Contact: Deborah Harkin, 01962 846530, [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decisions are sought:

1. That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services approves the proposed working model for the governance of children's centres in Hampshire.

2. That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services authorises the Director of Children's Services, in consultation with the Executive Lead Member, to make appointments to the Partnership Boards of County Council managed children's centres.

3. That the Executive Lead Member for Children's Services delegates to the Director of Children's Services authority to remove members from Partnership Boards.

2 Reason

2.1 This decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priority:

"Maximising well-being" - by providing children's centres in the most disadvantaged areas, enabling families with young children, to access high quality early years provision and other health and family support services.

2.2 The decision supports the following Aims of the Children Act:

`Being healthy' by improving health outcomes for children and families through links with local Child Health Promotion Programmes; `Staying safe' by reducing crime rates through partnership links with community Police; `Enjoying and achieving' through enabling parents to study and work through the delivery of structured parenting and family learning programmes; `Economic well-being' by reducing child poverty through helping lone parents to access work and training opportunities.

3 Other Options considered and rejected:

3.1 Two other options were considered and rejected which are explained in detail in the full report:

1. The delegation of financial and personnel functions to Partnership boards which was rejected on the grounds that partnership/advisory boards have no legal status and cannot be held accountable.

2. Expansion of a school's governing body to include a children's centre. This was rejected on the grounds that a governing body is the responsible body and Partnership boards have no such legal status.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 None.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 None'.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

6.1 Only if item is a `key' decision and misses agenda despatch.

Approved by: Date:

........................................

Councillor Felicity Hindson MBE

Executive Lead Member for Children's Services