Children's Services and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Panel
Monday 2 June 2008
CHILDREN’S SERVICES AND LEISURE OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PANEL
2 JUNE 2008
PRESENT: Councillors Maxwell (Chairman), Barton, Fido, Lenton, Majeed (substituting for Councillor J Evans), Mrs Pitteway (Vice-Chairman) and Mrs Stock.
Mrs Mintern.
Non Members: Councillor Mrs Quick.
Officers: Mrs Andrews, Mr Bradley, Mr Herlinger, Mrs Kennewell, Mr Kiely and Mr Turner.
part i
01/08 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN FOR THE ENSUING MUNICIPAL YEAR
RESOLVED: That Councillors Maxwell and Mrs Pitteway be elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively of the Panel for the ensuing Municipal Year.
02/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Majeed and Mr Gibbons.
03/08 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
The following declarations of interests were received:
Councillor Mrs Pitteway declared a personal interest as a School Governor.
Councillor Mrs Stock declared a personal interest as her daughter was a teacher at Charters School.
- RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 1 April 2008 and 8 May 2008 be approved.
Members considered a report, due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26th June 2008, which detailed the responsibilities of the Council to ensure that all children and young people had access to suitable education, and sought Cabinet endorsement of the proposed policy.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead was committed to the promotion of high rates of school attendance for all its children. The benefits of this were:
- High levels of academic achievement leading to economic prosperity.
Children were safe in school and at less risk of harm or abuse.
Out of school children risked becoming involved in crime and anti social behaviour.
- a) That the table in paragraph 3.2.1 be amended to show performance against statistical neighbours.
b) More guidance for schools in Appendix 1 about when a child should be taken off roll - specifically what schools should do when a child goes abroad "on holiday" but doesn't return. The Panel questioned whether this guidance was available nationally.
c) A table to be appended to the report listing all schools showing actual numbers of children deemed to be persistently absent - and for the schools mentioned in 3.2.7 to be mentioned by name. The Panel requested that the report be amended to inform Cabinet whether this was a temporary “peak” in absenteeism or a persistent matter.
d) More guidance in Appendix 3 for schools on the length of time that would be deemed reasonable to observe a religious festival. The Panel questioned whether this guidance was available nationally.
e) A table to be appended to the report detailing absence by school in pupil days (or half days) indicating authorised or non-authorised absence.
f) A table to be appended to the report giving an analysis of reported reasons for absence as percentages but only if this was available in the system already.
g) Expansion of the relevant paragraph regarding In Year Fair Access to make it clear that this applied not just to children who were vulnerable and challenging but also those who moved into an area without a school place.
h) A table to be appended to the report giving the numbers of education welfare officers compared to statistical neighbours.
i) Guidance be included to the effect that schools should regard attendance at family funerals as being authorised absence.
j) Reference to be made to numbers of families prosecuted for non-attendance (and if possible how this compared to our statistical neighbours).
- k) Members supported the officer’s view that in future it would be helpful to increase the proportion of trained education welfare officers within the service to work with families to reduce the level of absenteeism, and that greater use of Legal Services could be made to ensure that the full range of legal powers available to the authority were used to tackle truancy.
- RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet for approval, subject to the inclusion of the above comments.
Members received the report due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26 June 2008, which considered a Local Education Authority (LEA) vacancy on the Windsor Boy’s School governing body. One nomination had been received, Mr Bob Bhalla, with the recommendation that he be appointed.
The Panel fully endorsed the application.
- RESOLVED: That the report be recommended to Cabinet for approval.
07/08 CO-OPTION OF EDUCATION REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DISBANDED CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S CONSULTATIVE FORUM
Members noted the brief statement which summarised the membership of the former Consultative Forum. They expressed a need for more information, prior to considering any co-options. It was agreed that the item should be deferred to a future meeting of the Panel.
- RESOLVED: That the item be deferred to a future meeting of the Panel and that a more detailed report be submitted for the Panel’s consideration.
Members considered the report and the two Statements of Purpose due to be submitted to Cabinet on 26 June 2008.
The Statements of Purpose were written in accordance with the Guidance of the National Minimum Standards for the Services, and the same Regulations included a statutory requirement that they be submitted for approval by Cabinet. The Statements were required to be updated annually.
The Fostering and Adoption Team was committed to providing a range of stable, child focussed and local family placements that met the needs of Children and Young People in the care of the Borough and enabled them to reach their full potential. A full range of placements prevented the need for high cost out of area and independent provision, which was often further away from family and friends, more expensive and less able to promote good outcomes for children. Out of area placements often led to increased disruption in children’s lives, frequent changes of school, the severing of support networks and an increased risk of poor quality provision that was more difficult for the Borough to manage.
Members briefly discussed the recruitment and retention of foster carers, the placement of older children with more challenging behaviour, the range and availability of accommodation for care leavers and the growing issue of private fostering.
The Panel endorsed the recommendations contained in the report, commented positively on the work of the Fostering and Adoption services, and noted that both services had received favourable reports from OFSTED. The importance of Corporate Parenting Forum was also recognised.
- RESOLVED: That the report and the two Statements of Purpose be recommended to Cabinet for approval, subject to the inclusion of the above comments.
09/08 SERVICE MONITORING REPORT
Members received the latest 2007/08 Budget Monitoring Report for all service areas, with areas relevant to the Children’s Services and Leisure Overview and Scrutiny Panel highlighted. The cost of home to school transport provision was discussed. A Member/Officer working group had been established to consider home to school transport issues.
Members noted the items that had been identified for submission to the next meeting. The following additional items were suggested for consideration at future meetings of the Panel:
- The availability and range of post-16 qualifications (A-levels, Diplomas, BACs, NVQs etc.).
Summer youth activities – a report on the range of provision, attendance levels etc.
Presentation on the work of the twinning committee.
Annual Performance Assessment results.
- The Meeting which began at 7.30pm, concluded at 9.20pm.