Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Naylor and Wann.

Apologies for absence were also received from Councillor Grant, Leader of the Conservative Group. Councillor Johnson was in attendance instead of Councillor Grant.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business to be discussed and/or indicate that Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

Members were asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda and/or declare if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applied to them.

Councillor Russell declared a personal and non prejudicial interest in item 6, Update on Structural Solutions for National Challenge Schools in that she was a member of the Fullhurst Interim Executive Board.

Councillor Bhatti declared a personal and prejudicial interest in                                                                                                              item 6, Update on Structural Solutions for National Challenge Schools, in that his daughter in law was a teacher at Fullhurst Community College. Councillor Bhatti withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of this item of business.

Councillor Patel welcomed Mary Ray, Independent Member of the Standards Board to Cabinet and explained that Ms Ray had come to observe the meeting.

Councillor Patel also explained that with reference to Building Schools for the Future (BSF), the Government had very recently approved the Council Strategy for Change in Secondary Schools, which was necessary to secure the BSF funding.   Councillor Dempster added that this was excellent news for the City and that this would enable the Council to continue to raise education standards.

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 March 2010 have been circulated to Members and the Cabinet is asked to approve them as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the meeting of Cabinet, held on 29 March 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

There were no matters referred from Committees.

Councillor Palmer submits a report that seeks Members’ endorsement of the Short Breaks (respite) Strategy 2009 to 2013 for people with Learning Disabilities and to provide an overview of the strategy and the action plan to deliver the improved services.  Members are asked to approve the recommendations set out in Paragraph 3.1 of the report.

A minute extract of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 15 April 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Patel explained that the Leicester City Council’s Short Breaks (Respite) Strategy for People with Learning Difficulties would be moved forward on the agenda and be heard at this point. 

Councillor Palmer submitted a report that sought Members’ endorsement of the Short Breaks (respite) Strategy 2009 to 2013 for people with Learning Disabilities and to provide an overview of the strategy and the action plan to deliver the improved services.

Councillor Palmer commented that it was essential that carers were supported and that good short breaks were very important, both for the well-being of people with learning difficulties and for their carers. Councillor Palmer thanked Officers and partners who had been involved in the preparation of the Strategy and also gave particular thanks to the Carers’ Groups for their input.

Members heard that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had considered the report and supported the Strategy. Councillor Palmer made reference to their request that feedback on the Strategy be brought to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board and stated that he would be supportive of this.

RESOLVED:

                        that Cabinet:

1)       endorses the Short Breaks Strategy, which has been presented to and endorsed by the Learning Disability Partnership Board and Leicestershire Partnerships NHS Trust’s Executive Group; and

2)       notes the actions to be taken to improve short breaks (respite) services across Leicestershire, Leicester City and Rutland.

Councillor Dempster submits a report that updates Members on the progress of the consultation on National Challenge Co-operative Trust status for Fullhurst Community College, Babington Community Technology College and New College Leicester. Cabinet is asked to approve the recommendations set out in Paragraph 2.2 of the report.

A minute extract from the meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee held on 13 April 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Bhatti, having declared a personal and prejudicial interest, withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of the following item of business.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that updated Members on the progress of the consultation on National Challenge Co-operative Trust status for Fullhurst Community College, Babington Community Technology College and New College Leicester.

Councillor Dempster explained that the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee had considered the report and, further to their recommendations, Members heard that a report relating to land transfer would be considered by Cabinet at a later date. Councillor Dempster also stated that in respect of their query relating to admission arrangements, schools would be expected to follow the approved code of practice.

RESOLVED:

                        that Cabinet:

1)     notes the current position with regard to the three National Challenge Schools seeking National Challenge Co-operative Trust status;

2)     requests a further report on the outcome of the Consultation process; and

3)     requests a further report on the process involved in Land Transfer, if any, or all of the Colleges gain National Challenge Co-operative Trust status.

Councillor Bhatti then returned to the meeting.

Councillor Dempster submits a report that advises Members of the current position regarding the re-modelling and refurbishment of the Leicester YMCA, to provide accommodation and support to vulnerable young people, including care leavers.  Retrospective approval is sought from Cabinet to enable the Council to work in partnership with Leicester YMCA to deliver the scheme by 31 August 2011. Cabinet is asked to approve the recommendations set out in Paragraph 2.2 of the report.

A minute extract of the meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee held on 13 April 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that advised Members of the current position regarding the re-modelling and refurbishment of the Leicester YMCA, to provide accommodation and support to vulnerable young people, including care leavers.

Councillor Dempster explained that funding for the project had been made available by the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and that the Council considered that the transition of young people in care was particularly important. Members heard that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had considered the report and had supported the recommendations. They had also requested that monitoring reports be submitted to the Board to outline the progress of the project.

RESOLVED:

                        that Cabinet:

1)     endorses the Council’s support for the scheme;

2)     confirms the urgent action of senior officers in accepting the grant of £2.64 from Partnerships for School (PfS)

3)     authorises the addition of the £2.64m to the Council’s capital programme;

4)     authorises the Director of Corporate Governance to enter into a funding agreement with the YMCA;

5)     authorises the Strategic Director, Investing in our Children to pay the YMCA on account the £600,000 received from PfS and in advance of the funding agreement being signed; and

6)     authorises the Strategic Director, Investing in our Children to make subsequent payments to the YMCA as they become due;

7)     requests the provision of regular monitoring reports to the Cabinet Lead for children and Young People; and

8)     agrees that these decisions are not subject to call-in procedures due to the urgency of the need to make payments to the YMCA and to confirm the Council’s commitment to the scheme.

Councillor Dempster and Councillor Naylor submit a report that provides a summary and overview of the 2010/11 Youth Justice Performance Improvement Framework (YJPIF) submitted to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) by the Youth Offending Service (YOS) as a requirement on the Crime and Disorder Act (1998). Cabinet is asked to approve the recommendations set out in Paragraph 3.1 of the report.

A minute extract of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 15 April 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that provided a summary and overview of the 2010/11 Youth Justice Performance Improvement Framework (YJPIF) submitted to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) by the Youth Offending Service (YOS) as a requirement of the Crime and Disorder Act (1998).

Councillor Dempster explained that the Youth Offending Service in Leicester was rated within the top quartile nationally, and this was something that the City could be very proud of.  Councillor Dempster gave a summary of the work of the Youth Offending Service and commented that sometimes young people appeared to receive a negative press, but the vast majority of young people were not perpetrators of crimes.

Councillor Dempster outlined the statistics regarding re-offenders, noting that this was a very small proportion of young people. She also outlined the excellent work of the Youth Offending Service.

Members also heard that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had considered the report and had praised the work of the Youth Offending Service.

RESOLVED:

that Cabinet notes and approves the following Youth Justice Performance Improvement Framework elements:

1)     The Youth Justice Strategic Plan for 2010/11;

2)     The Capacity and Capability Self Assessment and Performance Overview; and

3)     The Youth Offending Service Partnership Improvement Plan

And Organisational Review.

Councillor Naylor submits a report that informs of the Domestic Violence Strategy. The Strategy involves a co-ordinated community response with key partners and it received endorsement form the Safer Leicester Partnership Board on 29 October 2009.  Cabinet is asked to approve the recommendation set out in Paragraph 3.1 of the report.

The minute extract from the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board held on 15 April 2010 will be circulated as soon as it is available.

Councillor Dempster submitted a report that informed of the Domestic Violence Strategy. Members heard that the Strategy involved a co-ordinated approach community response with key partners and it received endorsement from the Safer Leicester Partnership Board on 29 October 2009.

Councillor Dempster commented that Officers had delivered an excellent strategy that had related to all areas of the ‘One Leicester’ vision. Members heard that the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board had considered the report and had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED:

that Cabinet accepts the recommendations in respect of future commissioning arrangements for Domestic Violence as outlined in section 5 of the report and offers endorsement of the Leicester Inter-Agency Integrated Domestic Violence Strategy 2009-2014 in line with the above timescale for progression to Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 1.22 pm