Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the December meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services).

To identify items which have been admitted to the agenda by the Chair for consideration

(The special circumstance shall be specified in the minutes)

In accordance with his powers under Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Chair admitted to the agenda draft terms of reference for the Board’s inquiry into education standards in Leeds, which were to be considered as part of agenda item 10. The draft terms of reference were not available at the time of the agenda despatch and needed to be considered for approval, as the first session of the inquiry was to take place at the next meeting of the Board, which was scheduled for 17^th January 2008 (Minute No. 74 refers).

The Chair also admitted to the agenda a copy of the Leeds Play Strategy, which   was to be considered as part of agenda item 12 entitled, ‘Inquiry into Services for 8-13 Year Olds’. The document was not available at the time of agenda despatch and needed to be considered alongside the range of other evidence which had been   submitted to the meeting as part of the third and fourth formal sessions of the Board’s inquiry (Minute No. 76 refers).

To declare any personal/prejudicial interests for the purpose of Section 81(3) of the Local Government Act 2000 and paragraphs 8 to 12 of the Members’ Code of Conduct

Councillor Murray declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 8 entitled, ‘Support for Parents and Families in Leeds’, due to being Chief Executive of the Learning Partnerships organisation. He also declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 10 entitled, ‘Education Standards - Draft Terms of Reference’, due to being a Director of igen and Chief Executive of the Learning Partnerships organisation. Finally, Councillor Murray declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 12 entitled, ‘Inquiry into Services for 8-13 Year Olds’, due to being an LEA Governor of Garforth Community College and a Trustee of the School Partnership Trust (Minute Nos. 72, 74 and 76 refer respectively).

Mrs S Knights declared a personal interest in relation to agenda item 8 entitled, ‘Support for Parents and Families in Leeds’, due to her position as Chair of the North West Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) Parents’ Forum, which was currently working with the Parent Partnership Service (Minute No. 72 refers).

Apologies for absence from the meeting were received on behalf of Councillors B Lancaster, J Langdale, Mr I Falkingham and Mrs S Hutchinson.

To receive and approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 8^th November 2007

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the previous Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services) meeting held on 8^th November 2007 be approved as a correct record, subject to Councillor S Hamilton’s apologies for absence from the meeting being included within Minute No. 53.

To note the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 9^th October 2007

RESOLVED - That the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 9^th October 2007 be noted.

To consider a report from the Director of Children’s Services which introduces the new Family Support and Parenting Strategy for Leeds, in addition to providing the Board with a brief overview of the work undertaken by the Parent Partnership service

The Board received a report from the Director of Children’s Services which introduced the new Family Support and Parenting Strategy for Leeds, and provided Members with a summary of the work currently being undertaken by the Parent Partnership service throughout the city.

A copy of the ‘Family Support and Parenting Strategy’ was appended to the report for Members’ consideration.

Barbara Newton, Strategic Leader - Partnership and Participation, Children’s Services, and Wendy Winterburn, Parent Partnership Co-ordinator, Education Leeds, were both in attendance to present the report and answer Members’ questions.

Having received an overview of the key issues detailed within the report, in addition to a summary of the work which had been undertaken to produce the parenting strategy, a question and answer session then ensued. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

Promoting and Consulting upon the Support Available to Parents and Carers

·  Members acknowledged the range of support which was currently available to parents and carers in Leeds, and enquired how parents’ awareness of such provision could be maximised. In response, the Board noted that via a range of initiatives, such as an advocacy service which operated throughout the city, parents and carers were provided with as much information and support as possible, in a format that was easily accessible;

·  Having noted the level of consultation with parents and carers which had been undertaken throughout the development of the Family Support and Parenting Strategy, Members referred to the 335 questionnaires which had been completed by parents as one element of the consultation, and asked what the number of respondents was as a proportion of all parents and carers residing in Leeds. In response, Members were advised that this information would be provided;

·  Members further discussed the range of methods used to publicise the support  available to parents and carers, and learned that face to face contact was still most parents’ preferred method of interaction.

Meeting the Needs of Parents and Carers

·  Members emphasised the importance of ensuring that appropriate provision was being delivered to meet the needs of all parents and carers throughout the city. In response, the Board noted that a more systematic understanding of parents’ needs was being developed, which would enable the range of needs across the city to be mapped and addressed more consistently and effectively;

·  Following Members’ enquiries, the Board learned that the parenting strategy aimed to enable a fully integrated and multi-agency approach to be taken towards the delivery of provision, so that the needs of the family as a whole, rather than just the needs of the individual young person, were fully addressed;

·  In response to the Board’s enquiries, Members were assured that the aim of the advice and guidance given to parents and carers was to inform and empower them, in order to enable them to make informed decisions.

Performance Monitoring Issues

·  The Board made enquiries into the extent to which the progress made by those parents, carers and young people receiving support was monitored.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which updates the Board on the progress being made in relation to the level of  young people’s participation in the scrutiny process

A report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which   updated Members on the progress which had been made in relation to young people’s participation levels in the scrutiny process.

The Board was advised that following the recent Youth Council elections, the full Youth Council was scheduled to meet on 15^th December 2007 to identify a topic which would be the subject of an inquiry by the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum. Members noted that once an inquiry topic had been chosen, volunteers to sit on the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum would be sought from the Youth Council and via the Reach Out and Reconnect (ROAR) organisation.

Members learned that with support from youth work staff and the Scrutiny Support Unit, draft terms of reference would be drawn up by the Young People’s Scrutiny Forum, and later submitted to the Scrutiny Board for endorsement.

A volunteer from the Scrutiny Board was then sought to attend the December meeting of the Youth Council, in order to discuss potential scrutiny topics with the young people.

RESOLVED -

(a). That the contents of the report be noted;

(b). That Councillors Lamb and Renshaw be identified as the Board’s representatives to attend the December meeting of the Youth Council, in order to discuss potential scrutiny topics with the young people.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which sets out and invites the Board to approve draft terms of reference for the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry into education standards

(Draft terms of reference to follow)

Members considered a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which sought the Board’s approval of draft terms of reference for the inquiry into education standards in Leeds. A copy of the draft terms of reference had been circulated to Members prior to the meeting.

In accordance with Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, the views of the relevant Director and Executive Member had been sought. Members agreed to incorporate the comments which had been received into the terms of reference.

The Board then proposed that issues previously raised by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate in respect of Leeds’ educational attainment levels when compared with the national average, were incorporated into the terms of reference.

RESOLVED -

(a). That the contents of the report be noted;

(b). That subject to the above comments, the terms of reference be approved.

To receive a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which details the Scrutiny Board’s Work Programme for the remainder of the municipal year

A report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which   detailed the Scrutiny Board’s work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

Appended to the report for Members’ information was the current version of the Board’s work programme, an extract from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1^st December 2007 to 31^st March 2008 which related to the Board’s remit, together with the minutes from the Executive Board meeting held on 14^th November 2007.

Further to a report considered at the November meeting which briefed Members on the David Young Community Academy, and how the Academy fitted into the provision of children’s services in Leeds, the Board noted that the Principal of the Academy had agreed to attend the January meeting of the Board in order to provide further details on any related matters.

Members enquired when further consideration could be given to the issues relating to the levels of support given to parents and families in Leeds, a topic which had been discussed earlier in the meeting. In response, the Board was assured that the issue would be incorporated into an appropriate space within the Board’s work programme.

RESOLVED - That subject to the above comments, the Board’s Work Programme, as appended to the report, be approved.

To consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which details the evidence to be considered as part of the third and fourth formal sessions of the Scrutiny Board’s inquiry into services for 8-13 year olds

Further to Minute No. 47, 11^th October 2007, the Board received a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which introduced the evidence to be considered as part of the third and fourth formal sessions of the Board’s inquiry into services for 8-13 year olds.

Sally Threlfall, Acting Chief Officer, and Jason Tabor, Programme Officer – Out of School Activities Project, both of Early Years and Youth Service, Maggie Smith, Deputy Manager, and Wendy Gledhill, both of Youth Offending Service, Barbara Newton, Strategic Leader - Partnership and Participation, Children’s Services, Mark Hopkins, Strategic Manager – Study Support, Education Leeds, Deborah Howe, Children’s Involvement Advocate, Mark Law, Chief Executive of Bramley and Rodley Community Action (BARCA), Chris Finnigan, Social Care, Frank O’Malley, Leeds Play Network and Jody Sheppard, Leeds Children’s Fund, were all in attendance to introduce the range of evidence which had been submitted and to answer Members’ questions.

Appended to the report for Members’ information were the agreed terms of reference for the inquiry, a range of information regarding current summer holiday provision being delivered in Leeds, and a briefing paper entitled, ‘Use of PFI Schools by Community Groups and Third Party Groups’. This was in addition to a summary of the ‘short break’ services provided   for disabled children in the city, a briefing paper which related to the ‘all relative’ programme, a copy of the ‘Leeds Children and Young People’s Participation Strategy 2007’, and a copy of the ‘Leeds Play Strategy‘.

The evidence which had been submitted was then introduced and presented to the Board by relevant officers, together with representatives from the voluntary, community and faith sector. A wide ranging discussion then ensued, which was divided into several different aspects of service provision for 8-13 year olds. The main areas of debate were as follows:-

Voluntary Sector

·  The Chief Executive of BARCA provided Members with an overview of the range of services which were provided for 8-13 year olds by the voluntary sector in Leeds. The Board learned that voluntary sector organisations were significant providers of extended services in Leeds, and remained vital in respect of plugging any gaps in provision;

·  Members noted that overarching organisations such as BARCA provided a framework for smaller service providers within the voluntary sector, and that effective communication between such voluntary sector organisations was essential in order to ensure that a co-ordinated service was delivered;

·  The Board was also advised of the innovative approach taken by many organisations within the voluntary sector, when attempting to address issues, such as meeting the needs of the family unit as a whole.

Extended Services/Holiday Schemes

·  Members received a summary of the work being undertaken to deliver extended services, holiday schemes and out of hours provision in Leeds, which included an overview of the Breeze initiative and the progress which was being made in respect of clustering arrangements throughout the city;

·  The Board learned that Leeds was one of the top performing Local Authorities in respect  ...  view the full minutes text for item 76.

Thursday, 17^th January 2008 at 10.00 a.m. in the Civic Hall, Leeds

(Please note that a pre-meeting is scheduled for all members of the Board at 9.30 a.m.)

Thursday, 17^th January 2008 at 10.00 a.m. in the Civic Hall, Leeds.

(Pre-meeting scheduled for 9.30 a.m.)

(The meeting concluded at 12.10 p.m.)