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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room A - Civic Offices. View directions

Contact: Lisa Gallacher 02392 834056  Email: lisa.gallacher@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

6.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor John Ferrett and Sarah Newman, Deputy Director of Children's Social Care. 

7.

Declarations of Members' Interests

Minutes:

There were no declarations of pecuniary interest.  However, Councillor Wood wished to record that his son-in-law works for the Harbour School, his daughter works for Motiv8 and his Step Grandson works for the Housing team.   He also wished to record that he is a local authority governor at both Charter Academy and Ark Dickens Primary Academy.   

 

8.

Budget Monitoring for Quarter 1 pdf icon PDF 123 KB

Purpose of report

To inform the Cabinet Member of the projected revenue expenditure within the portfolio cash limit for the current financial year 2016-17. This report sets out the budget position and contributing factors to the projected overspend within the portfolio as at the end of June 2016.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Notes the Children's Social Care Portfolio forecast budget position, at the end of June 2016, of £0.4m in excess of current approved cash limit provision.

 

(2)  Supports the ongoing process of budget review and implementation of proposals to reduce the projected overspend position and deliver a balanced budget within the area of Children's Social Care.

 

 

Minutes:

(TAKE IN REPORT)

 

The report was introduced by Graham Smith, Group Accountant. In response to questions the following points were clarified by officers:

·         The budget forecast is the best estimate at a point in time and forecast could fluctuate.

·         It was noted  that the forecast  for some external residential placements excluded any external contributions and as such it was anticipated that this would reduce

·         Over the last few months the number of unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) has remained stable.  The National Voluntary Dispersal Scheme came into force on 1 July and stipulates that each authority should have 0.07% UASC per 10,000 child population.  The figure for Portsmouth works out at 31 children and currently the number is fluctuating between 29 and 30 UASC's. If the number of UASC's reaches 31, in the short term it is the Council's responsibility however it is expected that the protocol will be initiated quickly and the Council can ask colleagues in neighbouring local authorities to help.  Therefore the risk of having substantially more UASC's is therefore minimal due to the Scheme in place.

 

 

DECISIONS: the Cabinet Member

(1)  Noted the Children's Social Care Portfolio forecast budget position, at the end of June 2016, of £0.4m in excess of current approved cash limit provision.

(2)  Supported the ongoing process of budget review and implementation of proposals to reduce the projected overspend position and deliver a balanced budget within the area of Children's Social Care.

 

9.

Children's Lives in Portsmouth - A response to the key issues highlighted by the Children's Society in the recent report pdf icon PDF 134 KB

Purpose of report

To update members with the work being done by services across the council following the publication of The Children's Society report Children's Lives in Portsmouth.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

(TAKE IN REPORT)

 

The report was introduced by Alison Jeffery, Director of Children's Services.  In response to a suggestion from Councillor Wood that the service work with local businesses due to the council's diminishing budgets, Alison Jeffery advised that following an event last week at Portsmouth Football Club there have already been positive developments.  These included running a mini football league for care leavers and staff and using the PFC mascot in the recruitment literature for foster carers. Officers are also increasingly looking more outwardly for opportunities and are recruiting more volunteers.  Councillor Wood was very encouraged to hear about these initiatives.

 

The Cabinet Member noted the report.

 

Councillor Brent wished to record his thanks to officers for their reports.