Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 September 2015.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 23 September 2015 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Councillors and Officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and Officers were invited to declare any interest which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

Councillor                                         Interest

To consider call-in items (if any)

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents for consideration the mid-year Portfolio Performance and Resource Reports for the Supporting Children and Safe & Resilient Communities Portfolios. The reports provide summary progress in delivering the portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing in Stockport programme and other key projects during the first half of 2015/2016, with updates on key activity during the second quarter. They also include forecast performance data and projected financial data for the portfolios including an update on the portfolio savings programme.

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

Officer Contact: Gaynor Ward on Tel: 474 3816 or email: gaynor.ward@stockport.gov.uk

Representatives of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a summary for delivering the portfolio priority outcomes through the Investing In Stockport Programme and other key projects during the first half of 2015/2016 with updates on key activity during the second quarter.

The Executive Councillors Supporting Children (Councillor Wendy Meikle) and Safe &Resilient Communities (Councillor Shan Alexander) attended the meeting to respond from questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Provisional education attainment data for 2014/2015 indicated improved outcomes at Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2.

·         Councillors noted the excellent work of the School Improvement Team for closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

·         Data showed that in the last academic year there had been a slight increase in the number of permanent exclusions. Consequently, a Working Group had been established with Secondary Heads to look at alternatives to exclusion and to promote consistency in approaches to managed transfers. There was an aim to get consistency between schools when dealing with managed transfers.

·         Performance at Key Stage 2 for pupils who are on pupil premium.

·         Further work had been undertaken to progress the redesign of children’s social care and Integrated Children’s Services as part of the Stockport Family approach, work to secure the co-location of teams had accelerated and the Heatons and Tame Valley locality team had moved into accommodation in Central House. It was anticipated that all teams would be co-located from April 2016.

·         Additional funding of £584,000 had been released by Stockport CCG to enhance the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) subject to the development of a local transformation plan.

·         Councillors noted that Public Health had agreed to commit staff resources to work with Mosaic to develop a project based on the successful Orebro model to engage parents and schools in projects designed to prevent alcohol misuse amongst secondary school aged children.

·         Councillors welcomed the additional funding for CAMHS. Councillors discussed how success would be measured and the detailed assessment approaches adopted in respect to monitoring improvements.

·         In respect to child poverty – monitoring was being undertaken in respect to the effect of universal credit and the impact on families from the local assistance scheme. The Child Poverty Strategy and monitoring also fed into the Children’s Trust meetings.

·         The National Child Measurement Programme – reintroduction of the programme was welcomed. Councillors asked that a report being submitted to a future meeting on the effects of the re-introduction.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention)

The report provides a briefing in relation to recent government measures to reduce delay in placing children for adoption, outlines the approach taken by Stockport in response, and provides information in relation to historical and current performance.

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

Officer Contact: Sue Westwood on Tel: 474 2726 or email: sue.westwood@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing a commentary in relation to recent government measures to reduce delays in placing children for adoption, outlining the approach taken by the Council in response and providing information in relation to historical and current performance.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The shortfall in adopters available in comparison to the numbers of children waiting remained a major concern for the Adoption services and the North West in general. As a high recruiter of adopters, Stockport was a significant provider of adopters to other authorities, but lack of recruitment elsewhere impacted on resources for Stockport children.

·         In 2011, a regional collaboration was formed with three other authorities, Cheshire East, Trafford and Tameside with a focus on improved recruitment over a wider geographical area. The collaboration enabled each individual authority to meet new regulations and standards for approval of adopters when they came into force in 2012.

·         Services commissioned for children with complex needs and the Child Specific Recruitment Project and the ‘It’s All About Me’ project. Bespoke plans are designed around a child and the family. Adoption Support assessments can be provided at any time.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report outlines how the School Improvement Service is supporting enhancing the teaching of mathematics in schools. The report explains the national and local context, comments on Ofsted expectations, provides an overview of the professional development support provided for enhancing the teaching of mathematics.

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

Officer Contact: Alan Beswick on Tel: 474 3918 or email: alan.beswick@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) explaining how the school improvement service was supporting enhancing the teaching of mathematics in schools. The report provides information in respect to the national and local context, Ofsted inspections and an overview of the professional development support provided for enhancing the teaching of mathematics.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Revisions to the national curriculum, introduced in September 2014, have increased the level of expectations in terms of what children should be able to demonstrate mathematically. In addition, at Key Stage 4, the new mathematics GCSE qualification, with greater vigour and additional content is being taught from September 2015 for the first award in Summer 2017.

·         Members noted that there had always been a significant level of support for Stockport teachers at all key stages in enhancing the teaching of mathematics. The subject has been, and remains, a key focus for consultant support and for school improvement advisor monitoring.

·         The School Improvement Team brokers support from local specialist leaders of education (SLEs) in mathematics who are commissioned to work with schools judged to require improvement.

·         Performance in maths for pupils at Key Stage 2 and particularly those in receipt of pupil premium.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention)

The report sets out the headline achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and outlines the priorities for the coming year. The work of the Youth Offending Service and the plan is monitored through the Youth Offending Service Partnership Board (YOS PB) which in turn reports to the Safer Stockport Partnership (SSP) and the Children’s Trust Board.

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

Officer Contact: Jacqui Belfield-Smith on Tel: 476 2876 or email: Jacqui.belfield-smith@stockport.gov.uk

The Service Director (Children’s Safeguarding and Prevention) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) outlining the key achievements against last year’s Youth Justice Plan and outlining the priorities for the coming year. The report explained that the work of the Youth Offending Service and the Youth Justice Plan was monitored through the Youth Offending Services Partnership Board which in turn report to the Safer Stockport Partnership and the Children’s Trust Board.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The Committee noted that 644 First Time Entrants had entered the system in the year to March 2006 compared to 72 in the year to March 2015. This represented a fall of 89% which placed the Services in the top 20% performers in the country and outperforming the North West and national average.

·         Stockport also had a substantially reduced re- offending rate of 28.6% compared to 35.6% a year ago.

·         The Youth Offending Service was subject to a HMI Probation Inspection in March 2015. The conclusions being that improvement had taken place since the previous inspection in 2009 and that mulita agency work was good, the service took a positive approach to work with Looked After Children and Case Managers had a good understanding of the children and young people with whom they worked.

·         Councillors discussed the ‘Junior Attendance Centre’ and the numbers of young people who attended and the delivery programme.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for People.

The report presents data for the Department of Education (DFE) statistical return that illustrates how the significantly larger cohorts of children currently in primary phase will advance into secondary provision. The report also presents information on a longer local analysis of numbers that is a departure from the DfE statistical modelling but one that illustrates the situation for 2021-2028.

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

Officer Contact: Stephen Bell on Tel: 474 3846 or email: stephen.bell@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Corporate Director for People submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) explaining how the significantly larger cohorts of children currently in primary phase education will advance into secondary provision in the immediate years ahead. The report also provides a longer range local analysis of numbers that is a departure from the DfE statistical modelling but one that illustrates the situation for 2021-2028.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Councillors noted that over the course of the past five years, the primary school population had increased rapidly. From a low of 22,000 in 2008 when the incoming Reception cohort was 2,800 the expected Reception cohort in September 2015 was 3,550. This increase was not divided equally across the borough with large numbers in the Heatons and across Cheadle and Cheadle Hulme.

·         As the larger primary numbers roll forward into the secondary sector there will be increased pressure on schools and Stockport will quickly have no capacity.

·         The large cohorts in the forthcoming years expected in Manchester may also place added pressure on secondary numbers in Stockport. Those schools on the Stockport/Manchester border – Kingsway, Priestnall, Reddish Vale, St Anne’s RC High may come under significant pressure.

·         Councillors commented that the ambition to create at least 7,000 new homes in Stockport over forthcoming years would further exacerbate the problem especially as at this moment it time it would not possible to predict where those homes would be built.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Democratic Services Manager.

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee 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.