To receive the directorate's relevant fees and charges information, noting the Executive proposals and influencing where appropriate changes to the fees and charges prior to Council.

Full details are available on the Executive Papers dated 06 October 2016 http://centralbeds.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=577&MId=4919&Ver=4v.

Attached are the relevant appendices A, D and E.

The Executive Member for Social Care and Housing introduced the fees and charges that related to Children’s Services.  Arrangements for the Community Services Directorate to take over responsibility for school transport were proposed and additional information on income levels would be introduced in future reporting.

In light of the information and clarification Members of the queried:

Whether a 1% increased in the school transport was sufficient to accommodate the known pressures for this service.  The Director explained the school transport costs were one of the highest in the country and a benchmarking exercise to seek improvements was underway.  The Executive Member for Education and Skills advised of plans to reconfigure the service which would be presented to Members.

Members also requested that the list of those services sold by the Children’s Services directorate including the Teaching School be circulated to the Committee.

RECOMMENDED

1.    That all Children’s fees and charges be submitted to the Committee for consideration in the future.

2.    That the School Charging Brochure 2015/16 be circulated to the Committee for information.

3.    That a report be included on the work programme regarding evaluation of the impact of the work of the Teaching School.

4.    That the Committee support the 1% increase for the School Transport Service and no increase for the Music Service.