Issue - meetings

            Councillor Marie Wright – Community Portfolio holder, updated the Committee of the activities and achievements of the Youth Service.

            Members were informed of the following:

• the Youth Service received the National Youth Quality Mark;  
• there were 11 new members on the Youth Forum;
• during November there was a “Voice” weekend which attracted 200 attendees; and
• the Youth Bank had proved very successful and the young people provided a presentation at an Executive Board meeting.

Members discussed various issues as detailed below:

• whether Youths from both sides of the River Mersey were informed and involved of all the Youth Services available;
• the idea of having mentor schemes that could link young people to Connexions and other agencies;
• where there many youth clubs open;
• the need to utilise different strategies and engage with other agencies;
• the 14-19 agenda and NEETS; and
• the need to tackle hot-spot areas of anti-social behaviour in conjunction with the attainment agenda.

Councillor Marie Wright wished to thank all the officers and young people involved in the successes achieved so far.

RESOLVED: That the information be noted.

The Chairman of the Board, Councillor Dennett welcomed Councillor McInerney, the Portfolio Holder – Children and Young People to the meeting and invited Members to take part in a question and answer session with the portfolio holder.

Councillor McInerney highlighted some of the excellent achievements and activities that had taken place within the Children and Young People’s Directorate during the last twelve months.  He gave the Board Members a verbal update on the following service areas:-

·        School attendance;

·        The Safeguarding Board;

·        The strong performance in health assessments relating to LAC;

·        School improvement and attainment levels;

·        The Youth Service inspection and OfSTED reports;

·        The reduction in the number of young people with SEN statements;

·        The strategies for addressing school balances;

·        The activities and pressures within the fostering and adoption service;

·        The opportunities and possible implications of the Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF);

·        The progress on the Children’s Centres; and

·        Changes that had taken place in school funding.

In closing, Councillor McInerney reported that he recognised the pressures and challenges that the staff had embraced during the last twelve months and took the opportunity to thank all staff within the service for their excellent work and achievements to date.

Arising from the discussion, the following comments were noted:-

·        The interventions that had been put in place to reduce the number of young people with SEN statements by 18% in the Borough;

·        That the Authority would need to consider the implications relating to the changes in the criteria to the age range of the young people placed in Belvedere. It was agreed that this matter be passed to Councillor Wright – Portfolio Holder, Community for consideration;

·        The number of faith schools in the Borough and the criteria for admission into such schools; and

·        The importance of the Children’s Centres and the opportunity for extended schools in the community was acknowledged.

In closing the Chairman thanked Councillor McInerney for his attendance and participation in the meetings to date.

RESOLVED: That the verbal report and comments raised be noted.