Agenda, decisions and minutes

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

The Executive Member was invited to declare at this point in the meeting any personal or prejudicial interests she might have in the business on the agenda.  None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services Decision Session held on 8 September 2009.

RESOLVED:That the minutes of the Executive Member for Children and Young People’s Services Decision Session held on 8 September 2009 be approved and signed as a correct record.

To consider excluding the press and public from the meeting during consideration of Annex I of agenda item 6 (“Quality and Access for all Young Children” – Allocations of Capital Grant) on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).  This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

RESOLVED:            That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during

consideration of Annex I of agenda item 6 – minute 10 refers (“Quality and Access for all Young Children – Early Years Capital Grant”) on the grounds that it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).  This information is classed as exempt under Paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

At this point in the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak at the meeting can do so.  The deadline for registering is Monday 12 October 2009 at 5.00 pm.

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

This paper seeks approval of changes to the City of York Council Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme prior to it being submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).  The scheme has been reviewed and revised to formalise changes introduced following consultation and in response to DCSF guidance.  The changes have been considered by the Schools Forum.

RESOLVED: (i)That the Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme April 2010 (Annex 1 of the report) be approved by the Executive Member.

(ii)               That the revised LMS scheme be forwarded to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for its approval.

REASON:      To ensure that an LMS scheme is in places which sets out the financial relationship between the Council and its maintained schools and which incorporates changes introduced after appropriate consultation and in response to DCSF guidance.

The Executive Member received a report that sought approval of changes to the City of York Council Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme prior to it being submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for approval.  The scheme (as detailed at Annex 1 of the report) had been reviewed and revised to formalise changes introduced following appropriate consultations and in response to DCSF guidance.  The changes had been considered by the Schools Forum at its meeting on 16 June 2009.

The Executive Member sought clarification as to the circumstances in which the Authority may consider issuing a notice of concern to the governing body of any school it maintained.  Officers explained that this option could be considered where, in the opinion of the Chief Finance Officer and the Director of Learning, Culture and Children’s Services, the school had failed to comply with any provisions of the Scheme, or where actions needed to be taken to safeguard the financial position of the local authority or the school.  Any school that was subject to such a notice would be made fully aware of the reasons for this, the action that they were required to take, the timescale in which they must do so and the monitoring arrangements that would be in place. It was envisaged that the circumstances in which the Authority would consider such an option would be very rare. 

At the request of the Executive Member, officers confirmed that the Authority was working with schools on budget planning and that balances were monitored appropriately.

The Executive Member thanked officers for their work in preparing the revised scheme.

RESOLVED: (i)That the Local Management of Schools (LMS) scheme April 2010 (Annex 1 of the report) be approved by the Executive Member.

(ii)               That the revised LMS scheme be forwarded to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) for its approval¹.

REASON:      To ensure that an LMS scheme is in places which sets out the financial relationship between the Council and its maintained schools and which incorporates changes introduced after appropriate consultation and in response to DCSF guidance.

This paper seeks decision on applications from early years and childcare providers in the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector from the local authority’s allocation of the “Quality and Access for All Young Children Capital Grant”.  The applications have been reviewed by a consultative panel established for this purpose.

RESOLVED:(i)         That the recommendations for the third tranche of bids for

the Quality and Access Early Years Capital Grant Allocation as set out in the annexes be accepted as follows:

·        Annex E:  approved

·        Annex F:  accepted in principle but require additional information to be submitted to officers for final approval

·        Annex G:  approved for 2010-11

·        Annex H:  approved for referral to the Executive, being schemes over £50,000

·        Annex I:  do not meet the criteria of the fund and to be declined at this stage

(ii)               That approval be given for the Early Years and Children’s Centre Service to bulk purchase certain items under £2,500 and distribute them directly to setting.

(iii)             That the Executive Member agreed that the two further full-scale bidding rounds that were originally envisaged would no longer be required, but that a further small round may be considered in the New Year to use up any unspent contingency monies and any other funds that may become available. An update on any unspent contingency monies was to be provided to the Executive Member in the New Year.

REASONS:            (i)            To enable the further development of early years

provision in York, in accordance with government guidelines.

(ii)               To obtain economies of scale.

(iii)             To manage the fund within the available budgets for the

three financial years 2008-09, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.

The Executive Member considered a report that sought decisions on applications from early years and childcare providers in the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector from the local authority’s allocation of the “Quality and Access for All Young Children Capital Grant”.  The applications had been reviewed by a consultative panel established for this purpose.

The Executive Member asked officers if the change in VAT rate that was due to come into effect in January 2010, would have an impact on the bids.  Officers explained that it may have an impact but that the increase of 2½% could be met from the contingency funding if necessary. 

Clarification was sought as to how the remaining contingency would be used.  Officers explained that although it had originally been intended that there would be a further round of bidding, the quality of the bids that had been received meant that this was not now necessary.  It may, however, be possible to invite further bids to use any contingency funds that remained once the third tranche had been allocated.

The Executive Member asked if officers were working with the providers who had submitted bids that were recommended for approval in principle but which required additional information.  Officers confirmed that this was the case and that a timescale would be set within which this work was completed.

Officers were thanked for the work that they were carrying out in respect of the bids.

RESOLVED:(i)         That the recommendations for the third tranche of bids for

the Quality and Access Early Years Capital Grant Allocation as set out in the annexes be accepted as follows¹:

·        Annex E:  approved

·        Annex F:  accepted in principle but require additional information to be submitted to officers for final approval

·        Annex G:  approved for 2010-11

·        Annex H:  approved for referral to the Executive, being schemes over £50,000

·        Annex I:  do not meet the criteria of the fund and to be declined at this stage

(ii)               That approval be given for the Early Years and Children’s Centre Service to bulk purchase certain items under £2,500 and distribute them directly to settings.

(iii)             That the Executive Member agreed that the two further full-scale bidding rounds that were originally envisaged would no longer be required, but that a further small round may be considered in the New Year to use up any unspent contingency monies and any other funds that may become available. An update on any unspent contingency monies was to be provided to the Executive Member in the New Year².

REASONS:            (i)            To enable the further development of early years

provision in York, in accordance with government guidelines.

(ii)               To obtain economies of scale.

(iii)             To manage the fund within the available budgets for the

three financial years 2008-09, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.