Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Peter Davis, Cllr Russell Hawker, Cllr Jon Hubbard (who was substituted by Cllr Helen Osborn) and Revd Alice Kemp.

To approve and sign the minutes of the Children’s Select Committee meeting held on 26 July 2012.

Resolved:

To confirm and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 26 July 2012, subject to the recording of apologies received from Mr Neil Owen.

To receive any declarations of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman made the following announcements:-

(1)          Adult Education  The Chairman reminded the meeting that at its meeting on 26 July 2012 this Select Committee considered a report on the Role of Wiltshire Council in Informal Education at which the following two options were recommended:-

Option 2 – To facilitate the provision of informal adult education at a local level, and

Option 3 – To coordinate and promote informal adult learning opportunities offered across the County.

Subsequently, on 10 September 2012, cabinet agreed:-

a)            that the Council would adopt the role to facilitate the provision of informal adult education at a local level;

b)            approve the appointment of a part-time adult education officer to work with local community networks to develop a sustainable locally-based adult education provision including information on, and promotion of, opportunities and

c)            To allocate budget of £32,000 from the revenue savings accrued from the closure of Urchfont Manor College to meet the costs associated with the appointment.

(2)          Health Scrutiny Workshop   The Chairman announced that the Health Select Committee would be running an afternoon workshop on 3 October 2012 at the Angel Hotel in Chippenham, starting at 1.30pm and a light lunch would be provided. 

The workshop would be for all non-executive Members who wished to influence the health and social care agenda, and the key aim of the workshop would be to provide an opportunity for Members to hear from representatives across the health and social care arena and discuss matters of interest.  In recognition of the increased responsibilities of the Council and the importance of this area of work, a number of senior representatives from the health sector would contribute to the afternoon as well as officers from within the Council.  More details were available from Maggie McDonald, Senior Scrutiny Officer.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item.  Please contact the officer named above for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution. Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named above no later than 5pm on Thursday 20 July 2012.  Please contact the officer named on the first page of this agenda for further advice.  Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

The Committee noted the rules on public participation and the manner in which the meeting would be held.  

The Select Committee received a report by Carolyn Godfrey and Sue Redmond, Corporate Directors which provided an update on the Green Paper Support and Aspiration: A new approach to special educational needs and disability and Wiltshire’s approach to this as a pathfinder.

It was explained that in 2011 work started on the disabled children and adults review aimed at giving more choice and control to children and families, ensuring the Council worked efficiently and improving the transition process from children to adult services.  This review of the services for disabled children and adults was listed as a priority in the Business Plan 2011-2015.

At the same time, the government published a Green Paper proposing radical

reforms to systems for identifying, assessing and supporting children and young people with disabilities or special educational needs. In September 2011 confirmation was received that Wiltshire was one of 20 local authorities

selected to be a pathfinders for this Green Paper work. As the work of the DCA review and the requirements of the green paper were aligned, the two pieces of work were brought together and managed as the Disabled Children and Adults (DCA) Pathfinder.

In addition to this, it was explained that the recently published draft Care and Support Bill included provision to give local authorities powers to assess children for adult services.  It also provided a new protection to ensure that children’s services continued until the assessments and planning required for adult services had been completed, and support was ready to meet their needs, thus ensuring that there was no gap in care.

It was noted that as from September 2012, a proof of concept team had been testing the single assessment framework and plan, the single assessment process and a new role supporting this process, namely the SEND lead worker.  Approximately 40 families would be approached to be involved in testing the assessment process and it was explained that they would be chosen from amongst children and young people reaching specific educational stages and also from amongst young families with a sudden change in circumstances.  It was noted that this new procedure was popular with families especially as it resulted in a single assessment process.

Members questioned the robustness of the system for collecting data and it was noted that the Head of Performance Management & Co-ordination was working on this, especially the outcomes, the outputs being good.

Resolved:

(1)          To note the contents of the report.   

(2)          To request an update report at the March 2013 meeting of the Committee, to include details of progress in data management.

A report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director, on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Coalition Government is attached.

The Committee is asked to consider the report and agree further action as appropriate.  

The Committee received and noted a report by Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director, on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Coalition Government.

Arising therefrom:

Literacy Catch-up Programme for Disadvantaged Pupils   It was reported that the Government had set up a £10 million programme across England and Wales to help disadvantaged children who failed to reach the expected level in English and Maths by the end of their primary education (i.e. level 4 at Key Stage 2). Some projects would be fast-tracked through the bidding process to start with immediate effect and other projects would commence in 2013.

It was noted that good and robust transfer arrangements were in place to assist children transferring from primary to secondary school.

Members asked for information about the subjects available on offer in the English Baccalaureate which was increasingly becoming available to students in secondary schools.  Officers stated that they intended to include details of this qualification when available in a future Coalition update report.

Project to re-engage NEET young people   Members noted that funding up to £126 million was being made available to organisations across England, who would be paid by results to get 16 and 17 year old students back into education or training.  The programme, which was part of the Government’s Youth Contract, was the first to use payment by results to help to get NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) re-engaged.

During discussion, Members of the Committee requested information about the providers available and also how much of the £126 million Wiltshire could expect to receive.  The Service Director, Commissioning & Performance explained that Wiltshire was working with a wide range of providers and contracts, worth up to £2,200, were in place to help with support for vulnerable groups.  

The Select Committee received a report which set out the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the report of the Special Schools and Post-16 SEN Task Group, which was endorsed by the Committee at its last meeting on 26 July 2012.  The report also contained responses from Wiltshire NHS to recommendations 2, 3 and 10 which related to services commissioned by the Primary Care Trust (PCT).  The Committee was invited to note the Cabinet Member’s response and decide any further action that needed to be taken. 

During discussion the following points were made:-

·                There was a general view that the level of service likely to be required in the future had been underestimated and that additional funding would be required especially with projected growths in population.

·                A certain amount of concern was expressed at the level of some healthcare provision in schools, in particular the lack of training of some teaching staff to carry out certain procedures such as the changing and cleaning of tracheotomy tubes.

·                Whilst Members were pleased to note the proposals for a new care home on land at the former Paddocks site to replace the existing Larkrise School, Trowbridge, the need for additional land to increase current outdoor space was endorsed.

·                Disappointment was expressed that no funding was available for an Eco-Learning Centre at Rowdeford School, Rowde.

It was noted that the Task Group would be reconvened to undertake further work, including:-

(i)        a visit to Wiltshire College’s provision for post-16 learners with SEN.

(ii)       consideration of the identification of Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BSED) in primary school aged children.

(iii)      an investigation to identify out of County resources being used by Wiltshire.

(iv)      an examination of mainstream schools to identify the level of SEN provision they make. 

After further discussion,

Resolved:

(1)       To note the response of the Cabinet member for Children’s Services to the Task Group’s report.

(2)       To note that the Task Group would reconvene to undertake further work as requested by this Select Committee and would report its findings back to this Committee in due course.        

(3)       To request the Task Group to also consider the responses provided by the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services in detail and to receive the various pieces of further information offered with that response.

A report from the Further Education in the Salisbury Area Task Group, having considered the concerns raised by Sarum Academy regarding the Task Group’s final report.

At its July meeting, the Children’s Select Committee received the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Task Group’s final report. At this meeting, Ruth Johnson,  Principal of Sarum Academy, raised a number of concerns about the report’s circulation and its accuracy in regards to Sarum Academy. The Children’s Select Committee asked the Task Group to reconvene to consider the points raised and report back to the Committee at a later date. The Task Group met on 24 August and were joined by Ruth Johnson, Principal of Sarum Academy.

The Committee is asked to note the Task Group’s conclusions and bring them to the attention of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.

Consideration was given to a report from the Further Education in the Salisbury Area Task Group, having considered the concerns raised by Sarum Academy regarding the Task Group’s final report. 

At its July meeting, the Children’s Select Committee received the response of

the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Task Group’s final report. At this meeting, Ruth Johnson, Principal of Sarum Academy, raised a number of concerns about the report’s circulation and its accuracy in regard to Sarum

Academy. This Select Committee asked the Task Group to reconvene to consider the points raised and report back to the Committee at a later date. The Task Group met on 24 August 2012 and were joined by Ruth Johnson, Principal of Sarum Academy.

The Committee also received a copy of a letter dated 21 June to Carolyn Godfrey, Corporate Director from three of Sarum Academy’s four sponsors setting out their areas of concern together with a response sent my Dr Mike Thompson, Chairman of the Task Group, dated 11 July.

After some discussion.

Resolved:

(1)       To note the conclusions of the Further Education in the Salisbury Area Task Group and bring them to the attention of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.

(2)       To thank Ruth Johnson, Principal of Sarum Academy, for attending the Task Group meeting on 24 August 2012 and for her engagement in the scrutiny process.

The Select Committee received an update on the activity of the following Task Groups:-

·                     Safeguarding Children & Young People Task Group

·                     Special School and Post-16 SEN Task Group

·                     Major Contracts Task Group

Resolved:

(1)       To note the contents of the report.

(2)       To note that the Major Contracts Task Group would be meeting in October, when Members would conduct their annual review of the Council’s contract with the White Horse Education Partnership (WHEP).   

The Committee is asked to note the attached draft Forward Work Programme.

The Committee received the Forward Work Programme for consideration and comment, it being noted that this would be presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee for endorsement.

Resolved:

To approve the Committee’s Forward Work Programme and commend it to the Overview & Scrutiny Management Committee to be endorsed.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items of business.

To note that the next meeting will be held on Thursday 29 November 2012, starting at 10.30am at the Council’s Offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham.

Resolved:

To note that the next meeting of this Committee would be held on Thursday 29 November 2012, starting at 10.30am at the Council’s Offices, Monkton Park, Chippenham.