Agenda and minutes

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 21^st October, 2009 be approved as a correct record.

Simon Perry, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services concerning a recent (May, 2009) Law Lords judgement (G vs Southwark), which considered how local authorities support homeless 16 and 17 year olds. The legal case tested the circumstances in which local authorities should provide accommodation for this age group and the legislation that should apply. The judgement concluded that the duties of local authorities to accommodate children in need cannot be circumvented by referring the young person to the housing authority. The case has profound implications for local authority children’s services.

The report also referred to the position of unaccompanied asylum seeking young people, including support arrangements, accommodation support, support in relation to their status as looked after children and financial arrangements, as informed by a 2003 High Court judgement, (R v London Borough of Hillingdon and the Secretary of State for Education and Skills).

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That, to enable further consideration to be given to the financial implications, for this Council, of the Law Lords judgement, the Strategic Director of Children and Young People’s Services submit a report on this matter to a future meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services.

(3) That the appropriate officers have further discussions with Housing Services and with the Supporting People service providers in order to plan for Rotherham’s response to the Law Lords ruling.

(4) That the appropriate officers undertake a review of the capacity of services to unaccompanied asylum seeking young people.

(5) That the report be submitted, for information to future meetings of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Housing and Neighbourhoods, the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel and the New Arrivals Working Party.

Simon Perry, report author

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Operations Manager, Youth Offending Service containing statistical details of young people sentenced to custody. The report included reference to National Indicator 43 (custodial sentences for young people, as a percentage of all court outcomes). Discussion took place on the range of offences which result in custody.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the report be submitted to the Children’s Board for information.

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under those paragraphs, indicated below, of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended

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 as amended.

David Ashmore and Vera Njegic, report authors

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to financial or business affairs)

Further to Minute No. 30 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 15^th July, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the Resources and Business Manager containing the recommendations of the Rotherham Schools Forum sub-group which had reviewed the 2008/2009 financial balances of a number of Rotherham schools, in accordance with Rotherham’s Fair Funding Scheme.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the balances shall be deducted from those schools as detailed in the report now submitted and these balances applied to the Schools Budget of this Council for the following (2010/2011) financial year.

(3) That any balances above the 8% threshold shall be removed from the six schools, identified in the report now submitted, at the end of the 2009/2010 financial year, in the event that these schools’ proposed spending plans are not carried out and completed by 31st March, 2010.

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to financial and business affairs)

Glen John-Lewis – report author

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act - information relating to financial or business affairs)

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Acting Principal Project Manager. Environment and Development Services, concerning the tenders received for the construction of a new single storey Infant School building comprising two foundation and two infant classrooms, main entrance foyer and reception, administration offices, toilets, stores, link corridor to the existing building and external works comprising hard and soft play areas, at the Rawmarsh Monkwood Primary School.

Resolved:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That the tender submitted by Henry Boot Construction Limited, dated 25th September, 2009, in the sum of £1,819,926.00, together with the contingency sum detailed in the report submitted, be accepted for the contract for the construction of new classrooms and an administration block at the Rawmarsh Monkwood Primary School (the total sum for the works including the contingency being £2,410,444.50).

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act – information relating to financial and business affairs)

(Councillor S. Wright declared a personal interest in the above item, as a school governor of this Primary School)

(Exempt under Paragraph 2 of the Act – information likely to reveal the identity of an individual)

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meeting of the Education Consultative Committee, held on 15th October, 2009, be noted.

(Exempt under Paragraph 4 of the Act – information relating to consultations about labour relations matters)