Meeting documents

The Council
Thursday, 28th February, 2013 6.30 pm

Children & Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Minutes

Date:
Monday, 28th January, 2013
Time:
18:30
Place:
Civic Suite, Civic Centre, Southend-on-Sea
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
694 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Mr V Copeland and Mr M Rickett (Co-opted Members).
695 Declarations of interest.
 The following declarations of interest were made the meeting:

(a) Councillors Holdcroft and Courtenay (Executive Councillors) - interest in the pre-Cabinet scrutiny/referred items; attended pursuant to the dispensation agreed at Council on 19th June 2012, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011;

(b) Councillor Ayling - Agenda Item Nos. 5 (Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17), 7 (Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2013/14), 8 (Review of Senior Management Arrangements) and 9 (Proposed Southend Children and Young People's Plan Priorities 2012-2013) - Non-pecuniary interest - Volunteer at Connexions;

(c) Councillor Caunce - Agenda Item Nos. 5 (Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17), 7 (Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2013/14) and 10 (School Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools 2014/15) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Barons Court School;

(d) Councillor Chalk - Agenda Item Nos. 5 (Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17), 10 (School Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools 2014/15)and 14 (Schools Progress Report) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor at Friars School;

(e) Councillor Godwin - Agenda Item Nos. 5 (Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17), 10 (School Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools 2014/15)and 14 (Schools Progress Report) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor at Hamstel Infants School;

(f) Councillor Holland - Agenda Item Nos. 7 (Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2013/14) and 8 (Review of Senior Management Arrangements) - Non-pecuniary interest - son works in Adult & Community Service Department at the Council;

(g) Councillor Anne Jones - Agenda Item Nos. 10 (School Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools 2014/15)and 14 (Schools Progress Report) - Non-pecuniary interest - Parent of primary school child and governor at Milton Hall Primary School.
696 Questions from Members of the Public.
 There were no questions from the members of the public.
697 Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday, 26th November, 2012
  • Minutes
Resolved:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on Monday, 26th November, 2012 be received, confirmed as a correct record and signed.
698 Draft Capital Programme 2013/14 to 2016/17
Business for item 698
Resolved:

That the following decisions of Cabinet be noted:

"1. That the current approved Programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17 of £67.6m, as set out in Appendix 1 of the submitted report, be noted.

2. That the proposed changes to the approved Programme, as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, be endorsed.

3. That the proposed new schemes and additions to the Capital Programme for 2013/14 to 2016/17 totalling £23.8m of which £15.8m is for the General Fund and £8m is for the Housing Revenue Account, as set out in Appendices 6 and 7 of the submitted report, be noted.

4. That it be noted that the proposed additions as set out in Appendix 2 of the submitted report, and other adjustments as set out in Appendix 8 of the report, will result in a proposed capital programme of £92.8m for 2013/14 to 2016/17.

5. That it be noted that a final exercise is being undertaken on the 2012/13 projected outturn and that the results will be included in the report to Cabinet on 12th February 2013.

6. That the report be referred to the Scrutiny Committees and then Cabinet (Budget) on 12th February 2013."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that the approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
699 Draft Fees and Charges 2013/14
Business for item 699
Resolved:

That the following decision of Cabinet be noted:

"That subject to the inclusion of the revised fees and charges for Adult and Community Services, as circulated at the meeting, the proposed fees and charges for each Directorate as set out in the submitted report be endorsed."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that approval of the final budget following Cabinet on 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
700 Draft General Fund Revenue Budget 2013/14
Business for item 700
Resolved:

That the following decision of Cabinet be noted:

"1. That the 2013/14 draft revenue budget and any required commencement of consultation, statutory or otherwise, be endorsed.

2. That it be noted that the budget has been prepared on the basis of the Council increasing the Southend-on-Sea element of Council Tax by 1.75% (38p per week) and the consequent rejection of the Government's Council Tax freeze grant for 2013/14.

3. That it be noted that the 2013/14 draft revenue budget has been prepared using the provisional finance settlement and that the outcome from the final settlement will need to be factored into the final budget proposals for Cabinet (Budget) and Council (Budget).

4. That it be noted, that arrangements for a discount scheme on Council Tax for Special Constables will be included in the final budget proposals.

5. That the 2013/14 draft revenue budget be referred, as approved, for the views of Scrutiny Committees to inform Cabinet (Budget), which will then recommend the Budget and Council Tax to Council (Budget).

6. That the Schools budget position be noted and that the recommendations from the Schools Forum on 9th January 2013 (set out in Appendices 14 and 14i of the submitted report) would be presented to Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee and then to Cabinet (Budget) and Council (Budget).

7. That the direction of travel 2014/15 and beyond (Section 15 of the submitted report) and the future years savings proposals (Appendix 16 of the submitted report), be endorsed and referred to the Scrutiny Committees to inform Cabinet (Budget), which will then recommend the Budget and Council Tax to Council (Budget)."

Note:- This is an Executive Function, save that approval of the final budget following Cabinet on the 12th February 2013 is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
701 Review of Senior Management Arrangements
Business for item 701
Resolved:

That the following decision of Cabinet be noted:

"1. That the revisions to the senior management structure set out in the submitted report, reducing the overall senior management number to 16 (excluding public health), be approved.

2. That the senior management structure would consist of the Chief Executive, three Corporate Directors and twelve Heads of Service.

3. That the Public Health function, when it is transferred to the Council, reports to the Chief Executive and comprises the Director or Public Health, one Head of Service and associated staff.

4. That the detailed allocation of functions and implementation of other arrangements be delegated to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, subject to no substantive adverse response to consultations.

5. That appropriate amendments be made to the Constitution to reflect the new senior management structure once implemented and also to redesignate the three scrutiny committees as People Scrutiny Committee (including health), Place Scrutiny Committee and Corporate Scrutiny Committee."

Note:- This is a Council Function.
Executive Councillor:- Holdcroft.
702 Proposed Southend Children and Young People's Plan Priorities 2012-2013
Business for item 702
Resolved:

That, subject to the rewording of some of the proposed priorities/actions as detailed in Appendix 1, the draft priorities be endorsed and form the framework for the Children and Young People's Plan for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 19th March 2013..

Note:- This is an Executive function.
Executive Councillor:- Courtenay
703 School Admissions Arrangements for Community Schools 2014/15
Business for item 703
Resolved:

That the draft report be endorsed for submission to Cabinet for consideration at its meeting on 19th March 2013.

Note:- This is an Executive function.
Executive Councillor:- Courtenay
704 Monthly Performance Report
Business for item 704
Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note:- This is an Executive function.
Executive Councillor:- As appropriate to the item
705 In-depth Scrutiny Project - Update
Business for item 705
Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note:- This is a Scrutiny function.
706 Exclusion of the Public.
 Resolved:-

That, under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act, and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.
Part II(Confidential)
707 Schools Progress Report
  • (Attachment: 29)Report of Corporate Director Children & Learning No. DCL241
Business for item 707
Resolved:

That the report be noted.

Note:- This is a Scrutiny function.
708 Vote of Thanks
 The Chairman informed the Committee that Sue Cook (Interim Corporate Director Children and Learning) would shortly be leaving the Authority and would be taking a new position as Director of Children Services at Suffolk County Council. Members paid tribute and thanked her for her excellent work and support during her employment at the Council and wished her every success in her new role and for the future.
6.30 a.m./7.50 p.m.

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillor A E Holland (Chairman),
Councillors M Assenheim (Vice-Chairman), B Ayling, L Burdett, M T Caunce, A M Chalk, E A Day, B A Godwin, M R Grimwade, S J Habermel, R E Hadley, A P Jones, A J Jones, R N Morgan, D F Russell, C W Walker, J G S Ware-Lane
Dr L Barnard (Co-opted Member), Ms I Grubb (Co-opted Member), Mr D Spilby (Co-opted Member), Ms A Clarke (Co-opted Member)
Miss J Fisher (Co-opted Observer), Miss M Sylvester (Co-opted Observer)
In attendance:
Councillors T N Holdcroft and J L Courtenay (Executive Councillors)
Councillors I D Gilbert, A Kaye and J McMahon
R Tinlin, S Cook, S Leftley, S Hadley, J Theadom, H Flinders, I Ambrose, D Simon, D McAughtrie, and T Row

Business

ItemBusiness
698The Committee considered Minute 679 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Director Support Services, requesting that consideration be given to a draft programme of capital projects for 2013/14 to 2016/17.
699The Committee considered Minute 680 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Director Support Services setting out the proposed detailed fees and charges for services included in the budget proposals for 2013/14.
700The Committee considered Minute 681 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Corporate Management Team presenting a draft revenue budget for 2013/14 and a range of potential savings proposals for future years.
701The Committee considered Minute 683 of Cabinet held on 22nd January 2013, which had been referred direct to Scrutiny by Cabinet, together with the report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk proposing revisions to the senior management structure to reflect the reduction in staff numbers, continuing budget pressures, the transfer of public health to local government and best practice elsewhere. The report also proposed to redesignate the three scrutiny committees as People Scrutiny Committee (including health), Place Scrutiny Committee and Corporate Scrutiny Committee.
702(This is a pre Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee considered a draft Cabinet report prepared by the Interim Corporate Director Children & Learning by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny. The report sought the Committee's views on the Success for All Group draft priorities for the 2013-2014 Children and Young People Plan.

It was noted that some of the proposed draft priorities/actions as detailed in Appendix to the report needed to be reviewed to ensure that they were appropriately worded.

Further to a question regarding the service for parent carers, the Interim Corporate Director Children & Learning undertook to provide a written response after the meeting.
703(This is a pre Cabinet Scrutiny item).

The Committee considered a draft Cabinet report prepared by the Interim Corporate Director Children & Learning by way of pre-Cabinet Scrutiny. The report presented the outcome of consultations with schools on the school admission arrangements and sought Members' views on the proposed recommendations to Cabinet on 19th March 2013.

In response to a request for the breakdown of the numbers of children attending schools from inside and outside the Borough, the Council's Head of Children's Commissioning and Learning Infrastructure explained that this information was included in the School Organisation Plan, which had already been reported to the Committee but undertook to provide a copy of the report to Member concerned.
704The Committee considered the Monthly Performance Report (MPR) covering the period to the end of November 2012. The Committee also had before it an exceptions report showing the latest position to the end of January 2013, which had recently been circulated.
705The Committee received an oral report that provided an update on the current situation regarding the in-depth scrutiny project.
707The Committee received a report of the Interim Corporate Director Children & Learning which provided an update on schools progress.

In response to a question regarding the impact of the changes to the inspection framework by Ofsted, the Corporate Director undertook to provide the details, including a comparison nationally and other comparative local authorities after the meeting.

 

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