Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made at this meeting.

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

The Scrutiny Panel noted that the Youth Cabinet was continuing to make good progress with its study of the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum. There would be a further meeting on 16^th February, 2010 at which recommendations would be made.

FOR MONITORING

(1) Councillor Falvey was welcomed to her first meeting of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel.

(2) Scrutiny Panel Members would be invited to attend a visit to STEPS (Support Therapy Education Prevention Service) at Chatham House, Rotherham (date to be arranged).

(3) After consultation with Members, it was agreed that the frequency of meetings of this Scrutiny Panel shall remain at intervals of four weeks.

Cabinet Member minute of 20^th January 2010 :-

Further to Minute No. 25 of the meeting of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services held on 1^st July, 2009, consideration was given to a report presented by the European Structural Funds NEETs Response Fund Manager detailing the progress in the management and delivery of the European Structural Funds (ESF) 16-19 NEETs Response Fund to 30th November, 2009.  The report stated that although the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) had agreed in principle to this Council’s business case to access £500,000 residual ESF monies, a number of factors at the LSC led to the business case not being endorsed. This Council is required to re-issue its business case before March, 2010. The business case will focus on the priorities set out in Rotherham’s 16-19 Statement of Need of mainstream funded provision, namely Apprenticeships, Foundation Learning and Learners with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.  The Learning and Skills Council has agreed to extend the duration of Rotherham’s ESF 16-19 NEETs Response Fund from 31st March, 2010 to 31st December, 2010 to align Rotherham’s contract with the other three South Yorkshire contracts and recognising that the original tender, funding and targets were to be delivered over a two-year period. Details of the fourteen commissioned projects were appended to the report submitted.

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

(2) That further progress reports about the ESF 16-19 NEETs Response Fund continue to be submitted to meetings of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services at intervals of six months.

(3) That the report be submitted to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel for information.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the European Structural Funds NEETs Response Fund Manager detailing the progress in the management and delivery of the European Structural Funds (ESF) 16-19 NEETs Response Fund to 30th November, 2009.

The report stated that although the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) had agreed in principle to this Council’s business case to access £500,000 residual ESF monies, a number of factors at the LSC led to the business case not being endorsed. This Council is required to re-issue its business case before March, 2010. The business case will focus on the priorities set out in Rotherham’s 16-19 Statement of Need of mainstream funded provision, namely Apprenticeships, Foundation Learning and Learners with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities.

The Learning and Skills Council has agreed to extend the duration of Rotherham’s ESF 16-19 NEETs Response Fund from 31st March, 2010 to 31st December, 2010 to align Rotherham’s contract with the other three South Yorkshire contracts and recognising that the original tender, funding and targets were to be delivered over a two-year period.

Details of the fourteen commissioned projects were appended to the report submitted.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this item included the following salient points:-

- the need to make best use of the £500,000 residual ESF monies;

- partnership working with the Connexions service provider (Prospects);

- the availability of apprenticeships;

- engagement with and support from prospective employers of young people;

- the arrangements for a scrutiny review of this issue.

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

(2) That, at the beginning of the 2010/2011 Municipal Year, this Scrutiny Panel shall decide upon the arrangements for a scrutiny review of the availability of apprenticeship schemes.

Cabinet Member minute of 20^th January 2010 :-

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Policy and Planning Team Manager concerning the annual Lifestyle Survey, undertaken with both Primary and Secondary school pupils, with questions covering a range of issues, such as health, how pupils feel about school, how safe they feel, how pupils feel about the area in which they live, bullying, and how often they may smoke, drink or take drugs.  The submitted report detailed the Secondary Survey 2009, which was open to all Rotherham’s secondary schools. The survey was designed online by RBT. A project group consisting of representatives from Children and Young People’s Services, NHS Rotherham and Healthy Schools organised the design and implementation of the survey. The secondary survey period commenced on 15th June, 2009 and concluded on 24th July 2009.  Twelve schools had taken part and 2,589 pupils undertook the survey, an increase in the number of pupils compared to 2008.  Individual school reports and summaries have been produced for the schools who participated in the survey. The Borough-wide report, and the relevant data tables will be made available on the intranet, and the Executive Summary will be made available on the Council website.

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

(2) That a letter be sent to the twelve schools thanking them for participation in the survey and other schools be encouraged to participate in future years' lifestyle surveys.

(3) That the report also be submitted to the Children’s Board, the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel and to the Youth Cabinet.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Policy and Planning Team Manager concerning the annual Lifestyle Survey, undertaken with both Primary and Secondary school pupils, with questions covering a range of issues, such as health, how pupils feel about school, how safe they feel, how pupils feel about the area in which they live, bullying, and how often they may smoke, drink or take drugs.

The submitted report detailed the Secondary Survey 2009, which was open to all Rotherham’s secondary schools. The survey was designed online by RBT. A project group consisting of representatives from Children and Young People’s Services, NHS Rotherham and Healthy Schools organised the design and implementation of the survey. The secondary survey period commenced on 15th June, 2009 and had concluded on 24th July 2009.

Twelve schools had taken part and 2,589 pupils undertook the survey, an increase in the number of pupils compared to 2008.  Individual school reports and summaries have been produced for the schools who participated in the survey. The Borough-wide report, and the relevant data tables will be made available on the intranet, and the Executive Summary will be made available on the Council website.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this item included the following salient points:-

- planning and preparation of the survey and its various questions;

- consistency of questioning in successive surveys;

- involvement of the Youth Cabinet;

- the use of the standard national categories of ethnicity;

- issues of healthy eating, obesity, patterns of sleep;

- young people’s involvement in the eleven millions take-over day.

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

(2) That every endeavour be made to ensure consistency of questioning in future years' lifestyle surveys.

(3) That a report be submitted to a future meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel about the role of School Councils.

MINUTES

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Principal Officer (Performance Management) concerning the Children and Young People’s Services’ Improvement Plan summary.  Members noted that detailed regular monitoring takes place against a number of actions across several themes. The report had also been submitted to the Improvement Panel, chaired by the Council’s Chief Executive. 

Members also considered the contents of the Notice to Improve, issued during December, 2009 by the Rt. Hon. Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families. Issues identified in the Notice to Improve would also be incorporated into the Improvement Plan.

The Scrutiny Panel’s discussion of this matter included the following salient issues:-

- the emphasis on fulfilling statutory (mandatory) functions;

- budget pressures;

- recruitment and retention of social workers;

- administrative support for social work staff;

- liaison with voluntary sector organisations (eg: providers of pre-school education for children);

- Common Assessment Framework (CAF) training

- the early intervention strategy.

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

(2) That the progress being made with the Children and Young People’s Services’ Improvement Plan, as now reported, be noted.

(3) That a further progress report on the Improvement Plan be submitted to a future meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel.

Resolved:- That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel held on 22^nd January, 2010 be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Cabinet Member and Advisers for Children and Young People’s Services, held on 12^th January, 2010  and on 20^th January, 2010, be noted.

Resolved:- That the contents of the minutes of the meetings of the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee held on 4th December, 2009 and on 15th January, 2010, be noted.

The following item is likely to be considered in the absence of the press and public as being exempt under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to financial or business affairs)

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 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as amended (information relating to financial or business affairs).

Consideration was given to a presentation from the Strategic Director of Children and Young People's Services concerning the Council’s budget for the 2010/11 financial year and beyond. 

The presentation drew attention to savings and investment proposals developed having regard to:-

: the budget gap;

: current spend in Service areas, compared to similar local authorities;

: Service performance, compared to similar local authorities;

: current Service spending pressures;

: proposals to bridge the budget gap;

: Directorate-specific saving proposals.

Discussion took place on (i) this Council’s allocation of funding for Children and Young People's Services, compared with the local authority statistical neighbours; and (ii) Section 17 funding (children in need).

It was noted that detailed budget proposals would be considered further by the Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee at its meeting on Friday 12^th February, 2010, before being submitted to the Cabinet and to full Council.

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

(2) That the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Panel supports the allocation of additional resources for Children and Young People's Services in future financial years.