Decision details

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Corporate Commissioning on the recommendations of the NEETS Working Group, which had been jointly established by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Regeneration and Environmental Services) and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services), to undertake a review on issues surrounding the delivery of the NEETS (not in education, employment or training) service within the Borough.

Councillor McKinley, a Member of the Working Group, attended the meeting to outline the findings and recommendations set out in the report of the Working Group. Councillor McKinley reported that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services) had also requested that the Cabinet agree to forward a copy of the Working Group’s report to the Local Government Association, as a potential example of best practice.

This was a Key Decision and was included in the Council’s Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

Decisions Made:     That

(1)       the Director of Young People and Families be authorised to:-

(i)        request head-teachers and chairs of governors of high schools (including academies and free schools) within the Borough, to consider increasing the breadth, range and quality of impartial advice and guidance provision for young people in schools, prior to leaving year 11, to receive advice on the full range of options available to them and for information to also be made available to parents;

(ii)       request head-teachers of high schools and principals of colleges within the Borough to consider increasing the level of mentoring support and guidance for young people, in order for them to be better supported in learning about the range of options available to them, prior to leaving school and college;

(iii)      produce a follow-up report, to be submitted to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committees in twelve months time, to include (i) whether the Council is receiving best value for money in terms of services provided within the NEETS area; and (ii) monitoring of looked after young people leaving Council care and their achievements, or whether they subsequently fall into the NEETS category;

(iv)      produce six monthly reports to be submitted to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee, outlining the latest position with regard to the NEETS;

(v)       ensure that the Council and its partners be encouraged to use all available statistical evidence to identify NEET hotspots and agree robust intervention targets to reduce numbers in these areas, together with agreed robust systems for monitoring and evaluating the impact of joint interventions; and

(2)       the Director of Corporate Commissioning be authorised to forward a copy of the Working Group’s report to the Local Government Association, as a potential example of best practice.

Reasons for the Decision:

To enable the recommendations of the Overview and Scrutiny Working Group to be implemented.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:

The Cabinet could refuse part or all of the recommendations.