Meeting documents

Children's Services Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday, 12 December 2006

CH121206

Notice of Meeting

Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee

Tuesday 12 December 2006 at 10.00 am at County Hall, Oxford

Membership

Chairman – Councillor Mrs Anda Fitzgerald-O’Connor
Deputy Chairman – Councillor Melinda Tilley

Councillors:

Jean Fooks

Deborah Glass Woodin

Sue Haffenden

 

Steve Hayward

Bill Service

Val Smith

 

Keith Stone

Lawrie Stratford

David Turner

 

Nicholas P. Turner

Carol Viney

 

Co-opted Members:

Mr Chris Bevan

Mr Ben Jackson

Mrs Sue Matthew

 

Ms Bernadine Spencer

 

 

Notes: Date of next meeting: 27 February 2007

What does this Committee review or scrutinise?

  • Services for children, young people and families; preventative services; child protection; family support, educational policy
  • 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

How can I have my say?

We welcome the views of the community on any issues in relation to the responsibilities of this Committee. Members of the public may ask to speak for up to 5 minutes on any item on the agenda or may suggest matters which they would like the Committee to look at.

For more information about this Committee please contact:

Chairman - Councillor Mrs Anda Fitzgerald O’Connor
E.Mail: anda.fitzgerald@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Committee Officer - Deborah Miller, Tel: (01865) 815463
E.Mail: deborah.miller@oxfordshire.gov.uk

For Scrutiny Review Officers contact - Chris Spurgeon, Tel: (01865) 815029
E.Mail: scrutiny@oxfordshire.gov.uk


Derek Bishop
Head of Democratic Services

December 2006

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:

  • schools
  • social & health care
  • libraries and museums
  • the fire service
  • roads
  • trading standards
  • land use
  • transport planning
  • waste management

    • 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:

    • 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 Committe 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)

    1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments

    2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note

    3. Minutes

      4. To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 31 October 2006 (CH3) and to note for information any matters arising on them.

    4. Speaking to or Petitioning the Committee
      5.  

    5. Service and Resource Planning 2007/08 - 2011/12

      6. 10:10

      Background Information:

      The attached report (CH5) is one in a series which informs members on the service and financial planning process and budget issues for 2007/08 and the medium term and provides information that will lead to the Council agreeing a budget requirement and council tax for 2007/08 in February 2007.

      (CH5 - download as .doc file)
      (CH5 - Annex 1 - download as .xls file)
      (CH5 - Annex 2 - download as .xls file)
      (CH5 - Annex 3 - download as .xls file)

      The report sets out a proposed Medium Term Financial Plan for the Children, Young People & Families programme area for consideration, supported by details of pressures proposed to be funded and pressures which are currently met by proposed efficiency savings and service reprioritisations.

      On 21 November 2006 the Cabinet referred the identified budget pressures in the respective service areas, and how these could be funded, to the Scrutiny Committees for comment.

      Comments from each Scrutiny Committee will be collated and fed back to the Cabinet via the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee on 11 January 2007.

      The Cabinet will finalise their budget proposals and propose the Revenue and Capital Budget for 2007/08 – 2011/12 on 16 January 2007, taking into consideration comments from the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee on 11 January 2007.

      Why has it been included?

      To enable the Committee to consider and comment on the identified budget priorities and pressures and the choices as to how these could be funded for their programme area.

      How is the Committee going to deal with it?

      During a one meeting session.

      Members of the Committee will have the opportunity to question the Cabinet Members for Schools Improvement and Children, Young People & Families, together with the Director for Children, Young People & Families on the identified budget pressures.

      Officers from Financial Services will also be present at the meeting to answer any questions the Committee may wish to ask.

      When are they going to do it?

      During this meeting.

      Work to be done prior to the meeting:

      Members’ attention is drawn to the ‘Effective Budget Scrutiny’ guide which is part of the Scrutiny Handbook, as an aid to the Scrutiny Process.

      Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

      The Effective Budget Scrutiny guide.


    6. External Review of Children’s Social Care

    11:40

    Background Information:

    An external review of the Children’s Social Care Service (since realignment of the Early Years and Family Support Service), was commissioned by the Director for Children, Young People and Families, in May 2006. The review was commissioned to examine and make recommendations regarding:

    • The budget and spend issues in children’s social care, a service with repeated overspends in previous years.

    • The service strategy, including a review of the "Placement Matters" strategy adopted by the Council in 2005.

    • Benchmark and comparator data relating to performance, activity and expenditure.

     

    The review was conducted by Tom Jones, an independent consultant with considerable experience, including as a former Head of Children’s Services. The report sets out the recommendations and proposed actions arising from the external review of Children's Social Care services, for endorsement by Cabinet, which will support the modernisation of the service and improved outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

    Why has it been included?

    To enable Members of this Committee to comment on:

    (I) the strategy and service modernisation recommendations emerging from the external review, enabling the Directorate to take these forward;

    (ii) the policy shift towards the development of services and decision-making models that mandate family-based decision-making strategy and practice; and

    (iii) the Action Plan as outlined in Annex 1 to the report.

    How is the Committee going to deal with it?

    Mr Andrew Couldrick, Head of Service, Early Years & Family Support, will attend in order to give a brief presentation on the Review and to answer any questions which the Committee may wish to ask.

    Who is going to take part in this piece of work?

    All Members of the Committee and the Head of Service, Early Years & Family Support.

    Work to be done prior to the meeting:

    Members are asked to consider the report (CH6) in preparation for the discussion on this item.

    Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

    None.

    1. Best Value Review of Services for Vulnerable Children and Young People: Implementation

    12:40

    Background Information:

    The Executive, on 19 April 2005, received a report from the Best Value & Audit Committee on its wide-ranging review of services for vulnerable children and young people. The Best Value Review had made a wide range of recommendations. A number of these had been, or were being, implemented through the realignment of the Directorates. All of the remaining recommended actions in the Best Value Review of Children’s Services had been incorporated in the new Children and Young People’s Plan.

    On 27 September 2005 this Committee considered a report which focused in detail on proposals for implementing the Best Value Review in relation to two key developments:

    • the Children and Young People’s Commissioning Trust;

    • Integrated Support Services and Locality Teams.

    Why has it been included?

    The responsibility to evaluate the progress in implementing Best Value Review recommendations transferred to Scrutiny Committees following the replacement of the Best Value & Audit Committee with the Audit Committee.

    It has now been over a year since the Committee last received a report on this Review.

    How is the Committee going to deal with it?

    In a one meeting session.

    When are they going to do it?

    The Committee is asked to question the Head of Children Services in relation to the progress of implementing the Best Value Review of Vulnerable Children & Young People.

    Who is going to take part in this piece of work?

    All Members of the Committee.

    Mrs Gillian Tee, Head of Children Services, will attend in order to give a presentation on the progress of the Review thus far and to answer any questions which the Committee may wish to ask.

    Work to be done prior to the meeting:

    The Committee is asked to consider the report (CH7) an in particular the recommendations listed on pages 1 and 2 in preparation for discussion on this item.

    Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

    None.


    1:10 A working lunch for Members of the Committee will be served.

    1. Healthy Schools Scrutiny Review


      2. 1:10

      Background Information:

      On 27 September, this Committee agreed as part of their work programme to undertake a scrutiny review of ‘Healthy Schools’ and appointed Councillors Mrs Anda Fitzgerald O’Connor, Keith Stone and Jean Fooks to the Lead Member Review Group.

      Why has it been included?

      To inform the Committee of current progress on this review and to enable members to ask questions on areas of interest.

      When are they going to do it?

      During this meeting and at future meetings

      Who is going to take part in this piece of work?

      All members of the Committee.

      Work to be done prior to the meeting:

      None.

      Documents Members should bring to the meeting:

      None.


    2. Tracking Scrutiny Items

      (See also Addenda)

    1:25

    Report back on advice by this Committee to the Cabinet or Council.

      • Scrutiny Review of Gifted Children

    1. Forward Plan

      2. 1:30

      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 December 2006 to March 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).

    2. Scrutiny DVD ‘What has Scrutiny ever done for us?’

    1:35

    Background Information:

    At the October meeting of the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group it was agreed that the Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of the Scrutiny Committees should consider whether they wished their respective Scrutiny Committees to view the DVD ‘What has Scrutiny ever done for us?’.

    Why has it been included?

    To enable all Members of this Committee to watch the Scrutiny DVD and to forward any comments to the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group.

     

    If you have any special requirements (such as a large print version of these papers or special access facilities) please contact the officer named on the front page, but please give as much notice as possible before the meeting


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