Apologies for absence and notification of substitute members.

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the last meeting held on 14 July 2009.

Members noted that the minutes had been revised as Councillors Egan and Hollick and Katherine Peddie had not been included as present at the last meeting.  Councillor Shadbolt advised that he should be recorded as being present at the last meeting.  It was also noted that Patrick Shevlin’s job title had been incorrectly recorded and should be amended to read Assistant Director Learning and School Support. 

Doug Landman advised that he should be included on the list of names as having a personal interest as he was a school governor.

A query was raised regarding the former Bedfordshire County Council (BCC) reaching wave 2 in the bid for Building Schools for the Future (BSF).  Members were advised that BCC had achieved wave 2.  Bedford Borough Council had achieved wave 6.

RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the meeting of the Children, Families and Learning Overview and Scrutiny held on 14 July 2009 as a correct record and to authorise the Chairman to sign them, subject to the above amendments.

To receive any announcements from the Chairman and any matters of communication.

The Chairman had no announcements or communications to make.

To receive petitions from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

The Chairman announced that no petitions had been referred to this meeting.

To receive any questions, statements or deputations from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of part A4 of the Constitution.

There were no applications from members of the public to speak under the Public Participation Procedure allowed for under Part A4 of the Constitution.

To consider any matter referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to call-in of a decision.

No matters were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

To consider any items referred to the Committee at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

No items were referred to the Committee for consideration at the request of a Member under Procedure Rule 3.1 of Part D2 of the Constitution.

To advise Members of the work that has been done to develop a Children and Young People’s Plan for Central Bedfordshire and the priorities that have emerged following consultation with children, young people, families and partners.

Members received a report that set out the work that had been done to develop a Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) for Central Bedfordshire and the priorities that had emerged following consultation with children, young people, families and the Council’s partners.  A supplementary report was circulated at the meeting which set out proposals on how the committee might wish to approach the scrutiny of the five key areas of the CYPP.

It was expected that local authorities put in place a Children’s Trust by the end of 2008 which involved partners working together to develop a CYPP.  The Plan would be in place for eighteen months so that the emerging guidance and legislation expected from Government in 2010 could inform the new Plan that had to be published in 2011.  On 9 April the Central Bedfordshire Children and Young People’s Trust Board held its first meeting and agreed working arrangements for the Children’s Trust Board, a Commissioning Executive and five Every Child Matters Delivery Groups:

·        Be Healthy

·        Make a Positive Contribution

·        Enjoy and Achieve

·        Economic Wellbeing

·        Stay Safe

The CYPP would set out the Government’s aim that would make this the best place in the world to grow up and this would be the aim for the local authority as corporate parent.  By having the CYPP in place it would enable partners to be called to account for the benefit of children.  The Every Child Matters Delivery Group leads held a series of workshops with partners and a list of 20 priorities emerged. Members were advised that stakeholders, children and young people were consulted on these priorities and had played a significant part in developing the Plan.  Although some Members felt that the consultation process had not adequately involved children and young people in the poorest areas of Central Bedfordshire.  Members were advised that all schools and youth centres had been approached to participate in the consultation.

The Committee noted that there was still work to be undertaken on the CYPP in relation to setting school improvement targets and identifying joint resources.

The Committee’s response would be presented to the Children’s Trust Board on 3 September 2009 and then the Plan would be submitted to the Executive on 15 September 2009 and approved by Council on 24 September 2009.  Members would then have the opportunity to scrutinise the Plan over the following twelve months when the Plan was due to be refreshed.  Members were disappointed that they had not had time to scrutinise the Plan in detail before it was adopted and there was also concern that there would not be adequate opportunities to amend priorities or targets throughout the year.

Members noted that many of these areas would be cross cutting, but they agreed that starting from January 2010 the Committee would scrutinise the following areas:

• 5 January 2010         – Enjoy and Achieve
• 2 February 2010       – Achieve Economic Wellbeing
• 30 March 2010          – Make a Positive Contribution
• 27 April 2010             – Stay Safe
• 25 May 2010  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

To outline the options for the future of special schooling in the East of Central Bedfordshire in the light of the recommendations of the SEN Review, and the decision made by the Executive on 23 June 2009 to move forward to first stage consultation.

Members considered a report that outlined the options for the future of special schools in the east of Central Bedfordshire in the light of the recommendations of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Review, and the decision made by the Executive on 23 June 2009 to move forward to the first stage of consultation.

Members were advised that Hitchmead School, which provided for children with moderate learning difficulties aged 7 – 16 was likely to have around 41 pupils on roll for September 2009.  Sunnyside School accommodated for children aged 3 – 19 with sever and profound and multiple learning difficulties and currently had more children on roll than the building was able to accommodate, with requests for placements increasing.

Members were advised that there were four possible options, but the consultation would allow for any other option to be submitted for consideration by the Executive.  The four options were:

• Option A: the merger of Hitchmead School and Sunnyside School to provide one Area Special School utilising both sites.  If this was the preferred option then one school would effectively go through a process of closure and the new school would possibly have a new name;

• Option B:  to close Hitchmead School and redistribute the children to other moderate learning difficulty (MLD) school (Weatherfield School) in Central Bedfordshire or an MLD school in their own Local Authority;

• Option C:  to maintain the status quo;

• Option D:  to close both schools and a re-provision of a new school which would become the subject of a competitive process for provision, unless there was a special dispensation from the Secretary of State; and

• Option E:  any other proposal to come forward during the consultation process.

Members had received a copy of the draft consultation document that was due to be circulated to consultees.  The consultation would be undertaken over a six week period, during which time public meetings would be held.  Officers were in the process of booking the public meetings and the Committee requested that all Members be invited to attend.  Meetings had been held with the Head Teachers and the Chairs of the School Governors to look at ways forward.  Members noted that Head Teachers and Chairs of Governors of mainstream schools in the authority’s area would be consulted and not just in the locality.  The conclusions of the consultation would be reported back to the Executive before Christmas. 

Members commented that the list of consultees should include all relevant mainstream schools and appropriate Members of Parliament.  The references to County Councillors should be removed in the list of consultees.  Regarding the option A it was suggested that figures should be provided to outline the number of figures that stayed on at Sunnyside School post 16 years of age.

Members queried when the rationalisation of special schools would take place across the authority’s area.  Developing special needs provision, including proposals for special schools, could be brought forward as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.  Co-location with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

At the request of the Committee at the last meeting, Members are invited to comment on the ideas for the next stage of work and to note the letter that was sent by the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services to Bedford Borough Council.

Members received a report that built on the work of transforming teaching and learning in Central Bedfordshire that the Committee considered at its last meeting on 14 July 2009.  Members’ comments would form a view for a report to the Executive on 15 September by the Portfolio Holders for Children’s Services and Culture and Skills. 

Members received a presentation (attached at appendix A) on the following:

• the reaction to the work so far in the context of Central Bedfordshire’s ambition to raise our performance to that of an excellent council
• the purpose of having a Learning Transformation Board
• feedback from the head teachers/governor meetings
• Building Schools for the Future (BSF) milestones
• how BSF works
• the integration with wider local services
• transformation
• integration with key education policy
• next steps in partnership with head teachers and governors
• preparing for readiness to deliver
• Central Bedfordshire’s key stages

Five consultation meetings had taken place to gather views and information about areas for future development.  Members raised concerns that the consultation process had not included front line workers.  Members agreed that pupils needed to be involved and understand future development as this would have an impact on their lives. 

Members thanked the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services for the letter she sent to Bedford Borough Council in response to their consultation.  The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children, Families and Learning had met with their equivalent counterparts at Bedford Borough Council.  She was very optimistic that partnership working across the boarders could be accommodated.

RESOLVED

1)     that the Committee be kept informed of progress and that their work programme be amended to include updates on transforming teaching and learning in Central Bedfordshire.

To consider the Executive Forward Plan.

Members received the Executive Forward Plan for the period 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010.

NOTED the Executive Forward Plan for the period 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010.

To provide Members with a draft work programme for approval following initial discussion at the last meeting.

Members considered the draft work programme for the Children, Families and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  Members discussed the need to set up Task Forces to discuss youth service provision, the Cultural Strategy and child poverty.  Members agreed that there would be two Task Forces, one investigating provisions for youth and the other scrutinising the Cultural Strategy. The Committee also agreed in principal to establish a Task Force looking into child poverty following the conclusion of either the other two Task Forces.  

Members agreed that an invite would be circulated to all non-executive members seeking volunteers to sit on the Task Forces.  It would then be down to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to agree the number and appoint to the Task Forces.  Councillors Mrs Gurney, Blaine, Bowater, Dalgarno and Dr Egan and Mr Landman indicated that they would be interested on being appointed to the Task Force looking at provisions for youth.

RESOLVED

1)                 to approve the draft work programme attached to the report, subject to the addition of the Children, Young People’s Plan work (minute no. 19) and the updates on the future of Special Schools in the East of Central Bedfordshire (minute no. 20) and transforming teaching and learning in Central Bedfordshire (minute no. 21)

2)                 to set up task forces to scrutinise the Cultural Strategy and provision of facilities for youth

3)                 that the Overview and Scurtiny Officer submit proposals to a future meeting of the Committee detailing how a task force might be undertaken to review the provision of facilities for youth

4)                 that the Overview and Scrutiny Officer submit proposals to a future meeting of the Committee detailing how a task force might be undertaken to review child poverty following the completion of either the task force to scrutinise the Cultural Strategy or the provision of facilities for youth

5)                 that the Overview and Scrutiny Officer invite all non-executive members sit on the Task Forces and the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to agree the number and appoint Members to them. 

The next meeting will be held on 8 September 2009.

The date of the next meeting was 8 September 2009.