Agenda and minutes

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

At this point in the meeting The Chair invited Members to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in the business on the agenda.

Councillor Aspden declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4 (Update on the Children and Young People’s Champion Selection Process) as he is a part time teacher and a member of the National Union of Teachers (NUT).

Councillor Blanchard declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Agenda Item 4 (Update on the Children and Young People’s Champion Selection Process) as he is a Team Leader for Young Enterprise.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 12^th July 2007.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the Young People’s Working Group held on 12^th July 2007 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

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 Working Group’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 Monday 8^th October 2007 at 5pm.

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

Councillor Scott spoke on Agenda Item 4 (Update on the Children and Young People’s Champion Selection Process). He stated that as many children and young people as possible should be involved and encouraged to vote. He also thought that all Members should be eligible to stand as Champion and Executive and Shadow Executive Members should not be excluded.

This paper updates members about progress on developing the selection processes for the Children and Young People’s Champion.

Members considered a report that updated them on the progress of developing the selection processes for the Children and Young People’s Champion.

Officers said that they had explored the viability of various e-voting options including ‘I’m a Councillor Get Me Out of Here’, the university student union system, York College students and e-voting. It was concluded that these were not practical options as they were either too expensive or the facilities were not available to make them possible.

Members were presented with the following options:

Option 1        Full election process including ballot boxes and numbered ballot papers involving all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Option 2        Election process including numbered ballot papers involving all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Option 3        Election process using un-numbered ballots in all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Members discussed option 3 and decided that they would prefer to give the children and young people the experience of using ballot boxes rather than having teachers collect the ballot papers. It was suggested that the younger children might like to make ballot boxes to use.

Members discussed the possibility of including all students at York College in the election process and Officers agreed to research the viability of this. It was noted that a large percentage of students at the college were not resident in York and it would be therefore difficult to police who was eligible to vote.

Some Members thought that Executive and Shadow Executive Members should be allowed to stand for selection as the Children and Young People’s Champion and felt it was unfair to exclude any Members. They were of the opinion that it was a matter for the children and young people to decide who they wanted to elect to represent them. Other Members felt that Executive and Shadow Executive Members should be excluded so that the new Champion would be able to report back to the Executive and Shadow Executive meetings on behalf of children and young people. It was therefore agreed that the wording in Annex 1 to the report (Role description for the Children and Young People’s Champion) be amended as per the fifth recommendation set out below.

RESOLVED:             That the Working Group advise the Executive Member that:

1.      Members agree to the process outlined at option 3 of the report with the amendment that ballot boxes be used instead of the ballot papers being collected by teaching staff.

2.      Members agree the revised role description for the children and young people’s champion as outlined in Paragraph 22 of the report and Appendix 1

3.      Members agree to the election rules as outlined in paragraph 23 of the report and Annex 2.

4.      Members agree to the election timetable as outlined in paragraph 24 of the report and Annex 3

5.      Members agree that any final amendments to the rules, timetable, process and or delivery required be delegated to Officers and the Executive Members and Shadow Executive Members for Youth and Social  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

A report entitled ‘Draft Involvement Strategy – Update’ was accepted by the Chair as an item that he considered urgent under the Local Government Act 1972. This was the last opportunity for Members to comment on the document before it was presented for approval to the YorOk Board. This is attached in full as an annex to these minutes.

The report presented Members with a summary of achievements since the adoption of the previous Involvement Strategy in 2004. These were as follows:

·        There is an involvement sub group which co-ordinates and prioritises involvement work

·        Standards for involvement work have been developed

·        Collaborative working and information sharing has increased

·        Children, young people and families are more aware of the work of YorOk Children’s Trust

·        A Children and Young People’s Champion has been elected

·        Children and young people have been involved in recruiting key positions in the City

·        Capacity building and training has been delivered

·        A wide range of involvement work has happened involving diverse groups at appropriate levels

·        Creative approaches to involvement work have been adopted including using animation, DVD production, big brother diary room and peer research as well as mystery shopping, postcard campaigns, questionnaires and interviews

·        Additional resources for involvement work have been secured

RESOLVED:             Members welcomed the strategy.

REASON:                  In order to take forward involvement work with children, young people and families.