Agenda item

(Councillor Mrs Wagland) To consider an interim report of the Children Services Task and Finish Panel.

The Chairman of the Children Services Task and Finish Panel, Councillor Mrs Wagland introduced the Panel interim report. The Panel was established to inform a decision on whether the Council should sign up to the Memorandum of Understanding with Essex Children’s Trust in respect of Safeguarding Children. They were also asked to gather information regarding local provision for Children and Young people.

At their first meeting in September, the Panel were informed that Essex County Council had announced a revision of Children’s Trust arrangements including withdrawal of the Memorandum of Agreement. This was partly in response to the County Council’s recent Ofsted in August which had again been judged to be ‘Unsatisfactory’. This caused the Panel to revise their terms of reference in light of the changes.

They had real concerns to the apparent drive by Essex to commission services on an Essex-wide basis. Concerns of local partners were realised when it was confirmed that Essex had indeed pursued a preferred partner route and Essex-wide approach to commissioning key services for children. This being in complete contrast to the Government’s plans for a ‘Big Society’ and ‘Place Based Budgeting’. A group of local partners presented their concerns as a united body at the final commissioning meeting and requested that Essex County consider a local commissioning arrangement within West Essex.

The Committee noted that the first part of the second recommendation of the report has now been overtaken by events, the District Children’s Partnership will not now be deleted and the recommendation was now just to note the Panel’s concern in respect of the planned Essex-wide preferred partner approach to the commissioning of children’s services.

Councillor Jacobs was impressed with the report and agreed that the problem seemed to be Essex County Council once again. We needed to tell them that their attitude and tactics were to the detriment of the children in our area.

Councillor Mrs Collins supported the report, she said that the County was unaware of what was happening in their Children’s Services and they needed to be aware of this. The funding that goes to County should come down to us to enable us to continue our good work.

It was noted that the West of the County was the only area with district level Children’s Partnership, which are funfamental to the delivery of local children’s service and that county should be made aware of this.

Councillor Philip suggested someone from County should be invited to either this Committee, Cabinet, Council or to the Task and Finish Panel so that they could hear our views. Also the Public Relations people should be letting people know how good our systems are and about our excellent Ofsted rating.

RESOLVED:

1)                  That the interim report of the Children’s Services Task and Finish Panel be noted;

2)                  That the Panel’s concerns in regard to Essex County Council’s recent amendments to the county structure for Children’s Services and their concerns in respect of the planned Essex–wide and preferred partner approach to commissioning children’s services be noted; and

3)                  That Overview and Scrutiny Panel agreed that a formal response be made to Essex County Council in regard of the above.