Agenda item

With reference to article 11 of the minute of the meeting of the Corporate Policy and Performance Committee of 10 June, 2010, the Committee had before it a report by the Director of Corporate Governance which provided an update and proposals for developing local collaborative planning initiatives aimed at saving money in the future by developing a joined up service approach that would more effectively address and prevent the long term costs associated with failure to solve complex social problems.

The report provided an overview of the main benefits being sought from progressing the Total Place approach, and reminded members that as part of developing the approach officers had developed a prototype demonstration presentation based on the cluster of neighbourhoods in the northwest of the City i.e. Northfield, Middlefield, Cummings Park and Heathryfold, which examined the specific theme of raising educational attainment and achievement. 

With regards the prototype, it was advised that a number of factors that related to educational attainment and achievement had been identified and this had provided a strong business case for developing the approach in this area of the City further (a list of the summary of factors was provided).  Following consideration of the findings, it had been agreed by the Council’s Senior Management that the information relating to low educational attainment, comparatively high absence and exclusion rates alongside the range of existing investments on aspects aimed at tackling disadvantage in the area, provided a strong case for developing this initial work further.  Therefore, it was proposed that raising educational attainment and achievement in the Northfield, Cummings Park, Middlefield and Heathryfold neighbourhoods be the focus for initial project development.

Thereafter, again based on the analysis of the prototype findings, it was recommended that the following areas provide the focus for further collaborative initiatives:- community safety, and developing preventative models of working to meet the needs of older people and also care services as a whole.

The Housing and Environment Service and Social Care and Wellbeing Service Senior Management teams had also considered the initial information and agreed that their responsibility also required to be addressed.  It was therefore proposed that these teams should provide the focus for further collaborative initiatives.

Finally, the report advised that given the cost cutting nature and the interdependency factors that contributed towards tackling complex social problems a Steering Group had been established to oversee and manage the initiative.  This comprised a Head of Service representative from each of Senior Management Teams.  The outline remit of the Group was detailed.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to request officers to submit a further report to the Corporate Policy and Performance Committee at its meeting on 27 January, 2011, which:- (a)  clarified the figures for the number of exclusions in Northfield Academy and whether this was the highest number in Aberdeen; (b) provided statistics and further analysis on each of the points from (a) to (j) contained within the report; (c) provided information on the number of children resident in Northfield but attended an out of zone school, and statistics on the destination on leaving school of these children in comparison with children attending Northfield Academy; (d) provided figures on the number of children attending Northfield Academy from outwith the catchment area; and (e) clarified whether elected members could be advised of the number of looked after children at each school within their ward; 

(ii)        to request officers to provide regular updates on progress with the project to the Corporate Policy and Performance Committee and local members;

(iii)       to request that future reports on the project highlight the positive achievements within the Northfield area, as well as the areas that still required further assistance;

(iv)        to agree that the initial collaborative project would focus on improving educational attainment and achievement in the Northfield, Cummings Park, Middlefield and Heathryfold neighbourhoods and the themes of community safety, older people and care services as the focus for further initiatives; and

(v)        to refer the report to the Education, Culture and Sports Committee, for information and to note that a further report providing specific detail on how the initiative would be delivered would be submitted to that Committee.