Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from My Murphy, Mrs Dean and Ida Linfield. Mr Chittenden attended as a substitute for Mrs Dean.

(1)        Mr Manion declared an interest as his partner worked for a special school in Dover.

(2)        Dr Sullivan declared an interest as her husband worked as an Early Help Worker for Kent County Council.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee held on 10 January 2020 are correctly recorded and that they be signed by the Chairman.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Corporate Parenting Panel held on 10 December 2019 be noted.

(1)        Mrs Chandler (Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

(a)  SEND Co-production Event and ‘PACT’ Group

Mrs Chandler reported on the recent co-production event which had taken place as part of the extensive work in response to the SEND Written Statement of Action (WSoA). The event was well attended, and many positive outcomes had been received in relation to the work which had taken place regarding SEND and the WSoA. She added that the Kent Parents and Carers Together group (PACT) had been set up for parents of children and young people with disabilities and additional needs to project their views and to have a voice.

(2)        Mr Long (Cabinet Member for Education and Skills) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

(a)    1% Transfer of funding from Schools Block to High Needs Block

The Secretary of State had recently approved Kent County Council’s request to transfer 1% from the Schools block of funding to the High Needs block of funding. The transfer of funding had meant that Kent County Council would be able to support greater inclusion of children and young people with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) into mainstream schools, which aligned with the government strategy and was part of the solution for national high needs challenge.

(b)    National Offer Day 2020

National Offer Day for all local authorities for children moving up to secondary school in September 2020 took place on 2 March 2020. Over 94% of pupils in Kent had received an offer from one of their four preferred schools, despite the number of families applying for places increasing by almost 1,000 over the last two years to the largest cohort ever. Kent County Council continued to work with schools to support families whose children were not offered one of their four preferences.

(c)    Secondary provision in Thanet

The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, on behalf of the Secretary of State, had recently stated that he could not agree to the proposal to cancel the new secondary school in Thanet. The alternative proposal was to expand places within existing Thanet schools, although he now expects plans for a new school to proceed as previously planned. Kent County Council would continue to work closely with head teachers across the district and the Howard Academy Trust who would be the sponsors of the new school and the Department for Education to bring about the new secondary provision in Thanet.

(3)        Mr Dunkley (Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education) gave a verbal update on the following issues:

(a)    Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Mr Dunkley reassured Members that business continuity plans were in place in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. The plans would provide advice and support to Kent staff, schools, vulnerable young people and their families and would cover a range of scenarios.

(4)        In response to a question regarding national offer day, Mr Dunkley and Mr Abbott stated that the reduction in school places offered when compared to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 166.

Officers responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(1)        Mr Collins referred to the allocation of funding for property developments within each of Kent’s districts and confirmed that the allocation would not be equal in every district, it would be dependent on the way in which it was developed. He referred to youth provision and the intention to develop an area-based solution which would allow flexibility across each of the 12 districts.

(2)        Mrs Chandler explained the rationale behind the proposal and stated that further work would be undertaken in relation to the additional money that had recently been agreed at full Council and the voluntary offer in terms of youth work.

(3)        Mr Dunkley referred to the restrictions that were in place in relation to how the section 106 developer funding could be spent and said that the proposals that were in place for the budget amendment money agreed at full Council would seek to release the pressure. He added that the proposals would include ‘not targeted and universal’ youth provision in rural areas and areas that had not had the same level of investment as deprived areas.

(4)        Mr Collins said that Kent’s Open Access service covered governance implications within the Adolescent Service.

(5)        Mr Collins emphasised the importance of the voice of the child and said that opportunities would arise for young people to start apprenticeships to support each of the Local Children's Partnership Groups (LCPG) and to ensure that children’s voices were heard.

(6)        Mr Collins referred to point 2.5 within the report and confirmed that whilst the projected income stream of £1.5m had not yet been received, capacity to have the spend repeated again in 2021 had been built with the hope that additional 106 monies would come in in the future.

(7)        Mr Dunkley referred to the cuts which had been made to universal youth provision and said that the reason the cuts were so severe in that area in almost every local authority in the country, was due to the fact that approximately 40% of funding had been taken out from 2010 and reallocated to non-statutory services.

(8)        The Chairman suggested that a discussion take place at the agenda setting meeting to add an item onto the Committee’s work programme in relation to youth service funding.

(9)        RESOLVED that the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services to:

                 i.        Agree the introduction of four dedicated area based detached youth work teams, using S106 funding to cover staffing and associated equipment costs, as set out in the report;

               ii.        Agree the allocation of £2k per district to each Local Children’s Partnership Group (LCPG), to be spent over two years, to ensure the inclusion of young people’s voice across the district (total cost of £24k). This spend is to be agreed by LCPG and overseen by the Area Partnership Managers;

              iii.        Acknowledge that whilst some of the S106 will be spent on youth capital costs,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 167.

Ms Smith (Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting) and Ms Stone (Children, Young People and Education Finance Business Partner) were in attendance for this item

(1)        Ms Smith briefly introduced the report which set out the proposed revision to the rates payable and charges levied for children’s services within Kent for the 2020-21 financial year, in line with recommended changes to the Kent Fostering Policy.

Officers then responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(a)    Ms Smith explained the rationale behind the proposal and the need to be competitive within the market and attract experienced carers to allow them to join the service at a higher skills rate and enhance Kent’s offer to carers.

(b)    Ms Smith stated that foster carers who received an enhanced rate of pay would still receive the maintenance reward and would be able to immediately access the additional payment and bring Kent County Council in line with the independent market. The model would mean that experienced carers that had been fostering for many years would be able to work with some of Kent’s more complex children whilst accessing enhancements immediately.

(2)        RESOLVED that the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services to:

(i)            agree the proposed changes to the rates payable and charges levied for Children’s Services in 2020-21 as detailed in section 2 of this report;

(ii)          agree the proposed changes to the Kent Fostering Payment Policy in 202-21 as detailed in section 3 of this report including changes to the Parent & Child Payment Policy;

(iii)         note both the changes to the rates that are set by the Government/external agencies: Inter-agency charges and Essential Living Allowance and; any charges to other Local Authorities for use of in-house respite residential beds are to be calculated on a full cost recovery basis; and

(iv)         delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, or other nominated officer, to undertake the necessary actions to implement the decision,

be endorsed.

Ms Smith (Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting) and Ms Holden (Lead Children’s Commissioner) were in attendance for this item

Officers responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(1)        Ms Holden explained the rationale behind the proposal and provided further detail to Committee Members in relation to the full review which had taken place over the last year which looked more closely at some of the changes that had taken place as a result of the restructure of Integrated Children's Services. She added that an update could be provided to Committee Members in November 2020. Members of the Committee generally supported this.

(2)        Ms Holden confirmed that the proposal was not an extension to the current contract, but an extension to the current arrangements.

(3)        Mr Dunkley emphasised the importance of ensuring that vulnerable children and young people continued to be protected and supported. Ms Smith reiterated comments made by Mr Dunkley and referred to the transition process for vulnerable care leavers and young people.

(4)        Mr Long explained section 6.1 of the report in further detail, focusing on future TUPE arrangements and the impact that the arrangements could have on staff.

(5)        Mrs Chandler re-emphasised Ms Smith’s comments and said that the key focus was ensuring the stability of the service whilst it transfers Kent’s most vulnerable young people. She reassured Members of the Committee that the contract’s progress would be reviewed and maintained regularly.

(6)        RESOLVED that the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee recommend the following changes to the proposed decision:

-          In part (ii) of the decision, limit contract extension to 6 months.

-          In part (iii) of the decision, explicitly require consultation with the Cabinet Member on delegated decisions relating to the establishment of the in-house service.

(i)    agree to the continuation of Supported Lodgings and Staying Put accommodation for Children and Young People aged 16-21 years (or up to 25 if in further education) through a change of delivery from contracted provision to being managed in-house

(ii)  agree to a short extension of 6 months to the current contract that expires on 31 May 2020 to enable the changes to take place; and

(iii)delegate decisions about the establishment of the new service to the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, or other Officer as instructed by the Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services.

Dr Sullivan and Mr Chittenden asked that their vote against part (ii) of the proposed changes to the recommendation be recorded.

(7)        RESOLVED that the proposed decision to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services to:

(i)    agree to the continuation of Supported Lodgings and Staying Put accommodation for Children and Young People aged 16-21 years (or up to 25 if in further education) through a change of delivery from contracted provision to being managed in-house;

(ii)  agree to a short extension of no more  ...  view the full minutes text for item 169.

(1)        Mr Abbott updated Members of the Committee on the progress which had been made in relation to the Written Statement of Action (WSoA) and its current position.

Officers responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(a)  Mr Abbott stated that in Kent, the proportion of children with SEND being educated in mainstream schools was low when compared with other local authorities. He added that the focus remained on ensuring that Kent’s mainstream schools were inclusive and supporting children with identified special educational needs (SEN).

(b)  Mr Abbott and Mr Dunkley explained the measures that had been put in place to ensure that Kent’s mainstream schools remained inclusive.

(c)  Mr Dunkley emphasised the importance of training and confidence in school staff to successfully support young people with SEN.

(d)  Mr Dunkley reassured Committee Members that progress made against the WSoA would be reported on regularly.

(2)        RESOLVED that the verbal update be noted.

Mr Scrivener (Corporate Risk Manager and Interim Corporate Assurance Manager) was in attendance for this item

(1)        Mr Scrivener briefly introduced the report which presented the strategic risks relating to the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee, comprising of five risks featuring on the Corporate Risk Register for which the Corporate Director was the designated “Risk Owner” on behalf of the Corporate Management Team; plus, a summary of key risks within the directorate.

Officers then responded to comments and questions from Members, including the following: -

(a)  Mr Scrivener reassured Committee Members that business continuity plans were in place in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. He added that Kent County Council would follow subsequent advice from Public Health England and Mr Scott-Clark, Kent County Council’s Director of Public Health.

(b)  Mr Scrivener referred to risk reference CRR0016 (Delivery of new school places is constrained by capital budget pressures and dependency upon the Basic Need allocation and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)) within the report and explained how the corporate risk would be managed.

(c)  Mr Dunkley reminded Committee Members of Kent County Council’s statutory duties in relation to the sufficiency of school places. Mr Long, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, added that the Council would continue to broker necessary outcomes and continued to engage with the Department of Education.

(2)        RESOLVED that the report be noted.

(1)        Mr Manion introduced the report and commented on the work that had been undertaken by SACRE in 2018/19 and said that SACRE had continued to make efforts to engage with all schools across Kent, to ensure compliance with requirements to provide high quality Religious Education and opportunities for Collective Worship.

(2)        Mr Manion expressed his thanks to a number of officers for their involvement in supporting SACRE meetings.

(3)        RESOLVED that the report be noted.

·        19/00094 - A proposal to expand Meopham School, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent, DA13 0AH, by increasing the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 140 places to 200 places from September 2021

·     20/00001 – Proposal to open satellite provision of The Beacon Folkestone at the former Walmer Science College and increase the designated number of the School to 548 places

·     20/00002 - Proposal to change the age range at Goldwyn School, Ashford from 11-16 years to 11-18 years

·     20/00021 - Proposal to permanently increase the published admission number (PAN) of Mayfield Grammar School, Pelham Road, Gravesend, Kent DA11 0JE from 180 places to 210 places for Year 7 entry in September 2021

Mr Watts (Area Education Officer – North Kent) and Mr Adams (Area Education Officer – South Kent) were in attendance for this item

(1)        The Chairman set out the proposed decisions to expand or alter the following schools: Meopham School (Gravesend), The Beacon Folkestone at the former Walmer Science College (Folkestone), Goldwyn School (Ashford) and Mayfield Grammar School (Gravesend).

19/00094 – Proposal to expand Meopham School, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Gravesend, Kent, DA13 0AH, by increasing the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 140 places to 200 places from September 2021

(Item 13a)

(1)     RESOLVED that the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Education and Skills to:

(i)    agree to expand Meopham School, Wrotham Road, Meopham, Kent DA13 0AH by increasing the Published Admission Number (PAN) from 140 places to 200 places from September 2021;

(ii)  agree to fund the expansion from the schools’ basic need capital budget; and

(iii)delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Children, Young People and Education to take necessary actions, including but not limited to entering into necessary contracts or taking other legal actions as required, to implement the decision,

be endorsed.

20/00001 – Proposal to open satellite provision of The Beacon Folkestone at the former Walmer Science College and increase the designated number of the School to 548 places

(Item 13b)

(1)        Mr Adams explained the rationale behind the proposal and emphasised the need for Secondary SEN provision.

(2)        Mr Adams referred to the phasing of the delivery of the satellite provision and said that the increase in capital costs could be managed through the phasing process, if the total capital programme could sustain it.

(3)        Mr Adams stated that through the proposal, the whole site would be utilised effectively, making best use of the space available.

(4)        Mr Adams confirmed that concerns which related to highways issues would be addressed as part of the proposal.

(5)        Mr Adams referred to the refurbishment of the Compass Centreto provide an Early Years block and the need for additional year 7 provision to alleviate the pressure from the transition from year 6 to year 7.

(6)        Mr Adams referred to ASD provision and the statistical imbalance in relation to ASD diagnosis between boys and girls. He confirmed that the imbalance was reflected in the equalities impact assessment that had been undertaken.

(7)        Mr Adams explained the potential implications that could become apparent if the proposal was changed significantly, for example, increasing the number of places. He added that there was overwhelming support for the proposal and stated that the site was large enough to accommodate additional numbers. He explained that increasing the number of places for pupils would be a phased approach and could not be added all at once.

(8)        RESOLVED that the Children’s, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee recommend the following changes to the proposed decision:

-          In part (i) of the decision, increase the proposed PAN level from 548 to 620.

               (i)     Expand The Beacon Folkestone by opening  ...  view the full minutes text for item 173.

The information within the agenda was noted without discussion.

Ms Atkinson (Assistant Director - Management Information & Intelligence) was in attendance for this item

(1)        Ms Atkinson referred to social care caseloads and the work that had recently been undertaken work with the corporate analytics team to better understand social care caseloads, challenges and demand. Mr Collins added that caseloads were regularly monitored across the entire workforce and work to reduce caseloads continued. Mr Dunkley explained Maidstone’s social care caseloads in more detail.

(2)        Ms Atkinson referred to the Special Educational Needs & Disabilities Scorecard and the significant rise in SEN demand, specifically for statutory assessments andEHCP’s, which linked to the WSoA.

(3)        Ms Atkinson said that although the significantly high demand for EHCP’s was a national issue, demand varied across the county and was monitored regularly.

(4)        Mrs Chandler, Cabinet Member for Integrated Children’s Services, provided more information to Committee Members in relation to the local offer which was available for parents who had requested an EHCP and explained the benefits of the offer.

(5)        Mr Dunkley confirmed that Kent County Council’s overall recruitment position had improved.

(6)        RESOLVED that the information within the Performance Scorecard be noted.

RESOLVED that the work programme for 2020/21 be noted

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, subject to the following change:

·         To move ‘Children & Young Person's Emotional and Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) update’ from November 2020 to September 2020