Agenda and minutes

To approve the record of the meeting held on 26 September 2013.

The record of the meeting held on 26 September 2013 was agreed and signed by the Chairman as correct. 

To receive apologies for absence. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Watson, Alex Tear (Church representative) Sam Tutt and Perdita Blinkhorn, (Medway Youth Parliament representatives.)

The Chairman will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he/she has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report. 

There were none. 

(A)              Disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests

A member need only disclose at any meeting the existence of a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) in a matter to be considered at that meeting if that DPI has not been entered on the disclosable pecuniary interests register maintained by the Monitoring Officer.

A member disclosing a DPI at a meeting must thereafter notify the Monitoring Officer in writing of that interest within 28 days from the date of disclosure at the meeting.

A member may not participate in a discussion of or vote on any matter in which he or she has a DPI (both those already registered and those disclosed at the meeting) and must withdraw from the room during such discussion/vote.

Members may choose to voluntarily disclose a DPI at a meeting even if it is registered on the council’s register of disclosable pecuniary interests but there is no legal requirement to do so.

In line with the training provided to members by the Monitoring Officer members will also need to consider bias and pre-determination in certain circumstances and whether they have a conflict of interest or should otherwise leave the room for Code reasons.

(B)            Whipping

The Council’s constitution also requires any Member of the Committee who is subject to a party whip (ie agreeing to vote in line with the majority view of a private party group meeting) to declare the existence of the whip.

Disclosable pecuniary interests

There were none.

Other interests

The Chairman declared on behalf of Headteacher representative, Jane Heyes, an interest in agenda item 9, (Outcomes of Consultation for the Proposed Prescribed Alterations at Brompton Westbrook Primary School,) as she was the Headteacher of this school. She left the room for agenda item 9.

Whipping

There were no declarations of whipping.

This report presents the Annual Public Health Report of the Director of Public Health for 2012/13.  The report focuses on the health of school aged children and makes recommendations for Medway Council and partners.

Discussion:

The Director of Public Health presented her report on the Health of School Aged Children. She advised the Committee that the Annual Public Health Report is required to be published under the duties set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2012. The Act also transferred public health responsibilities from the NHS to Local Authorities, including the responsibility for the Healthy Child Programme (ages 5-19). The Chairman and other Members of the Committee welcomed the transfer of public health back to the local authority.

The Director of Public Health also advised that Appendix 1 to the report outlined progress against the previous Annual Public Health Report 2011/12. This included information about the immunisation and vaccination programmes in Medway as well as details of the work of a task group tackling obesity in relation to planning policy.

The Committee had been invited to attend a Member briefing on the Annual Public Health Report, which had taken place immediately before the meeting.

Members welcomed the report which they thought informative and well presented and discussed the productive partnership work evidenced by some of the information within the document.

Decision:

The Committee noted the report.

This report seeks to present the provisional education results for Medway for the year 2013. The report summarises the performance of Medway’s schools as indicated by the provisional results in the 2013 tests, teacher assessments and examinations. On the basis of these provisional results, irrespective of where this places Medway in national attainment tables, for primary phase these are the best set of results Medway has ever had. Tables showing the performance are presented as graphs appended to this report. This data is un-validated and must be treated with caution.

Discussion:

The Assistant Director Inclusion and School Improvement and Head of School Challenge and Improvement presented the provisional education results for Medway for the year 2013. The report showed Medway were no longer at the bottom of the national tables and that the results for the primary phase were the best set of results Medway had ever had. It was reported that the gaps between Medway’s results and the national average were now closing.

Highlights included: Early years results were 5 points above the national average; Year 1 phonics - 62% achieved the measure, whilst for Year 2 80% achieved the measure; Key Stage 1 2B+ significant improvement Level 3 matches national average; Key Stage 2 now 6 percentage points higher than the lowest local authority; Key Stage 2 improvements were faster than the average national improvement; GCSE’s 5A*- C above national average; Post 16 (A Level equivalents) were doing well compared to national picture. A detailed breakdown of the provisional results, including analysis by gender, was provided at Appendix 2 of the report.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Recognition that although the tables are a snapshot the upward trend was looking positive;

• Praise for Medway schools in supporting their pupils to achieve these outcomes;

• Questioning the Key stage 4 results, which officers confirmed had slipped back slightly by 0.7%, although Medway’s Key Stage 4 results stood at 88% which was higher than the national average of 82.7%; Officers advice was to treat the information with caution as the results are provisional and may change.

• Questioning whether the report in future could include information on the role of the local authority in relation to supporting schools and pupils to achieve their best;

• The size and capacity of the team that supports the schools, recognising that the team is small;

• The importance of sharing and learning from best practice both nationally and locally;

• The importance of governor training and ensuring governing bodies were providing strong, professional leadership;

• Developing links between schools and local universities, officers agreed to provide details of the staff member who can help.

• Questioning Medway’s provisional position on the national league tables, which was confirmed by officers as joint seventh from bottom with around 12 other local authorities;

• The impact that individual schools can have on the results given that one Academy school’s results were particularly low. Officers confirmed that this school was about to announce the appointment of a new principal and it was hoped it would now be on a trajectory for improvement

• Recognition that 18 out of 19 provisional performance tables showed improvement.

• Querying Appendix 1, section 2, which stated that Governor Services were not aware of any Councillors having put themselves forward to be school governors during this academic year and a Member advised the Committee that a Councillor had put themselves forward to become a school governor in the current academic year.

Decision:

a)     The Committee formally placed on record its appreciation of the work  ...  view the full minutes text for item 627.

This report sets out the current position on children who are missing education in Medway. 

Discussion:

The Attendance and Advisory Service for Schools and Academies (AASSA) Team Manager presented a report setting out the current position on children who were missing education in Medway. She advised that a partnership approach was taken to ensure children of compulsory school age have access to suitable education and that protocols were in place for the partnership. She outlined the processes followed when a child was missing education, including truancy sweeps and street weeks.

She informed the Committee that AASSA had 1300 referrals last year which included potentially vulnerable children such as gypsies and travellers, pregnant teenagers, children of families fleeing domestic violence, new immigrant families and children where the education being provided at home was not suitable. In the previous year 297 children were home educated, whilst 209 were currently registered as home educated. The safeguarding processes for children who were home educated were described and the Committee were advised of the programme of home visits that take place within a coherent partnership framework.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Questioning whether children with mental health issues are identified at an early stage and adequately supported if they do not attend school; and concern that there may be children who whilst they are on a waiting list for assessment through CAMHS they may be missing education and need support. They also queried whether a reduced educational timetable is best for individual children with mental health needs. Officers advised members that children with mental health issues who were missing from education would be identified and supported and stated that reduced timetables would depend upon individual needs, and may be put in place if deemed in the best interests of the child. She also advised that following assessment, referrals were made into Rivermead.

• Members mentioned a case previously considered at a Schools Transport Appeal which had identified a child who had not attended school for two months - officers advised that they were actively involved with the case.

• Members questioned whether there was information available on the numbers of children who had been home educated who had then gone onto higher education and officers advised that there was no requirement for this information to be monitored by local authorities but that they would try to ascertain whether there were any national statistics.

• A Member outlined the benefits of socialisation within schools and was advised by the Director of Children and Adults Services that many children who were home educated engage in social activities for young people, such as guides, scouts, local clubs, etc. and that many parents who home educate their children are part of a lively network which also provides advice and support.

• Members asked about the method and approach taken during truancy sweeps, to which officers confirmed that the process was undertaken in multi –agency partnership with police officers making the first contact.

• They also questioned how long work with local estate agents has been going on to identify families who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 628.

This report outlines the Medway Youth Justice Plan Refresh 2012-2014, which has been developed following discussions and consultations with partner agencies, it also reflects the requirements of the Youth Offending Team (YOT) Improvement Plan and the new requirements by the Youth Justice Board to submit a costed plan in respect of their grant to the Youth Offending Team.

Discussion:

The Youth Offending Team (YOT) Manager presented the report outlining the Youth Justice Plan Refresh 2012-14and advised of new requirements by the Youth Justice Board for costed plans in respect of their grant to the Youth Offending Team. An addendum report had been circulated to the Committee advising them of the key areas within the plan that had been amended.

Performance targets and data sets had been updated and, despite the authority missing the internally set and stretching target for National Indicator  (NI) 19 reoffending target, Medway was now fourth best performing out of eighteen regional youth offending teams. He also advised that although there had been improvements made to custodial convictions, the internal target relating to NI 43 had also been missed. Other targets had, however, been achieved, including the percentage of young offenders engaged in suitable education, training or employment and the accommodation status after release from custody.

The YOT Manager explained that within the report there were details of the grant expenditure and described that changes had been made to the programmes for young people. He also advised that some new training had been put in place and 20 team members had undergone mindfulness training, which had positively impacted upon their work.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Seeking clarification on the partnership between YOT and Intensive Youth Supervision and Surveillance (IYSS) agencies focused on developing strategies for Looked after Children (LAC). Officers advised that the numbers of LAC remained stubbornly high and that the team were developing local protocols to minimise the extent to which Looked After Children are cautioned or prosecuted particularly where this is purely to secure a successful insurance claim for damage caused as a result of trauma suffered by the looked after child. A request was made for an update to be provided on this to the Corporate Parenting Group at its meeting in January.

• Intensive Supervision Surveillance (an alternative to custody) was proving very successful.

• Positive comments were made about the annual conference held recently at the St George’s Centre in Chatham.

• Questioning whether the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) grant had remained stable. Officers advised that despite the PCC grant being cut by 11% in year 1, this had not been passed on. In years 2 and 3 there would be reductions, amounting to 5% in the coming year. Funding was confirmed in relation to agreed targets and objectives with a focus on preventative work.

Decisions:

a)     The Committee noted the report and forwarded it for consideration by Cabinet on 17 December 2013 

b)     The Committee asked for an update on issues relating to inappropriate cautions being given to Looked After Children, be provided in January 2014 to the Corporate Parenting Group. 

This report outlines the outcomes of the informal consultation period on the Council’s proposals to enlarge the premises at Brompton Westbrook Primary School, by way of statutory prescribed alterations.

Jane Heyes left the room during discussion on this item.

Discussion:

The Strategic Planning Analyst presented the report. He advised the Committee that due to pressures on primary school places, in particular within the Gillingham West area, Brompton Westbrook Primary School had been chosen for expansion. The school has been identified by recent Ofsted overall findings as ‘Good’ and ‘Outstanding’ in its leadership and management. The report set out the response to the consultation regarding the enlargement of the premises.

Members were advised that the informal consultation on the proposals had taken place between 30 September and 27 October 2013. There had been 16 written responses of which fifteen were in favour and one objector. A public meeting was held at the school on 1 October and a transcript of the meeting was included as an appendix to the report.

Decisions:

a)     The Committee noted the report and forwarded it for consideration by Cabinet on 17 December 2013

b)     The Committee asked that an amendment to the transcript of the public meeting be made. One of the questions, which had not been attributed to anyone within the transcript, was asked by Councillor Cooper and should be shown as such.

This report presents the Council’s draft capital and revenue budgets for 2014/15.  In accordance with the constitution, Cabinet is required to develop ‘initial budget proposals’ approximately three months before finalising the budget and setting council tax levels at the end of February 2014.

The draft budget is based on the principles contained in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) 2014/17 approved by Cabinet in October and reflects formula grant assumptions announced as part of Local Government Finance Settlement 2014/15 and 2015/16 Technical Consultation in July and September.

Discussion:

The Finance Manager for Children and Adults Services presented the Council’s draft capital and revenue budgets for 2014/15 and advised that the report set out the current position and referred to the forecast overspend.  He advised that the draft budget built upon the resource projections and principles as set out in the Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) although the funding gap projections set out at Paragraph 4.2 of the report had changed with the recent  announcements made by the Chancellor in his Autumn statement. The estimated gap now stood at £4.8 million 2014/15 and £17.8 million in 2015/16.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Requesting examples that have contributed to the improvements in the budget forecasts and that have helped to bring the funding gap down. The Committee was advised by officers that various factors were taken into account including: a review of the budget pressures; renegotiation of and achievement of reductions in contract costs; and a re-evaluation of demographic pressures.
• Officers also advised that they were currently considering further opportunities such as shared services and co-location; and were also intending to bring forward rationalisation programmes in order to yield savings.

Decisions:

a)     The Committee noted the draft capital and revenue budget for 2014/2015, proposed by Cabinet on 26 November 2013, insofar as they affected this overview and scrutiny committee;

b)     The Committee noted the opportunities and implications of the other efficiencies or revenue generating measures for this committee;

c)   The Committee agreed to forward to Business Support Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 4 February 2014 the comments and suggestions made, as set out above, with regard to the preparation of the Council’s capital and revenue budget for 2014/2015.

This report summarises the performance of the Council’s Key Measures of

Success for July – September (Quarter 2) 2013/14 as set out in The Council Plan 2013/15.

Discussion:

The Director of Children and Adults Services presented this report, summarising performance against the Council’s priority that children and young people have the best start in life in Medway. She informed the Committee that half of the key measures of success where the authority sets targets, which were reported on a quarterly basis, were achieving target, which was an improvement; and she was confident that the trend towards further improvement would continue.

She advised that there were 10 out of 26 key measures below target but that the Directorate was continuing to focus on and embed a performance culture. She commended the work being done by Medway Action for Families which was continuing to meet national targets and was being seen as an area of good practice in both its strategic vision and operational implementation, working with over 360 families in challenging circumstances. She stated that Medway were one of 20 local authorities out of 155 local authorities to hit year 1 targets and received payment by results of 60% compared to 15% nationally.

She pointed out that of the targets which were not being met, the target relating to children on child protection plans related to 13 children and that as the number was relatively small any increase had a considerable affect on the percentage change. She also advised that the local authority was additionally reviewing all children on child protection plans at the 15 month stage to establish whether support should be increased or whether it could be stepped down. Furthermore the target relating to the average time between a child entering care and moving in with an adoptive family was set nationally and was particularly challenging as the timeframes are dependent upon complex factors such as court schedules, Children & Families Courts Advisory & Support Service (CAFCAS) processes and recruitment of suitable adoptive parents. Finally she pointed out that the target on care leavers in education, employment or training involved collaborative working and that as a result of successful partnership work, the indicator was showing an upward trend.

Members then made a number of comments and asked officers questions which included:

• Seeking clarification that the work being done as part of Medway’s Action For Families programme was having a positive long term affect in supporting these families in becoming independent and not being reliant on public sector services in the future.

• Members stressed that the programme needs to ensure value for money and that the families that are engaged on the programme should demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the changes required. Officers advised that the programme was a payment by results model that ensured that these changes were evidenced.

• Members questioned the target relating to the average time between a child entering care and moving in with an adoptive family and were advised by officers that this was currently 26 weeks.

• Members commented on the target relating to children leaving care and welcomed the changes in legislation relating to support for care leavers up to the age  ...  view the full minutes text for item 632.

This item advises Members of the current work programme and allows the Committee to adjust it in the light of latest priorities, issues and circumstances. It gives Members the opportunity to shape and direct the Committee’s activities over the year.

Discussion:

The Democratic Services Officer introduced the report and confirmed that the Chair and Spokespersons, at the pre-agenda meeting, had requested a report on the outcome of consultation on the expansion of Brompton Westbrook Primary School that had appeared earlier on the agenda. It had also been proposed that the Early Help Strategy be added to the work programme for consideration at the next meeting of this Committee.

She also advised that no nominations were received for the vacant position of Parent Governor Representative on the Committee and that a second vacancy would need to be advertised as the Parent Governor Representative was no longer a Governor at a maintained school.

The Committee suggested that Medway Governor Association be requested to assist with promoting the vacancies when they are advertised in the new year.

Decisions:

a)     The Committee noted that the outcome of consultation – expansion of Brompton Westbrook Primary School had appeared earlier on the agenda and agreed that Early Help Strategy should be added to the work programme.

b)     The Committee agreed that nominations to the two vacancies for Parent Governor Representatives should be invited in the new year and that Medway Governor Association be advised of the nomination process in order that the opportunity can be widely promoted.