerships. Key projects within the plan include the Singing Strategy and the introduction of performance management requirements for staff.

The success criteria within the draft plan requires further development. It was agreed that Somerset Music will regularly report to the Board on progress. The final version of the service development plan will be presented at the next Board meeting.

DR

7. New Charging Regulations

David Blunkett's pledge in 2000 that all primary school children should have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument challenged existing charging regulations for singing and instrument tuition. The 1986 Education Act restricted charging for tuition for up to and including 4 pupils for a maximum of 30 minutes. All other tuition has to be carried out as part of the national curriculum.

September 2007 will see the removal of these restrictions and the introduction of charging for large group tuition. The aim of this is to increase the access to tuition at a lower cost. Somerset Music is currently entering into negotiations with schools to identify what is viable in terms of delivering large group tuition (e.g. space available within schools).

Children looked after are entitled to tuition free of charge. This is not inclusive of instrument hire. There is a concern, particularly with foster care, how instrument hire can be covered. Possibilities of keeping instruments in schools and having learning/practice opportunities available in schools are currently being looked into.

Individual schools are responsible for having a fee remission policy in place, in line with free school meals. In the future, Somerset Music may have a responsibility for monitoring these policies across schools.

8. Musical Futures

Giles Mongare gave a presentation on the Musical Futures Project.

The project is funded by The Paul Hamlyn Foundation. There are three different approaches to music, the curriculum approach, informal learning in the classroom and out of hours learning. This approach to music making is much more people centred. Somerset Music's involvement in Musical Futures this year has included setting up three pilot projects. Giles Mongare has taken on the role of Regional Coordinator for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

9. 2008-9 Proposals

Somerset Music currently offers tuition on both a direct and non-direct billed basis to schools, which is split almost 50:50. Following a recent service review Somerset Music is entering into a period of consultation to look at the feasibility of continuing to offer both direct and non-direct billed tuition.

There have been several drivers which have led to the decision to look at the feasibility to continue with both direct and non-direct tuition. These drivers include the cost involved in producing an invoice (£49 per invoice) and any refunds, the introduction of charging for large group tuition which cannot be billed on a direct basis, and an increased focus on non-direct billing for primary schools.

An increased focus on keeping customers through developing good quality relationships with schools is essential to ensure that accessible music services are delivered. At present the contract that Somerset Music holds with direct billed parents is entirely reliant on the school and Somerset Music cannot guarantee to deliver the service it offers without support from the school. Evidence shows that schools which are highly involved in the organisation of music tuition are offering a much better service to pupils in Somerset.

Concerns were raised regarding the increased administration for schools as well as individual schools capacity to deliver if changes to the billing process were agreed. The level of support required will be part of the consultation process.

The Board announced its support for entering into a period of consultation. It was agreed that schools and parents should be consulted during the next academic year to examine future possibilities and identify a way forward. The Board asked to be kept informed during the consultation period.

GB/FK

10. JUMPS

Graham Bland gave a presentation on JUMPS (Joined Up Music for People in Somerset). JUMPS is currently engaged in a number of projects, including Musical Futures, Music Passports, and Emotional Health and Wellbeing Project.

JUMPS recently met to agree the aims and objectives of the partnership. JUMPS aims to improve access to music for children and young people in Somerset. Through consultation and participation the partnership, including Somerset Music, is working to improve the range and quality of music available, extend music opportunities to disadvantaged and hard-to-reach children and young people, and to improve the infrastructure and resource available to support informal music making. JUMPS has agreed to improve the working culture, practice and delivery of all the partner music organisations and to coordinate work with key local and national policies.

JUMPS is required to enter into an evaluation process as part of the terms of the Invest to Save Bid. Baseline data to evaluate the progress of the partnership and the projects in which JUMPS is engaged in will be agreed in 2006/7. An evaluation toolkit will be developed in 2007/8 and implemented in 2008/9. A final report will be produced in September 2009.

11. Any Other Business

Dates for future meetings will be circulated to the Board ASAP.

The meeting was closed at 3.35pm.

FK