Welcome
" The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee is the place where local people come together to influence learning initiaitves in the Town and to hold the Council's Cabinet and Officers to account on decisions taken. The Committee team includes teachers, parents, governors, head teachers, representatives from the community, local colleges, Learning Skills Council, churches and Councillors.
We have done extensive work on a review of primary education in the Borough which included holding a series for meetings throughout the town and sending a questionnaire to every household with primary school age children. By listening to people, like you, who care about education in our Town, we were able to offer sensible recommendations to the Cabinet for consideration.
We hope that this web page will tell you a little bit more about the work we do your behalf. We welcome suggestions for our future work and hope that you will feel able to contact us with your ideas. If there are any areas you are particularly interested in, or if you would like to attend a meeting or take part in one of our current reviews please contact democraticservices@darlington.gov.uk"
Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Chair of Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.
Terms of Reference
The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee’s terms of reference are to consider cross-functional issues relating to Educational issues relating including libraries and Best Value Reviews for those Reviews within its remit. To consider relevant issues which may come under the Collective Cabinet Portfolio and the portfolios of the Leader/Deputy Leader and Education. This does not exclude the possibility of the other Cabinet portfolios being relevant if the issue under consideration is of relevance to that portfolio.
Membership of Scrutiny Committee
The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee consists of 11 members of the Council and is politically balanced to include 6 Labour Group Members, 4 Conservative Group Members and 1 Liberal Democrat Group Member. In addition, the Committee has 5 statutory co-opted representatives with voting rights and 11 non-statutory co-opted representatives without voting rights. Details of the membership is shown in table below:
| Statutory Co-opted Representatives (Voting) |
| Mr. M. Frank (Roman Catholic Church) |
| Canon Sheila Bamber (Church of England) |
| Mrs. V. Mitchell (Primary School Parent Governor) |
| Special School Parent Governor (1 vacancy) |
| Secondary School Parent Governor (1 vacancy) |
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| Non -Statutory Co-opted Representatives |
| Ms. S. Robinson, Darlington College of Technology |
| Secondary Classroom Teacher (1 vacancy) |
| Mr. T. R. Fisher, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College |
| Mr. D. Moyes, Community Representative |
| Secondary School Head Teacher (1 vacancy) |
| Mr. N. Rees, Darlington Association of Governors |
| Mr. R. Egan, Community Representative |
| Primary School Classroom Teacher (1 vacancy) |
| Mr. C. Taylor, Primary School Head Teacher |
| Darlington Partnership (2 vacancies) |
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Meetings of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee
Ordinary meetings of the Scrutiny Committee take place every two months and are generally open to the public to attend, except where an item is of a confidential nature. Below is a list of Committee meeting dates for the Municipal Year 2006/07.
Review Groups
As part of the Committee's ongoing work and as a result of its Reviews and recommendations to Cabinet, there have been a number of positive outcomes and improvements made to both service delivery and facilities available to the people of Darlington.
Relevant Legislation and Guidance
In consideration of reports submitted to the Committee, Members refer to appropriate legislation and guidance. Links to some of the appropriate paperwork are attached below:
Darlington's Children and Young People's Plan
Guidance on the Children and Young People's Plan (England) Regulations 2005
Annual Review of the Children and Young People's Plan (Supplementary Guidance 2007)
Every Child Matters
Childcare Act 2006
Education and Inspections Act 2006
Special Events 2008/09
Local Democracy Week - Special Meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 13th October 2008.
A Special Meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee was held on Monday, 13th October 2008, as part of Darlington Borough Council's commitment to Local Democracy Week (13th October 2008 - 19th October 2008). Two school children from each of the Primary Schools in the Borough were invited to attend the meeting, and 41 children attended in total.
The children enjoyed a healthy Buffet Reception prior to the meeting, where they were able to meet the Mayor (Councillor Ian Haszeldine), the Chief Executive (Ms. Ada Burns), Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, and other Senior Members and Officers of the Council.
At the meeting, Councillor Hughes, Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, opened with an overview of the Committee and meeting protocols, before announcing the winner of a competition to co-chair the meeting with her. The competition was won by David Spratt from Alderman Leach Primary School. The children then received presentations from Officers on Health and Safety in Schools, Healthy Eating and Internet Safety, and actively engaged and participated in discussions on these issues.
European Day of Languages - Celebration Visit to Hummersknott School and Language College - Friday, 26th September 2008.
Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee were delighted to visit Hummersknott School and Language College on Friday, 26th September 2008, to observe Language Learning in progress. This visit coincided with the European Day of Languages organised by the Council of Europe to celebrate linguistic diversity and the benefits of being able to converse in a different language. Members reiterated their intention to conduct a review of Language Learning in Darlington.
Tasting School Meals - Joint Visit with Members of the Health and Well Being Scrutiny Committee to Skerne Park Primary School - Tuesday, 15th July 2008.
Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee visited Skerne Park Primary School on Tuesday, 15th July 2008, as part of a piece of work to gauge the standard of school meals served in schools in the Borough.
Councillors Hughes, Newall, Swift, Francis and Ian Haszeldine at Skerne Park Primary School sampling a school meal - Tuesday, 15th July 2008.
Special Events 2007/08
Local Democracy Week - Special Meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 15th October 2007.
A Special Meeting of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee was held on Monday, 15th October, 2007 as part of Darlington Borough Council's commitment to Local Democracy Week (15th-21st October 2007). Two school children from each of the Primary Schools in the Borough were invited to attend the meeting, and 26 children attended in total.
The children enjoyed a healthy Buffet Reception prior to the meeting, where they were able to meet the Mayor, Councillor Marian Swift, the Chief Executive, Ms. Ada Burns, the Leader of the Council, Councillor John Williams, Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee and other Senior Members and Officers of the Council.
At the Meeting, Councillor Hughes, Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, opened with an overview of the Committee structure and meeting protocols, before the children received presentations from Officers on School Transport Plans and Climate Change. The children and Committee Members then participated in discussion and workshops on these issues, including voting on actions that can be taken to improve school transport and impact on climate change.
Visit to the site of the Pupil Referral Unit development - Monday, 29th October 2007.
Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee visited the site of the Pupil Referral Unit on Monday, 29th October 2007. Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, said "I am delighted that the delegation had the opportunity of checking on progress at the Pupil Referral Unit site, at the former Rise Carr School on Eldon Street. I was extremely impressed with the architect's vision of what was to be offered on site. We were reassured to learn that the new Head Teacher, Maxine Hepple, has had an input into the internal adaptations taking place. We will continue to watch progress on site and encourage the Children's Services Department to continue to liaise closely with residents in the area over community use and the eventual school travel plan which will be put in place as the Unit opens in March 2008."
Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee visit the site of the Pupil Referral Unit on Monday, 29th October 2007. (From left to right: Councillor Lawton, Councillor Armstrong (rear), Councillor Lister, Councillor Hughes and Councillor Walker).
Meeting in the Community - Monday, 14th January 2008.
Members of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee held their Ordinary Meeting in January 2008 at the Education Village in Darlington. The meeting was also attended by pupils from the Education Village, who were invited to ask questions and encouraged to contribute to discussion by Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, throughout the meeting.
Special Events 2006/07
European Day of Languages Celebration Visit to Darlington Secondary School
Members of the Scrutiny Committee were delighted to visit Longfield School on 26th September 2006 to see language training in progress. This coincided with The European Day of Languages organised by the Council of Europe to celebrate linguistic diversity and the benefits of being able to speak another language. At Longfield School, the Members spoke to the Headteacher and pupils. They also participated in French language lessons. Globlisation and patterns of business owership mean that people increasingly need foreign language skills to work effectively with their own communities .
Local Democracy Week
A Special Meeting of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee was held on Tuesday, 17th October, 2006 as part of Darlington Borough Council's commitment to Local Democracy Week (16th-22nd October 2006). Two school children from each of the Primary Schools in the Borough were invited to attend the meeting, and 24 children attended in total.
The children enjoyed a healthy Buffet Reception prior to the meeting, where they were able to meet the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Mrs. Swift, the Chief Executive, Ms. Ada Burns, Members of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee and other Senior Members and Officers of the Council.
At the Meeting, Councillor Hughes, Chair of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, opened with an overview of the Committee structure and meeting protocols, before the children received presentations from Officers on School Attendance, School Transport issues and Healthy Schools. The children and Committee Members then participated in discussion and workshops on these issues and it was very pleasing to see the enthusiasm of all involved.
Children attending the Special Meeting of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, for Local Democracy Week, on Tuesday, 17th October 2006.
Meeting with Richard Joynt - Representative of the Sponsors of the Proposed Academy for Darlington
Richard Joynt, Representative of David and Anne Crossland, was invited to attend a meeting of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee on the 5th February 2007. Mr. Joynt spoke about how an Academy will fit into Darlington's existing school system, provided information on the co-sponsors and answered questions from Members of the Committee and the public.
World Book Day - Thursday, 1st March 2007.
Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Chair of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, attended St. Augustine's Primary School on Thursday, 1st March 2007 to celebrate World Book Day. The children at the school were invited to attend classes dressed as their favourite literary character. Councillor Hughes joined in the fun and attended dressed as Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. This year celebrated the 10th birthday of World Book Day. The children each received a book token to spend at any high street book shop, and Councillor Hughes promoted the virtues of Darlington Borough Council's Library Service.
Councillor Hughes (Back Row, Right) visits St. Augustine's Primary School on World Book Day - 1st March 2007. Photograph kindly provided by Owen Amos (The Northern Echo).
International Women's Day - Thursday, 8th March 2007.
Female Year Nine pupils from Branksome, Carmel, Eastbourne, Haughton and Longfield Comprehensive Schools visited Cummins Engines factory on 'International Womens Day' (8th March 2007), to learn more about careers traditionally dominated by men. Councillor Cyndi Hughes, Chair of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, also attended the event and spoke to the girls about educational options and career opportunities. Representatives from the University of Teesside also provided information on the courses and programmes available through the university.
Councillor Hughes (far right) visits Cummins Engines on International Womens Day on Thursday, 8th March 2007.
Educational Opportunities at the South Park - Monday, 26th March 2007
The Park Manager from the South Park in Darlington has been invited to the forthcoming meeting of the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee, on Monday, 26th March 2007, to discuss the educational opportunities available in the park. Committee Members will be able ask questions and comment on the opportunities and activities available, and members of the public are welcome to attend the meeting.