To receive apologies for absence (to include reasons, where appropriate) from

Members/ Officers.

Apologies for absence were received from the following Members for the reasons so stated:

Councillor RL Thomas – Work commitment

Councillor DBF White – Unwell

Canon E Evans – Prior commitment.  

Councillor CA Green

To receive declarations of personal and prejudicial interest (if any) from Members/Officers in accordance with the provisions of the Members Code of Conduct adopted by Council from 01 September 2008 (including whipping declarations).

Mr W Bond declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Children With Disabilities Programme as a parent governor of Heronsbridge School. 

To receive for approval the minutes of the Children and Young People Overview and

Scrutiny Committee of 23 September 2015. 

RESOLVED:               That the minutes of the Children and Young People Overview                                 and Scrutiny Committee of 23 September 2015 were approved                                     as a true and accurate record.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report which detailed the items to be considered at the next meeting of the Committee and sought confirmation of the information and invitees required.   

The Scrutiny Officer also reported that Corporate Parenting is the term used to describe the responsibility of a local authority towards looked after children and young people and that all Members have a level of responsibility for the children and young people looked after by the authority.  She requested that Members consider how the services within the remit of the Committee affect children in care and care leavers and how it can assist in these areas.  The Scrutiny Officer stated that Scrutiny Champions can greatly support the Committee in this by advising of the ongoing work of the Corporate Parenting Cabinet Committee any decisions or changes which they should be aware of as Corporate Parents.      

The Scrutiny Officer also reported that the Corporate Resources and Improvement Overview and Scrutiny Committee had agreed to set up a Joint Research and Evaluation Panel for Sickness Absence and sought a nomination from this Committee to sit on the Panel.        

Conclusions:                  

(1)  Noted the topics to be considered at its meeting on 5 January 2016 and the invitees to attend to attend the meeting;

(2)  Determined the invitees to be invited to attend the meeting on 21 January 2016;

(3)  Requested that education practitioners be invited to attend for the item on the Education of LAC and a Head Teacher / Deputy Head Teacher for the item on FSM Attainment Gap at the meeting on 9 March 2016;   

(4)  Nominated Councillor P A Davies to sit on the Sickness Absence Joint Research and Evaluation Panel.    

Invitees

Susan Cooper, Corporate Director, Social Services and Wellbeing

Cllr Hailey Townsend, Cabinet Member, Childrens Social Services and Equalities

Laura Kinsey, Head of Safeguarding and Family Support

Pete Tyson, Planning and Contract Management Officer

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report on the work being undertaken as part of the Children with Disabilities Transformation programme which focused on the review of in-county residential provision and respite services for children with disabilities. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed the Committee that the Children with Disabilities Transformation is a sub-programme which sits beneath the Safeguarding and Family Support Change Programme, within which four distinct work areas had been identified.  She also informed the Committee that a consultation exercise with staff and stakeholders was commencing today which would inform options for the delivery of respite services and in-county accommodation in the future. 

The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing reported that it was the Council’s aim for children and young people to remain in their local community with family and friends in order to ensure stability in their lives.  It was proposed to increase residential care at Heronsbridge School from the current 38 week provision for up to 6 service users for 5 days a week to 52 week residential provision.  There are three young people receiving 39 week residential care whose needs were such that they may in future require 52 week residential care.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing also informed the Committee that Bakers Way currently provides an overnight respite/short break service for Children with Disabilities.  The facility has been subject to review and whilst it provides a valuable short breaks service, there are drawbacks such as high transport costs, high cancellation rates and the need to improve access for wheelchair users.  The Planning and Contract Management Officer informed the Committee of the gaps he had identified with current provision.  Discussions had commenced with the families of the three existing high cost out of county placements that could potentially be placed in county with 52 week residential provision.  Discussions had also commenced on the viability of increasing the registration of Heronsbridge to 52 week residential provision. 

The Committee questioned the number of out of county placements and whether there is a waiting list.  The Planning and Contract Management Officer informed the Committee that there were 13 out of county placements as at June 2015, 3 of which would be suitable for in county provision based on 52 week residential provision.  The average cost for an out of county placement is £180k per annum and the 3 high cost out of county placements suitable for 52 week residential provision cost £676k.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing informed the Committee that the Council did not operate a waiting list for placements.  The Corporate Director Social Services and Wellbeing also informed the Committee that it was proposed to create 52 week residential provision by redeveloping facilities at Heronsbridge. The Planning and Contract Management Officer informed the Committee there is existing out of county provision at facilities in Cardiff, Brecon and Cheltenham. 

The Committee referred to the report identifying 3 existing out of county placements returning to in county provision and also the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 197.

Invitees

Deborah McMillan, Corporate Director – Education and Transformation

Cllr Huw David, Deputy Leader

Nicola Echanis, Head of Strategy Commissioning and Partnerships

Sue Roberts, Group Manager – School Improvement

John Fabes, 14-19 Co-ordinator

The Scrutiny Officer introduced an update report on the work of the Schools Task Group in supporting the development and rationalisation of the curriculum and provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education.   

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that Cabinet at its meeting on 11 July 2006 had received a report of the Overview and Scrutiny process which contained 14 recommendations proposing a strategic review of the provision of primary, secondary and post 16 education and school reorganisation.  She stated that a Schools Task Group had been established to consider falling rolls, a large number of surplus primary and secondary school places, and the number of head teachers reaching retirement age in the near future and financial constraints which had led to a number of schools in a budget deficit situation. 

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation commented that the outcomes for learners had improved above the Welsh average, with 55% of pupils leaving school with 5 GCSEs A* - C grades, however 45% of pupils left without qualifications. 

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation informed the Committee that the Task Group had established six work streams, namely: Analytics; School Modelling; Post 16 Provision; Welsh Medium Provision; Catchment Review and 21^st Century School Modernisation.  It had been identified by the Task Group that each work stream had interdependencies which meant that none of the issues could be tackled in isolation and had led to the development of a strategy.  The purpose of the strategy was to consider decisions relating to the organisation of school places and to deliver a managed programme for change.  Each work stream had recognised the need to bring the work together to develop a coherent strategy, however due to the limited expertise and capacity in house it was proposed that a strategic partner be sourced to contribute to the development of the strategy.  It was expected that the strategic partner will develop an options appraisal paper for presentation to Cabinet. The Corporate Director Education and Transformation highlighted the specification for the review and sought the views of the scrutiny function on what should be in the specification for the review to inform preparation of the review and welcomed the opportunity for Member representation on the Task Group from this Committee.  

The Corporate Director Education and Transformation also highlighted the range of options the will consider, namely:

·         Some secondary schools may not have a sixth form;

·         Some schools may operate within federations;

·         Some schools may become all through schools for the age range of 3-16 or 3-19, and

·         Some schools may not have a non-teaching head. 

A member of the Committee commented that he had previously sat on the Learning Pathway Group which reviewed 14-19 education and had met over a five period with consultants prior to the Group being disbanded.  He expressed concern that a similar group was now being created employing consultants to develop the strategy.  He stated that all governing bodies were against schools operating within federations and that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 198.

The Scrutiny Officer presented a report to update Members on the work of the Joint Research and Evaluation Panel in relation to the Social Services Annual Reporting Framework in June 2015.  The Committee had previously considered a report on the Social Services Annual Framework at its meeting in November 2009, which outlined the arrangements put in place by the Chief Inspector of the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW).  The framework involved formal engagement on an annual basis with Scrutiny and the Committee had agreed that the work should be undertaken jointly with the Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee (now the Adult Social Care Overview Scrutiny Committee), which subsequently also agreed to this approach through the establishment of a Research and Evaluation Panel.

            The Panel met on two separate occasions to consider the report and formulate questions and lines of enquiry, as well as offering comments and recommendations on the Director of Social Services Annual Report.  Some of the Panel’s main points were summarised under paragraph 4.3 of the report and their comments and views were incorporated into the final report which was approved by Council in July 2015.

Conclusions:

The Committee noted the report on the work of the Joint Research and Evaluation Panel.

To consider any item(s) of business in respect of which notice has been given in

accordance with Part 4 (paragraph 4) of the Council Procedure Rules and which the person presiding at the meeting is of the opinion should by reason of special circumstances be transacted at the meeting as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.