Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence

Apologies for absence was received from Mr R Bettton, Mrs C Feeney-Johnson, Ms L Hammond and Mr J Mallinson.

To report and changes to the membership of the Board

Members noted that Mr A Wonnacott had replaced Mr J Mallinson as a member of the Board for this meeting only.

To disclose any personal and prejudicial interests relating to any item on the agenda.

NB   The following is a summary of what constitutes a personal interest and a personal and prejudicial interest.  Please seek advice or refer to the Code of Conduct (paragraph 8) for full definitions.

Personal Interests

You have a personal interest if the issue being discussed in the meeting affects the well-being or finances of you, your family or your close associates more than most other people who live in the Electoral Division affected by the issue.

Personal interests are also things that relate to an interest you must register.

N.B. If the personal interest arises because of your membership of another public body, you only need to declare it if you intend to speak.

A personal interest should be declared as follows:

I have a personal interest in agenda item […] regarding the report on […] because I am […].

Personal and Prejudicial Interests

If you have a personal interest in a matter you will also have a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public, with knowledge of the relevant facts, would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice your judgement of the public interest.  If you have a personal and prejudicial interest you must withdraw from the meeting room for that item, unless you are there to make representations and the public have the same opportunity to do so

NB You only have a prejudicial interest if the matter

• affects your financial position or that of your family, close associate, employer etc or it
• relates to a regulatory matter

A personal and prejudicial interest should be declared as follows:

I have a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item […] regarding the report on […] because I am […].

Advice on this can be sought from staff in Legal and Democratic Services.  Members are requested to seek advice, wherever possible, before the meeting starts.

There were no disclosures of interest made.

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any item on the agenda.

RESOLVED,       that the press and public be excluded during consideration of Agenda Item No. 14 The Grange Children’s Home which was taken as an urgent item by virtue of paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as this report contains exempt information relating to any individual.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 13 December 2011 (copy enclosed)

A member referred to page 3 and stated that no information had been received on whether there was any correlation between Early Years achievement and deprivation.  The Senior Manager – Information and Performance would ensure members received the information requested.  Reference was also made to the issuing of SEN statements and the need to push the Health Service to get them out on time.  The Board were informed that it only affected the SEN statements where there was a health element.  The Corporate Director – Children’s Services would ask the Senior Manager Complex and Additional Needs to investigate.

Progress on the West Coast Blueprint was raised again.  The Corporate Director – Children’s Services replied that it was her understanding that it was being redrafted because there was no longer an onus on the local authority to prepare a School Organisation Plan.  She would make sure an update on progress was included in the Corporate Director’s report to the next meeting.

Mrs Macur informed the Board that she was now the Scrutiny Champion for Domestic Violence.  Mrs Tarbitt added that she was the Scrutiny Champion for Community Safety.

RESOLVED,       that the minutes of the meeting held on 13 December 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the Call-in meeting held on 6 February 2012 (copy enclosed)

RESOLVED,       that the minutes of the meeting held on 6 February 2011 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

A valid Call-in of the Cabinet decision to publish a statutory notice to cease to maintain Captain Shaw’s School, Bootle with effect from 31 August 2012 was received in Legal and Democratic Services.

A special meeting of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Advisory Board was held on 6 February 2012 in order to give scrutiny members a chance to test the merits of the decision.

The Minutes of the meeting are appended at Agenda Item No. 5(b).  The Board resolved that the decision made by Cabinet on 12 January to publish a statutory notice to ‘cease to maintain Captain Shaw’s School, Bootle with effect from 31 August 2012’ be supported.

RESOLVED,       to note the outcome of the Call-in meeting held on 6 February 2012.

For members to be informed of any CCfA received by the County Council and consider whether any further action needs to be taken by the Advisory Board

There were no CCfA to bring to the Board’s attention on this occasion.

To receive a presentation from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services.

The Board received a presentation on the new OfSTED inspection arrangements from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services.  The Service would be inspected at the end of May 2012 under the old inspection regime.  It was likely that both the Cabinet Portfolio holders would be interviewed, along with the Chair of the Board and perhaps additional members but officers would ensure they were informed in a timely manner.  The Children’s Services website had been revamped and members were urged to have a look at it. 

A member asked if there were any problems with the health sector due to current upheavals.  There were no problems as such but it was more challenging because it was not always clear who the relevant point of contact was, due to staff changes.  There were set protocols when working with other organisations and it was hoped that these would be further developed.

RESOLVED,       that the presentation be received.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services (copy enclosed).

The Board considered a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services, which provided an update on the following issues:

·        Adult Education – new government paper

·        Community Development Centre (CDC) developments

·        Inspection update

·        Common Assessment Form (CAF) project

·        Better placements project

·        Multi Agency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) developments

·        Children Looked After – performance report

·        Budget monitoring report as at 31 January 2012

Adult Education

Officers were awaiting further information on ‘Community Learning Trusts’ before deciding whether or not to take a paper to Cabinet recommending that Cumbria bid to become a pilot Community Learning Trust.

Community Development Centre (CDC) development

The independent report on CDCs would be presented to the Board in the summer.

New Key Projects

The projects would be led by middle managers who had the requisite skills and support would be provided by the Business Improvement Team.

Multi Agency Looked After Partnership (MALAP) update

The first meeting of the MALAP had recently taken place and the intention was that it would work alongside the Corporate Parenting Panel (CPP).  The Chair of the CPP also sat on the MALAP.  A member asked if there were any children looked after going into higher education this year.  The information was not available but there were only a handful of young people at the relevant age range.  Cumbria was one of the first local authorities to support young people going into further education.  They had key workers and social workers who ensured they were properly supported.  Members hoped that their role as corporate parents had not changed as a result of the MALAP.  Although, there were a number of external representatives on the MALAP, it was members who had the overall corporate parenting responsibility.  There was a query on the operational costs of the MALAP.  None of the partner agencies had contributed financially but the venues for the meetings would be shared with Police, health etc  The Senior Manager and Assistant Director supporting the MALAP were Charles Proctor and John MacIlwraith respectively.  

The Chair of the CPP was concerned that there would be some overlapping with the MALAP.  He had previously been informed that the MALAP would report to the CPP.  He was informed that it was a government mandate that all local authorities with LAC had to have a MALAP.  However, they did not necessarily need to have a CPP.  The MALAP would report to the Children’s Trust Board.  There would be a refresh of the CPP Terms of Reference which would be considered by Constitution Review Group, before ratification by full Council.  The Chair asked for an update report on the progress of the MALAP after its third meeting.  The Cabinet Portfolio holder for Children’s Social Care added that the MALAPs had been established as a direct result of the Baby P and Victoria Climbié cases.

Children Looked After Performance Report

Members were concerned at the increase in the number of children now in care.  The Corporate Director added that it was due to an increase in the number  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services (copy enclosed)

The Board considered a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services, which provided an overview on performance, in relation to the objectives in the Directorate Service Plan, for Quarter 3 (1 October to 31 December 2011).  The Chair had met with the Senior Manager - Information & Performance as part of the new way of working.  She reported that there were some problem areas but there was also a lot of good work undertaken.  Reference was made to the ‘district delivery groups’, it was suggested that they were changed to ‘area delivery groups’ or something similar, as ‘district’ in Cumbria usually referred to the district/borough councils.  A member believed that information on the number of social worker posts filled by agency staff should be known.  Similarly, the baseline and target for the reduction in Out of County expenditure should also be available.  The number of agency staff was reducing but it was more challenging to recruit social workers to the west of the county.   

RESOLVED,       that the report be noted.

To receive a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services (copy enclosed)

The Board considered a report from the Corporate Director – Children’s Services which presented the Youth Justice Strategic Plan.  funding streams for the YOS came from various places but the Home Office funding form government would from 2013/14 go directly to the new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) .  Elections for the PCC would take place on 15 November 2012.  Cumbria Police Authority were working hard to ensure that the hand over was as smooth as possible.

RESOLVED,       that the report be noted.

To consider a report from the Scrutiny Officer (copy enclosed).

The report informs members of new and updated items of significance to the Board (including relevant aspects of the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions)

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Board Briefing which informed members of new or updated items of significance to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Advisory Board, including an update on current and impending task and finish groups:

• Adult education
• Children’s Services Engaging with Health
• Support for schools operating with a budget deficit
• Pressures on Looked After Children budget
• Inspira

The Chair and Mrs Skillicorn agreed to join the Children’s Services Engaging with Health Task and Finish Group.

The referral from the Audit and Assurance Committee for CRB checks in schools to be looked at by the Board was discussed.  The government were bringing forward a review that would revisit the use of such an extensive check.  As currently, all CRB checks had to be reviewed every 3 years.  The Chair asked that the Governor Support Team write to all governing bodies, reminding them of their requirement to obtain CRB checks for all new governors.

RESOLVED,       that

(1)   members note the Forward Plan of Key Decisions;

(2)   members note the Scrutiny Work Schedule.

Date:              25 June 2012

Time:             10:00 am

Venue:          Committee Room 2, The Courts, Carlisle

Date:              25 June 2012

Time:             10:00 am

Venue:          Committee Room 2, The Courts, Carlisle