Ms Sam Gower
Council: Richmond upon Thames
Council Profile: View on council website
Activity Timeline
Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.
5 meetings
Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 13 November 2025 7.00 pm
The Education and Children's Services Committee convened to discuss school place planning, childcare sufficiency, and financial performance. The committee noted the annual update on school place planning, highlighting concerns about falling primary school rolls and the financial impact on schools, and also approved the childcare sufficiency assessment, while raising questions about affordability and access for disadvantaged families. Councillors also reviewed and approved several reports from Achieving for Children (AfC), and discussed budget overspends in social care and the dedicated schools grant.
Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 18 September 2025 7.00 pm
The Education and Children's Services Committee met to discuss safeguarding, budget monitoring, special educational needs, children in care, and complaints. The committee approved the Kingston and Richmond Safeguarding Children Partnership annual report, noted the overspend on the dedicated schools grant, and celebrated the 'outstanding' rating given to the council's children's services by Ofsted.
Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 12 June 2025 7.00 pm
Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 27 March 2025 7.00 pm
Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 6 February 2025 7.00 pm
Decisions from Meetings
53 decisions ยท Page 7 of 11
Declarations of Interest
From: Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 12 June 2025 7.00 pm - June 12, 2025
...to approve the recommendations, following Councillor O'Carroll's declaration of a personal interest in the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy due to his children receiving council-provided transport to school.
Recommendations Approved
Children's and Young People's Plan - annual review
From: Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 12 June 2025 7.00 pm - June 12, 2025
...to note the first-year progress in delivering the actions outlined in the Children's and Young People's Plan for 2023-2028.
Recommendations Approved
Home to School Travel Assistance Policy
From: Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 12 June 2025 7.00 pm - June 12, 2025
... to approve the Home to School Travel Assistance Policy and the Post-16 Travel Policy Statement for the 2025-26 academic year, with no changes made to the policies from the previous year.
Recommendations Approved
AfC Reserved Ownership Decisions
From: Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 27 March 2025 7.00 pm - March 27, 2025
...to approve the detailed 2025/26 budget and Medium Term Financial Strategy, as well as the Treasury Plan.
Recommendations Approved
Ward Concerns
From: Education and Children's Services Committee - Thursday, 27 March 2025 7.00 pm - March 27, 2025
Recommendations Approved
Summary
Meetings Attended: 5
Average per Month: 0.5
Decisions Recorded: 53