Council

Agenda Item 88   


       

Subject:                    Provision for children and young people

 

Date of meeting:    1 February 2024

 

Proposer:                 Councillor Jacqui Simon

Seconder:                Councillor Maureen Winder

 

Ward(s) affected:   All

 

 

Notice of Motion

 

Labour Group Amendment

 

 

That deletions are made as shown with strikethrough below and additional recommendations are added as shown in bold italics below:

 

 

This council notes:

 

1)    The crucial role child and youth provision, including by the community and voluntary sector, plays in the physical, mental, and social development of young people in Brighton & Hove

2)    The impact of school and nursery closures in the context of a nationwide crisis in early years, which has caused concern among local authorities about the ability to deliver the extension of the Government’s 30 hours free childcare scheme

3)    The fragile state of central government funding for youth services, and in national funding for children’s social care, impacting on the life chances of young people, care leavers, and those needing extra support from 0-25

 

4)    the success and hardwork of the council’s Family Hubs in supporting children, young people and families across the city

 

Therefore, resolves to:

 

1)    Request a report to the Children, Families, and Schools Committee detailing:

 

a.    our support for the work of the full list of CVS organisations in the city in receipt of council funding, so the administration can consider how best to we can look to protect these services commission them to deliver the policies and priorities of the council plan champion their values, and;

 

b.    how this council can work more closely with young people, children and families, in particular to review guarantee a the current minimum consultation period of six weeks ahead of any future on proposals to close or move any early years childcare, schools, or child and youth provision;

 

c.    how our communications can more effectively reach all children and young people to ensure minimal impact to their education and wellbeing during periods of change,and how their voices can be heard when budget cuts affecting their services are being considered;

 

d.    sets out the principles the administration adopted how we can work with educators to establish a clear framework for deciding which schools or nurseries should close, and how this would be applied in a way that is if more closures are considered in future.

 

 

Recommendations to read if carried:

 

This council notes:

 

1)         The crucial role child and youth provision, including by the community and voluntary sector, plays in the physical, mental, and social development of young people in Brighton & Hove

 

2)         The impact of school and nursery closures in the context of a nationwide crisis in early years, which has caused concern among local authorities about the ability to deliver the extension of the Government’s 30 hours free childcare scheme

 

3)         The fragile state of central government funding for youth services, and in national funding for children’s social care, impacting on the life chances of young people, care leavers, and those needing extra support from 0-25

 

4)         the success and hardwork of the council’s Family Hubs in supporting children, young people and families across the city

 

Therefore, resolves to:

 

1)    Request a report to the Children, Families, and Schools Committee detailing:

 

a.    the full list of CVS organisations in the city in receipt of council funding, so the administration can consider how best to commission them to deliver the policies and priorities of the council plan

 

b.    how this council can work more closely with young people, children and families, in particular to review the current minimum consultation period of six weeks on proposals to close or move any early years childcare, schools, or child and youth provision;

 

c.    how our communications can more effectively reach all children and young people to ensure minimal impact to their education and wellbeing during periods of change

 

d.    sets out the principles the administration adopted for deciding which schools should close, and how this would be applied if more closures are considered in future.