To consider the report from the Placements for Looked After Children Task and Finish Group.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations from the Looked After Children Task and Finish Group be approved.

The Chairman of the People Overview Committee presented the final report from the Looked After Children Task and Finish Group that had been fully supported by the People Overview Committee.  She explained that the Task and Finish Group had investigated the challenges faced by the Council in providing residential care for its looked after children.  She added that all Councillors as corporate parents needed to consider ways to provide better outcomes for its looked after children and in-county residential homes were considered to offer a solution and a means of reducing the Council’s spend on expensive out of county accommodation that placed children far away from their local environment.

The Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People stated that he was filly supportive of the Task and Finish Group’s recommendations to draw up a detailed business case in the first instance.  The Portfolio Holder for Finance was also supportive of proceeding to a business case.

Another Member commented that the work of the Task and Finish Group illustrated scrutiny working at its best; children would be better served and the Council would also save money.  She added that this internal solution had great merit rather than outsourcing that had in the past been the preferred route taken by the authority.  The Leader commented that new ways of working by scrutiny were beginning to bear fruit and illustrated the Council’s increasing flexibility in future ways of working.

RESOLVED:

That the recommendations from the Looked After Children Task and Finish Group be approved.