Agendas, Minutes and Reports

Contact: David Jellings

Direct Dial: 01275 884219

E-mail: david.jellings@n-somerset.gov.uk

Date: 9th July 2003

Dear Sir or Madam

Children and Young People Policy AND Scrutiny Panel

Thursday 17th July 2003, 6.00 p.m., New Council Chamber, TOWN HALL

A meeting of the Panel will take place as indicated above. The agenda is set out overleaf.

Yours faithfully

Solicitor to the Council

To: Members of the Committee

Councillors:

Jeremy Blatchford (Chairman), Tom Leimdorfer (Vice-Chairman), Astra Brand, John Daws, Colin Golland, Jenny Gosden, Ann Harley, Michael Nobes, Howard Roberts, Chanel Stevens, Sally Tabrett

Added Members:

Mark Evans, Church of England Representative

Roman Catholic Church Representative - Vacancy

Mark Johnston (Secondary Schools Parent Governor Representative)

Primary Schools Parent Governor Representative – Vacancy

Free Church Federal Council Representative – Vacancy

Right to Speak only:

Beverly Humphries (Primary Teachers’ Representative)

Dr. Paul Phillips (Higher/Further Education Representative)

Ron Fowler (Governors’ Forum Representative)

Mike Scriven (Headteachers’ Association Representative)

Secondary Teachers’ Association Representative – Vacancy

Special Education Teachers’ Representative – Vacancy

Youth Parliament Representative – Vacancy

All other Members of the Council (for information)

AGENDA

1 Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

2 Public Discussion (Standing Order SSO 9)

To receive and hear any person who wishes to address the Committee. The Chairman will select the order of the matters to be heard.

3 Declarations of Interest by Members

4 Minutes

4.1 Minutes of the Children and Young People Select Committee held on 12th June 2003 (page 4) (to be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman).

5 Matters referred by Council, the Executive, other Committees and Panels (if any)

None

6 Report of the Best Value and Performance Team Manager

6.1 Work Plan (page 8)

7 Matters for Consideration

A Policy Related Matters

None.

B Scrutiny Related Matters

None.

C Performance Related Matters

None.

____________________________________

EXEMPT ITEMS

Should the Panel wish to consider a matter as an Exempt Item, the Panel will be invited to pass the following resolution –

“(1) That the press, public, and officers not required by the Members, the Chief Executive or the Director, to remain during the exempt session, be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business on the ground that its consideration will involve the disclosure of exempt information as defined in Section 100I of the Local Government Act 1972.”

Also, if appropriate, the following resolution should be passed –

“(2) That members of the Council who are not members of this Panel be invited to remain.”

MOBILE PHONES, PAGERS AND SIMILAR CALLING DEVICES

All persons attending this meeting are requested to turn off these devices in accordance with the Council’s statement concerning disturbance caused by such apparatus. The Chairman may approve an exception to this request in special circumstances.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

ON HEARING THE ALARM – (a continuous two tone siren)

Leave the room by the nearest exit door. Ensure that windows are closed.

Last person out to close the door.

DO NOT stop to collect personal belongings.

DO NOT use the lifts.

FOLLOW the green and white exit signs and make your way to the assembly point.

DO NOT re-enter the building until authorised to do so by the Fire Authority.

GO TO ASSEMBLY POINT D – THE CAR PARK OPPOSITE MAIN RECEPTION

AGENDA CONFERENCE

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Officers

The agenda conference will be held on Thursday, 10th July 2003 at 4.30 p.m. in Room 111, Town Hall.

AGENDA ITEM 4.1

MINUTES

OF THE MEETING OF THE

Children and Young People Select Committee

Thursday 12th June 2003

HELD AT THE TOWN HALL, WESTON-SUPER-MARE, SOMERSET.

Meeting Commenced: 6.00 p.m. Meeting Concluded: 7.39 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillors Jeremy Blatchford (Chairman), Felicity Baker, Bob Bateman, Mark Canniford, Andy Cole, Bob Cook, John Crockford-Hawley, Jenny Gosden, Ann Harley, Derek Kraft, Tom Leimdorfer, Michael Nobes, Howard Roberts, Richard Skinner, Bob Steadman, Chanel Stevens, Sally Tabrett, Elizabeth Wells, Andy Wright

ADDED MEMBERS: Mark Johnston, Mrs. Margaret Jones and Beverly Humphries.

APOLOGY FOR ABSENCE: Mark Evans

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: Councillor Peter Kehoe

CYP

Election of Chairman for the Meeting

RESOLVED: that Councillor Jeremy Blatchford be elected Chairman for this meeting.

The Chairman made a brief announcement which included encouraging members to challenge speakers and seeking clarification of any uncertain areas.

CYP

Election of Vice-Chairman for the Meeting

The Committee expressed a wish to elect a Vice-Chairman just for the meeting.

RESOLVED: that Councillor Tom Leimdorfer be elected as Vice-Chairman for this meeting.

CYP

Minutes of the Meeting held on 10th April 2003 (Agenda Item 5.1)

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 10th April 2003 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to an amendment to indicate that Councillor Mike Nobes was a spokesperson for, not Chairman of the Working Group on Secondary School Places.

CYP

Presentation by Mr. David Jellings, Select Committee Officer and Mr. Shane Trevett, Scrutiny and Performance Team Manager (Agenda Item 7)

The Committee received a presentation from David Jellings and Shane Trevett on the overview and scrutiny process.

David Jellings outlined the general principles of overview and scrutiny making particular reference to the Constitution and to the Business Meeting. He made a distinction between the overview role of the Select Committees, which involved assisting the Executive with policy and development matters and the scrutiny role, which involved holding the Executive to account. Reference was made to the constitutional review and the recommendations to Council, as they related to overview and scrutiny.

Shane Trevett outlined the various approaches and skills needed to carry out overview and scrutiny work. This incorporated forming task and finish groups and carrying out individual investigations which should result in the Select Committees reaching conclusions and making recommendations based upon their investigations and the evidence obtained. Shane suggested that the work should be managed by developing a realistic and flexible work programme, by concentrating on three to four in depth reviews per year and by setting terms of reference for the reviews which should include proposed objectives, suggested approach and a time scale.

Members noted that further training would be available later in the year, following the current review into the Constitution.

CYP

Key Issues for Scrutiny – Presentation by Mr. Colin Diamond, Director of Education, Mr. Derek Carter, Principal Youth and Community Officer and Ms. Sheila French, Quality Protects Manager (Agenda Item 8)

The Committee received a presentation given by Colin Diamond, Derek Carter and Sheila French.

Colin Diamond highlighted the following matters:-

· Early Years – rapid growth and partnership making.

· Schools.

· Adult and Community – the partnership with Weston College and the growth in provision for adults on ‘first and second step learning’.

· The role of the Education Directorate on behalf of the Local Education Authority with regard to strategic planning, school improvement, special educational needs, access and resource allocation.

· The needs of learners being at the centre of all the Local Education Authority did.

· The issues looked at previously by this Select Committee including Science teaching, gifted and talented provision, SEN expenditure, the Post-Ofsted Action Plan, Private Finance Initiative, drugs education programme, teenage pregnancies, out-of-area placements, and the provision of secondary school places.

· Some proposed key issues for the Select Committee to address:

- Schools Improvement (how well are schools doing).

- Special Educational Needs (schools inclusion, requirement of disability legislation).

- Strategic Planning and Management (growth on demand for school places, implementation of Post-Ofsted Action Plan).

- Resources (school funding formula, provision of best value services to schools).

- Children’s needs (cross-departmental working).

· Ofsted expectations of elected members.

Derek Carter’s presentation focused on the transforming of youth work and in particular, the following matters:-

· Youth Service (delivery methods, age range, interest groups and organisations).

· Youth Work (personal, social and educational opportunities, inclusion and engagement, intervention and prevention, quality support, young people’s voice and influence, targeting 13-19 year olds).

· Government direction.

· Local Authority roles (strategic leadership, partnership with Connexions, youth work provision, representing youth interests at local, national and European levels, high quality youth work).

· Staffing, delivery, attendance and context.

· Performance indicator, Youth Service budget, formula spending, Youth Service minimum target.

Sheila French gave a presentation which highlighted the following matters:-

· With Programme 2002-2003 (Implementation of SSI Action Plan, Quality Protects Management Action Plan, Youth Justice Plan update, and self-audit of Child Protection Services arising from the Laming Report).

· Partnership Planning (Teenage pregnancy report and progress, Young People’s Substance Misuse Plan, and Early Years and Child Care Partnership including Sure Start).

· Key Areas of Work 2003-2004 at the strategic level (Development of Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership, Government Green Paper relating to children at risk and the Government’s response to the Laming Report, development of preventative strategy across partner agencies regarding children at risk and the involvement of children and families in these developments).

· Partnership Work (Teenage pregnancy report, Young People’s Substance Misuse Plan and Early Years, Sure Start, Children’s Centre and Children’s Fund developments and IRT – Identification, Referral and Tracking).

· Social Services (Corporate parenting responsibilities regarding children looked after, responsibilities and response to the Laming Report, Youth Justice Plan, Social Services Delivery and Improvement Statement (SIS), fostering inspection and implementation of follow-up action plan, and review of residential short term breaks for children with disabilities).

Officers responded to Members’ questions and queries on a range of issues.

CYP

Mrs. Margaret Jones, Roman Catholic Church Representative

The Committee thanked Mrs. Jones who was attending her last meeting of the Committee as an Added Member for her hard work and contributions.

________________________________

Chairman

________________________________

AGENDA ITEM 6.1

NORTH SOMERSET COUNCIL

REPORT OF THE Chairman TO THE children & young people POLICY AND SCRUTINY PANEL MEETING ON 17th July 2003

MEMBERS NAME:	Councillor Blatchford – PANEL CHAIRMAN
SUBJECT:	list of POTENTIAL ITEMS for panel work plan
KEY DECISION:	No

1. SUMMARY

This report offers guidance on the selection of potential items for the Panel’s work plan. A list of items for consideration is attached as Appendix one.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS

That the Panel identifies which items it wishes to consider over the next twelve months.

3. PROPORTIONALITY ISSUES

None

4. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES

None

5. FUNDING IMPLICATIONS

	Approved Budget	Extra Bid?	Recurring/Base Budget?
Revenue
Capital

6. OTHER/RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS

Legal	Crime & Disorder	Health & Safety	Equal Opportunities	Trades Unions	Youth Voice	Other

7. COMMUNITY IMPACT

Corporate	Environment	Lifelong Learning	Health & Welfare	Prosperity
		Y	Y

8. POLICY IMPLICATIONS (if any)

Potential policy implications dependant on outcome of any investigations.

9. DETAILS

The Constitution Working group recommended that the Panels undertake three to four in-depth reviews per year. In addition the presentation on Overview & Scrutiny at the first round of committees listed selection criteria to assist in identifying key areas for consideration.

Attached is a list of potential issues from which the Panel can select items to form its work plan to be considered over the next twelve months. This list should form the basis of the discussion. There is a range of items that have either been suggested, or are plans/strategies that are coming up for renewal between now and June next year.

You will need to assess the relevance, interest and impact any investigation will have, for the Council and the Community.

Specific criteria that would suggest that a topic should be considered are as follows:

· The plan is part of the Policy Framework listed in the Constitution?

· Members identify as key issue for the public?

· Poor performance or overspend pattern?

· Community importance?

· User/public dissatisfaction?

· Public interest issue – local media?

· High budget commitment?

· Corporate priority?

· Government priority/legislation? New or existing?

· Issues raised through Audit/inspection reports?

· Reports or evidence from other organisations?

· Anything else?

Reasons that a topic should not be added to the work plan:

· It is being examined by the Executive

· It is being examined by an Officer group (changes imminent)

· It is being examined by other internal mechanism (Best Value or Internal Audit review)

· New legislation/guidance expected within next year

· External/Inspection report expected

· Other work is of a higher priority

· It falls within the remit of another panel

· Others?

Once the topics have been chosen, terms of reference need to be set, including the proposed objective, suggested approach and timescale.

The terms of reference should set out:

· Why – aims

· What - should be included/excluded

· How – methods of investigation

· Where – location of meetings/any visits

· Who - use appropriate Members & Officers skills

· When - clear timescales for undertaking investigation & reporting back

These criteria should help the Panel to remain focused and not become overloaded with work. In addition it is important to keep enough flexibility in the work programme to allow for unexpected issues that may arise during the coming year.

Approved Budget