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Notice of Meeting
Children’s
Services Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 10 July 2007
at
10.00 am
at County
Hall,
Oxford
Membership
What does this Committee review
or scrutinise?
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Services for children, young
people and families; preventative services; child protection; family support,
educational policy; youth service; youth justice
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Primary & secondary schools;
special education; pupil services; school transport; music service
·
Conduct of best value reviews as
specified in Paragraph 9 of Schedule 2 to the Functions Regulations
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For more information about this
Committee please contact:
Chairman - Councillor Sue Haffenden
E.Mail:
Sue.Haffenden@Oxfordshire.gov.uk
Committee
Officer - Kath Coldwell, Tel: (01865) 815902
E.Mail:
kath.coldwell@oxfordshire.gov.uk
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Tony Cloke
About the County Council
The
Oxfordshire County Council is made up of 74 councillors who are democratically
elected every four years. The Council provides a range of services to
Oxfordshire’s 630,000 residents. These include:
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libraries and museums
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·
trading standards
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·
waste management
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Each year
the Council manages £0.8 billion of public money in providing these services. Most
decisions are taken by a Cabinet of 10 Councillors, which makes decisions about
service priorities and spending. Some decisions will now be delegated to
individual members of the Cabinet.
About
Scrutiny
Scrutiny is about:
·
Providing a challenge to the
Cabinet
·
Examining how well the Cabinet and
the Authority are performing
·
Influencing the Cabinet on
decisions that affect local people
·
Helping the Cabinet to develop
Council policies
·
Representing the community in
Council decision making
·
Promoting joined up working across
the authority’s work
Scrutiny is NOT about:
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Making day to day service decisions
·
Investigating individual
complaints.
Five
Scrutiny committees ‘scrutinise’ or review and challenge decisions made by the
Cabinet or the appropriate Cabinet Member and help it develop Council
policies. There are Scrutiny Committees
for:
·
Corporate Governance
·
Children’s Services
·
Environment & Economy
·
Community Safety
·
Social & Community Services
There is also a Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee which
brings together councillors from the County and the five district councils
in Oxfordshire to scrutinise health issues.
What does this Committee do?
The Committee meets up to 6 times
a year or more. It develops a work programme, which lists the issues it plans
to investigate. These investigations can include whole committee investigations
undertaken during the meeting, or reviews by a panel of members doing research
and talking to lots of people outside of the meeting. Once an investigation is completed the
Committee provides its advice to the Cabinet, the full Council or other
scrutiny committees. Meetings are open to the public and all reports are
available to the public unless exempt or confidential, when the items would be
considered in closed session.
AGENDA
(Addenda - download as .doc file)
(Additional Information – Item 12 on Addenda – Call In of Cabinet Decision: Provision of Additional Secondary Pupil Places in Wantage, Grove and Surrounding Villages - download as .xls file)
1.
Apologies
for Absence and Temporary Appointments
2.
Declarations
of Interest – see guidance note
3.
Minutes
To
approve the minutes of the meeting held on
22 May 2007
(CH3)
and to note for information any matters arising on them.
4.
Speaking
to or Petitioning the Committee
5.
Charging
in Schools ‘Mini’ Scrutiny Review: Evaluation
10:15
Background Information:
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The
Cabinet made decisions in respect of the recommendations from this ‘Mini’
Scrutiny Review on
18 July 2006
. It is now your chance to hold
the Cabinet to account for what it has done since last year.
The
main emphasis of this piece of work was to look at the
extent to which the law and model policy and guidance on charging is put into
practice in schools.
Other lines of enquiry included:
·
Ways of sharing and promoting good
practice.
·
The Intra/Internet – its capacity for
business and community suggestions.
·
Actions to highlight problem school
practices and particular schools.
·
Resource and monitoring issues.
·
Issues of fairness and equity around
charging and the question of "what
else can we be doing to ensure the operation of a fair and open charging
policy?"
·
Creative thinking and publicity about
charging for extra curricular activities.
·
SEN and the Deprivation Index. |
Why has it been included?
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The Committee is asked to
question the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement in relation to progress
regarding implementing the Review recommendations.
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How is the Committee going to deal with it?
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By means of a question and
answer session.
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When are they going to do it?
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During this meeting.
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Who is going to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members of this Committee
and the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement.
Mr John Mitchell (Education Officer and Assistant to the
Director for Children, Young People & Families) has also
been invited to attend for this item.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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A reminder of the main
objectives of the Review and progress to date is attached at CH5, together with the full review.
(CH5 - Cabinet Response – Charging Policy for Activities in Schools - download as .pdf file)
(CH5 - Scrutiny Tracking Control Sheet – Charging in Schools - download as .xls file)
(CH5 - Charging in Schools Scrutiny Review - download as .pdf file)
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Documents Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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6.
Effective
Communication to Parents of Children with SEN: Final Scrutiny Review Report
10:45
How is the Committee going to deal with it?
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Members of the Review Group
will talk to the Review Report, highlighting the key findings and
recommendations in the Report. The Committee will then be asked to evaluate
the response, paying particular regard to whether the Review has achieved its
objectives and if the findings and conclusions follow from the evidence.
The Scrutiny Committee is
recommended by the members of the Lead Member Review Group to agree the
report as submitted to this meeting, or amend the report by consensus to
enable it to be submitted to the Cabinet.
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Who is going to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members of this Committee,
together with the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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Members are asked to consider
the report attached at CH6 in
preparation for the meeting.
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7.
Planning,
Preparation and Assessment Time in Primary and Nursery Schools – Implementation
and Impact: Final Report
11:05
Background Information:
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How is the Committee going to deal with it?
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Members of the Review Group
will talk to the Review Report, highlighting the key findings and
recommendations in the Report. The Committee will then be asked to evaluate
the response, paying particular regard to whether the Review has achieved its
objectives and if the findings and conclusions follow from the evidence.
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The Scrutiny Committee is
RECOMMENDED by members of the Lead Member Review Group to agree the report as
submitted to this meeting, or amend the report by consensus to enable it to
be submitted to the Cabinet.
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Who is going to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members of this Committee,
together with the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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Members are asked to consider
the report attached at CH7, in
preparation for the discussion.
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8.
Youth
Justice Plan
11:20
Background Information:
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The
Annual Youth Justice Plan is one of the strategic plans which is subject to
approval by full Council following consideration by both the Cabinet and the
relevant Scrutiny Committee in accordance with the Budget and Policy
Framework Procedure Rules set out in the Constitution.
Normally,
each Youth Offending Service is required by statute to produce an annual
Youth Justice Plan for approval by the constituent agencies that are
responsible for the service. This has then to be submitted to the Youth
Justice Board. Core funding from the Board is dependent upon the submission
of a report that meets its extensive guidance. Following the Council’s
successful rating as a four-star authority, this requirement has been waived.
However, given the strategic importance of the youth justice agenda for the
Council, a Youth Justice Plan has been drawn up and agreed by the Youth
Offending Service Steering Group and is being submitted for approval in the
normal way.
A
copy of the Plan has been circulated to all Councillors under separate cover.
Copies
of the report will be available for public inspection and are also available
on the County Council Website www.oxfordshire.gov.uk or from Kath Coldwell on (01865 815902).
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Why has it been included?
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The advice of this Committee
has been sought by the Cabinet prior to its consideration of the Plan on
17 July 2007
. The
Committee is therefore asked to consider any advice which it would wish to
put forward.
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Who is going to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members of this Committee,
together with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families. Ms Sue Howarth (Acting Deputy Head of Youth
Offending Service) will attend in order to
give a brief introduction to the report and to answer any questions which the
Committee may wish to ask.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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Members are asked to consider
the report CH8, together with the
Draft Plan in preparation for the discussion
(CH8 - Youth Justice Plan - download as .pdf file).
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Documents Members should bring to the meeting:
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Members are asked to bring
their copies of the Draft Youth Justice Plan to the meeting.
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9.
Scrutiny
Work Programme
12:00
Background Information:
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A
composite list of suggestions for the Scrutiny Work Programme is attached at CH9 (download as .doc file).
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Why has it been included?
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The
Committee is asked to:
(a)
consider whether it wishes to replace any items in the proposed Work Programme (A.) with items in the supplementary
list (B.) or additional suggestions from Members;
(b)
decide which reviews from the
proposed work Programme (A.) should commence first and second.
The Committee is also asked to
consider any other suggestions for inclusion in the work programme. Any
suggestions should meet the test of the 10-question criteria so far as
possible.
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How is the Committee going to deal with it?
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Members will discuss the
proposals set out in the paper, together with any suggestions they may have
and then determine in which order they wish to commence their first and
second pieces of work.
Those Members who suggested
items at this Committee’s last meeting, will be asked to speak to their
items, in order to provide further information on them and the best method of undertaking the activity
(Scrutiny Review/Question & Answer session/Select Committee/Task &
Finish Group).
Members will then be asked to
put forward any further ideas and how they should be conducted.
Members will submit their
proposed programme to the next Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group meeting on 30
July.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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Members’ attention is drawn to
the attached programme (CH9).
Members are asked to think in
advance about how they would wish to undertake any activities suggested at
this Committee’s May meeting, how they would wish them to be undertaken and
which priority they would wish to allocate to them and to think of any
further items which they may wish to suggest.
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Documents Members should bring to the meeting:
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Members may wish to bring any
supporting information in relation to their suggested scrutiny activities,
with them to the meeting.
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10.
Tracking Scrutiny Items
13:00
Report back on advice by this Committee to the Cabinet or
Council.
·
Healthy Schools Scrutiny Review
11.
Forward Plan
13:00
The Committee is asked to suggest items from the current
Forward Plan on which it may wish to have an opportunity to offer advice to the
Cabinet before any decision is taken.
(Please bring along to the meeting the latest copy of the
Forward Plan which, at the time of writing covers July 2007 to October 2007).
(Members are asked to contact the Chairman, Deputy Chairman
and/or the Committee Officer at least 3 days before the meeting should they
wish to raise an item on the Forward Plan for possible consideration).
12.
Call In of Cabinet Decision: Provision of Additional Secondary Pupil
Places in Wantage, Grove and Surrounding Villages
Background Information:
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On
20
June 2007
the Cabinet considered a report (CH12) (download as .doc file) which summarised the findings
from the public consultation which concluded in January 2007 and recommended
a way forward to meet the future demand for secondary school places in the
area.
The Cabinet resolved to:
(a)
proceed with Option C and provide a new 600 place 11-16 schools for
Grove and retain King Alfred’s Sports and Community College under the
existing arrangement; and
(b)
authorise Officers to complete negotiations with developers to secure
a sufficient and appropriate site to meet the needs of the selected option
and any possible future expansion and report back on the potential implications in terms of timeline and cost
of the preferred option.
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Why has it been included?
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On
25
June 2007
notice was received by the Proper Officer of a
request signed by 12 members of the Council, in accordance with the Council’s
Scrutiny Procedure rules set out in the Constitution, in the following terms:
“We request that the Proper Officer of the
Council calls in the decision of the Cabinet taken on 20 June 2007 and listed
at Item 11 of the decisions list – Provision of Additional Secondary Pupil
Places in Wantage, Grove and Surrounding Villages for the following reasons:
·
the educational aspects of the option
chosen have not been taken into account
·
the views of local people as evidenced in
an opinion poll have not been fully taken into account or listened to
·
deliverability of the option chosen, in
terms of the new development, is questionable, and this has not been fully
considered
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there was no information provided on the
projected pupil number estimations.”
[signed]
Zoé Patrick, Jim Moley, Dermot Roaf, Alan Armitage, Alan Bryden, Lesley Legge,
Bill Bradshaw, Jean Fooks, David Turner, Bob Johnston, Janet Godden, Mrs Gail
Bones.
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How is the Committee going to deal with it?
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The Scrutiny Committee is asked
to decide whether to:
(a) refer the issue back to the Cabinet with
comments; or
(b) accept the Cabinet’s decision.
Members of the Committee will
have the opportunity to question the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement
together with Mr Michael Mill (Strategic Manager (Property and Assets)).
If having considered the
Cabinet’s decision, the Scrutiny Committee has material concerns about it, then it may refer it back to the Cabinet for
reconsideration, setting out in writing the
nature of its concerns. If referred to the Cabinet the views of the Scrutiny Committee will be
considered by that body within a further 15 working
days of the date of this meeting, and the
decision will then be amended or otherwise and take immediate effect. If
it is not referred back to the Cabinet then the decision will be effective from the date of
this meeting.
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When are they going to do it?
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During this meeting.
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Who is going to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members of this Committee,
together with the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement and Mr Mill.
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Work to be done prior to the meeting:
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Members’ attention is drawn to
the attached report at CH12 (download as .doc file).
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Documents Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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