Agenda item

6.1

The Cabinet noted that (i) no items had been called-in  for

scrutiny since the last meeting of the Cabinet and (ii) the Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee had, at its meeting on 27^th February, 2013, considered the  report of the Executive Director, Children Young People and Families Service, regarding the Redesign of Early Years Services which was due to be considered by this meeting.

6.2

At the above-mentioned meeting of the Scrutiny and Policy

Development Committee Members heard from the Cabinet Member,

Council Officers and members of the public. After discussion, the

Committee made the following recommendations to Cabinet:-

6.3

RESOLVED: That the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People

and Families, Executive Director and appropriate officers be requested

to report to a July meeting of this Committee in order to:

(a) report back on the transitional arrangements offered to various

affected organisations; and

(b) provide an update on the Communication Strategy and its’

effectiveness.

6.4

Councillor Gill Furniss, (Chair of the Children, Young People and Family Support Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee), attended the meeting and advised Cabinet that numerous public questions had been received at the meeting which had examined a number of matters including establishing a crisis fund, accessibility to childcare and transitional arrangements. The Committee had expressed particular concern about how transitional arrangements would be managed and, therefore, had asked for a further report to the Committee on these arrangements in July 2013. She added that the Committee believed that there should be a clear Communications Strategy to ensure that parents and providers fully understood the impact of the Council’s proposals and the childcare that would continue to be available. 

6.5

Councillor Jackie Drayton (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families) thanked the Scrutiny Committee who had now met with parents and providers to examine the proposals for the Early Years’ Service on two occasions. Unfortunately at the present time, the detail of the transitional plans still had to be worked on, but it was important, over the next two months that these were clearly defined and communicated promptly to providers and parents. Therefore, further meetings were planned with organisations to discuss how the Council was taking forward its proposals. Councillor Drayton added that she would be happy to attend a further meeting of the Scrutiny and Policy Development Committee to discuss the Council’s proposals further.