Agenda and minutes

Venue: The George Hudson Board Room - 1st Floor West Offices (F045). View directions

Contact: Catherine Clarke and Louise Cook  Democracy Officers

Items
No. Item

14.

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 any personal, prejudicial interests or disclosable pecuniary interests which they might have in respect of the business on the agenda. Councillor Mason declared a personal non prejudicial interest in agenda item 6 (Tour de France Scrutiny Review Task Group) as about 15-20% of his business’s income came from events and festivals.

 

15.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 165 KB

To approve and sign the minutes of the meetings held on 15 June 2016 and 13 July 2016.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved:  That the minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 15 June and 13 July 2016 be approved as a correct record and then signed by the chair.

16.

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 Tuesday 13 September 2016.  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 Officers for the meeting, on the details at the foot of the agenda.

 

 Filming, Recording or Webcasting Meetings

Please note this meeting may be filmed and webcast or audio recorded and that includes 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.

17.

2016/17 First Quarter Finance and Performance Monitoring Report pdf icon PDF 175 KB

This report analyses the latest performance for 2016/17 and forecasts the financial outturn position by reference to the service plans and budgets for relevant services falling under the responsibility of the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Director of Children’s Services, Education and Skills.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided an analysis of the latest performance for 2016-17 and forecasted the financial outturn position by reference to the service plans and budgets for all of the relevant services falling under the responsibility of the Director of Communities and Neighbourhoods and the Director of Children’s Services, Education and Skills.

 

The Finance Manager, Adults Children and Education, advised the committee that finance was on track in terms of budget with a small under spend and that the council was in a good position at this point in the year. 

 

The Strategy and Policy Group Manager also reported a encouraging picture in terms of performance. He advised that the number of looked after children in York was stable and that York was in a positive position against a challenging national picture. He drew Members attention to changes in the way primary school children were assessed and advised that benchmark information from other cities showed a level of turbulence across the country which should also be expected in York.

 

The Director of Children’s Services, Education and Skills provided further information to Members in response to queries raised in relation to spending on early years learning and welfare, academy conversions, youth offending rates, troubled families and NEET (Not in Education, Employment of Training) figures.

 

Members noted that youth reoffending rates in York were above the national average and were advised that officers were working with partners to understand the reasons for this and reduce reoffending in York. Officers advised that they would provide an update on this as part of the next Finance and Performance Monitoring Report or provide a more in-depth report on this in future.

 

The Chair advised that she was due to meet with officers to review which performance indicators were reported to committee to ensure that Members were presented with the correct level of information on those issues which were important and a priority to them.

 

Resolved:      That the report be noted.

 

Reason:         To update the committee on the latest financial and performance position for 206-17.

18.

City of York Safeguarding Children Board Update Report pdf icon PDF 717 KB

This report provides an update on the operating context and activities of the City of York Safeguarding Children Board.

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the City of York Safeguarding Children Board which provided a brief update on the operating context and activities of the Board.

 

The Strategy and Policy Group Manager advised Members that the City of York Safeguarding Children Board would be linked formally with other boards in the safeguarding system, namely the Safeguarding Adults Board and Safer York Partnership (as well as with the Health and Wellbeing Board and YorOK,) through a new Inter-board protocol due to be agreed on 15th September. This would set the tone for partnership working across multiples structures.

 

He also provided an update on the emerging Children and Social Work Bill which would lead to changes to statutory safeguarding arrangements for children with the abolishment of local safeguarding children’s boards in their current form. In future, partners (the Local Authority, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)  and Police) would work together with input from other agencies which would allow for more local flexibility and determination about who should be brought together to consider safeguarding arrangements,. He advised that current arrangements in York would meet the requirements of the bill but that the changes would open up options to strengthen arrangements in the future.

 

Resolved:      That the report be noted.

 

Reason:         To allow Members to be fully informed on the operating context and activities of the City of York Safeguarding Children Board

19.

Tour De France Scrutiny Review Task Group pdf icon PDF 93 KB

This report summarises the work undertaken to date for the Tour de France Scrutiny Review and asks the Committee to nominate an additional member to the Task Group in order that work on the review can be concluded.

 

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided a summary of work undertaken to date for the Tour de France Scrutiny Review and asked the Committee to nominate an additional member to the Task Group in order to bring the review to a conclusion.

 

Members were reminded that the task group had been established in June 2015 comprising Councillors Taylor, Keith Myers and Wells with Councillor Cuthbertson as a cooped member. Councillor Taylor had subsequently stood down from the Learning and Culture Policy and Scrutiny Committee and the Tour de France Scrutiny Review Task Group in May 2016 when he was elected as Lord Mayor. Although Councillor Keith Myers was no longer a member of the committee, he had agreed to remain on the Task Group for the remainder of the review.

 

Members nominated Councillor Craghill to replace Councillor Taylor on the Task Group for the remainder of the review.

 

Resolved:      (i)         That Cllr Craghill be appointed to replace Cllr Taylor on          the Tour de France Scrutiny Review Task Group.

 

(ii)        That the draft final report be received at the next meeting of the committee in November 2016.

 

Reason:         To conclude the work on this scrutiny review in line with scrutiny procedures and protocols.

20.

Update on Implementation of Recommendations from Previously Completed Scrutiny Reviews - Access to York's Heritage and Cultural Offer pdf icon PDF 94 KB

This report provides an update on the implementation of the recommendations arising from a completed review on Disabled Access to York’s Heritage and Cultural Offer.  Members are asked to sign off outstanding recommendations now considered to be fully implemented.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report which provided them with a further update on the implementation of the outstanding recommendations arising from a completed scrutiny review on Disabled Access to York’s Heritage and Cultural Offer, having previously signed off some of the review recommendations at their meeting in March 2016.

 

Members agreed that the following recommendations be signed off as fully implemented:

 

Recommendations for City of York Council:

 

ii)         Communicate comprehensively through DisabledGo, with all York venues included on the DisabledGo website the benefits of including a DisabledGo link on their own website.

 

            Members requested confirmation from Disabled Go of how many venues have added the Disabled Go link to their own website. 1

 

iii)        Introduce an annual event around York’s disabled people past and present

 

Officers advised that the council was part of York Human Rights City Network which had committed to undertake events to mark Disability History Month and specifically to do something on International Day for Disabled People working with York Independent Living Network. This would be pursued by Explore York as the lead partner. They suggested this could be a more realistic way of piloting something in that area and a  more effective way of working with the Independent Living Network and representing disabled people rather than trying to start from scratch with a growth bid. Members agreed that if the events described could continue, this could potentially meet the aspiration better and welcomed a future update on these events.

 

Recommendations for Make it York

 

viii)      Full access for all to the city and its attractions should be one of Make it York’s key aspirations

 

Members agreed that Make it York should be asked to include an update on progress on how they were meeting this aspiration when they provided their regular updates to committee.

 

ix)        Work with venues to assess their interest in accessing DisabledGo’s best practice guides, with the intention of charging a fee covering the costs of those guides.

 

x)         Promote and encourage York’s live music venues to achieve the Live Music Industry’s Charter of Best Practice.

 

xiv)      Create and deliver training opportunities for public transport staff and staff at heritage and cultural venues, shops, cafes, restaurants etc to promote good practice

 

Officers advised that when the Service Level Agreement (SLA) with Make it York is renewed this could be fed into discussion to see if it could be part of a SLA element under the business support remit.

 

Members agreed that the following recommendations should be left as outstandingand requested a further update be provided in six months time.

 

Recommendations for City of York Council

 

v)         Liaise with bus providers on policy around access and remind them of the needs of York residents and visitors and the barriers poor access to public transport creates for disabled people trying to access York’s heritage and cultural offer (see paragraphs 71 of Appendix 1of review final report).

 

            Members requested further  information on what issues had been raised at Quality Bus Partnership meetings in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Work Plan 2016-17 pdf icon PDF 110 KB

Members are asked to consider the Committee’s workplan for the  2016-17 municipal year.

Minutes:

Members considered the committee’s work plan for the 2016/17

municipal year.

 

Members noted that the Bi-annual report on Safeguarding and Looked After Children, which had been due to be considered at this meeting alongside the York Safeguarding Children’s Board Bi-Annual update, had been deferred to the November meeting. The reason for this was in order that officers could address any issues arising from the Safeguarding Board Update in their report to Members. Members were advised that this report had originally been due for consideration in July and they were due to receive a further update report in January 2017. The Scrutiny Officer advised that, rather than have two reports at consecutive meetings, it may be more sensible for Members to receive one detailed report at their meeting in January. Members confirmed they were happy with this arrangement.

 

Members requested that the Explore York Libraries and Archives Mutual Ltd SLA and Bi-Annual Update report due to be considered at the next meeting in November include information on the Open Issues Consultation and the background to it.

 

Members asked for an update on child neglect issues and it was agreed that this would fit better within the next York Safeguarding Children’s Board Bi-Annual Update rather than as part of the Bi-annual report on Safeguarding and Looked After Children due in January.

 

Resolved:      That the work plan be agreed subject to the amendments detailed above.

 

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

 

 

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