Venue: Haringey Civic Centre
Contact: Philip Slawther, Principal Committee Co-ordinator
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FILMING AT MEETINGS Please note this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.
The Chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual, or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council. Minutes: The Chair referred those present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting and asked that those present reviewed and noted the information contained therein.
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Apologies for absence (if any) To receive any apologies for absence Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Hare.
Apologies were also received from Annie Walker, Kim Holt & Emma Cummergen.
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ACTIONS ARISING FROM THE MEETING WITH ASPIRE PDF 237 KB Discussion on follow up actions following the earlier meeting with Aspire. Minutes: NOTED: The actions listed in the notes of the meeting with Aspire.
The Committee noted with the thanks the work undertaken, and the progress made by the Director of Housing Demand around the Housing pledge.
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Urgent Business The Chair will consider the admission of late items of urgent business. Late items will be considered under the agenda item they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 11 below. Minutes: None. |
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Declarations of interest A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the consideration becomes apparent.
A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member’ judgement of the public interest. Minutes: None. |
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To consider the minutes of the meeting held on 6th February 2017. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 6th February 2017 were AGREED.
The Committee requested a short update on the impact of the recent fostering campaign advertised on Sky and whether this had resulted in any potential foster parents coming forward. (Action: Sarah Alexander).
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Matters Arising Minutes: The Committee NOTED the Corporate Parenting Agenda Plan 2016/17
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Performance Management PDF 2 MB Minutes: RECEIVED the report on Performance for the Year to the end of February 2017. Report included in the agenda pack (pages 13 to 20).
NOTED in response to discussion:
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Housing offer to LAC Verbal Update Minutes: The Committee noted the discussion on the Housing pledge discussed during the earlier meeting with Aspire.
The Committee were advised that elements of the Housing pledge would either be incorporated into a wider Aspire pledge, or that there would be an Aspire focused version of the Housing pledge. The Chair reiterated that she would like to have a regular Aspire agenda item on future Full Council meetings and that the Aspire pledge would hopefully be ready for Annual Council on 22nd May. It was proposed that the Housing pledge could be then adopted at the following Full Council meeting. It was agreed that the Clerk would circulate the Housing pledge to the Committee for final comments. (Action: Clerk).
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Haringey Pledge To note a verbal update on the Haringey pledge and approve its adoption at a future Full Council meeting. Minutes: The Committee noted the discussion on the Aspire pledge discussed during the earlier meeting with Aspire.
It was agreed that the Clerk would circulate the Aspire pledge to the Committee for final comments. (Action: Clerk).
The Committee agreed to inviting two members of the Aspire group to present the pledge to Full Council.
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Foster Care Contract PDF 134 KB Minutes: NOTED the Commissioning of Foster Care Recruitment report introduced by the Head of Service, Children in Care and Placements, which was included in the agenda pack at pages 21-23. The Committee was advised that a review was undertaken in 2016 and it was agreed to put the contract out to tender. This was unsuccessful and no bids were received for the contract. Following the tender, a market testing exercise was undertaken by the Commissioning team which identified 4 external providers. A further tendering exercise was undertaken, which resulted in a solitary bid for the contract. The bid was assessed in March and it was concluded that the provider did not meet the requirements of the tender on cost grounds.
The Head of Service, Children in Care and Placements advised that an interim contract with the former contractor had been extended until the end of June 2017. The Committee noted that the contract was based on payment by results and that four new foster carers had been brought to Panel since January 2017. Given the poor market response, it had been agreed to take forward an interim in-house model whilst other options were considered. The Committee were advised that the options were: · A neighbouring local authority taking on the training and recruitment function. · A partnership arrangement with a neighbouring council to take on all the activity for the fostering function recruitment training and approvals. · The North London Fostering & Adoption Consortium providing either of the two options above as a collective. · Implementing an in-house foster care service It was anticipated that initial feedback on the viability of these options would be received in April. In order to ensure that the department fulfilled its statutory duty as a fostering agency, an interim recruitment team had been set up which would be working closely with the communications team.
The Committee expressed its ongoing concerns about the delays to the process and the failed attempts to go out to the market. The Chair acknowledged that nobody was happy with the current arrangements and reiterated that bringing the foster care recruitment service back in-house was one option that was being examined. Officers advised that the challenge facing the Council was ensuring that any future in-house service did not perform as poorly as it had done prior to 2014, when the decision was taken to go out to the private sector. It was suggested that strong active management of the service was key determinant in a successful service, particularly given the challenges faced in an increasingly difficult market.
The Committee sought assurances that the assessment of options and the ultimate outcome of the decision would be firmly based upon evidence. The Chair acknowledged these concerns but also cautioned that the Council needed to have appropriate foster care services in place, and that that there was a balance between the need to develop a firm evidence base and the need to deliver at pace. Officers advised that the costings for the interim service were still being assessed by ... view the full minutes text for item 11. |
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Verbal Update on Pan-London Adoption Bid Minutes: NOTED the verbal update given by the Director of Children’s Services on the Pan-London Adoption bid. A handout was tabled which set out where the planning process had got to and what the next steps and timescales were. The Committee was advised that the majority of London local authorities had signed up in principle to the joint agreement with a hub & spoke model. There were five or six authorities exploring alternative options including an agreement with the Coram adoption agency. The Committee was advised that the proposed implementation phase was scheduled for November 2018 to July 2019.
The Chair advised the Committee that they should email any further questions to herself and the DCS.
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Comparative Performance Levels of LAC PDF 210 KB Minutes: NOTED the report presented given by the Head of Virtual Schools which set out the educational performance of the LAC in relation to ethnic background, focusing in particular on black/African Caribbean children and young people in comparison with their peer group.
The Committee requested that an update on the information contained in the report be provided on an annual basis. The Committee also requested that information be provided about the gender breakdown in performance levels of the LAC. (Action: Fiona Smith).
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Minutes: The Chair requested that the Supervision Order report be rolled over to the following meeting given that there would also be a broad paper around adoption. (Action: Sarah Alexander).
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NEW ITEMS OF URGENT BUSINESS Minutes: None |
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Any other business
Date of next meeting Minutes: In response to a query from Cllr Morris, the Chair advised that she and Cllr Arthur were looking into the campaign put forward by the Children’s Society around giving care leavers a Council Tax emption. It was noted that exemptions has already been set for the next municipal year and that the proposal could have a significant cost implication.
Future meetings
NOTED the following provisional dates: 4th July 2017 19th October 2017 16th January 2018 20th March 2018
Meetings are scheduled to start at 6.30pm.
The meeting ended at 20:40 hours.
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