From our Local County Councillor
THE ANNUAL MEETING took place in May but with little change to positions. All
the Cabinet members remain the same. The Children and Young Peoples Plan has
been agreed. This sets out the over arching plan for all the services provided
by the statutory agencies, that affect children and young people. There are six
areas that require particular improvement over the next three years.
- Improving the emotional and physical health of mothers to be, babies, infants and primary aged children, eg reducing smoking during pregnancy, increasing breast feeding, reducing obesity, establishing child and adolescent mental health services.
- Raising aspirations to improve employment and life prospects, eg reducing number of 16 - 18 year olds presenting as homeless.
- Improving access to recreation, decision-making and support, eg reduction in bullying, increasing participation in sport.
- Improving health and educational attainment of children looked after by the Local Authority, eg reducing the final warnings and convictions of looked after children.
- Narrowing the educational performance gap for disadvantaged groups, eg increasing attainment for traveller, Bangladeshi and Pakistani heritage at Key Stage 2 maths and English. .
- Ensuring children in vulnerable situations are protected, eg reduction in the number of child protection re-registrations, improve reporting incidences of Domestic Violence.
The full plan can be found at www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/partnerships/change/cypsp.htm
The Highways Services Contract 2006-2016 has been awarded to W. S. Atkins. This brings together all the existing highways contracts into a single design and build contract based upon collaboration and partnership working.
The report on the work of the Scrutiny Committees has been received. They have worked very well, looking at items under Environment and Community, Corporate Services, Children and Young Peoples Services and Health and Adult Social Care. Items that have been scrutinised by these cross party committees include, the Youth Service, Life after school for young people with Special Needs, County Farms, Waste Private Finance Initiative, Heritage services, and Adult Social Care performance. This last one in response to the concern that the Independent Commission for Social Care Inspection awarded the County Council only a One Star Rating in its assessment of Children's and Adult Social Care in Cambridgeshire.