Web Agenda/Minutes Summary Document

Meeting Name:
Children's Services and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Panel

Meeting Date:
01/29/2008 Pick

Meeting Time:


Location:


Sub Committee / User Forum etc (if required):




Members Present:

Non-Members Present:

Confidentiality: Part I


Document Type: Agenda


Document Status: Final

ITEM	SUBJECT	WARD	PAGE NO
1	APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence.
2	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To receive Declarations of Interests from Members of the Panel in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
3	MINUTES To confirm the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 12 December 2007.		i-ii
4	COMMUNITY AND YOUTH SERVICE PERFORMANCE REPORT To consider the performance of the Community and Youth Service with regard to the national benchmark standards for local authority youth services for 2006/7.	All	1
5*	APPOINTMENT OF LEA REPRESENTATIVES TO GOVERNING BODIES OF SCHOOLS IN THE ROYAL BOROUGH To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on the Appointment of School Governors		12
6*	CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF LEA REPRESENTATIVES TO GOVERNING BODIES OF SCHOOLS IN THE ROYAL BOROUGH To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on the Code of Practice for the Appointment of LEA Representatives to Schools’ Governing Bodies.		26
7*	CHLDREN’S TRUST ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF WINDSOR AND MAIDENHEAD To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on Children’s Trust Arrangements.		38
8*	EVERY DISABLED CHILD MATTERS The note a preliminary assessment of policy and practice against the maxims set out in the Every Disabled Child Matters Charter.		50
9*	RISING NUMBERS IN WINDSOR FIRST SCHOOLS To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on the Rising Numbers in Windsor First Schools.		67
10*	FIRST ADMISSION TO SCHOOL To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on the Rising Numbers in the First Admission to School.		84
11*	STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN ROYAL BOROUGH SCHOOLS – A Review of the Academic Year 2006-2007 To comment upon the report being submitted to Cabinet on 21 February 2008 on the Standards and Quality of Education in the Royal Borough Schools.		94
12*	SERVICE MONITORING REPORT To receive the latest service monitoring report in respect of Children’s Services and Leisure services.		129
13*	BUDGET REPORT 2008/9 The note progress to date in the preparation of the 2008/9 Budget and to seek the Overview and Scrutiny Panel’s views on the issues that remain to be addressed.		156
14*	WORK PROGRAMME The following items are scheduled for discussion at the meeting of the Panel to be held on 1 April 2008: · Annual Consultation On School Admission Arrangements - Results · School Admissions - Review Of Early Years and Rising 5's · Behaviour In Schools · Appointment of School Governors · Home To School Transport - Post 16 Policy (Annual) · Proposal For An Occupational Therapy Service (Childrens Services) · CAHMS Team - Update · School Transport Plans and Home to School Transport · Service Monitoring Report · Draft Work Programme 2008/2009		-
15	LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 – EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC To consider passing the following resolution :- “That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting whilst discussion takes place on items 16 - 20 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraphs 1-7 of part I of Schedule 12A of the Act"		-

CHILDREN’S SERVICES AND LEUSURE OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY PANEL: 29th January 2008

OFFICER REPORTING: LINDA CHANDLER: HEAD OF COMMUNITY & YOUTH SERVICES

To report on the performance of the Community and Youth Service with regard to the national benchmark standards for local authority youth services for 2006/7. The youth service target benchmark outlining criteria including the actual targets for the RBWM youth service is appended to this document (Appendix 1)

TEAM

UP TO NOVEMBER 2007

ANTICIPATED YEAR END

	Relevant? Yes / No
Key Themes:
Supporting Children & Younger People	Yes
Supporting Adults & Older People
A Thriving, Cleaner, Greener Borough
Safer & Stronger Communities

 Meetings 080129 Cslosp Community Youth Service Performance Report Final Appx

CABINET : 21st February 2008

MEMBER REPORTING: COUNCILLOR MRS QUICK

To consider the vacancies that have arisen or will shortly arise for Local Education Authority (LEA) representatives on school governing bodies within the Royal Borough, and of nominations that have been received, so that appointments may be made.

That the following appointments be made in accordance with the Borough’s Code of Practice from the names of those persons listed in the table below and Appendix A of this report.
That members take note of future re-appointments dates as set out in Appendix C (showing all re-appointments for 2008-2009).

On 21st January 2008 there were 3 vacancies for LEA governors at schools within the Royal Borough at the following schools:

School	Ward	No. Vacancies
Braywood C of E First	Bray	1
Churchmead C of E School	Datchet	1
Dedworth Green First	Clewer North	1

This represents a vacancy rate of 0.4% of the total number of governors or 2.0% of LEA governors. Ward Councillors for these vacancies have been notified via an e-mail.

The following education LEA governors are about to reach the end of their current term of office and have submitted nomination forms seeking re-appointment for a further term of office.

School	Ward	Representative seeking Reappointment
South Ascot Village School	Sunninghill and South Ascot	Anthony Bryant

LEA governors at the following schools will reach the end of their current term of office before February 2008. Letters are sent to each governor inviting them to apply for re-appointment. Applications are invited from Members and other interested individuals for consideration for these positions at the time of the next report.

Current representatives

Under the Authority’s Code of Practice, nominations will only be considered if submitted on the appropriate application form prior to a published closing date. Appointments to fill any of the vacancies in this report can only be made from the nominations listed in the schedule at Appendix A.



	Option	Comments
1.	To select an appropriate applicant from those included to be recruited to the corresponding vacancy.	If it is deemed that the skills and knowledge of the applicant meet the needs of the schools it will be an advantage to the governance resource of that school to endorse the application immediately.
2.	To defer some/all appointments to a future meeting.	Members select applications for recruitment at alternate Cabinet meetings. This means that a delay could add a further two months to the application process. The DCSF recommend that appointments should normally be made to fill vacancies within three months.
3.	To reject some/all applications.	Members have the right to reject applications. This would be on the basis that the applicant’s skills and knowledge will not support the school and does not fit with the current required need.


The risk assessment identified the role of a focused, continual marketing campaign to attract applications, to ensure a diverse choice of applicants for Members final decision.

Under the Authority’s Code of Practice, schools have the right to advise the authority of their governing body’s needs in terms of balance of skills, gender or any other consideration for the good of the school, and to submit names for consideration.

If the person appointed does not match the specified needs of the governing body and/or the governing body’s preferred candidate is rejected, the governing body may request the authority to give its reasons.

Candidates have the right to decline an appointment if it does not meet their preferences.

In terms of the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment Policy, the recommendations in this Report have no negative equality and diversity implications.

ADRIAN NEEDHAM CHURCHMEAD C OF E SCHOOL ONE APPOINTMENT	Previous Experience	Mr Needham has previously worked as a governor with Datchet St Mary’s Primary School and Bracknell Community School (Easthampstead Park School) for over ten years. Mr Needham has also been employed as Bursar (a Deputy Head appointment) for ten years.
	Reasons for Application	Mr Needham is a Parish Councillor and enthusiastic to support a local school.
	Other relevant information	· Over thirty years experience in the RAF · Forty years general management experience · Chairman of the Middlesex Wood Turners Association · Treasurer for Datchet in Bloom

ANTHONY BRYANT SOUTH ASCOT VILLAGE SCHOOL RE-APPOINTMENT	Previous Experience	Mr Bryant has been a governor at South Ascot Village School for several terms (pre and post federation), and Mr Bryant is also a governor with two other schools (SAV and Swinley Primary).
	Reasons for Application	Mr Bryant has a continuing interest in the school and the South Ascot community.
	Other relevant information	· Previous Chair of Governors · Currently serving on the staff and curriculum committees · Chartered Accountant APPENDIX B

CURRENT CODE OF PRACTICE

Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Code of Practice for the Appointment of Education Authority Governors


This Code of Practice is drawn up in response to the DfES Code of Practice on Local Education Authority-School Relations.

Introduction and Background
Education Authority governors are the appointed representatives of the Education Authority on a school’s governing body.

Education Authority appointed governors are representatives, and not delegates. As such, they may present the Authority’s view, in the same way as other categories of governor represent the views of their constituency, but they cannot be mandated by the Authority to take a particular line.

Relationships
An Education Authority governor’s first loyalty should be to their school and to the community it serves.

The Authority may establish such links with its appointees as it and they see fit, but these will not take the place of formal consultation with governing bodies, or with the local association of governing bodies.

Appointment Process
Appointment decisions rest with cabinet. The Director of Education will be present at these meetings to advise Members.

Appointments will be considered by the Cabinet as necessary, but at least once every two months in order to ensure that appointments are made promptly when vacancies arise.

Applications will only be considered from individuals who have submitted a completed nomination form to the Governor Services section to arrive by the specified closing date, which will be not less than 7 working days prior to the Cabinet meeting at which the appointments will be considered.

Schools have the right to advise the Authority of their governing body’s needs in terms of balance of skills, gender or any other consideration for the good of the school, and to submit names for consideration by Cabinet.

If the Authority fails to fill an Education Authority vacancy for three months after it has been presented at Cabinet, the governing body can make an appointment.

Criteria for Appointment
Education Authority governors will be chosen on the basis of the contribution they can bring to a school in terms of their skills and experience as specified in their nomination form, taking account of any supporting information provided by the candidate or by the school.

If the Education Authority appointee does not match the needs of the governing body and/or the governing body’s nominee is rejected, the governing body may request the Education Authority to give its reasons.

Removal from Office
The Education Authority may remove an appointed governor from office at any time, providing there is good reason to do so. Governors failing to attend meetings for a period of six months or more without valid reason will be disqualified under the school government regulations.

CABINET: 21st FEBRUARY 2008

MEMBER REPORTING: COUNCILLOR MRS QUICK

To present Members with the proposed governance and accountability framework for the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s Children’s Trust arrangements for approval and implementation from April 2008.

All wards may be affected by the contents of this report.

In essence it is proposed that RBWM’s Children’s Trust will comprise:

Key decisions regarding the provision of services for children and young people locally will be made in conjunction with the Council’s Executive and with partner agencies’ governing bodies as appropriate. These decisions are at all times subject to approval by the relevant governance processes and executive powers of the partners within the Children’s Trust.

The links between the Children’s Trust and key groups such as the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and Member Forums are also detailed in the Terms of Reference.

These governance and accountability arrangements are now subject to approval by the Members of the Council and partner agencies’ Executive Bodies. If the Children’s Trust arrangements are approved, they will be adopted and fully implemented from April 2008 replacing the existing arrangements for the CYPSP.

	Option	Comments
1.	To approve the proposed governance and accountability arrangements for RBWM’s Children’s Trust.	The Council has a duty to comply with the requirements of the Children Act 2004 and to have Children’s Trust arrangements in place by 2008. The attached proposals have been drawn up in consultation with all relevant partners and are recommended for approval.
2.	To make suggested amendments to the proposed governance and accountability arrangements for RBWM’s Children’s Trust.	Any amendments would also need to be approved by partner agencies’ Executive Bodies. This could delay the establishment of the Children’s Trust.
3.	Do nothing	The Council has a statutory duty to comply with the requirements of the Children Act 2004. Therefore to do nothing would not be in line with this duty.

The duty on Local Authorities to develop Children’s Trust arrangements is one of key requirements placed on Local Authorities arising from the Children Act 2004 and the Every Child Matters agenda. Section 10 of Act places a duty on Local Authorities and other key partners ‘to make arrangements to co-operate to improve the well-being of children and young people’.

Further national government guidance is also detailed in the ‘Statutory guidance on inter-agency co-operation to improve the well-being of children: Children’s Trusts’. (2005)

The development of a Joint Commissioning Strategy is an essential function of the Children’s Trust to ensure the provision of services that are targeted to meet the needs of children and young people locally. The production of a Joint Commissioning Strategy will be one of the first pieces of work for the Children’s Trust Commissioning Group and is scheduled to be published in April 2008.

As the overarching strategic plan for Children’s Services locally, the Children and Young People Plan (CYPP) 2008-2011 will drive the work of the Children’s Trust. Following broad consultation, the CYPP 2008-2011 will be published in April 2008.

The recommendations contained in this report also contribute to the Community Strategy in the following ways:



	Relevant? Yes / No
Key Themes:
Supporting Children & Younger People	Yes
Supporting Adults & Older People	Cross cutting links
A Thriving, Cleaner, Greener Borough	Cross cutting links
Safer & Stronger Communities	Cross cutting links

The proposed arrangements for RBWM’s Children’s Trust have been drawn up in consultation with all relevant officers and partners on the CYPSP Board and Co-ordination and Implementation Group and Learning and Care DMT.

The following groups have also been consulted on the draft arrangements:

The Children and Young People’s Consultative Forum – 7th November 2007
The Headteachers’ Policy Forum – 13th November 2007
Local Safeguarding Children’s Board – 16th November 2007
The Schools’ Forum –10th January 2008

All comments made by these groups have been taken into account when finalising the terms of reference, structure and membership for the Children’s Trust.

TO BE COMPLETED AFTER THE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE HAVE MET.

The Local Authority has a duty to form Children’s Trust arrangements and produce a Joint Commissioning Strategy detailing how the resources of the Council and Partner Agencies in the Children’s Trust will be directing and targeting resources towards the priority needs of children and young people locally. The Joint Commissioning Strategy will be published in April 2008. The resources to be committed by the Council to this strategy will be within the Learning & Care’s Directorate’s budget allocations for this period.

The development of the Children’s Trust will require the integration of budgets, financial monitoring and reporting. The degree of integration can range from the alignment of budgets, the development of joint posts, pooled budgets for specific services, to a full pooling of funds for the entire range of Children’s Services. Indeed there could be a gradual progression through this range. Currently it is envisaged that budgets will be aligned where practicable and there may well be advantages from a number of joint posts.

Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 places a duty on children’s services authorities to make arrangements to promote co-operation between themselves, their relevant partners and such other persons or bodies as they consider appropriate, with a view to improving the well being of children in their area, with regards to education, training and recreation and protection from harm and neglect, amongst other things. Such arrangements may include arrangements relating to persons aged between 18 and 19 years; persons over the age of 19 receiving services under the provisions of the Children Act 1989 and persons over the age of 19 but under 25 who have learning difficulties within the meaning of section 13 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000 and are receiving services under that act.

Section 10(8) provides children’s services authorities must have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State when exercising their functions under Section 10. The statutory guidance on inter agency co-operation to improve the well being of Children; Children’s Trusts 2005 is relevant here.

Article 1, the right to life
Article 3, prohibition of torture
Article 4, prohibition of slavery and forced labour
Article 8, right to respect for private and family life
Article 14, prohibition of discrimination
Article 2 of the first protocol, the right not to be denied an education

2. None of the convention rights will be affected by this decision

3. This decision does not affect any victims as defined under the Act.

There are no planning implications arising from the present report.

There are no sustainable development implications arising from the present report.

The Children and Young People Plan for 2008-2011 and the Joint Commissioning Strategy will be the two key strategic documents driving the work of the Children’s Trust and both will also be subject to a full EQIA before they are published in April 2008. In terms of the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment Policy, the recommendations in this report have no significant negative impacts on equality target groups and in addition there are potential benefits to vulnerable groups of children. Any negative impacts have been minimised and opportunities for promoting equality have been maximised.

Background Papers:
Statutory guidance on inter-agency co-operation to improve the well-being of children: Children’s Trusts’ 2005. www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.
Draft Joint Commissioning Strategy for RBWM’s Children’s Trust
Draft Strategic Priorities for the Children and Young People Plan (http://wavemaster/Draft-Priorities-CYPP-2008-2011)





 Meetings 080129 Cslosp Children Trust Report Annex Final

CHILDREN’S SERVICES AND LEISURE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY: 29 JANUARY 2008

OFFICER REPORTING: CLIFF TURNER: HEAD OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

The purpose of this report is to present a preliminary assessment of policy and practice against the maxims set out in the Every Disabled Child Matters Charter.

All

All disabled children are likely to be known to at least one professional person or institution in the Borough. Various databases exist recording names and details. At present there is no central co-ordination of names. Clearer definitions are needed of ‘disabled’ and ‘children’.

Many practitioners do work that is similar to that of a Keyworker, but it is not yet established as a formal service. The Pre-School service has a well-developed practice in this. A helpful evaluation has been written by the Education Psychology Service of a pre-school pilot scheme.

The RBWM Parent Partnership Service is geared at present towards pupils with special educational needs and could not reasonably absorb a significantly higher amount of work arising from assisting excluded pupils.

A wide range of information already exists in the form of booklets and leaflets, together with various websites. This is not centrally co-ordinated. This can result in individual practitioners not knowing of particular sources of information, and also in inconsistent messages being given to parents and the public. Practitioners may also give advice from the point of view of their own service rather than as an agent of the authority as a whole.

The importance of equality of approach is emphasised in induction to the authority and in subsequent training and information. Equality Impact Assessments are used to help focus the development of new and existing services. Service-specific needs are covered by individual services.

Wide consultation on the content of the Disability Equality Scheme took place, and the Action Plan provides specifically for monitoring of certain services for disabled children. However, it appears that disabled children themselves were not involved.

The draft Children and Young People’s Plan is likely to have a specific section on children with disabilities. Other plans (such as the Accessibility Strategy and the Inclusion Strategy) give the information called for by this maxim.

Consultation is underway regarding the new Local Area agreement. It is not yet clear whether or not it will have specific targets regarding the level of service provision.

The level of involvement of children and their families in the provision of services to the specific child is high. Wide consultation takes place generally on the provision of services, but this has focused more on parents and families than on children.

	Option	Comments
1.	To note the progress and issues raised in this report	This would provide an opportunity for members to be aware of the state of provision in the Borough compared to the Charter and provide a baseline for future evaluation.
2.	To decide not to note the progress and issues raised in this report.	This would deprive members of the opportunity to be aware of the state of provision in the Borough compared to the Charter and provide a baseline for future evaluation.

The key guidance is:
Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, 2001
Every Child Matters: Change for children, 2003
Removing Barriers to Achievement,
Joint Planning and commissioning framework for children, young people and maternity services,
Aiming High for Disabled Children, 2007

There are Councils that can demonstrate good practice in relation to Every Disabled Child Matters, e.g. Sunderland Borough Council.

The recommendations contained in this report also contribute to the Community Strategy in the following ways:

	Relevant? Yes / No
Key Themes:
getting about.	No
learning for life	Yes
being safe and secure	Yes
caring and health	Yes
living and working in a good place.	Yes
Guiding Principles:
working together	Yes
leaving no one behind	Yes
involving people	Yes
safeguarding the young	Yes

Key officers involved with the education and care of children with disabilities have been consulted in preparation for this report, but wider consultation has not been undertaken.

There are no immediate financial implications of this report.

The legal framework for this area of work is the Children Act, 2004.

This report does not discriminate in any way against any groups of people for any reason and therefore does not breach Article 14.

There are no planning implications of this report.

In terms of the Council’s Sustainable Development Policy, the recommendations in this report have no significantly adverse or beneficial sustainable development implications

In terms of the Council’s Equality Impact Assessment Policy, the recommendations in this report have no negative equality and diversity implications.

Background Papers:




 Meetings 080129 Cslosp Every Disabled Child Charter Final

 Meetings 080129 Cslosp Rising Numbers Final