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Agenda item

Agenda item

Urgent Business

Minutes:

The Chair advised that under Standing Order 57 he wished to add an item of urgent business to the agenda following the publication of the Ofsted inspector's report into children's services.  The report included a number of recommendations for improvement and the reason for urgency was to act promptly to these. 

 

The Inspector had also raised concerns that the panel had not identified any topics related to children's social care in this year's work programme.  Councillor Purvis advised he had been in discussion with Julian Wooster, Director of Children's Services, about possible areas the panel could review, following the review into pupil premium. The panel could then put forward a further topic to the SMP to be agreed at their next meeting.

Julian Wooster advised of two areas the panel may wish to consider for detailed scrutiny.  Following Ofsted's inspection report the Council were producing an improvement plan in response to the issues raised.  This would be put out to consultation once finalised.  The Youth Offending Team also had produced an improvement plan which had been approved in March 2014 and it would be appropriate timing if the panel were minded to review this. 

 

The Chair referred to point 16 of the Ofsted report that highlighted the need for elected members to be properly trained in governance and corporate parenting as a point for immediate action.  He asked Mr Wooster to look into what local training for members would be appropriate to attend in addition to the training sessions offered by the LGA.  ACTION - Mr Wooster to advise the panel on further training courses that would be useful for them to attend to allow them to properly scrutinise and challenge the work of children's social care.

 

The Ofsted Inspector had also suggested that regular updates by senior officers be brought to the ECYP panel (as well as the Cabinet member) on identified issues to keep panel members up to date with the current issues faced by the service and to ensure oversight and scrutiny.  The Chair asked whether it would be possible for Mr Wooster to provide the panel with an update report once a quarter for discussion at panel meetings.  Mr Wooster said the panel were right to request a quarterly report to ask the appropriate questions of senior managers.  He advised he would have a conversation with the Cabinet member about the best way of providing this information to the panel.  There were various other bodies that receive this information; the Children's Trust Board, Safeguarding Board, Corporate Parenting Board, Adoption Panel and Fostering Panel so it was important to avoid duplication.  ACTION - Mr Wooster to provide a paper to the next meeting in October on the proposed way forward.

 

Councillor Godier asked about the support for care leavers which was another area for improvement identified by Ofsted.  Mr Wooster explained that the New Belongings Project was in place to address this issue. 



 

RESOLVED

 

(1)  That the Youth Offending Team Improvement Plan be put forward to the Scrutiny Management Panel as an additional topic for review by the panel.  

 

(2)  That the suggested order of topics be amended to the following:

 

1.    Pupil Premium.

2.    Youth Offending Team Improvement Plan.

3.    The provision of Special Educational needs in the city.

4.    School induction days for pupils.