An opportunity to question Councillor Zena Brabazon, the Cabinet Member for
Early Years, Children and Families, on developments within her portfolio.
Minutes:
The Panel noted that Councillor Zena Brabazon, the Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children and Families, was unable to attend the meeting. She had asked Ann Graham, Director of Children’s Services, to provide an update on four particular key areas of development within her portfolio:
· The Wood Green Youth Hub was still on track to be completed in the summer. The design for the Hub had been co-produced by the architect with young people;
· An Early Years strategy for the borough had been developed and was now being consulted on. It had been co-produced with those working in the sector;
· The schools capital programme was proceeding. It had been begun three years ago and had enabled work to take place to schools that were in disrepair;
· There had been a well-attended meeting of parents and carers of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) with the Leader of the Council and senior officers to discuss long standing issues in order to improve relationships. Further meetings were now planned.
Answers had been circulated before the meeting to questions submitted by Panel Members to the Cabinet Member. Concern was expressed by the Panel at the answer that had been submitted to the question regarding the contract with Isos and its outcome. Some school governing body Chairs were dissatisfied with the progress that had been made. It was felt that greater clarity and a strategy on how the local authority was intending to respond to the drop in school rolls was required. Ms Graham agreed to provide further information to the Panel regarding this issue. The work by Isos was being undertaken in phases and parts of it had not been completed yet. A further report would be drafted later in the year.
Panel Members requested an update from the Cabinet Member on the new School Streets and how they were working. In addition, it was felt that feedback from schools and parents would also be useful.
In answer to a question, Ms Graham stated that there had been space for about thirty parents and carers to attend the recent SEND meeting in person plus a similar number to attend on-line. She agreed to provide further detail to Panel Members on attendance. The concerns that had been raised at the meeting covered a number of areas, including schools and the voice of parents not being clearly heard. It was also felt that the schools that children went to were not always a good fit for them. In addition, some parents had not been happy with the place that they had been allocated and there were concerns about waiting times for Education, Health and Care plans and regarding transitions. The matters that had been raised would be documented in the action plan. The next steps would be a series of themed meetings. The precise number of these had not yet been determined.
AGREED:
1. That the Director of Children’s Services be requested to provide further information to the Panel regarding this Isos contract and plans to address the falling school rolls in the borough;
2. That the Cabinet Member be requested to provide an update to the Panel on the implementation of School Streets and how they are working.