Children’s Services Cabinet Member – Minutes – 19 September 2008

77 (26) ESTABLISHMENT OF THE POST OF STRATEGIC CO-ORDINATOR – WORKFORCE REFORM – The Service Director Children, Strategy and Partnerships submitted a report seeking endorsement of the creation of the post of Strategic Co-ordinator – Workforce Reform

In December 2007 the Department for Children, Schools and Families published the Children’s Plan ‘Building Brighter Futures’. A key focus of this document was on Children’s Workforce Reform.

Building Brighter Futures: Next Steps for the Children’s Workforce was published in April 2008, to focus on delivery of the reforms. In order to make progress on delivering the aims of the Building Brighter Futures action plan, local Children’s Trusts were asked to build on their Children’s Workforce Strategy. The Children’s Workforce Development Council had made a grant available to support the delivery of the workforce reforms.

Although the council had developed a Children’s Workforce Strategy, the capacity did not exist within current structures to deliver the required workforce reforms and action plan. It was proposed to create a post to develop and co-ordinate activity in the development and delivery of a workforce development strategy for the children’s workforce across North Lincolnshire.

Resolved – (a) That the creation of the post of Strategic Co-ordinator – Workforce Reform be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

78 (27) ADULT EDUCATION STAFFING REVIEW – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking develop the support for learners with additional needs through the appointment of Learning Support Assistants.

The Adult Education Service received funding from the Learning and Skills Council to support learners with additional needs on accredited courses. The service currently used the funding to provide additional tutors in delivering one to one support in the classroom. It was felt that it would be more effective and a better use of tutor resources if this role were delivered through peripatetic Learning Support Assistants.

The value of peripatetic support would be in the flexibility of where and when such support may be required and in the administrative support they could give to centres at critical times of the year, i.e. enrolment.

Resolved (a) That the establishment of three posts of Learning Support Assistant, as set out in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

The following items contain exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

79 (28) COMMUNITY SERVICES AND YOUNGER CHILDREN TRANSFER OF STAFF FROM PCT TO NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking endorsement to transfer staff currently employed by the North Lincolnshire Primary Care Trust (NLPCT) working in the Surestart Children’s Centre, to the employment of the council, under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) or TUPE regulations.

The posts that currently existed in Surestart Children’s Centres were created historically for the two Surestart Local Programmes (SSLP) in partnership with a range of other agencies to meet the requirements of SSLP funding. The arrangement shared the funding ‘risks’ across agencies, as secure longer term funding was not available at that time. Surestart Local Programme monies funded all posts. Staff were employed either by the council, NLPCT, New Life Church or Crosby Employment Bureau.

In 2005 with the development of Phase 1 Children’s Centres, all staff went through a jointly managed transition process where some staff were allocated new roles, and new posts were developed. Responsibilities for employment however, remained as above. The current arrangements for staff management were fragmented, inconsistent and operationally challenging for managers and staff employed within the service. A five percent management fee was currently added by the NLPCT to invoices.

Transfer of employment to the council would ensure that the future development of the staff team and services across the network of Children’s Centres was consistent, equitable and of high quality.

Resolved – (a) That the transfer and establishment of posts, as detailed in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

80 (29) COMMUNITY SERVICES AND YOUNGER CHILDREN PROPOSED REGRADING OF FINANCE FACILITIES AND MONITORING CO-ORDINATOR – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking endorsement of the regrading and redesignation of the post of Finance Facilities and Monitoring Co-ordinator to Operations Manager, Service and Finance Delivery.

The post of Finance Facilities and Monitoring Co-ordinator held responsibility for the line management of operational support staff in the Children’s Centres, responsibility for the Children’s Centre buildings, oversight of budgets, training of managers and responsibility for the collection and collation of monitoring information.

During a recent review of the Childcare Development Service and Family Information Service, it was agreed that there would be a discreet group of staff whose duties were administrative and financially linked. The review therefore proposed that to fully integrate teams and meet overall wider needs of the services, these posts would fall under line management of the Finance Facilities and Monitoring Co-ordinator post.

Resolved – (a) That the regrading and redesignation of the post of Finance Facilities and Monitoring Co-ordinator, as set out in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

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Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.