Agenda and minutes

To approve the record of the meeting held on 10 December 2013.

The record of the meeting held on 10 December 2013 was agreed and signed by the Chairman as correct. 

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Hewett and Smith, Sam Tutt (Medway Youth Parliament representative), and Rosie Rowe (Healthwatch Medway representative). 

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.

Members should also ensure they disclose any other interests which may give rise to a conflict under the Council’s Code of Conduct.

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

Councillor Craven declared in respect of item 8 that she was employed at Phoenix School which featured in the report.

Other interests

Councillor Purdy declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of item 8 that she was a governor at a school mentioned in item 8.

The following Councillors declared a non-pecuniary interest regarding Item 9:

Councillor Cooper, as a volunteer at St Mary’s Church drop in for young people;

Councillor Gilry as an elected Member representative on Woodlands Youth Centre;

Councillor Royle as an elected Member representative on Parkwood Youth Centre;

Councillor Wildey  as an elected Member representative on Woodies Youth Centre.

This report details the areas covered by the Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services.  The areas within the portfolio are listed each time a Cabinet Member is invited to attend any of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees to be held to account. 

Discussion:

The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services (Lead Member), attended for this item and presented a report on the achievements and challenges relating to the areas set out within his portfolio that were relevant to this Committee. Members of the Committee welcomed the Portfolio Holder, thanked him for the report and commended him for his commitment to visit all Medway schools. Members then asked questions and commented, and the Portfolio Holder answered as follows:

• Visits to schools: Members asked about the purpose of the visits to schools, what had been the main feedback, and whether there were themes emerging. The Portfolio Holder said that he had undertaken the visits to enable him to better understand the remit of his portfolio and to identify specific issues facing schools with regard to education, the challenges, and to identify what the local authority was and was not doing to support them. The visits had also included meeting children and young people.

• Looked after children: Members requested an update on the review of the Corporate Parenting Board (CPB) and whether the review recommendations had been implemented. The Portfolio Holder advised that the review had considered how the CPB could become more strategic and how sub groups could assist in delivering the objectives of the Board. A number of sub groups have now been established which consider issues relating to: education, housing and youth justice. The Children in Care Council will be represented at future meetings of the CPB and the CPB are involved in Children in Care Council activities such as the football and ‘Time to Shine’ events. A new complaints leaflet in plain English had also been produced in consultation with young people as children in care had reported that they did not know how to complain.

• Children and young people’s plan: Members noted that the Portfolio Holder now chairs Medway’s Children’s Action Network.

• Children’s residential care: Members asked about regulatory 33 visits to Old Vicarage and Aut Even and were assured that children had been placed in suitable provision.

• Children with disabilities and respite: The Portfolio Holder advised he was not aware of any Medway residents who were dissatisfied with the alternative provision now in place. The Portfolio Holder had visited Dragon’s Retreat in Bexley to assure himself of the quality of service provision before children were placed there; and, in response to Member concern about the distance that families had to travel, he reported that there were families that preferred the location.  He also advised that the Napier Unit for 16 & 17 year olds provided alternative provision and Birling Avenue had gained approval from the Care Quality Commission to alter the admissions criteria to include young adults aged 16+.

• Children and mental health: Members asked what was being done to improve support for children with mental health issues and The Portfolio Holder reported that a paper had been presented to Cabinet earlier that day following a Member task group review of mental health services in Medway; a key recommendation of which  ...  view the full minutes text for item 713.

This report provides a progress update of the Medway Safeguarding Children

Board’s (MSCB) business plan and activity for 2013/14 which will inform the Annual Report for 2014.

The report and an accompanying presentation to be made to the Committee by the Independent Chair of MSCB will enable members to scrutinise the performance and plans of the Board.

Discussion:

The independent chair of the Medway Safeguarding Children Board (MSCB), presented a progress update on the business plan and activity for 2013/14 in order for Members of the Committee to scrutinise the performance and plans of the MSCB.

In addition to the report, the independent chair of MSCB and advised that the Department for Education document “Working together to safeguard children” sets out the statutory objectives and functions of the board as well its Membership. http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/w/working%20together.pdf

She advised that Medway is the only Local Authority with 2 young offender institutions withinits boundaries and both are represented on the Board, and whilst this brings a valuable contribution, it also addresses concerns that young people in custody are well supported in terms of safeguarding issues.

The Committee raised a number of points and questions including:

·        Updating of Kent and Medway procedures – the MSCB chair confirmed that the procedures are joint Kent and Medway procedures and updates are ongoing.

·        Recruitment – an interim board manager has been in place and an apprentice started working in the team.

·        Child exploitation risk assessment – the MSCB chair confirmed that the tools open to partner agencies are focused on minimising risk as well as identifying vulnerable children and young people.

·        Serious case reviews – the Committee were advised that the lessons from local and national cases were considered and that recent lessons from the Daniel Pelka case in Coventry had been communicated to all schools in Medway and that training and development was a key element in ensuring people working with children and young people had the knowledge to assist them in meeting their safeguarding responsibilities.

·        Involving children – the independent chair advised that the board had recently considered a dvd on domestic abuse which had been produced by young people and were receiving presentations from partner agencies on how they involve and engage young people.

Decisions:

The Committee noted the report.

This report provides information on the commissioned public health service of school nursing. The report provides an outline of the context of school nursing within the Healthy Child Programme (age 5-19), as well as details of the current service provided.

The report then discusses the impact that school nursing has on children’s health and safety and on its contribution to the public health outcomes framework 2013-2016 and the Council Plan 

Discussion

The Senior Public Health Manager – Commissioning and Assurance presented a report on school nursing provision in Medway. The service provider was represented by the Head of Children’s Services (Medway NHS Foundation Trust) and the Team Leader who were present to respond to questions from the Committee.

The Committee made comments and asked questions including:

• Referrals into the service – it was confirmed that a named nurse is allocated to each school in Medway. Referrals that come through to a central contact point are acted upon with within 24 hours or as appropriate to the severity of the enquiry.

• Safeguarding and Common Assessment Framework (CAF) process – increased focus on safeguarding has impacted upon the service and individual support needs are identified and addressed through the CAF process. There are also requests for specific information sessions for children and schools.

• Awareness raising about the service – Members of the Committee suggested that the service could be better promoted to schools and that a report on the service should be presented to the Corporate Parenting Board. They also suggested that effective sign posting of other services and information available nationally and locally could take some of the pressure off the service.

• Statistical data – Members questioned some of the statistical data within the report, in particular the ratio of nurses to school children and comparative data between local and national indicators.

• Services – the Team Leader for the service confirmed that the tasks delivered included: a variety of health awareness raising sessions; a health screening service; as well as a range of support to individual children and their families.

• Service development -The Senior Public Health Manager confirmed this is the first year the service has been commissioned from the Public Health Grant, through Medway Council and that the commissioner was working with the service to ensure effective performance management. Key performance indicators were set at the start of the financial year and are being closely monitored. The data from the performance monitoring information will inform service development year on year and identify areas for improvement and efficiencies in order to benefit children in Medway.

Decisions:

(a)       The Committee requested

i)                  a report on the school nursing service be presented to the Corporate Parenting Group.

ii)                a briefing note on the ratio of school nurses to children in Medway.

iii)              that the service be better promoted to all Medway schools, including through an information leaflet.

(b)       The Committee noted the report.

This report details the outcome of the consultation on the primary and secondary co-ordinated admission schemes and seeks views on the proposed arrangements for 2015 admissions.

Councillor Craven left the room during the discussion on this item.

Discussion:

The Student Services Manager presented the report and advised that there had been a low response rate to the 8 week consultation period that had closed on 13 January 2014. The Committee then asked a number of questions and commented on the report including:

• Consultation – the Student Services Manager confirmed that responses would be provided to consultees who had asked specific questions.

• Providing information on home to school transport as part of the admissions process – the Student Services Manager advised that although it was not possible for the local authority to provide all Medway children with personalised information regarding home to school transport provision, the admissions booklet included a form for families to complete and return in order to determine their nearest appropriate school. He also advised that when asked specific questions from parents regarding home to school transport, that local Members may wish to refer the parents to the student services team as individual cases may differ.

• Potential reduction in secondary school places – Members expressed concern that there may be a potential reduction of 120 places at academy schools at secondary school level and were advised that the local authority were being consulted and would respond to the consultation.

• Academy school admissions – Officers confirmed that primary schools that had academy status were their own admission authorities and Members requested this be made explicit in the report.

• Rural communities – a member asked whether information could be provided on home to school distances that children from rural communities travel and officers agreed to provide this information outside of the meeting.

• Application processes at primary school – Members asked whether primary schools were consistent in providing receipts for applications. The Student Services Manager advised that they are looking to draw up protocols for schools that would include a pro-forma that schools could use for this purpose.

• Increasing parental preferences from 4 to 6 – Members asked whether the increase of preferences could disadvantage children in getting their highest preferred choices and were advised that the local authority would endeavour to find a place at one of the highest priority choices and that 88% of families get their first choice. It was hoped however that families would consider schools near to their homes.

Decisions:

(a)   The Committee noted the report and requested the following amendment:

i)       the Committee requested that officers amend section 3.2 of the cover report to include a statement that primary schools with academy status are their own admission authorities.

(b)   The Committee recommended that, subject to the amendment to the report regarding the proposed school admission arrangements for 2015, the report be forwarded to Cabinet for approval. 

This report provides information on the scope, delivery and access to Youth Service and Positive Activity programmes in Medway. 

Discussion:

The Integrated Youth Service Manager attended with the Youth Service Team Manager to introduce the report.

The Committee asked a number of questions and made comments, including:

• Medway performance – Members questioned the reducing numbers of attendances over the last three years as set out in table 2.3 within the report. Officers confirmed management and administration had been streamlined and that there were budget reductions of around 55% over the last 4 years that had impacted on attendance.

• Targets for 2013/14 – The Youth Service Team Manager advised that some target figures had reduced by around 15% for 2013/14 and that there will be changes in areas such as accreditation for young people under 13 years old as the service was now focusing more on over 13’s.

• Services on Hoo Peninsula – the Committee discussed the effectiveness of good multi-agency partnership working on the Hoo peninsula which was addressing the needs of young people. They acknowledged the benefits that the support of volunteers can bring to the service.

• Funding – Members noted that European funding is continuing and that it is match-funded by the local authority in terms of salaries and service provision, such as costs of buildings. Officers advised that Young Kent had been working with the service to consider new opportunities for future funding.

• Medway’s water sports facilities – Members asked how the service was aiming to maintain watersport facilities for young people in the area, recognising the River Medway as an asset to Medway’s communities. Officers advised that discussions were underway regarding the re-tendering of these services in the future.

Decisions:

(a)   The Committee thanked the Service Managers for the service achievements to date.

(b)   The Committee noted the report.

This report provides details the Early Help Strategy prior to endorsement of the strategy by Cabinet.

Discussion: 

The Assistant Director Partnership Commissioning presented the report and referred to the importance of early help in developing resilience and preventing specialist intervention. She outlined the work underway, including: the single point of access for families; better co-ordination of in-house and commissioned services; and better information-sharing across agencies.

Members then asked questions and commented on the report, which included:

• Partnership working and including the family in decision making – Officers confirmed the importance of the assessment processes, the involvement of the child and their family/carers and the need to ensure processes are not burdensome on schools or individuals.

• Commissioning – Members queried contract mobilisation and the need to ensure it is a fit for purpose process in order that services are available at the outset of any new contract. Officers advised that intelligent commissioning underpins the strategy and that outcomes focused working and impact assessment are key elements.

• Use of information and technology – it was confirmed that existing systems would be used to ensure effective use of information.

Decisions:

The Committee noted the report and agreed to forward it to Cabinet for consideration.

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 advised the Committee that an item on Sufficiency Strategy has been added to the work programme and will be considered on 25 March 2014.

Decision:

(a)   The Committee agreed the work programme as set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

(b)   The Committee noted the timetable for the election process for the two vacant voting member positions representing Parent Governors.