Agenda item - Notices of Motion

The following Notices of Motion submitted to the County Council by the following Councillors have been referred to the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 8(2) for consideration, to refer it to another Committee or make a recommendation back to the Council:

(a) Control of Local Bus Services (Cllr Atkinson)

(b) Children's Social Care Policy Statement (Cllr Aves)

(a) Control of Local Bus Services

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to;

(a) Welcome the increased focus on improving local bus services;

(b) Build on the success of the current Devon Enhanced Partnership by closer working with Torbay Council and other strategic partners through the new Combined Authority; and

(c) Ask Officers to review content of the Buses Bill currently proceeding through Parliament to see what future options are available for the new Combined Authority.

(b) Children's Social Care Policy Statement

RESOLVED that Council be recommended to;

(a) Note that on the 17th December 2024, the Government published the “Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill” which sets out the proposed legislative framework for achieving these changes. A specific focus of the policy statement and the bill is the management of and improvements to the care market for children in care and, as such, requests a Report from the Director of Children and Young People’s Futures on the implications of the measures contained within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill;

(b) Note and welcome that over the last 12 months, Children’s Services have increased the provision of residential care for children (both respite care for children with disabilities and mainstream children’s home provision) and of supported accommodation for care experienced people;

(c) Welcome the ongoing work with local providers to improve relationships and to provide “Devon Placements for Devon’s Children”, noting the specific focus on reducing the use of unregistered children’s homes;

(d) Welcome the new powers for Ofsted to investigate multiple homes being run by the same company, acting on the recommendations made in response to stop abuse from happening in children’s homes;

(e) Continue to improve the residential care opportunities in Devon to keep children in care near families, friends, and their school where appropriate;

(f) Increase the number of in-house residential care facilities and use not-for-profit providers, and, become involved in the setting up of Regional Care Co-operatives;

(g) Continue to reduce the number of children in unregistered children’s homes; and

(h) Where possible, provide or use not-for-profit homes where children and care experienced young people have access to properly trained staff who are able to give them the support, skills, and connections to friends and relatives that will continue to support them throughout their life.

The following Notices of Motion submitted to the County Council by Councillors Atkinson and Aves have been referred to the Cabinet in accordance with Standing Order 8(2) for consideration, to refer it to another Committee or make a recommendation back to the Council:

(a) Control of Local Bus Services (Cllr Atkinson)

That Devon County Council as the transport authority together with the new combined authority, gives serious consideration to take advantage of the package of measures announced by the Transport Secretary on 9th September 2024 to empower local leaders to take control of their bus services . The expectation is that these measures will be the first stop on the journey to better buses.

The Council undertakes to report into the feasibility of these proposals for Devon and how these powers may be used to improve bus services.

That the County Council consider bringing strategic partners such as District Councils into the discussion, as the provision of effective bus services is something that affects us all and does not recognise boundaries.

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (LDS/25/1) which referred to how bus services became deregulated under the 1985 Transport Act, the introduction of the Local Bus Services Act 2017 which gave powers for Enhanced Partnerships with local bus operators and other stakeholders, the Councils subsequent Bus Service Improvement Plan and the powers under the 2017 Act to Mayoral Combined Authorities to franchise their local bus services. The briefing note outlined the Buses Bill (2024), published on the 17 December 2024 and the franchising guidance published on the same date. The briefing note also highlighted and reflected on how the Council worked with others to improve local bus services under the current framework, including the Bus Forum, the role of the Highways and Traffic Orders Committee’s and how the Enhanced Partnership had significantly improved the working relationship between the Council and our local bus companies with an improvement in the quality of local bus services and improved patronage.

The Cabinet considered the recommendation now before them and the actions now proposed and already undertaken and any other relevant factors (e.g. public health, financial, environmental, risk management and equality and legal considerations and Public Health impact):

It was MOVED by Councillor McInnes, SECONDED by Councillor Davis, and

RESOLVED that it is recommended that the Council;

(a) Welcomes the increased focus on improving local bus services;

(b) Builds on the success of the current Devon Enhanced Partnership by closer working with Torbay Council and other strategic partners through the new Combined Authority; and

(c) Asks Officers to review content of the Buses Bill currently proceeding through Parliament to see what future options are available for the new Combined Authority.

(b) Children's Social Care Policy Statement (Cllr Aves)

This Council Notes:

On 18 November the Department for Education published a policy statement ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, its new Children’s Social Care policy statement, setting out the government’s vision for reform and a legislative agenda to reset the children’s social care system, both in terms of how national government collaborates with local government, but also in taking a whole system approach to reform.

The Secretary of State states she wants to break down barriers to opportunity. The document also outlines a commitment to support children to live in family settings where children cannot remain at home, including through kinship or foster care, rather than residential care.

The Devon County Labour Group supports this aim and believes Devon County Council must commit to further strengthen what it does to keep families together and children safe.

Alongside this, the statement sets out ambitions to fix the broken care market, invest in key enablers and ensure the system is working effectively for vulnerable children and families.

A Guardian article on children’s homes on 18^th November pointed out that three years ago the Competition and Markets Authority found Children’s homeowners in England, Scotland and Wales were making excessive profits, while carrying too much debt - exposing children and councils to unacceptable risks and exploiting children for profit.

The needs of children rather than market forces should shape where children’s homes are placed, and that children are placed in the most appropriate homes.

This Council resolves to:

1. work with the new government to reset and improve the children’s social care system in Devon as set out in the new document ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’ from The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP, Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities .

2. welcome the new powers for Ofsted to investigate multiple homes being run by the same company, acting on the recommendations made in response to stop abuse from happening in children’s homes.

3. improve the residential care opportunities in Devon to keep children in care near families, friends, and their school where appropriate.

4. increase the number of in-house residential care facilities and use not-for-profit providers, and, become involved in the setting up of Regional Care Co-operatives.

5. give a secure undertaking that they will not place children in homes that are unregistered or just for profit.

6. provide or use not-for-profit homes where children and care experienced young people have access to properly trained staff who are able to give them the support, skills, and connections to friends and relatives that will continue to support them throughout their life.

Members considered the Officer’s factual briefing note on the matter (LDS/25/1) which provided a summary overview of the Government White Paper, Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive. Breaking down barriers to opportunity. The paper set out the summary of proposals alongside a summary of proposed Government actions. Many of these were referenced in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, published on the 17th December 2024.