Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents the draft 2016/17 Agreements for the Children and Families and Education Portfolios (Appendices 1 & 2) for consideration and comment by the Committee.

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

Officer Contact: Gaynor Ward on Tel: 474 3186 or email: gaynor.ward@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Corporate Director, Services to People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing for comment the draft 2016/2017 portfolio agreements for the Children and Families and Education Portfolios for 2016/2017. The Executive Councillor (Children and Families) and the Executive Councillor (Education) attended the meeting and answered Councillors questions in respect to the report.

The following comments were made/issues raised

Children and Family Services Portfolio

·         The coming year presents many challenges at a local level within Stockport given the changing landscape being generated by the emerging proposals for the Greater Manchester devolution of Children’s Services.

·         The Stockport Family concept is to be supported and nurtured to allow time to “bed-in” having only been fully implemented from 1st April 2016. The first indications are that integrated working and restorative approaches are working well.

·         Achieving the reduction of 20% of spend on looked after children is particularly demanding. Childcare is a high policy priority area that during the coming year will be subject to examination.

·         The Education and Adoption Act had received royal consent in March 2016 which included the provision to establish joint arrangements for the carrying out of local authority adoption functions. Stockport Council is part of a Greater Manchester and Cheshire East Partnership which

successfully obtained funding in 2015/16 as an early adopter of ‘regionalisation’. Councillors requested a report be submitted to a future meeting on this project.

Education Portfolio

·         Key areas of focus included the delivery of improved performance in the Adults’ services, creating opportunity through apprenticeships, road safety, ensuring the number of primary and secondary places meets existing pressures and Special Educational Needs and Inclusion.

·         A Portfolio priority was raising educational attainment across the Borough and making sure those children and young people at risk of under-achievement receive the additional support they need.

·         The redesign of Special Educational Needs Transport.

·         The Government will define the criteria for ‘coasting’ schools following the publication of the 2015/16 attainment data and it is expected that ‘coasting’ interventions will commence during the 2016/17 academic year. Coasting interventions will apply to local authority maintained schools and academies.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.