Issue - meetings

            The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director – Children and Young People providing an update on the second phase of Children’s Centre Developments and proposing sites for the development of three new Children’s Centres to be completed by March 2008.

It was noted that Local Authorities must plan capital investments and phase capital programmes so that all children living in the 30% most disadvantaged areas, as measured by Super Output Areas, had access to the core children’s centre offer of services by March 2008. In line with Government guidance, the centres would ensure that families with young children would have easy access to these services.

            Information was provided in respect of a needs analysis that had been carried out together with an outline of the proposed sites in the Castlefields, Hough Green and Mersey Wards. In addition, Ms G Derby, Divisional Manager – Early Years and Lifelong Learning, attended the meeting to give a presentation outlining progress so far.

            The Board considered the following issues:

• the proposed virtual children’s centre opportunity which would enable disadvantaged and vulnerable communities to access interactive service provision via cutting edge technology methods;
• the need for local performance indicators to demonstrate the improvements required and being made, which may not be reflected in national indicators;
• services were being developed to deliver at a range of venues based on a needs analysis identifying where people would go, and outreach was based around the delivery of services to people in their homes; and
• groups that found accessing services difficult would be identified and targeted.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

None.

Implementation Date

Centres to be completed by March 2008.

            RESOLVED: That

(1)       the proposed sites for the new Children’s Centres in the Castlefields, Hough Green and Mersey Wards, as outlined in the report, be approved; and

(2)       the proposal for inclusion of the virtual children’s centre opportunity as part of the Phase 2 developments be endorsed.