Agenda and draft minutes

Councillor Tina Jones declared a personal and prejudicial interest in item 5 – Implementation of the Welsh Government’s Free Childcare Offer in Denbighshire.

There were no urgent matters.

To receive the minutes of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 12 July 2018 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting of the Communities Scrutiny Committee held on 12 July 2018 were submitted.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 12 July 2018, be received and approved as a correct record.

To consider a report by the Principal Manager: Intervention, Prevention, Health and Wellbeing (copy attached) to seek Scrutiny’s views on the proposed implementation of the Welsh Government’s free childcare offer in Denbighshire from April 2019.

At this juncture, Councillor Tina Jones declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the Implementation of the Welsh Government’s Free Childcare Offer in Denbighshire as the owner of a day nursery in Prestatyn.  She is also the Wales Trustee of National Day Nursery Association.   As such Councillor Jones left the Council Chamber and took no part in the discussion.

The Lead Member for Education, Children and Young People introduced the Principal Manager:  Intervention, Prevention, Health and Well-being’s report (previously circulated).  During his introduction the Lead Member emphasised that the free childcare offer was a Welsh Government (WG) scheme which stemmed from a 2016 Assembly election manifesto promise to offer 30 hours a week of government-funded early education and childcare to eligible working parents of three and four year olds for 48 weeks of the year by 2020.  Whilst it was a WG scheme it would be delivered by local authorities.  Seven local authority areas had been chosen to pilot the scheme, three of these areas were in North Wales and in those areas the scheme had been rolled out to the entire county areas.  One of these pilot areas, or Early Implementer Local Authorities (EILAs), was Flintshire County Council.  Flintshire, as an EILA, had already developed the systems to administer the free childcare offer and were now experienced in the administration of the Scheme.  Denbighshire had agreed to work in partnership with Flintshire for it to deliver the Scheme on its behalf when it was rolled-out in Denbighshire in April 2019.  Denbighshire’s role would be one of an ‘engagement authority’ with responsibility for promoting the offer to parents, guardians, childcare providers, and training staff to deal with enquiries regarding the free childcare offer. Denbighshire would provide Flintshire with the relevant information to process the applications and administer the offer.  Denbighshire, following discussions with the WG, had opted to roll-out the free childcare scheme to the entire county from April 2019 rather than undertake a phased roll-out to specific Council wards.  The Lead Member and officers were of the view that this approach would be much fairer one to all eligible children and families across the county.  Whilst both councils had agreed the arrangements for the partnership to deliver the Scheme Denbighshire was awaiting written confirmation from WG that it was in agreement for the Scheme to be rolled-out to the entire county from April 2019 rather than April 2020.  Nevertheless, verbal assurances had been given by WG that it was in agreement for it to be rolled-out across the county in April 2019.  

The Head of Education and Children’s Services advised that the free childcare scheme was a complex scheme as it included 10 hours of early education along with 20 hours of childcare for 48 weeks of the year.  She emphasised that Denbighshire had always favoured implementing the offer across the county at the same time rather than on a phased introduction approach on a ward by ward basis, hence the reason for not applying to be an EILA.

Responding to members’ questions the Lead Member, Head of Education and Children’s Services, and the Principal Manager:  Intervention, Prevention, Health and Well-being advised that:

·         the Council did have some reservations regarding the provision of the scheme in the county as it was aware that not all registered childcare providers could deliver the early education element.  The Council had raised its concerns regarding this with the WG during its discussions on the proposed roll-out.  The actual extent of any appropriate availability problems would not become clear until the scheme was rolled out as would associated travelling and administration issues;

·         from the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider a report by the Scrutiny Coordinator (copy attached) seeking a review of the committee’s forward work programme and updating members on relevant issues.

A copy of a report by the Scrutiny Co-ordinator, which requested the Committee to review and agree its Forward Work Programme and which provided an update on relevant issues, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

A copy of the Members Proposal Form had been included in Appendix 2.  The Cabinet Forward Work Programme had been included as Appendix 3, and a table summarising recent Committee resolutions and advising on progress with their implementation, had been attached at Appendix 4.

The new Waste & Recycling Model would be included in the 25 October 2018 meeting as further work was required prior to it being presented to Scrutiny Committee.  Due to the anticipated public interest in this item, it was agreed that the Planning Enforcement report which was included for the 25 October, 2018 meeting would be moved to 13 December, 2018 meeting.  In addition, the items on Ysgol Rhewl and Ysgol Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd would also be moved from 25 October, 2018 meeting, with the former being presented at the 24 January, 2019 meeting and the latter’s presentation being subject to the publication of the Cabinet Secretary’s decision in relation to its future.

RESOLVED that subject to the above to approve the Committee’s Forward Work Programme.

None.

The Corporate Director: Economy and Public Realm informed members of the Committee that the next Service Challenge to take place will be the Business Improvement and Modernisation Service.  The Lines of Enquiry to take place at 3.00 p.m. on 18 September, 2018 and the Service Challenge meeting taking place on 2 October 2018. 

Councillor Andrew Thomas was the representative from Communities Scrutiny Committee to attend the Service Challenge.

The Chair, Councillor Huw Williams expressed the importance to attend the Service Challenge meetings and if a Councillor was unable to attend then to arrange another Councillor to attend on their behalf.  It was also important, for continuity and scrutiny purposes that the same member attended both the Lines of Enquiry and Service Challenge meeting.

The meeting concluded at 10.55 a.m.