None given.

None made

Contact Officer: Pat Jones, Principal Scrutiny Officer, 01865 252191; phjones@oxford.gov.uk.

The Educational Attainment panel submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning the first year of the “Leadership for Learning” programme.

The Committee welcomed Professor Ian Menter (Department of Education, University of Oxford, and Programme Director) and Linda Rowe (Programme Co-ordinator); who were in attendance to answer questions and support the debate.

Councillor Pat Kennedy, Board Member for Education, Crime and Community Safety, introduced the report and outlined the three elements of the Educational Attainment programme:-

·         Leadership for Learning – which was under discussion at this meeting;

·         KRM programme – which would be the subject of a report in June;

·         Digital Inclusion – aimed at secondary schools in the City and the subject of a future report.

Introduction from Professor Menter and Linda Rowe

Professor Menter provided the following information and updates:-

·         He was very pleased with the partnership working – Oxford University, Oxford Brookes and local schools via the Oxford Teaching Schools Alliance;

·         The report that the Committee had before it provided information on the first year’s progress, and is based upon material taken from the participants;

·         This is a distinctive programme – Professor Menter is now aware of anything similar anywhere else - and it covers a wide range of activities;

·         The focus is about leadership for the sake of improved learning;

·         It is very important that Headteachers are behind the programme and that they support their staff growing through it;

·         It has proved difficult to engage Governors in the process; although many are very supportive in the background;

·         An additional advantage is that it has given schools an opportunity to work together, and it has opened up a dialogue between them.

Questions and Comments from the Committee

·         The Committee wished to thank Professor Menter, Linda Rowe and Councillor Kennedy for all their hard work on this programme;

·         The Committte noted that this was a long term project, and would welcome a further update at the end of the second year;

·         It would be helpful if the Scrutiny Panel could continue to be involved;

·         It is important that Governors are involved (and helped to become involved) given their increasingly important role within schools. The Committee was disappointed to hear that they were not more engaged, and would welcome suggestions on how this process can begin;

·         There is concern about the turnover of staff within schools – no matter how good a leader someone is, staff turnover will be a problem. Leadership is about relationships, not simply capabilities. Good leadership is when you can take people with you, and staffing turnover impacts this. Management can be delegated, relationships need to be built;

·         Part of the problem with staff turnover is that Oxford is an expensive place to live. How can the Council make it easier for teachers to stay here? Is it possible to do as Runnymede Council did, and invest is affordable housing for teachers?

·         It is important to have representatives from different communities involved, both as Governors and as parents. This should include people who run  ...  view the full minutes text for item 84.

Contact Officer: Pat Jones, Principal Scrutiny Officer, Tel: 01865 252191

Email: phjones@oxford.gov.uk

Pat Jones (Democratic and Member Services Manager) presented the Work Programme and Forward Plan to the Committee, and highlighted the following issues:-

·         The Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy has slipped back, and is not expected until later in the year;

·         Most Scrutiny Committee meetings in the new Council Year will be held on a Monday – a full list of meetings dates will be circulated to members shortly;

·         The end of year report ill be presented at the last meeting of the Committee in May;

·         The two standing panels are still very active, and Lead Members were invited to provide a short update.

·         There will be a special meeting of CEB on 23^rd April at 5.30pm, at which three items will be considered:-

-       Flood Support package;

-       Town Hall – North Wing letting;

-       Headington Neighbourhood Plan.

The Committee did not wish to pre-scrutinise any of these items.

Housing Panel – update from Councillor Val Smith

The Panel has two more meetings left in the current Council year. It is carrying out some important work for the Council around the Decent Homes Standard, and it hopes to emerge with a viable plan that tenants want.

There is also a Tenant Scrutiny Panel, and there will be a joint steering group that involves members of the Housing Panel and members of the Tenant’s Scrutiny Panel.

Finance Panel – update from Councillor Craig Simmons

The Finance Panel carried out some very valuable work on the Budget, and it is now looking at the Capital Programme. The Finance Panel noticed that the Council does not have an Ethical Investment policy, and so it is proposing one – this is currently with the Board Member (Councillor Ed Turner) for consideration.

Pat Jones reminded the Committee that the its last meeting for the 2013/14 year will be held on 6^th May.

Contact Officer: Pat Jones, Principal Scrutiny Officer, 01865 252191

Email:  phjones@oxford.gov.uk

Pat Jones (Democratic and Member Services Manager) presented the report back on recommendations to the Executive Board from the Committee. The latest items on the list were:-

·         Quarter 3 spending (from the Finance Panel);

·         Oxfordshire Strategic Economic Plan.

Resolved to note the report and the outcome of the latest recommendations.

Contact Officer: Lucy Cherry, Leisure and Performance Manager, 01865 252707, Email: lcherry@oxford.gov.uk

The Head of Leisure and Parks submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended). Ian Brooke (Head of Leisure and Parks), Lucy Cherry (Leisure and Performance Manager) and Councillor Mike Rowley (Board Member for Leisure) resented the report to the Committee and provided some background to it.

It was explained that the report would be presented to the City Executive Board on 9^th April, with a recommendation for its adoption.

Ian Brooke observed that, in 2008, the Council had a leisure service that was failing, that did not provide a high quality service and that did not attract as many users as the Council would have liked. But since the start of the contract with Fusion, there had been significant improvements and uplift in usage. The challenge now was to continue to increase usage year on year. It was intended that the service would be provided at zero cost to the Council by 2018.

Councillor Rowley added that there a commitment to continuous improvement remained, however a great deal of work identified in the Leisure Strategy had been undertaken already. Even so, the Council wanted to maintain the quality of the leisure service and to ensure that leisure centres could cope with increased usage. 

Questions and comments from the Committee

·         Is it fair to say that the service is in transition, from a heavily subsidised service originally, to a less subsidised one, to eventually a service that can stand alone?

·         A leisure service must still be affordable for all, whilst maintaining an god quality;

·         The Council should make sure that activities aimed at certain groups – such as women only swimming sessions – are maintained;

·         There is a dividing line between investments made buy the Council and those made by Fusion. It seems that the incentives for Fusion to invest are not strong. Fusion should have its own capital and maintenance budget;

·         How is feedback from user groups and mystery shoppers monitored?

·         Some leisure centres are heavily used, some under used; is there a way to target users in order to increase usage at some centres and thus achieve a better balance of use?

·         Greater transparency over finance is desirable;

·         More “social return” on investment is wanted. How can the Council see the health benefits of greater activity?

·         Some environmental targets are a cause of concern;

·         Why is the contract being extended now, since the Council did not have to do so until 2019?

·         Please make sure that Cutteslowe is added to the list of wards in the City that face problems;

·         Attendance at the Leisure Partnership Board was beneficial in that much more information was imparted. Could some officers from Fusion attend future scrutiny meetings, perhaps to present a half yearly report?

·         Could the adult/child ration be adjusted on some activities to take account of those people who have three (or more) children?

·         Can we be told when the new Blackbird Leys Swimming Pool will open please?

Responses from Ian Brooke, Lucy Cherry, and Councillor Rowley

·         There is confidence  ...  view the full minutes text for item 87.

Contact Officer: Jarlath Brine, Organisational Development and Learning Advisor, Equalities and Apprenticeships, 01865 252131, Email jbrine@oxford.gov.uk.

The Head of HR and Facilities submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) concerning criteria for entry level jobs, with particular emphasis on young people who are NEET. Jarlath Brine (Organisational Development and Learning Advisor, Equalities and Apprenticeships) presented the report to the Committee and provided some background and context.

Jarlath Brine provided some additional information:-

·         Environmental Development had now formed an “inclusion group”;

·         A community engagement event had been held at the Asian Cultural Centre, from which some good ideas had emerged; one being the display of job adverts in key community shopping venues;

·          It was slightly disappointing that all of the 17 attendees at the above event were from the same community – Polish – but it was still a worthwhile venture. The Somali community has now indicated that its members would like a similar event to be arranged for them.

·         There is a need to look at the Council’s website and see how jobs are being profiled;

·         Another idea put forwards is to use existing staff to disseminate information about job vacancies by talking to people they know;

·         Current apprentices have visited schools to demonstrate what opportunities are available. It has been noted that not all communities in Oxford are aware of the availability of apprenticeships.

Resolved to note:-

(1)  The contents of the report;

(2)  That information about the Talent Management Strategy will be presented to a later Scrutiny Committee meeting – possibly in May.

Minutes of the meeting held on 4^th March 2014.

Resolved to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 4^th March 2014.

Next meeting: 6^th May 2014.

Resolved to note that the last meeting in the current timetable would be held on 6^th May 2014.