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Contact information

E-mail

customer.service@shropshire.gov.uk

Telephone

0345 678 9000

Postal Address

Shropshire Council
Shirehall
Abbey Foregate
Shrewsbury
Shropshire
SY2 6ND

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Shrewsbury/Oswestry Room, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6ND. View directions

Contact: Tim Ward  Committee Officer

Items
No. Item

1.

Election of Chairman

To elect a Chairman of the Young People’s Scrutiny Committee for the forthcoming municipal year

Minutes:

1.1      Nominations were received for Councillor Mrs Barrow and Councillor Mrs Fraser

 

1.2      RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Mrs Barrow be elected Chairman of the Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee for the forthcoming municipal year

2.

Apologies and Substitutions

To receive apologies for absence from Members of the Committee

Minutes:

2.1    Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Boddington, Tindall and Turley and from Mr Hignett and Ms Hudson

 

2.2    Councillor Evans substituted for Councillor Boddington and Councillor Carroll substituted for Councillor Tindall

3.

Appointment of Vice Chairman

To appoint a Vice - Chairman of the Young People’s Scrutiny Committee for the forthcoming municipal year

Minutes:

3.1    RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Mrs Mullock be appointed Vice Chairman of the Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee for the forthcoming municipal year

 

4.

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

Members are reminded they must not participate in the discussion or vote on any matter in which they have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest and should leave the room prior to the commencement of the debate.

Minutes:

4.1       None were made

 

5.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 80 KB

The minutes of the last meeting, held on 23 March 2016, are attached for confirmation.

Minutes:

5.1    The minutes of the meeting held on 23 March 2016 had been circulated

 

5.2    RESOLVED:

 

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2016 be confirmed as a true record as signed by the Chairman.

 

5.3      A Member expressed concern that a further report on CAMHS was not scheduled till the September meeting.  The Committee Officer advised that the timing of reports to the Committee were set around the reporting of data to NHS England.

 

6.

Public Question Time

To receive any public questions or petitions from the public, notice of which has been given in accordance with Procedure Rule 14.  The deadline for this meeting is 5.00pm on 18 May 2016

 

Minutes:

6.1    There were no public questions

 

7.

Members' Question Time

To receive any questions of which Members of the Council have given notice.

 

Deadline for notification: 5.00pm on 18 May 2016

Minutes:

7.1       There were no questions from Members

8.

Young Health Champions

To receive a presentation from the Shropshire Young Health Champions

Minutes:

8.1       Members received a presentation from representatives of the Shropshire Young Health Champions on the diabetes project.

 

8.2       Members expressed their thanks to the Young Health Champions for all the work that they do and for their presentation.

9.

Educational Performance of Disadvantaged Children pdf icon PDF 124 KB

The report gives details of the educational performance of disadvantaged children in Shropshire

Additional documents:

Minutes:

9.1    Members received the report of the Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency which gave details of the educational performance of disadvantaged children in Shropshire.

 

9.2    The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency reminded Members that the 2015 national performance data defined disadvantaged pupils as those who have been Eligible for Free Schools Meals (FSM) in the last six years, looked after continuously for 1 day or more; or adopted from care, and that the education performance of disadvantaged children focussed on attainment and performance.

 

9.3    The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency informed Members that overall achievement at both Early years Foundation Stage and Key Stage (KS) 1 and 2 was above national averages and comparable with Shropshire regional and Statistical neighbours, and that at KS 1 and 2 the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers was narrowing.  He went on to say that at KS4 overall attainment was just below national average and compared unfavourably with statistical neighbours and that the gap between disadvantaged pupils and tier peers had increased and was 8 percent greater than the national gap. 

 

9.4    The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency then outline the factors which influenced pupil achievement and the actions being taken to narrow the gap between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

 

9.5    A Member commented that it was more relevant to compare the Council’s performance with that of the statistical neighbours as they would have similar challenges to Shropshire.  The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency agreed that this was the case and commented that in relation to its statistical neighbours, the Council performed well in all areas apart from KS4.

 

9.6    A Member asked whether the council received the additional funding for Looked after Children (LAC) for those LAC from other areas.  The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency advised that the situation varied between Councils.

 

9.7    A Member commented that it in order to support schools efficiently it was important that there were no delays in getting data.  The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency advised the meeting that the Council did not just use the most current data but looked at trends over time.

 

9.8    A Member commented that it was important that Governors were given the necessary information to help monitor progress.  The Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency informed Members that Governors played an important role and that regular meetings were held with Governors

 

9.9    The Chairman thanked the Commissioner for Education Improvement and Efficiency for his report and congratulated his team on the good work that they were carrying out.

 

10.

Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers pdf icon PDF 152 KB

This report summarises the current position and levels of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in Shropshire social services care

Minutes:

10.1    Members received the report of the Team Manager, Fostering & Residential Services, which summarised the current position and levels of unaccompanied asylum seeking children in the care of Shropshire Social Services.

 

10.2    The Team Manager, Fostering & Residential Services advised Members that Local Authorities in England and Wales had a duty under sections 17 and 20 of the Children Act 1989 to provide support for unaccompanied asylum seeking children (UASC), and that historically the number of UASC in Shropshire had been low and that currently there were 6 UASC accommodated in the County.

 

10.3    The Team Manager, Fostering & Residential Services informed Members that Children’s Services were involved with the Kent Dispersal Scheme for UASC and had committed to accepting 3 UASC from this scheme.

 

10.4    A Members commented that given the large numbers involved, the commitment to accept 3 UASC seemed very low.  The Team Manager, Fostering & Residential Services advised the meeting that the figure of 3 had been reached after carefull assessment of the resources that were available

 

10.5    A Member asked for more details of the process that was followed once a UASC arrived in the County.  The Team Manager, Fostering & Residential Services advised that a similar process was followed as that for any LAC and that in addition a social worker and interpreter where appointed where necessary and additional support allocated as necessary.

 

10.6    RESOLVED:-

 

            That the contents of the report be noted

11.

IRO Annual Report pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Report to Follow

Additional documents:

Minutes:

11.1    Members received the Annual Independent Chairpersons Report which provided evidence relating to the effectiveness of the Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO’s) and Independent Conference Chairs (ICC’s) in Shropshire.

 

11.2    The Director of Children’s Services reminded Members that the role of an ICC was to chair Looked After Children (LAC) statutory reviews and to chair child protection conferences and that the role of the IRO was to monitor and challenge where necessary, the care planning for LAC.

 

11.3    A Member asked whether an excessive workload for Social Workers had led to the levels of outstanding assessments and children not being seen within the statutory guidelines.  The Head of Children’s Social Care and Safeguarding advised that in some cases there was a delay in writing up the assessments rather than carrying out the assessment and that this was being addressed by the provision of more administrative support.  She informed Members that all vacancies for social workers had now been filled.

 

11.4    RESOLVED: -

 

            That the recommendations to improve the service offered by the Independent Review Unit and to improve the outcomes for Looked After Children and children subject to a Child Protection Plan be noted.

12.

The Future Shape of Education in Shropshire

To receive a presentation from the Director of Children’s Services

Minutes:

12.1    The Director of Children’s Services advised Members that the Department for Education was currently consulting on proposals for the National Funding Formula and that there was an expectation that the lump sum for schools would be increased and there may be additional sparsity funding.  She added that overall Shropshire Schools were likely to receive increased funding with smaller schools gaining the most.

 

12.2    The Director of Children’s Services reminded Members of the publication of the White Papers “Education Excellence Everywhere” which set out plans for all schools to become academies within Multi Academy Trusts by 2022 with the Local Authority remaining responsible for place planning and sufficiency, meeting the needs of pupils with SEND and school admissions and transport.  The Director of Children’s Services advised Members that the Secretary of State had recently made an announcement stating that good and outstanding schools would not be forced to become academies but that the government remained committed to a fully academised school system by 2022.

 

 

12.3    The Director of Children’s Services informed Members that the Council was engaging with Head Teachers and Governing Bodies to work towards the aims of the White Paper by encouraging the development of existing MATS, the development of new Shropshire based MATs and exploring the possibility of local authority led MATS and that the Council would continue to encourage collaborative working.

 

12.4    Members requested that a further update be given at the next meeting.

13.

Other Items

To receive a verbal update on the issues re SATS in Shropshire from the Director of Children’s Services

Minutes:

13.1    Following a query from a Member the Director of Children’s Services confirmed that 42 pupils were absent without authorisation when KS1 SATS were held

14.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 62 KB

The current Scrutiny Work Programme and Cabinet Forward Plan are attached.

 

Members are asked to consider whether there are any other items they wish to be added to the work programme.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

14.1    Members received copies of the Committees Work Programme and the Cabinet Forward Plan.

 

14.2    It was agreed that an update on the Peer Reviewshould be added to the agenda for the next meeting

 

14.3    The Chairman asked Members to let her know of any other topics they would like added to the Committee’s work programme

15.

Date of Next Meeting

Members are reminded that the next meeting of the Young People’s Scrutiny Committee will be held on Wednesday 20 July 2016 at 10.00am at the Shirehall

Minutes:

15.1    Members were reminded that the next meeting of the Young Peoples Scrutiny Committee would be held on Wednesday 20 July 2016 at 10.00am at the Shirehall

 

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