Agenda item

(1)       Mr Hill and Ms Honey updated Members on the issues listed in the paper circulated with the agenda and answered questions from Members.

Update on Radio Frequency ID roll out in the Libraries Service

(1)       Mr Hill explained that this self service system was being introduced into 30 ? of the busiest libraries. Work to tag 1.6 million items had started in January and was on course to be completed in June 2011.  Much of the savings depended on this system and he was happy with way that the work was proceeding. 

(2)       In response to a question, Mr Crilley explained that they would stop at 30 libraries and assess the impact of the system.  An update on the Radio Frequency ID roll out to the libraries would be submitted to the July meeting of the Committee.

YOS case review inspection update

(3)       Ms Honey reported that there was a case review inspection due to start on 11 April 2011 which would focus on 85 Youth Service statutory intervention cases.   Ms Slaven and her team had preparations well in hand and informal feedback from the inspection would be received in May 2011.  An update would be submitted to this Committee on the feedback received in due course.

Future Jobs Fund and apprenticeship update (including vulnerable learners)

(4)         Ms Honey gave an update on some of the initiatives including the Future Jobs Fund which had achieved its target of helping 890 long term unemployed into full time employment and had brought £5m into the Kent economy.  In relation to apprenticeships, the Apprenticeships Strategy was being refreshed and would come to this Committee in due course.  Regarding work with vulnerable learners, £0.5m of one off funding had been secured and the project was progressing well.  The results of this project would be brought to a future meeting of this Committee.  The Supporting Independence Team with partners had delivered 100 extra apprenticeships in 100 days in Canterbury which was a great achievement. 

Charity sleepover at Swattenden Youth Centre

(5)       Ms Honey explained that the Directorate liked to try to push boundaries and referred to an initiative organised by the Positive Action Co-ordinators, who had given 20 young people the opportunity to experience sleeping out over night like homeless people.  This had been organised in February and the young people created their own shelters and stayed out on the street overnight, they had raised over £500 for charity.

Update on Edenbridge building progress – there was a full report on this later in the meeting.

Arts Council Funding.

(6)       Ms Honey reported that there had been good news for Kent in relation to Arts Council funding for 2012.  Kent would received £4.5m funding from the Arts Council and a number of organisations would benefit including Turner Contemporary.  She stated that Kent had received the largest allocation of funding available in the Region. As this was a transition year, officers were working with organisations affected by cuts in their funding from 2012.  Ms Honey invited any Member who wanted information on how grants were affected in their areas to contact Mr Crilley.

Visit of the Finns: signing of protocol

(7)       Mr Hill explained that on 12 January 2011 a revised protocol relating to the Youth Services and Education had been signed. He had been to Finland to visit the Duke of Edinburgh gold award exhibition last week.

House of Commons Turner event

(8)       Mr Hill referred to Turner Contemporary which would be opening on 16 April 2011.  There had been an event at the House of Commons which had been hosted by two Kent MP’s which had gone well.

Appointment to the Arts Council England Board

(9)       Mr Hill had been invited to put himself forward for a place on the Board of the Arts Council of South East England.

Final of Young Consumers Competition

(10)     Mr Hill referred to this event which had been won by Chatham House Grammar School, Ramsgate.

Annual Community Safety Conference

(11)     Mr Hill mentioned this Conference which had been an afternoon event rather than all day.  There had been 11 speakers and it had been a very interesting event.

 Ashford Gateway Plus

(12)     Mr Hill informed the Committee that the topping out ceremony had been held on 25 January 2011.  The building was on course to be opened in May 2011 with the public opening on 4 July 2011 and the launch of the Gateway on 7 October 2011. 

Topping out ceremony for Kent History and Archive Centre

(13)     Although a date had not yet been set for the topping out ceremony it would be sometime in 2012 and the development was progressing ahead of schedule.  Mr Hill agreed to bring an update report to the Committee on the Kent History and Archive Centre included the safety aspects of accessing the site especially for pedestrians.

(14)     RESOLVED that the update be noted