Executive post

Executive Member for Children's Services - Pauline Helliar-Symons

Description

5.2.9  Executive Member for Children’s Services

 

5.2.9.1

To liaise with school governors, headteachers and other relevant stakeholders including teachers, parents and diocesan representatives, as well as with Government, and regional and national bodies.

 

5.2.9.2

To oversee the work of the Education Service and ensuring that it meets the needs of schools, colleges, academies and other stakeholders and is provided efficiently and effectively.

 

5.2.9.3

To review the Council’s Children’s Services policies and strategies and advising the Executive, and where appropriate making recommendations to Council.

 

5.2.9.4

To take responsibility for overseeing transitional arrangements when children become adults, in conjunction with the Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing.

 

5.2.9.5

To ensure that schools are fully consulted on changes in policy and practice.

 

5.2.9.6

To ensure the continued work and development of the Council as a provider and commissioner of Early Years and Childcare services and children’s centres.

 

5.2.9.7

To oversee the Council’s youth service and activities and as required, to represent the interests of the youth service on Children’s Partnership Boards.

 

5.2.9.8

To be responsible for the planning and provision of school places and recommend changes in school organisation to the Council

 

5.2.9.9

To establish New and Re-sited Schools as appropriate.

 

5.2.9.10

To oversee the School Admission Process.

 

5.2.9.11

To oversee school improvement plans.

 

5.2.9.12

To oversee school development and refurbishment plans and their capital investments.

 

5.2.9.13

To be responsible for working with academies and free schools in the Borough.

 


5.2.9.14

To oversee the production of all statutory and service plans within the remit of the service.

 

5.2.9.15

To take responsibility for overseeing and preparing for inspections and reviews.

 

5.2.9.16

To report on evaluation and review of services as necessary.

 

5.2.9.17

To work closely with all relevant service areas to ensure the most cost effective home to school transport is provided.

 

5.2.9.18

To lead on the implementation of Strategic Development Location (SDL) school development and delivery of the 0-16 school places sufficiency duty, as well as strategies including sufficiency of child-care places and post-16 places.

 

5.2.9.19

To ensure a fully-costed model of traded and support services to schools, colleges, academies and free schools is delivered.

 

5.2.9.20

To act as the primary press spokesman on all matters relating to the whole of the Children’s Services portfolio (including aspects that are delegated to the Deputy Executive Member for Children’s Services).

 

5.2.9.21

To set the policy direction for all aspects of Children’s Services based on best evidence, including those that are delegated to the Deputy Executive Member for Children’s Services.

 

5.2.9.22

To undertake the statutory responsibility for Children’s Services and Safeguarding, including early help and protection, children in care, care leavers, adoption and fostering, youth offending services, and services for children and young adults with disability.

 

5.2.9.23

To work collaboratively with the Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing to ensure the needs of young people, and children and young adults with disabilities and/or with their families are met.

 

5.2.9.24

To work collaboratively with the Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Wellbeing to ensure the needs of young people, and children and young adults with disabilities and/or with their families are met.

 

5.2.9.25

To hold the Director of People Services to account for the performance and improvement of the services and sufficiency duties.

 


5.2.9.26

To champion children-in-care leavers’ needs and ensure that the importance of their wellbeing and educational attainment is recognised and owned across the whole Council and by all elected Members and Officers.

 

5.2.9.27

To mentor, support and develop the Deputy Executive Member.

 

5.2.9.28

To oversee the Council’s role in lifelong learning and playing a full part in the work of the Lifelong Learning Partnership.

 

5.2.9.29

To set strategic direction for the adult education offer.

 

5.2.9.30

To attend meetings of the Local Safeguarding Board.

 

5.2.9.31

To take responsibility for overseeing the development of the contract procurement strategy within the Children’s Services portfolio, with particular regard to the following:

 

a)      ensuring corporate and consistent standards for monitoring and evaluation of contracts;

 

b)      examining with appropriate Officers ways in which contracts of all types can be better managed on a timely renewal basis to achieve greater value for money;

 

c)      to examine potential new ways of procuring services including;

 

i)        outsourcing;

ii)       market testing;

iii)      public/private partnerships or the Private Finance Initiative;

iv)      joint working with other public bodies;

 

d)      monitoring and evaluating the performance and value for money of contracts that have been awarded.

 

 

Post is held by