Agenda item

RESOLVED:

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

Reasons for Recommendation: The development of a Family Hub Model will help to deliver the Council’s strategic ambitions. Early intervention can improve children’s wellbeing, educational attainment and life chances, reduce family poverty, improve mental health and reduce negative outcomes such as unemployment which carry significant cost to the public purse.

The Chair invited Cllr Dorothy Maxwell to address the meeting. Cllr Maxwell welcomed the report and queried the location of the Family Hubs, noting the importance of giving children a head-start in education. Cllr Maxwell concluded by stating that the fund must be spent wisely to ensure Family Hubs were available for all children in North Northamptonshire. 

The Chair thanked Cllr Maxwell for her contribution before inviting Cllr Jean Addison to address the meeting. Cllr Addison welcomed the opening of Family Hubs but noted it was shame the Council had to re-open facilities similar in nature to those previously closed. Cllr Addison also made reference to an unsuccessful bid for £1million to assist with the costs of creating a Family Hubs model as well as referring to the need for effective public consultation. Cllr Addison concluded by noting that the refreshed Partnership Board referred to in the report should feature representatives from the localities it sought to serve and queried whether parents and care-givers would be involved with the Task and Finish groups referred to.

The Chair thanked Cllr Addison for her attendance before the Executive Member for Children, Families, Education and Skills, Cllr Scott Edwards introduced a report that sought to brief the Executive on the challenges, opportunities and options arising from the announcement of the Council as eligible to be part of the Government’s three-year Family Hubs and Start for Life programme.

Cllr Edwards noted that the report set out proposals to develop a Family Hubs model in line with key objectives developed as part of the Government’s programme, the objective of which was to improve whole family service delivery, address disproportionality and inequalities as well as drive improved health and education outcomes. The Council had been identified as one of 75 local authorities able to access additional Government funding to reshape services, improve access to services and support as well as measure impact.

Cllr Edward noted that locations for Family Hubs had yet to be decided, although engagement with parents, carers, children and the wider community offered the opportunity to make early-years provision more efficient and productive to offer children the best start in life.

The Chair, as well as Cllrs Harrison and Binley spoke strongly in favour of the opportunity to use additional Government funding to support and improve life prospects for children across North Northamptonshire.

RESOLVED:

KEY DECISION

That the Executive:

Reasons for Recommendation: The development of a Family Hub Model will help to deliver the Council’s strategic ambitions. Early intervention can improve children’s wellbeing, educational attainment and life chances, reduce family poverty, improve mental health and reduce negative outcomes such as unemployment which carry significant cost to the public purse.