Agenda and minutes

To consider any appeals in accordance with Procedure Rule 25* of the Access to Information Procedure Rules (in the event of an Appeal the press and public will be excluded).

(* In accordance with Procedure Rule 25, notice of an appeal must be received in writing by the Head of Governance Services at least 24 hours before the meeting).

There were no appeals against refusal of inspection of documents.

1  To highlight reports or appendices which officers have identified as containing exempt information, and where officers consider that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information, for the reasons outlined in the report.

2  To consider whether or not to accept the officers recommendation in respect of the above information.

3  If so, to formally pass the following resolution:-

  RESOLVED – That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following parts of the agenda designated as containing exempt information on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information, as follows:

  Agenda item 7 – Appendix B to the report contains a summary of the price/quality evaluation which was presented to a tender evaluation meeting on 22^nd March 2012.  Please note that the tender evaluation meeting does not form any part of the reasons for the call-in request and therefore these papers have not been included in the agenda pack. 

There were no resolutions to exclude the public.

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

(The special circumstances shall be specified in the minutes.)

There were no late items.

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 J Chapman declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7, Call In – LCC13002: Young Carers.  Due to having donated various tickets to events to ‘Willow Young Carers’.  Minute No. 7 refers.

Councillor S Bentley, signatory to the Call In, declared a personal interest in Agenda item 7, Call In – LCC13002: Young Carers.  Due to involvement with ‘Willow Young Carers’.  Minute No. 7 refers.

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Charlwood, Coulson, C Gruen, M Rafique and Co-opted Members; Ms A Craven and Ms N Cox.

Councillors Urry, G Hussain, Atha and Illingworth were in attendance as substitutes.

To receive and consider a report from the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development informed Members of the Call In arrangements in accordance with the Council’s Constitution and the options of action available to the Board.  It was reported that the following options were available to the Board:

• Release the decision for implementation; and
• Recommend that the decision be reconsidered.

In accordance with Scrutiny Procedure Rules, to review a decision of the Director of Children’s Services taken on 9^th May 2012, in relation to awarding a new contract to Barnardo’s for the provision of a service for young carers.

The report of the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development presented the background papers to a decision which had been Called In in accordance with the Council’s Constitution.  The decision was a Delegated Decision Notice LCC13002: Young Carers.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting:

• Councillor S Bentley – Signatory to the Call In;
• Councillor A Lamb – Signatory to the Call In and Member of the Board;
• Councillor J Blake – Executive Member for Children’s;
• Nigel Richardson – Director of Children’s Services;
• Paul Bollom – Interim Lead Commissioner for Children’s Services; and
• Ian Dunn – Strategic Category Manager.

Councillor S Bentely outlined the reasons for the Call In of the decision. These included the following:

The lack of information contained with the report accompanying the DDN which meant that the rationale behind the decision could not be understood

In response to the concerns raised , officers present raised the following issues:

That the decision had been taken to provide an enhanced service with the aim of reaching more young carers than had previously been possible with the arrangements that were in place. Officers highlighted that there was not being a cut to the services provided.

Councillor Blake, Executive Member for Children addressed the Board. She re-iterated that the changes planned to be made would improve the service provided to young carers; increase resources being put into the service and reach more young carers.

In response to Member comments and questions, the following issues were discussed by Members with Officers and Cllr Blake:

• the definition of the term ‘young carer’;
• how the proposed arrangements would operate in practice;
• the need for greater information to be included within reports to help Members and the public understand the changes being made to services provided by the Council.

Councillor Lamb was invited to summarise the reasons for calling in the decision and re-iterated earlier comments with an emphasis on the need for greater detail to be contained within reports accompanying DDNs and a need for a review of the decision making process.

In summary Members agreed that further work needed to be undertaken with regards the publication of decisions.

Members were asked to consider the options available to them.

In accordance with Scrutiny Board Procedure Rules, to consider the Board’s formal conclusions and recommendation(s) arising from the called-in decision.

Following a vote by Members present, it was

RESOLVED –

(a)  to release the decision for implementation; and

(b)  to request that the wider issue of report writing be raised with the Chief Democratic Services Officer.