To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14 September 2010 and to note actions taken since that meeting.

RESOLVED

that the minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 14 September 2010 be confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To receive from Members any declarations and the nature in relation to:-

(a)    personal interests in any agenda item

(b)    personal and prejudicial interests in any agenda item

(c)     any political whip in relation to any agenda item.

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

The Chairman confirmed that a letter had been sent to the local MPs, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury seeking their support to maintain funding for the benefit of young people.  A copy was circulated to the Members of this committee.  Cllr Anita Lewis commented that she had reinforced this message with the local MPs at a recent meeting.

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.

No petitions were received from members of the public in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 2 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

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.

No questions, statements or deputations from members of the public were received in accordance with the Public Participation Procedure as set out in Annex 1 of Part A4 of the Constitution.

To consider any decision of the Executive referred to this Committee for review  in accordance with Procedure Rule 10.10 of Part D2.

No matters were referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to call-in of a decision.

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 receive a verbal update from the Portfolio Holder regarding current issues within Children’s Services.

The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services communicated to Members on the following current issues:

• the Council had an ongoing duty to refresh the Children and Young People’s Plan and this was currently out for consultation;

• the Government had produced a White Paper which proposed changes to the National Health Service (NHS).  Until a final report was produced by the Government the exact impact on the Council was not clear;

• The Steering Group reviewing the School Places in Dunstable and Houghton Regis was working hard and the results would be submitted to the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 25 January 2011;

• the Looked After Children Awards ceremony had taken place and was attended by foster carers and young people in care, the Chief Executive and the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children’s Services.  The event recognised the success of young people in care.  The evening was a great success;

• Youth Participation Officers had been working with Young Carers to produce a DVD called ‘Undercover Carers’ to highlight and raise awareness to both pupils and teachers about young children who looked after their parents.  This would be delivered via the PSHE lessons.  In addition Look East had interviewed the Portfolio Holder and one of the young carers;

• two Governor meetings had taken place at Priory House and Dunstable, these were to recognise the work being carried out by school Governors.  The Chairman attended one of these events and communicated his thanks.

The Deputy Chief Executive / Director of Children’s Services will show a video about Child Poverty and give a presentation to Members about the development of a strategy to reduce child poverty and alleviate its effects in Central Bedfordshire.  Members will also have the opportunity to discuss the issues with a Headteacher.

Members considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and received a presentation from the Deputy Chief Executive/Director of Children’s Services about the development of a strategy to reduce child poverty and alleviate its effects in Central Bedfordshire.  Members also watched a DVD produced by Bedford Borough Council and Central Bedfordshire Council about the impact of Child Poverty in this area.

The presentation introduced Members to child poverty and set out:

• the Child Poverty Act including the definitions of poverty

• the percentage of children in poverty in the UK

• why income matters and the poverty and life chances form an inter-generational cycle

• the need to end child poverty and how local authorities and partners can co-operate to reduce child poverty

• the percentage of children in relative poverty by upper-tier local authority

• a breakdown of the percentage of children living in poverty in the Central Bedfordshire Council wards.

The Committee welcomed Ms Baker, Headteacher of Beecroft Lower School, Dunstable to the meeting.   Ms Baker communicated to the Members a brief summary of the services in place at Beecroft Lower School which had received an outstanding Ofsted result.  She believed that the key to working with parents was to create a relationship and sometimes it was best practice to include informal events in order to meet parents in a less pressured environment.

Members were advised that a Sure Start Children’s Centre was attached to Beecroft Lower School and that this meets some of the early intervention needs of some of the children to establish a common starting point for learning.  However it was reiterated that there was no link between the school and the services provided at the Children’s Centre.   In addition, due to the current economic climate whilst some services such as Breakfast Clubs are valued, schools needed to be innovative in how they were funded. 

Members were advised that the Government’s White Paper proposed changes to the National Health Service (NHS) and recommended that a Health and Wellbeing Board be established.  The Board would include the Director of Public Health, Director of Adult Social Care and the Director of Children’s Services along with the Portfolio Holders for Children and Adult services.

The framework for the Draft Child Poverty Strategy would follow the four key national objectives with underpinning priorities specific to Central Bedfordshire.  In particular, Members commented on Objective 3 ‘improving life chances of children and families by intervening early to prevent poor outcomes’ and 4 ‘working with colleagues from all sectors and agencies to improve the environmental factors’.

Members were advised that the needs of gypsy and travellers fell under the Gypsy and Traveller Strategy.  The child poverty data was provided from the  HMRC.  Officers would circulate the data to Members, but careful consideration would have to be given to the extent of information provided without identifying individuals in poverty.  The data provided from HMRC was two years old and was realigned to reflect the wards in Central Bedfordshire.

Members agreed that the DVD  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.

The Committee adjourned from 11:55 am – 12:05 pm for a short break.

The report proposes changes to the Post 16 Transport Policy, to take effect from September 2011.   Members will note that the proposed policy changes are related to young people attending post 16 education and training in schools, colleges and work based learning providers and not part of the Home to School Transport Policy which was agreed by Executive in March 2010.

Members considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services that proposed changes to the Post 16 Transport Policy, to take effect from September 2011.  Members noted that the proposed policy changes were related to young people attending post 16 education and training in schools, colleges and work based learning providers and not part of the Home to School Transport Policy which had previously been agreed by the Executive in March 2010.

Members were presented with proposals and in particular debated the proposal for the mileage criteria and the fifteen miles radius between home and school or college.  Members expressed concern that this should be reconsidered as students in the rural areas within Central Bedfordshire and those on the border would not be able to attend colleges in Bedford under the 15 mile criteria.  Members needed to be certain that students living anywhere in Central Bedfordshire had access to a collage within the 15 mile radius.  Members were advised that any amendments to the mileage criteria would need to be costed.   Members noted that extensive research had taken place regarding these proposed changes, and this could be shared.  Members requested maps setting out what provision was available within Central Bedfordshire which led to recommending the 15 mile radius.  The Director noted that travel to learn distances did not need to take account Council boundaries.

Members fully debated the low income criteria and agreed that this should reflect the Home to School Transport Policy.

A suggestion was put forward to amend the proposal on the assessment of Course Content to continue the last sentence ‘and that the student has been accepted for a place at the school or college’. 

Concerns were raised about the safety of cycle routes within Central Bedfordshire and that cycle routes being used by young people travelling to school or college should be given a higher priority.

Members noted that the consultation on the Policy would commence on 8 November 2010 and would run until 17 December 2010.  The outcomes of the consultation would be fed back to the Committee on 25 January 2011 before being submitted to the Executive on 8 February 2011.

RESOLVED

1.      that Officers reconsider the modal for the 15 miles radius under the proposal for the mileage criteria

2.      to suggest an amendment to the proposal on the assessment of Course Content to extend the last sentence ‘and that the student has been accepted for a place at the school or college’.

RECOMMENDED

to the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee that they consider the safety of cycle routes being used by young people travelling to and from school or college within their work programme.

The report highlights the Quarter One performance for the Children’s Services Directorate, including relevant Corporate Health Indicators.

Members considered the report of the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services which highlighted the quarter one performance for the Children’s Services Directorate, including the relevant Corporate Health Indicators.

Members noted that the performance had been good within the Directorate.  Members queried the amount of days in which an undisputed invoice had to be paid as this currently was within 30 days.  Members felt that the turnaround of invoices was very quick especially compared to private industry.  Officers agreed to raise this with the Finance team and come back to Members.

NOTED

the report.

The report provides Members with details of the currently drafted Committee work programme and the latest Executive Forward Plan.

Members considered the report of the Chief Executive which provided details of the current committee work programme and the latest Executive Forward Plan.  A revised work programme had been circulated to Members as there had been amendments to the November, December and January meetings.

NOTED

the revised Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme.