Members will consider the progress in delivering the Council’s Financial Strategy and help inform the refresh and any refocus for 2015/16 onwards.

The following documents are included:

a)    Performance report and dashboards relevant to the Young People’s Scrutiny Committee’s specific remit

b)    Quarter 1 performance report and dashboards [from 15 October 2014 Cabinet meeting]

c)    Financial Strategy [from 30 July 2014 Cabinet]

d)    Quarter 2 Revenue Monitoring Report [from 15 October 2014 Cabinet meeting]

Members may also find it helpful to access the Business Plan and Financial Strategy 2014/15 to 2016/17 document [from 27 February Council meeting] available from the Members’ Library or by using the following link:     

 http://shropshire.gov.uk/committee-services/CeListDocuments.aspx?CommitteeId=125&MeetingId=2605&DF=27%2f02%2f2014&Ver=2

51.1    Members had before them the following documents which had been circulated.

a)    Performance report and dashboards relevant to the Young People’s Scrutiny Committee’s specific remit

b)    Quarter 1 performance report and dashboards from 15 October 2014 Cabinet meeting

c)    Financial Strategy report from 30 July 2014 Cabinet meeting

d)    Quarter 2 Revenue Monitoring Report from 15 October 2014 Cabinet meeting

The Director of Children’s Service’s tabled an update on the Children’s Services Business and Financial Strategy.

51.2    The Performance Manager presented the performance data and drew attention to the following: -

·         The number of Looked After Children (LAC) had increased year on year

·         The number of children per 1000 with Child Protection Plans (CPP) had risen and was higher than statistical neighbours

·         The number of adoptions of Looked After Children had decreased and was below the target number

51.3    The Director of Children’s Services informed the meeting that with regard to Safeguarding and Social care the key areas of service development centred around early help and ensuring support was available at the earliest opportunity, thus preventing escalation to specialist services.  She added that the changes were set against the challenge of increasing demand and the need to manage that increase. In the light of a forthcoming unannounced Ofsted inspection it was important that the changes were paced in order that it could be evidenced that changes were achieved within the context of the Council meeting its corporate parenting responsibilities and its statutory responsibilities to keep children safe from harm, and to promote children’s wellbeing.

51.4    The Director of Children’s Services advised that of the savings target of £3,971,000 for the 2014-15 financial year, it was predicted that savings of £3,581,000 would be achieved some of which were covered by one off savings.  She then took the meeting through the redesign work that had been undertaken to achieve the savings.

51.5    In response to a query from the Chair, the Director of Children’s Services provided an update on the proposed savings.  She advised that at the end of quarter 2, there was anticipated pressure of around £1million in the savings and some savings would need to be carried forward to the 2015 – 16 financial year. She added that key areas of pressure were the cost of the LAC population and the cost of school transport, both of which were statutory functions, but that redesign work was being undertaken to address the pressures.  She commented that it was important that different solutions to the cost of LAC were considered such as, increasing fostering and the use of special guardianship orders.

51.6    A Member commented that the continuing trend in the reduction in the number of children with second and subsequent Child Protection Plans (CPP) was positive but the overall increase in the number of referrals to Children’s Social Care was less so and asked whether there were any lessons to be learned from other authorities.  The Director of Children’s Services advised that it was difficult to compare the performance with other authorities as referrals were recorded differently, with some authorities only recording a referral when it resulted in a social work assessment whereas in Shropshire a referral was recorded as soon as it was made regardless of the outcomes.  The Head of Safeguarding commented that it was essential that the demand was managed and that both professionals and members of the public felt that they had the opportunity to raise any concerns.  She added that it was important to look at the outcomes of any referrals with 45% resulting in a social work assessment being carried out, and a further 27% resulting in a “professional conversation” taking place which may lead to no further action being needed.  She also commented that it was important that assessments were undertaken within a set timescale.

51.7    A Member commented that a large number of cases referred by the Police resulted in an assessment.  The Head of Safeguarding advised that this was mainly due to the fact that the type of cases referred by the Police tended to be those of a more serious nature which would require an assessment.

51.8    A Member commented that there was no update on ”closing the gap” or educational achievement data.  The Director of Children’s Services commented that this was due to the timing of the report with some items previously covered, whilst others were scheduled for later in the year as national data is available.

51.9    A Member commented that within the Quarter Two Revenue Monitoring report was reference to the closure of a children’s home and asked for further details.  The Head of Safeguarding advised the Committee that following extensive work and looking at the wider LAC Strategy proposals were being considered to de-commission one of the three children’s homes currently run by the Council. Places would be transferred to the remaining homes and this would result in the nett loss of 1 place, and a resultant reduction in the unit cost of places.  She added that, alongside this, work was being done to look at the procurement framework for block placements and also the pilot at Havenbrook aimed at reducing the number of LAC.  In response to a question, the Head of Safeguarding confirmed that she had held a meeting with staff regarding the proposals.

51.10  A Member commented that reductions in the pupil population would result in pressures on funding and schools would have to look at economies of scale.  The Director of Children’s Services reminded Members that schools’ funding came through the dedicated block grant which had to be fully spent.  She added that over time this would reduce in line with the reduction in the pupil population.  She added that work was being done with schools to plan for the future.  The Deputy Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services commented that the decline in pupil population was not evenly spread throughout the County and was in fact rising in some areas and that this must be taken into account in future planning.

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