Issue - meetings

To consider PowerPoint presentation.

As background the Committee will find it helpful to refer to the following, considered by the Executive at its meeting on 6 March 2023 - Children, Families & Education Services – month 10 position

Note – the Chair will allow 20 minutes for this agenda item.

The Committee received and noted the presentation on 2023/24 Children’s Services budget monitoring position – month 10. This focussed on – external placements, residential placements, Homes & Horizons, fieldwork spend, 23/24 DSG budget monitoring (High Needs, home to school transport and SEND transport).

The Committee received a presentation from the Council’s Head of Business Partnering, Christian Evans on the 2023/24 Children’s Services month 10 budget monitoring position. The presentation focussed on external placements monitoring and forecasting, CLA key cost drivers and the 23/24 DSG budget monitoring (High Needs, home to school transport and SEND transport).

The Committee asked a number of questions and made a number of comments regarding the budget monitoring data which were responded to at the meeting, as follows:      

·         A Cllr felt the visual representation of the data could be improved.

·         There were several queries regarding the data around placements and SEND and the Head of Business Partnering advised that these would be taken to the relevant service managers for response following the meeting.

·         A Cllr sought clarity on the difference between unregulated and unregistered provision and the Executive Director of Children, Families and Education explained the differences and also advised about the campaign to increase foster care placements would help meet the target for registered placements.

The Chair thanked officers for the presentation and the Committee noted the update on the budget position.