Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Mr. A. Bell, Church Diocesan Representative and Mrs. S. Cain, Parent Governor Representative.

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 1 June 2010

RESOLVED:  

That subject to:

(1)       Mr. A. Bell, Church Diocesan Representative, and Mr. R. Gregson, Sefton Governors Forum, being included as also present; and

(2)       Minute No. 1 being amended to reflect that Mrs. S. Cain, Parent Governor Representative, had submitted her apologies for absence;

the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 June 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families advising of the proposed spend of the second round of Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) bids in 2010/11.

The report indicated that the total YOF for 2010/11 was £173,100; detailed two schemes for funding at Cherry Road Children's Home (£700) and LIVO Voices Group, Litherland Youth Centre (£3,251); and that it was proposed that the balance of £144,870.16 would remain to support further schemes during the year as and when applications were received.

The report concluded that all funded projects would be required to submit evidence of expenditure and impact of the project, and that a panel of young people also intended to undertake a series of monitoring visits to assess the success of the programme.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the expenditure of £3,951 from the Youth Opportunities Fund at Cherry Road Children's Home and LIVO Voices Group, Litherland Youth Centre, be approved; and

(2)       further reports on proposed spend for Youth Opportunities Fund in 2010/11 be submitted when necessary.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking approval for proposed schemes to be funded from the Playbuilder Capital Grant (the Grant); and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as the Cabinet Member had delegated powers to approve the proposed schemes and to refer them to Cabinet for inclusion in the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11.

The report indicated that following evaluation of thirteen expressions of interest for the Grant, schemes at the following eight locations were considered to best meet the criteria and were therefore recommended for approval:

Maghull Town Council - Glenn Park

Maghull Town Council - Dodds Park

Aintree Village Parish Council - Harrow Drive

Lydiate Parish Council - Sandy Lane

Netherton Park Neighbourhood Centre

Sefton Leisure Services - Moorside Park, Crosby

Sefton Leisure Services - Deansgate Lane Park, Formby

Sefton Leisure Services - Crossens Community Park, Southport

Each new proposal would receive £55,201 as Grant funding.

The report also indicated that for the Council to progress the Year 3 Play Builder schemes on its own land, it would have to take responsibility for their repair and maintenance.  This was likely to be in the region of £11,500 for the three proposed sites; this sum could not be found from existing budgets within Children, Schools and Families or Leisure Services.

It was suggested that the Cabinet Member may wish to refer the £11,500 required for repair and maintenance of the three proposed Council-owned sites, to Cabinet with a request for this amount to be referred to the budget setting process for 2011/12.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the five external schemes for Playbuilder Capital Grant 2010/11 as detailed in the report be approved;

(2)       the three schemes to be managed by the Leisure and Tourism Director be only progressed if the Cabinet refers the revenue allocation of £11,500 for repairs and maintenance to the budget setting process for 2011/12;

(3)            Cabinet be requested to:

            (a)       include the Playbuilder Grant funding in the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme 2010/11; and

            (b)       refer and include the revenue allocation of £11,500 for the repairs and maintenance of the three play areas on Council owned land to the budget setting process 2011/12; and

(4)       the Leisure and Tourism Director be requested to progress the schemes on Council owned land as detailed in the report.

Report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking approval for the allocation of Schools Access Initiative Funding (SAI Funding); and indicating that a decision on this matter was required as the Cabinet Member had delegated powers to approve the allocation of SAI Funding within the Children, Schools and Families Capital Programme.

The report indicated that the proposed schemes included the installation of a lift at Waterloo Primary School; the widening of doors at Summerhill Primary School and the construction of a timber ramp for DDA compliance purposes; and the allocation of funding to provide improved access to the National Curriculum for pupils at a number of schools across the borough; the total cost of the three schemes being £132,513.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)       the allocation of Schools Access Initiative funding as detailed in the report be approved; and

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

To consider passing the following resolution:

That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph …. of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the Press and Public.

RESOLVED:  

That under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.  The Public Interest Test has been applied and favours exclusion of the information from the press and public.

Joint report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families and the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel

The Cabinet Member considered the report of the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families seeking endorsement of the Senior Management structure of his department.

The Strategic Director – Children, Schools and Families advised that Annex 2 should be amended by the grade of the Head of Inclusion being Hay 4 and not Hay 5; and that all grades were indicative and would be subject to the forthcoming Hay/Soulbury Review.

RESOLVED:   That

(1)      the proposals set out in the report to establish a revised Senior Management Structure for Children, Schools and Families - as referred to in paragraph 6 and detailed at Annex 2 as amended, be approved;

(2)      the appointment procedures as set out in paragraph 9, namely, that the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families submitting a report to the Employment Procedure Committee for formal approval, subject to no Cabinet Member having any material or well founded objection, be approved;

(3)      it be noted that the Senior Management Structure will need to evolve further over coming years to respond to changes in Government policy and the expected pressures and improvements in service delivery generated from the Strategic Budget Review;

(4)      it be noted that the changes to the Senior Management Structure will assist in contributing to savings over the period of the Strategic Budget Review;

(5)      the intention to update the Children's Services and Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committees on progress to date be noted; and

(6)      it be noted that, in accordance with the Responsibility for Functions provided in the Council's Constitution, the personnel implications described in this report have been approved by the Interim Head of Corporate Personnel, in consultation with the Strategic Director - Children, Schools and Families.