Current Issues
Current in-depth scrutiny activities that the Committee is undertaking, include:
- A joint working group with Environment OSC to scrutinise options for introducing a concessionary transport scheme for young people in Warwickshire
- A working group scrutinising school balances in Warwickshire
- A working group scrutinising Youth Participation and achievement of Hear By Right in the County Council
- A working group scrutinising Educational Attainment at Key Stay 4.
At its meeting on 20th October the Committee will be reviewing the progress made on the implementation of recommendations made in the School Meals Review, the Child Poverty Review and the Bullying Review.
The Committee held a work shop in June 2008 to plan the work programme for 2008/09.
Current Work Programme - pdf, 17Kb
The Committee is planning to hold a single issue meeting in March 2009 to scrutinise the effectiveness of the Connexions service in meeting the needs to young people, families, schools and businesses. The Committee would like to here evidence from as many people as possible, if you would like to share your views with the Committee regarding Connexions please email scrutiny@warwickshire.gov.uk
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What has Scrutiny Achieved (In 2007/08)
During 2007/08 the Committee undertook some significant pieces of work, including an indepth review into Young People and Alcohol Misuse, Demand for School Meals, Child Poverty and Bullying. The Committee have also scrutinised service performance, corporate business plan targets, LAA performance, effectiveness of the Children and Young People's Executive Partnership Board and have contributed to a number of important policies and strategies including 14-19 Policy and Strategy and the Strategy for the inclusion of pupils with emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. The Committee has also been experimenting with ways to hold the Cabinet to account more effectively. This has included asking Portfolio Holders to present the Committee with the key challenges for their portfolio's for 2008/09 and increasingly requesting Portfolio Holders to present reports, as oppose to Officers.
2007/08 Annual Report of the Committee - pdf, 2.4Mb
2006/07 Annual Report of the Committee - pdf, 117Kb
The Alcohol and Young People review was a particular success and attracted continued media attention. The review focussed upon how young people can be educated and diverted from alcohol misuse. The Committee invited a variety of speakers to attend committee meetings to speak on this issue. Speakers included the Drug and Alcohol Action Team, Healthy Schools, Connexions, Youth Offending Team, Positive about Young People, Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust, Fusion and the Youth Agents from Hybrid:Arts who played the Committee their rap videos which have been produced to educate young people about issues that affect them. The Youth Agents contributed to the debate and provided a useful insight from a young persons perspective.
Wasted - Young People and Alcohol Report - pdf 1.4Mb
In recognition of the need to ensure the Child Poverty agenda is being addressed effectively in Warwickshire, the Committee held a single issue meeting in Decmeber to scrutinise the issue in-depth. The Committee received evidence from the Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families, Connexions, Job Centre Plus, Barnardos, Warwickshire Observatory, Pride in Camphill, Opportunity Centres, in addition to hearing evidence about the skills agenda. In compiling the final report and recommendations, the Committee concentrated upon how Warwickshire County Council and our partners are working towards achieving income maximisation, removing barriers to work, increasing life skills and securing participation and engagement of young people.
Child Poverty Report - pdf, 2.3Mb
During 2007 the Committee asked the County Youth Panel to undertake a scrutiny review into bullying and to identify ways in which the anti-bullying agenda can be strengthened in Warwickshire. In carrying out the review the County Youth Panel researched best practice anti-bullying approaches, undertook an online questionnaire to identify the extent and experiences of bullying in Warwickshire, visited a number of schools and held a single issue meeting with a number key representatives responsible for pursuing the anti-bullying agenda in Warwickshire. The Committee considered the County Youth Panel's report at its meeting in January 2008. The Committee commended the work of the County Youth Panel and asked Cabinet to endorse the recommendations.
Scrutiny of Bullying Report - pdf, 361Kb |