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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Hackney Town Hall, Mare Street, London E8 1EA. View directions

Contact: Martin Bradford 

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of Chair and Vice Chair

Minutes:

Scrutiny Officer in the Chair

 

1.1  As this was the first meeting of the Commission in the new municipal year, it was necessary to elect a Chair and Vice Chair. 

 

1.2  Cllr Sophie Conway was nominated for the position of Chair by Cllr Lynne Troughton and this was seconded by Cllr Sheila Suso-Runge.  There being no other nominations Cllr Sophie Conway was elected as Chair.

 

Cllr Sophie Conway in the Chair

 

1.3  Cllr Margaret Gordon was nominated for the position of Vice Chair by Cllr Sophie Conway and was seconded by Cllr Lynne Troughton.  There being no other nominations, Cllr Margaret Gordon was elected as the Vice Chair.

2.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

2.1   Apologies for absence were received from the following members of the Commission:

- Richard Brown

- Salmah Kansara

- Cllr Midnight Ross

 

2.2 The following members connected virtually

- Cllr Margaret Gordon (Vice Chair)

- Cllr Alastair Binne Lubbock

- Cllr Sheila Suso-Runge

- Cllr Caroline Selman

- Steven Olalere (Co-opted member)

3.

Urgent Items / Order of Business

Minutes:

3.1    The following declarations were received by members of the Commission:

- Jo McLeod was a Governor at a primary school in Hackney and a parent of a child with SEND;

- Cllr Lee Luadat-Scott was a governor of a local school and member of Hackney Schools Forum

- Cllr Anya Sizer was a parent of a child with SEND;

- Monique Pink was a governor at a school in Hackney;

- Steven Olalere was a governor at a school in Hackney.

4.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

4.1   There were no urgent items and the agenda was as had been published. 

5.

Terms of Reference for Commission pdf icon PDF 32 KB

Members to note the terms of reference for the Commission as set out in the constitution of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.1  This being the first meeting of the Children & Young People Scrutiny Commission, members were required to note the terms of reference for scrutiny and this Commission which is set out in the Constitution.  Excerpts from the Constitution for arrangements and procedures rules for scrutiny and this Commission were enclosed in the report pack.

 

5.2  Members noted the terms of reference.

6.

Child Care Sufficiency Assessment (19.10) pdf icon PDF 36 KB

Members to review the councils local childcare sufficiency assessment undertaken in 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

6.1  Each Local Authority has a childcare sufficiency duty to ensure that there are sufficient childcare places to meet the needs of local parents and carers.  Local Authorities are required to undertake a childcare sufficiency audit not only in relation to the number of childcare places available, but also on the quality and cost of local provision.  Full audits are undertaken every two years and presented to local Councillors and this year's audit was enclosed in the agenda pack.  This is a standing item on the Commission’s agenda.

 

6.2  To support this item, the Chair noted that ahead of the meeting the Commission had held a focus group with local childcare providers to better understand the issues and challenges providers faced across the sector.  Issues arising from the consultation were used to inform member questioning.  The Chair also wished to publicly thank all those childcare providers who participated in this consultation.

 

6.3  The Cabinet Member for Families, Early Years Parks introduced the report.  Although the report provided a snapshot of local services, at this time the sufficiency report demonstrated that there was enough childcare provision across the borough for all age groups.  The Cabinet member was also encouraged that high levels of quality childcare provision were being maintained across Hackney.  The new administration had a number of commitments in relation to childcare services:

To continue to support local Children's Centres and ensure that they continue to provide a wide range of services and that these linked to new Family Hubs;

Accessibility of childcare would be assessed through the establishment of a local affordable childcare commission.

 

6.4  Officers made a short presentation to the Commission  highlighting key issues from the report.  A summary of key issues is provided below:

There are two types of free entitlement: 30 hours of free childcare for 3 and 4 year olds (if both parents are working) and 15 hours free childcare for 2 year olds (for low earning families).

Free childcare provision in Hackney is provided through: 163 childminders, 108 private/voluntary nurseries (inc children’s centres and playgroups), 21 independent schools and 54 nurseries in maintained primary schools and 2 maintained nurseries.

To support the sufficiency report, audit data was provided by child care providers - 50% of childminders responded and 90% of PVI sector and 100% of schools responded - which suggests that data in the report is an accurate reflection of local provision.

Whilst there was sufficient provision, it was noted that the cost of provision had increased over the past two years.  The average cost was not £323 for a child under 2 years of age.

 

Questions from the Commission

6.5  From the consultation with providers, it was clear that there is a recruitment crisis in which childcare providers are struggling to find appropriately qualified staff.  Providers noted problems with the training of potential staff recruits where there was a possible ‘mismatch’ in the training and curriculums of local colleges and what was appropriate for the local childcare sector. This has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Admissions and School Place Planning (19.50) pdf icon PDF 33 KB

Members to review admission at reception and secondary entry for September 2022 and wider school place planning processes.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

7.1  Each year the Commission reviews local admission processes for both reception and secondary school level entry and the wider school place planning role of the Council.  This helps the Commission maintain oversight of school places across and ensure that there is sufficient local capacity.  Hackney Education provided a report on school admissions outcomes and school place planning

 

7.2  The Cabinet member introduced this item noting that for the overwhelming majority of parents, a Hackney school was their first preference for their child.  A majority of parents also secured a place for their child at either their first or second preference school which was in line with regional averages.  The report highlighted the ongoing issue with falling school numbers in primary settings which would eventually feed into secondary school numbers.  This was a regional issue being felt across schools in London.

 

7.3  The Director of Education noted that the School Estates Strategy was agreed earlier this year by Cabinet which would respond to the issues raised by falling school rolls and the need to increase in-borough SEND Provision.  The Head of School Organisation and Commissioning noted the following from the report:

There was a 1.8% decrease in the number of children applying for reception places in Hackney in 2022 compared to 2021.  This was part of a longer trend which has seen a decrease of 18% of applications for reception places since 2017.  Whilst London figures demonstrated a similar pattern of admission, this was more pronounced in Hackney (there being only a 9.4% fall across London since 2017);

Local Schools remain popular with over 9/10 parents choosing a Hackney school at their first preference.

In terms of the 36 families who were not given any preferred primary schools, they were offered a place in the nearest school with vacancies.  Given the number of vacancies across the sector, most were offered places reasonably close to where they lived.

Secondary admissions showed a similar pattern to that recorded for reception, with a 3.4% reduction in applications from 2021 to 2022 and a reduction of 8.7% since 2017.  It was noted that the decline in the number of applications to Hackney schools since 2017 runs counter to London wide data where there has been a 4.2% increase since 2017.  It was not clear as to why this was the case, though there had been a recent trend for families to move from inner to outer London boroughs and further beyond.

86.5% expressed a first preference for a Hackney secondary school and 89% were allocated a school from one of their three preferred choices which corresponded to London wide data.

151 families (6.6%) were not offered a place at any of their preferred schools which was just above the London average.

 

Questions from the Commission

7.4  In respect of school place planning, a significant fall in the demand for reception places is anticipated for 2023 and beyond?  Are any further reductions in the PAN envisaged for 2023/24?  Are there any patterns or trends among  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Outcome of School Exclusions - Cabinet Response (20.30) pdf icon PDF 33 KB

Members to note and discuss the Cabinet response to the Commissions review of school exclusions.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

8.1  The Commission completed its in-depth review of school exclusions in December 2021.  The Executive responses to the Commission's recommendations were considered and agreed by Cabinet at its meeting on March 14th 2022.  The Cabinet response, including the detailed response to the recommendations reviewed by the Commission noting that  Hackney Education agreed in-full to 17 of the 18 recommendations made.

 

8.2  The Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Children’s Social Care reiterated that tackling school exclusions and the associated disproportionalities was a priority for the Council and welcomed the recommendations of the Commission.  It was hoped that exclusions should be reduced to below national averages. 

 

8.3  In relation to recommendation 10 (which was partially agreed) the Chair acknowledged the challenges of supporting what were independent (or free) schools.  It was hoped that an expanded site and new role for the Pupil Referral Unit would reduce the need for children to be placed in other alternative provision (AP).  The Chair noted that within the site visits to AP, it was noted that the standard of facilities at some of these settings fell well below what other secondary schools were offering pupils.  The Commission wanted a commitment that whichever setting children were being placed, be it in maintained or alternative provision sites, that there were clear standards of provision.  The Commission felt that greater assurance was needed in that existing facilities meet the needs of AP attendees.

The Director of Education noted that a dedicated officer was working on developing much closer contact with the AP sector in relation to performance monitoring, quality assurance and support to ensure improvements are delivered. In response to children’s rights and behaviour policies, the Director noted that a Diversity and Inclusion Systems Lead has been appointed to take forward the Diversity & Inclusion Charter.

The Cabinet Member for Families, Early Years, Parks & Play noted that the SEND Green Paper would provide additional status for AP which would assist  developments in this area and that work of the Commission in this area had been welcomed.

 

8.4  Given the length and detail within the report it was agreed that it would be helpful to develop a summary of the report which could be circulated to more widely.

 

Agreed: That the Commission develop a short summary of the report which can be disseminated more widely across the Council.

 

8.5  A member of the Commission suggested that Recommendation 1 (relating to exclusion data monitoring and oversight) might also include some reference to SEND status of children.  It was also noted that UNICEF were operating an education programme in primary schools to ensure that children were more aware of their rights and to encourage schools to develop more inclusive and positive behaviours policies.  The Chair responded by saying it was hoped that the Commission would be able to pick up some of this additional work in this year's work programme.  The Commission would write to the Inclusion Team to ascertain if SEND status can be included within the monitoring report due in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Work Programme 2022/23 (20.40) pdf icon PDF 36 KB

In relation to the development of the work programme for the Commission for 2022/23, members are requested to:

-  Note standing items, national and local horizon scanning and topic suggestions put forward from local stakeholders;

-  Discuss and prioritise those topics for inclusion.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

9.1  The Commission develops a new work programme each year to ensure that it remains current and relevant to the needs and priorities of the community and other stakeholders. It builds a new work programme through three methods:

Standing Items  - those items which are of critical importance and which the Commission has a role to monitor and oversee.  These are detailed in Appendix A

Public and stakeholder Consultation - a wide ranging consultation to generate suggestions for consideration within the work programme. These are detailed in Appendix B

Horizon scanning - emerging issues of national and local importance which may further inform work programming. These are detailed in Appendix C

 

9.2  The purpose of the work programme was threefold:

Publish all suggestions to ensure transparency and openness

To allow members to review and discuss suggested items/ topics

To allow members to begging to agree on and prioritise those items or issues which should be included in the work programme

 

9.3  Given the commitment to standing items and existing work of the Commission there was limited capacity for the number of new items which might be agreed for 2023.  There were however a number of options to develop and extend the range of items included:

Commission can factor in Cabinet Member Questions - when members may select up to three different topic areas.

Review - the Commission is still completing Adolescents Entering Care but would be a further opportunity for more detailed review work once this was completed (after November 2022) (possibly scrutiny in a day);

The Commission can hold informal sessions with officers or undertake site visits to assist in its work.

 

9.4   The most important part of the session was to prioritise those issues to be included in the work programme. How and when items are taken forward in the scrutiny work programme can be decided and agreed upon later by the Commission. Important considerations for prioritising issues for inclusion within the work programme:

Does the issue or concern resonate with the local community?

Is it an area where scrutiny can potentially have a real impact?

Does this issue align with or contribute to meeting local priorities?

 

9.5  Depending on the nature of the topic selected, the level and nature of scrutiny required the item might take a number of different forms:

A short report which can be taken at a Commission meeting

More detailed analysis with other contributors - where a whole meeting  dedicated to this issue

More in depth analysis with other contributors and evidence gathering - through a scrutiny in a day exercise or longer review.

 

9.6  Members of the Commission discussed the suggestions put forward and highlighted policy or service areas that should be prioritised.  It was noted that some issues may be joint pieces of work which require cooperation with other scrutiny Commissions:

Cllr Binne Lubbock - could the issues be mapped out via topic area -  this would assist members' decisions.  It would also be useful to have an indication from Hackney  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Minutes of the previous meeting (21.20) pdf icon PDF 31 KB

The minutes of previous meetings set out below are attached for members to note and approve:

-  19th January 2022;

-  28th February 2022;

-  14th March 2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

10.1  The minutes of January 19th 2022, February 28th 2022 and March 14th 2022 were noted and agreed by the Commission.

 

Agreed: the Commission agreed the minutes of previous meetings.

11.

Any Other Business

To include updates on children and young people related issues from other scrutiny commissions

Minutes:

11.1  The date of the next meeting was 8th September 2022.  There were no other items of business.

 

  Meeting closed at 9.40pm