Agenda and minutes

It was noted that no questions had been received.

The Minutes of the Executive Board and the Executive Board Sub-Committee, relating to the work of the Children and Young People Policy and Performance Board were submitted for information.

 

            RESOLVED:  That the Minutes be noted.

            As part of the recent revision of the Council’s Constitution at Annual Council on 19^th May 2006, a number of changes had been made to the Council’s decision-making structure to be implemented in the 2006/07 Municipal Year.

 

            The changes had been made in order to bring the Policy and Performance Board in line with the Council’s Strategic Priorities as contained within the Corporate and Community Plans.

 

            An extract from the Council’s Constitution setting out the terms of reference relevant to the Children and Young People Policy and Performance Board had been circulated for consideration.  It was noted that as of yet there hadn’t been any income statements to be reviewed and this would be rectified in time for the next meeting.

 

            RESOLVED: That the terms of reference be noted.

            The Board considered a copy of the Annual Report for the Life Chances and Employment Policy and Performance Board for 2005/06.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Board endorsed the Annual Report for the purpose of its adoption at a forthcoming meeting of the Full Council.  It was noted that there was two amendments to be made to the report and a revised copy of the report would be circulated to the Members and the Operational Director of Children and Young People’s Services.

            The Board considered a report which outlined the action agreed by the School Forum for 2004/05 School Balances and a summary of the level of school balances carried forward from 2005/06/

 

            It was reported that in March 2006, having considered the case of each school, the School Forum agreed not to claw back any excess surplus balance schools had carried forward from 2005/06.

 

            The Forum did, however, agree that schools should be encouraged to make better use of creditors (accruals) procedures and that the criteria for use of excess surplus balances be revised for 2006/07 to allow the excess balances to be used for capital works only.

 

            At present, the level of balances carried forward by schools fro 2004/05 was the total of £6.1m.  The four nursery schools, 37 primary and one special school had balances in excess of 8%.  No special schools had balances above 8%.  Three high schools now had surplus balances above 5%.

 

            The Board was advised that all schools with excess surplus balances would be required to complete a form identifying the use to which they intend to put this funding to.  This information would need to be returned in July 2006 and would be checked against the criteria currently permitted under the excess balance scheme.  The information would be reported to the School Forum meeting in October.  At this meeting, consideration would be given as to whether any claw back was appropriate.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Board acknowledged the reduction in the school balances and request that termly financial reports be presented to the School Forum by schools with excess surplus balances.

            The Board received a presentation of the development of the Children and Young People’s Plan.  The production of the Children and young Peoples Plan was one of the Statutory requirements introduced by the Children Act 2004.  The Local Authority and its partners must produce a strategic plan describing the actions and provision by which they would jointly achieve the five outcomes (as specified in the Children Act 2004) for children and young people in the Borough.  Its aim was to seek to deliver the vision for children’s services in the Halton area.

 

            The Children and Young People’s Plan was published and launched on 29^th March 2006 and would now be included in the regular discussions between the Local Authority and government representatives and inspectors.  The Children and Young People’s Plan was stipulated as being strategic and not a detailed operational plan.  It was however, expected to be based on a detailed needs analysis, which was based on existing evidence of need.  Full details of the plans replaced by the Children and Young People’s Plan and those which must be cross-referenced were outlined to Members.  It was noted that the Plan was for three years with annual reviews.

 

            RESOLVED:  That the Board endorsed the Children and Young People’s Plan 2006-2009.

            The Board received a presentation on the Annual Performance Assessment Joint Area Review.  Members were advised that the annual performance assessment had recently been completed and submitted to the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate and Ofsted.

 

            The APA provided the rating for the Children and Young People’s Services which fed into the CPA.  The APA for 2006 consisted of 3 components:

 

• 20 page self assessment document;
• data set for Children’s Social Care, Education and some partner performance information; and
• Children and Young People’s Plan.

 

An assessment meeting to be held with the DfES; CSCI and Ofsted on 29^th June would determine performance against grades.

 

In addition, the Board were advised on the Joint Area Review scheduled for 2007-2008.  The review would evaluate the collective contributions made to each outcome for Children and Young People by relevant services and examine how local services gather and respond to the views of users, parents and carers and involve children and young people in services.  The review was a two stage process over a period of six weeks.  The presentation outlined the current preparations for the review, the focus and how judgements were made.

 

 

RESOLVED: That

(1)    the presentation be received; and

(2)    a recommendation be forwarded to management team that the wording “Implications for C & YP” be added to the standard report template.

 

            The Board considered the Action Plan and Priorities for Action identified as a result of the scrutiny topic team of Barriers to Learning.  The Barriers to Learning topic team had a particular focus upon pupils excluded from school, incorporating the Pupil Referral Unit.

 

            Early within the schedule of meetings Members considered the need to broaden the topic brief to explore Barriers to Learning in their broadest sense, going beyond the examination of issues resulting in young people being excluded from school.

 

            RESOLVED: That the Board accept the action plan.

The Board was advised on the arrangements for the transition of Sure Start Local Programmes to Children’s Centres.  Sure Start resources had created accessible services for young children and their families and the Children Centre model was taking this on to the next level.

 

In Halton there were five Sure Start local programmes. The local authority was the accountable body for three of the programmes and  NCH North West had acted as accountable body for two of the programmes. All five Sure Start programmes currently provided core offer Children’s Centre Services. Staff across the five programmes generally were on temporary contracts with the exception of the co-ordinators for the NCH led Sure Start programmes. A full review of the delivery of core offer services from core team staff had commenced and such posts, with any commissioned services, would be reviewed alongside the needs identified in Halton’s Children and Young People’s plan.

 

               It was reported that the Executive Board had recently agreed to seek the transfer of the accountable body for the NCH led Sure Start local programmes to the local authority. As a consequence, negotiations and planning were on-going with NCH to secure the  TUPE transfer of core staff from 1^st July 2006.

 

               In addition, it was noted that the Sure Start Programme managers across all five programmes had been acting as Children’s Centre co-ordinators on an informal basis during the inception of the programme. The programme was now progressing to develop clusters of Children’s Centres and outreach services through extended schools and Children and Young People area networks.

 

               A new job description was being drawn up to cover these areas, the existing co-ordinators across the five programmes will be invited to apply.

 

               It was noted that in Phase 1 of Children’s Centre developments, nine centres were being developed to service families living in the 20% most disadvantaged wards – four centres in Widnes and five in Runcorn. Specific targets were set for the number of children to be reached by Centres.

 

               In Phase 2,  the 30% most disadvantaged areas (as defined by the ODPM Super Output Areas) would be targeted and there was also flexibility to develop centres outside of the most disadvantaged areas. .

 

               A needs analysis had been prepared to form Phase 2 planning and provide a breakdown of the population of 0-19 year olds across all wards. A needs analysis also demonstrated that within most areas of Halton there were sufficient childcare places already in existence. It would also be more cost effective and better for managing the Children’s Services market for Children’s Centres to be designed around existing provision including family support centres, day nurseries and pre-school groups, maintained schools and learning facilities.

 

                    With these factors in mind, the needs analysis provided the basis for the creation of three new Children’s Centres covering the following areas:

 

                    (i)    Castlefields;

                    (ii)   Hough Green and Birchfield; and

                    (iii)  Appleton and Farnworth.

 

 

 

                                        Following approval by the Executive Board in November 2005, feasibility work was currently being undertaken in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

            As part of the Scrutiny Programme, the Board were asked to identify three areas of work for possible topics for scrutiny throughout the year.

 

            The following areas had been identified by the Life Chances and Employment PPB:

           

·        Children with Disabilities Mini Children’s Trust;

·        Out of Borough School Placements; and

·        Halton Safeguarding Children Board

 

Members were asked to reconsider the above and submit alternative options to the Chairman by the 7^th July 2006.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

(1)    any additional areas to be included in the work programme to be forwarded to the Chairman by 7^th July 2006.

            The Board considered reports giving detailed progress against the 2004/05 key milestones, statutory and local performance indicators for the following:

           

(i)                 Student Services and Lifelong Learning;

(ii)               School Support and Advisory Services; and

(iii)             Children’s Services (Social Care)

 

RESOLVED: That the Service Plan Monitoring Reports be received