Agenda for Children & Young People Cabinet Member Meeting on Monday, 28th March, 2011, 4.00pm
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Agenda, decisions and minutes
PDF 208 KBVenue: Committee Room 3, Hove Town Hall. View directions
Contact: John Peel, Democratic Services Officer
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Procedural Business
(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 either that it is confidential or 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 categories of exempt information is available for public inspection at Brighton and Hove Town Halls. Minutes: 67(a) Declarations of Interests 67.1 There were none. 67(b) Exclusion of Press and Public 67.2 In accordance with section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (“the Act”), the Cabinet Member considered whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during an item of business on the grounds that it was likely, in view of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the press and public were present during that item, there would be disclosure to them of confidential information (as defined in section 100A(3) of the Act) or exempt information (as defined in section 100I(I) of the Act). 67.3 RESOLVED - That the press and public not be excluded from the meeting.
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Minutes of the previous meeting Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 January 2011 (copy attached). Minutes: 68.1 RESOLVED – That the minutes of the Children & Young People Cabinet Member Meeting held on 17 January 2011 be agreed and signed by the Cabinet Member.
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Cabinet Member's Communications Minutes: 69.1 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People noted that the ongoing Ofsted inspection was due to be completed on Wednesday 30 March 2011.
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Items reserved for discussion (a) Items reserved by the Cabinet Member
(b) Items reserved by the Opposition Spokespersons
(c) Items reserved by Members, with the agreement of the Cabinet Member.
NOTE: Public Questions, Written Questions from Councillors, Petitions, Deputations, Letters from Councillors and Notices of Motion will be reserved automatically. Minutes: 70.1 RESOLVED – That all items be reserved for discussion.
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Report of the Strategic Director, Resources (copy attached) Minutes: 71 (i) Petition – More help for dyslexic children in school
71.1 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People received an e-petition signed by 20 people concerning correct methods of teaching for children with dyslexia.
71.2 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People provided the following response:
“A Dyslexia Task Group for Brighton & Hove was set up in 2008 to review current research and Government literature concerning dyslexia. The Task Group consisted of Educational Psychologists, school SENCos and members of the Language and Literacy Support Service (LLSS). Its aim was to provide a common and agreed understanding of dyslexia and provide a graduated response in relation to identification, assessment and interventions for pupils with dyslexia across Brighton & Hove.
Brighton & Hove Council published Guidance for Schools on Dyslexia in May 2009. The document has also been made available for parents.
At present the Literacy strand of LLSS comprises 9.9 fte specialist teachers working with pupils and schools to provide advice, support, assessment and teaching to assist in meeting the needs of pupils with SpLD / dyslexia.
All primary schools in the city receive funding to support meeting the needs of pupils with dyslexia. The vast majority use this to ‘buy back’ literacy support from a specialist teacher (qualified in teaching dyslexic pupils)
At present the following secondary schools also buy into the service – Hove Park, PCC, Blatchington Mill, Patcham High, and Dorothy Stringer.
The City is served by 2 specialist facilities for pupils with SpLD/dyslexia – based at Hove Park and Longhill. Developing the foundation level knowledge of staff working with pupils with dyslexia is a fundamental part of the LLSS teams’ core business”
71.3 RESOLVED – That the petition be noted.
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Public Questions (The closing date for receipt of public questions is 12 noon on 21 March 2011)
No public questions received by date of publication. Minutes: 72.1 There were none.
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Deputations (The closing date for receipt of deputations is 12 noon on 21 March 2011)
No deputations received by date of publication. Minutes: 73.1 There were none.
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Letters from Councillors No letters have been received. Minutes: 74.1 There were none.
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Written Questions from Councillors No written questions have been received. Minutes: 75.1 There were none.
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Notices of Motions No Notices of Motion have been received by the date of publication. Minutes: 76.1 There were none.
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Education Capital Resources & Capital Investment Programme, 2011/12.
Report of the Strategic Director, People (copy attached) Additional documents: Decision: 1) That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People recommends to Cabinet the allocation of funding as set out in paragraphs 3.6 to 3.38 in the report.
2) Subject to Cabinet approval, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People approves the allocation of funding as shown in appendices 2 and 3 of the agenda.
Minutes: 77.1 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People considered a report of the Strategic Director, People that sought recommendation for the allocation of funding in the Capital Programme under Structural Maintenance, Pupil Places and Condition cost centres for 2011/12.
77.2 The report author supplemented that the overall level of capital funding available for expenditure on school buildings from the Government had decreased under the new fiscal policy. Grants including the Targeted Capital Fund, Basic Need Safety Valve funding, the ICT Harnessing Technology Grant, Surestart funding and the Co-location Grant had come to an end in the last financial year.
77.3 RESOLVED-
1) That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People recommends to Cabinet the allocation of funding as set out in paragraphs 3.6 to 3.38 in the report.
2) Subject to Cabinet approval, the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People approves the allocation of funding as shown in appendices 2 and 3 of the agenda.
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Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Report of the Strategic Director, People (copy attached) Additional documents: Decision: That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People-
1) Notes the contents and findings of the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment.
2) Notes that the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment found a positive response to childcare by those using it and that parents were very happy with their childcare arrangements overall. No major geographical gaps in provision were found; however many parents reported finding childcare expensive.
3) Agree that an action plan be developed to address the gaps outlined in section 3.8 of the agenda as part of a childcare commissioning strategy. Minutes: 78.1 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People considered a report of the Strategic Director, People. The report author explained that the Childcare Act 2006 s.11 required local authorities to carry out an assessment of the childcare in their area at least every three years which was now due. The Childcare Sufficiency Assessment had been carried out in accordance with the Childcare Act 2006 and the associated statutory guidance. The assessment had involved assessing demand for childcare, mapping childcare supply and matching the two together to discover whether there were any gaps in provision. The assessment had found that parents in Brighton & Hove were very satisfied with the quality of childcare but less satisfied with affordability. More work on affordability and use was needed to conduct an analysis based on demographic profile.
78.2 Councillor Hawkes praised the report author for the detailed report. She asked why the number of registered childminders in the city had dropped.
78.3 The report author believed that the decline in the number of registered childminders in the city matched the national picture, and contributory factors may be the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the tightening by Ofsted of de-registration of those not actively childminding.
78.4 Councillor Fryer enquired if there had been any contact with the Youth Service in regard to childcare for those over eleven years old.
78.5 The report author clarified that as children in that age-range had more interest in after-school activities, the work carried out by Children’s Services had been focused on working with secondary schools and youth groups on developing these kind of activities, rather than developing formal childcare.
78.6 RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People-
1) Notes the contents and findings of the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment.
2) Notes that the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment found a positive response to childcare by those using it and that parents were very happy with their childcare arrangements overall. No major geographical gaps in provision were found; however many parents reported finding childcare expensive.
3) Agree that an action plan be developed to address the gaps outlined in section 3.8 of the agenda as part of a childcare commissioning strategy. |
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School Admissions 2012/13
Report of the Strategic Director, People (copy attached) Additional documents: Decision: That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People agree:
1) That the proposed school admissions numbers set out in the consultation documents be adopted for the admissions year 2012/13, with the exception of Dorothy Stringer School which should increase to 330.
2) That the admission priorities for Community Schools set out in the consultation documents are adopted for all age groups.
3) A blanket priority for children who have been adopted away from birth families will be added to priority 2 for both primary and secondary schools.
4) That the Council should review the final version of the Cardinal Newman Roman Catholic Secondary School admission arrangements (as amended in light of the Diocesan response and parental and school responses) to decide whether it should comment further.
5) That the co-ordinated schemes of admissions be approved.
6) That the City boundary be retained as the relevant area for consultation for school admissions. Minutes: 79.1 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People considered a report of the Strategic Director, People. The report sought approval for proposals on School Admission Arrangements for 2011/12.
79.2 The report author noted that a letter had been received after the consultation period had ended from Dr Leslie Ironside, Child Psychotherapist. The letter was written in support of the proposal to add adopted children to priority two for primary and secondary community school admissions.
79.3 The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People thanked the report author and noted the decision by Cardinal Newman Roman Catholic VA Secondary School to review its admissions proposals for 2012/13 in light of the consultation responses.
79.4 RESOLVED- That the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People agrees:
1) That the proposed school admissions numbers set out in the consultation documents be adopted for the admissions year 2012/13, with the exception of Dorothy Stringer School which should increase to 330.
2) That the admission priorities for Community Schools set out in the consultation documents are adopted for all age groups.
3) A blanket priority for children who have been adopted away from birth families will be added to priority 2 for both primary and secondary schools.
4) That the Council should review the final version of the Cardinal Newman Roman Catholic Secondary School admission arrangements (as amended in light of the Diocesan response and parental and school responses) to decide whether it should comment further.
5) That the co-ordinated schemes of admissions be approved.
6) That the City boundary be retained as the relevant area for consultation for school admissions. |