Agenda item
SCRUTINY SPOLIGHT- Lead Member Children's Services
(Time allocated 45 minutes)
The Lead Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Clair Hawkins will attend to report on her portfolio.
Councillor Clair Hawkins Portfolio includes the following areas:
§ Youth and Community Learning
§ JAR (joint Area Review)
Minutes:
Councillor Clair Hawkins, Lead Member for Children’s Services opened her presentation giving an overview of the highlights and successes of Children’s Services in the past year.
She informed the Committee that 14 new Children Centres were now operating in the borough. She also remarked on the increased numbers of young adults in the borough staying on in education post 16. She further informed the Committee about the APA judgement which had given top marks in all the service areas assessed for the third year running; and the success of the borough’s primary and secondary School assessments displaying their best ever achievement.
Councillor Hawkins went on to highlight the key priorities of Children’s Services. These included improving the attainment of children from the Foundation Stage to age 19, with a particular focus on English and mathematics; increasing the participation, opportunities and achievements for young people aged 16 and over with better routes into further education, training and work, and developing a culture of lifelong learning; ensuring a stronger engagement with parents and families - with a focus on early intervention; the building of community participation, engagement and cohesion through access to youth services, cultural activities and leisure opportunities. With the last priority there are opportunities for improving the quality of people’s lives, particularly in terms of better health and social outcomes.
Councillor Hawkins ended her presentation highlighting the key targets for the coming year. These included 85% of 11 year olds achieving level 4 in English; 39% of 16 year olds within the borough achieving 5 or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics; a 95% attendance level at primary schools and a 93% attendance level at secondary schools; an increase of the A level average points score of up to 247; 19,272 under 16s actively using Idea Stores and increased participation in sport and physical activity by the usage of parks.
The Committee then put a number of questions to Councillor Hawkins. Councillor Alex Heslop asked for clarity on the progress of the Building Schools for the Future programme. Councillor Hawkins informed him that Tower Hamlets was on course to start in 2009 and that there were monthly meetings of the Building Schools for the Future Board (of which she was a member). She further mentioned that a report to Cabinet regarding this issue would be presented at the February meeting.
Councillor Salim Ullah expressed his concern about the rising number of children aged between 13 and 19 in the west of the borough involved in anti social behaviour and enquired what was being done to alleviate it. Councillor Hawkins informed him that extended work programmes with the children were underway with links to the police and community officers.
Councillor Alibor Choudhury enquired how Children’s Services planned to achieve the stated attendance target. Councillor Hawkins explained that work was being done with voluntary sector, there was a focus on extended holidays taken during term time and children who were persistently absent. She went on to inform the Committee that Tower Hamlets had the second best attendance figures for schools in London. Councillor Choudhury further requested information about the proposed local area agreement targets. Councillor Hawkins undertook to forwarded this information to Councillor Choudhury after the meeting.
The Chair thanked Councillor Hawkins for her attendance and for her responses to the questions raised by members of the Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Mark Francis and duly AGREED by the Committee:
That in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9, the meeting be extended by up to 30 minutes to enable the completion of remaining business.