Present:-

Councillors Randall Johnson (Chairman), Biederman, Connett, Dewhirst, Eastman, Hannaford, Hannan, Hosking, Mathews, Rowe, Sellis and Squires

Additional Members for Educational Issues:-

Mrs Mabin (Church of England)

Members attending in accordance with Standing Order 25:-

Councillors Barker, Davis, Hart, McInnes and Parsons

Apologies:-

Councillors Barisic, Hone and Sanders

*141 Minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2016 be signed as a correct record.

*142 Parent Governor Representative

The Chairman reported that Ms Fontana had recently resigned from the post of Parent Governor Representative for family reasons and on behalf of the Committee thanked her work with the Committee; the Council would take necessary steps to seek a replacement in due course.

*143 Public Participation

In accordance with the Council's Public Participation Rules, the Committee received and acknowledged oral representations made by:

(a) a Ms Whinnerah on a matter to be considered by the Committee that day, namely the call-in of the Cabinet s decision relating to the closure of Sutcombe Primary School, (Minute 144 below refers) commenting in particular in respect of the impact on the local children, the accuracy of financial information, availability of alternative school places in the local community and issues surrounding transportation to alternative schools.

The Chairman responded, thanking Ms Whinnerah for her attendance and presentation which would be taken into account by the Committee during its subsequent deliberations.

*144 Items Requiring Urgent Attention: Call-in of Cabinet Decision: Sutcombe Primary School Closure (Minute *484/9 March 2016)

(An item taken under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972).

(Councillor McInnes, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Skills, attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(1) and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee).

The Chairman had decided that the Cabinet should consider this item as a matter of urgency, in order that the Scrutiny Committee might consider this matter on the grounds specified by those calling-in the Cabinet s decision to avoid any undue delay and/or continuing uncertainty for all those interested and involved in this matter.

The Committee noted that, in accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the requisite number of members (Councillors Hannan, Hannaford, Hill, Owen and Wright) had invoked the call-in procedure, in relation to the previous decision of the Cabinet, relating to the closure of Sutcombe Primary School, on the grounds specified by those calling-in the decision, namely that not all the relevant factors were made known .

The Cabinet Member responded to a number of questions from Members on the school s current and projected finances, potential for involvement in a local partnership in either a Federation or Multi Academy Trust, leadership and safeguarding arrangements and Ofsted inspections, reiterating that in all the circumstances closure was in his view regrettably the only option; and thereafter:

Councillor Sellis MOVED and Councillor Randall Johnson SECONDED that the Cabinet s decision be endorsed.

Councillor Dewhirst then MOVED and Councillor Connett SECONDED that the Motion before the Committee be amended by the substitution of the words that the Cabinet be asked to reconsider its decision to close Sutcombe Primary School pending further consideration of all the issues raised

The amendment was put to the vote and declared LOST

The Motion was then put to the vote and declared CARRIED and it was therefore

RESOLVED that the Cabinet s decision be endorsed.

[NB: See also Minute 143 above.]

*145 Children s Standing Overview Group

The Committee received the Report of discussions and decisions at the meeting on 17 February 2016 (CS/16/14 - text only | pdf CS/16/14) which had recommended that Members undertake a site visit to the Children s Social Care (CSC) offices to gain a perspective from staff on the work undertaken to improve the service and discuss at the next meeting the Care First upgrades and remote work for CSC staff. Members of the Children s Standing Overview Group suggested the need to meet on a more regular basis and agreed to set up a work programme to include various site visits and to review future dates.

*146 Adults Standing Overview Group

The Committee received the Report of discussions and decisions made at the meeting on 4 February 2016 (CS/16/13 - text onlyCS/16/13) and welcomed areas of interest from Members that could be explored by the Adults Standing Overview Group at future meetings.

*147 School Exclusions Review: Educational Outcomes Task Group

The Committee considered the Report of the Task Group on a Review of School Exclusions (CS/1616) looking at the exclusion process and prevention, reasons for exclusions, school and off-site provision, how funding was used to support students at risk of exclusion and the use of multi-agency engagement. The Report included the views and experiences of pupils and staff as well as statistical data and evidence provided by County Officers.

The Task Group s recommendations included examining the extent to which disadvantaged pupils and those with Special Educational Needs featured amongst those excluded; that all teaching and support staff were able to enhance their skills in relation to emotional and social education; that schools were provided training on how effective pastoral support systems could be developed and provided for all pupils; the legality and effectiveness of providing late school and the use of part-time timetables in schools; multi-agency partnerships with particular attention to pupils with mental health needs and how schools worked with the Child and Adult Mental Health Service and for the Council to investigate the impact of Elective Home Education on pupils in Devon.

It was MOVED by Councillor Hannan, SECONDED by Councillor Randall Johnson and

RESOLVED that the Task Group's findings and recommendations be commended to the Cabinet for approval and action.

*148 Adult Social Care in Devon 2015 Annual Report

(Councillor Barker, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Health Services, attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee)

The Committee considered the Report of the Head of Social Care Commissioning (SCC/16/47 - text only | supplementary information SCC/16/47) on the Annual Report for 2014/15. Successful areas highlighted included the satisfaction levels of people receiving services, giving people more choice and control over their care and maintaining people within their own homes rather than in residential and nursing settings. Areas identified for improvement included reducing the number of people admitted to hospital rather than being treated at home; reducing delayed transfers of care from hospital; improving people s capacity to live independently; the responsiveness of assessments and reviews and the consistency and quality of practice.

A Peer Review of Adult Social Care in Devon had also been undertaken in June 2015 to help develop approaches to preventing, reducing and delaying needs that limited people s capacity to live independently and highlighted the Council s ability to be self-aware and focused on improving outcomes.

*149 Internal Audit Plan 2016/17

The Committee considered the Report of the County Treasurer (CT/16/29 - text only | supplementary information CT/16/29) outlining the proposed Audit Plan for 2016/17 for People s Services which would form part of an overall Audit Plan for the County Council to be submitted to the Audit Committee on 23 March 2016.

The Committee welcomed the opportunity to discuss the proposed Audit Plan for People s Services, supporting its content and priorities and noting that a report on the outcome of the previous year s activity would be submitted to this Committee in June 2016.

*150 Performance Report on People s Services

(Councillor Barker (Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care Health Services), Councillor McInnes (Cabinet Member for Children, Schools Skills) and
Councillor Parsons (Cabinet Member for Performance and Engagement) attended in accordance with Standing Order 25(2) and spoke to this item at the invitation of the Committee).

The Committee received and noted the Report of the Strategic Director, People s (SCC/16/45 - text only | pdf SCC/16/45) summarising progress, on a risk assessed, exception basis, on work being delivered by People s Services against Strategic Plan priorities to the end of the third quarter of 2015/16.

The Report covered the following:

Adults Services: assessment and review; personalisation; delayed transfers from hospitals to home care etc.; clients supported in residential/nursing care; and quality assurance of commissioned services;

Children s Services: Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) enquiries/assessment; Children in Need; Child Protection Plans; Children in Care; workforce date; early help; consistency of practice; leadership and management; and quality assurance of commissioned services;

Education and Learning: good and outstanding schools; Excellence for All new Devon strategy for school effectiveness; Early Years; Children s Centres inspections; Devon s NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) rates;

Risk Management.

. Members identified a number of specific instances in the Quality Assurance Framework report relating to Children s Services where the presentation of data or terminology used had not been as clear as it could have been inasmuch that, while it may have related to national benchmarking data, the absence of any comment on, or analysis of, figures could potentially create confusion and hinder the ability of the Committee to comment accurately thereon or draw appropriate, valid conclusions; such instances being the variations in the number of Devon Assessment Frameworks (DAFs) to January 2016, social care and MASH referrals and Placement information. The Head of Service for Children s Social Work Service Child Protection acknowledged those points and the need to provide additional contextual information in future presentations.

Members discussion points with the Cabinet Member(s) and Officers included:

quality assurance and the commissioning of services from providers deemed inadequate;

increasing the capacity of the Quality Improvement Team;

the need to increase the number of nursing staff available across the NHS in the future;

improving reporting in delayed transfers of care;

ongoing work to implement and support ICT infrastructure;

improvements to the Devon Safeguarding Children Board;

issues regarding overspend on school transport.

*151 Scrutiny Work Programme

The Committee reviewed the Scrutiny Work Programme and determined those items of business to be included therein for its sphere of activity, having regard also to the Council/Cabinet Forward Plan. The Work Programme was endorsed, subject to the addition of the following:

Task Group on Small Schools in Devon;

Task Group on Early Help;

Task Group on Elective Home Education;

[NB: The Scrutiny Work Programme is available on the Council's website at http://www.devon.gov.uk/scrutiny_programme.htm and the Council/Cabinet Forward Plan is available at http://www.devon.gov.uk/forward_plan]

*DENOTES DELEGATED MATTER WITH POWER TO ACT

The meeting started at 2.00pm and finished at 5.10pm.

The Minutes of this Committee are published on the County Council s Website at:-