Agenda, decisions and minutes

At this point Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on this agenda.

Members were invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda, in addition to the general non-prejudicial interests detailed on the sheet attached to the agenda.  

No interests were declared in addition to those that had been circulated with the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2009.

Officers reported that a number of meetings had been held with Playspace

and that there had been a narrowing in the funding gap.  There would be a continuation in the provision at each of the centres on two nights a week.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the last meeting of the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services and Advisory Panel, held on 19 January 2009 be approved and signed as a correct record subject to minute 50 paragraph 5 being amended to read “were concerned at the implications for Playspace and the 68 Centre”.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Panel’s remit can do so. Anyone who wishes to register or requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer on the contact details listed at the foot of this agenda. The deadline for registering is Wednesday 11 March 2009 at 5pm.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Councillor Gillies, in his capacity as Ward Councillor for Rufforth Primary School, had requested to speak to agenda item 5 – Admission Arrangements and Admission Limits for Schools in York from September 2010 (minute 57 refers).  He stated that he was speaking on behalf of Rufforth School and its Governing Body and was seeking support for their request that the admission limit for the school be increased from 10 students to 12 students.  Details were given of pupil numbers currently at the school and of future projections.  Additional reasons put forward for increasing the limit included:

·        The need to ensure that infant class size funding was sustained in the longer term.

·        The scope to employ an additional teacher rather than having one teacher for three age groups.

·        The new extension provided accommodation for the requested increase in numbers.

·        Additional pupils entering the village had been granted a place at the school by the Local Authority. The Governing Body had had to respond to this increase by spending £42,000 of its future devolved capital funding.

·        If the school were slightly larger it could make better provision and support for children with regards to resources and staffing.

·        The school would be better able to accommodate parental preference.  The slight increase in numbers would make the school more viable whilst retaining the essence of a small school.

The small increase would make a difference in terms of economies of scale, would support parental preference and enable the school to continue to thrive.

This report provides information about the current position with regard to vacancies for LA seats on governing bodies, lists current nominations for those vacancies, as detailed in Annex 1, and requests the appointment, or re-appointment, of the listed nominees

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to appoint or re-appoint the Local Authority Governors to fill vacant seats as proposed in Annex 1 to the report.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure that local authority places on school governing bodies continue to be filled effectively.

Members considered a report that informed them of the current position with regard to vacancies for Local Authority seats on governing bodies, listed current nominations for those vacancies (detailed in Annex 1 to the report) and requested the appointment or reappointment of the listed nominees.

It was noted that paragraph 3 of the report should read that there would be seven Local Authority Governor vacancies remaining after the proposed appointments were made and that two applicants had been placed in community governor vacancies since the previous paper presented to Members.  All nominations were CRB cleared before being presented for consideration.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

(i)         That the Executive Member be advised to appoint or re-appoint the Local Authority Governors to fill vacant seats as proposed in Annex 1 to the report¹.

(ii)               That thanks be recorded to Governors for the work that they carried out and the time that they gave to the role.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure that local authority places on school governing bodies continue to be filled effectively.

The purpose of this report is:

• To seek approval for the City of York coordinated schemes and admissions policies for both primary and secondary schools for the 2010/11 academic year.

• To seek approval of the proposed individual school maximum admission limits for the academic year beginning in September 2010.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised

(i)                 That the City of York co-ordinated schemes and admission policies for both primary and secondary schools for the 2010/11 academic year, as set out in Annexes C-F of the report, be approved.

(ii)               That the proposed individual school maximum admission limits for the academic year beginning in September 2010, as set out in Annex B to the report, be approved.

(iii)             That, although the request for an increase in the admission number for Rufforth Primary School not be approved for the 2010/11 academic year, the pattern of admissions be kept under review.

(iv)              That, in respect of Manor CE School, Members recommended that the Admissions Policy for the school be considered by the Admissions Forum and that the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member be involved in the officer consultations taking place regarding this matter.

Decision of the Executive Member

That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To meet the statutory requirements of the School Admissions Code of Practice.

Members considered a report that sought approval for the co-ordinated schemes and admissions policies for both primary and secondary schools for the 2010/11 academic year and approval of the proposed individual school maximum admission limits for the academic year beginning in September 2010.

The Local Authority had consulted with relevant admissions authorities and the proposed admission arrangements had also been considered by the local Admissions Forum.

It was noted that Manor CE School was significantly oversubscribed and that some pupils from the local community were not being allocated a place.   It was proposed that a meeting of the Admissions Forum would be convened to give further consideration to the Admissions Policy for the school.

Consideration was given to Annex A of the report which detailed the arguments for and against the request by Rufforth Primary School to increase their admission limit from 10 to 12. Officers stated that although only a small increase was being requested, if this were to be granted it would have an impact on neighbouring primary schools.  To approve the request may also set a precedent for other schools.  There were no concerns regarding the viability of the school at its current level. 

 Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised

(i)                 That the City of York co-ordinated schemes and admission policies for both primary and secondary schools for the 2010/11 academic year, as set out in Annexes C-F of the report, be approved¹.

(ii)               That the proposed individual school maximum admission limits for the academic year beginning in September 2010, as set out in Annex B to the report, be approved².

(iii)             That, although the request for an increase in the admission number for Rufforth Primary School not be approved for the 2010/11 academic year, the pattern of admissions be kept under review³.

(iv)              That, in respect of Manor CE School, Members recommended that the Admissions Policy for the school be considered by the Admissions Forum and that officers be delegated the authority to make representations to the school regarding this matter following that meeting, in consultation with the Executive Member and Shadow Executive Member⁴.

Decision of the Executive Member

That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To meet the statutory requirements of the School Admissions Code of Practice.

This report:

·        Requests that term dates and holidays for the school year, 2010/2011 be formally approved.

·        Reports on action taken by the Local Authority (LA) to align the dates with those of neighbouring authorities.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised that the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2010/11 (Option 1), as proposed in Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To provide clarity for parents, schools and pupils on term dates in the City of York.

Members considered a report that sought formal approval for the term dates and holidays for the school year 2010/2011.  The report also included information on the action taken by the Local Authority to align the dates with those of neighbouring authorities.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised that the pattern of school terms and holidays for 2010/11 (Option 1), as proposed in Annex 1 to the report, be approved¹.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To provide clarity for parents, schools and pupils on term dates in the City of York.

This report seeks the Executive Member’s approval for the proposed Young People’s Services: Service Asset Management Plan (SAMP).  The SAMP is attached at Annex A to the report.

Members had received a report on the proposed Young People’s Services Service Asset Management Plan (SAMP).  The SAMP had been included as Annex A to the report.

RESOLVED:            That this item be deferred.

REASONS:  (i)   The plan was to be updated in the light of current discussions

                             around the Myplace bid.

                       (ii) The Plan was to be broadened to consider the wider assets

                             for which the department and partners were responsible.     

This report analyses performance by reference to the service plan, the budget and the performance indicators for all of the services funded through the Children’s Services budget.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

(i)                 That the Executive Member be advised to note the performance of services within the directorate funded through the Children’s Services budget.

(ii)               That it be requested that the situation in respect of homeless young people be closely monitored.

(iii)             That schools and officers be congratulated on the many achievements evidenced in the report, including the reduction in the number of exclusions.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure appropriate performance management arrangements are in place for the work of the department.

Members received a report that analysed performance by reference to the service plan, the budget and the performance indicators for all of the services funded through the Children’s Services budget.

Members were pleased to note the many achievements that had taken place including the work on integrated services, the opening on schedule of the new premises for York High School and the fifty percent reduction in exclusions.

Attention was drawn to two challenges that the Directorate was facing:

• The economic downturn was having an impact on the target to reduce the proportion of 16-17 year olds who are NEET.  A number of apprentices were losing their jobs and there had been a reduction in the number of employers who were able to offer work-based training.
• There had been an increase in the number of Looked After Children.  The figure now stood at 200, although a number of these children were to be adopted during the next twelve months. 

Officers were asked why there had been an increase in the number of Looked After Children.  They explained that this mirrored the national picture and that one of the factors was that young people were remaining with foster carers beyond the age of 18.   Early intervention to seek to prevent the need for children to be taken into care continued to be a focus for development.

Members were updated on the current financial position. It was anticipated that most budgets would come in at or about the level of the current approved budget.  Details were given of the exceptions to this, including an increase in expenditure in respect of social care and an increase in the projected net overspend on Home to School transport.  There was also a shortfall in Adult Education grant income - this was partly due to a delay in the “Train to Gain” funding, although this was now coming on stream.

Consideration was given to performance against the indicators. Officers were asked about the action that was being taken in respect of the decrease in the percentage of pupils progressing by two levels in Maths between KS3 and KS4 (NI 98).  Details were given of the strategies that had been put in place to support schools and the work that the consultants were carrying out.

Members sought an update on the situation in respect of the Myplace bid.  They were informed that the Big Lottery Fund has announced the results of the first round of bidding and had allocated more funding than had originally been proposed.  There would be a second round of bidding later in the year but further details of the timescale for this and details of the amount of funding available were still awaited.  Phil Bixby, the community architect, continued to work on the project.  The costs of the Railway Institute scheme would be around £7-8m, which was more than the maximum that could be bid for under the present arrangements.  It was therefore important to look at establishing other funding arrangements.  A meeting was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.

This report:

·        informs Members of the likely out-turn position of the 2008/09 Capital Programme. 

·        advises Members of changes to existing schemes and reprofiling of expenditure to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the Capital Programme

·        informs Members of any slippage in budgets between financial years

·        informs Members of any new schemes and seek approval for their addition to the 2008/11 Capital Programme.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the capital programme forecast outturn for 2008/09, as shown in Annex A, be noted.

(ii)               That the additions and amendments to the capital programme, detailed in the report and summarised in Annex A, be approved.

(iii)             That the scheme reprofiling and slippage detailed in the report and summarised in Annex A be approved.

(iv)              That the scheme virements detailed in the report be approved, subject to the approval of the Executive.

(v)                That the revised capital programme, as shown at Annex A of the report, be agreed, subject to the approval of the Executive.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To enable the effective management and monitoring of the capital programme.

Members received a report on the Capital Programme 2008-09.  The report:

• Informed Members of the likely out-turn position of the 2009/09 Capital Programme.
• Advised Members of changes to existing schemes and reprofiling of expenditure to allow the more effective management and monitoring of the Capital Programme.
• Informed Members of any slippage in budgets between financial years.
• Informed Members of any new schemes and sought approval for their addition to the 2008/11 Capital Programme.

Officers stated that an expression of interest had been submitted in respect of the “Building Schools for the Future” initiative and the outcome had been that York had been placed 56^th on the indicative prioritisation list.  The Authority had a good record in successfully delivering building projects and hence it was optimistic as to the timescale within which funding would be made available.

Members were updated on current projects and were pleased to note the progress that was being made. 

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the capital programme forecast outturn for 2008/09, as shown in Annex A, be noted.

(ii)               That the additions and amendments to the capital programme, detailed in the report and summarised in Annex A, be approved.

(iii)             That the scheme reprofiling and slippage detailed in the report and summarised in Annex A be approved.

(iv)              That the scheme virements detailed in the report be approved, subject to the approval of the Executive¹.

(v)                That the revised capital programme, as shown at Annex A of the report, be agreed, subject to the approval of the Executive².

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To enable the effective management and monitoring of the capital programme.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval for the Service Plans for council services that are wholly or partially funded from the children’s services budget.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised that the Service Plans fro 2009/10, as attached to the report, be approved.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure that managers in Learning, Culture and Children’s Services are in a position to implement the strategic priorities for the directorate.

Members received a report seeking approval for the Service Plans for council services that were wholly or partially funded from the Children’s Services budget.

The plans had been produced by service managers in response to the strategic plans for the authority.  Members were invited to put forward modifications to the service plans within the planning framework for the authority.

Officers were asked if there were implications arising from Lord Laming’s Report that would impact on the service plans.  They explained that the report, which had been published that day, had as its reference Lord Laming’s earlier report following the death of Victoria Climbie. The Local Authority had changed many of its practices as a result of the recommendations contained in the first report and these were now embedded in the work that it was carrying out.  The report that had been published as a result of the “Baby P” case had endorsed the recommendations contained in the first report but had highlighted issues with regard to the recommendations not having been systematically implemented. Members were informed of the key issues in the report.   Managers had already been made aware of the findings of the report and had welcomed the contents.  Although the Local Authority had already put in place Lord Laming’s original recommendations it was not complacent.  It continued to take its responsibilities in respect of the safeguarding of children very seriously and was looking to develop even further its early intervention strategies.

Concerns were expressed as to whether the targets in respect of the achievement of Looked After Children (LAC) were sufficiently challenging.  Officers explained that they had very high ambitions as to the progress of LAC but that the targets had been based on Fischer Family Trust data on the performance of children already in the system.  Details were given of the strategies that were in place to support the achievement of LAC, including personal education plans and individual tuition.  School Improvement Partners had also been asked to discuss with headteachers the tracking of progress for vulnerable and Looked After Children.

The Executive Member commended the safeguarding work that was taking place and the way in which Members and officers were able to work together effectively to promote the best outcomes for young people.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised that the Service Plans for 2009/10, as attached to the report, be approved¹.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure that managers in Learning, Culture and Children’s Services are in a position to implement the strategic priorities for the directorate.

This report presents an update on further progress within the city in taking forward the Machinery of Government (MOG) changes, including the transfer to the Local Authority of funding for 16-19 education, and the 14-19 curriculum reforms.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the Stage 2 Submission from the North and East Yorkshire Sub Regional Grouping and the associated arrangements for sub regional working be endorsed.

(ii)               That the opportunities and challenges presented by the Machinery of Government changes, the sound initial position of the Local Authority, LSC and sub regional partners and the progress already made be noted.

(iii)             That the continuing good progress on developments linked to the 14-19 curriculum reforms, including successful completion of activities signposted in the report of 6 November 2008 be noted.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed.

REASON:      To ensure that the Local Authority is in position to assume new statutory responsibilities associated with the post 16 funding transfer, that it can continue to make progress to this end through the tracking and transition years and that progress towards the 2013 learner entitlement in the city can be maintained.

Members received a report that presented an update on further progress within the city in taking forward the Machinery of Government (MOG) changes, including the transfer to the Local Authority of funding for 16-19 education, and the 14-19 curriculum reforms, since the report presented to the committee on 6 November 2008.

Dr Birkinshaw drew attention to a number of points within the report:

·        It was important to separate commissioners from providers.

·        Concerns were expressed in respect of aspects of Archbishop Holgate’s School post-16 Applied Learning Centre provision. The proposal to offer A Levels in Applied Science (Double Award) and Mathematics were at variance with the school’s previously stated intentions.  Although some pure engineering degrees did require A Level mathematics, not all engineering degrees did so.  A neighbouring school was willing to facilitate a timetable that would enable students from Archbishop Holgate to take A Level mathematics.  The comment in respect of a BTEC being too closely aligned to technician careers was unwelcome as there was a move away from viewing BTECs in this way. 

·        The information provided at the stakeholder consultation event had been useful and it was disappointing to note that the event had not been well attended.  Consideration needed to be given as to how to address this issue when future events were arranged.

·        There was a lack of parity in the funding per head for students who attended college when compared to those who attended Sixth Form.   It was not possible to compare “like for like” when considering issues in respect of schools and colleges.

·        There were serious concerns in respect of funding for capital projects at colleges. 

Officers stated that the concerns that had been raised regarding the A Level provision offered at Archbishop Holgate had been noted and that they had been assured that the Applied Science Award was being offered only as an interim measure until the introduction of the Science Diploma.  The issues in respect of timetabling of A Level Mathematics at other establishments could be overcome. The Local Authority did not support the school’s view in respect of BTEC provision being too closely aligned to technician careers.  It was hoped that the issues raised could be addressed as the Local Authority was pleased that the school was developing its Sixth Form provision, as this would allow greater breadth of opportunities to learners in York.  The Local Authority acknowledged that the disparity in funding between schools and colleges was a significant issue.

Members expressed their thanks to the 14-19 Partnership Manager and to other officers involved in implementing the 14-19 reforms for the work that they were carrying out.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised:

(i)                 That the Stage 2 Submission from the North and East Yorkshire Sub Regional Grouping and the associated arrangements for sub regional working be endorsed.

(ii)               That the opportunities and challenges presented by the Machinery of Government changes, the sound initial position of the Local Authority, LSC and sub regional partners and the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 63.

The Chair reminded the Group that this would be the last EMAP meeting as, from June 2009, there would be changes to the way in which the Council carried out its scrutiny role and the way in which Executive Members took decisions.  She thanked the committee for the work that they had carried out and made special mention of the contribution made by the co-opted statutory and non-statutory members.  Their input had been most useful and the Chair expressed her hope that they would be willing to continue to serve on the new Scrutiny Committee.

The Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services paid tribute to the way in which the Chair and the other members of the committee had carried out their role and thanked them for their work.