Agenda item

Mr L B Ridings, Deputy Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education; Mrs A Gamby, Head of Early Years and Childcare; and Ms J Smith (Children's Centre Project Manager); will attend the meeting from 11.00 am to 11.30 am to answer Members’ questions on this item.

Mr R Lees declared a personal interest in item B2 as a Member on 2 Children’s Centres Steering Committees in his division. 

Mr Ridings, Deputy Cabinet Member for Vulnerable Children, Mrs Gamby, Head of Early Years and Childcare (Operations) and Ms Smith, Children’s Centre Project Manager were present for this item.

The Chairman invited Mr Wedgbury to join the Committee for the debate as he had requested that he be given the opportunity to ask some questions.  Members had received a letter from the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education which raised a number of questions about why the review was being conducted, what form it might take and how many Children’s Centres might be affected. 

Mr Ridings explained that the review was work in progress; there were three round of children’s centre development, round one contained 20 centres, round two involved 52 centres and that work was either complete or substantially complete, round three involved a maximum of 30 additional children’s centres to ensure that whole county coverage is provided.  It was expected that the review work would be complete by the end of October/first week in November, to allow it to be reported to Cabinet on 30 November.  It would also be reported to the Children Families and Education Learning Policy Overview and Scrutiny Committee at an appropriate time.  

Mr Christie raised his concerns about this being a quick review of a major issue, affecting all the children’s centres; he asked why the review was being carried out at this stage and where the input for local Members would be allowed?  Was the review financially led?

Mrs Gamby explained that the review was fundamentally a look at the round three children’s centres with the intention of ensuring that the round three centres are in the most appropriate location and that they were serving the needs of the community.   Looking at the round three centres may have implications for rounds one and two centres in the surrounding areas.  The Government had lodged a Surestart enquiry to determine whether children’s centres across the country were reaching the children and families that were in most need.  Children’s centres were revenue funded through the Surestart grant, revenue funding was secure until March 2011, it was expected that funding would continue beyond that date however the actual funding from April 2011 was unknown.  In response to the point about local Member input the review was looking at what had already been consulted upon to ensure that it is fit for purpose.  Mrs Gamby agreed to write to local Members affected by the review of the round three centres to give them the opportunity to be involved. 

Mr Horne asked how many children’s centres had been considered and put forward but had not gone ahead?  Of those which had not gone ahead; how was the lack (assuming the centre was proposed because there was a need) being addressed?  Mrs Gamby explained that for the round two centres, 64 were proposed and 52 were completed.  Mr Horne would follow his query up with Mrs Gamby after the meeting. 

Mr Wedgbury raised his concerns about the sustainability of the associated services, as it was important to ensure that the voluntary services were sustainable.  Regarding consultation, Mr Wedgbury asked whether District Councillors and Parish and Town Councillors would be consulted as part of the review, and whether Officers had considered premises that District Councils owned for children’s centres.  Mrs Gamby explained that the sustainability of the children’s centres was tied up with the revenue funding.  The children’s centres integrated a wide range of services, and the round three proposals involved extensive consultation through the local children’s services partnerships which should have included all relevant local partners.  Mrs Gamby reminded Members that if they were aware of a local premises which might be a suitable location for a children’s centre officers would be pleased to follow it up.  Officers worked hard to reach the more isolated families and to encourage them to become part of the children’s centre.  Mr Ridings confirmed that in the early stages of the development of Children’s Centres discussions were had with other organisations to ensure that the Council was not treading on the toes of the other organisations as much as possible.  In relation to the buildings available for Children’s Centres Ms Smith explained that there were restrictions on the buildings such as Disability Discrimination Act limitations. 

Mr Christie raised his concerns that the review would affect not only round three, but rounds one and two as well.  The letter from the Cabinet Member referred to potential for ‘fewer centres’ Mr Christie had concerns that this required a fundamental review of the children’s centres and that it was vital to liaise with local Members throughout the review not only at the conclusion of the review. 

Mr Lees supported Mr Christie’s concerns and that fewer centres might make the centres less accessible.  Mrs Gamby explained that the Council would have to demonstrate to the Department for Children Schools and Families (DCSF) that the services required were still being provided.   Mrs Dean asked whether the round three centres were predominantly providing outreach work, and Ms Smith confirmed that they were serving areas which the DCSF would categorised as affluent but with pockets of deprivation.  The Council had been working with Together for Children and many authorities were reviewing their round three centres. 

In response to a question from Mrs Dean Mrs Gamby explained that if the review resulted in a lower capital cost saving to the County Council it would be beneficial. 

RESOLVED that the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee:

1. Thank Mr Ridings, Mrs Gamby and Ms Smith for attending the meeting and answering Members’ questions;

2. Ask Mrs Gamby to advise all Members of the Round 3 Children’s Centres which would be affected by the review;

3. Highlight Members’ concerns about the lack of Member engagement at the beginning of this review.