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 or any other general interests they might have within the remit of the Committee.

Members are advised that a list of standing general interests will be included with all future agendas for this committee and updated where necessary.

At this point, Members were asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they might have in relation to the business on the agenda or any other general interests they might have on issues within the remit of the Committee.

Councillor Douglas declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda item 6 (Presentation on Demographics in York Schools) as her son attends a York primary school.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 3 August 2011.

RESOLVED:             That the minutes of the meeting of the Learning and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 3 August 2011 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 on an item on the agenda or an issue within the committee’s remit can do so.

Anyone who wishes to register or who requires further information is requested to contact the Democracy Officer for this meeting, details of whom are listed at the foot of this agenda.

The deadline for registering to speak is 5.00pm the working day before the meeting, in this case 5.00pm on Tuesday 27 September 2011.

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

This report updates Members on the current progress of the York Museums Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets agreed in the Partnership Delivery Plan. 

Members considered a report which updated them on the current progress of the York Museums Trust (YMT) towards meeting the targets agreed in the Partnership Delivery Plan (PDP)

Members were reminded that under the terms of the funding agreement between the Council and YMT, it was now time to negotiate priorities for the next 5 year period (2013-18) and members of the Committee were invited to give their views with regard to what those priorities should include.

The Chief Executive of YMT gave a presentation to members. She provided a background to the creation of the Trust and explained what work had been undertaken by the Trust at the Castle Museum, Art Gallery, York St Mary’s and Yorkshire Museum, particularly over the last six months, to address the target areas reflected in the PDP. She also provided an outline of what they would be developing moving forward. She responded to queries from Members regarding information contained in the report.

With regard to paragraph 21 (f) of the current PDP (The Business Plan) Members noted that some answers were still missing and asked for further information around the business plan.

Members noted that the draft 5 year plan from 2013-2018 would be presented to Cabinet in December 2011 and agreed to pass any comments on this plan to the Head of Arts and Culture before its presentation to Cabinet.

The Chief Executive of the YMT asked if Members would be interested in a tour of any of the buildings within the Trust’s portfolio and Members agreed that this would be beneficial and suggested a tour of the castle museum in the first instance.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That the report and annexes be noted and that Members comments be taken into consideration.

                                    (ii)        That Members forward any comments on the draft PDP 2013-18 to the Head of Arts and Culture

                                    (iii)       That a tour of the Castle Museum be arranged for Members of the Committee.

REASON:                  To fulfil the Council’s role under the partnership delivery plan.

Members will receive a presentation that will set out the demographic trends in the City which are increasing demand for Primary School places and officers will also give an overview of the school admission arrangements across the City.

Members received a presentation which set out the demographic trends in the city which are increasing demand for primary school places and provided an overview of school admission arrangements across the city. 

The School Admissions, Directorate Support and Community Transport Manager circulated a briefing note on admissions arrangements for York primary schools as well as a spreadsheet containing data for the September 2011 intake showing which Primary and Infant Schools in York were oversubscribed and the nature of their oversubscription. A map showing the location of the schools within the city boundaries was also circulated for Members information. With reference to the briefing note, he explained the current primary school admission arrangements (oversubscription criteria) and advised Members which oversubscribed schools had insufficient places for “catchment” or “sibling” applications and how many oversubscribed schools had had to refuse pupils on other grounds.

The Policy Support Manager provided information on supply and demand for primary school places in the city. He explained that due to an increasing birth rate and additional housing in the city (as a result of new housing completions), the intakes into some schools were starting to rise which in the future could lead to there being more reception children than places available in schools.

The Head of School Services and Directorate Support advised it would be useful to debate in more detail issues such as whether the admission criteria should  be revisited (looking at questions such as “should catchment areas be retained?” “Should “catchment” still take priority over “siblings” in the oversubscription criteria? and are school travel policies fair and appropriate given the changing demography?

The Committee agreed that it would be useful to have a further session to debate in more detail the oversubscription criteria and school travel policies and to gauge Members views regarding these issues . Officers recommended that two primary school head teachers be invited to attend this session to offer their views on these issues.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That officers be thanked for a useful presentation on demographics in York schools.

                                    (ii)        That Members receive further information in relation to oversubscription criteria and school travel plans at the information gathering session to be held on 2 November 2011 and that two primary school head teachers be invited to this session to give their views.

REASON:                  In order to provide Members with an introduction to the subject which has been selected for a scrutiny review.

This report analyses the latest performance for 2011/12 and forecasts the outturn position by reference to the service plan and budgets for all of the relevant services falling under the responsibility of the Director of Adults, Children & Education and the Director of Communities & Neighbourhoods.

Members considered the first quarter financial monitoring report for Lifelong Learning and Culture and Children and Young People’s Services.

The Head of Finance (Adults, Children and Education) advised Members that the report comprised an extract from a report which was presented to Cabinet on  6 September and which set out the financial pressures affecting the two directorates.

In response to a query from Members, the Director of Adults Children and Education explained that the increase in looked after children in York was due to a national increase in looked after children as a result of changes in national guidance on how 16 and 17 year olds are dealt with. He advised that this age group was now dealt with as part of the Children’s Act legislation and not Housing Act legislation as previously. Members noted that although fluctuations in numbers in this area were very small, they produced a large budgetary pressure.

RESOLVED:             That the report be noted.

REASON:                  To update the committee on the latest finance position for 2011-12.

Members will receive an update on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations arising from the previously completed scrutiny reviews which fall within the remit of this overview & scrutiny committee. 

Members received a report which provided them with an update on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations arising from two  previously completed scrutiny reviews, namely the Cultural Quarter review and the Casual Play review.

The Head of Arts and Culture provided an update on the outstanding recommendations in relation to Cultural Quarter review. She advised Members that the majority of recommendations had been taken forward by City Strategy officers as part of ongoing work around New City Beautiful – A Vision for York and the City Centre Area Action Plan.

The Head of Play provided an update on the outstanding recommendations in relation to the review of Casual Play. She advised Members that they were still in the early stages of implementing recommendation 2 and asked that she be given the opportunity to report back to the Committee at a future meeting on this recommendation.

RESOLVED:             (i)         That, in relation to the Cultural Quarter review:

a)    outstanding recommendation 1 be written off as fully implemented.

b)    outstanding recommendations 2 & 3 remain as not being fully implemented and an update be provided by City Strategy officers with responsibility for the LDF and New City Beautiful to a future meeting in approximately 6 months time.

c)    outstanding recommendations 5 & 7 be written off as fully implemented.

                                    (ii)        That, in relation to the Casual Play review:

a),        outstanding recommendation 1 i),ii) and iii) be written off as fully implemented..

b)         an update on outstanding recommendation 2 be provided to the Committee at a later date as this recommendation was not yet fully implemented.

REASON;                  To raise awareness of those recommendations which have still to be implemented and those which can be signed off.

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s workplan for the 2011-12 municipal year.

Members considered the Committee’s work plan for the municipal year
2011-12.

The Scrutiny Officer reminded Members that the visit to the York Theatre Royal would take place on the evening of Tuesday 11 October.

With regard to the Demographics Review, Members were informed that there would be no published agenda for the information gathering session on 2 November 2011.

Members noted that they would receive a presentation on Corporate Parenting at their meeting on 7 December 2011. They acknowledged that the following meeting, on 25 January 2012, already had a full agenda and agreed that an additional meeting may be required to allow enough time to discuss Corporate Parenting.

The Committee were also advised that a presentation on parks may be added to the work plan for the January meeting.

RESOLVED:             That the work plan be updated as agreed.

REASON:                  To progress the work of the Committee.