Agenda item

Council Plan Overview Report (CPOR) covering the third quarter of 2023/24 is attached.

Members of the Commission are asked to submit technical or detailed questions in advance of the meeting.

The Chief Executive presented the Quarter 3 report for of the Council Plan Overview Report. Achievements delivered this quarter included the adoption of the new Council Plan 2024-27; maintaining an ‘Outstanding’ rating for the Children in Care Service; submitting a draft proposal for the Safety Valve programme to the Department of Education; running several public consultations (i.e. on the budget); running public events and holding the first meeting of the Climate Change Action Group.

Commissioner’s attention was drawn to continued challenges around financial pressures which remained in Quarter 3 and it was noted the Corporate Management Team were putting measures in place to drive down spending. Challenges also remained around recruiting officers to certain roles, specifically social workers, IT officers and building surveyors and engineering roles.

Questions were as follows:

Q - Page 60 – What has been done to address the rising number of absences in the workforce attributed to stress?

A – This data was directly related to the People Directorate, with staff in client facing roles, who work in a challenging environment. A number of support mechanisms were open to staff, such as free counselling and return to work support for individuals, which had been taken up by staff.

Q - How were the Council consulting with the public about updates to the SEND service?

A – The Council recently agreed a new SEND Strategy which was out to consultation. The Council was also consulting with the Parent/Carer Forum and listening to the children who used the service.

Q – How was the council supporting Welfare Officers to assist parents in getting children to school?

A – The Council could support and steer, but schools were at the forefront of working with parents regarding children’s school attendance.

Q – Does the Council, and its partners, have a strong and resilient staff cohort to meet the 20-week timescale for completing Education, Health and Care Plans?

A – The directorate was in the process of restructuring to maintain permanent staff and there was a need to work closely with partners.

Q – What was the capacity in undertaking consultation on SEND activity?

A – Consultation required capacity and the Council were drawing in other mechanisms, such as IT, to assist with consultation and number of co-production opportunities were being increased.

Q – Page 51, indicator L139 – Why were 50% of maintained schools not good or better?

A – There were two maintained secondary schools in the borough, one of which was the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), and was rated inadequate. It was noted the PRU was in the process of closing.

Q – Page 51, indicator L402 - Why was the percentage of care leavers NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) RAG rated red?

A – Out of 26 care leavers considered NEET, 14 were unable to be in education, employment or training due to illness or disability. Three others were due to pregnancy or parenting responsibilities. In the last quarter the number of NEET were 18 and this quarter it was reduced to nine. It was also noted indicator L405 registered 95% of care leavers were in touch with the Council, which was thought to be positive.

Q – Page 65, section 5 under section ‘Community Health’ How was the Average Happiness Rating gauged?

A – This indicator was drawn from Office for National Statistics (ONS) data, collected nationally and officers were unaware how it was gauged.

Commissioners thanked the Chief Executive and noted it had been a solid performance during Quarter 3.

RESOLVED - To request the Executive to consider the following recommendation:

‘The Executive to consider how partners ensure there is sufficient capacity and timeliness in keeping to the 20-week timescale for agreeing Education, Health and Care Plans.’