Agenda and minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the above Forum held on 2^nd July, 2004 be received and the content noted.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the above Board held on 9^th July, 2004 be received.

Consideration was given to a report of the Executive Director, Children and Young People’s Services outlining the content and implications of the discussion paper – Every child matters:  inspecting services for children and young people (Appendix 1) and the response made to Ofsted (Appendix 2).

The discussion paper presents proposals for an integrated approach to the inspection of Children and Young People’s Services.   Formal consultation on the Framework will follow the second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons.

Integrated inspection will:

-                       establish an agreed set of principles to underpin all inspection activity

-                       define the contribution to outcomes for children and young people that settings and services make, how these will be evaluated with a consistent approach to judgements

-                       conduct joint area reviews in order to pool evidence from a range of sources

-                       linking the various service reviews with a unified system of performance assessment

Inspection and area reviews will focus on the five key outcomes for children and young people, as contained in the new Bill definitions.

The report outlined a selection of areas of work for inspection for which a three year indicative programme will be produced.

Joint Area Reviews (JARS) will take place in children’s service authority in the first three years after the start of the new integrated process, i.e. from Summer 2005, thereafter frequency will be reviewed in the light of experience.   Focus will be on the contribution services make to outcomes, working together and co-ordinating action, to ensure the well being of children and young people.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the key steps towards integrated services for children and young people are developed and in place by April 2005.

(2)                   That key outcomes for children and young people are agreed by all partner agencies and their individual contributions made clear.

(3)                   That performance indicators designed to measure progress towards these outcomes are in place and monitored quarterly from April 2005.

(4)                   That a development plan showing the steps necessary to achieve integrated working is presented to the September meeting of the Executive Group.

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Strategic Leader, Resources and Information on the need to determine the above matters following the publication of proposals.

The proposals have stood for the statutory period and there have been no comments/objections received.  The LEA can now, therefore, determine the proposals.

These changes follow on from the original recommendations of the Behaviour Working Party in October 2001.  The changes will, in effect, relocate the EBD Unit to a base in the south of the borough.

The relocation would provide the borough with units, which are better located geographically.   There would be units at Rawmarsh Thorogate (North), St. Ann’s (Central) and Wales (South), if these proposals are now determined, which would enable pupils to be educated broadly within their local community.

Resolved:-  That the proposals to close the EBD Unit at Rawmarsh Sandhill and open the EBD Unit at WalesPrimary School be approved.

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Strategic Leader, Resources and Information on the content of revised guidance which replaces the previous DfES guidance for decision makers (i.e. the School Organisation Committee/LEA/Adjudicator) on closure of rural schools.

The proposed regulations would amend parts of three pieces of current school organisation legislation – the Education (School Organisation Proposals) (England) Regulations 1999, the Education (School Organisation Committee) (England) Regulations 1999 and the Education (References to Adjudicator) Regulations 1999.

It was noted that the School Organisation Committee (SOC) will have the opportunity to consider the guidance and proposals at a meeting to be held in September.

The revised guidance, which is statutory, comes into effect from 1^st October, 2004.

The consultation asks for comments by 30^th September and it is intended that regulations 2-4 and 11-13 will come into force in the Autumn and regulations 5-10 in February 2005, the latter being the regulations which relate to membership of the School Organisation Committee.

The report gave examples of proposed changes, together with the most significant changes and the ones where action may/will be required.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the revised statutory guidance on proposals to close rural schools be noted.

(2)                  That the comments, as contained in the report, on the proposed changes to the relevant school organisation regulations be forwarded to the DfES.

(3)                  That this report be forwarded to SOC to be included on the agenda for the meeting to be held in September.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Finance Officer on the need to suspend Standing Order 44, which will permit exemption from normal contract standing orders for additional building work at Wales High School.

Quickspace (Banner Plant Ltd.) were selected in late 2002 to undertake building work at Wales High School following their submission of the lowest tender for the building work to be undertaken at that time.  This initial building work was completed in September 2003.  The work involved the provision and erection of modular buildings (classrooms, storerooms, toilets, offices and a kitchen) with a contract value of approximately £130,000.

It was always the school’s intention to expand these buildings further, however, the timing of this was dependent upon the availability of future funding.  The school has now identified funding for an extension to the block and wish to commission the same contractors to undertake the work as the unit to be added to the block needs to be compatible with previous building work – same colour, style, design and internal specification.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the report be received.

(2)                     That the suspension of Standing Order 44 to enable a contract to be established with Quickspace (Banner Plant Ltd) as a consequence of the circumstances outlined in the report, now submitted, be approved.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet Member, Education, Culture and Leisure Services held on 1^st June, 6^th July and 13^th July, 2004 be received.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader, Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning outlining the details of a proposal for Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning Service to withdraw from Rawmarsh Leisure Centre, Rawmarsh.   This would allow the Property Board to identify an appropriate user to take on the building and continue to deliver services in the community.

The report follows a request from the Rawmarsh and Parkgate Partnership to consider a lease for the Rawmarsh Leisure Centre.

It is planned that the centre will transfer to the property bank with effect from 30^th April, 2005.

The report set out the background on the matter, details of the level of usage of the Centre and budgetary issues.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the content of the report be noted.

(2)         That relevant Ward Members be briefed on the content of the report.

(Exempt under Paragraph 9 of the Act – item contains information relating to terms proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services).

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader, Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning containing details of a request received from Eurest for a subsidy payment for managing the catering outlets within Culture, Leisure and Lifelong Learning.

The report set out the background information on the matter, together with trading information for 2003/04 of individual venues controlled via Eurest.

The meeting discussed the impact of the request on individual venues controlled via Eurest and RMBC personnel.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the request from Eurest for a £65,000 subsidy be declined.

(2)                  That Eurest’s intention to terminate the contract on 30^th September, 2004, based on Clause 31.4 of the Catering Contract, be noted.

(3)  That a further detailed report on proposals to operate the catering outlets in-house, including details of how staff will be deployed within the Authority, be submitted.

(Exempt under Paragraphs 7 & 9 of the Act – information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (other than the authority) and any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services).