Agenda item

This paper updates members about progress on developing the selection processes for the Children and Young People’s Champion.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

1.      Agree to the process outlined at option 3 of the report with the amendment that ballot boxes be used instead of ballot papers being collected by teaching staff.

2.      Agree the revised role description for the Children and Young People’s Champion as outlined in Paragraph 22 of the report and Appendix 1

3.      Agree to the election rules as outlined in paragraph 23 of the report and Annex 2.

4.      Agree to the election timetable as outlined in paragraph 24 of the report and Annex 3

5.      Agree that any final amendments to the rules, timetable, process and or delivery required be delegated to Officers and the Executive Members and Shadow Executive Members for Youth and Social Inclusion. The following alterations had been made to the documentation:

·        The Wording in paragraph 2 of Annex 1 to the report had been amended to read ‘The role of the Children and Young People’s Champion must be filled by an Elected Member who is preferably not a member of the Executive or Shadow Executive’. This amendment had also been reflected within the ‘Children and Young People’s Election Rules’.

·        The wording in paragraph 12 of Annex 2 had been amended to read ‘Every effort will be made to ensure as wide spread participation as possible’.

·        The wording in paragraph 13 of Annex 2 be amended to ‘Ballots will be run through primary, secondary and special schools within the City.’

The following delegations were made:

·        That the work to advertise the election on the YorOK website be delegated to Officers in consultation with the Executive and Shadow Executive Members for Youth and Social Inclusion

·        Officers make effort to ensure that eligible young people attending York College are able to vote.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:                  To ensure that:

·        the vote is extended to the maximum amount of children and young people at a reasonable cost

·        that the role description fits with the new Constitution

·        a fair and transparent process for the election of a new Children and Young People’s Champion takes place

·        that the election of a new Children and Young People’s Champion takes place as swiftly as possible

Members considered a report that updated them on the progress of developing the selection processes for the Children and Young People’s Champion.

Officers said that they had explored the viability of various e-voting options including ‘I’m a Councillor Get Me Out of Here’, the university student union system, York College students and e-voting. It was concluded that these were not practical options as they were either too expensive or the facilities were not available to make them possible.

The Officer updated that the Members of the Young People’s Working Group had recommended Option 3 include the use of ballot boxes.

Members discussed the viability of including ‘non-state schools’ in the selection process and it was felt that this was something to be explored in future years once a more clear way forward had been agreed.  Some Members felt that there was a considerable expense to schools as the cost of reprographics was high but still felt that the election of a Children and Young People’s Champion was a good idea. There were also discussions on the feasibility of moving the date for preparation and distribution of the packs to the week including 4^th February 2007 to ease the impact on school staff. It was agreed that it would be a good idea for the School Councils to nominate some children and young people to act as independent scrutineers during the selection process.

Members were presented with the following options:

Option 1        Full election process including ballot boxes and numbered ballot papers involving all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Option 2        Election process including numbered ballot papers involving all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Option 3        Election process using un-numbered ballots in all primary and secondary schools within the City.

Advice of the Advisory Panel

That the Executive Member be advised to:

1.      Agree to the process outlined at option 3 of the report with the amendment that ballot boxes be used instead of ballot papers being collected by teaching staff.

2.      Agree the revised role description for the Children and Young People’s Champion as outlined in Paragraph 22 of the report and Appendix 1

3.      Agree to the election rules as outlined in paragraph 23 of the report and Annex 2.

4.      Agree to the election timetable as outlined in paragraph 24 of the report and Annex 3

5.      Agree that any final amendments to the rules, timetable, process and or delivery required be delegated to Officers and the Executive Members and Shadow Executive Members for Youth and Social Inclusion. The following alterations had been made to the documentation:

o       The Wording in paragraph 2 of Annex 1 to the report had been amended to read ‘The role of the Children and Young People’s Champion must be filled by an Elected Member who is preferably not a member of the Executive or Shadow Executive’. This amendment had also been reflected within the ‘Children and Young People’s Election Rules’.

o       The wording in paragraph 11 of Annex 2 be amended to include ‘Short statements by candidates taken from this event may also be place on the YorOK website.

o       The wording in paragraph 12 of Annex 2 had been amended to read ‘…people registered at CYC primary, secondary and special schools are eligible to vote. Young people under 18 who live in the City and attend York college are also eligible to vote.’ And ‘Every effort will be made to ensure as wide spread participation as possible’.

o       The wording in paragraph 13 of Annex 2 be amended to ‘Ballots will be run through primary, secondary and special schools within the City.’ This amendment was reflected throughout the document.

Decision of the Executive Member

RESOLVED:             That the advice of the Advisory Panel be accepted and endorsed

REASON:                  To ensure that:

·        the vote is extended to the maximum amount of children and young people at a reasonable cost

·        that the role description fits with the new Constitution

·        a fair and transparent process for the election of a new Children and Young People’s Champion takes place

·        that the election of a new Children and Young People’s Champion takes place as swiftly as possible