Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the October 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 a late item, to agree the report arising from the Scrutiny Board’s decision to refer back the called-in decision ‘to award a contract for the delivery of Connexions Intensive Support Services – Wedge Based Services’.  The report was not available at the time of agenda despatch, and in accordance with the Council’s Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, needed to be submitted to the decision maker within three working days of the meeting (Minute No. 51 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.

There were no declarations of interest made at this point, however declarations were made at later points in the meeting (Minute No. 52 refers).

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillor Lancaster and Co-opted Member Ms Kayani.

The Chair reported that Mr Falkingham had resigned as the Scrutiny Board’s Parent Governor Representative (Special).  Nominations were being invited for a replacement representative to serve on the Scrutiny Board.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th September 2009.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th September 2009 be confirmed as a correct record.

Minute No. 30 – Matters Arising from the Minutes

The Principal Scrutiny Advisor agreed to forward a copy of the Executive Board report in relation to City of Leeds High School to Scrutiny Board Members.

This report was admitted as a Late Item.  The report invites Members to agree the recommendations arising from the Scrutiny Board’s decision to refer back the Called-In decision.

The Chair admitted to the agenda a late item which invited Members to approve the report arising from the Scrutiny Board’s decision to refer back the called-in decision ‘to award a contract for the delivery of Connexions Intensive Support Services – Wedge Based Services’.

RESOLVED – That the report arising from the Scrutiny Board’s decision to refer back the called-in decision ‘to award a contract for the delivery of Connexions Intensive Support Services – Wedge Based Services’, be approved.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presenting evidence in line with Session 1 of the Board’s Inquiry into the impact of population growth on children's services in Leeds.

The Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report which introduced the evidence to be considered as part of the first formal session of the Board’s Inquiry into the impact of population growth on children’s services in Leeds.

The following organisations submitted information and evidence for the Board’s consideration;

• Office for National Statistics;
• Local Government Association;
• School of Geography, University of Leeds;
• Education Leeds on behalf of Children’s Services; and
• Leeds City Council, Business Transformation Team.

The following information was also provided;

• Agreed terms of reference - The impact of population growth on children’s services in Leeds;
• Audit Commission briefing - ‘Is there something I should know?’; and
• City and County of Swansea – ‘Everybody Counts!’ Scrutiny Report.

Representatives from a number of external organisations attended the meeting as follows;

-  Guy Goodwin - Director, Population, Health and Regional Analysis, Office for National Statistics;

-  Professor Tim Allen - Programme Director: Analysis and Research, Local Government Association; and

-  Peter Boden - Centre for Spatial Analysis and Policy, School of Geography, University of Leeds.

In addition, the following officers attended the meeting and responded to Members’ questions and comments;

-  Jackie Green, Director of Strategic Planning, Education Leeds;

-  George Turnbull, Head of Service – School Organisation, Education Leeds; and

-  ArfanHanif, Head of Strategy, Business Transformation Team.

The evidence which had been submitted was introduced and presented to the Board as follows:

Guy Goodwin, Office for National Statistics

• The Office for National Statistics (ONS) employed a team of demographic experts focussing on a range of scenarios and uncertainties – it was reported that population estimates could be rolled forward years into the future.
• The reasons for population growth were due to a range of factors including:

-  International migration

-  Increases in natural growth associated with fertility rates.

Questions and comments were invited as follows:

• Concern about the impact of population growth on primary school places.
• The need to undertake work at a local level, e.g. exploring uncertainties around fertility rates.
• Using birth data to identify patterns at a national level.
• Increase in young mums, although some variances dependant on area.
• Challenges keeping track of specific groups.

Peter Boden, University of Leeds

• The need to develop local authority projections, particularly in terms of pupil numbers and the implications arising from this.

Questions and comments were invited as follows:

• Whether projections had a built in margin of error.  It was advised that there was error in all methods used.

Professor Tim Allen, Local Government Association (LGA)

• Challenges in terms of migration and development of the e-borders system.
• Fertility rates highest since the late 1970’s – some areas of Leeds experiencing rapid growth. Likelihood of characteristics to be explored.
• National Insurance registrations lower than average – indication that migration had slowed.
• Pressure on school places not unique to Leeds – difficulty tracking movement in and out of the area.

Questions and comments were invited as follows:

• Identifying housing and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development outlining the Scrutiny Board’s work programme for the remainder of the current 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 current municipal year.

Appended to the report for Members’ information was the current version of the Board’s work programme, an update on working group activity and an extract from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1^st October 2009 to 31^st January 2010, which related to the Board’s remit.

The Principal Scrutiny Advisor agreed to provide Members with confirmation of future meeting dates and times for the Scrutiny Board’s working groups.

RESOLVED – That subject to the comments raised at the meeting, the work programme be approved.

To note that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Board will be held on Thursday 12^th November 2009 at 9.45 am with a pre meeting for Board Members at 9.15 am.

Thursday 12^th November 2009 at 9.45 am with a pre-meeting for Board Members at 9.15 am.

(The meeting concluded at 12.55 pm).