Issue - meetings

(1)    Mr Hill and Ms Edwards updated Members on the following issues:-

Events

(2)    Mr Hill set out highlights from the Communities events that he had attended.

(3)    In response to a question from a Member Mr Hill explained that a decision on where the Olympic Torch would enter the UK would be made early next year but he assured the Committee that he took every opportunity to put the case for Dover. 

Kent School Games

(4)    The Kent School Games had been very successful and the finals had been held the previous week.  Ms Edwards reported that a team from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, who would be involved with planning the national school games, had come look at the logistics of organising the games.

(5)       The Committee congratulated Mr Hespe and his team on the success of the Kent School Games

Youth Justice Capability and Capacity Audit

(6)    Ms Edwards informed the Committee that the Youth Justice Board had found the Youth Offending Service to have performed well in accordance with National indicators and to have good capacity to sustain performance.   The Committee recorded their thanks to Angela Slaven and her team in achieving a successful outcome from their Youth Justice Capability Audit.

Thematic Inspection of the Youth Offending  Service (YOS) Court Work

(7)    Ms Slaven stated that although the findings of this pilot inspection would not be publically available until later in July the initial indications were that the YOS Court Work was of a high standard. 

Margate Task Force Update

(8)    Ms Edwards reported that the Task Force had been led by Communities Directorate and the work to join up staff and resources in two deprived wards in Thanet was now coming to fruition.  This would be one of 4 pilot sites to be visited by the top 200 civil servants who would be briefed about the project. 

Libraries achieving Customer Service Excellence Standard

(9)    Ms Edwards referred to the success of the Libraries Service in achieving the Customer Service Excellence Standard.  The Committee recorded their thanks to Ms Anley and her team for achieving this Standard.

Coalition Agreement & Communities

(10)     Ms Edwards referred to the Appendix that had been circulated which set out the parts of the Coalitions programme for Government, published on 20 May 2010, which related to the work of the Directorate.  A number of grants had been withdrawn and these had been reported to the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee.

Alcohol strategy

(11)  Ms Edwards explained that the Alcohol Strategy, which built on the work of the Select Committee on Alcohol Misuse, had now been to Cabinet and had been well received. 

Apprenticeships

(12)    It was confirmed that there would be an item on Apprenticeships at the September meeting of the Committee.  Ms Edwards informed the Committee that Ms Smith, County Manager - Supporting Independence Programme, would be leaving KCC after 24 years service.  The Committee expressed their thanks to Ms Smith for the contribution she had made to the work  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59