Agenda and minutes

Councillor Mrs R Brookes was elected  Vice Chairman of the meeting.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive)  To report the appointment of any substitute members for the meeting.

The Panel noted that there were no substitute members.

(Assistant to the Chief Executive). To declare interests in any items on the agenda.

In considering whether to declare a personal or a prejudicial interest under the Code of Conduct, Overview & Scrutiny members are asked pay particular attention to paragraph 11 of the Code in addition to the more familiar requirements.

This requires the declaration of a personal and prejudicial interest in any matter before an OS Committee which relates to a decision of or action by another Committee or Sub Committee of the Council, a Joint Committee or Joint Sub Committee in which the Council is involved and of which the Councillor is also a member.

Paragraph 11 does not refer to Cabinet decisions or attendance at an OS meeting purely for the purpose of answering questions or providing information on such a matter.

No declarations of interest were made.

            Recommendation:

(1)               That the terms of Reference for this Task and Finish Panel be agreed and submitted to the 18 October 2010 meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee; and

(2)               That the Panel agree a preferred starting time for the Panel meetings.

(Chairman/Lead Officer) The Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting of 15 April has agreed to the establishment up of this Panel. The Panel is now requested to review its draft terms of reference and to submit it to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18th October 2010.

In order to help the Panel, a set of ‘Notes for Guidance’ for the operating of a Task and Finish Panel is also attached.  This sets out how a Task and Finish Panel should ideally go about scoping its programme of work, gathering information and evidence.  The note also suggests how final reporting back to the main Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the larger Council is undertaken.  A draft layout for a Final Report is also attached as a useful practical example of what the Panel are required to produce.

In order to assist Members, a draft set of Terms of Reference has been prepared for the Panel’s consideration and agreement.

The Assistant Director Community Services and Customer Relations, Julie Chandler, introduced herself as the lead officer for this Panel. She outlined the structure and services provided by Epping Forest District Council. These services were primarily provided for children and young people aged 5 years plus, although there are some targeted programmes for under 5’s and young people up to 25 years with special needs. The main programmes are mainly centred on sports and health improvement, holiday play schemes, dance, theatre and arts projects and community based initiatives. There was also a wide range of social inclusion work done on Super Output Area’s (SOAs) and disadvantaged areas targeted at young people. There were also in-school road shows and projects to promote health, safety and well being (Crucial Crew and Reality Road show).

The Council’s Community Services provide a very wide range of programmes, activities and events for children and young people, including those with additional needs. A significant proportion of the work is funded through external funding secured via competitive application processes to provide initiatives such as social inclusion programmes and programmes targeted at children with additional needs including those with confidence issues, low self esteem, low achievers or those with moderate disabilities. Where the Council is restricted from applying to funding bodies, voluntary groups and parishes are supported to apply for funding for joint projects.

Community Services operational budgets are predominantly utilised for staff costs as the majority of work is delivered by the staff themselves in conjunction with a range of external partners.

It was noted that Essex County Council was the key service provider from pre-birth to age nineteen. They were responsible for providing:

• Education (Primary, secondary and targeted);
• Social care;
• Youth services;
• MAAG’s – Multi Agency Action Groups (Youth Services, Social Care, Schools, Police etc.);
• Children Centres.

Essex CC also work closely with the following to provide as complete a services as possible:  NHS/ Primary Care Trusts (work may now be devolved to local GPs) who would provide acute and primary care services, antenatal and breastfeeding services and also mental and emotional health and well-being;  the Voluntary Sector who would provided such things as youth activities, after school clubs and targeted work with special needs; the Private Sector who provide such things as sport clubs and classes, dance and performing arts clubs and childcare and nurseries; and of course Epping Forest District Council.

The new structure for Essex CC Children’s services had been revised for the second time in two years following a recent Ofsted and now included an ‘Improvement Board’ at the top overlooking a ‘Strategic Joint Commissioning Group’; an Executive; local children’s commissioning and delivery boards and local children’s partnerships. It was noted that the only two areas of children’s services that would receive committed funding in the future were Child Protection and Looked After Children.

It was also noted that ECC were still not performing well in terms of Safeguarding and Child Protection, as their latest ‘Ofsted’ report was classed as unsatisfactory.

EFDC has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To agree a date and start time for the next meeting of this Panel.

The Panel agreed that the next meeting was to be held on Friday 5 November, starting at 2pm.