Agenda and minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 15 October 2007 were agreed as a true record.

(Report by Mr Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Operations, Resources and Skills (CFE), Mr Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Educational Standards, Mr Graham Badman, Managing Director for Children, Families and Education)

(1)       The development of Children’s Trusts is part of a national programme of change to improve outcomes for children and young people in line with the Every Child Matters framework.  Through the Children Act 2004 a number of bodies and services have a duty to co-operate to improve outcomes for children and young people.  As the Children’s Services Authority, Kent County Council has a lead role to ensure that services comply with this duty and that arrangements for integrated planning and working are effective.  Accountability for Children’s Services rests with the Children’s Services Authority and is secured through the Lead Elected Member and Director of Children’s Services. 

(2)       Mr Clive Hart, Mr Mark Fittock, Mr Tom Maddison, Mr Ray Parker and Mr Derek Smyth all spoke on this matter as local County Members. 

They each said they considered local Members needed to have more direct involvement in this area of work.  Local Members had obvious local knowledge of their areas and that knowledge and experience could be used in this area of work to greater advantage.  Having input through Local Boards would not be enough as those meetings were not frequent enough and their agendas often full with other matters.  What was needed was a mechanism which allowed local Members to have a direct say at a local level in the workings of the Trusts.

(3)       Mr Carter said he believed that through a combination of local Members developing a closer understanding with the Chairman of the Trust for their area coupled with the arrangements being made for reports to be made through the Children, Families and Education Policy Overview Committee that would give sufficient opportunity to engage in this work.  Therefore there would be no changes to the current proposed arrangements although this could be reviewed in light of working practice. 

(4)       Following further discussion, Cabinet:-

·               agreed to the principles of the Kent Children’s Trust Governance Framework as set out in the Cabinet report;

·               agreed to extend the membership of the Kent Children’s Trust County Board to include one representative from each main opposition party in addition to the Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Educational (CFE) Achievement and the Cabinet Member for Operations, Resources and Skills (CFE);

·               agreed scrutiny arrangements for the work of the Kent Children’s Trust through:-

            (a)       the existing Kent County Council Scrutiny Committee; and

(b)       the Children, Families and Education Policy Overview    Committee and the Children’s Champions Board.

·               agreed that a local scrutiny function could be established to consider the work of local operational structures either through Local Member Boards or another mechanism to be determined by Kent County Council.

·               approved the Governance Framework for the Kent Children’s Trust as set out at Appendix 1 to the Cabinet report.

(Report by Mr Mark Dance, Cabinet Member for Operations, Resources and Skills (CFE), Mr Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Educational Achievement (CFE) and Mr Graham Badman, Managing Director for Children, Families and Education)

(1)       This report provided a summary of the Annual Report of Kent’s local Safeguarding Children Board which came into operation on 1 April 2006.  The report also set out the achievements from the previous year, the work programme for the current period and also provided detailed statistics on child protection for 2006/07. 

(2)       In the course of discussion Cabinet noted that the Board had focused on ensuring that the membership and structures required for an effective and robust service were put in place.  Whilst some of the structures would continue to evolve there were firm foundations to ensure that the Board would serve children, young people and families within Kent well.  Mr Gilroy said that the area of work covered by the Board was a key priority and he was pleased to see the report and the favourable trend lines. 

(3)       Cabinet then noted the 2006/07 summary Activity Report of the Kent Safeguarding Children Board.

(1)               Mrs S V Hohler (Chairman of the Select Committee) together with Mr J I Muckle and Mr M J Vye attended for this item.

(2)               In introducing the report of the Select Committee Mrs Hohler said that this had been a short and focused piece of work on what was a very complex issue.  She said that in the report the Select Committee suggested some small steps that could be taken to contribute to the overall reduction in flood risk and the better management of it.  The Select Committee believed that it was crucial that great care was taken when looking at sites for new developments; flood defences were maintained to a good standard and measures put in place to make buildings more flood proof and communities more resilient.  As importantly there had to be a constant focus on flood risk and the Select Committee suggested that an oversight should be provided by a standing Flood Risk Committee together with multi-level involvement through Flood Liaison Advice groups which could bring together experts, including those from the local community. 

(3)               From the 30 recommendations which the Select Committee had put forward Mrs Hohler spoke in particular about the need for there to be adequate ring-fenced direct government funding for flood risk management and reassurance given to the public that vital plans, strategies and flood defence work would not be compromised by competing financial demands within DEFRA or elsewhere.  Mrs Hohler also said that because of its expertise the Fire and Rescue Service should be included as an active partner in the planning process for new developments and that KCC should lobby government to produce a set of building regulations for use in flood risk areas so that planners can be supported by increased but nationally consistent obligations to assist developers with a high level of flood proofing/mitigation.  Also urgent action had to be taken to ensure that people are made more aware of the risk, and to be aware of what is being done to protect them and what they can do for themselves.  In concluding her remarks Mrs Hohler placed on record her thanks to the Members of the Select Committee and to the officers who had supported it in its work. 

(4)               Mr Muckle spoke about the growth areas within Kent and development generally and the need for these to be planned and phased in such a way that any potential flooding issues were robustly addressed from the outset.  The planning experts and others such as the Environment Agency had to provide the guidance needed on building developments and the best way for these to be taken forward.  It was possible for developments to be carried out on flood plains but that had to be done in the right way in order to ensure peoples’ safety.  Mr Vye said that the County Council had a duty to Kent’s residents along with District Councils to take a lead role in ensuring that all that could be done was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.