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Agenda item

To receive the following Questions from:

1.         Councillor C Webster to the Cabinet Member - Education and Regeneration:

 

How does the Cabinet Member propose to reduce the number of children with Statements of Special Education Needs who are being excluded from school?

 

2.         Councillor T Giffard to the Leader

 

As a participant and major investor in the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, could the Leader outline the projects secured so far that will directly benefit the people of Bridgend County Borough?

 

3.         Councillor T Thomas to the Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help

 

Will the relevant cabinet member outline what has been done to reduce rates of smoking in the county borough for those who wish to give up?

 

4.         Councillor A Hussain to the Deputy Leader

 

              40% of battery powered and 22% of main powered smoke alarms failed to activate in residential lines in England. An industry statistics show that more than a fifth never test their alarms and 1:10 householders is without a working smoke alarm altogether.

 

In Wales the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services attended 8,271, an increase of 25% and in 3:10 dwelling fires between 2017 -18, no smoke alarm was installed.

The Local Government Association (LGA), which represent over 370 councils and fire authorities in England and Wales, is urging householders to buy and regularly check that their smoke alarms are working.

 

Do we know our failed smoke alarm statistic figures here in Bridgend County and what is our policy to keep our residents safe?        

 

5.         Councillor MC Voisey to the Cabinet Member Communities

 

Would the Cabinet Member please advise Council, how many enforcement penalty notices have been issued, and the value, in the last 12 months for:

 

            Parking infringements

            Dog Fouling

            Litter and fly tipping

            Non-compliance waste collection regulations.

 

Minutes:

Councillor C Webster to the Cabinet Member - Education and Regeneration

 

How does the Cabinet Member propose to reduce the number of children with Statements of Special Education Needs who are being excluded from school?

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration

 

BRIDGEND EXCLUSIONS RECEIVED BY STATEMENTED CHILDREN

 

Academic year

Number of Permanent Exclusions

Number of FTEs

% of total number of Bridgend FTEs

Number of Days lost to FTEs

% of total number of days lost to FTEs in relation to all Bridgend FTEs

2014-15

0

80

11.4%

228.5

12.3%

2015-16

1

85

11.1%

234.5

13.1%

2016-17

0

56

7.2%

152.5

7.7%

2017-18

0

96

13.4%

277.5

15.9%

 

It can be noted from the table that there has been only one permanent exclusion for a statemented pupil between 2014 and 2018.  Whilst there is no comparable national data available this is believed to be a positive reflection on both schools and the local authority. 

 

It can be seen that both the number and percentage of fixed-term exclusions has fluctuated over the same period.  The Education and Family support Department recognises that there has been an increase in high-tariff behaviours for younger children and has responded to this by developing additional foundation phase provision at The Bridge Alternative Provision.  This affords the opportunity to intervene at an early stage and facilitate where appropriate reintegration back into school.  In addition, it has also been recognised that a small number of children who have presented with extremely challenging behaviour and their needs are different to the usual Ysgol Bryn Castell profile.  There is a review of provision planned for summer term 2019.

 

As a result of the recent Inclusion restructure, the statutory role of the Principal Educational Psychologist has been strengthened.  This role is now focused upon the line-management of the Educational Psychology Service and does not involve the line-management of other services within the Inclusion Service.

 

One of the strategic priorities of the Education and Family Support Directorate is to develop a pan-Directorate focus on the early identification of an individual’s needs to facilitate more effective graduated response procedures and outcomes.  The Self-Evaluation Report for the Education and Family Support Directorate 2018-2019 provides a range of evidence in support of this activity.

 

As a result of the educated other than at school (EOTAS) review, in March 2018, an access to education panel was established. This ensures that pupil’s needs are addressed in a timely way. As part of this review, protocols such as managed moves and tuition have been reviewed. The recommendations from the EOTAS review will be fully implemented during 2019-2020.

 

To compliment the access to education panel, a team around the school model is in place in nearly all secondary schools where the graduated response from a range of teams is explored. This model is being strengthened further with the introduction of primary head teachers to support the transition of pupils from primary schools with a focus on early identification of needs.

 

At the end of 2017, the local authority carried out a review of the way in which vulnerable learners were supported by the local authority. The aim was to develop a more unified and coordinated service that would streamline support and make managing these areas safer, more effective and provide a more timely response to identified needs. The review resulting in the creation of a Vulnerable Groups Team which became fully operational in June 2018.  A review of fixed-term exclusions which includes those with statements of special education need has been noted as an area for development in the Education and Family support Self-evaluation 2019-2020.

 

Another strategic priority is to establish a shared outcomes-focussed vision for the Directorate.  All operational teams within the Education and Family Support Directorate have created their own ‘operational roadmaps’ which illustrate the ‘golden thread’ between key national, regional and local priorities and delivery objectives. Elected members will be involved in this process during autumn term 2019.

 

As a result of the ALNET Act, changes to the statementing process will be implemented. The local authority is preparing for the implementation of the Individual Development Plan (IDP) system as part of the ALN Transformation Plan which is monitored on a monthly basis at the Transformation Board.  As part of the implementation process all children and young people who currently have a statement will be considered in the first instance, in relation to the movement to an IDP.  The local authority will continue to apply the same rigorous monitoring to the IDP process as part of its statutory responsibility.

 

Supplementary question by Councillor C Webster

 

Thank you to Education Officers for supplying the information in response to my question.

 

a.          At the PLASC census in January 2018, there were 379 children with Statements of Special Educational Need (SEN).

b.          32 pupils with a Statement of SEN were excluded.

c.          16 pupils with a Statement of SEN were excluded on more than one occasion.

 

This does not include children on School Action +.

 

I have been in contact with several parents with children across the Borough with Statements of SEN, and those on School Action + who are reporting similar issues, that their children’s behaviour, which is as a direct result of their disability, is not being appropriately managed, an example being not having sufficient support at break times when a lot of incidents happen, behaviour management which isn’t appropriate to the child’s disability or the school in which they are in.

 

What is the Cabinet Member doing to ensure these children have the reasonable adjustments that they need so they do not miss their education, are able to attend school as non-attendance impacts the whole family’s well being?

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration

 

You can ask the Families Contact Service for information relating to the above including individual cases. If you copy me into this message, I will monitor the situation and ensure your response(s) is both followed-up and actioned.

 

Second supplementary question by Councillor P Davies

 

What extra support provision or plans (if any) has been put in place at Heronsbridge School, in the short term and long term to better support the young people who attend Heronsbridge (School)

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration

 

As Members may be aware, the demand for the type of provision provided at Heronsbridge School is growing, and our medium term ambition is a new modernised special school as part of wider Band B proposals. The mezzazine on the upper floor at Heronsbridge has provided such additional provision and afforded the opportunity for the school to utilise other space there for pupils, including older pupils (to support their particular individual needs). Harwood House in the grounds of Heronsbridge also provides living space for persons with ALN, he added.

 

Third supplementary question by Councillor S Baldwin

 

Looking outside Heronsbridge, what other developments and provision are there for individuals with Special Educational Needs (SEN) within the County Borough.

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration

 

There are Observation classes/Specialised units in various schools within the County Borough that support young people with SEN, with recent investments, including the following:-

 

  • Ysgol Bryn Castell – ASD classes (x 2), plus 3 additional classes in 2018/19 to support an increase in pupil numbers there (cost of over £400k)

 

  • Autistic Spectrum Disorder Learning Resource Centres – In both English and Welsh medium schools in 2018/19 to meet the full year effect. New ASD LRC’s opened in YGG Llangynwyd, Pencoed Primary and YGG Calon Y Cymoedd, due to open in September 2019. (£314k)

 

  • Moderate Learning/Difficulties Learning Resource Centres (MLD/LRC’s) – Allocated to Primary and Secondary Schools via their delegated budgets (£320k). To primary schools on the basis of classes and to secondary schools on the basis of places  

 

Councillor T Giffard to the Leader

 

As a participant and major investor in the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, could the Leader outline the projects secured so far that will directly benefit the people of Bridgend County Borough?

 

Response by the Leader

 

The CCR Deal was formally signed on March 1st 2017 and all 10 Local authorities in South East Wales supported it and signed up to it, including this one. The Deal is a £ 1.2 billion deal to unlock significant economic growth across the Cardiff Capital Region. Specifically the Deal seeks to improve productivity, tackle worklessness, build on foundations of innovation, invest in physical and digital infrastructure, provide support for business and ensure that economic benefits are felt across the region.

 

The ten partnering councils approved the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal

[CRCD] Wider Investment Fund [WIF] totalling £495 million, consisting of  £375 million grant from UK Government over the next 20 years. The remaining £ 120 million will be contributed by the 10 partnering councils based on their respective population base and is currently modelled as being 100% capital in nature. The Bridgend contribution is £11 million.

 

We are at this stage only 2 years into what is a long term programme of investment, it is therefore still early days. In May 2017 the Regional Cabinet agreed to invest a £ 38.5 million loan to support the development of a compound semiconductor cluster in the region. IQE Ltd has moved into the former LG plant in Newport. Importantly one of the key things in terms of this investment is the reach of IQE not just in terms of direct employees that live throughout the 10 partnering local authorities and also the opportunity for new well paid jobs,   but also with regard to the companies they work with and their supply chains across the region. Additionally high quality, high paid jobs in the region in a high tech industry mean that Bridgend College is also supporting the cluster in terms of helping to deliver the skills and training that is so important to the industry.

 

More recently the Leader was delighted to announce that a direct investment in the County Borough is planned as part of the Metro Plus proposals. Metro Plus provides the potential to develop a whole programme of activity that contributes to, complements and enhances Metro and mobility delivery in the region. It is a joint project with Welsh Government designed to enhance connectivity for the whole region, supporting the rapid implementation of a series of more localised measures, which will help to deliver sustainable economic development, by connecting people, communities and business to employment, services, facilities and markets through reliable, resilient infrastructure.

 

In Bridgend County Borough the proposed scheme is the implementation of a park and ride facility at Pyle railway station as part of the development of an integrated transport hub that also serves the local communities of Porthcawl, Kenfig Hill, Cefn Cribwr and Cornelly. The proposed £3 million facility will include space for approximately 75 cars as well as electric vehicle charging facilities, cycle parking bays, enhanced links with the growing Village Farm Industrial Estate and active travel improvements.   Most recent figures for Pyle station usage from 2016/17 show that 118,910 journeys were made from the station, an increase of 35% from the levels recorded in 2011/12.

 

The Leader was proud that Bridgend County Borough was part of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, and he was looking forward to the further benefits and projects that will be delivered across the region over the next 10 years. The recently published Industrial and Economic plan for the region, developed by Industry, highlight the areas of potential growth and competitive advantage for the region, including in areas such as Bio Tech and Energy, and I am clear that Bridgend is well placed to take advantage of these emerging opportunities moving forward.

 

Supplementary question by Councillor T Giffard

 

Thank you for your response, and the additional update in your report earlier.  However, the perception by residents across Bridgend is that we are giving Cardiff lots of money which could be spent on local services here in Bridgend.  I am sure that is not the case, so, if it isn’t, what is the Leader going to do to make sure people better understand the jobs and investment opportunities that the City Deal could bring?

 

Response by the Leader

 

The first project looking to be targeted in Bridgend would be in respect of improvements at Pyle railway station (as mentioned above) as part of Metro Plus and this would, first and foremost, benefit residents and the wider community of the Bridgend County Borough (particularly in the area of Pyle/Kenfig) as well as also others further afield. The Cardiff Capital Region City Deal is a £1.2billiom project and the outcomes from this would not be delivered overnight, given that it was over a 10 year term. It would also look to attract businesses to both Bridgend and the wider region, in order to promote regeneration and economic prosperity in the County Borough and other locations in South East Wales covered by the City Deal. There is no intention for the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal to target any one location more than another, including in the area of the capital city, it is more developing projects that have the greatest benefit over the long run to the entire region, as opposed to specifically concentrating on areas that make-up the ten participating Authorities of the City Deal.

 

Second supplementary question by Councillor J Gebbie

 

The improvements planned for Pyle railway station amount to a considerable overall investment. She hoped that this investment would result in a more regular services along this route, that would also result in trains stopping more frequently at Pyle, to pick up/drop off passengers both there and in the immediate neighbouring areas.

 

Response by the Leader

It is an ambition of BCBC to have more frequent train services (and pick up/drop off stops) at Pyle and other stations to the west of the County Borough so as to bridge the gap with similar services to the east, the authority will continue to make representations to Welsh Government and Transport for Wales.

 

Third supplementary question by Councillor R Penhale-Thomas

 

A handful of local authority leaders from South East Wales recently attended the MIPIM conference in Cannes, a real-estate and property exhibition, as part of marketing the Cardiff City Region deal. In concluding their visit, CCR's chair, Andrew Morgan, spoke of exciting new prospects having been involved in a number of discussions with interested parties. Can the Leader share with us what those prospects might be?

 

Response by the Leader

 

Not in any detail as yet, however, over 150 leads have been followed-up as a result of the above marketing exercise from various potential developers. We need to ensure we sell the Cardiff City Region Deal and the benefits of its potential projects to would-be investors, with the help from Welsh Government, in order to secure interest and the potential additional investment this will then bring both to Bridgend and the other areas included in the Cardiff City Region Deal. 

 

Councillor T Thomas to the Cabinet Member - Social Services and Early Help

 

Will the relevant Cabinet Member outline what has been done to reduce rates of smoking in the County Borough for those who wish to give up?

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help

 

See Appendix A attached to these Minutes.

 

Supplementary question by Councillor T Thomas

 

Are the council supportive of using E-cigarettes as a method to reduce tobacco smoking for those that wish to give up, as a support mechanism for health and to aid people?'

 

Response by the Cabinet Member – Wellbeing and Future Generations

 

We don’t have a policy for anti-smoking but the Council are working on an Anti-Poverty Policy. As is stated above, smoking is a matter first and foremost for Public Health Wales, so I suggest you contact them further in this regard. The Executive however, do discourage smoking as it is detrimental to both people who do so and the wider public. The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing added that this was something that could be further considered through the Public Service Board. The Cabinet Member – Education and Regeneration further added, that any pupil caught smoking in schools was severely reprimanded, and if a teacher was caught they were similarly punished.  

 

Councillor A Hussain to the Deputy Leader

 

40% of battery powered and 22% of main powered smoke alarms failed to activate in residential lines in England. An industry statistics show that more than a fifth never test their alarms and 1:10 householders is without a working smoke alarm altogether. In Wales the Welsh Fire and Rescue Services attended 8,271, an increase of 25% and in 3:10 dwelling fires between 2017 -18, no smoke alarm was installed. The Local Government Association (LGA), which represent over 370 councils and fire authorities in England and Wales, is urging householders to buy and regularly check that their smoke alarms are working. Do we know our failed smoke alarm statistic figures here in Bridgend County and what is our policy to keep our residents safe?

 

Response by the Deputy Leader

 

All BCBC residential, corporate and education properties have a fixed wiring alarm system installed to L1 standard (every room throughout the premises, including store rooms and attic voids). All systems are tested to BS5839-1:2017 standard. However, whilst the requirement is for a minimum of 2 inspections per year, we currently perform 4 with any defects highlighted repaired on the day when possible. If not, we have a protocol for alternate procedures deployed on site until any repairs are completed.

For 2018/19 we have no incidents recorded where a detector has failed to activate. This does not include domestic housing stock owned and maintained by Valleys to Coast (V2C).

 

Supplementary question by Councillor A Hussain

 

Many residents in my ward and in the Borough are without smoke alarms and we know they are proven life savers. They also need to be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide, a highly poisonous gas that has no colour, taste or smell. Are there Fire and Rescue Services in the Borough who can help these residents and fit smoke and carbon monoxide detectors for free especially for those deserving and elderly as a part of home fire safety visit?

 

Response by the Deputy Leader

 

You need to consult the South Wales Fire Service on this, however, he added that he would endeavour to get this information himself and in turn, arrange for it to be circulated to all Members outside of the meeting. The Fire Service would also if asked, visit individual homes, and do a Health Check/Safety assessment, in order to establish if any smoke alarms and the like would be of considerable benefit at the property, from a health and safety perspective.  A Member added, that under Building Control regulations, smoke and fire detectors were installed in all new homes as standard.

 

Councillor MC Voisey to the Cabinet Member - Communities

 

Would the Cabinet Member please advise Council, how many enforcement penalty notices have been issued, and the value, in the last 12 months for:

 

• Parking infringements

• Dog Fouling

• Litter and fly tipping

• Non-compliance waste collection regulations.

 

Response by the Cabinet Member - Communities

 

The requested figures for how many enforcement penalty notices have been issued in the last 12 months are set out below.  A Fixed Penalty Notice is usually subject to a fine/payment of:

 

Dog Fouling, Litter and Fly Tipping

£100

 

Parking Infringements:

 

 

Car Park Overstay

£25 to £50

Lower amount for early payment of fine

Double Yellow Lines/ Disabled Bays

£35 to £70

Lower amount for early payment of fine

 

It will be noted that a number of penalty notices that are issued are subsequently cancelled, waived or not pursued.  In the main for parking infringements this is due to successful appeals (887), and where the notice is ‘written off’ (468) for a variety of reasons such as errors, spoiled, no DVLA information, bailiffs unable to collect etc.

 

Similarly, a number of the notices with regard to fly tipping are also ‘waived’ because in many cases it is determined that despite being reported as ‘fly tipping’ the rubbish is in fact wrongly presented refuse in residential areas where it is better to engage with our waste education teams in the first instance to help find a way of improving waste presentation and increase recycling in a given area.  Of course if non-compliance with the Council’s waste policies continues to be a problem the Council reserves the right to issue fixed penalty notices in some circumstances.

 

Finally, there are no incidences of issuing fixed penalty notices over the last 12 months for littering and dog fouling.  However, the Council has recently engaged an external partner to carry out enforcement of these matters on its behalf and so with that increase in resource we anticipate that the number of notices will increase in the next 12 month period.

 

 

From March 2018 to March 2019

 

Number Issued

 

Number Paid

 

Number Waived

 

Parking Infringements

 

8531

 

6225

 

1355

 

Dog Fouling

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Litter

 

0

 

0

 

0

 

Fly Tipping

 

76

 

19

 

47

Non-compliance

Waste Collection Regulations

 

11

 

1

 

10

 

Supplementary question by Councillor MC Voisey to the Cabinet Member – Communities

 

What is the Council planning to do to reduce dog fouling and other forms of littering, fly tipping etc? In support of his supplementary, he read out a letter from a young person from the Oldcastle area regarding dog fouling.

 

Response by the Deputy Leader/Head of Operations – Community Services

 

As from the end of April 2019, an Enforcement Team would be put in place as part of an agreed Contract, in order to strengthen the process of issuing fixed penalty notices to individuals who are caught depositing litter/allowing their dog to foul in a public place etc. The number of notices served on members of the public as shown in the response to the original question above in terms of those that were paid (in fines) and those that were waived don’t correspond, due to the fact that some of these are still pending. As the Deputy Leader has advised, the new Contract in place from the end of April will hopefully lead to more Notices/fines being issued, which will in turn, hopefully lead also to the public becoming more aware of the penalties they will face, if they are found guilty of depositing various forms of litter unlawfully. The Head of Operations – Community Services added that it was hoped that income from the serving of notices/receipt of fines will actually amount to sufficient resources to fund the Contract. A similar successful service had been put in place in the Vale of Glamorgan Council. Notices were not always issued if mitigation was given, ie a member of the public forget their blue badge and proved subsequently they were a blue badge holder, drivers proving they were authorised to park at a loading bay etc. Investment was also being made in educating the public to act more responsibly and not drop/deposit various types of litter, as opposed to just punishing perpetrators for doing so.

 

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