i.      To confirm the record of the meeting of the People (Children) Scrutiny Panel held on 17 November 2016 (previously circulated).

ii.    To confirm the record of the meeting of the Joint People (Children and People (Adults and Health) Scrutiny Panel held on 18 January 2017 (previously circulated)

The minutes of the meeting of the People (Children) Scrutiny Panel held on 17 November 2016, copies of which had been previously circulated, were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair with the following amendments:

·         Item 394 c) – this would be recorded as an agreed action in the minutes

·         Item 394 d) & e) – ‘Cllr Youngman’ would be changed to ‘Mrs Youngman’

·         Item 395 b) – the phrase ‘three and four year lds’ would be changed to ‘three and four year olds’.

The minutes of the meeting of the People (Children) Scrutiny Panel held on 18 January 2017, copies of which had been previously circulated, were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

In accordance with the Regulations, Members are invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have and the nature of those interests in respect of items on this Agenda and/or indicate if Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 applies to them.

(i)    Ms Gullan-Whur declared a personal interest in that she was a health visitor for Leicestershire County Council

(ii)  Miss Waller declared a personal interest in that she was a governor at a Rutland school

(iii) Mr Menzies declared a personal interest in that he was a governor at a Rutland school

(iv) Mr Baines declared a personal interest in that he had two grandchildren attending Uppingham C of E Primary School

To receive any petitions, deputations and questions received from Members of the Public in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule 217.

The total time allowed for this item shall be 30 minutes.  Petitions, declarations and questions shall be dealt with in the order in which they are received.  Questions may also be submitted at short notice by giving a written copy to the Committee Administrator 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.

The total time allowed for questions at short notice is 15 minutes out of the total time of 30 minutes.  Any petitions, deputations and questions that have been submitted with prior formal notice will take precedence over questions submitted at short notice.  Any questions that are not considered within the time limit shall receive a written response after the meeting and be the subject of a report to the next meeting.

No petitions, deputations or questions had been received from members of the public.

To consider any questions with notice from Members received in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules No 219 and No. 219A.

A question had been received from Miss Waller:

Appendix 8 of the budget papers we received at Council this week noted that the proposed new national funding formula for schools would lead to a decrease in what we will be allowed to allocate to early years’ settings from £4.60 currently to £4.40 in 2017/18 and £4.25 in 2018/19.  We were also advised in the budget report that changes in funding will lead to a reduction in support we currently give to early years’ providers.

a)      Are other local authorities faced with a similar decrease to their early years’ providers?

b)      Do we expect local providers to cease operation as a result of this reduction?

c)      What will be the implication for RCC, local parents and employers, if demand for places exceeds supply?

d)      What support do we currently give early years’ providers that we will not be able to give in future, and what impact will this reduction have on the market?

e)      Is this issue of the future of early years’ provision sufficiently serious that it justifies further consideration by this Children’s Scrutiny Panel?

A response was received from Mr Wilby, Portfolio Holder for Lifelong Learning:

a)      All Local Authorities will have to implement the new EYNFF from April 2017. It is estimated that Early Years Settings in 75% of Local Authorities will be better off, receiving an increase in their current rate of funding from the Government, for 20% of Local Authorities funding will remain broadly the same as current levels and in 5% of Local Authorities, including Rutland, funding will be reduced.

b)      A reduction in funding may increase the risk of this.  The Local Authority will be holding a training day for all Early Years Providers on 23rd February to look at different business models to ensure Early Years Settings remain viable. Helping them to look at balancing - Government funded places and parental fee paying places to ensure future sustainability. We will also support Settings to look at different ways to increase and generate income such as; charging for meal packages, developing other saleable services and asking parents to supply Nappies and other expensive resources for their children while in the Setting.

c)      The Local Authority has a statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare places and are required, by legislation under the Childcare Act 2006, to secure sufficient childcare, so far as is reasonably practicable, for working parents, or parents who are studying or training for employment, for children aged 0-14 (or up to 18 for disabled children). The Childcare Sufficiently Assessment will continuously monitor the supply and demand for places, reporting regularly to Elected Members, producing an ‘Action plan’ to support the Local Authority to increase capacity if required.

d)      All Early Years Providers delivering the EYFS are currently entitled to an offer of ‘Core support’ from the Early Years Team at Rutland County Council (1.6 FTE Posts). This  includes: an Annual visit to each Early Years Setting, access to three EYFS Networks, an  ...  view the full minutes text for item 639.

To consider any Notices of Motion from Members submitted in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule No 220.

No Notices of Motion had been received from Members

To consider any matter referred to the Panel for a decision in relation to call in of a decision in accordance with Procedure Rule 206.

In accordance with Procedure Rule 206, no matter was referred to the Panel for a decision in relation to the call-in of a decision.

To receive Report No. 37/2017 from the Director for Resources

(circulated under separate cover)

Report No. 37/2017 was received from the Director for Resources and was presented by Miss D Greaves, Finance Manager - Accounting.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The High Needs funding (detailed in paragraph 1.3.10) was a centralised pooled budget which the Schools’ Forum then allocated to each school. 

b)    The Schools’ Forum had also agreed that each school would only have to refund the amount that had actually been allocated to them and no more.

c)    Miss Greaves also confirmed that all schools had been given three months’ notice of next year’s funding and details of the amount they would have to pay back in order for them to budget accordingly.

AGREED:

1.    That the Panel NOTED the Report.

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Ms Greaves left the meeting at 7.15 p.m.

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To receive Report No. 36/2017 from the Chief Executive

(circulated under separate cover)

Report no. 36/2017 was received from the Chief Executive and presented by Dr T O’Neill.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    Item 5.14 (page 53) noted a percentage drop in the number of children in the same placement for at least two years.  Ms Wilshire reported that there would have been various factors to cause this drop but that the actual number of children involved would have been small due to the small numbers dealt with by the Council.

b)    There were no concerns regarding the various factors involved and that no placement had actually broken down; it was purely due to a change in circumstances.

c)    Miss Wilshire stated that, in future, performance reports would include the actual figures of those involved and not just percentages.

AGREED:

1.    That the Panel NOTED the Report.

2.    That Ms Wilshire would NOTIFY Panel Members the actual numbers involved regarding children in placements.

To receive Report No. 49/2017 from Paul Burnett, Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children and Adults Boards

Report No. 49/2017 was received from Mr P Burnett, Chair of the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Children and Adults Boards.

During discussion the following pointes were noted:

a)    The Business Plan was currently ‘draft’ but would be finalised on the 31 March 2017.

b)    The plan was briefer this year due to the delay in waiting for the results of the recent Ofsted inspection.  The suggested improvements in the inspection report had been included in the proposed business plan.

c)    The development priorities for the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board would be as follows:

1.    CSE, Trafficking and Missing

2.    Children with Disabilities

3.    Signs of Safety

            The Joint Development Priorities would be:

1.    The Toxic Trio

2.    Participation and Engagement

3.    Emotional Health and Well Being

4.    Multi-Agency risk management and supervision

d)    The assurance priorities for the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board would be as follows:

1. Early Help (step up and step down)

2. Sports and other independent settings

3. Thresholds

4. Supervision

5. Initial Health Assessments for Looked After Children (IHAs)

6. Young People’s Mental Health

e)    The only additional priority that had been added to the assurance list beyond those areas that featured as development priorities in 2017/17was priority number 2 and this had been added in light of certain recent media coverage of historic abuse in football.

f)     There would be a clearly identified lead for each safeguarding priority.

g)    The reporting of historic abuse relied on people coming forward to disclose previous events.  In order to do this, the Board needed to ensure that people felt confident and well supported whilst ensuring that effective safeguarding measures were currently in place to prevent further abuse from happening now or in the future.

h)   There were no concerns regarding the safeguarding processes within Local Authorities but other agencies needed to have robust systems in place.

i)     Greater notice of safeguarding meetings was also required especially by schools.

j)      Arts and drama groups would be included in the ‘other independent settings’ stated in assurance priority no. 2

AGREED:

1.    That the Panel NOTED the Report.

COMMENT:

The Chair notified attendees that this was Mr Burnett’s last attendance at a RCC People (Children) Scrutiny Panel as, after six years of service, Mr Burnett would be leaving the Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Boards.  Mr Dale and the Panel Members publicly thanked Mr Burnett for all his hard work and support and wished him every success in the future.

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Mr Burnett left the meeting at 7.46 p.m.

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To receive Report No. 51/2017 from Rebecca Wilshire, Head of Safeguarding and Service Improvement

Report no. 51/2017 was received from Ms Wilshire, Head of Safeguarding and Service Improvement.

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The report covered the Leicestershire and Rutland Adoption Agency from the 1st April 2015 to the 31^st March 2016 so the statements and data provided were historical.

b)    The delay in presenting the report was so that the new Head of Service, Ms Wilshire, could produce it to a better standard. 

c)    Future reports would be more Rutland specific and would be presented quarterly for the adoption and fostering services.

d)    Six sibling groups were placed – three sets of twins and three sets of triplets.  It was agreed that Ms Wilshire would notify attendees if this was unique to Rutland or something that occurred nationally.

e)    Items 2.5 and 2.11 stated that six children were adopted from care and that six children were in care.  Ms Wilshire confirmed that these were two separate groups of six and that the six children currently in care (item 2.11) were progressing well.

f)     It was agreed that Ms Wilshire would notify attendees of the number of out of county adoptions.

g)    Post adoption support was provided by the social worker for up to three years after the adoption but additional support could be purchased if required.

h)   A new Service Level Agreement had been due in 2014 but was instead extended and is now being re-negotiated.  It was agreed that Dr O’Neill would ask Karen Kibblewhite, Head of Commissioning to notify attendees of the current contracts being renewed or due for renewal.

i)     It was confirmed that Cllr Foster, Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People and the Head of Service or Team Manager would attend future meetings of the East Midlands Adoption Council.

j)      Ms Wilshire confirmed that each adopted child had a ‘later life letter’ and a ‘letter box’ for information to be received from their birth parent(s).  The contents of which would determine future contact between the adopted child and their birth parent(s) once the child had turned 18 years of age.

AGREED:

1.    That the Panel NOTED the Report.

2.    That Ms Wilshire would NOTIFY attendees if dealing with sibling groups (item 2) was unique to Rutland or something that occurred nationally.

3.    That Ms Wilshire would NOTIFY attendees of the number of out of county adoptions.

4.    That Dr O’Neill would ask Karen Kibblewhite, Head of Commissioning to NOTIFY attendees of the current contracts being renewed or due for renewal.

To receive Report No. 53/2017 from the Director for People

Report no. 53/2017 was received from Dr T O’Neill, Director for People and presented by Mrs Caffrey, Head of Families Support; Mrs Curtis, Head of Learning and Skills and Ms Barbie Coulson from Citizens Advice Rutland (CAR).

During discussion the following points were noted:

a)    The report had previously been presented to the Children Scrutiny Panel but had since been updated (pages 33 & 36).

b)    Ms Coulson informed attendees that the report from the CAR on poverty in Rutland had produced some interesting information such as:

(i)    Rutland was an area of high housing costs and had a high number of houses being privately rented, which were usually older, energy inefficient houses.

(ii)  Food bank statistics showed that the largest group of users (70%) were single people and anecdotally most of these were men (page 69).

c)    Ms Coulson emphasised that national statistics should be treated with care as the data could be skewed due to the small numbers being dealt with in Rutland, as described in the Council’s Joint Strategic Needs Assessment 2015.

d)    Appendix A, item 3 (page 33) stated that disadvantaged two year olds were offered 15 hours per week of early education for 38 weeks.  It was discussed if this should be longer than 38 weeks as well as providing crèche facilities at free support groups.

e)    It was also discussed if the Council and the Councillors should contact local supermarkets and shops to enquire about lowering food prices.

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Mrs Youngman left the meeting at 8.34 p.m.

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f)     It was recommended that the Poverty ‘Green Paper’ should include details of the costings involved and what the Council has already achieved.

g)    It was agreed that the best way to lift people out of poverty was for the Council’s policies to:

(i)    Address the needs of families by supporting business, and promoting micro and small business enabling work to pay.

(ii)  Increase the provision of fuel efficient housing in the lower quartiles of the housing market.

(iii) Provide the support and advice necessary to ensure full access to any state support to which individuals were entitled.

(iv) Provide advice and advocacy for those who run into debt trying to manage their money.

h)   A ‘Quick Guide to the 30 Hour Deal’ was being drafted and would be published once figures from the Department for Education had been confirmed.

i)     Children’s services within Rutland were expanding especially with the forthcoming move of the Children’s Centre to Oakham Library.

j)      Ms Coulson reported that Appendix B, Item 5 (page 38) was inaccurate.  When Universal Credit was fully implemented in October 2017, claimants living in Caldecott would be able to use the job centre in Corby.  All other areas would have to use the job centre in Stamford which may require a review of transport routes and timings within the county.

k)    The provision of free school meals to pre-school children was discussed.  Do we provide?  If not, should we and do we have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 646.

Copies of the Forward Plan were distributed to attendees.

To consider Scrutiny issues to review. 

Copies of the Forward Plan will be available at the meeting.

(i)    An ‘Update to Oakham Library/Children’s Centre Provision’ would be presented to Cabinet on the 21 March 2017.  It was requested that an updated briefing be sent to Panel Members before the Cabinet meeting.

(ii)  It was suggested that an additional RCC People (Children) Scrutiny Panel meeting was needed before the next arranged meeting 4 May 2017 to discuss the single agenda item of the Ofsted inspection report and action plan.  The motion was proposed by Mr Conde, seconded by Mr Oxley and was passed with one abstention (Mr Bool) and one against (Mrs MacDuff).

AGREED:

1.    That Dr O’Neill would arrange for an updated briefing regarding Oakham Library and the Children’s Centre Provision to be sent to Panel members before the 21 March 2017.

2.    That the Clerk, Miss Narey, would enquire about a suitable date for the requested additional Scrutiny Panel meeting.

To receive any other items of urgent business which have been previously notified to the person presiding

There was no urgent business

Thursday 4 May 2017 at 7 pm

Agenda Items:

1.    OfSTED Inspection Report and Action Plan

To receive a report from Dr Tim O’Neill, Director for People and Deputy Chief Executive

2.    Rutland Adult Learning and Skills Service (RALS) Performance Report

To receive a report from Gill Curtis, Head of Learning and Skills

3.    Rutland Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report

To receive a report from Miss G Waller, Chair of Rutland SACRE

4.    Poverty in Rutland: White Paper

The next meeting would be held on Thursday, 4^th May 2017 at 7.00 p.m.

AGREED:

Agenda Items

1.      Rutland Adult Learning and Skills Service (RALS) Performance Report

To receive a report from Gill Curtis, Head of Learning and Skills

2.      Rutland Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report

To receive a report from Miss G Waller, Chair of Rutland SACRE

3.      Poverty in Rutland: White Paper