Present at the meeting:
- Councillor R Winkworth (Chairman)
- Councillor S F Ell
- Councillor Miss J Atherton
- Councillor Mrs B Bourne
- Councillor Ms L E Fagan
- Councillor J D Hodgkinson
- Councillor E N Houlton
- Councillor M Klieve
- Councillor C Sweeney
- Councillor J W Wilkes
Co-opted Members:
- Rev Deacon R Moore
- Mr G Wolstenholme
- Mr D Barber
Officers in attendance
- N Lamper – Democratic Services Manager
- G Finch – Principal Officer – Overview and Scrutiny
- R Beressi – Senior Solicitor
- D Adshead – Committee Services Officer
Officers presenting reports
- N Hudson – Executive Director Children and Young People
- J Clarke – Head of Service - Learning
- E Baulcombe – Service Manager – SEN Commissioning
1 Apologies for absence: Councillors Mrs K Aldred, Dr C M Cottam, M A Dewhurst, T W Halliwell and K McManus and Rev Dr R Buckley and Mrs K Stokes (Co-opted Members)
2 Review of Co-opted Membership 2009/10: The Principal Officer -Overview and Scrutiny, Gary Finch, presented a report, which reviewed the Co-opted Membership of the Children, Young People and Families Scrutiny Committee.
The Committee was requested to agree on the organisations, if any, that it felt would be appropriate to be Co-opted on to the Committee for the Municipal year 2009/10.
Resolved: The Committee agrees not to appoint non-statutory Co-opted Members for this municipal year, but to invite organisations and partners to attend as witnesses, as appropriate.
3 Wigan Safeguarding Children Board (WSCB) – minutes of the meetings held on 14 January 2009 and 23 February 2009: The minutes of the meeting of Wigan Safeguarding Children Board held on 14 January and 23 February 2009 were submitted for information.
These reports had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at its meeting held on 6 April 2009 (minute 106 2009 refers).
Resolved: The Committee notes the minutes now submitted
4 Role of Children and Young People’s Services: The Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Nick Hudson, gave a presentation on the role of the Children and Young People’s Services Department. The presentation informed the Committee of current issues within Children and Young People’s Services’ remit and gave a summary of the services the Department provided to enable the Committee to shape a work programme for future meetings.
Members made comments and asked a number of questions, which included the following salient points:-
- Why was teenage pregnancy still a major issue in the Borough?
- There was a link between obesity in children and the management and pricing of healthy school meals
The Executive Director advised that progress on improving teenage pregnancy in the Borough continued to be hampered by data and statistics; the figures were out of date upon receipt and usually 12-18 months behind. This was a national issue rather than a local one. The school meal service was not provided by Children and Young People’s Services; the management and the pricing of school meals were carried out by the Chief Executive’s Department through Metrofresh.
Resolved: The Committee thanks Nick Hudson for the presentation and will use the information provided to assist in structuring its future work plan.
5 Call in – Proposed closure of Montrose School: The decision made by Cabinet (minute 301 of 14 May 2009 refers) had been called in by Councillor G W Fairhust, with the support of Councillors G Wilkes, P A Tushingham, Mrs A Bland, Mrs D Fairhurst and N Bradbury.
The Cabinet decision was as follows:-
301 Proposed Closure of Montrose School: The Cabinet considered a report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services that outlined the borough’s specialist provision for children and young people with special educational needs (SEN). The report also sought permission to consult on the proposed closure of Montrose School.
Members asked questions, to which the Executive Director of Children Young People’s Services responded.
The report set out details of the alternative options to be considered. The reason for selecting the one recommended was to consider parental preference and to give the commitment that all pupils will receive high quality education and care in an appropriate setting.
Resolved: The Cabinet:
- notes the content of the report; and
- requests that the Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services to proceed to statutory consultation on the proposal to close Montrose School with effect from 31 August 2010.
Councillor G W Fairhurst had stated that the reasons for calling in the Cabinet decision were as follows:
When Mere Oaks was being closed by Labour, this was brought up and reassurances were given that children from mere Oaks would not be passed from pillar to post. I call this in because obviously either something has changed or the original recommendation was flawed. Either way, it has consequences and I do not believe that these children should go through all of this again. I wish to know when it became clear that there was a problem, what the Council have been doing about it and more besides. These children can simply not be messed about time and time again.
The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services which had been presented to Cabinet on this matter.
The Executive Director of Children and Young People’s Services attended as a witness to explain the background leading to the recommendations in the report and answer questions.
Councillor Mrs S Loudon, the Cabinet champion for Children, attended as a witness to explain how the Cabinet had reached its decision and answer questions.
Concern was expressed that, in some cases, children a Montrose School would face upheaval for the second time.
The Executive Director responded that the report had been presented to Cabinet in two parts; parts one and three outlined the way in which special provision had changed over the years with the successful placement of children with complex educational needs into mainstream schools. A number of options had been considered, including a merger with Hope School, but the falling numbers at Montrose meant that this was not economical or educationally viable.
Members asked if the closure of the school was due to special measures or was it wholly a financial decision.
The Executive Director responded that finance was dedicated and could not be moved around; the resources would follow the child. Parents would still be given the choice of either mainstream or special needs education.
Members commented that parents opting for mainstream school should still be allowed to reconsider at a future date and transfer to a special needs school if they felt it would provide better educational facilities for their child.
The Executive Director responded that parents would always have this choice. Some children divide their education between mainstream and special needs school at present and transfer between schools a couple of days a week.
Members asked for a detailed explanation of the consultation process to which the Executive Director responded.
Resolved: The Committee supports the decision with the following recommendations to be referred to Cabinet:-
1. that full support be given to parents in their individual choices of alternative schools; and
2. that full consideration be given to the full outcome of the consultation.
(Councillor C Sweeney and Mr G Wolstenholme declared a personal and non-prejudicial in this item as governors at Platt Bridge Primary School. Councillor R Winkworth declared a personal and non-prejudicial interest as a governor at Hope School)
6 Question by Councillor M Klieve: This item was withdrawn.
Chairman
The meeting concluded at 8.05 p.m.
Note:
Councillor Mrs S Loudon, Cabinet Member for Children asked the Committee if it would like her to attend its future meetings. The Committee confirmed that it would like her to.
