Agenda and draft minutes

No Declarations of Interest were made.    

The minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services held on 10^th November, 2014, were considered.

Resolved: -  That the minutes of the previous meeting be agreed as an accurate record. 

A member of the public asked why the leadership and management of Abbey School was still controlled by Winterhill School following the outcomes of the Ofsted report?

Dorothy Smith, Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning (Children and Young People’s Services Directorate), explained that the Ofsted report commended the involvement of Winterhill School in Abbey School’s leadership and management as a strength.  Abbey School has an interim executive board responsible for ensuring good and improving education is delivered. 

The member of the public asked a supplementary question referring to the Ofsted report that had graded leadership and management overall as inadequate. 

The Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning confirmed that leadership of all levels at the School in the Ofsted report had been inadequate.  However, leadership was found to have an accurate view of the improvements needed around teaching and learning and behaviour at Abbey School. 

A member of the public referred to serious failings of leadership and management found by Ofsted and asked why this was not within the report being considered by Members today?

The Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning confirmed that the consistent focus had been on leadership and management issues throughout the past when the Local Authority had worked with Abbey School.  She explained that the Interim Strategic Director for Children and Young People’s Services has commissioned an external review on the previous eighteen months at the School, including the work and practise taking place, the contribution of the Local Authority and the role of leadership and management.  The review would contribute to better understanding of the situation and the response will be considered as part of the consultation process.

A member of the public asked about transitional arrangements and commented that there were little or no transitional arrangements in place for the needs of the children attending Abbey School.  In addition, the member of the public referred to a shambolic transition process resulting from the earlier re-structure. 

The Director for Schools and Lifelong Learning explained how any transitional arrangements in place were secure and mindful of childrens’ needs.  No child would be moved unless a full child-centred transition process had been conducted.  These plans were being conducted by Rotherham’s Special Educational Needs Assessment team.  In addition, no move would take place as a result of parents or carers being pressurised into changing their child/childrens’ School. The Director urged those members of the public present, and any other stakeholders, to contact her if they felt that there were non-secure transitions in place.  All staff involved in the transitions process appreciated the difficulty faced by children who are being moved and had left their friends and staff members who they enjoyed working with and felt comfortable with. 

The member of the public asked a supplementary question referring to the indecent haste with which he felt children had been moved from Abbey School with when it was not in their best interests.  He asked whether this had been done to make the School appear unviable?  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

·         The Cabinet Member authorised consideration of this item received after the deadline in order to progress the matters referred to;

·         Petition of 600 signatures against the closure of Abbey School.

The petition against the closure of Abbey School was submitted.  It was noted that it was still live on the petition hosting website (https://www.change.org/p/rotherham-metropolitan-borough-council-save-abbey-special-school), and 955 signatures had been added to it at the time of the meeting. 

A member of the public advised that a paper petition was also in circulation. The total overall petition would be submitted in due course. 

Resolved:-  (1)  That the on-line petition of 955 signatures against the closure of Abbey School be noted.

(2)  That a further update be provided to the Council and the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services when all petitions had closed, advising of the final number of signatures.

(3)  That the petition be forwarded on to Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services Directorate for Officers to investigate the petition and to consider it as part of the consultation process. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Service Lead – School Planning, Admissions and Appeals (Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services Directorate) that outlined a proposal to commence Pre-Statutory Consultation on the proposal to close Abbey School.

The report noted that following an Ofsted inspection of Abbey School that placed the School in Special Measures, it was proposed that it would close as a Special Educational Needs School.  The report outlined the key observations from the inspection that highlighted significant health and safety, safeguarding and teaching and learning concerns, along with two strengths.

The report also noted that, should the School close, the site would be utilised for education purposes.  Should the School close, there would be significant implications for the staff currently employed by the School, however, as there were no contracts linking any particular members of staff to any particular pupils of the School, when pupils moved to be educated at other Special Schools in Rotherham there would be no automatic right for staff to be employed at the other Schools.

A commitment would be made, subject to Abbey School closing, that existing staff would receive all appropriate support and assistance should they be at risk, including redeployment opportunities in Schools and elsewhere in the Local Authority.  The staff consultation process would include a thirty day consultation period and the issuing of a HR form setting out the numbers and types of staff at risk. 

The submitted report gave a draft timeline for the consultation process.  It proposed that the final determination and notification to the Department for Education would take place on 29^th April, 2015, with a phased implementation date to the end of the 2014/2015 academic year.

Consultation would include:-

·         Governing Body / Interim Executive Board;

·         Staff and Trade Union representatives;

·         Parents and Carers of pupils at the School;

·         Local Councillors,

·         Local Parish Councillors;

·         Local MPs;

·         Any other stakeholders – including consideration of the continuing petitions partially received. 

Resolved:-  (1)  That Pre-Statutory Consultation commence on the proposal to close Abbey School as per the timeline and scope in the submitted report.

(2) That a further report detailing the outcomes of the Pre-Statutory Consultation stage be submitted to the Cabinet in due course. 

·         Applications to be provided separately. 

Pursuant to Minute No. C50 of January, 2000, consideration was given to nominations received to fill Local Authority Governor vacancies on school governing bodies.

Resolved:- That, with the effective date of appointment as shown, the following appointments and reappointments be made to school governing bodies, subject to satisfactory checks being undertaken:-

New Appointments:-

Re-appointments:-

Councillor Roche asked for clarification on the process for appointing to Local Authority Governor vacancies before and after governing bodies had reconstituted.  The Co-ordinator of Governor Services (Schools and Lifelong Learning, Children and Young People’s Services Directorate) confirmed that all applications that were considered by Members were for vacancies that would exist after any yet-to-reconstitute governing bodies had completed a reconstitution. 

It was noted that Councillor Sims, member of the Local Authority Governor Appointments Panel, had been consulted about the applications by the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services. 

·         To note for information the report and decision made by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, 17^th November, 2014: -   

·         Report attached;

·         Decision: -

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Cabinet be requested to recommend to Council the signing of the South Yorkshire Declaration Statement on National Crisis Care Concordat and approve the involvement of Council Officers in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Concordat within the Better Care Fund Action Plan.

(2)  That the report be referred to the Health and Wellbeing Board and the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services for information and support of the action plan.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health had referred for information a decision he had made that related to the Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services’ portfolio at his meeting held on 17^th November, 2014, Minute No. H31 refers. 

The decision of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health to recommend Cabinet to recommend to the Council the signing of the South Yorkshire Declaration Statement on National Crisis Care Concordat, and to approve the involvement of Council Officers in the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Concordat within the Better Care fund Action Plan, was noted. 

The Head of the Rotherham Integrated Youth Support Service confirmed that the Youth Cabinet had been heavily involved in this work.

Resolved: -  That the decision of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health on 17^th November, 2014, at Minute No. H31 be noted. 

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Finance Manager for Children and Young People’s Services and Schools (Financial Services, Resources Directorate) that provided a budget monitoring update on the Children and Young People’s Service revenue budget to the end of March, 2015.

The budget monitoring report was based on actual income and expenditure to the end of October, 2014.  Overall, the Directorate was projecting an over-spend outturn position of £4.029 million, which was an increase of 9.3% of the total budget.  The reported position at the end of October was an increase of £524,000 since the September budget monitoring report. 

The report gave the net budget and forecast outturn for each division of service within the whole Directorate, and any variations. 

The main variances were outlined, along with the underlying reasons shown in the submitted report.  The main areas of over-spend related to:-

• Academy conversions – treatment of deficits - £283,000 (previous provision had also been made in the 2013/2014 accounts);
• Child Protection Teams - £80,000;
• Children in Need Social Work Teams - £536,000;
• Looked After Children - £3,398, 000.

Some of the overspends were off-set against under-spends in other areas as outlined in the submitted report.

As at the end of October, 2014, there were 402 Looked After Children, which was a reduction of 2 since the September budget monitoring report and an increase of 2 as at March, 2014. The submitted report outlined the type of looked after children’s placement, along with current and previous financial year costs, including whether they were based in Out of Authority Residential settings, and independent or in-house fostering settings.

The report also outlined the use of Special Guardianship and Residence Orders.  There was a continuing push to secure permanency for some children via these routes rather than becoming or remaining looked after children.  This sought to reduce the numbers of Looked After Children and also provide better outcomes for children and young people.   

Management actions had contributed £604,000 of cost avoidance which would otherwise have been incurred.  These related to a reduction in placement costs of £518,000, the Fostering Framework had achieved £42,000 of cost avoidance, the Block contract had avoided £44,000 and the multi-agency support panel and the Valuing Care review would identify potential areas for cost renegotiations and ongoing savings in 2014/2015. 

Further information was provided in relation to:-

• Agency spend totalled £591,000 as at 31^st October, 2014.  This compared to an actual cost of £473,000 for the same period last year;

• Non-contractual overtime totalled £52,000 as at 31^st October, 2014, excluding schools.  This compared to an actual cost of £70,000 for the same point last year.  The overspend related mainly to cover in Residential Units. 

• Consultancy costs totalled £139,000 as at 31^st October, 2014, compared to an actual cost of £104,000 last year.   

Discussion followed and the following issues were raised: -

• The mileage and expenses costs of staff visiting children and young people who were in out-of-authority placements at a great distance from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

Consideration was given to the report presented by the Public Health Consultant that provided an update on commissioning arrangements with Community Pharmacies across Rotherham for the expansion of Emergency Hormonal Contraception Sexual Health Services.  This included the development of care pathways and safeguarding reporting mechanisms for all young people accessing the services.

It was proposed that, with the development of care pathways, reporting mechanisms and training, including on-line Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) training, the scheme be available to young people aged 14 and 15 years old from January, 2015. 

The current Public Health Services contract in relation to Emergency Hormonal Contraception (EHC) with Pharmacists operating in Rotherham specified that they provide the service free of charge to females 16 years and above.  This aimed to provide greater access and choice for women and young women and aimed to reduce unintended pregnancy and termination of pregnancy. 

Currently, females under 16 years of age were not able to obtain EHC at pharmacies under this contract.  The proposal to extend the contract to 14 – 16 year olds would require service-providers to be especially vigilant in relation to safeguarding issues, possibly including Child Sexual Exploitation.  The Children, Young People and Families’ Partnership agreed in October 2014 that the contract should be renegotiated to include extended services for females aged 14 and 15. 

The submitted report demonstrated that good progress had been made towards reducing teenage pregnancy in Rotherham.  It was currently at its lowest rate of 30.0 conceptions per 1,000 females aged 15-17 in the period 1998-2012. 

It was proposed that any female aged 14 or 15 requesting the EHC service would automatically be referred to the Rotherham Integrated Youth Support Service so that support, appropriate further referral and any potential further risk assessment could be carried out. All participating Pharmacists providing this service would be required to have completed the Council’s online training package on CSE and sexual abuse. 

An electronic recording system had been modified to allow accurate monitoring and information on the referral process that needed to be followed.  The system would include an additional alert that would notify the Pharmacist if a young person had accessed EHC previously at the same pharmacy or any other pharmacy in Rotherham.  This would allow monitoring to be undertaken monthly, this would include monitoring whether a young person presented at pharmacies across the Borough to the EHC service repeatedly, which could represent a cause for concern.

A training timetable had been developed and the first Pharmacists were expected to be delivering the expanded service from January, 2015. 

The Head of Rotherham’s Integrated Youth Support Service explained that the proposal continued the existing partnership work.  The current offer was robust, longstanding and was well-regarded. 

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