Agenda item - Children, Young People and Skills Committee strategic priorities 2015-2019

Report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services (copy attached)

Contact Officer: Carolyn Bristow                                        Tel: 01273 293736

Ward Affected: All Wards

RESOLVED - That the Committee:

(1)  Noted the report

(2)  Agreed the Strategic Priorities set out in the report

(3)  Agreed that future reports to the Committee should clearly state which priority (or priorities) they support the delivery of

19.1    The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Children’s Services which set out the strategic priorities of the Children Young People and Skills Committee for the next four years. The report was introduced by the Executive Director of Children’s Services.

19.2    Councillor Barradell noted that the Directorate Plan made no reference to working with school governors and asked if that could be included. The Chair said it would

19.3    Councillor Brown asked how the strategic priorities would be monitored. The Chair said that all reports coming to the Committee would have to state which of the priorities it related to. Councillor Brown referred to paragraph 4.1 of the report and suggested that it should refer to young people up to the age of ‘25’ rather than ‘19’.  The Chair agreed.

19.4    Councillor Wealls asked why the strategic priorities were being introduced. The Chair said that it was a new administration who felt it was important to be more proactive and engaged in setting out its priorities. The administration wanted to set out the benchmark of what it wanted to achieve. He added that although there was no legal requirement to have an action plan, it was good practice.

19.5    Riziki Millanzi (Youth Council) referred to the first Directorate Objective, and asked if young people would be consulted. The Chair said that they would.

19.6    Councillor Marsh referred to the second and third Directorate Objectives and suggested that it could be better worded to include the Council’s responsibility as Corporate Parents. The Executive Director of Children’s Services said that children in care and corporate parenting had a number of statutory responsibilities and those responsibilities sat with the Corporate Parenting Board. The Directorate Plan would be looking at actions to reduce the number of children in care.

19.7    Councillor Knight referred to paragraph 3.4 and asked why children in receipt of ‘free school meals’ was used. The Executive Director of Children’s Services said that ‘free school meals’ was one of the indicators used by central government.

19.8    Councillor Wealls asked if the Committee would have updates on any changes to the ‘closing the gap strategy’. The Chair confirmed they would. 

19.9    RESOLVED - That the Committee:

(1)  Noted the report

(2)  Agreed the Strategic Priorities set out in the report

(3)  Agreed that future reports to the Committee should clearly state which priority (or priorities) they support the delivery of