27.
MINUTES
RESOLVED :
THAT the Minutes of the meeting of the Executive held on 30 June 2004 be confirmed.
28.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no interests declared at this stage.
29.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
An oral question was raised regarding an answer to a
previous question that had not been received.
30.
INSPECTION
OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
The Executive received a presentation from
the Commission for Social Care Inspection on the recent inspection on the Island’s
Children and Family Services. The inspection evaluated
the effectiveness of council services for children in need, including those who
were Looked After, those on the Child Protection Register and those receiving
Family Support Services. The Isle of
Wight was found to be providing a good standard of service to children and
families, however there were some areas of concern, namely the Referral and
Assessment Team, services to children with challenging behaviours and access to
Child and
Adolescent Mental Health Services. It was also reported that work still was required
in order to improve areas including valuing diversity, promoting social
inclusion and delivering fair access to services.
Members of the Executive
received the action plan which showed progress that had taken place in addressing
those issues. This would have an important
role in the strategic planning of Children’s Services and would have a wide
ranging impact on the policies within Children’s Services. Implementation of
the recommendations would contribute to the achievement of the strategic
objectives of the Corporate Plan.
Members discussed the content
of the presentation and the steps taken to address the points that that been raised. These included rigorous member scrutiny and
the low number of complaints that the service had received. They also recognised the number of strengths in
the service which had been identified in the report.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT
the Inspection Report be received
(ii)
THAT
the Action Plan be adopted and delivered and that a future report on the
implementation of the Plan in respect of the Islands Children and Family
Services be received
31.
PROPOSED WORKING ARRANGEMENTS – LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
The
Planning Bill 2004 had set out the government’s detailed framework for the
planning system. A key change would be
in relation to the development plan system where Local Development Frameworks
would replace Local Plans/Unitary Development Plans. The Portfolio Holder informed members that the Framework would
need to be developed in harmony with the Community Strategy and the Local
Strategic Partnership Theme 7 Environment Working Group, which had recently been
renamed as Attractive Island Working Group would be best placed to direct the
production of the Local Development Framework. The role and importance of
consultation was outlined as well a the need for the Executive to remain fully
informed of the progress.
RESOLVED :
(i)
THAT the production of
the Local Development Framework by Local
Strategic Partnership Theme 7, Attractive Island Working Group be
approved
(ii)
THAT the Portfolio
Holder give quarterly updates to the Executive as a valuable reporting
mechanism between the Working Group and the Executive
32.
REPORT OF THE DEPUTY
LEADER
(a)
Review of Priority
improvement Area Programme
Members received the outcome of the review that had
taken place of the Priority Improvement Area Programme. The criteria for becoming Priority
Improvement Area included national and local performance indicators or a poor
inspection for the service concerned.
Once a service had consistently improved over four quarters, had delivered
an action plan or had a successful inspection it could be taken off the programme.
The report recommended that homelessness could be
taken out of the programme as significant improvements had been made although planning
would remain a Priority Improvement Area until the outcome of a Best Value
inspection due September 2004 was known.
Highways and Benefits would both remain Priority Improvement Areas in
order to maintain the momentum of improvement that had begun.
As Schools Performance had been identified as a priority
issue in the Corporate Plan and would form part of the 2005 CPA assessment as
well as being a key issue which had arisen from the recent Ofsted inspection it
was recommended that this service should now be included in the Priority
Improvement Area Programme. The Fire and Rescue Service Modernisation Programme
would also be included as issues had been raised in the recent Audit Commission
review on progress with the modernisation agenda.
RESOLVED :
(i) THAT the entry / exit criteria for Priority Improvement Areas and the proposed management arrangements be agreed
(ii) THAT the Priority Improvement Areas Programme for 2004 – 2005 be agreed, namely
· Homelessness cease to be a Priority Improvement Area
·
Planning remain a Priority
Improvement Area until the outcome of the Best Value inspection in September was
known
·
Benefits and Highways
remain Priority Improvement Areas
·
School Performance and
Fire and Rescue Modernisation be designated as a new Priority Improvement Areas
(b)
SELECT COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO EXECUTIVE
The
Executive received a report outlining a number of recommendations that had been
made by the Select Committee with an aim to improve effective working between
the Executive and Select Committees.
This had been primarily a performance management tool which enabled the Executive and Portfolio Holders to
receive and track the various recommendations directed to them and also allowed
the Select Committee to identify what effect their recommendations had in
changing policy and improving services as well as holding the Executive to
account.
The Executive viewed the report as a useful and
valuable exercise and welcomed future reports. The Portfolio Holder for
Transport updated the Executive as to the recommendations that had been made
within his remit.
RESOLVED :
THAT
comprehensive information tracking Select Committee recommendations be publicly
received, on a quarterly basis, at the same meeting as the Quarterly
performance Management Report
33.
CURRENT CHANGES TO THE CURRENT FORWARD PLAN
The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services confirmed that the Cultural Strategy would be going to the next meeting of the Executive. Reports relating to the LEA Ofsted Inspection Action Plan and the 14 - 19 Post Inspection Action Plan would also go to the meeting on 28 July 2004 although not on the Forward Plan.
34.
MEMBERS’ QUESTION TIME
Questions were put to the Chairman as follows :
Mr B Buckle asked a question relating to members travelling
expenses. A copy of the question and the reply given are contained in the
Members' Question Register (MQ22/04).
Mr Mazillius asked an oral question relating to a delegated
decision regarding a proposed hotel
adjacent to the ice rink on the Esplanade in Ryde. The Portfolio
Holder replied accordingly.
CHAIRMAN