Agenda and minutes

Brian James, Chief Executive of RBT (Connect) Ltd. gave a verbal update on the current position regarding delivery of the Rotherham Learning Grid to schools.

With the exception of one school, the programme was on target to deliver the service to all schools by the 15^th December 2004 deadline.

The Cabinet Member made reference to an issue recently raised at Rotherham Schools Forum with regard to payment for the service by schools.  An assurance was given that this had been resolved.

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

(2)  That the Information and Performance Review Manager, Resources and Information, circulate feedback received from schools on the advantages already gained by using the system, to all parties in attendance.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of meetings of the Cabinet Member, Education, Culture and Leisure Services held on 9^th and 16^th November, 2004 be received.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of a meeting of the Leisure/Joint Service Centre Project Board held on 4^th November, 2004 be received.

Resolved:-  That the minutes of the meeting of the above Forum held on 11^th November, 2004 be received.

Rod Norton, Young People’s Services Manager outlined the content of a report submitted in response to a request from Members for an update on progress and developments within the Young People’s Services.

The report covered the following aspects:-

-                       The Green Paper

-                       Children and Young People’s Services

-                       Transforming Youth Work

            *    13-19 Focus

            *    Quality Mark

            *    Accreditation

            *    Quality Assurance

            *    Staff Development

            *    eYS

-           Service Development

            *    Voice and Influence

            *    Detached Work

            *    International Work

            *    Outdoor Education – Longdendale

            *    Health Work

-           Connexions

-           Youth Start

-           Premises

Questions were raised with regard to the following issues in particular:-

-                       Targets in terms of suitable forms of accreditation for disadvantaged young people

-                       Budgetary issues and impact on service delivery

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

(2)               That reports detailing progress against ‘balanced scorecard’ targets be submitted to future meetings on a quarterly basis once the eYS Management Information System is operational across the Service.

(3)  That a report be submitted to a future meeting on specific proposals regarding the involvement of Members in the peer evaluation exercise.