Agenda for Children & Young People's Trust Board on Monday, 21st July, 2008, 5.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 216 KBVenue: Council Chamber, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Nara Miranda, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business
(b) Declarations of Interest by all Members present of any personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct.
(c) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the exempt categories is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 2a Declarations of Substitutes
12a.1 There were none.
12b Declarations of Interest
12b.1 There were none.
12c Exclusion of Press and Public
12c.1 The Board considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of any items contained in the agenda, having regard to the nature of the business to be transacted and the nature of the proceedings and the likelihood as to whether, if members of the press and public were present, there would be disclosure to them of confidential or exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A, Part 5A, Section 100A(4) or 100 1 of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).
12c.2 RESOLVED - That the press and public be not excluded from the meeting. |
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting held on 9 June 2008 (copy attached). Minutes: 13.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the previous meeting of the Children & Young People’s Trust Board held on 9 June 2008 be approved and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment: that the apologies of Anne Caborn, South Downs Health, be registered. |
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Chairman's Communications Minutes: 14.1 There were none. |
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Callover Minutes: 15.1 RESOLVED – The Chairman reserved all items for discussion. |
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Next Steps on Children's Plan - Developing the Children's Workforce and Children's Trusts Presentation by the Director of Children’s Services. Decision: RESOLVED – That the presentation and its content be noted. Minutes: 16.1 The Director of Children’s Services made a presentation on the review of the Children’s Trusts arrangements being undertaken by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). She explained that the guidance, issued this year, stressed the importance of partnership working between the Children Trust Boards and other agencies in order to preserve and improve the outcomes for children, and to monitor and evaluate results.
16.2 Among the partners to be considered in this joint work, the Director of Children’s Services highlighted the health partners; the third and private sector; front line providers, such as schools; agencies working with children, young people and their families; and partnerships working with 0-7 year-olds and 14-19 year-olds. It was expected that all these different partners should be able to influence the Board’s decisions whilst operating within the framework set by the Board. The Director of Children’s Services further explained that the relevance of working with partners and that the work of the Board should also be seen by the LSP (Local Strategic Partnership).
16.3 The Director of Children’s Services noted that parents and children seemed to have been omitted from this guidance and their involvement only inferred from the document, but she assured the Board that Brighton & Hove would engage with these groups in their partnership work.
16.4 The Board welcomed the presentation and thanked the Director of Children’s Services for delivering the main points of the DCSF’s guidance. The Board considered, however, that parents/carers and children were the primary target of the Children’s Trusts/Trust Boards’ work. Therefore, their involvement and participation in the process needed to be clearly stated.
16.5 Cllr Kemble was concerned about the gap where partnerships with children of all ages were concerned, as there seemed to be no inclusion of partnerships for 8 to 13 year-olds. Members of the Board concurred on this concern. They felt this was an important transition point and it needed to be addressed as well.
16.6 The Chairman and the Director of Children Services agreed to write to the Government and bring both matters to their attention.
16.7 Members sought clarification about what the Government guidance meant for the Board in actual terms.
16.8 The Director of Children’s Services confirmed that she would be utilising the agreement made at the last meeting of the Board with regard to the consultation with partners and stakeholders, to progress partnership working whilst addressing the particular issues.
16.9 Dr Hulton, welcomed the presentation and indicated she was pleased that these discussions were taking place. She thought that the opportunity should also be taken to bring health focused matters higher up on the Board’s agenda.
16.10 The Director of Children’s Services explained that she had been in talks with Julian Lee, the Board’s Deputy-Chairman and a member of the PCT, to look at ways of working more closely together to include both education and health matters.
16.11 RESOLVED – That the presentation and its content be noted. |
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Childcare Sufficiency Strategy
Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: RESOLVED – (1) That the contents of the attached Childcare Sufficiency Strategy for Brighton & Hove (Appendix One as detailed in to the report) be agreed.
(2) That the development of an ‘@ Home Childcare Service’ at a full year cost of £45,000 (Appendix Three as detailed in to the report) be approved. Minutes: 17.1 The Board considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the city’s childcare sufficiency strategy in view of the Childcare Act 2006, which required local authorities to ensure that there was sufficient childcare, as far as is reasonably practicable, to meet the requirements of parents in their areas in order to enable them to work or undertake education or training leading to work (for copy see minute book).
17.2 The Early Years and Childcare Strategy Manager statedthat the strategy being presented today was an update of and refocusing of the current strategy. She highlighted new aspects in the strategy, including a focus on expanding childcare for disabled children in the childcare provision and an ‘@ home’ childcare service, based in parents homes.
17.3 The Board welcomed the report and was pleased to see the issue of disability brought up the agenda and noted the value of providing childcare at home.
17.4 Cllr Kemble noted that the funding granted to the strategy would be in place until March 2011 and enquired what would happen after that. The Assistant Director East Area, Early Years & NHS Commissioning, clarified that the funding would be reviewed in 2010.
17.5 RESOLVED – (1) That the contents of the attached Childcare Sufficiency Strategy for Brighton & Hove (Appendix One as detailed in to the report) be agreed.
(2) That the development of an ‘@ Home Childcare Service’ at a full year cost of £45,000 (Appendix Three as detailed in to the report) be approved. |
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Connexions Procurement Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Decision: RESOLVED – That the Director of Children’s Services be given delegated authority to enter into the Connexions IAG Contract including the provision of an indemnity sought by Prospects in relation to the pension deficit associated with the staff transferring to them, following consultation with the Chairman of the CYPT Board. Minutes: 18.1 The Board considered a report from the Director of Children’s Services relating to the Connexions Procurement (for copy see minute book).
18.2 The Assistant Director explained that arrangements needed to be finalised by September 2008. She indicated that the alternative option to the recommendations put forward would be to bring the service back in house and this was not a preferred option.
18.3 John O’Sullivan enquired what caused the shortfalls indicated in the report. The Reward & Workforce Planning Manager clarified that this was due to pension fund investment performance over a period of time.
18.4 Dr Hulton thought that further discussions needed to take place in order to prevent the same situation from happening again. The Assistant Director explained that the contract terms between Brighton & Hove City Council and Prospects will ensure that Brighton & Hove does not find itself in the same circumstance in 3 years’ time.
18.5 The Board requested that, once it was known how much the shortfall would be, that it be reported to the Board for information.
18.6 RESOLVED – That the Director of Children’s Services be given delegated authority to enter into the Connexions IAG Contract including the provision of an indemnity sought by Prospects in relation to the pension deficit associated with the staff transferring to them, following consultation with the Chairman of the CYPT Board. |