Agenda and minutes

Venue: The Thornton Room - Ground Floor, West Offices (G039). View directions

Contact: Louise Cook  Democracy Officer

Webcast: video recording

Items
No. Item

28.

Declarations of Interest

At this point, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda

 

Minutes:

Members were asked to declare, at this point in the meeting, any personal interests, not included on the Register of Interests, or any prejudicial or disclosable pecuniary interests they may have in respect of business on the agenda.

 

Cllr Webb declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda item 5, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Update Report, in that his employer was part of the Pathfinder Multi Academy Trust.

29.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 115 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 24 September 2019.

Minutes:

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 24 September 2019 be approved as a correct record and then signed by the Chair.

 

30.

Public Participation

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so.  The deadline for registering is 5.00pm on Monday 28 October 2019.  Members of the public can speak on agenda items or matters within the remit of the committee.

 

To register to speak please contact the Democracy Officer for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

 

 Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be filmed and webcast, or recorded, including any registered public speakers who have given their permission.  The broadcast can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/webcasts  or, if sound recorded, this will be uploaded onto the Council’s website following the meeting.

 

Residents are welcome to photograph, film or record Councillors and Officers at all meetings open to the press and public. This includes the use of social media reporting, i.e. tweeting.  Anyone wishing to film, record or take photos at any public meeting should contact the Democracy Officer (whose contact details are at the foot of this agenda) in advance of the meeting.

 

The Council’s protocol on Webcasting, Filming & Recording of Meetings ensures that these practices are carried out in a manner both respectful to the conduct of the meeting and all those present.  It can be viewed at http://www.york.gov.uk/download/downloads/id/11406/protocol_for_webcasting_filming_and_recording_of_council_meetings_20160809.pdf

Minutes:

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

 

31.

Cover Report Tenant Involvement pdf icon PDF 183 KB

This report provides the Children, Education and Communities Policy and Scrutiny Committee with an update on tenant involvement in the City of York, following a recommendation in the last municipal year, from the previous Committee, that this Committee following the local elections in May 2019 should revisit this topic.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report that provided them with an update on tenant involvement in the City of York following a recommendation in the last municipal year, from the previous Committee, that following the local elections in May 2019 this Committee should revisit the topic.

 

The Scrutiny Officer gave an update and explained the background to this topic request and the Housing Engagement and Equalities Facilitator was in attendance to give an update on the developments that had taken place since the tenant involvement overview report was last reported in March 2019. 

 

It was noted that officers within the Housing team were reviewing their current approach and considering different methods to involve residents, to ensure all tenants and leaseholders could feed into the engagement process. 

 

In answer to Members questions, it was confirmed that:

·        A programme of ward engagement was currently been devised.

·        Officers would be engaging in various ways with council tenants and leaseholders over the next year.

·        A mailing list would be devised for those residents that do not use email and although there would only be a very small amount of consultation activity, where the timeframe would be too short to use mail, the majority of the consultation process would be available via post.

 

Following further discussions around the adjustments made to budgets that were devolved to Wards, Members considered how they could best support this area of work and it was:

 

Resolved: That further updates be received, following the officer reviews currently being undertaken.

 

Reason: To comply with scrutiny policy and procedures.

 

 

32.

Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Update Report pdf icon PDF 302 KB

This report provides Members with:

·        An update on the work taking place to support children and families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

·        Information about the prevalence of SEND in York and the work taking place to meet current and future needs, including supporting the preparation for adulthood.

·        An update on the progress of the Inclusion Review and preparations for the Ofsted/CQC inspection of the implementation of the SEND reforms in the local area.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report that updated them on the work taking place to support children and families with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

 

The Head of SEND and the Assistant Director of Education, SEND and Skills were in attendance to provide an update on the prevalence of SEND in York, the work taking place to meet current and future needs, the progress of the Inclusion Review and preparations for the Ofsted/Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of the implementation of the SEND reforms in the local area.

 

Members were informed of the areas of development that would increase provision and be responsive to children, young people and their family’s needs. Officers gave an overview of the service and discussed:

·        How they were responding to the growth in the numbers of children and young people with SEND in York;

·        The developments in place to support early years providers, schools and colleges to be more inclusive and

·        The consultation and engagement process, including feedback from parents. 

 

Members noted that:

·        The Inclusion Review had, for the last three years, focused on developing an understanding of the needs of children and young people with SEND and how they were supported in mainstream and specialist education settings.

·        Funding for SEND came from the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant and was used to support the education provision for children and young people with SEND up to the age of 25.

·        York had a significant range of provisions to support children and young people with SEND, including bespoke provisions for those with high level needs and officers were keen to expand on what worked well in a sustainable way.

·        York’s Local Offer for SEND was available online www.york-ok.org.uk/localoffer. The website included a wealth of information for families and young people, as well as a Facebook page that provided up to date information on one off events.

·        Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs) were supported through a wide range of training and the Local Authority shared updates, policies and procedures with them.

·        92% of parents reported positively that the capital developments in York would help to meet the needs of children and young people with SEND.

 

In answer to Members questions it was confirmed that:

·        A second secondary satellite provision, at Millthorpe School, opened in September 2019. Manor CE Academy and Millthorpe School both provided support to young people with learning needs that enabled them to receive specialist teaching within a mainstream school and gain access to some mainstream lessons, as appropriate to their needs. The young people remained on the Applefields School roll but were part of Millthorpe or Manor community and wore their uniform.

·        There had been over a 60% rise in school aged children identified with a  primary need of autism and more seeking diagnosis. This had placed significant pressures on local services to provide timely assessments but the extra funding from the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) would be invested in reducing the waiting times.

·        A wide range of training packages, programmes  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

Cultural Leaders Update pdf icon PDF 453 KB

This report presents the Children, Education and Communities Policy and Scrutiny Committee with a brief update on the work of the Cultural Leaders Group. 

Minutes:

Members considered a report that presented a brief update on the work of the Cultural Leaders Group.

 

The Assistant Director of Communities and Culture gave an update and confirmed that:

·        York@Large had disbanded and had been replaced on a provisional basis by the Cultural Leaders Group which consisted of Chief Executives/senior leaders with strategic responsibility for their cultural, leisure or entertainment organisation in the City of York.

·        The current Chair was the Chief Executive of York Museums Trust and the group had taken a lead role in the development of York’s cultural strategy, working with the Council and Make it York, to also increase representation from within the sector.

·        A new Head of Culture and Wellbeing had been appointed and when in post, she would drive the cultural strategy and support the Cultural Leaders Group.

·        Work had begun to develop action plans under each of the key themes and Members would receive a detailed report, from the Chair of REACH, at the next Children, Education & Communities Policy & Scrutiny Committee.

·         A city wide marketing and communications strategy was been developed and implemented to underpin the cultural strategy.

·         York Archaeological Trust were leading on engaging and developing cultural volunteers.

 

Members noted the key themes and the work currently been undertaken and agreed that cultural poverty must be addressed within the city. 

 

The Chair thanked the Assistant Director for his update.

 

Resolved: That the report be noted and commented on the development of the Cultural Leaders Group.

 

Reason: To keep the Committee informed of the development of the Cultural Strategy through the Cultural Leaders Group.

34.

Work Plan pdf icon PDF 154 KB

To consider the committee’s draft work plan for the municipal year 2019-20.

Minutes:

The Committee considered its draft work plan for the municipal year 2019/20.

 

Following discussion, Members agreed to update the work plan with the following:

 

Wednesday 27 November 2019

·        A feasibility report highlighting a topic request from Cllr Webb, regarding the provisions in place to support children and young people’s (0-25) mental health and wellbeing in the city.

·        A cover report regarding a corporate scrutiny on poverty.

 

Wednesday 18 December 2019

·        Skills Plan

·        A free schools meals update

 

Wednesday 26 February 2020

That officers also address, when presenting the sexual behaviour audit, the rise of child sex offences reported in North Yorkshire.

 

Resolved: That the work plan be approved subject to the above amendments/additions.

 

Reason: To keep the Committee’s work plan updated.

 

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