Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chairman for the municipal year 2019/20.

Nominations were sought for the position of Chairman for the municipal year

2019/20. Cllr Mary Douglas proposed and Cllr Jacqui Lay seconded that Cllr Jon Hubbard be elected as Chairman.

On there being no other nominations, it was

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Jon Hubbard as Chairman of the Children’s Select Committee for the municipal year 2019/20.

Cllr Jon Hubbard in the Chair.

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2019/20.

Nominations were sought for the position of Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2019/20. Cllr Jacqui Lay proposed and Cllr David Halik seconded that Cllr Mary Douglas be elected as Vice-Chairman.

On there being no other nominations, it was

Resolved:

To elect Cllr Mary Douglas as Vice-Chairman of the Children’s Select Committee for the municipal year 2019/20.

Apologies for absence were received from:-

Cllr Christopher Devine

Cllr Deborah Halik

Cllr Hayley Hillman

Cllr Johnny Kidney, who was substituted by Cllr Peter Evans

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 May 2019. (Copy attached)

Resolved:

To approve and sign the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 May 2019, subject to the addition of Dr Mike Thompson as being present at the meeting.

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

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

The Chairman made the following announcements:-

a)    Cabinet items

For information, on 2 July 2019 July Cabinet considered the following item:

Wiltshire Council Adoption Service: 2018-2019 End of Year Cabinet Report

Lead Officer – Deborah Barlow

On 23 July Cabinet will consider the following item:

Provision of loan facility for Wiltshire College

Lead Officer – Simon Hendry

b)   New Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Skills

On behalf of the Committee the Chairman welcomed Cllr Pauline Church as the new Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Skills.In response, Cllr Church stated that she looked forward to working in her new role with the Committee and explained that her vision for the future would be to achieve the best possible outcome for the wellbeing of children and their families and also the children’s educational attainment.  Achievements in these areas would assist in reducing the need for adult social care.

The Committee recognised the enormous amount of work that Cllr Laura Mayes had achieved in this role over many years and recorded their thanks and appreciation to her, wishing her every success in her new position as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health & Public Protection.

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 Tuesday 9 July 2019 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 Thursday 11 July 2019. 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.

No questions had been received from councillors or members of the public.

A report is provided which includes a summary of recent activities of the Wiltshire Youth Union (WYU), the Youth Safeguarding Board (YSB) and the Children in Care Council (CiCC).

The Committee received a report which included a summary of recent activities of the Wiltshire Youth Union (WYU), the Youth Safeguarding Board (YSB) and the Children in Care Council (CiCC) for the period January to June 2019.

The Chairman reported that he would be attending the WYU meeting in September together with the Senior Scrutiny Officer to introduce the work of this Committee to the WYU members.

The Committee were pleased to note the election of the following new UK Youth Parliament members (MYPs):-

Wiltshire East – Heather Newton

Wiltshire North – Declan Kiely

Wiltshire West – Aanya Verma

It was noted that these new members of the Youth Parliament would be looking to arrange visits and introduce themselves to the Wiltshire Members of Parliament (MPs) and Councillors.

It was explained that the Wiltshire MYPs had agreed a set of their own local priorities which they intended to progress in partnership with elected members as follows:-

·         Reduce or abolish university fees

·         Tackle climate change, in particular by increasing the availability of electric car charging points.

·         A curriculum for life.

·         Free public transport for children/young people in full-time education.

·         Improve mental health services by addressing concerns raised by young people who have experience with the system.

·         Mental health awareness.

The Chairman congratulated the young people, and in particular the Wiltshire MYPs, on their activities and choice of local priorities.  He drew attention to the Youth Transport Task Group which had been established and was pleased to state that Alfie Lowe, youth representative, was a member of this task Group. 

Resolved:

To note the update from the Wiltshire Youth Union.

Members will be provided with a report that presents details on Wiltshire Council's submission to central government on how we are fulfilling our apprenticeship target.

Members are asked to consider the details within the report and provide any comments to the Cabinet Member and officers.

The Chairman reported that this item was being delayed until the next meeting on 10 September 2019 which would be taken in conjunction with the apprenticeship item on Service Provider Contract Obligations and to allow for officer attendance.

The second interim report of the task group was endorsed by the Children’s Select Committee on 5th March 2019 the Children’s Select Committee endorsed the Interim Report of the Task Group.

Prior to the 15th May 2019 Children’s Select Committee meeting the Task Group learnt that the consultation on the proposals was being extended until 6th May 2019. Based on this the Task Group decided that they would receive an additional briefing following the end of the extended consultation before submitting their endorsed recommendations for executive response.

Following the additional briefing the task group provided the Children’s Select Committee with an update and agreed to receive the executive response to their Interim Report at this meeting.

The committee are asked to consider and note the executive responses provided.

The Committee received a report which set out the response of the Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Skills and the Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to the Interim Report of the SEND School Provision Task Group.

Prior to the last meeting of this Select Committee on 15 May 2019, the Task Group learnt that the consultation on the proposals was being extended until 6 May 2019.  Based on this, the Task Group decided that they would receive an additional briefing following the end of the extended consultation before submitting their endorsed recommendations for executive response.

Following the additional briefing the Task Group provided this Committee with an update and agreed to receive the executive response to their Interim Report at this meeting.

The Cabinet Member reported that all the recommendations had been agreed except for:-

·         recommendations 2, 4, 5 & 6 because the Secretary of State had agreed the proposal for the school to be consulted as Local Authority maintained, and

·         recommendation 14 regarding the Challenging Behavioural Unit; requirements were being considered in wider work particularly in the context of support to children with ASD and social, emotional and mental health issues.

Resolved:

To note the executive responses to the recommendations of the SEND School Provision Task Group and to thank the Cabinet Member and officers for providing them.   

Members of this committee received a report outlining the Council’s proposals for moving children’s centre services from buildings to community settings and the consultation process in March 2019. Following discussion, it was resolved that a rapid scrutiny exercise be arranged to examine the results of the consultation, the proposed closures and plans for alternative venues, and investigate the potential scope for further scrutiny

On 15th May the Children’s Select Committee endorsed the rapid scrutiny exercise’s report and recommendations and resolved to refer the recommendations to the relevant Cabinet member for response at this meeting.

The committee are asked to consider and note the executive responses which will be provided.

The Committee received a report which set out the response of the Cabinet Member for Children, Education & Skills to the Report of the Children’s Centres Consultation Rapid Scrutiny Exercise.

On 15 May 2019 the Children’s Select Committee endorsed the Rapid Scrutiny Exercises’ s report and recommendations and resolved to refer the recommendations to the relevant Cabinet Member for response at this meeting.

The Cabinet Member reported that all the recommendations had been agreed and also the following supporting information as set out in Appendices 1 – 4 of the report included regarding the requests in the recommendations:-

·                Appendix 1: Alternative venues

·                Appendix 2: Children’s Centre Services Monitoring framework

·                Appendix 3: Sample contract monitoring agenda

·                Appendix 4: Implementation of Children’s Centre Services changes

During discussion, Members expressed their appreciation that all the recommendations had been agreed. However, it was pointed out that one of the key outstanding issues was lack of general public awareness of the available facilities and the need to ensure that families were fully aware of the forthcoming changes.  Members were informed of the various ways in which this service was brought to the attention of the general public, including the use of community websites and notice boards. The Cabinet Member suggested that it would be useful for officers to consider marketing the provision of Children’s Centres.

Members were informed that all the new venues were subject to a 6 to 12 month   contract with the Council for the hiring of accommodation for children’s services and these contracts were open ended. It was stressed that relationships with partners regarding this provision was very good.

Resolved:

To note the executive response to the Report of the Children’s Centres Consultation Rapid Scrutiny Exercise and to thank the Task Group and officers for the work undertaken.

A report by Terence Herbert, Corporate Director, is attached presenting an update on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Department for Education.

The Committee received an update from the Executive Director, Children & Education on developments relating to children’s services arising from the Department for Education from May to June 2019 as follows:-

·         School exclusions review

·         Government response to the Timpson review of exclusions

·         Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education

·         Academies update

·         SEND and alternative provision

·         Restraint and restrictive intervention

·         Children in Need Review

·         New support for survivors of domestic abuse

·         Tackling Child Exploitation Support Programme

·         Consultation on national survey on the mental health of looked-after children

·         Experimental statistics on outcomes for children previously looked after

·         Ofsted Education Inspection Framework

Resolved:

To note the update provided.

The committee will receive updates from active Task Groups 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.

The Committee received updates on the activities of the following task groups:-

·         Traded Services for Schools Task Group

·         Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) Task Group

·         Youth Transport Task Group

Resolved:

(1)          To note the updates on task group activity provided.

(2)          To endorse the terms of reference of the Youth Transport Task Group.

The Committee is asked to note the attached documents showing the relevant items from the overview and scrutiny forward work programme and the latest version of the strategy list for the Children, Education and Skills directorate.

The Committee received the relevant items from the Overview & Scrutiny Forward Work Programme, together with the latest version of the strategy for the Children, Education & Skills Directorate.

Resolved:

To note the Forward Work Programme for this Committee and the Children’s Services Strategy List.

To note that the next scheduled meeting is due to be held on Tuesday 10 September 2019 at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

Resolved:

To note that the next scheduled meeting of this Committee was due to be held on Tuesday 10 September 2019 at County Hall, Trowbridge, starting at 10.30am.

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

The Chairman agreed that the following item be taken as urgent business in order that the Committee could receive and consider the most recent Ofsted Inspection reports.

The Committee received a report by the Director, Education and Skills which included information regarding the most recent Ofsted Inspection reports published from April to mid-June 2019.  It provided an ongoing view of the effectiveness of schools as seen by Ofsted Inspections.

It was noted that there had been eight published school inspections since the last report, which covered this latest period. Four were short one day inspections and four were full inspections. The grades for five schools were unchanged with four remaining as Good whilst one was graded as Requires Improvement.  Two schools went down in grade (one from Good to Requires Improvement and one from Good to Inadequate.)    The remaining school had no previous grade. It was noted that for those schools which were graded as Requires Improvement a Rapid Achievement Plan, a robust support package and regular reviews of progress to ensure swift and sustained improvements were in place.

It was reported that whilst there had not been as rapid a decline as seen in previous periods, there continued to be concern about the number of good and outstanding schools in Wiltshire. Whilst declines were similar to those in the region, both Wiltshire and the South West school figures were falling behind those in England.

All LA maintained schools continued to have their performance monitored through the Challenge and Support Partner programme.  The Interim School Improvement Framework would support a more intensive identification of needs and outline the intensive and rapid support approaches that were now being implemented. After extensive stakeholder consultations over the last few months, the School Improvement Framework reflecting these processes would be implemented from September 2020.

Resolved:

To note the contents of the report and to request the Chairman to write to those schools which had received an improved Ofsted grading congratulating them on their success.