Agenda item

To present the response of the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to the Final Report of the Positive Leisure Time Activities for Young People Task Group.

The task group’s final report was endorsed with one amendment by the Committee on 29 April. It was then referred to Cabinet, who took the final decision on this matter at an extraordinary meeting on 15 May 2014. The report to Cabinet, which included the task group’s final report as an appendix (5), is attached to the Cabinet Member’s response herein.

Having considered the report from the Corporate Director (Children Services) and the Associate Director, Children’s Social Care, on 15 May Cabinet resolved to:

i)       “Adopt the key principles for a new operating model as set out in the report;

ii)      Authorise implementation of the community-led model for youth activities to increase the opportunities for young people’s involvement and engagement;

iii)    Approve that the community-led operating model for youth activities maximises the amount of funding available to community area boards and local coordination;

iv)    Delegate authority to Councillor Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and senior officers to develop and implement the new operating model, taking account of i)-iii) above and the recommendations of the scrutiny task group.”

The Committee is asked to note the decision of Cabinet, the Cabinet Member’s response to the task group’s final report and to comment as appropriate. Members may also wish to consider the what further role they may wish to play in regards to the agreed model’s implementation.

The Committee received a report by the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services setting out her response to the Final Report of the Positive Leisure Time Activities for Young People Task Group.

The task group’s final report was endorsed with one amendment by the Committee on 29 April. It was then referred to Cabinet, who took the final decision on this matter at an extraordinary meeting on 15 May 2014, when it resolved to:

“i) Adopt the key principles for a new operating model as set out in the report;

ii) Authorise implementation of the community-led model for youth activities to increase the opportunities for young people’s involvement and engagement;

iii) Approve that the community-led operating model for youth activities maximises the amount of funding available to community area boards and local coordination;

iv) Delegate authority to Councillor Laura Mayes, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and senior officers to develop and implement the new operating model, taking account of i)-iii) above and the recommendations of the scrutiny task group.”

Having noted the decision of Cabinet and the Cabinet Member’s response to the task group’s final report, the following points were raised:-

·                The Committee was delighted that so many young people had shown an interest in this matter and had put forward their views.  The Committee also noted with pleasure the valuable contribution made by Kaylum House, the children & young people’s representative on the Committee, at meetings of the task group.

·                The Chairman expressed his disappointment at the wording of the response regarding the costing that the task group put forward because the numbers used were provided and validated by Officers.  It was considered that the response that the costing figures were ‘unrealistic’ undermined the work of the task group.

Cllr Laura Mayes responded and apologised for the negative connotations which were not intended and agreed to amend the wording to reflect this.  She also explained that the response did not indicate that the costing was incorrect but rather that the role of the new posts of Community Youth Officer was more complex than the current posts of Youth Worker and required a higher salary.  

·                Members suggested that Area Boards should have the option of employing youth workers that were about to be made redundant or to have the option of providing the funding for a youth worker to remain centrally employed for their area.  It was pointed out that this would not be possible as the new policy adopted by Cabinet did not allow for the employment of youth workers centrally. The redundancy process had already commenced with staff leaving at the end of September 2014. 

The transition arrangements were being finalised and would be available shortly.

Resolved:

(1)       To note the Cabinet Member’s response to the Final Report of the Positive Leisure Time Activities for Young People Task Group.

(2)       To request that the Positive Leisure Time Activities for Young People Task Group examine the proposed communication to the Area Boards prior to it being circulated.

(3)       To request the Chairman and Vice-Chairman consider the inclusion of youth work into the terms of reference of the Early Help Task Group when they set that Task Group’s terms of reference.