Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Partnerships and Planning Manager.

Diane Taylor, Partnerships and Planning Manager attended to provide the Committee with the background to the Children’s Trust, including its roles, plans, achievements and future challenges. She also presented the newly developed Children and Young People’s plan which had been produced for and in consultation with Children and Young People.

Diane Taylor reported that the government had removed the requirement on local authorities to set up to set up Children’s Trust Boards and the requirement on those Boards to prepare and publish a joint Children and Young People’s Plan. However, she explained that Cheshire East Children’s Trust had recognised the importance of strong partnership working in meeting the needs of all children. As a result, the Trust made the decision to continue to work together as an effective partnership and saw this as an opportunity to address the issues that are most important to the Children and Young People in Cheshire East with solutions that are based on local need.

Referring to the future of the Trust and the Young People’s plan, Diane Taylor outlined the outcomes that she expected to be achieved how these would be delivered and managed. She suggested that a report be brought back to the Committee in six months to review progress on the proposed outcomes.

In opening the questions, a concern was expressed that in a climate of savings and spending restrictions, Cheshire East was continuing to proceed with a service that was no longer required by the government. It was queried whether this was worthwhile. Councillor Gaddum explained that she felt that it was vital to retain the Trust as it was a rare opportunity to bring together a number of agencies and authorities to work collaboratively in a meaningful way. She reported that this not only created efficiencies by reducing duplication and creating budgetary accountability but most importantly, created better outcomes for the wellbeing of children and young people in Cheshire East. Whilst the Committee accepted and supported this argument it was suggested that the budgetary implications of retaining the Trust could be brought as part of the update report along with evidence of any possible savings the joint working fostered by the Trust had produced.

It was also suggested that it would be useful for the Committee to receive the minutes of the Trust meetings as this would provide an insight to the work that was being done on a day-to-day basis. Diane Taylor confirmed that these would be circulated when available.

RESOLVED –

a)    That the report be received

b)    That the Committee supports the work of the Trust as the best way of achieving joined up, integrative working for the benefit of children and young people in Cheshire East.

c)    That an update report be brought back to the Committee in six months outlining the progress against the Trust’s proposed outcomes and priorities and that this report include the budgetary implications of retaining the Trust along with evidence of any possible savings the joint working fostered by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 113