Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P.Dowd, D.Jones and Platt and Mr.R.Gregson, Sefton Governors Forum.

Members and Officers are requested to give notice of any personal or prejudicial interest and the nature of that interest, relating to any item on the agenda in accordance with the relevant Code of Conduct.

No declarations of interest were received.

Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March, 2010.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Business and Support Director – Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Business and Support Services Director, Children, Schools and Families seeking a determination in relation to discretionary grant making powers.

The report indicated that in order to retain the power to make discretionary awards to post 16 students in schools and specialist colleges, it was necessary to make an annual determination before 1 April.

RESOLVED:  

That the following determinations under the School Standards and Frameworks Act 1998 and the Local Authority (Post Compulsory Education Awards) Regulations be approved:

(1)       to decide to exercise power to make awards to new Higher Education applicants (including those with Special Needs) generally, and to consider applications from all students, but in accordance with current policies on eligibility;

(2)       to decide to exercise power to make awards to post-16 pupils generally and to consider applications from all students, but in accordance with current policies on eligibility; and

(3)       to decide to exercise power to make awards to the remaining Higher Education student finance applicants in accordance with current policies on eligibility.

Report of the Business and Support Services Director – Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Business and Support Services Director Children, Schools and Families that sought approval of the admission arrangements relating to the introduction of the new co-ordinated in-year Admissions Scheme and arrangements for 2010/11.

RESOLVED:

That the determined Secondary Schools Admissions Scheme 2009/10, under the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 (as amended by the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Schools Admissions Code 2009), be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director of Children, Schools and Families that advised of the proposed spend of the first round of Youth Opportunities Fund bids in 2010/11.

RESOLVED:  

That the expenditure of £7,816.34 funded by the Youth Opportunities Fund, as detailed within the report, be approved.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families seeking approval for the capital schemes detailed within the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the schemes detailed in Paragraph 2 of the report be approved; and  

(2)       Cabinet be requested to include these schemes within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families seeking approval for a proposed capital scheme at Forefield Junior School, Crosby.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the proposed scheme for Forefield Junior School, Crosby be approved; and 

(2)       Cabinet be requested to include the scheme within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families seeking approval for a capital scheme at Kew Woods Primary School, Southport.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the scheme at Kew Woods Primary School, Southport be approved; and 

(2)       Cabinet be requested to include these schemes within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families updating on the schemes from 2009/10 and seek approval for proposed schemes detailed within the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the revised distribution of funding for schemes in the 2009/10 programme be noted;   

(2)       the proposed schemes as detailed in paragraph 4 within the report be approved; and  

(3)       Cabinet be requested to include these schemes within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families seeking approval for proposed schemes as detailed within the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the proposed schemes as detailed in Paragraph 2 of the report be approved; and 

(2)       Cabinet be requested to include these schemes within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families in relation to the national minimum fostering allowance 2010/11.

The report indicated that the first national minimum allowance for foster carers was announced in July 2006 in order to enable fostering services to take account of the rates in planning their budgets for 2007-08 and part of the wider package of measures to improve support for foster carers, the national minimum allowance sets a clear benchmark for payments to all foster carers.  

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the new national minimum foster carer allowance for 2010/11 be adopted;

(2)       The Director of Children, Schools and Families Director be authorised to uplift all fostering allowances paid to Sefton foster carers to the recommended national minimum fostering allowances from the 1April 2010; and

(3)       the fostering allowance paid to Sefton foster carers be uplifted annually by at least the national minimum fostering allowances, and any uplift in excess of the national minimum be reported to the Cabinet Member- Children’s Services for approval prior to implementation.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director Children, School and Families providing information on Sefton’s World Class Primary Programme (WCPP), which relates to how Sefton is beginning to implement some of the recommendations in the White Paper , ‘your child, your schools, our future; building a 21^st century schools system’ published June 2009.

The WCPP plan shows the support that will be offered so all schools improve, and will also show how we will move towards a revised School Improvement Strategy from April 2011.  

RESOLVED:

That the report informing of the Sefton’s World Class Primary Programme (WCPP) plan be noted.

Report of the Independent Chair, Sefton Local Safeguarding Children’s Board

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Independent Chair, Sefton Local Safeguarding Children’s Board updating on the on the revised statutory guidance on the publication of Serious Case Review Executive Summary reports.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the report updating on the revised statutory guidance on the publication of Serious Case Review Executive Summary reports be noted;  and

(2)       the recommendation that only the Executive Summary of ant future Serious case Review report should be published, be supported.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director, Children, School and Families providing information on the potential strategic, financial and service implications of the Southwark Judgement in terms of Sefton Council’s responsibilities to support vulnerable young people aged 16-18 years.

RESOLVED:

 That the potential implications of the ‘Southwark judgement’ be noted.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director of Children, Schools and Families seeking approval of the Sefton Parenting Strategy as detailed within the report.

RESOLVED: That

(1)       the Sefton Parenting Strategy as detailed within the report be approved; and

(2)       the Strategic Director of Children, Schools and Families be requested to forward the strategy to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Children’s Services) for comment.