Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed all in attendance to the October meeting of the Scrutiny Board (Children’s Services). She also welcomed a number of media students from Leeds Trinity University attending the Board as observers.

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.

The following personal interest was declared at the meeting:-

• Councillor B Lancaster in her capacity as LEA Governor (Vice Chair) at Carr Manor High School (Agenda Item 7) (Minute 49 refers)

Apologies for absence were received on behalf of Councillor W Hyde, Councillor K Maqsood, Councillor B Selby, Mr B Wanyoni, Mr J Granger, Ms C Johnson, Mrs S Hutchinson and Ms T Kayani.

Notification had been received for Councillor G Hyde to substitute for Councillor Selby.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meetings held on 8^th and 20^th September 2010.

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Call-In meeting held on 8^th September 2010 and the Board meeting held on 20^th September 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

To receive and consider a report from the Director of Children’s Services providing an update on the consultation process and next steps in relation to the Leeds Children and Young People’s Plan 2011.

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report providing an update on the consultation process and next steps in relation to the Leeds Children and Young People’s Plan 2011.

The following representatives attended the meeting and responded to Members’ questions and comments:

-  Councillor J Blake, Executive Member, Children’s Services

-  Councillor J Dowson, Advisory Member, Children’s Services

-  Nigel Richardson, Director of Children’s Services

-  Barbara Newton, Strategic Leader Partnership and Participation , Children’s Services

-  Ken Morton, Locality Co-ordinator, Children’s Services

The Chair welcomed Nigel Richardson, the newly appointed Director of Children’s Services, to his first meeting of the Board.

The Director of Children’s Services gave a brief presentation on his vision in relation to the Leeds Children and Young People’s Plan.

The presentation focused on the following three key messages:-

• Do the simple things better
• The child is the client
• Safeguard and promote the welfare of the child

In addition to the above presentation, Ken Morton, Locality Enabler, Children’s Services, provided the meting with an overview of the proposed locality model with specific reference to the cluster arrangements.

In summary, the key areas of discussion were:-

• Clarification around timescales, budgets, consultation and the involvement of Elected Members and other partners such as the Police, housing and local leaders. The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that the ten Area Committees were an important part of the accountability framework. He confirmed that the role of Members and partners could be made more explicit in the model.
• The need for further development of the proposed wellbeing teams

• Concern about the level of involvement of the voluntary, community and faith sector and the education Unions in developing the proposals
• To welcome the move towards locality working

RESOLVED-

a)  That the contents of the report be noted.

b)  That the Board’s Principal Scrutiny Adviser be requested to forward a copy of the slides to the Board for their information.

c)  That this Board notes that a copy of the Children and Young People’s 

  Plan would be brought back to this Board when a full draft had been 

  produced, early in 2011.

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 services for children with disabilities, special educational needs and additional health needs - Inquiry into Service Redesign.

Referring to Minute 8 of the meeting held on 10^th June 2010, the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development submitted a report presenting evidence in line with Session 1 of the Board’s Inquiry into services for children with disabilities, special educational needs and additional health needs - Inquiry into Service Redesign.

Appended to the report were copies of the following documents for information/consideration:

-  A copy of the agreed terms of reference for the inquiry

-  A report of the Director of Children’s Services entitled ‘Model for the Integrated Service for Children with Complex Needs’

The following representatives attended the meeting and responded to Members’ questions and comments:

-  Councillor J Blake, Executive Member, Children’s Services

-  Councillor J Dowson, Advisory Member, Children’s Services

-  Susan Rautenburg, NHS Leeds

-  David Dickinson, Education Leeds

-  Barbara Newton, Strategic Leader, Partnership and Participation, Children’s Services

-  Barbara Shaw, Interim Head of Disability Services, Children’s Services

-  Ken Morton, Locality Enabler, Children’s Services

The Chair invited David Dickinson to provide a brief summary on the outline plans for integrating services and also sought a contribution from the other officers in attendance.

In brief summary, the key areas of discussion were:

• The importance of quality and consistency of Common Assessment Framework (CAF) assessments
• The need to ensure that the CAF process was not over complicated
• The intention to introduce key workers in an advocacy role, and that a family should only have to tell their story once
• Concern expressed that not all agencies were fully engaged
• A request for transition arrangements for the 14 plus age group to be included in the next session of the inquiry and for the Board to be supplied with a copy of a report on transitional arrangements previously produced by the Scrutiny Board (Adult Social Care) to assist them with their deliberations

• Clarification that a decision had not yet been made about whether the proposed arrangements would involve children with serious mental health issues
• Concern expressed that IT systems were not compatible between the different services
• A query regarding the funding options in relation to young people in this group over the age of 18 who were not attending college

(The Locality Enabler, Children’s Services agreed to forward further 

 information to the Board)

RESOLVED-

a)  That the contents of the report and appendices be noted.

b)  That this Board notes that a second session of this Inquiry would be undertaken at the next Board meeting in November.

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 extract from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions for the period 1^st October 2010 to 31^st January 2011, together with the minutes from the Executive Board meeting held on 23^rd September 2010.

RESOLVED –

a)  That the work programme as amended be approved.

b)  That Mr Britten be appointed as a further representative on the School Balances Working Group, and that Councillor W Hyde be asked if he wished to join the Working Group.

c)  That the following representatives be involved with the preparation of draft terms of reference for the an inquiry focused around the themes of raising aspirations and tackling child poverty:-

 - Councillor J Chapman

 - Councillor A Lamb

 - Councillor B Lancaster

 - Councillor G Driver

 - Mr Britten

 - Professor Gosden

d)  That to the Chair and the Principal Scrutiny Adviser consider the most 

  appropriate way to deal with a request for the Board to look into the

  delay in implementing the Electronic Social Care Record (ESCR) 

  review, with a report back at the next meeting in November 2010.

To note that the next meeting of the Board will be held on Thursday, 18^th November 2010 at 9.45 am with a pre meeting for Board Members at

9.15 am.

It was noted that the next meeting would be held on Thursday 18^th November 2010 at 9.45am with a pre-meeting for Board Members at 9.15am.

(The meeting concluded at 11.50am)