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137 (19) APPOINTMENT OF LOCAL AUTHORITY SCHOOL GOVERNORS – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report seeking approval of the appointment of Local Education Authority (LEA) School Governors.

Resolved – That the following persons be appointed as LEA School Governors on the schools listed, subject to the relevant CRB checks:

138 (20) SCHOOL GOVERNORS – INSTRUMENT OF GOVERNMENT – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report seeking approval for a revised Instrument of Government for Baysgarth School – A Specialist Technology College, to be effective from 17 November 2009.

On 29 September 2009, Baysgarth School – A Specialist Technology College governing body gave their approval to the replacement of Jeff Teasdale Ltd as sponsor governor to C Spencer Ltd, therefore a new Instrument of Government had been submitted for approval.

Resolved – That the new Instrument of Government, to be effective from 17 November 2009, be approved.

139 (21) OFSTED INSPECTIONS OF NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE CHILDREN’S HOMES – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report informing the Cabinet Member of the outcomes of the inspection of Children’s Homes completed between July and September 2007.

All Children’s Homes were subject to annual inspections carried out by Ofsted inspectors. Each home had two inspections each year; they consisted of a ‘key’ inspection which may be announced or unannounced, and a ‘random’ unannounced inspection which focused on any actions from previous inspections, or a random selection of outcomes covered in the full inspections with a particular focus on safeguarding.

During this round of inspections, three of the homes received key inspections and one of the homes received a random inspection. All the inspections were unannounced.

Previous reports to the Cabinet Member had detailed the outcomes of inspections up to February 2009.

The inspections were carried out under statutory responsibilities given by the Care Standards Act 2000, against outcomes for children set within the Children Act 2004 and relevant National Minimum Standards.

The inspectors gathered evidence from a variety of sources, from a range of professionals and from both children and staff within the homes and by scrutiny of relevant documentation.

Details of the process undertaken during each inspection were set out in the report, including areas for action and improvement required by the inspectors.

Resolved – That the outcomes of the inspections be welcomed.

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).

140 (22) FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CIC – PAYMENT OF ALLOWANCE TO CARE LEAVERS – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report seeking approval for the revised policy and financial allowances for Care Leavers in relation to new statutory responsibilities as laid out in the Children & Young Persons Act 2008.

The council had a statutory duty under the Children Leaving Care Act (CLCA) 2000 to pay allowances to young people who had left care and who were “Eligible”, “Relevant” or “Former Relevant” young people under the Act. The Children & Young Person Act 2008 had introduced a new statutory responsibility to provide a bursary to care leavers who entered into higher education. This provision came into force in September 2009.

Current payments and allowances included:

• Cost of Accommodation
• Personal Allowances
• Setting up costs
• Costs associated with Education Training Employment
• Costs associated with Higher Education, including the new statutory requirement to pay a bursary for those in higher education (Children & Young Person Act 2008).

The report gave full details of the policy statement and guidance.

Resolved – That policy and allowances for Care Leavers be approved.

141 (23) REGRADING AND REDESIGNATION WITH EXTENDED SERVICES TEAM – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report seeking approval for the re-grading application and redesignation of the Administrative Officer (Extended Services) to the title of Operational Support Officer.

The role of the existing postholder had dramatically increased as a result of changes to the extended services agenda. The existing postholder had taken on additional responsibilities supporting across many differing agendas/initiatives and as such the job description for the role had been reviewed to reflect these changes.

The title of the role had also changed to bring it into line with similar roles within Community Services and Younger Children service area.

Resolved – (a) That the regrading and redesignation of the post of Administrative Officer (Extended Services), as set out in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be referred to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

142 (24) ADULT EDUCATION SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM REVIEW – The Service Director Children and Young People’s Service submitted a report seeking to implement a restructure of the senior management team in Adult Education in order to address outstanding leadership and management issues arising from the inspection of the service carried out in September 2008.

The Ofsted Inspection report on North Lincolnshire Council Adult Education Service undertaken in September 2008 (published 06/11/08) identified failings within the leadership and management. The subsequent Notice to Improve delivered by the Learning and Skills Council triggered support from the Learning and Skills Improvement Service starting in December 2008.

The report gave full details of the review of interim management arrangements, including financial implications.

Resolved – (a) That the proposals contained in the report be endorsed, and (b) that the report be referred to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

Note: Reports are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and therefore require a suitable reader to view them. A reader can be downloaded free from the Adobe website (full instructions for downloading the reader are provided on the site).

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.