Issue - meetings

To receive the exceptions report on financial and performance information for period 8 of 2010/11.

The Committee received the report on Period 8 of the Council’s Performance Exceptions and Budget Monitoring Exceptions and the Period 9 Performance Exceptions and Budget Monitoring Exceptions report, circulated as a second dispatch.  The following was noted in response to questions posted by the Committee:

(Clerk’s note: 19:50 hrs – Cllr Bull left the meeting and the Vice Chair, Cllr Browne took over chairing the meeting)

The Committee noted that it would be expensive for the Council to exit the lease of the Techonopark and that renting out the free space would be more effective but the local area had been particularly affected by the recession and so this was proving difficult.

The Committee asked for a briefing note on the low occupancy of the Technopark (paragraph 15.5 – Period 9) including:

1.      How many units there were?

2.      How many units were let (what %) and to what sort of businesses, how many people were employed in them and what income they yielded?

3.      How many units (%) were used by council services?

4.      How many units (%) were occupied by the community and voluntary sector and were these provided for free or at a reduced rent (detail to be provided)? (Action No. 176.1)

Clerk’s note: 19:55 hrs - Clerk’s note: 19:50 hrs – Cllr Bull returned to the meeting and took over as chair.

Paragraph 15.5 and 15.6 (Period 8) - NI 73 and NI 74 – The Committee expressed concern about the low target for achievement of 5 or more A*-C grades in core subjects at GCSE and requested more information on achievements in relation to the new standard (Action No. 176.2).

The Committee noted the responses to the advance questions submitted in relation to Children’s Services and the following was noted in response to discussions.

Paragraph 15.18 (Period 8) – Looked After Children (LAC) –The Committee stated its concern about the large overspend in this area and the unsettling nature of moving looked after children from one placement to another. Officers were reviewing how and why placement moves for these children had come about and any special action taken – a briefing would be provided to the Committee when this piece of work was complete (Action No. 176.3).

In response to questions about whether the Council had entered into discussions with magistrates about how the legal side of children’s placements could be improved, officers reported that the Director of Children’s Services had recently met with the Head of the Court Service about the legal process and costs.  The Committee requested feedback from this meeting (Action No. 176.4).

In response to the Committee’s concerns about the closure of Children Centres, the Deputy Director – Children and Families, stated that she did not expect there to be a direct link to the number of referrals as a result of the closure of Children’s Centres as partners were aware of the Council’s thresholds.  The Committee asked for a future report back to the Committee if there was a drop  ...  view the full minutes text for item 176