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 22nd October, 2012, be agreed as an accurate record for signature by the Cabinet Member.  

• Tuesday 4th December, 2012, Central London.

Resolved: - That Councillor J. Burton (or her representative) be authorised to attend the conference ‘Zero tolerance on forced marriage and ‘honour’ based violence: the way forward - a public policy exchange symposium’ to be held on Tuesday, 4th December, 2012, in London. 

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

(Exempt under Paragraph 4 of the Act: Information relating to any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter)

Further to Minute No. C64 (Implementation of the Integrated Youth Support Service) of the Cabinet meeting held on 19th September, 2012, and Minute No. E22 (Update on the Integrated Youth Support Service) of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion held on 22nd October, 2012, consideration was given to the presentation of the Head of the Integrated Youth Support Service, Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services. 

The presentation included the progress that had been made towards the development of the Integrated Youth Support Service.  The update included: -

·        Needs Assessment and Mapping Document: – This document had been published by the Integrated Youth Support Service.  This was an innovative document that was dedicated to addressing the needs of Rotherham’s population of young people.  The document would be shared with the Council, the Voluntary Sector Consortium and Partners, and sought to be an accessible and straightforward resource.  The document would underpin the development of the Integrated Youth Support Service;

·        Activities of the Integrated Youth Support Service Working Groups: – The current focus of the working groups included defining vulnerability to appropriately target young people; workforce development to ensure all members of the Integrated Youth Support Service had the opportunity to undertake appropriate training on Rotherham’s Early Help Strategy and Families for Change initiatives; and developing the Management Information System; 

·        Management Information System: - Work was being undertaken to ensure that the Service’s Management Information System reflected the casework and recorded every support/ intervention received by Service users.  It would also record the dates of assessments and demonstrate evidence of impact.  The Management Information System should represent the well-laid out and joined-up service that achieved the best outcomes for Rotherham’s young people with the resources available; 

·        The Accommodation Strategy of the Integrated Youth Support Service: - Developments in relation to the Service’s ‘Hubs’ for Admin, Activities and Support were noted.  It was proposed that there would be hot desk facilities available to the Service’s Partner Organisations from the Voluntary Sector Consortium, which would increase the opportunities for joined-up working and improve communication.   

Resolved: -  (1)  That the information shared be noted. 

(2)  That a further report outlining a proposed staffing structure for the Integrated Youth Support Service be submitted to the meeting of the Cabinet on 5th December, 2012.       

The following items are likely to be considered in the absence of the press and the public as being exempt under the paragraphs mentioned below of the Local Government Act, 1972 (as amended March, 2006). 

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 I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Council)).

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

(Exempt under Paragraph 3 of the Act: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular individual (including the Council))

Consideration was given to the report of the Strategic Commissioning Manager, Commissioning, Policy and Performance, Resources Directorate, which detailed the information systems currently used by the Integrated Youth Support Service.  The report also described the commissioning arrangements required to ensure the information systems used would best suit the Service’s future requirements. 

There were two information systems currently being used by the Integrated Youth Support Service, Cognisoft, used by the Youth Service and Connexions, and Care Works, used by the Youth Offending Service.  The Care Works contract was due to come to an end on 31st November, 2012, and the Cognisoft contract was due to come to an end on 31st March, 2013. 

It was proposed that an exemption to Standing Orders be granted so that both contracts could be brought into line with each ending on 30th September, 2013.  The proposal would give the newly-created Integrated Youth Support Service an opportunity to clearly define their information system requirements, allow stronger integrated working with Partners and enable information sharing to improve outcomes and experiences for service users.  Joint tendering for both contracts should afford the Local Authority an opportunity to make efficiency savings and it was expected that a wider range of products would be available on the market at that time. 

The Cabinet Member considered the proposal to extend the existing contracts and the suggestion of pursuing a combined database and management information system for the Integrated Youth Support Service.  The Cabinet Member sought assurances in relation to: -

·        Safeguarding the data and information of service users;

·        Ensuring there was a facility that retained ‘protected’ information within the different strands of the Integrated Youth Support Service;

·        Ensuring that disability access requirements were met, including compatibility with adaptive software; 

·        Ensuring that the requirements of the Equality Act were met.

Resolved: -  (1)  That exemption from Standing Order 47.6.2 (Contracts valued at less than £50,000) be approved in relation to the existing contract with Care Works, so that it be extended until 30th September, 2013.

(2)  That exemption from Standing Order 48.2.1 (Contracts valued at £50,000 or more) be approved in relation to the existing contract with Cognisoft, so that it be extended until 30th September, 2013. 

• Monday 17th December, 2012, to start at 12.00 noon in the Rotherham Town Hall. 

Resolved: -  That the next meeting of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Cohesion take place on Monday 17th December, 2012, commencing at 12.00 Noon in the Rotherham Town Hall.