Issue - meetings

To consider a report of   Director of Children’s Services.

Councillors Phil Hoyland and Ken Edwards attended the meeting and addressed the committee in respect of this item.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services relating to the progress, performance and issues arising from the Children’s Improvement Plan. The report also included at appendix 1  the findings of a peer challenge of the Cheshire East Consultation Service (ChECS) undertaken by an inspection team from Lancashire County Council on 3 and 4 October 2013  which had provided very positive feedback.

Other Key highlights from the improvement plan included:

·                     Plans were underway for the wider Safeguarding Peer Review which was to begin on 10 March 2014;

·                     Cheshire East was one of 3 authorities that  had been invited to take part in Ofsted’s Improvement Support Programme Pilot;

·                     Partners were engaging with improvements;

·                     The Children’s Rights and Participation provider was prioritising improvements

·                     A young person had joined the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and the Chief Executive would attend 2 meetings each year

·                     The Realignment of social care teams would improve service delivery

·                     A new case management system provider, Liquid Logic had been selected which was used by the majority of Local authorities in the Country.

In respect of potential future scrutiny activity, the Director of Children’s Services informed the committee that a new Ofsted framework had been issued in October and that as part of the new framework, Ofsted would be reviewing  leadership in Cheshire East and that this was likely to encompass scrutiny activity.

He suggested that the Committee may wish to invite Ian Rush the Chair of the LSCB to a future meeting to gain an understanding of the work of the Board.

He also drew Members’ attention to various examples of national guidance on scrutiny activity in Children Services.

RESOLVED

(a)       That the report be received;

(b)       That an invitation be extended to Ian Rush the Chair of the LSCB to           attend a future meeting of the committee;

(c )       That the Chairman report back to a future meeting on             potential items          for additional scrutiny in Children’s Services, having regard to national      guidance.