Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 8 July 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 8 July 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interests they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interest were declared:-

Personal Interests

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report provides the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRRs) for the Supporting Children, and Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolios are presented for consideration by the Committee. These provide an early update on progress in delivering the portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing in Stockport programme and other key projects during the first quarter of 2015/16. They include forecast performance data (where this is available) and projected financial data for the Portfolios, along with an update on the portfolio savings programmes.

Scrutiny Committee is asked to:

a)      Consider the First Update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports;  

b)      Review the progress against delivering key projects, priority outcomes, targets and budgets for 2015/16;

c)      Highlight key areas of and responsibility for taking forward corrective action to address any performance or resource issues;

d)      Highlight any significant issues or changes to be fed back to the Executive alongside the Corporate Performance and Resource Report;

e)      Identify how areas of strong performance and good practice can be shared in other services.

Officer contact: Gaynor Alexander on 0161 474 3186 or email: gaynor.alexander@stockport.gov.uk / Simon Finch on 0161 474 4019 or email simon.finch@stockport.gov.uk

Representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing the first Portfolio and Resource Reports (PPRRs) for the Supporting Children and the Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolios. The reports included forecast performance data and projected financial data including an update on the portfolio savings programme.

The Executive Councillors (Supporting Children) and (Safe and Resilient Communities) attended the meeting and answered Councillors questions.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

Support Children Portfolio

·         Following the successful bid to the Department of Education Innovation Fund, work to redesign and align the current children’s social care system and the Integrated Children’s Services as part of the Stockport Family approach had accelerated.

·         The Council was reviewing services for children with special educational needs and disabilities with a view to integrating with the Integrated Children’s Services.

·         Mosaic and the Healthy Stockport Services were working together to implement a new pathway for the referral of 18-25 year olds with ‘risky’ alcohol consumption and to improve education in schools about alcohol misuse.

·         The review of SEN Transport was underpinned by the objective of bettering outcomes for Children and Young People and providing opportunities for greater independence.

·         The review of the Children’s Disability Partnership – detail is part of the Stockport Family approach and part of the business case which would be considered by the Council Executive.

·         The Committee welcomed the positive comments received by the Care Quality Commission in respect to the work of Café Zest.

·         Clarification was sought in respect to Locality Working and how the specific localities were selected. It was confirmed that the four localities mirrored the four Clinical Commissioning Group locality areas.

·         Tracking young people in order to prevent then being NEET – information and advice and guidance in schools and the role of Young People’s Workers. The cohort of children on Free School Meals have been identified as the children most at risk.

·         Hospital admissions – there were thirty trained injury champions in the borough trained to help prevent accidents and it was hoped that there would be positive results to report to future meetings with a reduction in hospital admissions.

·         Clarification was sought in respect to the potential overspend in respect to external placements and the Stockport Family approach to reduce the spend on Looked After Children.

·         The relationship between the Council and Stockport Homes in respect to Youth provision in neighbourhoods.

·         Concern was expressed and further clarification was sought in relation to the forecast £340,000 surplus in the portfolio budget as it relates to Services for Young People. Councillors requested that an update report be submitted to a future meeting in respect to services to young people.

Safe and Resilient Communities Portfolio

·         Standards in schools continued to improve reflected by an increase in the number of schools related ‘good’ or ‘better’ and provisional date also suggested that the educational attainment of pupils in Early Years, Key Stage 1 and 2 for 2014/2015 had improved.

·         A number of projects to increase pupil capacity in schools were underway and were on course for completion in Autumn 2015. Indicators suggested that all parents or guardians who had asked for a school place had been allocated one.

·         Addressing the number of permanent exclusions continued to be a priority. As a proportion the number of pupils excluded from Academies in the borough remained high. A working group had been established incorporating two secondary school heads – looking at how children are supported and on their return to the mainstream.

·         The creation of a free school (primary) in the Cheadle Hulme area sponsored by Cheadle Hulme educational trust – target date for opening was September 2017.

·         Issues relating to extending Greave Primary School.

·         Efforts undertaken to improve the take up of free school meals and pupil premium.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report requests the Scrutiny Committee to consider the selection of a Scrutiny Review topic to be carried out during the 2015/2016 municipal year.

The Scrutiny Committee are requested to select a Scrutiny Review topic for the 2015/2016 municipal year.

Officer Contact: Craig Ainsworth on Tel: 474 3204 or email: craig.ainsworth@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Democratic Services Manager submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) requesting the Area Committee to select a scrutiny review topic for the 2015/2016 municipal year and to nominate Councillors to take part in the review.

RESOLVED – (1) That reviews on ‘Educational provision for 16-19 year olds’ and ‘Issues effecting Looked After Children in their transition to adulthood

be selected by this Scrutiny Committee for inclusion in the 2015/16 Scrutiny Work Programme.

(2) That Councillors Colin Foster (Lead Councillor), Annette Finnie and Paul Porgess be nominated to sit on the proposed scrutiny review panels.

(3) That Councillors Laura Booth and Elise Wilson be informed of the meeting dates in the event that they are able to participate in the reviews.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

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

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Stephen Fox on Tel: 474 3206 or 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 for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and any forward plan items that fell within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.