Agenda and minutes

- to receive minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of a meeting of the Cabinet Member for Lifelong Learning, Culture and Leisure held on 29^th November, 2005 be received.

- to receive minutes

Resolved:-  That the minutes of a meeting of the Education Consultative Committee held on 24^th November, 2005 be received.

- to note the forecast outturn for 2005/06 and forecast costs to the end of March, 2006

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader Resources and Information outlining the performance against budget for the Children and Young People’s Services in 2005/06.

The report reflects the organisational change that resulted in the formal cessation of the Education, Culture and Leisure Services Programme Area and the creation of the Children and Young People’s Services Programme Area on 1^st October, 2005.

The current forecast is to overspend against budget for the financial year by £35k.

This relates to additional costs in Young People’s Services resulting from the JNC Pay increase exceeding the budgeted level of inflation (£35k) and loss of income resulting from the delayed re-opening of Longdendale Outdoor Activity Centre following fire damage (£68k).  These cost pressures are partially offset by staff slippage and the Pupil Referral Units not operating at full capacity.

Work is ongoing to identify costs savings and potential new income streams to bring this forecast spend in line with budget.

The report set out a detailed variance analysis.

Resolved:-  That the forecast outturn for 2005/06 based on actual costs to 31^st October, 2005 and forecast costs to the end of March, 2006 be noted.

- note the forecast outturn for 2005/06 and forecast costs to the end of March, 2006.

Consideration was given to the fourth Budget Monitoring report of the Strategic Leader Resources and Information outlining the performance against budget for Culture and Leisure Services in 2005/06.   It is the first separate report for the service, reflecting the organisational change that resulted in the formal cessation of the Education, Culture and Leisure Services Programme Area and the creation of the Children and Young People’s Services Programme Area on 1^st October, 2005.

The current forecast is to overspend against budget for the financial year by £550k (4.8%).

This predominantly relates to continued pressure on sport and recreational facility budgets, as experienced in previous years (£454k).

Culture and Heritage Services are forecasting an overspend of £146k.  This relates to additional costs at the Museum and Museum Store, and to a shortfall in income due to a loss of room hire income at the Arts Centre due to the utilisation of the room as a call centre.

These overspends are offset by a forecast saving on the Library Service budget (£50k).

A detailed variance analysis was set out in the report, together with a number of management actions to bring the forecast overspend closer to budget.

Options for addressing the forecast level of overspend for 2005/06 and into the future are being compiled by managers within the service with support from Corporate Finance, with the aim of creating a medium term plan to ensure the sustainability of the Service into the future from within available resources.  Options for Member consideration will be submitted to a future meeting.

Resolved:-  That the forecast outturn for 2005/06 based on actual costs to 31^st October, 2005 and forecast costs to the end of March, 2006 be noted.

- to consider the recommendations contained in the report

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader Resources and Information which outlined the situation regarding the level of School Balances as at the end of March 2005, how the level of balances compares with previous years, and how the 55 Rotherham Schools with surplus balances in excess of 5% at the end of 2004/2005 intend to use these balances.

The number of schools with surplus balances in excess of 5% has reduced from 63 as at the end of 2003/04 to 55 as at the end of 2004/05.

In addition, the report contained information on the comparative school balances information with other regional authorities who have shared their information through the Regional LMS Officers Group.

Resolved:-  (1)  That the levels and planned use of balances be noted.

(2)         That the comparisons with regional Authority school balances be noted.

(3)         That the Schools Finance Team continue to work closely with those schools needing support to develop their financial management skills.

(4)  That officers meet with the Head and Chair of Governors of the 3 schools with balances in excess of 5%, who failed to submit their return, in order to discuss the proposed use of their balances.

- to approve the suspension of Standing Order 44 to enable a contract to be established

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Leader Resources and Information which sought approval to suspend Standing Order 44 in order to permit exemption from normal contract standing orders to allow purchase of ‘Scran’, an image based resource for all schools within the Local Authority, given the unique nature of the product and its suitability for schools in Rotherham.

Scran has many unique elements to its service, one of which is the ability to provide a secure and safe resource of images, monitored and maintained by the company to serve educational establishments, overriding the need to use visual search engines such as Google Images which provide material that is not appropriate for use by students.

In addition, will be the opportunity for developing local content, in partnership with the Libraries and Archive Service.  This content will be hosted and accessible to schools through the Scran portal.

The costs of the facility will be met through the 2005/06 Standards Fund grant.

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

(2)  That the request to suspend Standing Order 44 to enable a contract to be established with ‘Scran’ as a consequence of the circumstances outlined in the report submitted, be approved, subject to discussion with neighbouring authorities as to whether they are aware of any other company who could provide this product.

- to receive the report

Consideration was given to a joint report of Adult Social Services and Children and Young People’s Services which contained details of complaints relating to the Children and Young People’s Services for the first half of 2005/06 (April to September).

The report merges information from both Social Services and Education.

The report details complaints at all stages of the procedure, the main focus being the recommendations made and improvements to policies or procedures connected to service delivery.

Both Education and Social Services operate statutory complaints procedures.  As the services merge into Children and Young People’s Services work is taking place to review the processes and procedures.  This review will aim to make improvements to the cost, quality and timescale dimensions of investigations so that Service Users receive an improved service.

Children’s complaints covered by Social Services’ legislation dictate that at Stage 2 investigation, an independent person must be appointed alongside the Investigating Officer.  This impacts on the cost of complaints investigations and this element will be part of the review referred to in the review of processes and procedures.

The details of four Stage 1 complaints for ECALS from 1^st April, 2005 to 30^th September, 2005 were highlighted.

An annual report will be submitted in April 2006 containing details for the whole of 2005/06.

Resolved:-  That the report be received.

- to note the progress of the Schools PFI Project

Consideration was given to a joint report of the Acting Head of Partnerships and Governance Resources and Acting Head of Resources and Access, Children and Young People’s Services containing details of the current situation with regard to the Schools PFI Project Update: Autumn Term 2005.

The Schools PFI Project involves a partnership between the Council and Transform Schools (Rotherham) Limited.  The contract includes the rebuilding/refurbishment of 15 schools and their facilities management for a period of 30 years from 1^st April, 2004.

By December 2006 the project will provide:-

• New schools for Coleridge, Ferham, Kimberworth, Maltby Crags Infant, Maltby Crags Junior, Meadowhall and Thornhill Primaries; and Winterhill, Wingfield and Wath Secondaries.

·        Part new build and refurbished schools at East Dene and Wath Central Primaries; and Clifton, Thrybergh and Wickersley Secondaries.

·        Additionally, extended school use will be provided as follows:-  new Key Young Persons’ Centres will be provided at Thornhill Primary and Wath Secondary; and significantly refurbished centres at Wingfield, Clifton, Thrybergh and WinterhilllSecondary Schools.

            SureStart facilities at Ferham, Thornhill and Wingfield.

            Space for Sports and Arts facilities at Ferham.

            Children’s Centres at Coleridge and Kimberworth.

            Clifton Project facilities at the Cranworth Road site.

The Council was awarded £71.4m of PFI credits from the DfES as a contribution towards the costs of the scheme.  The remainder of the funding derives from the premises related parts of the schools delegated budgets and the Council itself.  Transform Schools receives a monthly unitary payment from the Council which began in April 2004.  However, the payment is based on the schools reaching full services availability, and the full unitary payment will not be reached until 2007/08 when all the schools will be complete and operational.

Resolved:-  That the progress on the Schools PFI Project be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Acting Head of Service, Resources and Access, Children and Young People’s Services, containing details of a recent announcement by the Department for Education and Skills (DFES) of the results of the 2006 Targeted Capital Fund (TCF) bids.

The TCF provides capital funding for standards focused projects at LEA and VA schools which are not covered by other funding streams.  Bids are assessed on how well they support the government’s current priorities for school improvement and raising educational standards.

Rotherham was successful in securing Targeted Capital Funding of £2,363,200 for a replacement Primary School at Canklow Woods, but unsuccessful in a bid for the replacement of temporary classrooms and expansion of Aston FencePrimary School.

Canklow Woods Primary is a school in a disadvantaged area with very low standards at Key Stage 1 and 2.  The new building will address the standards and curriculum improvements criteria through primary enrichment and the extended schools/community use criteria.

The £2,363,200 funding from the Department for Education and Skills is in the form of supported borrowing and is spread over 3 years.  This will be phased over the three year period 2006-07 to 2008-09 in the proportions 25%, 50% and 25%.  The Authority will also contribute approximately 20% or £583,300 which is a condition of the funding.  SureStart funding will also contribute £200,000 to provide the facilities for the Children’s centre.

Resolved:-  That the report be noted.

Resolved:-  That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in Paragraph 8 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government act 1972.

The Cabinet Member opened four tenders received for the above Project.

Resolved:-  That the Procurement Manager RBT evaluate the tenders and report back to a future meeting.

(Exempt under Paragraph 8 of the Act – information relating to expenditure proposed to be incurred by the Authority under a particular contract).