Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

 Clerk’s note: In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Adamou (Vice-Chair) chaired the first 5 minutes of the meeting.

The meeting was recorded for future or live broadcast on the Council’s website.

There were no apologies for absence.  Apologies for lateness were received from Councillors Aitken and Bull.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 12 below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

There were no urgent items.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Sarah Marsh declared a personal interest in agenda item 9 – Children’s Centre Update – as she worked in a Children’s Centre within another local authority.

Clerk’s note:  Councillor Bull took over as Chair.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no such items.

RESOLVED that the order of agenda be varied to accommodate those in attendance.  The order in which items appear in the minutes will remain the same as on the agenda.

i.          To receive and agree the minutes of the Call-in meeting held on 9^th December 2009.

ii.         To receive and agree the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th January 2010.

Minutes of 9^th December 2009

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 9^th December 2009 be confirmed as an accurate record.

Minutes of 11^th January 2010

OSCO28 - The Committee expressed concern that it had not received the briefing note on milestones and those reached so far during the development of the Cultural Strategy.

OSCO29 – The Committee expressed concerns that it had not received the information it had requested about the NHS Haringey budget and any response to the budget from the Council.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th January 2010 be confirmed as an accurate record.

Briefing and answers to questions from Councillor Bevan, Cabinet Member responsible for the Environment Portfolio.

The Committee noted the briefing provided by Councillor John Bevan, Cabinet Member for Environment and Conservation and the advance questions and responses.  Beverley Taylor (A.D. Urban Environment), Joan Hancox (Head of Sustainable Transport) and Stephen McDonnell (Head of Environmental Resources) were also in attendance.

Committee Members congratulated officers on the work of the Environment Department during the period of snow. In answer to the Committee’s concerns about grit-supplies it was noted that the Council’s grit supply had been sufficient to grit the priority areas in Haringey but not enough to stock-up grit bins. Grit-supplies were controlled by the London Local Authorities Control Centre and were distributed to each borough according to need.  Members passed on the concerns expressed to them by residents that different local authorities exercised different practices for gritting areas during periods of snow.  In response the Assistant Director – Urban Environment advised that Haringey gritted all town centres, main roads and schools and other areas depending on supplies.  As part of a review of gritting other boroughs’ practices would be considered.

Officers agreed to look at a dilapidated grit bin at the bottom of Muswell Hill, which was possibly not owned by the Council and also agreed to provide a briefing note on the environmental impact of using grit, for example, whether grit affected drainage systems when it rained.

It was noted that due to the high volume of potholes reported the Council was currently not meeting all targets for repairing potholes.  The target for larger potholes (to be repaired within 24 hours) was being met.  Ward Councillors would be informed of the delay in repairs to potholes to ensure that outstanding requests for repairs were not re-submitted.   In response to its questions the Committee was informed that there were sufficient funds in the maintenance budget to repair the large number of potholes in the Borough and officers were looking into a road resurfacing programme for next year (with Capital Allocation funding).  The Council had applied for top-up funding towards road repairs required due to severe weather conditions but was unsuccessful and would conduct a similar bid for funding in the forthcoming municipal year.

The Committee enquired as to whether different models of Street Car vehicles, which were more user friendly to older people and those with disabilities, would be used in the future.

The Committee asked for clarification as to the purpose of the spine road and whether it is planned as a relief road for Hornsey Park Road and highlighted the importance of Transport for London (TfL) and London Buses engaging with Council officers and councillors regarding road closures and bus diversion routes.

In response to the Committee’s suggestions for improved regeneration as part of plans for the new Tottenham Hotspur Football Club it was noted that the Council had raised the issue of potentially extending the Victoria Tube line but this was not part of TfLs work programme.  The Committee expressed concern that more people will be leaving the new stadium after matches  ...  view the full minutes text for item 62.

Briefing and answers to questions from Councillor Reith, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People.

The Committee received the portfolio briefing from the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Lorna Reith, and noted the advance questions and responses. Peter Lewis, Director of Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS), was also in attendance.

The Committee noted that the Council was making progress in safeguarding but expressed concerns about the funding available.  The Director of Children’s Services, Peter Lewis, advised that joined-up working with partners was occurring including health services and the voluntary sector with pooled-budgets (consolidated) and plans were in place as part of the Joint Area Review (JAR)) for better value for money. 

Committee Members requested to be sent the web-link to the Council’s current Child Care Sufficiency Assessment (CSA) and asked what monitoring processes were in place to monitor performance.  It was noted that national performance indicators and quality audits were conducted in addition to three separate audits and additional case assessments by management and the safeguarding board.  The Committee requested a breakdown of safeguarding referrals to the First Response team be provided to Committee Members detailing in categories, which referrals were taken to the assessment stage and those not followed-up.

In response to the Committee’s concern that funding for children in care was not sustainable it was noted that, whilst safeguarding was paramount, Council officers were looking at efficiency savings and as part of this had reconfigured care homes and were reviewing how emergency foster care was dealt with to keep care in-Borough as well as preventative work to identify problems early to avoid children going into care.  Other areas of savings included the reduction of agency staff in the service as well as Council officers liaising with the courts about the cost of legal proceedings.

RESOLVED that the briefing be noted.

To inform Members of the actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Centres in 2008.

The Committee received the report on Children’s Centres which provided an update of actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review of Children’s Centres in 2008, introduced by Belinda Evans, Head of Children’s Network West.  Peter Lewis, Director Children & Young People’s Service, and Jan Doust, Deputy Director - Children’s Network, were also in attendance.

In response to the Committee’s enquiry it was noted that there would be an extension of the Rowland Hill Children’s Centre at 100 Tower Gardens.  The Committee requested a list of services that were provided in each of Haringey’s children’s centres and satellite children centres. It was recognised that there was a need to target families who were not making use of children’s centres.

The committee requested details of what services were in each Children’s centre and satellite and a copy of the quality impact report.

The Committee asked what incentives were available for child care workers and noted that the Council had introduced a quality mark scheme where staff and providers could become accredited with bronze, silver and gold status.

The Director of Children & Young People’s Service would investigate the correspondence between the Council and the PCT regarding the suspension of universal services and circulate details to Committee Members.  It was noted that there was never the intention to completely withdraw the provision of universal Health Visitor services and the Committee emphasised the importance of a health visitor presence in children centres.

The Committee enquired about extended services and noted that the initiative offered extended child care from 8am until 6pm including breakfast and after school clubs but also events such as Dads Day and other events based on the needs of communities to encourage maximum use of children’s centres at the weekend. 

It was noted that Ofsted would start to inspect children’s centres from April 2010 and that the Committee asked that it be given the opportunity to review the outcome of the current Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) of children’s centres. 

RESOLVED that the actions taken in response to the recommendations of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee Review of Children’s Centres in 2008 be noted.

To receive the preliminary analyses of results at the end of the Foundation Stage, Key Stages 1, 2, 4 and Post 16 for 2009.

The Committee received the preliminary analyses of school exam results at the end of the Foundation Stage, Key Stages 1, 2, 4 and Post 16 for 2009, introduced by Jeanette Karklins, Deputy Director for School Standards and Inclusions.  The Committee noted that the 2009 results were the highest yet for Haringey Key Stage 2 pupils and congratulated Haringey officers, schools staff and pupils.  Committee Members asked to received the full report on School Exam Results by email.

In response to its questions the Committee was informed that measures to avoid exclusions were in place including a full range of professional services for early intervention and secondary school head teachers securing managed moves to new schools before pupils were permanently excluded.   Further information on School Exclusions would be provided to the Committee including prevention methods and figures.The Committee noted that a support network existed to work with families at risk of child exclusions, which was well received in the community.  Families were provided with on-going support after a child was excluded from school as well as assistance to deal with any behaviour issues.

Officers refuted suggestions by Committee Members that schools had waited a year to receive psychologist services.  It was noted that the psychologist service had suffered some staffing problems (including a large number of staff taking maternity leave) which had affected the rota for psychologist visits to schools but schools had been written to and informed that the most vulnerable children would be given priority during this time.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

To receive an update on progress on the recommendations arising from the Overview & Scrutiny review of Extended Services in 2007.

The Committee received the report updating on extended services in and around schools, introduced by Belinda Evans, Head of Children’s Network West, and noted that 89% of schools were delivering all elements of the full core offer of extended schools services and there was a drive to provide further services for children in care.  Committee members suggested that there were not sufficient extended schools services in the west of the borough and the Director of Children & Young People’s Service invited comments from parents and councillors about which schools were not providing good extended services.

In response to the Committee’s concerns about how schools would fund extended services it was noted that schools were not expected to open premises for such services for free and were reimbursed any costs.  Schools were encouraged to have more than one group in at the same time to save on care-taking and other associated costs. 

RESOLVED that the progress on the recommendations arising from the Overview & Scrutiny Review of Extended Services in 2007 be noted.

There were no items of urgent business.

Monday 8^th March 2010

Monday 15^th March 2010

It was noted that the next meeting will be held on Monday 8^th March 2010 6.00pm at Woodside House, N22 8YX.