The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. He thanked Councillor Nick Begy for his service to the committee and welcomed his replacement, Councillor Kevin Corby. Apologies were noted from Councillor Karen Payne, Councillor Stephen Lambert and Mr Peter French.  Councillor Raymond Payne attended the meeting as Councillor Lambert’s representative.

To confirm the record of the meeting of the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 13^th July 2023.

The minutes of the meeting of the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 13^th July 2023 were approved as an accurate record.

There were no actions from the previous meeting.

There were no actions from the previous meeting.

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.

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive any petitions, deputations and questions received from Members of the Public in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rules 25 and 159.

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 were received.

To consider any questions with notice from Members received in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule No 161 and 162.

No questions with notice with notice were received from Members.

To consider any Notices of Motion from Members submitted in accordance with the provisions of Procedure Rule No 163.

No notices of motion were received from Members.

To consider any matter referred to the Committee for a decision in relation to call in of a decision in accordance with Procedure Rule 149.

No call-ins were received.

To receive an update on recommendations made by the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The recommendations from the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group  were presented to Cabinet on the 15^th August 2023 and the response was noted.

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Councillor Hannah Edwards joined the meeting at 7.04 p.m.

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To consider the current Forward Plan and identify any relevant items for inclusion in the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Work Plan or to request further information.

The Forward Plan is available on the website at: https://rutlandcounty.moderngov.co.uk/mgListPlans.aspx?RPId=133&RD=0

To review the following proposals for inclusion to the Work Plan:

a)    Charging for Care and Support Policy

b)    Health 5 Year Joint Forward Plan

The Chair confirmed that two proposal forms had been received for items to be added to the Committee’s work plan:

Charging for Care and Support Policy

It was agreed that the item should be added to the Committee’s work plan for the Committee’s meeting on the 8th February 2024 due to its Extent (it would affect a number of Rutland residents) and that it would be a matter of Public Interest.

The Chair proposed that the Scrutiny Committee should also review the draft public questionnaire prior to its submission to Cabinet on the 17^th October 2023.

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

APPROVED the inclusion of the Charging for Care and Support Policy to the Committee’s work plan for discussion at its meeting on the 8th February 2024.

AGREED that the draft public questionnaire should be reviewed by the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to its submission to Cabinet on the 17^th October 2023.

Oversight provided by the Rutland Health and Wellbeing Board in the development of the plan for future health service provision for Rutland residents.

The Chair informed members that the Strategic Director of Adult Services and Health had attended the Committee’s pre-meeting and provided additional information to members.

It was noted that though this matter was of Public Interest, it was questionable as to what impact the Scrutiny Committee could have by scrutinising it. 

The Chair proposed that the item should not be added to the Committee’s work plan.  Instead, a plan of health responsibilities and key decisions should be presented to the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November.

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

DECLINED to include ‘Oversight provided by the Rutland Health and Wellbeing Board in the development of the plan for future health service provision for Rutland residents’ to the Committee’s work plan.

AGREED that a plan of health responsibilities and key decisions, which detailed all the current health plans, identified whose plans they were,  showed how they all fitted together and detailed the development process for the current five-year plan for Rutland through to its completed form would be added to the Committee’s work plan for discussion at its meeting on the 23rd November 2023.

To receive Report No. 138/2023 and a presentation from Dawn Godfrey, Strategic Director of Children and Families.  The presentation will include information regarding the SEND inspection outcome, the SEND governance changes and the Delivering Better Value Programme.

Report No. 138/2023 was received from Dawn Godfrey, Strategic Director of Children and Families.  The report was presented by Councillor Tim Smith, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and a presentation was received from  Bernadette Caffrey, Head of Early Help, SEND and Inclusion (copy attached).  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

The aim of the DfE Delivering Better Value (DBV) Programme was to improve outcomes for SEND children and young people and deliver a balanced high needs block budget. Phase 1 of the DBV Programme had been completed.

Rutland County Council (RCC) had been appointed joint lead alongside Leicestershire County Council and Leicester City Council for the East Midlands Change Partnership in relation to the SEND and AP national change programme

Phase 2 of the Delivering Better Value Programme would run until March 2025 with regular reporting to the DfE.  The first report, including financial forecasts was required by the DfE in February 2024.

Councillor R Payne asked what support was being provided to armed forces families.  The Strategic Director of Children and Families confirmed that SEND officers had been to Cyprus to meet the children of those armed forces families that would be moving to Kendrew Barracks over the summer 2023.  Each child’s needs and the level of support required had been identified to ensure a suitable school place was secured for when the family arrived.

The Head of Early Help, SEND and Inclusion confirmed that an induction session had been arranged at Kendrew Barracks for the incoming families to be briefed about Children’s Services and to meet the staff involved.

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Councillor Ross declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his wife had been a Special Educational Teacher

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Councillor Stephenson proposed that the Scrutiny Committee should send a letter supporting the continuation of the ‘statutory override’ relating to the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).  The ‘statutory override’ meant that any DSG deficit was not included in the Council’s main revenue budget but this would cease in 2026.

The Strategic Director of Children and Families confirmed that RCC had a good relationship with its health colleagues and that the new governance arrangements would only strengthen the strategic partnership relationships.

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

NOTED the Area SEND inspection outcome and the Delivering Better Value (DBV) Programme progress.

ADVISED how the Committee wished to be involved in the progress of the Delivering Better Value Implementation Plan.

AGREED that the Committee would receive a report detailing the progress of the Delivering Better Value Implementation Plan at its meeting on the 21^st March 2024.

AGREED that the Strategic Overview and Scrutiny Committee would send a letter to the Member of Parliament / Minister of State for Education supporting the continuation of the ‘statutory override’ relating to the High Needs Block of the Dedicated Schools Grant.

8:00 p.m.

(i)    To consider whether the public and press should be excluded from the meeting in accordance with the Access to Information Rules of Procedure Rule 181 for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3* of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

* Paragraph 3: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

To consider whether any Elected Members, who may be present and who are not Members of the Scrutiny Committee, should be allowed to remain during consideration of the following exempt item or whether they too should be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Procedure Rule 181

It was proposed by the Chair that Agenda Item 14 B) – Asset Review Task and Finish Group was taken before Agenda Item 14 A) – Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group and that the public and press be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as the following items of business were likely to lead to the disclosure of information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information). This was seconded and upon being put to the vote the motion was unanimously carried.

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The Chair closed the public meeting at 8.01 p.m.

Dawn Godfrey, Strategic Director of Children and Families and Bernadette Caffrey, Head of Early Help, SEND and Inclusion left the meeting.

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To receive Report No. 140/2023 from Penny Sharp, Strategic Director of Places.

To receive a verbal update from Councillor Rosemary Powell, Chair of the Asset Review Task and Finish Group.

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The Chair re-opened the public meeting at 9.06 p.m.

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To receive the final report from the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group for approval.

The final report of the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group was presented by Councillor Andrew Brown, Chair of the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group.  During the discussion, the following points were noted:

Councillor Brown informed attendees that both members and officers had found the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group process beneficial.  This was because the Task and Finish Group had started by being properly scoped with clear, realistic, timely and time limited objectives identified.

All the meetings between members, officers and external partners had been  very positive with all parties working in partnership.

Members of the group had understood the topic under review and how it would affect the council and its residents. 

Positive questioning had led to positive and productive responses and this had resulted in the group providing recommendations regarding the new Economic Development Strategy.

Councillor Brown expressed his thanks to members and officers for all their hard work and hoped that the Committee saw the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group as an example of ‘good practice’ for future scrutiny task and finish groups.

The Strategic Director of Places thanked the Group noting that it had been a positive process for officers as it had added value to what the Council wanted to achieve.

RESOLVED

That the Committee:

APPROVED the final report of the Economic Strategy Task and Finish Group.

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

There was no urgent business.

Thursday, 23^rd November 2023 at 7 pm in the Council Chamber, Catmose, Oakham, Rutland LE15 6HP

Thursday, 23rd November 2023 at 7.00 p.m. in the Council Chamber.