Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the 2024/25 municipal year.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the 2024/25 municipal year.

The Chairman sought nominations for the position of Vice-Chair of the Children’s Select Committee for the 2024/25 municipal year.

Decision

Councillor Jacqui Lay was elected Vice-Chairman of the Children’s Select Committee for the 2024/25 municipal year.

To receive any apologies or substitutions for the meeting.

Cllr Jo Trigg (Substituted by Cllr Trevor Carbin)

Cllr Kathryn MacDermid

Cllr Mark Verbinnen

Cllr Bridget Wayman

Cllr Peter Hutton

Cllr Mike Sankey

Dr Mike Thompson

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 March 2024.

Resolved

To change Cllr Suzanne Wickham’s attendance from “Present” to “Also present” and approve the minutes of previous meetings, held on 12 March 2024, as a true and correct record.

To receive any declarations of disclosable interests or dispensations granted by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any announcements through the Chairman.

The Chair noted a new, regular addition to the agenda on pages 9 and 10.

A list of standard scrutiny questions that can be applied to almost any topic that a scrutiny committee might encounter. It would be included for members’ reference in all further Overview and Scrutiny agendas.

The Council welcomes contributions from members of the public.

Statements

If you would like to make a statement at this meeting on any item on this agenda, please register to do so at least 10 minutes prior to the meeting. Up to 3 speakers are permitted to speak for up to 3 minutes each on any agenda item. Please contact the officer named on the front of the agenda for any further clarification.

Questions

To receive any questions from members of the public or members of the Council received in accordance with the constitution.

Those wishing to ask questions are required to give notice of any such questions in writing to the officer named on the front of this agenda no later than 5pm on Thursday 30 May in order to be guaranteed of a written response. In order to receive a verbal response questions must be submitted no later than 5pm on Monday 3 June. Please contact the officer named on the front of this agenda for further advice. Questions may be asked without notice if the Chairman decides that the matter is urgent.

Details of any questions received will be circulated to Committee members prior to the meeting and made available at the meeting and on the Council’s website.

There was no public participation.

To receive a progress update from Lucy-Anne Bryant on childcare sufficiency in Wiltshire.

The Chair reminded the committee that this was a lighter “update” report and that a full report was received in October 2023. Lucy-Anne Bryant briefly introduced the report which was taken as read and then welcomed any questions.

Debate

Councillors expressed concerns at the level of staff and places in some areas and how staff could be better recruited and retained. The potential benefit of accessing an older workforce who might be suitable and available for childcare roles was raised.

It was clarified that certain statistics Councillors were looking for were contained within the full report in October 2023 and would be updated in the next full report.

It was clarified that the statistic stating 8027 childcare places were available was based on staffing levels and not infrastructure.

The situation in Marlborough for places was explained as being monitored, as due to a lower birthrate any capacity issues had subsided and would be observed for upcoming years.

It was clarified that upcoming Section 106 funding for Bradford-on-Avon would be translated into 24 places and be available from January 2025.

Resolved

To receive the annual report in November 2024 and:

-       A specific update on actions taken to address sufficiency concerns highlighted in Bradford-on-Avon, Melksham, Marlborough, Warminster and Westbury;

-       The impact of officers attending Careers Fairs and working with the Job Centre and linking with Supporting Families Employment Advisers to raise awareness of a career in childcare (and if possible linking with any available analysis of the DfE’s website and national advertising campaign  Working in early years and childcare - Early Years Careers);

-       The development / implementation of Wiltshire College’s offering of Step into Early Years as a starter course;

-       The success of Sector Based Workforce Programmes (SWAP) that was planned with Job Centre and Family and Community Learning;

-       Wraparound childcare

-       How commissioners work with organisations to support on recruitment issues and retention concerns

To receive a report on the outcome of the rapid scrutiny on Wiltshire Council’s Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Strategy.

As the Lead Member for this joint rapid scrutiny with the Health Select Committee, the Chair opened the item by stating that as a strategy it seemed to address a number of concerns, but it would remain of interest to see how they would be implemented.

Debate

It was clarified that the aim was on early help and prevention rather than focusing on the statistics of those already suffering with their mental health. It was also stressed that attempting to find definitive statistics would be very difficult.

It was clarified that although a contract review was upcoming it was included within the strategy and would not disrupt the strategy’s focus or timeline.

Resolved

That the rapid scrutiny group need to review the delivery plan to be able

to draw meaningful conclusions and recommendations.

That the rapid scrutiny group meet again when the Delivery Plan has been drafted (possibly September) to review how the strategy will be implemented in Wiltshire.

That CSC will review how the overarching mental health strategy is aligned with existing strategies (e.g. carers support) and how the strategy informs commissioning of related services.

As this is the first meeting of this municipal year the committee is invited to consider the areas of interest and work it wishes to focus on for 2024-25.

The attached forward work programme contains items that have been agreed at previous meetings as well as requests for overview and scrutiny involvement received by the chair and vice-chair of the committee when they attended the annual meeting with the Executive on Tuesday 14 May.

In readiness for the new Council after May 2025, this committee will be expected to produce a “legacy report” which typically include recommendations on future work as well as a review of “ways of working”.

Therefore, today this committee is invited to:

1.    Challenge the proposed forward work programmes;

2.    Propose additional areas of work and focus for 2024-25;

3.    Make suggestions on changes that would improve the committee’s current ways of working (including briefings, rapid scrutiny exercises and task groups).

As the first meeting of this municipal year the committee was invited to consider the areas of interest and work it wished to focus on for 2024-25.

The attached forward work programme contained items that had been agreed at previous meetings as well as requests for overview and scrutiny involvement received by the chair and vice-chair of the committee when they attended the annual meeting with the Executive on Tuesday 14 May 2024.

In readiness for the new Council after May 2025, the committee would be expected to produce a “legacy report” which typically include recommendations on future work as well as a review of “ways of working”.

 The Chair invited the committee to:

1. Challenge the proposed forward work programmes;
2. Propose additional areas of work and focus for 2024-25;
3. Make suggestions on changes that would improve the committee’s current ways of working (including briefings, rapid scrutiny exercises and task groups).

1. Agenda items for the committee

Councillors stressed the importance of pre-meeting briefings and their benefit. The need to focus on actionable outcomes from agenda items was also remarked.

2. Task groups and rapid scrutiny exercises

Officers informed the committee of each proposed rapid scrutiny:

Education Performance Outcomes

Inclusion

Homelessness

And each proposed task group:

School Performance and Attainment Outcome

Residential Care and Complex Care

Children and Young Peoples Mental Health Services and Developments

Post-16 Provision

Budget and Major Contracts

3. Standing Task Group

No comments

4. Briefing for the committee

No comments

5. Briefing for the Chair and Vice-Chair

No comments

Updates on information valuable for the committee, but unlikely to require a decision. 

Members of the committee are therefore invited to indicate in advance of the meeting if they would like further information or have questions on these regular updates, so that relevant officers can be invited to attend the meeting.

To receive regular updates from officers on the development of the Safety Valve project, as well as input from the overview and scrutiny representative.

The report was briefly introduced and then members were invited to ask questions.

Debate

Councillors commented that the update reports should where possible focus on presenting how far along the process the Council is and seeing tangible milestones. In light of this the use of Red, Amber, Green rating was criticised as creating uncertainty and confusion. Councillors did not want to see area being highlighted green just because a problem had been identified but because concrete evidence can be seen of improvement.

It was clarified that mainstream inclusion is incredibly important and explicitly laid out as a priority and this would be better presented in reports going forward.

The report was noted.

An update including information regarding the most recent Ofsted Inspection reports, presenting an ongoing view of the effectiveness of schools as seen by Ofsted Inspection.

The report was noted.

An update on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Department for Education.

The report was noted.

The DfE published new non-statutory guidance in May 2022 to help schools, trusts, governing bodies and local authorities maintain high levels of school attendance. The guidance applies from September 2022.

This regular update is an opportunity for the committee to be aware of the latest requirements, as set out in the guidance.

The committee kindly requested that in future the report include data on temporary and permanent exclusions, including how many are SEND children.

The report was noted.

To receive a very brief update highlighting key items from the last meeting of Schools Forum, to enable the Children’s Select Committee to be informed in a timely manner of the work undertaken by the Schools Forum through the year.

Full agendas and minutes for the Schools Forum can be accessed here  Schools Forum | Wiltshire Council

There have been no meetings of the Schools Forum since the last meeting.

To receive a very brief update highlighting key items from the last meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel, to enable the Children’s Select Committee members, as Corporate Parents, to be informed in a timely manner of the work undertaken by the Corporate Parenting Panel through the year.

In process of finalising annual report which was predicted to be positive.

The report was noted.

To receive a verbal update from Directors highlighting any key issues (current or emerging), successes or milestones in their respective areas since the last meeting of the committee, which may not require a full agenda item and are not covered elsewhere on this agenda.

This is also an opportunity for matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

Lucy Townsend, Corporate Director for People, referenced the Integrated Care Alliance and their forums which would focus its attention on priorities it can have the most impact on, such as its next meeting on oral health.

Lucy also referred to the Integrated Care Board’s restructuring and more information would follow.

Jen Salter, Director for Families and Children, referred to the publishing of the “My Youth Justice” inspection and the report would be coming to the committee at its next meeting.

Kathryn Davis, Director for Education and Skills, highlighted the number of families from Afghanistan being supported in temporary accommodation before being resettled into permanent homes. Some children had found places in Wiltshire Schools.

To receive a verbal update from the Cabinet Member and / or Portfolio Holders highlighting any news, successes or milestones in their respective areas since the last meeting of the committee, which may not require a full agenda item and are not covered elsewhere on this agenda.

This is also an opportunity for matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

Suzanne Wickham briefly wished to share some good news and awareness of Dyslexia Friendly schools and all their great work that is receiving interest from across the country.

To receive a verbal update from the chair on any work undertaken or news since the last meeting that would not require a full agenda item and would not be suitable under Chairman’s Announcements (where no debate is allowed).

This is also an opportunity for matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

The committee will receive updates from active Task Groups, Rapid Scrutiny exercises and the committee’s board representatives.

A report by the Senior Scrutiny Officers providing an update on Task Group activity since the last meeting is attached.

To note that the next scheduled meeting is due to be held on 18 July 2024.

Any other items of business which the Chairman agrees to consider as a matter of urgency.

There were no urgent items.