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LEARNING & CULTURE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE -
2 DECEMBER 2003

ADDENDA

ITEM

3/4. Proposed Method of Handling Agenda Items 3/4 – Minutes

To receive formally the Solicitor to the Council’s advice which confirms that there was a defect in the voting at Minute 52/03.

The Council members present then need to vote on the accuracy of Minute 42/03(b) of the 15 September 2003-Membership of the Cultural Strategy (CS) Group.

The Committee then need to confirm the remaining Minutes of the 15 September meeting.

(If any members of the Committee wish to raise any substantive issues about the composition or operation of the CS Group this should be done under item 17 of the Agenda and not on the Minutes.)

The Committee may then proceed to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 7 October in the light of its decision on Minute 52/03.

15. Green Paper "Every Child Matters"

On 8 September 2003 the Department for Education and Skills had issued the Green Paper – Every Child Matters for consultation. On 25 November the Executive considered a report (EX7) which provided information on the key points within the Green Paper, explained the process of how Oxfordshire was preparing to respond to it and legislation expected during 2004. Comments of the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee had been addressed and where possible included in the draft response.

Councillor Turner referred to concerns raised at the members’ seminar on the Green Paper as to meeting the needs of deprived children living in rural areas and urged the Executive to include this point in the draft response.

Councillor Janet Godden commended the draft response with some amendments as incorporated in the resolution below.

The Executive resolved:

    1. to agree the response to the consultation process to the Green Paper – Every Child Matters, subject to (c) below;

    2. that the formal response be signed by the Director of Learning & Culture, Social & Health Care and the Chief Executive of the Oxford City Primary Care Trust;

    3. to ask the Directors to ensure the addition of the following comments in the formal response:

        1. stressing the importance of the implementation of the Green Paper proceeding at a pace sufficient to allow issues to be fully thought through;

        2. expressing reservations about the imposed requirement for a statutory director of children’s services;

        3. urging the need to ensure equity between children in urban and rural areas;

and to finalise the response in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Executive Member for Children & Young People.

20. Tracking Scrutiny Outcomes

    • Oxfordshire Plan : A Priority Framework for 2004/05 Onwards

(Minute 55/03)

The Forward Plan indicates that the Executive will consider on 27 January 2004 comments on the draft implementation plans and agree the Strategy to recommend formally to Council.

    • Library Opening Hours

(Minute 58/03(f))

On 14 October 2003 the Executive considered a report (EX10) which outlined proposals to meet the Public Library Standard of 128 aggregate opening hours per thousand population per annum by April 2004.

Councillor Hodgson spoke against the proposed reduction of hours at Charlbury Library. He urged the Executive to reconsider the proposal, particularly in light of the proposed new community centre which would include a larger library. He also referred to similar objections to proposed reductions at Eynsham Library.

Councillor Cooper spoke on behalf of the local people of Woodstock against the proposed reduction of hours at Woodstock Library. He welcomed the enhancement of the mobile service but urged the Executive to reconsider the reduction of hours at the library in Woodstock.

Mr Coggins and Councillor Fawcett, referring to the historical reasons for the existing enhanced opening hours in West Oxfordshire libraries, emphasized that the present proposals sought to achieve a fair distribution across the County.

RESOLVED: to:

      1. approve in principle the approach advocated in the report for the second phase of increased opening hours and associated matters, with implementation from February 2005 in consultation with library users;

      2. keep the opening of branch libraries in the period between Christmas and the new Year under review;

      3. note the financial implications of Phase Two for consideration as part of the budget setting process for 2004/05;

      4. approve the Mobile Library Service Charter (Annex 4); and

      5. approve the new Criteria for Mobile Library Stops (Annex 5).

- Developing the Foundation Stage of Learning in Oxfordshire – Investing in Primary School Building and Facilities

(Minute 58/03(g))

On 14 October the Executive considered a report (EX9) which outlined proposals for investment in early years and childcare provision on primary school sites over the next five to ten years.

In response to a question raised by Councillor Hodgson regarding the possible closure of Stonesfield Nursery, Mr Harmes assured Councillor Hodgson and the Executive that there would be no pre-emptive action to close nurseries.

The Executive resolved to:

    1. support in principle the proposal to establish an Early Years Investment Fund for primary school buildings starting in April 2004 and extending over a period of five years in the first instance;

    2. consider this proposal further and the preferred method of financing it as part of forthcoming discussions on the Council’s Budget and Capital Programme for 2004/05 and beyond;

    3. approve subject to (a) and (b) above the high priority criteria for allocations from the Fund as set out in paragraph 19 of the report;

    4. approve the scheme for setting up new Foundation Stage Units from September 2004 as set out in paragraphs 25 to 27.

    5. ask officers to report annually in the context of budget preparation on progress towards meeting the identified needs.

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