Minutes of the meeting of the Social Affairs Select Committee held on 24 January 2012.

Resolved:       That the minutes of the meeting of the Social Affairs Select Committee held on 24 January 2012, be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

In respect of Item 7 – Improving the Lives of Young People – Councillor Michael Horwood declared that he had been a volunteer for VSU in Dartford.

No issues had been referred to the Cabinet.

The Actions from the previous meeting were noted. 

Members will develop a schedule of work over the year to reflect the terms of reference of the Committee focussing on the Council's priorities for policy development. This  includes opportunities to invite  other organisations who provide services in the District to provide information to the Committee and discuss issues of importance to the Community

The Committee discussed the Work Plan and noted that the theme for the June 2012 meeting of the Committee was ‘Active Communities’ and the Chairman reported that the possibility of holding the meeting at Lullingstone Golf Course was being investigated.  The visit to the Stag Theatre would move to the June meeting and the Chairman hoped that the Committee would either receive a presentation or undertake a visit surrounding Community Safety Week.

The theme for the September meeting would be ‘Health’ and the Committee would receive an update from Mumsnet as well as a presentation on Young Carers.  The Chairman also suggested that it would be helpful to receive a presentation surrounding changes resulting from the Health and Social Care Bill.

The theme for the November meeting would be ‘Community Safety’ and the Committee would receive presentations from the Police and the Fire Service.  A visit to a local fire station would also be arranged.

A Member queried whether it would be possible to review the Big Community Fund, specifically value for money.  The Head of Community Development reported that the Finance Advisory Group was the agreed scrutiny committee for the scheme.    However, a report outlining the outcomes that had been achieved from the funding could be presented to a future meeting of the Social Affairs Select Committee.

The Chairman reported that as the Committee reviewed specific themes, Officers would also provide information surrounding grant funding from the Council.  For example, when the Committee reviewed Active Communities, the Council’s representatives on the Sevenoaks District Sports Council would be invited to attend the meeting and outline how grants were utilised.

The Chief Executive presented a report and document setting out the aims and commitments for the West Kent Equality Partnership, which would replace the Council’s current Comprehensive Equality Policy and Scheme. The Partnership had been formed in 2010 between Sevenoaks District Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and had developed a joint response to the requirement to publish equality objectives intended to support improved partnership working and to allow authorities to report shared outcomes against common objectives.  The Chief Executive also reported that the Aims and Commitments for 2012-2016 had been approved by the partnership Councils and had been adopted by  Cabinet  with authority delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Safe and Caring Communities to respond to any comments made by this Committee, in order to comply with the statutory timescale.  

The Chief Executive reported that the Secretary of State had not approved the statutory guidance that had been expected.  As a result of this, non-statutory guidance was in place and the West Kent Equalities Partnership Aims and Commitments for 2012-2016 complied with the non-statutory guidance.  The purpose of the Aims and Commitments was to guide the activities of the Local Authority and ensure compliance with national standards.

Resolved: That the West Kent Equality Partnership Aims and Commitments for 2012-16, be received.

Speakers:

Connexions (Jan Fenning)

VAWK (Voluntary Services Unit) (Mandy Wynne)

The Head of Community Development provided an overview of the issue and updated the Committee on a number of young people’s projects supported by the Council.  This included the Power Project, aimed at young people on the edge of criminal or anti-social activity.  The 8-12 Project, set up originally as part of the Council’s Single Regeneration Budget work in Swanley had since expanded to other parts of the District and, going forward, would be funded from a successful funding bid worth £180,000 and would be managed in the voluntary sector.  The Committee also heard that the Council worked with the Kenward Trust to provide a Drugs Worker who worked with vulnerable young people.  In partnership with Voluntary Action Within Kent the Council also supported a Summer Programme for children and families across the District.

In addition to supporting a number of projects, the Council also undertook consultation with young people.

The Head of Community Development also provided the Committee with details of the grants that were provided to organisations working with young people (attached at Appendix A).

Connexions (now CXK)

Representatives from Connexions (now CXK), Jan Fenning (Area Manager for Dartford, Gravesham and Sevenoaks) and Julia Ward (Team Leader for Dartford and Sevenoaks) attended the meeting and provided the Committee with an overview of the work undertaken by CXK. 

CXK used a number of strategies to engage young people with the job market and the service was currently universally provided.  From September 2012 schools would be under a duty to secure access to independent, impartial career guidance for their pupils in years 9-11 and it was likely that the duty would be extended to 16-18 year olds in schools and further education.  In order to be independent, careers guidance should be presented in an impartial manner, include information on the options available in respect of 16-18 education and training, including apprenticeships and be provided by a person not employed by the school.

One of the main aims of CXK was to move people from NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) to EET (in Employment, Education and Training).  The biggest barriers to encouraging young people to take up education, employment or training was a lack of provision and issues with transportation.  Within the Sevenoaks District, Swanley had the highest figures for young people classified as NEET.  CXK had been working with providers to develop bespoke provision that would be attractive to young people.

In response to a question, the Committee were told that the Government’s plans to cap benefit levels would have very little impact on levels of employment however, it was likely that crime figures would rise as a result. 

A Member expressed concern that schools would not be able to provide some young people with the support and guidance that they required.  In response Ms Ward clarified that out-reach programmes provided by CXK would continue but additional funding for these programme would have to be secured in the future.  If schools wished to buy in a service from  ...  view the full minutes text for item 46.

Verbal Presentation.

The Head of Community Development provided a presentation on the Community Safety Strategic Assessment and Annual Action Plan and reported that it was likely that the Action Plan would be considered by Cabinet before the next meeting of the Social Affairs Select Committee.

The eight Community Safety priorities for 2012/2013 were:

-          Anti Social Behaviour

-          Burglary and vehicle crime

-          Theft offences and handling stolen goods

-          Shop lifting and theft

-          Substance misuse

-          Young Peoples Issues

-          Domestic Abuse

-          Speeding Vehicles

The Chairman noted that funding for the Drug Related Worker may cease in the future and questioned whether there would be an opportunity for GPs to fund the work.  The Head of Community Development reported that funding for the worker came from two sources – Community Safety Funding and Choosing Health Funding.  It was the Community Safety Funding that was currently at risk, not the Health Service funding.

The Chairman also suggested that it would be helpful to work with partner agencies in order to reduce levels of domestic abuse against elderly people.  The Committee agreed that Cabinet should be asked to considered this request.

ACTION 2: That Cabinet be asked to ensure that, through working with other agencies, the Community Safety Partnership should aim to reduce levels of domestic abuse against elderly people.

In response to a question regarding whether some of the fluctuations in levels of crime among young people could be a result of changing demographics, the Head of Community Development agreed to circulate statistics relating to the demographic of the District but reported that some of the success in reducing levels of crime could be attributed to restorative justice and the success of the Power Project which worked with people identified as being at risk of offending.

ACTION 3:  That the Head of Community Development circulate statistics relating to the demographic of the District.

Noting the continual rise in instances of metal theft, a Member questioned whether any plans were in place to work with Parish Council’s in order to identify any potential sites where thefts were likely to take place.  The Head of Community Development reported that Sevenoaks District Council currently supplied Smart Water to Parish Councils who requested it and work with Parish Councils could be undertaken to proactively identify community buildings where thefts were likely to take place.

Youth & Community Centre, Swanley

The programme of visitors for future meetings was discussed and noted.