The crucial issues of child protection and raising educational standards will be among the first issues to be discussed by the new Isle of Wight Council.
Progress reports on the work to improve the council’s performance in both areas are to be presented to the council’s cabinet on 4th June with the recommendation that both are also discussed in more detail by Full Council on June 19th.
Of particular focus will be the developing moves to establish a strategic partnership with Hampshire County Council to improve education and child safeguarding and the council’s receipt of a Draft Direction notice which sets out the Government’s expectation of how the required improvements in both areas will be brought about.
Improvement is required as late last year, an Ofsted inspection revealed child safeguarding arrangements on the Island were inadequate.
The cabinet meeting on 4th June will be the first time the council’s decision-making body will have met since the 2nd May local election that saw independent councillors – coming together as the Island Independents – take control of the council.
Councillor Richard Priest, Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for children’s services said: “Making sure these key issues are discussed by Full Council reflects how importantly the new administration views the tasks of improving the Island’s arrangements for safeguarding children and raising the standard of educational attainment reached by our young people.
“Not only do we believe they are issues of paramount importance we believe that all members should be involved in making the decisions that are required.
“The administration inherited a situation that requires urgent and careful attention. Improving safeguarding arrangements and providing the very best education for our young people are clear priorities and I look forward to the input of all councillors in planning and implementing the measures that are required to address these crucial issues.”
Councillor Priest, who has already been part of a cross-chamber delegation that discussed the issue with Lord Nash, parliamentary undersecretary of state for schools, said the council would also continue to work closely with the Island’s MP and Government.
Under the new arrangement Hampshire County Council will manage the Island’s children’s services functions with John Coughlan, Hampshire’s director of children’s services, providing that same statutory role for the Island.
The arrangement will remain in force for five years, unless revoked by the Secretary of State for Education, and will be reviewed after three years. As part of the arrangement, cabinet on June 4 will also be asked to approve to transfer of the Island’s electronic case management system to Hampshire area ahead of an upgrade of the whole system.
Councillor Priest said: “There is obviously a lot of work to be done by both authorities to bring about the improvements that are needed. But we are determined as an authority to approach this work in an open, transparent and collaborative fashion. We stood on a platform of People Before Politics and nowhere is that approach more important than when it comes to giving our young people the best start in life.”
The cabinet papers can be viewed via https://www.iwight.com/Meetings/committees/cabinet/4-6-13/agenda.pdf
