Agenda and minutes

There were no Declarations of Interest to record. 

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion were considered. 

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 3rd September, 2012, be agreed as an accurate record for signature by the Chairman. 

• Head of the Integrated Youth Support Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services, to report.  

Further to Minute number E10 (Implementation of the Integrated Youth Support Service) of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion held on 10th July, 2012, consideration was given to the report presented by the Head of the Integrated Youth Support Service that outlined the progress that had been made towards the Integrated Youth Support Service within Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services.  The report included the progress that had been made and risks and uncertainties involved. 

Reference was made to the submitted ‘Project Initiation Document’ that outlined the project deliverables and provided the project’s baseline by which outcomes would be measured. 

Reference was made to Minute C64  (Implementation of the Integrated Youth Support Service) of the Cabinet Meeting held on 19th September, 2012, where approval was given to commence formal efforts to bring together an Integrated Youth Support Service.  This was being taken forward by a multi-agency/sector Project Group that operated with a number of Sub-Groups underneath it. 

Recent actions of the Project Group included: -

• Mapping of relevant local and national policies and procedures;
• Creation of a Voice and Influence Strategy that included borough-wide consultation with young people;
• Overall needs assessment and mapping exercise – this document had been completed and provided an innovative and accessible source of information that focused on young people.  It would be available to all Partner Organisations writing funding bids;
• Development of a communication strategy that included plans for detailed consultation;
• Defining vulnerability and examining the impact and measuring success.  At a later stage this would feed into performance management and management information for the Integrated Service;
• The Organisation Modelling Sub-Group had been continuing to meet and was working on a proposed model staffing structure for the Integrated Youth Support Service and a model allocation of the budget.  There was Human Resource and Trade Union involvement with this Sub-Group;
• The whole Rotherham Connexions Service had TUPE’d into Rotherham M. B. C. successfully on 1st October, 2012;
• The Premises Strategy was developing and included the development of two Town Centre Hubs that related to ‘Support’ and ‘Activities’ where young people could access multi-agency support under one roof;
• Overall, the project was on target in terms of the Project Implementation Document. 

The Head of the Integrated Youth Support Service outlined the current risks and uncertainties of bringing together an Integrated Service: -

• Youth Justice Board – grants provided to Youth Offending Service;
• Funding obligation for young people on remand was due to become the responsibility of the Local Authority and had previously been the responsibility of Central Government;
• All young offenders in custody would become looked after children.

Discussion ensued, and the following issues were raised and clarified: -

• Integrated Youth Support Service’s age-range remit would be 10 – 25 years. 
• Integrated Youth Support Service had teams located within Rotherham’s seven Area Assemblies which linked to two or three Learning Communities.
• Targeting areas of greatest need, to include linkages to the ’11 Most Deprived Areas’ work.
• Exploration of development of commissioning and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

• Community Engagement Manager, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, to report. 

The Community Engagement Officer, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, provided an update on the Local Authority’s ‘Local Democracy Campaign’, including the activities that had taken place as part of ‘Local Democracy Week’, which had taken place between 15th – 21st October, 2012. 

Rotherham’s Local Democracy Campaign and Local Democracy Week were linked to the European Local Democracy Week, which aimed to engage with citizens and provide opportunities to learn about their issues of current interest, foster and promote democratic participation at a local level and encourage local authorities to reflect on their responsibilities in a democratic society. 

A diverse range of events and activities had taken place in Rotherham as part of the Local Democracy Week and beyond.  The Cabinet Member inspected the programme of events that had taken place across the Borough with all Partners contributing to the programme.  The events included: -

·         A ‘Question Time’ event at Oakwood High School;

·         Political Speed Dating – students at Rotherham Secondary Schools had the opportunity to question and rate democratic representatives;

·         ‘Top Dog’ Challenge events –pupils and students had the opportunity to examine community issues and develop a plan to address them with a ‘budget’ of £100k. 

Events that had taken place this year included those that had been planned and delivered by Community First in a number of Rotherham’s Wards. 

Other events in the calendar of the Local Democracy campaign included a Schools Linking initiative where Secondary School pupils would create a model United Nations scenario to learn about debating and national representation.  Many of these events provided added value through their links to the existing work of Partners. 

Discussion ensued, and a number of areas for development were considered: -

·         Co-ordination of events;

·         Further development of Community First events to reach out to vulnerable people;

·         Exploration of the use of social media in spreading the message of the Local Democracy Campaign  and the programme of events.

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

(2)  That the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion record their appreciation to the Officers, Partner Organisations and Volunteers who had contributed to making the Local Democracy Week, 2012, a success. 

• Monday 19th November, 2012, to start at 11.30 am in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved: -  (1)  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion take place on 19th November, 2012, to start at 12.00 noon in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

(2)  That future meetings of the Cabinet Member commence at 12.00 noon.