Notice of Meeting ![](/SiteSpecific/logo.gif)
Children’s
Services Scrutiny Committee Tuesday 27 September 2005 at 10.00 am at County
Hall, Oxford
Membership
Chairman – Councillor
Mrs Anda Fitzgerald O’Connor
Councillors:
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Norman Bolster
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Jean Fooks
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Deborah Glass
Woodin
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Sue Haffenden
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Steve Hayward
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Hilary Hibbert-Biles
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Zoe Patrick
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Bill Service
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Val Smith
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Keith Stone
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Melinda Tilley
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David Turner
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Carol Viney
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Co-opted
Members:
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Mr Chris Bevan
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Mr Ben Jackson
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Mrs Sue Matthew
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Ms Bernadine
Spencer
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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
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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.
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![](/SiteSpecific/dbsig.jpg)
Derek Bishop
Head of Democratic
Services
September 2005
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 622,000 people. These include:
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social &
health care
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libraries
and museums
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the fire service
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roads
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trading standards
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land use
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transport
planning
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waste management
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The
Council employs 18,840 people. Each year the Council manages £0.7 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.
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 and help it develop Council policies. There are Scrutiny
Committees for:
- Corporate Governance
- Children’s Services
- Environment &
Economy
- Community Safety
- Health & 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
- Apologies for Absence
and Temporary Appointments
- Declarations of Interest
– see
guidance note
- Minutes
To
approve the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2005 (CH3)
and to note for information any matters arising on them.
- Speaking to or Petitioning
the Committee
- Scrutiny Work Programme
2005/06
10:15
Background
Information:
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During
this round of meetings, each Committee will be asked to undertake
a fundamental review of its work programme, taking into account
the key issues and drivers identified at its previous meeting.
This process of review should ensure that each Committee’s work
programme is adding value to the Council’s work, is outcome focused,
and is using the best method of working to achieve this. A grid
containing suggested work programme options for this Committee
is attached for consideration at CH5 (download
as .doc file).
All members were asked to give their suggestions for the work
programme by 18 August and were sent a briefing note prior to
the work programme meeting, which included suggested items for
the work programme. The attached grid sets out options based on
criteria circulated to members prior to that meeting. The grid
is intended to provide guidance and support. It should not be
interpreted as precluding Members from suggesting further options
at the meeting.
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Why has
it been included?
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To
enable the Committee to agree the items that will be included
in the work programme for the coming year and to prioritise those
items.
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When is
the Committee going to do this piece of work?
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During
this meeting.
However, the work programme will be reviewed on a quarterly basis,
where members of this Committee will be given the opportunity
to continue with or alter their ongoing work programme. Items
from stakeholders or members of the public submitted during the
year will also be fed into this process and considered for possible
inclusion in this Committee’s work programme.
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Work to
be done prior to the meeting:
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Members
are asked to consider the grid, in preparation for the discussion.
This is attached at CH5 (download
as .doc file).
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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- Children & Young
People’s Plan
10:45
Background
Information:
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There
is a new statutory requirement to produce a single, strategic
Children and Young People’s Plan (CYPP) for all local services
for children and young people. This includes services provided
by the local authority and all relevant partners. The duty to
prepare the CYPP is given to the County Council, alongside its
duty to secure co-operation among partners to improve the wellbeing
of children and young people. The local authority is expected
to prepare the Plan jointly with partners. The first plan must
be in place by 1 April 2006. The Plan should support local authorities
and their partners to agree clear targets and priorities for all
their services to children and young people, to identify the action
needed to achieve them and to ensure delivery.
On 22 June 2005 the Cabinet approved a draft outline CYPP for
consultation and further development. At that meeting the Cabinet
Members for Children & Young People gave an undertaking that
the draft would be referred for comment to this Committee before
a revised draft of the CYPP is presented to Cabinet in October
for approval for wider consultation.
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Why has
it been included?
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To
enable this Committee to comment on the report prior to consideration
by the Cabinet.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session.
The Committee is asked to consider what advice,
if any, to offer 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 the Committee.
Ms Gillian Tee, Head of Children’s Services will attend to give
a brief presentation on the Plan 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 CH6,
in preparation of the discussion.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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- Children’s Centre Strategy
11:15
Background
Information:
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On
18 October 2005, the Cabinet will be recommended, subject to consideration
of any comments on the part of this Committee, to approve outline
proposals for wider consultation for Children’s Centres in Oxfordshire.
These proposals are set out in the report on the Children’s Centres
Strategy (CH7)
A summary document ‘Children’s Centres in Oxfordshire 2005-2010’
to be used for public information and discussion purposes has
been circulated to all members of the Committee and a copy has
been placed in the Members’ Resource Centre. A copy is also available
for public inspection.
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Why has
it been included?
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To
enable this Committee to comment on the report prior to consideration
by the Cabinet.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session.
The Committee is asked to consider what advice, if any,
to offer 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.
Mr Rick Harmes, Head of Community Learning will attend in order
to give a brief presentation on the Strategy 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 (CH7)
, in preparation of the discussion.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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Members
are asked to bring their copies of the summary document to the
meeting.
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- Youth Green Paper, "Youth
Matters"
11:45
Background
Information:
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On
2 November 2005, the Cabinet will be recommended, subject to consideration
of any comments on the part of this Committee, to respond to the
Government’s Youth Green Paper "Youth Matters".
The Paper sets out the Government’s vision for the organisation
and delivery of services for young people. The Green Paper builds
on the reforms implemented as part of the Children Act 2004 and
Every Child Matters. A report by the Director for Learning &
Culture, which includes the executive summary of the Green Paper,
is attached at CH8.
The Green Paper itself is on the DfES web site - http://www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/youth/
- and is in the Members’ Resource Centre.
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Why has
it been included?
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To
enable this Committee to comment on the report prior to consideration
by the Cabinet.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session.
The
Committee is asked to conside what advice, if any, to offer 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.
Mr Rick Harmes, Head of Community Learning will attend in order
to give background information on the Youth Green Paper 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,
in preparation of the discussion.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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- County Facilities Management
- Best Value Review
12:15
Background
Information:
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The
Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group on 25 May agreed that the Children’s
Services Scrutiny Committee would be responsible for completing
the outstanding Best Value Review of the cleaning and catering
services provided by County Facilities Management (CFM) which
had commenced under the former Best Value & Audit Committee.
The study had arisen from growing concerns over the financial
viability of the services.
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The
Best Value & Audit Committee in April had approved further
research on identified options for the future of CFM to be brought
back to the Committee for further consideration; and on the role
of the County Council in service provision/delivery in the context
of the Government’s statement ‘Healthy Food in Schools – Transforming
School Meals’. The Committee had particularly asked that the Review
Team "look at Best Value in the round, including education and
healthy eating and the advantages of healthy food for children
as learners".
This report sets out the results of the further research to date.
More work is required to provide definitive information on some
of the options, but this will to an extent depend on what actions
the Council considers desirable to pursue. Decisions on such action
will be for the Cabinet, in the light of the recommendations of
this Committee in the light of the Best Value Review work.
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Why has
it been included?
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In
May 2005 the Council allocated the Best Value function to the
Scrutiny Committees.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session.
The Committee is RECOMMENDED to refer this
report to the Cabinet, together with any further comments and
recommendations, as the outcome of the Best Value Review, drawing
the Cabinet’s attention to the further work which is urgently
required to give a basis for decisions, subject to appropriate
consultation with stakeholders, on the future of the catering
and cleaning services provided by County Facilities Management.
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Who is
going to take part in this piece of work?
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Councillor
David Wilmshusrt and Mr Robert Capstick have been invited to attend
for this item 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 (CH9) (download
as .doc file), in preparation for discussion on this item.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None
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- Tracking Scrutiny Items
12:45 Report
back on advice by this Committee to the Cabinet or Council.
On
19 April 2005 the Executive received a Learning & Culture
Scrutiny Committee report on the County Music Service budget,
and asked the Directors for Learning & Culture and Resources
to consider the implications, particularly in relation to:
- the accounting
arrangements for the Service;
- the future
funding of the Service, including the potential for increasing its
income;
- the handling
of the accrued deficit;
- the future
management remit of the Music Service House Committee.
This
was in the context of the Service having had an accumulated deficit
attributed to it of £210,000 over the two years 2002/03 and 2003/04,
but uncertainty as to the reason for this apparent variation from
budget. Subsequent work has included a review by an external accountant,
appointed by the Director of Resources, looking at historical
accounting data to determine whether the accumulated deficit was
accurate and, if so, its cause. A draft of the report to the Cabinet
by the Director for Learning & Culture and Director for Resourses
is attached (CH10).
The
Committee is asked to consider what advice, if any, to offer to
the Cabinet.
1:00 LUNCH
- Realignment of Directorates
2:00
Background
Information:
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On
18 October 2005, the Cabinet will consider a report on proposals
to enable the implementation of its decision to re-designate the
Directors for Learning & Culture and Social & Health Care
as Director of Children’s Services and of Adult Social Services
respectively. A draft of the report is attached (CH11) (download
as .doc file).
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The
report sets out a structure for the realigned directorates, which
are proposed to be titled "Children, Young People & Families"
and "Social & Community Services", and covers funding, risks
and transitional issues.The report contains specific proposals for:
- the new
titles of the directors and directorates;
- the configuration
of services within the directorates and their titles;
- the timetable
for implementation; and
- the arrangements
to enable officers to transfer staff to the new services.
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Why has
it been included?
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To
enable this Committee and members of the Health & Community
Services Scrutiny Committee to comment on the report prior to consideration
by the Cabinet.
The Committee
is asked to consider what advice, if any, to offer to the Cabinet.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session, in which members of the Health & Community
Services Scrutiny Committee have been invited to participate.
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Who is going
to take part in this piece of work?
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All Members
of the Committee and the Health & Community Services Scrutiny
Committee.
The Cabinet
Members for Children & Young People and Health & Community
Service, the Chief Executive, the Director for Social & Health
Care and the Director for Learning & Culture will also attend
for this item.
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Work to
be done prior to the meeting:
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Members are
asked to consider the report CH10 (download
as .doc file), in preparation of the discussion.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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- Best Value Review of
Services for Vulnerable Children and Young People: Implementation
3:00
Background
Information:
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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 made
a wide range of recommendations. A number of these have been, or
are being, implemented through the realignment of the Directorates.
All of the remaining recommended actions in the Best Value Review
of Children’s Services have been incorporated in the new Children
and Young People’s Plan. A detailed report on the Plan is elsewhere
on the agenda.
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This
report now presented (CH12)
focuses 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.
The
report concludes that the County Council should move forward to
develop a Children and Young People’s Strategic Board for Oxfordshire.
This purpose is to effect significant changes in the co-ordination,
organisation and delivery of children’s services across the county.
The Strategic Board will fulfil the requirements of a Children’s
Trust approach for Oxfordshire.
It
is recommended that proposals for the development of a Children
and Young People’s Strategic Board should be approved for wide consultation
and that officers undertake further detailed work on the proposals
including terms of reference.
The
Best Value Review proposed the establishment of multi disciplinary
locality teams to ensure responsive and well co-ordinated services
for vulnerable children and young people in localities throughout
the County. The report includes proposals for these, which it is
recommended should be for wide consultation.
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Why has
it been included?
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In
May 2005 the Council allocated the best value function to the Scrutiny
Committees.
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How and
when is the Committee going to deal with it?
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During
a one meeting session.
The
Committee is invited to comment on the proposals set out in the
report for:
(a) the development of a Children and Young People’s Strategic Board;
(b) the development of local multi-disciplinary teams;
and
to forward their advice and recommendations to the Cabinet.
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Who is going
to take part in this piece of work?
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The
Cabinet Member for Children & Young People and Ms Gillian Tee,
Head of Children’s Services will attend 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 (CH12),
in preparation for discussion on this item.
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Documents
Members should bring to the meeting:
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None.
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- Forward Plan
3:30 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 October 2005 to January 2006).
(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).
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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