Childrens Services Lead Member

DRAFT CHILDREN’S SERVICES LEAD MEMBER BRIEFING

27 March, 2009

Meeting commenced: 9.00 a.m. “ adjourned: 10.15 a.m. “ re-commenced: 10.40 a.m. “ ended: 10.47 p.m.

PRESENT: Councillor Warmisham (Lead Member for Children’s Services - in the Chair Councillor Humphreys (Executive Support Member for Children’s Services)

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:

Peter Ball Lisa Stone Stephen Ord Paul Dennett Paul Brodie Richard Critchley

OFFICERS: Jill Baker - Strategic Director of Children’s Services

Faith Mann - Assistant Director (Transition) (Children’s Services)

Anthony Rich - City Solicitor

Mike McHugh - Senior Democratic Services Officer

1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

Councillor Warmisham welcomed the members of the public to the meeting and provided details of the procedure which would be followed in respect of the report relating to proposals for the relocation of the Salford Youth Offending Service.

2. RELOCATION OF SALFORD YOUTH OFFENDING SERVICE

Faith Mann submitted a report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services which provided details of -

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27 March, 2009 (a) the current premises of the Salford Youth Offending Service not being fit for purpose, owing to an expansion of the team,

(b) work undertaken by Urban Vision, in conjunction with Councillor Lancaster, the Lead Member for Property, to find suitable alternative accommodation for the Salford Youth Offending Service. It had been established that a council-owned building on St. Simon Street was due to be vacated by staff of Salix Homes

(c) work which could be undertaken to expand these premises which would allow the Salford Youth Offending Service to be accommodated in the building

Councillor Warmisham requested information relating to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliance of the proposed accommodation on St. Simon Street, and also of the number of users of the service that this issue would affect.

Faith Mann reported that the number of users of the Salford Youth Offending Service who have requirements under DDA varies from time to time and is usually a small number of users. However, some parents and carers of the young people also had access issues from time to time.

Councillor Warmisham requested that the City Solicitor provide details of the complaints and other correspondence which had been received from the local community in respect of this proposed move.

Anthony Rich, City Solicitor, provided details as follows -

- 50 complaints which had been directed to him as the council’s complaints officer. - 9 complaints which had been directed to Salix Homes, as the current occupiers of the premises. - a petition, organised by representatives of Vertical Villages, signed by 277 members of the local community opposed to the relocation of the Salford Youth Offending Service to the property on St. Simon Street.

He indicated that in broad terms, the complaints had been made in respect of the following issues -

(i) a lack of consultation with the local community in respect of the proposals. (ii) a feeling that a better community use of the premises was available. (iii) a feeling that the premises on St. Simon Street would not be fit for purpose owing to problems with public transport to the area (iv) a further adverse impact on the local community, owing to the nature of the work carried out by the Salford Youth Offending Service and that the location is in the middle of a residential area

27 March, 2009 Councillor Warmisham invited residents to provide further details in respect of their concerns relating to the proposed relocation of the Salford Youth Offending Service.

Views expressed by local residents, included the following -

- concerns that a response to a request for data / evidence which had been made to the Lead Member for Property, had not been received, in respect of the proposed relocation of the Salford Youth Offending Service. It was noted that this information was now being sought under a Freedom of Information Act request.

- an apparent lack of communication (a) between directorates of the council, and (b) between directorates of the council and local ward councillors relating to the proposals.

- the duty of the council to undertaken consultation and exercise community engagement. It appeared in this case that there had been either none, or very little consultation or engagement by the council with the local community.

- an informal meeting between representatives from Vertical Villages and Councillors Lancaster and Merry at which proposals from the local community were submitted in a report, which appeared to have not been considered in the decision making process to date.

- deprivation factors within the ‘Blackfriars’ area and associated problems with crime, fear of crime, access to housing and social care. Concerns were raised that these problems may be exacerbated by the relocation of the Salford Youth Offending Service to the area.

- work being undertaken by the local community with partner organisations of the council, including Greater Manchester Police, to find solutions to address crime with in the area, including CCTV, parking restrictions.

- concerns that letters had been sent to Councillor Lancaster in December, 2008, in respect of these issues and that no responses had been received.

- concerns relating to a lack of facilities for young people in the area.

- an acceptance of the good work undertaken by the Salford Youth Offending Service but concerns that placement of the service at this location would cause more problems in an area which already had problems of crime and fear of crime.

- funding issues in connection with a bid by the Greater Manchester Police to use the premises for a co-located team.

27 March, 2009 - car parking issues within the vicinity of the premises which would be exacerbated by the placement of the Salford Youth Offending Team.

- concerns relating to the length of time taken for a suitable location for the Salford Youth Offending Service.

- concerns relating to the long term use of the building owing to the future regeneration of the area.

- concerns relating to information on the time at which the proposals had been initially made

- further concerns relating to the lack of consultation in respect of the issue.

- issues relating to the complaints procedure. Details were provided in respect of three instances where problems had been encountered.

- concerns that the East Salford Community Committee had not been used as a means of consultation for these proposals.

- concerns relating to reprisals following reporting of crime and anti-social behaviour

- a request that a decision be deferred in order for information provided by the local community to be more fully taken into consideration.

Faith Mann in responding to the issue raised in respect of crime and fear of crime indicated that addressing these issues was a priority for the council. She also reported that bad behaviour of attendees of the Youth Offending Service was not accepted.

She also provided details of work undertaken by attendees of the Youth Offending Service within the local community.

Jill Baker indicated that she was sympathetic to the concerns and views expressed by members of the local community. She indicated that, as Lead Member, Councillor Warmisham must balance these concerns and views against the needs of the city as a whole, including -

(a) the responsibility to the staff and users of the Salford Youth Offending Service (b) the suitability of the accommodation for the service (c) ensuring value for money for the provision of the service

27 March, 2009 She also indicated that alternative accommodation was still being sought, and would be until a decision was taken by the Lead Member.

A discussion took place regarding the premises which had been examined to date, suitability and issues relating to value for money.

An issue was raised relating to access to the meeting by members of the public. Anthony Rich, City Solicitor reported that all Lead Member meetings were open to the public when delegated decisions, as detailed within the Council Constitution, were being taken by Lead Members.

It was noted that on the weekly list of meetings published on the Council website that the Lead Member meetings were listed as not open to the public.

Councillor Warmisham thanked the members of the public for their attendance at the meeting.

He indicated that he would adjourn the meeting in order to consider options prior to a decision being taken.

Following the adjournment, Councillor Warmisham indicated that he would defer his decision in respect of the issue in order to allow residents who had not known about the meeting, to attend a meeting to make their views known.

RESOLVED: THAT consideration of this issue be deferred to the next meeting in order to allow residents who had not known about the meeting, to attend a meeting to make their views known.

3. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING

RESOLVED: THAT the next meeting of the Children’s Services Lead Member Briefing be held on Monday, 6 April, 2009, in Committee Room 4 at the Salford Civic Centre, Chorley Road, Swinton, at 9.00am.

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