Meeting documents
Children's Services Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday, 11 December 2007
Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee Tuesday 11 December 2007 at 10.00 am at County Hall, Oxford Membership Chairman – Councillor Sue Haffenden Deputy Chairman – Councillor Ann Bonner
Notes: Members of the Committee are asked to note that there will be a pre-meeting at 9.30 am in meeting room 2. Date of next meeting: 26 February 2008 at 10.00 am
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. 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
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Background Information: |
The attached report (CH5) is one in a series informing members on the service and resource planning process and budget issues for 2008/09 and the medium term and provides information that will lead to the Council agreeing a budget requirement and council tax for 2008/09 in February 2008. (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) (CH5 – Annex 4) (download as .doc file) The report includes schedules detailing proposed priorities, pressures, efficiencies and service reprioritisations for this Scrutiny Committee’s programme area. The current financial context for 2008/09 and the medium term is also set out in the report against which the proposals need to be considered. Comments from each Scrutiny Committee will be collated and fed back to the Cabinet by the Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee on 10 January 2008. |
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 it 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. |
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. Oxford Academy – DRAFT Outline Business Case
(See also Addenda)
11:45
Background Information: |
This item has been placed on the Agenda by Councillor Jean Fooks. On 15 January 2008 the Cabinet will be asked to agree the submission to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) of an outline business case for an academy on the Peers school site, with any final support subject to the outcome of the relevant statutory process. The attached outline project appraisal (CH6) (download as .doc file) and outline business case (CH6 – Annex 1 – (download as .doc file) (Appendices - download as .doc file) circulated separately) are to be viewed as DRAFT as negotiations are still underway. It is anticipated that supplementary information will be reported to the meeting. The business case is the latest draft and the highlighted text indicates where officers expect to be by the time it is submitted to Cabinet before Christmas. It has been given limited circulation due to its size. Further copies can be obtained from www.oxfordshire.gov.uk or from Kath Coldwell (01865) 815902 kath.coldwell@Oxfordshire.gov.uk. |
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There is little financial data included as officers are still to finalise the funding envelope with Partnerships for Schools. The design statement (Appendix 3 to Annex 1) is not attached but can be viewed at: www.theoxfordacademy.co.uk |
Why has it been included? |
To enable members of this Committee to offer comment/advice to the Cabinet on the draft outline Business Case (OBC). |
How is the Committee going to deal with it? |
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) Mr Shannon Moore (Assistant Head of the Raising Achievement Service) and Mr Nigel Cunning (Team Leader – Project Delivery). |
Work to be done prior to the meeting: |
Members’ attention is drawn to the attached draft report and documents at CH6. |
Documents Members should bring to the meeting: |
N/A |
7. Progress update from Task Group: Implementation of the Priorities from the Review of Year One of the Children & Young People’s Plan
12:30
Background Information: |
One of the items in this Committee’s Scrutiny Work Programme for 2007/08 is an ongoing review of the Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) as it is implemented. On 17 July 2007 the Cabinet approved the review of the first year of the Children & Young People’s Plan, which had been produced in April 2006. The Task Group will be reporting back to the Committee periodically and feeding into the review of Year 2 of the Plan. Task Group members comprise Councillors Fooks, Glass-Woodin and Viney, Mrs Sue Matthew and Ms Bernadine Spencer. |
Why has it been included? |
This item has been included on the agenda to inform the Committee of current progress on the Task Group exercise. |
How is the Committee going to deal with it? |
The Committee will receive an oral update from members of the Task Group. |
8. Scrutiny Work Programme
12:45
To update this Committee’s work programme (CH8) (download as .doc file).
· Brief oral report from Councillor Haffenden on Bournemouth Conference: Social Services for Adults and children.
9. Tracking
Scrutiny Items
(See also Addenda)
12:50
Report back on advice by this Committee to the Cabinet or Council.
· Effective Communication To Parents Of Children With SEN
On 20 November the Cabinet AGREED all of the review recommendations.
· Follow up Report on the First Year of Delegating the Statementing Budget
On 7 November the Cabinet Member for Schools’ Improvement AGREED to:
(a) authorise officers to carry out a formal consultation with all stakeholders and to report the outcome of this to the Cabinet Member for Schools Improvement on 2 January 2008;
(b) authorise officers to submit a formal bid to the Department for Children, Schools & Families for the Fresh Start Initiative funding, whilst noting that implementation would be subject to the outcome of the formal consultation.
· Outcome of Formal Consultations (via statutory notices) on Proposals for Peers School to Become an Academy subject to consent from the Secretary of State
On 20 November the Cabinet AGREED to approve the proposal to close Peers School on 31 August 2008, conditional on the making of an agreement under Section 482(1) of the 1996 Act for the establishment of an Academy, where the proposal in question provides for all of the pupils currently at the school which is the subject of the proposals to transfer to the Academy and set a date by which the condition should be met.
Note: Given that the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee has considered this item, under Rule 16(j)(i) of the Scrutiny Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution, the decision of the Cabinet on this item will not be subject to Call-In.
10. Forward Plan
12:55
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 2007 to March 2008).
(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).
Members of the Committee are asked to note that there will be a pre-meeting at 9.30 am in meeting room 2.
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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 |