Agenda and minutes

Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care Decision Meeting - Tuesday, 6th December, 2016 2.00 pm

Venue: The Executive Meeting Room - Third Floor, The Guildhall, Portsmouth. View directions

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

Items
No. Item

10.

Apologies

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Denny. 

11.

Declarations of interest

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 and his sister-in-law is the head of the education funding agency.   He also wished to record that he is a local authority governor at both Charter Academy and Ark Dickens Primary Academy.  

 

12.

Children's Social Care Portfolio Budget Monitoring Report for the Second Quarter 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 124 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 proposed overspend within the portfolio as at the end of September 2016.

 

RECOMMENDED that the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Notes the Children's Social Care Portfolio forecast budget position, at the end of September 2016, of £0.7m 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 with the area of Children's Social Care.

Minutes:

(TAKE IN REPORT)

 

Graham Smith, Group Accountant introduced the report. 

 

DECISIONS the Cabinet Member:

(1)  Noted the Children's Social Care Portfolio forecast budget position, at the end of September 2016, of £0.7m 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.

 

13.

Regional Adoption Agency pdf icon PDF 228 KB

Purpose of report

The purpose of this report is to seek approval in principle for the adoption service to become part of a shared regional adoption service, to be known as the Adoption South Central (ASC) Regional Adoption Agency (RAA), hosted by Hampshire County Council, with detailed arrangements to be finalised early in 2017.

 

RECOMMNEDED

That  the Cabinet Member agrees in principle that the Adoption Service becomes part of the Adoption South Central Regionalised Adoption Agency from 1st April 2018, subject to a further report and decision by the cabinet member once details have been finalised.

 

Minutes:

(TAKE IN REPORT)

 

The report was introduced by Sarah Newman, Deputy Director of Children's Social Care.  In response to questions the following points were clarified:

 

·         Adoption performance in Portsmouth has improved every year for the past five years compared to other local authorities in Hampshire.  There is therefore a slight concern that if Portsmouth joins with the other LA's in Hampshire that performance will decrease and officers are mindful of that. 

·         The adoption service had a visit from the DfE last week which found there to be excellent arrangements in place. Ofsted will be responsible for inspecting the new Regional Adoption Agency (RAA).  

·         The agenda for RAA's is driven by Central Government and arrangements are well bedded in so this will be definitely be going ahead.  In reality this will only affect a small number of children each year as approximately 10% of children in care are placed for adoption each year. 

·         The current cost of allowances and team costs for the Portsmouth adoption service is circa £1.2 million a year. However there is still substantial development to be undertaken in respect of the financial aspects of the RAA proposals in order to identify the required financial contribution from Portsmouth.

·         Alison Jeffery explained that progress with the RAA needs to be done carefully and it will be kept under review. There is a governing board consisting of Director of Children's Services for all the Hampshire authorities and the RAA is being discussed at these meetings.

·         A further report will more detail will come back in early 2017 once the details of the RAA have been finalised.

 

DECISION:

The Cabinet Member agreed in principle that the Adoption Service becomes part of the Adoption South Central Regionalised Adoption Agency from 1st April 2018, subject to a further report and decision by the cabinet member once details have been finalised.