Minutes of the meeting of the Board held on 24 September 2012.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the Sevenoaks District Kent Locality Board held on 24 September 2012 be approved and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Any interests not already registered.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Chairman, with the agreement of the Board, took Item 4 first to allow time for Mr. Mike Whiting, Kent County Council (KCC) Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills to attend the meeting.

*Minutes agreed at meeting held on 21 November 2012 subject to this amendment

Verbal Update

The  KCC Strategic Manager, Libraries Registration and Archives, reported that discussions had taken place, mainly with Parish Councils, on future library service provision.  She also advised that the Eden Centre in Edenbridge would be open on 2 January 2013, and the sub group would be visiting on 2 January 2013.   A Member queried what would happen if there was no community uptake or ideas that helped to make the required savings, to which the Strategic Manager replied that at this stage the plan was to keep talking with communities and seek other ways to engage them.

It was felt that this had been a successful community exercise but that its purpose was the need to find savings within a timescale and this must not be forgotten.  In response to further questions the KCC Strategic Manager responded that she did not know anything further about the old library building at Edenbridge; and that the space at the new Community Centre, Dunton Green, was not flexible enough for a library but the idea could be revisited in the future. 

*Minutes agreed at meeting held on 21 November 2012 subject to this amendment

Letter From Cllr Mike Whiting Regarding Provision In The District

Kent’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision

The Chairman welcomed Mr. Mike Whiting, Kent County Council (KCC) Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills and thanked him for coming. 

Mr Whiting referred to the plan extract relevant to the Sevenoaks area that had been circulated.   Also in attendance was Nigel Smith, KCC Head of Development.   The report advised that KCC intended to re-publish the Kent’s Commissioning Plan for Education Provision annually, every October with a review by KCC’s Education Cabinet Committee every six months.    It proposed that the Locality Board agree a mechanism to look at the requirements every six months, review them against local pressures (such as new housing developments and changes to the migrant population) and produce recommendations.   The creation of a sub-group which could meet twice a year with planning officers from both the District and County Councils to provide in-depth scrutiny and input into the figures, before producing recommendations, was suggested.  If approved, KCC would ask that the recommendations from the Locality Board would be fed back every April and September to KCC’s Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills and KCC’s Education Cabinet Committee. Those recommendations would form the basis of any revised numbers in the Commissioning Plan to be re-published in October.  Officer support for the review process from KCC would be provided by the Area Education Officer and the Head of Development.

In response to questions the Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills advised that it was KCC’s responsibility to ensure there were enough spaces, they could enlarge an academy under basic needs (or an academy school could apply directly themselves).  It was already clear that more school places would be needed in the Ebbsfleet area, but any new school would have to be an academy or free school.  There needed to be about 800 – 1000 children to produce a viable school, which was roughly a housing development of around 3000 houses.  Parents were always able to put in an application for a free school.  The Plan would help identify such areas and help to put a case forward. 

A Member asked whether the Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills was aware that West Kingsdown pupils who passed the 11+ could only ever get into a Grammar school on appeal because of distance requirements.  He advised he was, he also responded to another question by explaining that migration between Kent and Medway/London Boroughs was fairly balanced.  There were dot maps for each school which showed patterns of where children were coming in from.  However they did not have them for Kent children attending schools outside the County, but he would ask the Area Education Officer for West Kent if it could be done.

Action 1:  Area Education Officer for West Kent to be asked if dot maps showing all schools (including those not in Kent) attended by children living in each ward or parish of Sevenoaks District.

Members agreed that a sub group would be helpful but it was noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

A verbal update will be provided regarding successful tenderers and a report will be tabled.

The KCC Head of Integrated Youth Services tabled a short report on the evaluation process and award of contracts to deliver the four ‘Lots’ across Sevenoaks.

The Chairman queried the evaluation process as the Locality Board’s highest scoring provider for Lots 2 and 3 had seemingly been overruled, and requested an explanation as to how this had been worked out.  The KCC Head of Integrated Youth Services advised that it was a collective score based on a mathematical equation, and legally where there was a clear winner they had to appoint.  In response to questions relating to the allocation of the funding between the ‘Lots’  the KCC Director of Services Improvement advised that the information was contractually confidential as it was commercially sensitive information.  The Chairman queried this and asked how the Board could assess delivery of the service and make judgements without the facts.  The Director of Services Improvement (KCC) responded that the responsibility of reviewing the contracts would remain with the Integrated Youth Service.   A Member advised that he believed there had been a press release which he believed contained further information.

Action 3:  Mr Richard Parry to forward the press release to Democratic Services, Sevenoaks.

Members did not understand why the information was not available to them now the contracts had been awarded.  The Chairman advised that he would take this up with the Leader of KCC as joint commissioning would not work if knowledge was not shared as it would be difficult to make any informed choices.  He also pointed out that if the information was exempt then the meeting could be closed to the public, however members should be party to that knowledge.  The Director of Services Improvement (KCC) said that the service agreement with the successful bidders would be available.

The SDC Head of Community Development advised that a mapping exercise of youth provision had been undertaken at the outset of the process and asked if she could see the new model so any potential gaps could be identified.  The KCC Director of Services Improvement confirmed that models of delivery would be forwarded.

Action 4:  The KCC Director of Services Improvement to ensure as much information as possible is circulated to Members of the Board as soon as possible.  KCC Procurement to be asked whether the contractual information can be made public.  An update to be brought to the next meeting.

Verbal Update

At the last meeting the Board was advised that the new Health and Wellbeing Boards would be based on clinical commissioning areas, Sevenoaks were covered by two.  There was to be a presentation by local general practitioners for Sevenoaks District Councillors on Tuesday 11 December 2012.  A local health action plan reflecting the ‘Mind the Gap’ KCC document actions plans would be written by April 2013. 

Verbal Update

The Chairman informed the Board and congratulated Jackie Marks on her appointment as the troubled family co-ordinatorfor the District. It was hoped that that she would take up her post in mid January 2013.  The KCC Director of Services Improvement reported that twelve appointments had been made across the County, though one had been turned down.  With regards to the overall programme they would be picking up the work started by the SDC Head of Community Development.  As a result of last months multi agency steering group meeting, Paul Carter had written to the Leader and Chief Executive.  There was to be an extra ordinary meeting on 20 December 2012, to review the template and either make it fit for purpose or decide whether an additional template was needed.  It was important to be sure that  the information and  analysis enabled KCC to see if a difference was being made, the costs involved and whether any potential cost savings were being made.  She reported that some preliminary work had begun on the review and this could be fed back through the KCC Community Engagement Officer, the SDC Head of Community Development and other agencies.

The SDC Head of Community Development advised that the Project Board had met four times so far and had set up a group to work through the information about families.  They had identified the need for CAF training and had started to map interventions.  This was being taken on by a faith group member of the Board.  A significant  gap was not having access to a dedicated mental health worker.  The County document ‘Making it happen’ looked at processes in detail and she was pleased to note that the Project Board had already covered most of the point raised within it. 

Summary of emerging priorities.

The SDC Head of Community Development advised that consultation on the Community plan was just finishing.  It was hoped the public consultation draft would be published before Christmas.

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Wednesday 6 March 2013