Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2012.

The minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 14 March 2012 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

No declarations of interest were made.

There were no call-in items to consider.

The Corporate Director for People will attend the meeting and provide members with an update in respect to local and national issues which will be of interest to the Scrutiny Committee over the forthcoming year.

A representative of the Corporate Director for People attended the meeting and explained that a number of presentations would be made to the Committee providing and update in respect to local an national issues which may be of interest to the Scrutiny Committee over the forthcoming year.

School Improvement Service

Phil Beswick, Head of School Improvement made a presentation in respect to challenges facing the School Improvement Service. The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The introduction of a new inspection framework which aimed to improve leadership, the quality of teaching and increase accountability.

·         The importance of measuring progress and outputs.

·         The Service would support all schools, whilst focussing on those which were likely to be vulnerable at their next inspection.

·         Information contained in Ofsted reports will differ in the future.

·         The recruitment of Head teachers, particularly in the primary sector, would be a pressure in the future.

Issues facing Participation and Education Services

Alison Creswell, Head of Participation and Education Services, made a presentation in respect to the key issues facing the Participation and Education Service. The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Key issues were raising the participation age, reducing the number of young people aged 16-18 years not in education, employment or training and combating an increase in youth unemployment.

·         Attempts to get young people involved community projects.

·         Analysis undertaken in respect to “young people with destination not known” and performance monitoring.

·         Monthly monitoring of levels of young people not in employment, education or training.

·         Support provided to young people both during and after their apprenticeship.

·         Information and support provided to Year 11 pupils.

Primary Capacity Issues

Stephen Bell, Head of Commissioning School Places, made a presentation in respect to pressures on primary school places and allocations. The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Local Authority had met its obligation to offer all parents a place for their child on the 15^th April but there had been several dozen late applications which had resulted in some schools now having waiting lists.

·         In 2003/2004 the intake had been in the region of 2,300 children, to demonstrate the current level of pressure on placed the figure for 2012 was 3,326.

·         Measures taken to address these pressures included a number of expansion projects in local schools. The cost of expanding a school isn’t just the provision of new classrooms, it also included enlarging the staffroom/play areas/hall and could often include repairs to existing buildings. Projects were anticpated to take 18-24 months to complete.

Key Childhood Health Issues for the forthcoming years

Donna Sager, Service Director, Strategy & Performance made a presentation in respect to challenges for the future addressing key childhood health issues. The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Profiling revealed that the health of children in Stockport was generally better than, or similar to, the England average.

·         Infant and child mortality rates were similar to average and the percentage of babies with a low birth weight was lower than average. Additionally, children in Stockport have lower levels of obesity than average.

·         Smoking in pregnancy was a problem area in Stockport and figures were above the national average and continue to show little improvement. The problem is particularly related to young mothers in deprived areas.

·         The link between alcohol related hospital admissions and deprivation.

·         Oral health and access to dentistry in the borough.

Stockport Troubled Families Programme

Chris McLoughlin, Service Director, Social Care & Health made a presentation in respect to the Troubled Families programme, outlining key challenges over the forthcoming year. The following comments were made/issue raised:-

·         The aim of the programme was to improve outcomes by delivering innovative interventions and to challenge delivery that duplicated effort/cost.

·         A Greater Manchester wide approach would be utilised to evaluate impact and to provide consistency across Local Authority’s.

·         An outline of the financial framework within which the programme is to be delivered.

·         The approach in Stockport involves a wide range of agencies and services  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report provides the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the scrutiny review into the Council’s Family Support Services conducted during the 2011-2012 municipal year prior to its submission to the Executive.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Viki Packman 0161 474 5709 email: viki.packman@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the scrutiny review into the Council’s Family Support Services conducted during the 2011-12 municipal year prior to its submission to the Executive.

The Chair thanked all the Councillors and officers who had taken part in the review.

RESOLVED – That the recommendations contained within the report be endorsed and that they be submitted to the Executive for consideration.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report provides the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the proceedings of the last meeting of the Children’s Trust Board which was held on 12 March 2012.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer Contact: Steve Fox on 0161 474 3206 email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the Scrutiny Committee with the opportunity to comment on the proceedings of the last meeting of the Children’s Trust Board which was held on 12 March 2012.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Director for People be requested to submit a report to a future meeting in respect to Young Carers.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer Contact: Steve Fox 0161 474 3206  email: stephen.fox@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out planned agenda items which fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That the Corporate Director for People be requested to provide updates to a future meeting on the following:-

·         Primary Capacity Issues

·         The Local Authorities relationship with the newly formed Academies

·         Funding to Schools

·         The outcomes of the Scrutiny Review on Services for Young People

(3) That the Corporate Director for People be requested to add the following items to the list of potential Scrutiny Review topics for consideration at the next meeting:-

·         Private Children’s Care Homes

·         Childhood Health issues