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 1 September 2008 (including whipping declarations)

Councillor CA Webster declared a personal interest in agenda item 3 – Approval of Minutes, as she was the NAS Treasurer and her son had LD.

Councillor B Sedgebeer declared a personal interest in agenda item 5 – Remodelling Children’s Residential Services Project, because she was a friend of a young person who was in a children’s residential care unit in Bridgend.

To receive for approval the minutes of a meeting of the Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 of the 14^th September 2017.

Item 9, Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Reform, a Member of the Committee explained that the Educational Psychology Service was under pressure because of staffing issues and not financial restraints as reported in the minutes.

Item 9, Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Reform, the Scrutiny Officer explained that following the last meeting, officers had investigated further and realised that it was too late in the process for a number of the recommendations to be forwarded to Welsh Government and Cabinet and the minutes were corrected to reflect the latest information.

Members were frustrated that this Bill had been around for a number of years and they had not had an opportunity to influence it. It was very difficult to influence a Bill after stage 1 so scrutiny should have been consulted at a much earlier stage. The Committee agreed to include this as a future recommendation.

RESOLVED:           That the Minutes of the meeting of Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 dated 14^th September 2017 be approved as a true and accurate record, subject to the changes listed below.

1)    Members noted that the Educational Psychology Service was under pressure because of staffing issues and not financial restraints as reported in the minutes.

2)    The Committee recommended that:

a.               Funding be ring-fenced by the Local Authority  and  Schools to ensure it is used to meet the needs of the Bill and the needs of young people with ALN;

b.             Specific funding for Post-16 ALN provision be identified and allocated as an invest to save measure;

c.             Cabinet recognise and incorporate the significant role of the Educational Psychologist in the establishment and delivery of future support and services for those with ALN;

d.             Cabinet consider apprenticeships as a method for young people with ALN to progress into employment;

e.             Suitable support and resources be allocated to support frontline staff such as ALNCOs and Teachers in order to ensure they are able to deal with the extra responsibilities under the Bill and manage with increased workloads; 

f.              Allowance be made for the associated costs for frontline staff based on the expected need for Job Evaluation on any new appointments or additional duties;

g.             Budgeted gross expenditure on ALN provision in 2018/19 is increased in preparation for the implementation of new legislation to assist in the transition period;

h.              The Authority works towards ensuring that a minimum of 80% of the budget allocated to ALN pupils is delegated to individual schools and that mechanisms should be in place to ensure those schools are using the funding for its stated purpose of supporting ALN;

i.               The Local Authority considers how home to school transport arrangements will be affected as part of the new provisions contained in the Bill;

j.               The Authority learns from best practice from local authorities from Wales and beyond in an effort to improve the academic performance of those young people with ALN achieving level 2 threshold inclusive which currently stands at 26.3%;

k.             The Authority assesses the required resources, workforce planning  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

The Corporate Director – Operational and Partnership Services submitted a report, the purpose of which was to present the items prioritised by the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee including the next item delegated to Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1; to present Committee with a list of further items for consideration using the pre-determined criteria form.

The Scrutiny Officer explained that information requested following the last meeting was still outstanding and would be reported to the next meeting. She explained that the Budget Consultation would be an opportunity for Members to put forward questions on any item with a report request.

A Member raised the issue of consultation on forthcoming legislation and asked if there were any subjects coming up which the Committee should be consulted on. The Scrutiny Officer agreed to contact the Directors to check to see if there were any items.

The Scrutiny Officer explained that an Emergency Housing Criteria form had been circulated for Members to consider suggesting that it be submitted to Corporate Scrutiny to be added to the Forward Work Programme. Members agreed that it should be put forward because it was a risk that affected the most vulnerable people.

RECOMMENDED:     Subsequent  to the Committee’s discussion Members determined the following in relation to the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme:

·                Advocacy Services and Safeguarding to be taken together.

·                School Modernisation

·                Extra Care Housing Schemes

·                Early Help and Social Care

Emergency Housing Criteria Form 

Invitees

Susan Cooper, Corporate Director, Social Services and Wellbeing;

Cllr Phil White, Cabinet Member – Social Services and Early Help;

Laura Kinsey, Head of Children’s Social Care;

Pete Tyson, Group Manager – Commissioning;

Lauren North, Commissioning and Contract Management Officer;

Natalie Silcox, Group Manager Childrens Regulated Services.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing submitted a report informing Subject Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 of the work that had been undertaken as part of the Remodelling Children’s Residential Services project and introducing a proposed new model for Children’s Residential Services.

The Scrutiny Officer gave an introduction to the report following which the Invitees were invited in to the meeting. 

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing referred to a report in the press regarding this agenda item. She explained that this report was welcomed and about improvements to the service. She stressed that there would be no detriment to any child in a care home however changes had to be made to improve the service. The children in care were far more complex and challenging cases and on occasions children had to be sent far from home. Staff had identified an issue with the lack of trust from the Courts in the services ability to achieve outcomes.  The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing explained that she would expect the Courts to challenge and question what was being proposed, the compatibility of children, whether therapeutic intervention could be provided and what was in the best interests of the child.

The Leader reassured Members that the courts would challenge and scrutinise the proposed placements but they had never turned down a placement proposed by this authority.  Each authority in Wales had the same problems and had to look elsewhere for placements for some of their most complex needs cases. The proposals in the report included plans to develop skills locally to meet more of these needs. BCBC would not to be able to meet the needs of every child but it was hoped that the numbers sent out of county could be greatly reduced.

The Leader reported that he had met recently with the Leaders from other authorities and a spokesperson for the WLGA for Social Services to discuss a bid for better provision in Wales.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing explained the current arrangements for looked after children through Sunnybank and Newbridge House, the internal supported lodgings service and out of county residential placements. As part of the Remodelling Children’s Services Programme, current residential placements were reviewed with a view to developing a proposal for remodelling internal residential placements.  The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing explained that alternative options had also being considered including commissioning the service and building a bespoke building but discarded due to prohibitive costs and timescales for implementation. Significant background research and analysis had been undertaken and targeted engagement with all pertinent stakeholders which would feed into the final proposal to be presented to Cabinet for approval in January 2018.

The Corporate Director – Social Services and Wellbeing outlined the key elements of the proposed new model including the Hub, a medium-term unit, support lodgings, therapeutic services, training and transitional carers. She outlined the financial implications and the benefits of facilitating the return of young  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

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 none.