Meeting documents
Children's Services Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday, 24 February 2009
Children’s Services Scrutiny
Committee Tuesday 24 February 2009 at 10.00 am at County Hall, Oxford Membership Chairman – Councillor Ann Bonner Deputy Chairman – Councillor Sue Haffenden
Notes: Date of next meeting: Wednesday 18 March 2009
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:
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 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
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 9 December 2008 (CH3) and to note for information any matters arising on them.
4. Speaking to or Petitioning the Committee
5. Presentation – Safeguarding Board 10:15
6. Role of School Improvement Partners 11:00
7. Annual Performance Assessment of Oxfordshire’s Services for Children – 2008 11:30
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxcare_providers/la_download/(id)/4807/(as)/APA/apa_2008_931.pdf
8. Forward Plan 12 noon
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 to the meeting the latest copy of the Forward Plan which, at the time of writing covers February 2009 to May 2009).
(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).
12:10 Close of business
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