Agenda for Children & Young People Cabinet Member Meeting on Monday, 8th September, 2008, 4.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 210 KBVenue: Banqueting Suite, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: Nara Miranda, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business (a) Declarations of Interest by all Members present of any personal interests in matters on the agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Members regard the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct
(b) Exclusion of Press and Public - To consider whether, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, or the nature of the proceedings, the press and public should be excluded from the meeting when any of the following items are under consideration.
NOTE: Any item appearing in Part 2 of the Agenda states in its heading the category under which the information disclosed in the report is exempt from disclosure and therefore not available to the public.
A list and description of the exempt categories is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes:
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes of the previous meeting held on 21 July 2008 and the special meeting held on 31 July 2008 (copies attached). Minutes: 35.1 RESOLVED –
(1) That the minutes of the meeting held on 21 July 2008 be approved and signed by the Cabinet Member as a correct record.
(2) That the minutes of the Special meeting held on 31 July 2008 be approved and signed by the Cabinet Member as a correct record. |
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: 36.1 There were none. |
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Items reserved for discussion (a) Items reserved by the Cabinet Member
(b) Items reserved by the Opposition Spokesperson
(c) Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.
Minutes: 37.1 RESOLVED – All the items were reserved for discussion by the Cabinet Member. |
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Public Questions No public questions have been received.
Minutes: 38.1 There were none. |
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Written Questions from Councillors No written questions have been received. Minutes: 39.1 There were none. |
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Petitions No petitions have been received.
Minutes: 40.1 There were none. |
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Deputations No deputations have been received.
Minutes: 41.1 There were none. |
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Letters from Councillors (i) Tackling Child Poverty – Letter from Cllr Hawkes (copy attached).
Minutes: 42. (i) Letter – Tackling Child Poverty – Invitation to submit expressions of interest in local authority led pilots.
42.1 A letter was received from Councillor Hawkes, regarding the submission of expressions of interest from local authorities in relation to the Government initiative aimed at reducing child poverty levels still further in the UK by 2020. Cllr Hawkes indicated that she believed that if Brighton & Hove submitted an expression of interest, it could be successful in running one or more of the pilot schemes suggested, because there were areas in the city which matched some of the assessment criteria supplied by the Government.
42.2 The Cabinet Member confirmed that Brighton & Hove had submitted an initial bid in early September and officers were waiting for the outcome. The Cabinet Member also explained that if the initial bid was successful, a full bid would be submitted by November 2008.
42.3 RESOLVED – That the letter be noted and Cllr Hawkes be informed of any progress. |
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Notices of Motions referred from Council No Notices of Motion have been received.
Minutes: 43.1 There were none. |
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Matters referred for reconsideration No matters have been referred. Minutes: 44.1 There were none. |
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Reports from Overview & Scrutiny Committees No reports have been received. Minutes: 45.1 There were none. |
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Primary Strategy for Change
Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: 1. That the Primary Strategy for Change be approved.
2. That the responses to the consultation undertaken during June, July and September be noted. Minutes: 46.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Primary Strategy for Change. The report informed Members of the preparation of such strategy, which would inform of the city’s priorities for capital investment in primary schools for the next fourteen years (for copy see minute book).
46.2 Cllr Hawkes requested that the consultation was as comprehensive as possible and hoped it would address all the relevant issues.She stated that her political group wished to have a serious debate on the issue and they would be interested to be made aware of the outcome of this work.
46.3 RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:
(I) That the Primary Strategy for Change be approved.
(2) That the responses to the consultation undertaken during June, July and September be noted. |
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Early Years Capital Grant Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Decision: 1. That the following strategy for the funding be agreed:
·
To improve outcomes for young children and to narrow the gap for
the most disadvantaged children by targeting funding on those
groups with the worst environments identified in a citywide audit
of rented premises or where capital alterations are needed to
include children with disabilities.
·
To support the Council’s childcare sufficiency duty by
targeting funding on settings which offer affordable childcare,
where childcare places are needed to meet local demand. This will include ensuring that sessional providers can offer the increased
entitlement to 15 hours of flexible, free early years provision and could include expanding the
number of places where there is clear evidence of unmet
demand. · To link with the Primary Capital Strategy by aiming to relocate groups in the poorest multi-purpose accommodation into purpose built premises on school sites where possible, taking into account the local demand for places and the quality of existing provision.
2. That all landlords and providers allocated funding should agree to funding conditions including opening for a minimum of 15 hours a week, 38 weeks a year to fit with the extension of the free early years entitlement, to commit that the premises will be used for childcare for at least 5 years, and to not raise the rent above inflation as a consequence of the improvements.
3.
That the following initial funding
priorities for the first year’s funding of £1,062,000 (this
can be carried into 2009/10) and that the Cabinet Member for
Children and Young People should agree individual grants to
providers. The initial allocation be
agreed as follows:
a)
£312,000 for
grants of up to £50,000 for groups identified in the citywide
audit as needing improvements to their internal and external areas
which can be made with a small grant. The first priority will be
for groups in multi-use premises and the second will be for
voluntary groups in rented premises.
b)
£100,000 for
adaptations to buildings and special equipment to include children
with disabilities (eg. ramps and stair
lifts). This would be open to all
groups where the need is agreed by the Pre School SEN
Service.
c)
£50,000 to pay
for feasibility studies where there are serious defects in
buildings which cannot be met with a small grant. The results of these studies will be used to
inform funding decisions for subsequent years.
d)
£100,000 for
grants of up to £3,000 a group for equipment for all groups
in multi-use premises to help them manage clearing away at the end
of each session and for all voluntary run groups.
e)
£500,000 to fund
an extension at Peter Gladwin Primary School to house a local
pre-school and to agree to ask both local pre-schools to express an
interest in moving in to the new premises. Minutes: 47.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the Brighton & Hove strategy for allocating the Sure Start Early Years Capital Grant received from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (for copy see minute book).
47.2 The Head of Services, City Early Years and Childcare, presented the report and explained that the strategy was aimed at directing funds received from the DCSF. She explained that some of the funding would also be utilised to improve facilities in existing premises.
47.3 Cllr Hawkes welcomed the report and welcomed the focus on adaptations for children with disabilities. She indicated that she was pleased to see the money being focused properly and hoped this would continue.
47.4 RESOLVED – That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet Member accepted the following recommendations:
(1) That the following strategy for the funding be agreed:
a.
To improve outcomes for young children and to narrow the gap for
the most disadvantaged children by targeting funding on those
groups with the worst environments identified in a citywide audit
of rented premises or where capital alterations are needed to
include children with disabilities.
b.
To support the Council’s childcare sufficiency duty by
targeting funding on settings which offer affordable childcare,
where childcare places are needed to meet local demand. This will include ensuring that sessional providers can offer the increased
entitlement to 15 hours of flexible, free early years provision and could include expanding the
number of places where there is clear evidence of unmet
demand. c. To link with the Primary Capital Strategy by aiming to relocate groups in the poorest multi-purpose accommodation into purpose built premises on school sites where possible, taking into account the local demand for places and the quality of existing provision.
(2) That all landlords and providers allocated funding should agree to funding conditions including opening for a minimum of 15 hours a week, 38 weeks a year to fit with the extension of the free early years entitlement, to commit that the premises will be used for childcare for at least 5 years, and to not raise the rent above inflation as a consequence of the improvements.
(3)
That the following initial funding
priorities for the first year’s funding of £1,062,000 (this
can be carried into 2009/10) and that the Cabinet Member for
Children and Young People should agree individual grants to
providers. The initial allocation be
agreed as follows:
a.
£312,000 for
grants of up to £50,000 for groups identified in the citywide
audit as needing improvements to their internal and external areas
which can be made with a small grant. The first priority will be
for groups in multi-use premises and the second will be for
voluntary groups in rented premises.
b.
£100,000 for
adaptations to buildings and special equipment to include children
with disabilities (eg. ramps and stair
lifts). This would be open to all
groups where the need is agreed by the Pre School SEN
Service.
c.
£50,000 to pay
for feasibility studies where there are serious defects in
buildings which cannot be met with a small grant. The results of these studies will be used to
inform funding decisions for subsequent years.
d.
£100,000 for
grants of up to £3,000 a group for equipment for all groups
in multi-use premises to help them manage clearing away at the end
of each session and for all voluntary run groups.
e.
£500,000 to fund
an extension at Peter Gladwin Primary School to house a local
pre-school and to agree to ask both local pre-schools to express an
interest in moving in to the new premises. |
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School Admissions Arrangements - Outcomes and Issues 2008/09
Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached). Additional documents: Decision: That the outcomes of the school admission arrangements for 2008/9 are noted. Minutes: 48.1 The Cabinet Member considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning the School Admissions Arrangements, which set out the outcomes of the school admission arrangements for those starting school in September 2008, and the operation of the key policies for those applying outside the main admission round (for copy see minute book).
48.2 The Head of School Admissions and Transport highlighted the significant reductions registered in terms of the directed allocations made for secondary school admissions 2008/09; he explained that after an initial figure of 83 applicants directed to a school they had not given as a preference, by September only 38 applicants had not been allocated a place at any of their preferred schools. This was in contrast to 150 applicants in the same situation in the 2007/08 admissions.
48.3 The Head of School Admissions and Transport also highlighted that, due to demand in central Hove, one additional class had been agreed at Davidgor Infant school and another at West Blatchington Infant School to accommodate local children. He also reported on the outcomes of the school admission appeals, where, in secondary schools, successful appeals were reduced to 38 for 2008/09 admissions round compared to 63 successful appeals last year.
48.4 Cllr Hawkes praised the work of the officers involved in this process. She hoped that next year it would be possible to even further the number of directions undertaken. She requested that officers continued to use what had proved to be successful strategies and monitored the projections of pupil numbers for the future, particularly where the Hove area was concerned.
48.5 The Director of Children’s Services indicated that, through the use of GP registration data, officers were aware that the school age population was increasing in Hove. She explained that, in view of this, officers were looking at ways to enhance the provision for schools in this area, which could entail the creation of a new primary school or enlarging existing schools.
48.6 RESOLVED - That the outcomes of the school admission arrangements for 2008/9 be noted. |
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