Agenda item

This report provides introductory information on the topics proposed for scrutiny review during this municipal year.  Given the limited time available for review work due to the forthcoming elections in 2015, Members are asked to decide which topics are to proceed to review, and agree a timeframe for their completion.

Members received a report that provided introductory information on the topics proposed for scrutiny review during this municipal year. They noted that the committee had put forward two possible topics to the annual scrutiny work planning event on 12 May. These were Narrowing the Gap and Disabled Access to York’s Cultural Sector. They acknowledged that Councillor Semlyen had also submitted an extra topic for the committee’s consideration on “School Based Teaching of skills related to self employment/entrepreneurship at secondary ages and at York College. Members were informed that at the event, it had also been agreed that a corporate review around “Supporting Elderly People” be undertaken.

Councillor Semlyen addressed the committee with regard to her suggested topic on “School Based Teaching of skills related to self employment/entrepreneurship”. She explained that the Economic Development Overview and Scrutiny Committee (ECDOSC) had agreed to carry out a review looking into entrepreneurship and risk taking as a route to getting into higher paid jobs, but stated that the teaching of entrepreneurial skills should start before the age of 18 and that undertaking her suggested review would add value to the ECDOSC topic and benefit this committee at the same time. An information sheet had been circulated to committee members which provided information on “Business in a Box” and “Not Just a Trading Company” in relation to the proposed review.

Members accepted that there was a need for improvement in the employability skills of York’s young people and acknowledged the need for young people to learn broader employability skills at younger ages.  Members questioned whether it was in fact possible to teach “entrepreneurship” and were advised that entrepreneurial skills were key transferable skills, whether someone worked for themselves or for an employer.  The committee agreed there was a need to think about the broader skills a young person needed to prepare them to be flexible and able to deal with future. Members accepted that the school curriculum was heavily prescribed by central government and a school’s ability to have a flexible approach and to have a diverse curriculum was more limited than 10 years ago.

The majority of Members agreed that the proposed topic was a good idea which could add value but requested further information form officers on the possible scope for the review.

It was agreed that the previous Careers Review Task Group (comprising Councillors Brooks, Fitzpatrick, Reid and Scott) be reconvened to look at the issues put forward in Cllr Semlyen’s proposal and that Councillor Semlyen be called as a witness in the review.

Councillor Barnes addressed the Committee with regard to his proposed topic on disabled access to York’s Cultural Sector. He thanked the Scrutiny Officer for preparing the information contained in Annex A which provided the current information available regarding disabled access to York’s cultural venues. He  stressed that putting forward the proposal was not a suggestion that access for disabled people in York was bad, but instead saying that we didn’t actually know how good or bad the access was.

He suggested it would be beneficial to contact the Independent Living Network to find out what their experiences of accessing tourist attractions in York were. It would also be beneficial to look at best practice elsewhere to look at what other tourist cities were doing. He stressed the importance of not seeing someone as disabled but doing what was necessary to enable them to be able to participate fully. He informed Members that this needed to be in a proactive way, rather than just restricting oneself to achieving legal requirements and by making the information more accessible.

Members expressed their full support for what they agreed was an excellent proposal which could make a real difference in York. It was agreed that a Task Group, comprising Councillors Brooks, Fitzpatrick and Gunnell, be established to undertake the review. The Committee agreed that Councillor Barnes should be co-opted onto the Task Group for the duration of the review.

Members also discussed the corporate review around “Supporting Elderly People”. They considered the two suggested topics contained in the handout which had been circulated to the committee but were not convinced that the two suggestions were suitable for the committee to undertake.

The Committee debated whether it would be would be possible to carry out the “Disabled Access to  York’s Cultural Sector” review in a way that it included elderly people but Members expressed concerns about stigmatising people who were getting older and associating them with having a disability. They agreed that this approach would not do justice to either topic.  Most Members however agreed that, the information which would come out of the Disabled Access to York’s Cultural Sector review would benefit everybody in society, including elderly people.

The Committee decided to concentrate on the “Disabled Access to York’s Cultural Sector” review put forward by Councillor Barnes and then determine whether the recommendations from this review could benefit elderly people. It was agreed the Committee should write to the Older People’s Assembly to ask them what issues they have which they think the committee would benefit from looking at with a view to this becoming a topic for a future scrutiny review either this municipal year or next year.

Resolved: (i)       That the report and additional information on the proposed reviews be noted.

                   (ii)      That the previously established Careers Review Task Group (comprising Councillors Brooks, Fitzpatrick, Reid and Scott) be reconvened to carry out a review of Councillor Semlyen’s proposed review on “School Based Teaching of Skills Related to Self Employment/Entrepreneurship” and that Councillor Semlyen be called as a witness in this review

                   (iii)     That a Task Group, comprising Councillors Brooks, Fitzpatrick and Gunnell, be set up to undertake a review on “Disabled Access to York’s Cultural Sector” and that Councillor Barnes be co-opted onto the Task Group.

                   (iv)    That the Committee agree not to participate in the corporate review of elderly people at the present time.

(v)     That the Committee write to the Older People’s Assembly to ask them what issues they have which they think would benefit from future scrutiny review.

Reason: To progress the work of the Committee