Minutes:
The
Committee scrutinised the following matters:
Cabinet
Board Proposals
5.1 Fostering Statement of Purpose
Members noted that there was a typographical error
on page 15 of the appendix to the report. It was requested that the sentence
“To safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people and to
ensure their physical, emotional and intellectual development” was changed to
“To safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people and to
assure their physical, emotional and intellectual development”.
5.2 Neath Port Talbot Fostering Service Regulation 42 Quality of
Care Report 2015/16
Members noted that it was a good report and
requested that an update report against the recommendations was brought back to
the Committee. Members also requested a report on placement breakdowns was
brought to a future meeting.
It was agreed that these reports would be scheduled
into the Forward Work Programme.
5.3 Foster Carer Recruitment Strategy and
Finance Policy
The Committee received the report on the Foster
Carer Recruitment Strategy and Finance Policy that outlined the proposals to
increase weekly payments and the payment of a retainer for foster carers for
children aged 11 plus, as detailed within the circulated report.
Members were informed that increasing weekly
payments and the payment of a retainer would support the recruitment and
retention of foster carers for teenagers in order to reduce the number of young
people placed in independent foster placements. It was noted that this would
enable the Council to make greater savings. It was highlighted that the Looked
After Children Strategy had successfully reduced the number of looked after
children and the Service was more successful in keeping children at home. The
Service had to ensure that it was meeting the needs of those children and young
people in care. The aim of the Recruitment Strategy was to identify the profile
of looked after children and foster carers in order consider the key issues
which needed to be addressed to have a positive impact on recruitment and
retention of skilled and experienced foster carers.
It was highlighted that there had been a continual
reduction in requests for people to become foster carers. The majority of
enquiries were for people considering becoming foster carers for children under
10 years old and in particular children under 5 years old. There were
difficulties in finding foster carers for teenagers and often had to use
independent fostering agencies. The Service had managed to reduce the number of
independent placements but there was a need for more in house foster carers for
teenagers. The team had looked at the barriers and what needed to be done
differently. The Strategy focuses on 11plus recruitment, handling enquiries
differently and what could be done to attract foster carers to the Council
rather than independent agencies and other Councils.
The Strategy recommends that there was an increase
in foster carer payments in order to ensure the Council was able to provide a
competitive fee to match the local market. It was also recommended that up to a
six week retainer was paid to foster carers for teenagers. The cost of these
measures would be around £202k and would be offset by anticipated savings in
external placements. It was highlighted that the costs were worked out on the
worst case scenario. Members recognised the positive steps being taken to
increase recruitment and retention of foster carers. It was recognised that the
increase in fees would encourage more foster carers to enhance and develop
their skills. Some of the cohort of carers for under 10 years old would be
encouraged to progress and consider caring for teenagers.
Members queried why it had taken this time to
increase the fees paid and develop the Strategy. Officers explained that the
focus had been on improving the Service, making it more stable and reducing the
number of looked after children. This work had taken up a lot of resources and
reducing the number of looked after children had allowed some resources to be redirected
into funding this Strategy.
It was outlined that there had been some increases
in placement breakdowns and skilled carers were needed to maintain young people
in foster placements with Neath Port Talbot carers. Support services were also
required for those children who had the most challenging behaviours. It was
explained that work was being undertaken with the clinical team within Hillside
Secure Unit to support foster carers to manage behaviour of looked after
children with complex needs. Members were pleased that positive messages were
being given to foster carers that the work they did was valued and the Council
would provide them with appropriate support.
Members queried if a child reached 11 years old whilst
in care would they stay with the same foster carers or would they have to
change placements. It was explained that foster carers provided different
levels of support some were short term and others were long term. If a child
was in a long term placement then where possible they would try to ensure the
child remained in the same placement and the new strategy would help to address
this with the different options it offered.
Following scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of
the proposals to be considered by the Cabinet Board.
5.4 Childcare Sufficiency Assessment Year
Three Action Plan
The Committee received the Childcare Sufficiency
Assessment action plan for 2016/2017 in Neath Port Talbot, as detailed within
the circulated report.
Members were informed that a key part of the
Childcare Sufficiency Assessment was the three year action plan. It was
explained that this was year three of the plan. The report highlighted the key
actions that would be implemented in during 2016/17 in the context of the
overarching three year plan. The actions had been derived in support of the 12
priorities identified in the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment.
Members queried why the information pack for
employers to provide parents/carers had not been completed and would it need to
be bilingual. Officers explained that it had started to be developed and the
completed pack would be bilingual. There was a Welsh speaker in the team, which
would assist with this.
Following scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of
the proposal to be considered by the Cabinet Board.
5.6 Home to School Transport Appeals Panel
The Committee received the report to establish and
convene a Home to School Transport Appeal Panel in order to hear any appeal
lodged by a parent/guardian in relation to the Authority’s application of the
Home to School Transport Policy, as detailed within the circulated report.
Members were informed that grounds for appeal would
be for two reasons. One reason would be that the appellant believes that Local
Authority has not applied the Policy correctly. The second reason was that the
appellant was able to cite any special/exceptional circumstances which they
believe should be considered. An Appeals Panel would be set up within 28 days
of receiving an appeal and the appellant could appear in person or provide
written evidence. It was highlighted that it was proposed that the Panel would
comprise of senior officers that were outside of the Education, Leisure and
Lifelong Learning Directorate. Following this procedure if the appellant was
not satisfied with the way the appeal had been undertaken they could complain
to the Public Service Ombudsman for Wales.
Members commented that they understood the
necessity of developing the Appeals Panel and queried that as it was a Policy
agreed by Members for officers to exercise why it was proposed to be an officer
and not a Member Panel. Officers explained that they had looked into the
legalities of the Panel and there was no obligation for it to be an officer or
a Member Panel. It was highlighted that there was a mix of panels within the
Council and some were officer led panels and some were Member led. Members
noted that the subject was very controversial and it would have been useful if
it could have been a mixed panel of officers and Members. It was noted that
this was not practicable and it had to be one or the other. Some Members felt
that if the Panel was Member lead it would be more transparent to members of
the public to understand.
Officers explained that unless particular functions
had been specified in the Constitution of the Council then it would be an
executive function and this would result in the Panel being made up of Cabinet
Members.
It was noted that the Home to School Transport
Policy would be reviewed in the autumn and as part of this process they would
also review the appeals process. In the interim a Panel was required for the
current Policy as appeals had been received.
Members queried if there had been appeals previously
and officers confirmed that there had not. Members queried how parents appealed
decisions and they would have liked more information on the process in the
report. Officers explained that the Policy was clear on the two areas that
could be subject to appeal and once a decision was communicated to parents
there was information at the bottom of the letter explaining that if they were
dissatisfied they could appeal and on what grounds. It was explained that it
was a decision for parents if they appealed and how much information they
included. Some Members felt that it would be difficult for some parents to
explain what was wrong with the way a Policy was being applied and would like
further information included in future policies. Officers would take on board
these comments in reviewing the Policy.
Members asked if it would be acceptable for local
Members to attend the Panel with appellants. It was confirmed that parents
would be able to bring someone to support them to the Panel. It was agreed that
a statement to this effect would be included in the procedure document.
Members asked if a third reason of equality of
opportunity should be considered for grounds of appeal. Officers explained that
this was not stated in the current Policy and the procedure could only be in
line with existing content of the Policy and appeals were not on the substance
of the Policy but the way it had been applied.
Some Members highlighted that it would be difficult
for Members to sit on a Panel as the majority of Members had been involved in
discussions around the subject, which had been very controversial. It would be
a better option for the Panel to be made up of officers that were independent
of these discussions and the Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning Directorate.
Following scrutiny the majority of the Committee was supportive
of the proposal to be considered by the Cabinet Board.
5.7 Review of School Music Service
(A.Hughes reaffirmed his
interest and left the meeting for this item only).
The Committee received the report to approve
withdrawal from the current joint West Glamorgan music service and to establish
a new music service to support Neath Port Talbot schools from 1 September 2016,
as detailed within the circulated report.
Members were informed that following a joint
consultation between the City and County of Swansea and Neath Port Talbot
County Borough Council it was proposed that the West Glamorgan Music Service
was disaggregated and that a single music service was established to deliver music
provision under a service level agreement. Members commented that as the City and County of
Swansea had already made their decision to disaggregate the Service, Neath Port
Talbot had no other viable option. Members were disappointed that Swansea was
withdrawing subsidy of their Music Service after August 2016. It was
highlighted that Neath Port Talbot Council would continue to subsidise their
Music Service for the financial year 2016/2017.
Members asked if there would be an increase in
costs to parents/carers with the changes to the Service. Officers explained
that in Neath Port Talbot there would be a small increase, but it would be
manageable and it was comparatively less than in other Local Authorities. There
would be a bigger increase in Swansea due to the withdrawal of the subsidy.
Officers highlighted that there had been some
misunderstanding during the consultation that the Service was going to be
withdrawn. This was not the case; a different way of delivering the Service had
to be put into place. It was noted that there was currently a strong buy back
profile from Neath Port Talbot schools with only a few schools indicating that
they would be withdrawing. Members were pleased that the majority of schools
had indicated that they would be taking up the Service and recognised the
importance of music as part of the curriculum.
It was highlighted that schools in Neath Port
Talbot were serviced by some staff employed by Swansea and vice versa. A skills
audit would be undertaken and Neath Port Talbot staff would be placed in Neath
Port Talbot schools based on their skill set and musical specialisms. Where
there were surplus areas these places would be negotiated with the City and
County of Swansea and vice versa.
The Committee queried how the Service would be
managed as there were currently two managers in Swansea and one in Neath Port
Talbot. It was explained that if interviews were required then they would be
held, however, jobs in the Neath Port Talbot Service would be ring fenced for
Neath Port Talbot employees in the first instance. Members asked how many
teachers were included in the salary costs and they were informed that there
were 31 teachers, not all full time equivalents and paid at different rates.
A complete inventory of assets/instruments would be
undertaken and they would be split on an equitable basis. Any school pulling
out of the Service Level Agreement would have assets removed from the school.
It was noted that instruments that had been bought by the Friends of West
Glamorgan Youth Orchestra belonged to the children that played in the orchestra
and would stay with them.
It was noted that the music centres, orchestras,
ensembles and bands would continue to operate jointly as these were self-funding.
Members highlighted that the decisions made by the City and Council of Swansea
would have an impact on these groups as it was possible that it would result in
fewer children taking up a musical instrument.
Members thanked officers for all the work that had
been put into developing the new Service and recognised that there was still a
lot of work to be undertaken.
Following scrutiny, the Committee was supportive of
the proposals to be considered by the Cabinet Board.