A presentation providing information on the proposed new delivery model for Children Centres in Bury.
Minutes:
Councillor Gill Campbell, Cabinet Member for Children & Young People and Ian Chambers, Assistant Director (Learning) gave a presentation on the proposed new delivery model for Children Centres in Bury.
The meeting was informed of the key objectives for Bury Children Centres:-
1. To improve health for under 5’s – measured by higher rates of breast feeding, reduced obesity and improved dental hygiene.
2. To improve child development – measured by improved school readiness and an increasing proportion of children achieving a good level of development.
3. Reducing the risk of mistreatment or abuse of under 5’s – measured by reductions in the rate of family needs escalating to a level requiring family intervention.
4. Improving families’ economic prospects measured by reduced numbers of under 5’s in households on benefits.
It was reported that these objectives will be used to drive resource allocation to specific centre activities. The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) rankings will be used to directly allocate overall resources – funding being directly linked to deprivation. The driver will be the number of children within a reach area for a Children Centre who are under 5 and living in a Lower Super Output Area. These are among the 40% most deprived nationally.
The presentation provided detailed information of the targeted support on offer as part of the objectives in relation to health, school readiness, early help and job readiness. Specific detail was also provided in relation to the proposed Children Centre Hubs across Bury. In Radcliffe, the Coronation Road site would cover the reach areas of the current Radcliffe cluster. The meeting was informed as to how each Hub would work, the staffing changes involved, outreach deployment and of the necessary steps required in order to convert the other sites in order to deliver the 2 year old offer in Bury. It was reported that from September 2014, 40% of 2 year olds should have access to free nursery places (a total of 1177 children in Bury). There was a current forecast of a shortage of 638 places (October 2014). The Council propose that Children Centres which are no longer required as Hubs will be offered as centres for the 2 year old offer.
In relation to service costs it was reported that total expenditure on Children’s Centres in 2013/14 was £2.875m. The Council had seen a reduction of the Government’s Early Intervention Grant of over £2.8m since 2012/13 and that the new proposed model of delivery will cost £1.949m which will deliver a proposed savings target for the service of £820k. The consultation period had been extended to 15 December, 2014
and following an analysis of feedback received and subsequent consideration by Cabinet, implementation of the proposals would begin from 1 April, 2015.
The Chair invited questions/comments from the audience:-
· Would some of the existing Children Centre buildings be sold?
It was reported that these buildings would still need to be used for children’s services or the Council would be liable for a pay–back levy.
· Would private nursery providers be able to make a viable service under the terms of the 2 year old offer?
It was reported that some private providers had expressed an interest in the tender process to provide the 2 year old offer.
· How will the tender process work?
Tenders would be open to any provider. Inspections would take place before and after the nursery provision was open. Schools could tender for the services and become 2-11 year providers.
· There was compelling evidence that the there was a higher need for children at Radcliffe Hall in terms of “school readiness”. It is misleading to suggest that Radcliffe Hall did not have a business model in terms of 2 year old offer provision.
This is the Consultation stage and there were persuasive arguments from all interested parties. The levels of social care referrals would be an important consideration as was the need to balance this with levels of deprivation within an area.
· If the 2 year old funding offer is to be means tested, how can existing primary school provision be from 2 – 11 years?
Schools would be able to tender for the 2 year old offer places in conjunction with other children they currently provide services for.
· Surplus Children Centre buildings – are these separate to the Education budget?
It was confirmed that these were separate budgets.
It was agreed:
That the information provided be noted and Cllr Campbell and Ian Chambers be thanked for their contribution to the meeting.