Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED: To note the appointment at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 15 May 2003, under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 11.2, of Councillor Mitzi Green, as Chair of the Sub-Committee for the 2003/2004 Municipal Year.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:-

To receive declarations of interest (if any) from Members of the Committee arising from business to be transacted at this meeting.

In response to a query from a Member, the Senior Lawyer (Education and Employment) advised that it was not necessary to declare all interests at the start of a meeting, as a record was kept by Committee Services of Members’ interests, however if a Member felt that they had a personal or prejudicial interest arising from any of the specific items on the agenda then the interest must be declared. Following a brief discussion, the Senior Lawyer (Education and Employment) informed Members that she would verify this advice with the Borough Solicitor.

RESOLVED: To note that the following interests were declared:

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

RESOLVED:  (1) That all items be considered with the press and public present;

(2)  that item 13 be taken in advance of item 10;

(3)  that items 16a and 14 be discussed concurrently.

To consider the appointment of a Vice-Chair to the Sub-Committee for the 2003/2004 Municipal Year.

RESOLVED:  To appoint Councillor Miss Bednell as Vice-Chair of the Sub-Committee for the 2003/2004 Municipal Year.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 8^th April 2003, having been circulated, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2003 be deferred until printed in the next Council Bound Minute Volume.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no public questions to be received at this meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 8 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no petitions received at this meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 9 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no deputations received at this meeting under the provisions of Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 10 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

To receive references (if any) from Council/Cabinet

RESOLVED: That there were no references received from Council/Cabinet at this meeting.

Report of the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder.

The Panel received the report of the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder in response to the two reviews conducted by the Sub-Committee in the 2002/2003 Municipal Year; review of the promotion of healthy lifestyles in schools and the review of the distribution of SEN statements in mainstream schools. The Portfolio Holder informed the Sub-Committee that he welcomed the reviews in the healthy lifestyles and SEN areas and had found the reports, produced by the review groups, both relevant and interesting. The Portfolio Holder also advised that he would welcome the continued attention to these areas in the 2003/2004 Municipal Year from the Sub-Committee.

The Portfolio holder advised that both reviews had identified helpful areas for further development, which were being analysed and progressed by officers in both the Council’s Education and Contract Services and also other partner agencies. The Sub-Committee then discussed each review in turn and posed questions to the Portfolio Holder.

The Review of the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles in Schools

A Member requested that Ordinary and Reserve Members of the Sub-Committee receive a copy of the healthy schools newsletter when it is next published. In addition, the Sub-Committee agreed that copies of the new tuck box menu be circulated to Members when it has been finalised. The Chair suggested that she would contact the schools that had participated in the review in order to ascertain whether students had noted a marked increase in the standard of the tuck box menu.

The Chair informed Members that the Sub-Committee would be receiving an update on the progress achieved against each recommendation at the joint meeting of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny and Health and Social Care Scrutiny Sub-Committees on 17 September 2003. The Chair requested that the Head of Contract Services be invited to attend this joint meeting in order to respond to any queries that Members may have in relation to the tuck box menu and free school meals.

The Review of the Distribution of SEN Statements in Mainstream Schools

The Vice Chair informed Members that she had no doubt that funding was available for schools from the date of the completion of final SEN statements and that equipment is arranged as soon as the relevant professional have agreed what is required. However, she advised that schools visited during the review perceived that there was a significant time delay between schools receiving an SEN statemented pupil and receiving all the adaptations required by that pupil.

Responding, the Head of Children and Community Services advised that Officers had checked that all the funding and equipment required by SEN statemented pupils transferring from middle school to high school would be in place for this September.  A similar check would be made for SEN statemented pupils commencing first school.  The Head of Children and Community Services advised that it was more difficult to have provision in place for pupils who moved into the borough.

A Member of the Panel queried whether there had been any evidence that certain schools within the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 79.

To consider the findings of the Working Group established to consider the Youth Service Plan.

The Sub-Committee received the findings arising from the meeting of the Youth Service Plan Working Group, which was constituted to consider the contents of the Youth Service Plan. Councillor Williams led the review of the Youth Service Plan but was unable to attend the meeting. The Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager informed Members that the Group discussed the key issues raised by the plan and formulated provisional recommendations, contained within the minutes, for the Sub-Committee to endorse.

In addition, the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager informed Members that Cabinet agreed the Plan at its meeting on 20 May 2003 and that the Plan had been forwarded to the Government Office for London for approval; the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager was currently awaiting a response from the government in relation to the contents of the Plan. The Chair discussed the process by which the plan was analysed by the Group and stated that this was an efficient and effective way of reviewing statutory plans prior to their consideration by the Committee as a whole.

A Co-opted Member requested, on behalf of Councillor Williams, that recommendation (i) be extended; that the Sub-Committee recommend that it be given financial control over grants to youths and voluntary/community organisations. The Chair advised that this was not within the Sub-Committee’s remit, as the Grants Advisory Panel dealt with grant applications and that the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager had been dealing with other available funds for such groups.

In response to a question from a Member, the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager clarified the funding available directly through the Service, which was approximately £4,000 for funding for organisations, e.g. for equipment and £10,000 for individuals; a limit of £100 was supplied to each successful applicant.

The Chair requested that recommendation (i) therefore be amended to read: that the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager and the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder be requested to examine ways in which the grants system could be simplified for applicants. Members also agreed that the Grants Advisory Panel be informed of this recommendation in order for it to be taken into account during their review regarding the grants process.

Members requested information relating to the number of applications received by the Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager for funding. The Lifelong Learning and Youth Service Manager confirmed that the budget received for this type of funding was always allocated to applicants and that there was seldom surplus funds at the end of the financial year. Members were informed that applicants did not have to live in Harrow to secure funding, however, their business or activities had to take place in Harrow.

The Chair highlighted recommendation (iii); that young people with disabilities were not emphasised enough in the Plan and that it should be ensured that next year’s Plan addresses this issue. The Sub-Committee agreed that the recommendation contained within the report, as amended, be forwarded to the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80.

Report of the Executive Director (People First).

The Sub-Committee received the report of the Executive Director (People First), which provided an update on the implementation of the SEN strategy requested by the Sub-Committee in July 2002. The Head of Children and Community Services advised that the strategic objectives of the scheme has been set out in Appendix A and that the six issues that officers in Education Services were working on had been set out in Appendix B.  Other issues relevant to SEN matters were also being addressed through other Education plans.

A Member of the Sub-Committee expressed concern that delays in pupils receiving medical advice had hindered the speed with which statutory assessments were being carried out. In response, the Head of Children and Community Services advised that this had been caused by staff shortages in Northwick Park Hospital and that officers in Education Services were currently working with staff at the hospital in order to find an alternative method of completing pupils’ SEN statements.

In response to a further question from the Member, the Head of Children and Community Services informed Members that learning support units had been established in the following three schools: Canons High School, Rooks Heath High School and Harrow High School.

Members requested that they be sent information relating to permanent exclusion rates and which schools had been taking in excluded pupils. In addition, Members also requested that they be sent information relating to the number of children in the Borough registered as having autism. In response to a question from a Member, the Head of Children and Community Services confirmed that the number of children registered as having autism had risen over the past decade.

The Sub-Committee also discussed the support received from Social Services by pupils and parents of pupils with disabilities. The Head of Children and Community Services advised that Education Services was currently working with Social Services who are establishing the Children with Learning Disabilities Team to address this situation. The Chair wished for it to be recorded that she welcomed the joined up working that has occurred since the establishment of the People First Directorate. The Chair requested that the Sub-Committee receive regular reports on the SEN Strategy and envisaged that the next report would be included on the agenda for the meeting of the Sub-Committee on 22 April 2004.

RESOLVED: (1) That Members be sent information relating to permanent exclusion rates and which schools had been taking in excluded pupils;

(2)  that Members be sent information relating to the number of children in the Borough registered as having autism;

(3)  that the Sub-Committee receive regular reports on the SEN Strategy;

(4)  that the report of the Executive Director (People First) be noted.

Report of the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED: That the Chair’s report of the Sub-Committee’s work over the past year be approved for inclusion in the 2002/2003 Annual Report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

To receive nominations from Members to serve on this Review Group.

RESOLVED: That the following Members of the Sub-Committee be appointed to the Statutory Assessments and Statements of SEN In-depth Scrutiny Review Group: -

(i)            Councillor Mitzi Green (Chair)

(ii)            Councillor Marie-Louise Nolan

(iii)            Councillor Lent

(iv)            Councillor Janet Mote

(v)            Councillor John Nickolay

(vii)       Co-opted Member, Reverend P Reece

[Note: (1) Co-opted Member, Reverend P Reece, advised that he would contact Co-opted member, Mr Epie, to see whether he wished to be appointed to the Scrutiny Review Group;

(2) Councillor Miss Bednell advised that she would join the Scrutiny Review Group unless any of the Members unable to attend this meeting wished to be appointed].

To receive nominations from Members to serve on this Group.

RESOLVED: (1) That the following Members of the Sub-Committee be appointed to the Library Position Statement Working Group: -

(i)            Councillor Mitzi Green

(ii)            Councillor Gate

(iii)            Councillor Ismail

(iv)        Co-opted Member, Mr R Sutcliffe

[Note: (1) Councillor Osborn advised that he would check whether Councillor Mary John wished to be appointed to the Working Group;

(2) Co-opted Member, Mr R Sutcliffe, advised that he would check whether Co-opted member Mr Epie wished to be appointed to the Working Group].

(2)        that a meeting between the Library Position Statement Working Group and the Library Services Manager be arranged.

(a)               Review of Statutory Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs.

(b)               Review of Governor Recruitment and Retention.

Review of Statutory Assessments and Statements of Special Educational Needs

See Minute 13.

Review of the Governors Recruitment and Retention

The minutes of the planning meeting of the Review Group on 11 June 2003 were circulated to Members at this meeting and the Chair summarised the main points of interest from the meeting. The Chair requested that information packs circulated to Members at the planning meeting be re-circulated to all Members of the Sub-Committee. Members were informed that no further planning meetings had been arranged, instead decision-making authority had been delegated to the Chair of the Review Group, Councillor Miss Bednell, and the Chair of the Sub-Committee, Councillor Mitzi Green.

The Chair informed the Sub-Committee that the review would be taking place on 22 October 2003 at 7.30 pm at Harrow High School.

RESOLVED: (1) that information packs circulated to Members at the planning meeting be re-circulated to all Members of the Sub-Committee;

(2) that the review take place on 22 October 2003 at 7.30 pm at Harrow High School.

Which the Chair has decided is urgent and cannot otherwise be dealt with.

RESOLVED: That the Education and Lifelong Learning Portfolio Holder and Director of Education be invited to the meeting of the Sub-Committee on 1 October 2003 for the item on the Education Service Review.

[Note: In the event of the current interim arrangements being still in place, the Head of Children and Community Services, the Head of School Development Services and the Director of Strategy (People First) would attend for the Director of Education].