Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Local Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2017/031

Contact: Sarah Jelley, Senior Policy & Performance Officer Tel: 07554 103437

Report by Assistant Chief Executive (CA6).

In February 2016 the Council agreed to set aside £1m for creating a ‘one off’ fund to provide pump priming to support Children’s Centres.  It was agreed that a cross party group of county councillors would consider maximum benefit of this fund and bring proposals back to Cabinet for decision.

The working group have considered the applications under the third round of bids against the criteria outlined in the guidance notes with recommendations to Cabinet.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       approve funding for the following bids:

(i)        Ambrosden 4 Children (Ambrosden Children’s Centre);

(ii)       Donnington Doorstep (Florence Park Children’s Centre);

(iii)      St Johns Church (Grove & Wantage Children’s Centres);

(iv)     HBC Superdads (Marston Northway Children’s Centre);

(v)       Henley Baptist Church (Rainbow Children’s Centre);

(vi)     Abingdon Baby Café (North Abingdon Children’s Centre);

(vii)    Abingdon Carousel (South Abingdon Children’s Centre);

(viii)   Sunshine Centre (Sunshine Children’s Centre);

(ix)     Witney Churches (Witney Children’s Centre).

(b)     Approve the asset transfer for the following proposal:

(i)  Afflah Nursery (Florence Park Children’s Centre).

(c)       Approve funding for the following bids subject to buildings and leases being resolved:

(i)        Friends of Britannia Road (Britannia Road);

(ii)       The Kings Church (South Didcot).

(d)   Decline funding for the following bids:

(i)        Aspire & Nature Effect;

(ii)       St Mary’s Church, Chipping Norton.

(e)       Approve the maximum 12 months’ rent free period for the following buildings:

(i)        Ambrosden;

(ii)       South Abingdon.

In February 2016 the Council agreed to set aside £1m for creating a ‘one off’ fund to provide pump priming to support Children’s Centres.  It was agreed that a cross party group of county councillors would consider maximum benefit of this fund and bring proposals back to Cabinet for decision.

The working group have considered the applications under the third round of bids against the criteria outlined in the guidance notes and cabinet had before them a report setting out their recommendations to Cabinet

Ms Emma Kennedy, spoke in support of the bid from St. Mary’s Church, Chipping Norton, highlighting that despite the perception of affluence it was a working town and suffered from poverty and rural isolation. The bid would provide a safety net and an open door for the most vulnerable.

In response to queries as to why local people would not use the ACE Centre Ms Kennedy commented that they focussed on a different age group. She added that the St Mary’s project dealt with people from stigmatised groups who had built relationships at St Mary’s School, were familiar with the environment and less willing to attend elsewhere.

Ms Candida March, spoke in support of the Aspire & Nature Effect bid highlighting the key role that the Florence Park building had in the community. The bid was about building a community hub where people were able to come together. Ms March expressed concerns over the Aflah Nursery project and the process resulting in today’s Florence Park recommendation.

Ms Elinor Sinclair, expressed concerns over the transfer of Florence Park to Aflah Nursery which she felt did not meet the transition fund criteria.

Mr Paul Roberts, Chief Executive Officerof Aspire spoke in support of the Aspire & Nature Effect bid. He highlighted the experience Aspire had as a social/community enterprise and their desire to work with local groups. He hoped that as a minimum Cabinet would defer any decision to allow further discussion. Cabinet noted that this was the first bid by Aspire.*

Ms Frazana Aslam, Director of Aflah Nursery spoke in support of their proposal. Ms Aslam commented that they had been a private early years provider since 2014 and rated good in July 2016. The nursery had an open admissions and recruitment policy. Ms Aslam added that there were currently 45 children on roll from 2 faith groups and of 14 different nationalities. Responding to questions from Cabinet Members Ms Aslam outlined the community activity they would undertake including parenting classes and workshops. They were conscious that the building was a community hub and would be open to all the community. The nursery had an inclusive admissions policy and had very rewarding relationships with parents not of the muslim faith. They took a very balanced approach to learning and did work on the whole range of faith celebrations and other events.

Councillor John Sanders, local councillor for Cowley expressed concerns at the make-up of the cross party working group which he felt had an over reliance on councillors with a finance focus. Councillor Sanders spoke against the Aflah Nursery proposal noting that it was a nursery school with a clear religious remit and did not provide the services of a children’s centre. He accepted that the Nursery wished to expand but believed that this was a commercial undertaking that should be done through the open market. Councillor Sanders went on to support the Aspire & Nature Effect bid referring to the current sticking point of the San Remo contract. He believed that a solution could be found and suggested that the remaining funding be held and the position be reviewed again in 6 months. Councillor Sanders responded been advised that the Panel was meeting and had not been involved. He reiterated that as an existing service if they wished to expand they should do so but should not take the children’s centres premises when there is a real need for an all inclusive children’s centre.

Councillor Helen Evans, local councillor for Iffley Fields & St Mary’s commented that a number of local residents had contacted her to express concerns about the transfer of the building to a private concern. She shared those concerns

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Opposition Leader, stated that there was confusion over several matters that in her view meant that it should not have come to Cabinet at this time. Councillor Brighouse referred to the Transition Fund and highlighted its purpose for open access, so communities could replace services being lost. There was nothing in it in relation to asset transfer. Councillor Brighouse further queried the terms of the Asset Transfer Policy suggesting that it related to voluntary community groups and not to commercial organisations. She hoped that the policies in place would be followed through. She expressed concerns that local councillors were not being involved. Councillor Brighouse asked that no decision be taken on Florence Park and that it be considered by political group leaders and discussed with local councillors, community leaders and the wider community. Councillor Brighouse indicated that her strength of feeling on this would mean that as Chairman of Performance Scrutiny Committee she would find it necessary to call in the decision if it was agreed today.

Responding to questions from Cabinet Councillor Brighouse expressed concerns about the openness of the process in general but felt that on the matter of Florence Park it was a question of the transition fund being used for a purpose it was not set up for. There was no remit for asset transfer and other groups had not had the same opportunity.

Councillor Stratford as Chairman of the cross-part working group expressed disappointment at the perception that the process had not been open to members given the level of communication with them. He noted that the vast majority of recommendations had been agreed by all members on the cross party working group and stress that the process had been managed fairly across the County and the criteria had been the critical factor in considering applications.

During discussion Cabinet noted that the issue for the St Mary’s bid was the level of duplication with the ACE Centre. A Cabinet Member questioned whether there was that much duplication feeling that the provision from St Mary’s was different to that provided by ACE. Councillor Gray suggested that it would be sensible to defer a decision in order to undertake further investigation and review the services available and to be provided.

Cabinet considered at length the bid in relation to Florence Park and the proposed asset transfer. Cabinet clarified that Aflah Nursery were not seeking funding under the Transition Fund and that the transfer was proposed under the Asset Transfer Policy which did not exclude organisations for profit. Lucy Butler, Director for Children’s Services informed Cabinet of the County Council’s statutory responsibility to ensure sufficient supply of nursery provision and that the proposals met a statutory need. Maggie Scott, Assistant Chief Executive explained the background to provision of nursery places during the children’s centre process and the current proposal from Aflah Nursery. Cabinet members commented that it seemed further work was needed with all parties to reach a solution.

Councillor Gray proposed that decisions be deferred in respect of Aflah Nursery and the Aspire & Nature Effect bid to enable work with both groups, local councillors and the City Council to see if a solution was possible. He noted that it was a large building and that Aflah Nursery were not seeking the whole of it.

RESOLVED:             to

(a)       approve funding for the following bids:

(i)        Ambrosden 4 Children (Ambrosden Children’s Centre);

(ii)       Donnington Doorstep (Florence Park Children’s Centre);

(iii)      St Johns Church (Grove & Wantage Children’s Centres);

(iv)      HBC Superdads (Marston Northway Children’s Centre);

(v)       Henley Baptist Church (Rainbow Children’s Centre);

(vi)      Abingdon Baby Café (North Abingdon Children’s Centre);

(vii)    Abingdon Carousel (South Abingdon Children’s Centre);

(viii)   Sunshine Centre (Sunshine Children’s Centre);

(ix)      Witney Churches (Witney Children’s Centre).

(b)  Approve funding for the following bids subject to buildings and leases being resolved:

a.         Friends of Britannia Road (Britannia Road);

b.         The Kings Church (South Didcot).

(c)  Approve the maximum 12 months’ rent free period for the following buildings:

a.         Ambrosden;

b.         South Abingdon.

(d)  Defer decisions in respect of:

a.    the proposal relating to Aflah Nursery

b.    Aspire & Nature Effect bid

c.    St Mary’s Church Chipping Norton bid

with a further report to be submitted to Cabinet as soon as practicable.

* Sentence added at the meeting of Cabinet on 18 July 2017