Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Panel;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

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

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

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

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 Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2008 be confirmed as a correct record and the Chairman be authorised to sign them when they were printed in the Bound Minute Volume.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at this meeting under the provisions of the Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 14 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were received at this meeting under the provisions of Advisory Panel and Consultative Forum Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4E of the Constitution).

Information report of the Corporate Director, Children’s Services.

The Panel received an information report of the Corporate Director, Children’s Services, setting out key data relating to Children Looked After (CLA) and Children on the Child Protection Register (CPR), including key performance indicators up to the end of February 2008.  The Panel noted the stabilisation of indicators relating to child protection, information on the academic achievement of CLA, the increasing proportion of male CLA and a significant and welcome increase in the adoption rate, which had reached 13% since the report was written.  Members noted that the successful adoption rate would have an impact on other performance indicators and that this would be a challenge for the future. 

Answering a question from a Member on value-added analyses of the educational achievement of CLA, an officer agreed to provide such information for a future meeting.  Officers also agreed to provide an update on the “virtual headteacher” pilot scheme at a future meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Information report of the Corporate Director, Children’s Services.

The Panel received an information report of the Corporate Director, Children’s Services, setting out information on a scheme developed by the London Borough of Barnet, whereby senior managers took on the role of champions of a cohort of Children Looked After (CLA).  An officer reported that the champions carried out a role in the background of the lives of CLA by asking questions on their behalf, with the support of a multi-agency team dedicated to this purpose.  The officer added that the experience of Barnet would be considered by the CLA Life Chances Forum in the context of improving the educational achievement of CLA and drawing any useful conclusions.  The Panel noted that Harrow’s multi-agency virtual team dealt with health and social care, as well as educational achievement, and that the team’s expectations were high.  An officer informed the Panel that Harrow’s practice in relation to CLA was based on research on best practice, including the experience of other local authorities.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Which cannot otherwise be dealt with.