Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Michelle Rose  Tel: 024 7697 2645 Email:  michelle.rose@coventry.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

30.

Declarations of Interests

Minutes:

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

31.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 83 KB

a)  To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 28th November, 2019

b)  Matters Arising

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 28th November, 2019 were approved.

 

Further to minute 13/19 ‘Special Educational Need and Disability (SEND) Update’ it was reported that Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) had conducted the joint local area SEND Inspection in Coventry between 14th and 18th October, 2019 and feedback had been positive, further information would be provided to Members.  The Scrutiny Board congratulated officers and the Cabinet Members.

 

Further to min 27/19 ‘Post 16 Transitions and Young People who are not participating in Education, Employment and Training (NEET)’ members found the input from students at the meeting useful.

32.

Libraries Update pdf icon PDF 81 KB

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to minute 41/18 the Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided an update on the current position of the Coventry Libraries and Information Service.  The note included information about the recent service changes and delivery of savings, as well as updating the Board on current key performance measures and recent developments.

 

The Council introduced the Connecting Communities programme in 2015/2016. The programme was introduced in two phases with changes to Library Services introduced alongside changes to a number of other Council services.  The main changes to Library Services included reductions in opening hours, reductions in the amount of money spent on library stock, a move to three library types (core, partnership and community-led) along with the de-commissioning of the mobile library.

 

Phase one of the changes resulted in budget reductions of £802k, phase two of the changes supported a further reduction of £503k, totalling £1,305k.  In line with the Medium- Term Financial Strategy in November 2018 a third set of proposals focused on increased self-service and other limited service reductions was consulted on with staff and service users which reduced budgets by a further £319k.

 

A summary of the current status of the 17 public libraries which operated in the City was provided and performance information was detailed in the appendix to the update.  Visits and loans from Libraries remained positive and the use of ICT (both number of sessions and hours) showed an increase year on year.  Changes to the opening hours of community-led libraries had started to result in improved performance.  A recent Cipfa survey identified Central Library in Coventry as having the second most visitors in the West Midlands (after the Hive, Worcester) and the third highest number of loan issues (after the Hive, Worcester and Rugby Library).

 

The three community-based organisations delivering Cheylesmore, Earlsdon and Finham libraries continued to have healthy numbers of volunteers supporting these libraries.  The Library Service itself also had positive opportunities for local people to volunteer, training over 113 with now around 62 volunteers supporting Council library settings.  Recruitment of volunteers was now part of the day-to-day operation of the service.  Volunteering in Libraries had been a stepping-stone for many into paid employment, including at least 3 who had gone on to be appointed to Library Service jobs.

 

The Council consulted with staff regarding plans to introduce single-staffed libraries last year.  Following representations from staff, Trades Unions and from others including the Scrutiny Board, it was decided in consultation with the Cabinet Member not to pursue this in the form proposed.  As future budget proposals were considered and options for the co-location of services were developed, opportunities for creative staffing models would be explored. 

 

Other proposals for reduced budgets were introduced as per the proposals discussed by the Board in November 2018.  These included the introduction of a ‘Library Express’ model at Central Library, ending the provision of hard copy newspapers and magazines (except for the Coventry Telegraph) the introduction of a privately-run café  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

33.

Update on Early Help and Family Hubs pdf icon PDF 864 KB

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Minutes:

Further to minute 46/18 the Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided an update on progress with the Early Help Offer of the Family Hubs, including information regarding access by children, young people, and their families, and service reach from the Hubs into the wider communities.  The report also provided

·  further data regarding the support for young people accessing the service over 16 years, and the re-referral data,

·  the development of the early help dashboard, including data for those over 19 using the service

·  an update on the priorities identified in the previous report

·  the Early Help Strategy and embedded transformation plan, which included the continued development and delivery of the Family Hub model as part of the early help offer

The report noted that there were 8 Family Hubs in operation across the city, serving local communities and focusing on delivering early help to children aged 0-19, and up to 24 for young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and their families.

The Family hubs had been operational since November 2017 following the Cabinet decision in March 2017 to agree the implementation of Connecting Communities programme, which included the reduction of Children Centres and the redesign of Children Services. It was agreed at that time that 8 of the previous Children Centre buildings would become the Family Hubs, and the Local authority would base its newly formed Early Help family support staff within them.

The Family hub practitioners deliver a range of services targeted at families who need early help, and the buildings also host universal services for all families such as well baby clinics, and targeted services such as Coventry Independent Advice service.  Family Hubs were a delivery point in local communities to provide interagency working and they aimed to deliver the right help at the right time.  Practitioners working from the Family Hubs included Local Authority Children Services staff, health visitors, midwives, school nurses, adult learning, Police community support officers (in East and Central), Coventry Independent Advice Service, and an increasing range of other partners to meet the local needs. 

 

Anyone can access the family hubs, and there is a daily “Here to Help” service available for people that come to the centres, phone up or make a “request for early help”. There are also a timetable of activities and services delivered throughout the year that serve as opportunities for children, young people and adults to engage with the Family hub and the early help offer.

 

From January,2020 there would be a new digital sign in system operating in all family hubs, which would enable more accurate “footfall” data and improvements were being made in the data collection, and analysis process to enable more accurate performance reporting

 

The report also provided the following:

·  data including the number of children in each area by age and early help episodes/requests and staff caseload

·  information about new early help assessment and plans

·  a workforce development strategy

·  hub user survey

 

New initiatives had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

34.

Children's Services Improvement pdf icon PDF 78 KB

Briefing Note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People)

Minutes:

Further to minute 25/19 the Scrutiny Board considered a briefing note of the Deputy Chief Executive (People) which provided an update on progress with Children’s Services improvement reported to the Continuous Improvement Executive Group on 19th December, 2019.  The next Continuous Improvement Executive Group would be held on 25th February, 2019. 

 

The Continuous Improvement Executive Group would ensure tighter focus on continuous improvement and Ofsted preparation.  The impact of performance would be managed and monitored by the group.  This was an interim measure before returning to business as usual in accordance with the revised arrangements for Children’s Safeguarding, and subject to satisfactory inspection by September 2020.  At this time the Executive Group would cease and oversight transferred to Coventry Safeguarding Children’s Partnership and monitored as business as usual. 

 

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive continued to give public commitment that Children’s Services remained a key priority for the Council. This included prioritising funding for Children’s Services to maintain its capacity to improve.  The Council, alongside partner organisations continued a relentless focus on securing improvements in services for children, young people and families to ensure they were safeguarded and achieved positive outcomes.

 

The next standard Inspection of Children’s Services was anticipated to be between September 2019 and September 2020.

 

The Continuous Improvement plan was reviewed by Executive Group board members on 19 December 2019, overall good progress was being made against actions in the plan.

 

The report noted progress with the following:

·  Performance Board review of critical performance indicators.  Executive Group members were reassured that work was being undertaken to address performance issues and critical performance indicators were highlighting improvement.

·  A workforce update including a data summary with the following information:

There had been an increase in Social Workers and there had been a decrease in agency staff, a decrease in vacancies and a decrease in average caseloads, however sickness absence had increased.

·  The Childrens Services Conference had included news, updates, reflection, learning from a Serious Case Review, the launch of the Strategic plan and updated vision, Ofsted planning and celebration of successes

·  Ofsted preparations including the completion of the self-assessment mid January, 2020.

 

The Board commented on the positive reduction in reliance on agency staff and thanked the Cabinet Member and Director of Children’s Services for the useful visit they had arranged for Board Members to meet Social Workers.

 

The Board questioned the Cabinet Member and officers present on the following:

·  Increase in sickness absence and concern about staff having increased pressures

·  Benchmarking sickness

·  Critical performance indicators

·  Self-assessment preparation for Ofsted

 

Officers responded that they were proud of the work of the Academy and were monitoring the sickness absence.  Benchmarking was undertaken comparing other service areas and data was reported to the Finance and Corporate Services Scrutiny Board (1).  Officers were also looking at ways to support staff through career pathways.  The Self- Assessment was an important preparation that officers were in the process of completing and this would be reported to Members.

 

RESOLVED  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

35.

Work Programme pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Briefing Note of the Scrutiny Co-ordinator

Minutes:

The Scrutiny Board noted the work programme including the change of meeting from 19th to 11th March, 2020.

36.

Any Other Business

Any other items of business which the Chair decides to take as matters of urgency because of the special circumstances involved.

Minutes:

There were no other items of business.