Agenda and minutes

Venue: Civic Hall, Leeds, LS1 1UR. View directions

Contact: Sandra Pentelow (0113) 37 88655  Email: sandra.pentelow@leeds.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

11.

Chair's Opening Remarks

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed all in attendance, particularly Ms M Owen to her first Board meeting since her recent appointment as Co-opted Member (Teacher Representative).

 

12.

Late Items

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

 

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

Minutes:

There were no late items.

 

13.

Declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

To disclose or draw attention to any disclosable pecuniary interests for the purposes of Section 31 of the Localism Act 2011 and paragraphs 13-16 of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests declared to the meeting.

 

14.

Apologies for Absence and Notification of Substitutes

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutes.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were submitted by Councillor K Renshaw and Co-opted Members, Ms C Hopkins, Mr A Graham and Mrs S Hutchinson.

 

Notification had been received that Councillor D Ragan was to substitute for Councillor K Renshaw.

 

15.

Minutes - 15 June 2017 pdf icon PDF 77 KB

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2017.

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 15 June 2017 be approved as a correct record.

 

16.

Youth Activity Fund Update pdf icon PDF 124 KB

To consider the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) which provides and update on the delivery of the Youth Activity Fund with a focus on the progress with the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Board’s on 23rd February 2017

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Assistant Chief Executive (Citizens and Communities) submitted a report which provided an update on the delivery of the Youth Activity Fund (YAF) and progress with the recommendations made by the Scrutiny Board at its February meeting.

 

The following information was appended to the report:

 

-  A summary of the total annual Youth Activity Fund spend for 2016/17 by Community Committees

-  Approved spend (as at June 2017) by each Community Committee and the remaining budget for 2017/18

-  Communities Team – Summer Peer Inspections of Youth Activity Fund Activities (2016).

 

The following were in attendance:

 

-  Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families

-  Sue Rumbold, Chief Officer (Partnership Development and Business Support)

-  Martin Dean, Area Leader, Communities and Environment

-  Victoria Marsden, Play Strategy Officer, Children and Families

-  Rachel Marshall, Area Officer, Communities and Environment.

 

The key areas of discussion were:

 

·  The allocation of youth activity funding, particularly in terms of support for deprived communities and potential funding from external sources.

·  Acknowledgement of the improved position regarding YAF spending, however concern remained regarding the level of underspend.

·  Clarification regarding ‘schemes in progress’.

·  An update on the targeted youth offer and commissioned activities.  The Board was advised that a review of the youth offer was underway.

·  Greater engagement and alternative ways of working needed in terms of equality and diversity.  The Board was advised about development of the Migration Access Project and networking opportunities.

·  Positive development of schemes such as Lego Minecraft.

·  The importance of children and young people’s involvement in inspection and decision making for the provision of schemes.

·  The need to consider partnership working with universities, particularly in terms of utilising campus facilities across Leeds.

·  An update on the establishment of a steering group to improve outcomes.  The Board asked to be kept updated regarding Elected Member representation on the group.

·  The need for long term planning with third sector organisations providing activities due to their limited resources.

·  A request that a further update be provided to the Board in early 2018.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  That the report and appendices be noted.

(b)  That the Board notes the responses to the comments made at the February Board meeting.

(c)  That a further report be brought to the Scrutiny Board (Children and Families) in July 2018.

 

(Councillor M Iqbal joined the meeting at 10.45am during the consideration of this item.)

 

17.

Scrutiny Inquiry Draft Terms of Reference - The Impact of Child Poverty on Attainment, Achievement and Attendance pdf icon PDF 184 KB

To consider the report of the Head of Governance and Scrutiny Support which outlines the draft terms of reference for the scrutiny inquiry into the impact of child poverty on attainment, achievement and attendance.

 

Minutes:

The Head of Governance and Scrutiny Support submitted a report which presented draft terms of reference for the Board’s inquiry into ‘The Impact of Child Poverty on Attainment, Achievement and Attendance’.

 

The following were in attendance:

 

-  Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Deputy Executive Member (Children and Families)

-  Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families

-  Sue Rumbold, Chief Officer, Partnership Development and Business Support

-  Andrew Eastwood, Head of Service, Learning Improvement

-  Peter Storrie, Head of Service, Performance Management and Improvement.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  That the terms of reference for the Board’s Inquiry into ‘The Impact of Child Poverty on Attainment, Achievement and Attendance’, be approved.

(b)  That the Board notes that the terms of reference may incorporate additional information during the inquiry should the Board identify any further scope for inquiry or request further witnesses or evidence.

 

18.

Inquiry Session - The Impact of Child Poverty on Attainment, Achievement and Attendance pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To consider the report of the Director of Children and Families which provides and introduction to the Board’s inquiry work into the relationship between child poverty and learning.

 

Minutes:

The Director of Children and Families submitted a report which provided an introduction to the Board’s inquiry work into the relationship between child poverty and learning.

 

The following were in attendance:

 

-  Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families

-  Sue Rumbold, Chief Officer, Partnership Development and Business Support

-  Andrew Eastwood, Head of Service, Learning Improvement

-  Peter Storrie, Head of Service, Performance Management and Improvement.

 

To support the Board’s inquiry work a Powerpoint presentation was provided on the relationship between child poverty and learning outcomes.

 

The key areas of discussion were:

 

·  Clarification about the scope and focus of the inquiry in relation to the impact of child poverty on attainment, achievement and attendance.

·  Acknowledgement that some schools in the city were doing well in areas of high deprivation and the need to share best practice.  The Board was advised about development of school to school support to improve standards.

·  The investment of schools in cluster partnerships and the impact of cluster arrangements on poverty.

·  Supporting children and young people and ensuring they had a greater say on the allocation of pupil premium plus funding.

·  The use of pupil premium and access to free school meals.

·  The lack of nutrition over the school holidays and the types of support for children and families.

·  School absence due to lack of access to sanitary protection.

·  The importance of effective leadership and quality of provision in raising school standards.

·  The impact of school admission arrangements on school standards.

·  Ensuring that the review of youth services reflected the importance of out of school activities and opportunities.

·  The types of engagement work with young people.  The Board was advised about development of the Mindmate website to deliver support.

·  Arrangements for future site visits by the Board to primary schools and clusters.

·  A suggestion that the Board considered child poverty, attainment / achievement and vulnerable children data in greater detail at the September meeting.

 

RESOLVED –

 

(a)  That the issues raised as part of the Board’s inquiry into ‘The Impact of Child Poverty on Attainment, Achievement and Attendance’, be noted.

(b)  That child poverty, attainment / achievement and vulnerable children data be provided as part of the Board’s next inquiry session in September 2017.

 

(Councillor J Akhtar left the meeting at 11.50am, Councillors D Cohen and J Elliott at 12.05pm, and Councillors C Dobson and D Ragan at 12.35pm.)

 

19.

Work Schedule pdf icon PDF 92 KB

To consider the Scrutiny Board’s work schedule for the 2017/18 municipal year.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Governance and Scrutiny Support submitted a report which invited Members to consider the Board’s work schedule for the 2017/18 municipal year.

 

The key areas of discussion were:

 

·  The structure of the work schedule for the remainder of the municipal year and the framework for the Board’s inquiry work.

·  That scrutiny visits for the inquiry were to be provisionally scheduled for the November 2017 meeting.

 

RESOLVED – That subject to any on-going discussions and scheduling decisions, the Board’s outline work schedule be approved.

 

20.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

Thursday 7 September 2017 at 9:45am

 

(Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9:15am)

Minutes:

Thursday, 7 September 2017 at 9.45am (Pre-meeting for all Board Members at 9.15am)

 

 

(The meeting concluded at 12.40pm)