Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms, Bromley Civic Centre

Contact: Philippa Gibbs  020 8461 7638

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND NOTIFICATION OF SUBSTITUTE MEMBERS

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Tajana Reeves.  Apologies for lateness were received from Reverend Roger Bristow.

 

2.

APPOINTMENT OF CO-OPTED MEMBERS 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 67 KB

Minutes:

CSD18087

 

The Select Committee considered a report which sought confirmation of the appointment of Co-opted members to the Education, Children and Families Select Committee for 2018/19.

 

The Chairman noted that there had been no nominations for either Primary or Secondary Parent Governor Representatives.  It was noted that the pool from which parent governor representatives could be selected was technically very small (with the legislation requiring only Maintained Primary and Secondary Governors).  In view of this the Chairman proposed and the Committee agreed that in future the Committee welcome nominations from any Primary and Secondary maintained or academy school in the Borough.

 

Action Point 1: That nominations be sought for Parent Governor Representatives from any Primary and Secondary maintained or academy school in the Borough.

 

RESOLVED: That

 

1.  Mr Emmanuel Arbenser be appointed, with voting rights to the Education, Children & Families Select Committee for 2018/19 as Special School Parent Governor.

 

2.  Reverend Roger Bristow representing the Church of England and Mrs Joan McConnell representing the Roman Catholic Church be appointed as Co-opted Members to the Education, Children * Families PDS Committee for 2018/19 with voting rights;

 

3.   Miss Tajana Reeves be appointed without voting rights to the Education, Children & Families Select Committee for 2018/19as Young Peoples Representative.

 

4.   Mrs Angela Leeves be appointed without voting rights to the Education, Children & Families Select Committee for 2018/19as Early Years Representative.

 

5.   That nominations for Parent Governor Representatives be welcomed from any Primary and Secondary Maintained or Academy School in the Borough.

 

3.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Minutes:

Councillor Nicholas Bennett JP declared that he was, until 31st July 2018, a Governor of London and South East College.  Councillor Bennett also declared that he attended the same church as Mrs Joan McConnell.

 

Councillor Neil Reddin declared that he had children who attended schools in the Borough and that his wife was a Governor of two primary schools in the Borough.

 

Councillor Kathy Bance declared that she had grandchildren who attended schools in the Borough.

 

Councillor Marina Ahmed declared that she had a child who attended a school in the Borough.

 

Angela Leeves declared that she had grandchildren who attended schools in the Borough and that her daughter in law was a Reception class teacher in the Borough.

 

Mrs Joan McConnell, Church representative, declared that she was a Governor of St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

 

Councillor Chris Pierce declared that he was a Governor at St Philomena’s Catholic Primary School.

 

Councillor Stephen Wells declared that he was a Member of the Foundation Court of St Olaves and St Saviours School.

 

Councillor Yvonne Bear declared that she was a Governor of Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and a Governor at St Mary Cray Primary Academy.

 

Councillor Judi Ellis declared that her son was Headteacher at Biggin Hill Primary School.

 

Councillor Peter Fortune declared that he was a Member of the Court of University of Kent and that his wife was a teacher at an academy in the Borough.

 

 

4.

MINUTES OF THE EDUCATION, CHILDREN & FAMILIES SELECT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 27 FEBRUARY 2018 pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 27th February 2018, were agreed, and signed as a correct record.

5.

QUESTIONS TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN FROM COUNCILLORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING THE MEETING

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to the Chairman of this Committee must be received in writing 4 working days before the date of the meeting and must relate to the work of the scrutiny committee.  Please ensure questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 28th June 2018.

Minutes:

There were no questions.

6.

MATTERS ARISING, UPDATE ON PREVIOUS RECOMMENDATIONS, AND WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 236 KB

Minutes:

CSD18083

 

The Committee considered a report dealing with the Committee’s business management.  The report also sought the confirmation of the membership of the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee.

 

It was noted that it had been agreed at a previous meeting that the monitoring of progress of recommendations made at previous meetings would be referred to the Education, Children and Families Budget and Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee.

 

The Chairman reported that the Director of Children’s Social Care would be scrutinised at the Select Committee meeting on 16th October 2018.  The Director of Education would be scrutinised at the Committee’s January meeting to allow sufficient time for the recruitment process to take place.

 

It was proposed that the Budget and Performance Sub-Committee would look at the draft budget at its October meeting.

 

Finally, the Chairman reported that the first item on the agenda for the Sub-Committees meeting on 18th July would be a report detailing the outcome of the investigation that had been undertaken at St Olaves school.  This item would be considered jointly with the Education, Children & Families Select Committee and all Members and Co-opted Members of the Select Committee were invited and encouraged to attend the meeting.

 

RESOLVED: That:

 

1. The 2018/19 work programme be approved, subject to the changes outlined above.

 

2. The following Members be appointed to the Education, Children & Families Budget & Performance Monitoring Sub-Committee:

 

Councillor Neil Reddin (Chairman)

Councillor Marina Ahmed

Councillor Nicholas Bennett

Councillor Judi Ellis

Councillor Will Rowlands

Councillor Stephen Wells

Emmanuel Arbenser

 

7.

QUESTIONS TO THE PORTFOLIO HOLDER FROM COUNCILLORS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING THE MEETING

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to the Education, Children & Families Portfolio Holder must be received in writing 4 working days before the date of the meeting and must relate to the work of the Portfolio.  Please ensure questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 28th June 2018.

 

Minutes:

There were no questions.

8.

PORTFOLIO HOLDER UPDATE

Minutes:

The Portfolio Holder gave an update to Members on work being undertaken across the Children, Education & Families Portfolio since the Committee’s last meeting in February 2018.

 

The Portfolio Holder began his update by welcoming Councillor Nicky Dykes as the new Executive Assistant for the Portfolio.

 

Since the last meeting the agenda across the Portfolio had been busy.  A number of service areas had been monitored over the last two years and this had necessitated a number of visits to services to review both progress and the well-being of staff.  Since the last meeting the following service areas had received a visit from the Portfolio Holder:

 

  • Fostering and Adoption
  • Early Intervention
  • Child Protection and Safeguarding
  • Children Looked After and Care Leavers
  •  Children with Disabilities Team 

 

The Portfolio Holder remained impressed with the passion and commitment of all the staff delivering services to vulnerable young people in the Borough.  The Portfolio Holder recommended to the Committee that it may be helpful during the course of the year for Members to focus on the Care Leavers side of the work that was undertaken by the Local Authority.

 

Since the last meeting two Ofsted Monitoring Visits had taken place; one focusing on Early Intervention and one focusing on Vulnerabilities - Gangs, Missing and Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).  Feedback from the Early Intervention visit had been extremely positive with Inspectors praising the work of the Service and highlighting the Service as an area of best practice.  It had been noted earlier in the Portfolio Holder’s update that the Independent Chairman of Bromley Safeguarding Children Board had described this particular service as “the Jewel in Bromley’s Crown”.

 

It was noted that issues around Gangs and CSE was an area of growing concern both locally and nationally.  Whilst the outcome of this monitoring visit, which had taken place in June 2018, remained embargoed, the Portfolio Holder reported that the feedback received from Inspectors had been positive.

 

As the Local Authority now looked towards the full Ofsted Inspection, which was expected to take place later in the year, there was now a focus on ensuring the sustainability of the improvements that had been made resulting from the Children’s Service Improvement Plan.

 

In addition to the Ofsted Monitoring visits, the Department for Education (DfE) had also been working with the Local Authority.  Mark Riddell MBE, National Implementation Adviser for Care Leavers, had spent some time working with the Local Authority and had provided some positive feedback.  The Local Authority and its Partners had also been involved in focus groups with representatives from the DfE.

 

In terms of Education, representatives from the Local Authority and met with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) concerning Bullers Wood.  A revised planning application had been submitted and the appeal from the previous planning application was awaited.

 

A number of schools had also received good Ofsted Inspection outcomes.

 

Addressing the issues that had recently appeared in the press concerning the Independent School Darul Uloom, the DfE had been the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

WITNESS SESSION: POST-16 NON-UNIVERSITY TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN BROMLEY

(A)  ANGELA HUGGETT, HEAD OF HR STRATEGY & EDUCATION, LBB

 

(B)  LINDA KING, YOUTH SUPPORT PROGRAMME MANAGER, LBB

 

(B)  REPRESENTATIVE FROM NHS IN BROMLEY (TO BE CONFIRMED)

Minutes:

The Committee had been provided with a range of written evidence in advance of the meeting.  This included a report providing an overview of Bromley Council's Apprenticeship Scheme, a submission from London and South East Colleges, an article from The Times newspaper and feedback received as a result of the call for evidence. 

 

The Chairman noted with disappointment and regret that the NHS, the largest employer in the Borough, had been unable to field a witness to attend the meeting and support the Committee’s review.

 

The Chairman welcomed Mrs Angela Huggett. Head of HR Strategy & Education, LBB and Mrs Linda King, Youth Support Programme Manager, LBB, to the meeting.  The Committee explored a number of themes and issues with the witnesses.

 

In response to a series of questions from the Committee, Mrs Huggett explained that the development of the Council’s Apprenticeship Scheme sat within her remit.  Since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy the Council had begun work to develop a range of specialist apprenticeship opportunities such as housing, legal and social work.  This was in addition to the apprenticeship opportunities that were being made available to the Council’s Children Looked After.  The take up in apprenticeship opportunities from the Local Authority’s children looked after had been low and work was being undertaken with the Children Looked After and Care Leavers Service  to open the available opportunities to a wider pool.  It was clear that more work needed to be done to engage and motivate young people and ensure that they had the necessary skills to complete the application process.  A further area of focus was to review the application process and identify whether a less complicated route could be developed for children looked after.

 

There had been a good response to the Council’s launch of its apprenticeship scheme.  However the number of applications had been relatively low and very few applications were turned down.  Interest in the apprenticeship scheme was growing and there had been more applications for the second cohort.

 

The Apprenticeship Scheme was open to all ages but the Council’s current cohort was mainly 18 to 25 years.  Opportunities were open to everyone regardless of whether applicants had special educational needs.  There was no overtly positive discrimination for applicants with special educational needs.  However, once applicants were accepted  any specific needs would be accommodated with a programme developed around individual need.  Entry level was dependant on the qualification that was being pursued however all participants were required to pass a functional skills test.  Each apprentice had their own learning plan at both the college and within the work based placement.  The length of the course was dependant on the qualification.  Each apprentice spent 4 days in the work place setting and one day at college.  There was also homework to be completed most weeks.

 

The percentage target set for employers was based on the payroll bill.  The figures were very fluid and as the Council’s payroll bill reduced the number of apprenticeship opportunities it was required to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

COMMITTEE CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Minutes:

The Committee agreed that once the report and recommendations had been drafted they should be circulated to Members for review.  If necessary a further meeting could be called to agree the report and recommendations.