Agenda item

To receive a report from the Head of Governance and Scrutiny Support presenting the draft report of the Scrutiny Board following its recent inquiry ‘Is Leeds a Child Friendly City?’.

The Head of Governance and Scrutiny Support submitted a report presenting the draft report of the Scrutiny Board following its recent inquiry ‘Is Leeds a Child Friendly City?’.

The following were in attendance:

-  Councillor Venner, Executive Member for Children and Families

-  Councillor Pryor, Executive Member for Learning, Skills and Employment

-  Steve Walker, Director of Children and Families

-  Phil Mellen, Deputy Director for Learning

-  Tim Pouncey, Chief Officer for Resources and Strategy

The Principal Scrutiny Advisor introduced the report and informed Members of feedback and suggested amendments to recommendations received during the initial consultation process. The Executive Members and the Director welcomed the report, and noted their support for the recommendations. 

In consideration of the draft Inquiry report, a number of matters were raised, including:

·  Knife crime. There was some discussion around the prevalence of knife crime in Leeds, as stated in the draft inquiry report. The Executive Member for Children and Families noted that some clarity was needed within the inquiry report between young people’s fear of knife crime, and the actual rate of knife crime across the city.

·  Communication with young people following consultations. Members noted the importance of feedback to young people for consultations that they contribute to. The Chair informed Members that a child friendly version of the report would be circulated to children and young people who contributed to the inquiry, and the Director welcomed a revised version of recommendation 3 to reflect formalising a process for consultation feedback to young people.

·  Planning applications. There was some discussion around the importance of children and young people being engaged in the formation and examination of broader planning documents as well as acknowledging the need for more targeted engagement associated with relevant planning proposals within specific areas.

·  Healthy relationships and friendships. Members felt that the importance of developing healthy relationships required more prominence in the report, along with a further recommendation specific to providing support and guidance to children and young people around healthy relationships.

·  Opportunities for physical activity across the city. It was agreed that more narrative would be added to the report in recognition of the importance of mapping and communicating the opportunities and activities available to young people across the city in terms of promoting physical activity.

·  Young people having fun growing up. Whilst Members noted that the evidence provided during the inquiry predominantly focused around play opportunities for young children, it was agreed that more narrative would be added to acknowledge the importance of providing fun and creative activities that will appeal to a broad age range, as well as being widely accessible.  Linked to this, particular reference was made to making high quality arts and cultural opportunities accessible to children and young people across the city, in accordance with the city’s Cultural Strategy.

The Principal Scrutiny Adviser noted the specific amendments requested during discussions, and informed the Board that a revised version of the inquiry report would be circulated ahead of publication on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED – That the draft inquiry report be amended to reflect the points raised by the Board during its discussion and recirculated electronically to Board Members prior to the final version being published on the Council’s website.