Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 28 January 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 28 January 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 declarations were made.

Personal Interests

Councillor                                                     Interest

There were no call in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents for consideration the final update Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports (PPRR) for the Children & Young People and Lifelong Learning & Achievement Portfolios. The reports provide a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during the third quarter of 2014/15, and include full year forecast performance and financial data for each Portfolio. The reports also include a progress report and updated risk assessment of the portfolio savings programmes.

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

Officer Contact: Simon Finch on Tel: 474 4019 or email: simon.finch@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Corporate Director for People and the Executive Councillors Children & Young People and Lifelong Learning & Achievement submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary of progress in delivering the portfolio priorities, budgets and capital programmes during the third quarter of 2014/2015, including full year forecast performance and financial data for each Portfolio.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

Children and Young People portfolio

·         There had been a successful bid for Social Care Innovation Programme grant – the Council had been awarded £3.03m which would be used to further support the integration of social care with the integrated children’s service.

·         Data revealed that there had been a sustained improvement in early year’s provision as the number of child minders rated good or better had increased from 284 at the end of 2013/2014 to 297 in quarter 3 of 2014/2015.

·         There had been a reduction in the number of young offenders with 102 offenders recorded during the first 9 months of 2014/2015 compared to 133 during the same period in 2013/2014.

·         Concern was expressed that whilst the number of children who ran away from home during the first 9 months of 2014/2015 has stabilised , the number of children who had run away from care had increased.

·         Councillors requested that a report be submitted to a future meeting concerning the emotional well being of Looked After Children.

Lifelong Learning and Achievement portfolio

·         Schools have continued to perform at a high level. The 2013/2014 HMCI annual report identified Stockport as having ‘the highest percentage of leadership and management judged good or outstanding at 92%’. Councillors requested that this report be circulated for consideration.

·         There had been a sustained reduction in the number of young people not in education, employment or training which in part was attributable to the continued good work of the Apprenticeship Store in helping young people find training and employment.

·         The expansion of Greave Primary School and amendments to the capital programme.

·         The estimated cost for the capital investment needed to implement free school meals for all children in reception, year 1 and year 2 in state run schools. It was noted that four schools required build investment with three schemes commencing in the near future.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report provides an update on the implementation of the reform duties following the update provided to the Scrutiny Committee in July 2014.

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

Officer Contact: Cath Millington on Tel: 474 2563 or email: cath.millington@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the implementation of the reform duties since the last update provided to the Scrutiny Committee in July 2014.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Parents and carers sat on all working groups and also on the 0-25 Board.

·         The core principles of the reform was to ensure that children, young people and their families were as involved as fully as possible in decisions and to support them to do so.

·         A fully developed personal budgets policy had been created identifying those health, care and education budgets which could be offered as part of a personal budget.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents for consideration the findings and subsequent recommendations following a recent public consultation concerning Admission Arrangements for academic year 2016/17.

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

Officer Contact: Phil Beswick on Tel: 474 3832 or email: phil.beswick@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) presenting findings and subsequent recommendations following a recent public consultation concerning the admission arrangements for the academic year 2016/2017.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The challenge faced by the Local Authority in the next three to four years in both the primary and secondary sector caused by rising birth rates and inward migration.

·         The Panel noted that the results of the consultation exercise were mixed.

·         Concern was expressed at the potential impact to the change of policy on transitional siblings and that many children may not be able to follow their elder siblings to the same school should they change catchment area. A number of Councillors did not agree with the proposals detailed in the report.

·         The Committee acknowledged that the Council had to take appropriate action in view of the rulings made by the Schools Adjudicator in 2013 and 2014 concerning school catchment areas in the Heatons.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted and the Executive be requested to take into account the views expressed by the Scrutiny Committee when making their decision.

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 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.