Issue - meetings

(Report by Mr K Abbott, Director of Resources and Planning, Ms R Turner, Managing Director, Children, Families & Education Directorate and Mrs S Hohler, Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education)

(Mr L Christie, Leader of the Labour Group was present for this Item and was given permission to speak by the Chairman)

(1)   Members considered a report that gave an overview of the CFE restructure, consultation feedback, details of the recruitment process, service planning and model of delivery, savings made and planning for pressures ahead.

(2)   Mrs Turner introduced the report advising that the restructuring of the Children Families and Education Directorate and the review of the Local Children Services Partnerships had helped to reduce the Directorate’s budget by 10%.  After completing phases 1 and 2 the review was now in phase 3 which would be completed by the end of July. 

(3)   Members were given the opportunity to make comments and ask questions which included the following:

(4)   In response to questions that referred to page 37 regarding the Select Committee on Extended Services and page 45 on Early Years by Mr Vye, Mrs Turner explained that she wanted to assure Members that Extended Schools was still a focus that learning continued before school, after school and during the school holiday periods with a connection to family life too. There was a need to build a sustainable model with schools themselves generating that work to be kept going even in light of what may happen with the grants. The School Improvement Officers would have this in their sights.  She mentioned that support would also be given by the Family Liaison Officers and the Preventative Services Managers who would have this within their role.  Raising standards and settings within Early Years this was still a priority.

(5)   In reply to a question by Mr Smith, Mrs Hohler advised that there was agreement to reform the Members Monitoring Group on Attainment, which would allow a small cross party group of Members the opportunity to meet in private to discuss the outcomes of the OFSTED inspection reports in depth.

(6)   In reply to a question by Mr Desmoyers-Davies, Mrs Turner considered that with any process where staff were experiencing change there could be a dip in moral, which needed to be picked back up again to move things forward with following the restructure.  In managing that change there was a need to work in partnership with the Trade Unions. There was now an organisational model that was fit for purpose and more sustainable than previously with a streamlined commissioning centre and twelve local districts.  She concluded that the Directorate would be judged by the results of its services for children and young people in Kent.  Ms Turner noted Mr Desmoyers–Davies view that the process for his trade union members had been unsatisfactory.

(7)   In response to questions by Mrs Allen, Mrs Turner advised that the there would be twelve Preventative Services Managers, one per district, and their role would be the bridge  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34