Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies were received from Councillors Geary, Northover and Rocca and Mark Saxby.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

Councillor Hilliard substituted for Councillor Geary.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

Councillors Hilliard, Kelly, Dr Rice and Moore declared interests as Governors and Trustees at schools within the BCP conurbation.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 27 July 2021.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 27 July 2021, having previously been circulated, be agreed and signed by the Chair.

To consider any outstanding actions.

The Chair advised that the actions outstanding were being progressed.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution, which is available to view at the following link:

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of a public question is 4 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a public statement is midday the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is 10 working days before the meeting.

A public question had been received as follows:

“In light of the Ofsted recommendations, will you now be urgently reassessing the cases of children in BCP care to return them to birth families where possible (especially where the necessary early support was not given in the first place), do you agree that neurodivergent parents should receive any additional support, and do you feel that investing in such support would be better, especially for the children's long term needs, than opting to keep funding long term care costs?”

Received from Mr Tinsley. Address supplied.

Response:

Thank you very much for your question. Having read the OFSTED report and recommendations, along with your question, I very much appreciate the sentiment of the question but am not sure precisely which Ofsted recommendations it refers. I will, however, endeavour to give you the fullest possible answer to each of your points:

Will you now be urgently reassessing the cases of children in BCP care to return them to birth families where possible?

This is a complex question to answer because children who are in care and adopted children are subject to different legal arrangements.  I will answer the question by explaining the different nature of this arrangements and separately answer the question of urgent review.

I would like to assure you that BCP endeavours to support all children to remain with their birth families wherever that is safe and possible. If it is not in the best interests of the child for example where there is abuse or the child’s needs cannot be met by their parents, we seek for alternative forms of care for the child our first consideration being wider family or friends.

46% of the children who entered care in BCP care last year returned home. A further 20% of the children who came into care in BCP last year went to live with wider family and friends caring for the child as a foster carer or under a Special Guardianship arrangement.

For children who cannot return home or to their wider families BCP has a duty to secure children a permanent and safe home to adulthood and beyond. Some children are fostered under a section 20 arrangement where birth parents share parental responsibility with the local authority, others are made subject to care order where the local authority holds parental responsibility. A care order is made by a judge who will carefully consider the ability of parents and wider family to care for the child prior to the making of the order.

Under both of these legal arrangements BCP is required to encourage contact with birth family wherever that is safe to do so. There is a statutory meeting every 6 month which considers the views of all those involved with the child including birth family the child and professionals. The meeting considers contact and whether the plan should be for the child to remain in foster care. It is possible for a child to return home on a care  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The report sets out the capital programme for Children’s Services, including summarising the available funding and approved projects. It provides a brief summary of the status of projects which have been completed or are in progress, and of projects which have not yet been initiated. A review of inclusion practice in BCP schools and a revised special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy is underway, led by the Director of Education. A programme of capital works to help deliver that strategy will be brought forward in the 2022 budget.

The Interim Pupil Place Planning, Admissions and School Funding Manager, presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'A' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report set out the capital programme for Children’s Services, including summarising the available funding and approved projects. It provided a summary of the status of projects which had been completed or were in progress, and of projects which had not yet been initiated. A review of inclusion practice in BCP schools and a revised special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy was underway, led by the Director of Education. A programme of capital works to help deliver that strategy would be brought forward in the 2022 budget.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• In response to a query regarding the Longspee site and the delay of the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and installation of solar panels, the Committee was advised there was delays due to planning and legal discussions regarding responsibilities and liabilities
• Some Committee Members requested to be able to visit the Longspee site to see the work that had been undertaken (ACTION)
• A Committee Member was pleased regarding the rebuild of Hillbourne school which would have a positive impact on the local community.
• A Committee Member highlighted previous consideration of a new school site in Creekmoor which could be considered for a special school in the future if required
• In response to a query regarding the governance of hubs, the Committee was advised that the satellite schools were part of the special schools and not the host school. In practice it meant high levels of cooperation and communication between host school and satellite schools/hubs which provided good opportunities to be flexible for the students. 
• In response to a query regarding whether any children would be negatively impacted by the pause at Somerford, the Committee was reassured by the Director of Education that children were currently at Winchelsea or had yet to be identified as required specialist provision, however the Somerford satellite would enable provision to be provided in the Christchurch area.
• There were further discussions around the Somerford Project including the current due diligience work which was being completed, seeking advice on feasilbility from construction professionals and property services to gain accurate costing information and
• In response to a concern regarding the spending of Section 106 monies, the Committee was advised that any money received would need to be spent in accordance with the contract it was received under.
• The new SEND statement of action was discussed and it was noted that it would be available for the Committee to consider at its November meeting.
• In a query regarding the Hillbourne rebuild, the Committee was reassured that the rebuild was on time and in budget and there were no concerns regarding the handover, budget and quality of work.

The Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Covid Resilience and Schools and Skills wanted  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

Members received an overview report of progress at theirmeeting on 8 June and requested further updates in order to satisfy themselves that progress was being maintained.

The DfE Improvement Advisor for BCP and Interim Corporate Director, Children’s Services presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'B' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Committee received an overview report of progress at its meeting on 8 June 2021 and requested further updates in order to be satisfied that was progress being maintained.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• In response to a query regarding fixed term exclusions, the Committee was advised that the figures being discussed had been disrupted by Covid and need to be viewed against the increase in elective home education which meant the figures were disproportionate at this time
• The Chair was pleased regarding the enquiry into inclusion and investigating the increase in home schooling and the reasons for that.  The Committee was reassured that all children and families who had opted for home schooling were being supported and visited by an experienced officer.
• A Committee Member acknowledged and appreciated the amount of improvement work that had been undertaken to date, and the Committee was involved that the teams had made a lot of progress with commitment and satisfaction.  The service as a whole still had work to do to boost staff morale due to a number of aspects including the wider organisation due to many different factors
• In response to a query regarding Mosaic IT system, the Committee was advised that the integration was being progressed at pace as part of the transformation programme.
• The teams are generally happy places with commitment and satisfaction. Issues come with service as whole. LGR – staff still waiting for permanent structure. Aspects of wider organisation which causes concerns for some staff. Need to resolve corporate culture. Think moral could be an issue across other newly formed Councils – focus over next 6.12 months.
• In response to a query regarding children at risk of sexual exploitation and the Committee was advised that the service was now better at identifying profiles which had led to an increase in reported figures
• In response to a query between agency and vacancy gaps and rates, the Committee was advised that the role would be advertised on receipt of notice from an employee. 
• Clarification was provided around Mosaic was showing cases unallocated, there was a gap between someone leaving and being reallocated
• Workforce stability and a link with house prices and job salaries. Housing stock and market is not a significant issue, more work life balance and professional development.
• In response to a query why staff would choose to remain as agency, the Committee was advised that some prefer it because they can earn more and leave quickly, some are converted to permanent employees and some are agency because there work is not the greatest quality.

The Chair summarised the discussions as follows:

• Unprecedented demand and Multi agency issues highlighted
• Fixed term and home schooling
• Improving Children’s Social Care and Mosaic IT system  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

The School Place Planning Strategy is a non-statutory strategy intended to provide information about the forecast supply and demand for school places for the coming years, and to set out principles for organisational change. The intended audience includes BCP elected members, schools and academies, the Department for Education and its agencies, the wider community. The strategy does not make proposals for organisational change, such as the opening of new schools, school closures, or change of admission numbers: it provides information to enable strategic planning.

The Interim Pupil Place Planning, Admissions and School Funding Manager, presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The School Place Planning Strategy was a non-statutory strategy intended to provide information about the forecast supply and demand for school places for the coming years, and to set out principles for organisational change. The intended audience included BCP elected members, schools and academies, the Department for Education, its agencies and the wider community. The strategy did not make proposals for organisational change, such as the opening of new schools, school closures, or change of admission numbers: it provided information to enable strategic planning.

The Committee discussed the report and comments were made, including:

• The Chair requested ward boundaries be included in the maps provided
• In response to a query, the Committee was advised that forecasting pupil numbers was a complex task which included known numbers of children in the area, number of school places currently available, using formulas for new housing estates, discussions with developers and whether new school provision would need to be provided
• Different considerations and complexities highlighted.
• Schools in Merley were highlighted and it was noted that they were popular and full at primary and middle phases and that Officers were in discussions with developers about what can be done to address the issues
• An error was highlighted with on Page 16 regarding North West Poole needed to be amended to read Broadstone and Merley, not canford heath.
• The age of transfer scheme was highlighted and it was noted that it was unusual to have a three tier system in one corner of the conurbation. A unique system of school organisation in that area where BCP has very little control due to them being Academy Trusts.
• A Committee Member suggested how often the data to show rises and falls of children over decades waves of population every 20-25 years.  Higher levels of international migration to the country had an impact.
• In response to a query regarding promoting walking and cycling to school and place planning, the Committee was advised   Financial, environmental and common sense try to minimise whilst recognising parental preference. Ensure supply of attractive educational offer -parent be happy with local offer.
• The Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Covid Resilience and Schools and Skills referred to the place planning art as much as science with had many different levers which were beyond BCP’s control. Population cycles depends on economy. Sustainable and safe routes to school to promote the habit of walking and talking to school. First part is ensuring schools places available in right location at the right time
• In response to a query regarding the percentage of pupils which attended grammar schools, the Committee was advised that this information could be provided (ACTION) and linked to that was the congestion around the grammar schools and that better transport needs to be investigated, the CE advised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

To receive any verbal updates from the Portfolio Holders.

The Portfolio Holder with responsibility for Covid Resilience and Schools and Skills thanked the Committee for its valuable contributions to the items considered and advised of some items that would be coming to Committee soon.

Any Information Only Reports will be circulated after the meeting.

There was no information only items to be circulated on this occasion.

To consider the Committee’s Forward Plan. 

The Chair advised the Committee of the planned forward planning session and it was noted that details of that would be shared by the Clerk in due course.

To note the dates of future Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committees as follows:

• 23 November 2021
• 25 January 2022
• 22 March 2022

All meetings will commence at 6pm and venues to be confirmed.

The dates of the future meetings were noted.