Agenda item

Council reiterates its commitment to ensure every child in Leeds enjoys the best start in life and welcomes the Administration’s decision to keep all 57 children’s centres open despite massive Government funding cuts.

Council further recognises the overwhelming evidence that development in the first years of life is crucial to improving social, economic, educational and health outcomes for children and young people.

Given that evidence, members commit to continue to work towards our Best city and Child Friendly ambitions, focusing in particular on ensuring that every child in Leeds is ready to learn before they start school.

In support of this approach and the clear evidence of the importance in investing wisely in Early Years, Council calls on Government to immediately:

1. Re-instate the Early Intervention Grant in full
2. Secure the financial future of Children's Centres and their multi-agency workforce
3. Provide an additional Early Years investment fund for local partnerships to access, based on the needs of local communities
4. Support the extension of the successful Families First approach to target the most vulnerable families
5. Ensure additional health capacity is identified and ring-fenced so as to provide targeted support

Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretaries of State for Health and Education.

It was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Harington that Council reiterates its commitment to ensure every child in Leeds enjoys the best start in life and welcomes the Administration’s decision to keep all 57 children’s centres open despite massive Government funding cuts.

Council further recognises the overwhelming evidence that development in the first years of life is crucial to improving social, economic, educational and health outcomes for children and young people.

Given that evidence, members commit to continue to work towards our Best city and Child Friendly ambitions, focusing in particular on ensuring that every child in Leeds is ready to learn before they start school.

In support of this approach and the clear evidence of the importance in investing wisely in Early Years, Council calls on Government to immediately:

1. Re-instate the Early Intervention Grant in full
2. Secure the financial future of Children's Centres and their multi-agency workforce
3. Provide an additional Early Years investment fund for local partnerships to access, based on the needs of local communities
4. Support the extension of the successful Families First approach to target the most vulnerable families
5. Ensure additional health capacity is identified and ring-fenced so as to provide targeted support

Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretaries of State for Health and Education.

An amendment was moved by Councillor S Bentley, seconded by Councillor Campbell

Replace “despite massive government funding cuts” with “as well as the coalition government’s announcement of a £2,000 tax break for childcare, its extension of the successful troubled families initiative and the creation of a £50 million early years pupil premium for disadvantaged three and four year olds.”

Delete all after “Council” in paragraph four and replace with “resolves not to implement the administration’s proposed 9% increase in nursery fees at council children’s centres.”

The amended motion would then read:

Council reiterates its commitment to ensure every child in Leeds enjoys the best start in life and welcomes the Administration’s decision to keep all 57 children’s centres open as well as the coalition government’s announcement of a £2,000 tax break for childcare, its extension of the successful troubled families initiative and the creation of a £50 million early years pupil premium for disadvantaged three and four year olds.

Council further recognises the overwhelming evidence that development in the first years of life is crucial to improving social, economic, educational and health outcomes for children and young people.

Given that evidence, members commit to continue to work towards our Best city and Child Friendly ambitions, focusing in particular on ensuring that every child in Leeds is ready to learn before they start school.

In support of this approach and the clear evidence of the importance in investing wisely in Early Years, Council resolves not to implement the administration’s proposed 9% increase in nursery fees at council children’s centres.

A second amendment was moved by Councillor Lamb, seconded by Councillor G Latty

Delete all after: ‘Council’ and replace with:

‘believes that burdening the next generation of children with an unmanageable national debt provides the worst possible start in life for millions of young people in Britain. Therefore, this Council supports the Government’s economic plan and welcomes the commitment by all parties to spending restraint and hopes that future generations in Leeds will benefit from this through improved economic circumstances.

Despite the difficult economic background, this Council welcomes the steps already taken by this Government to improve outcomes for young people, specifically:

1. Delivery of 15 hours of free nursery care to all 3 and 4 year olds
2. Expansion of the 15 hours free nursery provision to include 2 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds
3. The introduction of and increases to the pupil premium
4. The Troubled Families Programme
5. Free school meals for all infant aged pupils

This Council reiterates its commitment to ensure every child in Leeds enjoys the best start in life and welcomes this government’s ongoing commitment to this agenda. Council further recognises the overwhelming evidence that development in the first years of life is crucial to improving social, economic, educational and health outcomes for children and young people.

Therefore Council notes with concern the recent Executive Board report that highlighted the disappointing level of performance across a number of areas in Education but most notably in Early Years.

This Council calls on the ruling administration to stop blaming the Government for its own disappointing performance and take responsibility for the services it delivers. Council calls for a report to be brought to Executive Board detailing a robust plan to deliver improvements to Early Years provision in Leeds.’

The first amendment in the name of Councillor S Bentley and the second amendment in the name of Councillor Lamb were declared lost and upon being put to the vote, it was

RESOLVED – That Council reiterates its commitment to ensure every child in Leeds enjoys the best start in life and welcomes the Administration’s decision to keep all 57 children’s centres open despite massive Government funding cuts.

Council further recognises the overwhelming evidence that development in the first years of life is crucial to improving social, economic, educational and health outcomes for children and young people.

Given that evidence, members commit to continue to work towards our Best city and Child Friendly ambitions, focusing in particular on ensuring that every child in Leeds is ready to learn before they start school.

In support of this approach and the clear evidence of the importance in investing wisely in Early Years, Council calls on Government to immediately:

1. Re-instate the Early Intervention Grant in full
2. Secure the financial future of Children's Centres and their multi-agency workforce
3. Provide an additional Early Years investment fund for local partnerships to access, based on the needs of local communities
4. Support the extension of the successful Families First approach to target the most vulnerable families
5. Ensure additional health capacity is identified and ring-fenced so as to provide targeted support

Council asks that the Chief Executive write to the Secretaries of State for Health and Education.