Meeting documents

Details of all Members’ interests in District, Town and Parish Councils can be viewed on the Council Website

The Statutory Register of Member’s Interests can be inspected via request to the Democratic Service Team.

Any new or updated declarations of interest will be received.

There were no new declarations of interest made at the meeting.

The Committee is asked to confirm the minutes are accurate.

The Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 December 2022 were approved and signed as a correct record.

The Chair will allow members of the public to ask a question or make a statement about any matter on the agenda for this meeting. These questions may be taken during the meeting, when the relevant agenda item is considered, at the Chair’s discretion.

There were no questions asked, statements made or petitions presented.

The Governance Manager advised that, further to the update to the Committee in December 2022 regarding the questions from Mr Whittaker on Special Guardian issues which had been taken at the November meeting, the Lead member Cllr Tessa Munt has  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

To receive an update from the Governance Manager. To assist the discussion, the following documents are attached:

(a) The Committee’s work programme

(b) The Committee’s outcome tracker

Please use the following link to view the latest Executive Forward Plan of planned key decisions that have been published on the Council’s website Executive Forward Plan of key Decisions

The Committee considered and noted the Committee’s current work programme and outcome tracker and the Executive’s Forward Plan of planned key decisions in the coming months.

The Governance Manager advised that it is proposed that the draft Somerset Integrated Health and Care Strategy will now be considered by the Adults  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

To receive updates on the work of the Committee’s Task and Finish Groups: -

(a)  Sufficiency of external placements

(b)  Home to School Transport

Note – the Chair will allow 30 minutes for this agenda item.

The Chair provided a verbal update on the Committee’s Task and Finish Groups and advised that the original timelines have been amended due to the SEND Inspection: -

(a) Sufficiency of External Placements

The Task and Finish Group has held further meetings and looked at the external placements budget information.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive an update on the Ofsted Action Plan. The item will be led by the Council’s Acting Assistant Director Community and Strategy, Paul Shallcross.

Note – the Chair will allow 30 minutes for this agenda item.

The Committee received a PowerPoint presentation from the Council’s Acting Director Community and Strategy, Paul Shallcross on the Ofsted action plan and progress made. The Inspection of Children’s Social Care services in July 2022 rated the service Good across the board and the inspection report was published on 21 September  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To receive report and presentation.

This item will be led by the Council’s Joint Commissioner, Children’s and Health, Vikki Hearn and colleagues from CAMHS and Public Health.

Note – the Chair will allow 1 hour for this workshop agenda item.

The Chair welcomed the following to the meeting for this item:

·         Vikki Hearn, Joint Commissioner, Children’s and Health

·         Patsy Temple, Consultant in Public Health

·         Tim Cockerill, Principal Educational Psychologist

·         Tamsin Coles, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

The Committee received a detailed PowerPoint presentation on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) – Trauma Informed Somerset  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To receive report and update from the Council’s Head of Service, Prevention, Lise Bird.

Note – the Chair will allow 30 minutes for this agenda item.

This item was introduced by the Council’s Head of Service Prevention, Lise Bird who outlined the work being done in response to the Ofsted findings on the take up of return home interviews, with improved use of data to inform individual and service planning.

Ms Bird provided an overview of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

This is a standing agenda item and will provide details of information sent to Committee members in between meetings, that cover Children & Families Scrutiny policy areas.

If Committee members have any questions or comments on the information, please contact fiona.abbott@somerset.gov.uk in the first instance and before the date of the meeting.

There were no items for information considered at this meeting.

The Chair may raise any items of urgent business.

There were no other items of business.