Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed the members to the first meeting of the new political cycle and noted the apologies received by the board. He also thanked the previous Chairman, Cllr Roy Perry, for his work on the board.

Due to the discussion item on the Schools that work for everyone Green Paper, Cllr Roy Perry, Vice-Chairman, declared that he was the Governor of an independent school.

The Chair asked the Board to note its new membership and agree its terms of reference for 2016/17.

The Chair also updated the board as to its working relationship with four outside bodies, and asked the board to appoint members to each of these positions.

The Chair asked for a verbal update from those members appointed to outside bodies for the previous political cycle.

Decision

The Board noted its new membership and agreed its term of reference for 2016/17.

The following appointees to outside bodies were agreed by the board;

1.    Adoption Leadership Board                                  – Cllr Chris Coleman

2.    The Wood Review                                                – Cllr Richard Watts

3.    National Youth Agency                                         – Cllr Liz Hacket Pain

4.    Improving Mental Health for                                 – Cllr Gillian Ford

Looked After Children: Expert Group

Cllr Chris Coleman agreed to submit a report to the board on his work with the Adoption Leadership Board over the previous political cycle.

Action

Joseph Ling (Member Services Officer) to inform outside bodies of the change or continuation of LGA representatives.

Ian Keating (Principal Policy Adviser, Children) introduced the report, outlining the intersections between Government priorities and those of the Board. These primarily focused upon education, early years, health and children’s services.

The Board asked that, in light of the Wood External Advisory and the Department for Education’s consultation on the Schools for everyone Green Paper, the role of Local Authorities in educational services and early years provision be particular priorities.

The Board also asked that workforce issues, particularly in relation to number of employees, training and effective use of resources be a priority for a future work programme.

Task and Finish Group

Reflecting the Board’s priorities, members requested that a task and finish group be established. This group should focus upon children’s services and utilise the valuable work being done by the Wood Review. It should consider key issues in children’s social care, such as those highlighted by the Board’s work programme.

Decisions

The Board agreed that the work programme and priorities subject to the amendment of paragraph 5.3 to include missing children.

 The Board also decided that;

1.    A Task and Finish Group on children’s services should be established.

Actions

Officers are to;

1.    Amend paragraph 5.3 of the Board work programme and priorities to include missing children.

2.    Create proposed terms of reference for a new Task and Finish Group.

Cllr Richard Watts introduced the item, inviting the Board to discuss the recent launch of the education Green Paper, Schools that work for everyone. He opened the floor to comment which would inform the response of the Local Government Association to the paper. The Chair placed particular importance on finding those areas of agreement between the board members.

The following discussion was broad and wide ranging, and included;

1.    Possible effects of grammar schools on social mobility.

2.    The need for the LGA to contribute and engage constructively with the Green Paper.

3.    The reiteration that every child matters.

4.    The role of local authorities in making decisions about establishing new selective schools so that any decision protects the interests of all local children and parents.

5.    Current and possible future impacts of selective institutions on surrounding schools, including; the possible de-facto creation of secondary moderns, the creation of primary feeder schools, and the possible creation of new technical schools.

6.    The age(s) at which selective tests are taken.

7.    The need for evidence led policy.

8.    The need for faith based selection to resist segregation by religion.

9.    Addressing the needs of vulnerable children in a new system.

10.  The cost to councils of changes to the education system.

11.  The need for a fair admissions system, especially relating to inequality of access through tutoring, travel costs or distance.

12.  The need to tailor education to the needs of children in specific areas.

Decision

The Board discussion reached consensus on the following issues;

1.    The LGA should engage constructively with the Green Paper consultation.

2.    The LGA prioritises educational attainment for all young people.

3.    The need for an evidence based policy.

4.    Local authorities have an important role in facilitating a place-based, collective and democratic decision on the establishment of new schools.

5.    The relaxation of selection in faith schools must avoid segregation and encourage community cohesion.

Actions

Officers are to use the discussion to inform a future submission to the Department of Education consultation.

Update on the dispersal of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children

Ian Dean (Senior Adviser, Children's Social Care Children) provided a verbal update to the Board on unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASCs) and the upcoming LGA summit on the issue.

The Board stressed the need for councils to be able to recoup the full costs of placing UASCs. Cllr Peter Oakford, Kent County Council, provided a verbal update on the situation in his authority, including the high number of UASCs and the inability for Kent County Council to adequately provide for them. He expressed doubt that large scale dispersal will be achieved by the voluntary system.

Local Transformation Plans (LTPs) for Children & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

The Board noted that CAMHS are under resourced and ineffective in many areas, including difficulties with waiting times, recruiting staff and high levels of demand for services.

Decisions

The Board decided that;

1.    The LGA should encourage local authorities to participate in the National Dispersal Scheme before the 21^st September deadline. The upcoming summit would be a perfect opportunity to achieve this.

2.    A break-out meeting focused on UASCs should be organised for the upcoming National Children and Adult Services Conference. Government representation should be sought for this meeting.

Actions

Officers are to;

1.    Organise the NCAS break-out meeting on UASCs and seek Government representation.

2.    Test with the NHS if all allocated money has been used for intended purposes and explore if the costs of these services are being moved from one remit to another.

Alan Wood introduced his recent work as Chair of the External Advisory Group for the Department for Education review of the role of the council in education and children’s services. Mr Wood described its key focusses as the role of the local authority in: the planning of school places; special educational needs and disability provision; early years provision; post-16 education and training; and effectiveness and quality in schools.

Mr Wood described the DfE’s recent intention to reduce the Education Services Grant from August of next year due to its interpretation that local authorities had no statutory duties regarding school improvement. He explained that he intended his work to assess what impact the removal of the grant might have on school effectiveness and quality. He also hoped to clarify what the time period for schools to transition to academy status would be, whether this change would be mandatory or financially incentivised, and to what extent the establishment of these trusts would infringe upon local authority powers.

The Board commented that improving the education system should be focused on place-based decisions, especially regarding skills and training, rather than changing school structure. The Board also discussed the role of local authorities in; scrutinising schools and how this would be affected by the proposed changes, school improvement especially regarding infrastructure expenditure, and planning provision.

Decisions

The Board;

1.    Recommended that the Wood External Advisory Group focus on the impact of the removal of the Education Services Grant, as well as the role of the council in scrutinising schools of all types.

2.    The Board agreed that Cllr Richard Watts, in his capacity as CYP representative on the Wood External Advisory Group, should update the Board on further developments at future meetings.

The Children and Young People Board agreed the minutes of the previous meeting held on 29^th June 2016.