Agenda item

(To receive a report from Sally Savage, Chief Commissioning Officer – Children's Services, which provides key performance information for Quarter 2 2018/19 relevant to the work of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee)

(NOTE: Appendix D to this report contains exempt information under Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, and discussion of this information could result in the exclusion of the press and public)

Consideration was given to a report by Sally Savage (Chief Commissioning Officer), which provided key performance information for Quarter 2, 2018/19 that was relevant to the work of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.

The following Appendices were attached to the report:-

·    Appendix A – Council Business Plan Measures;

·    Appendix B – Complaint and Compliments Report;

·    Appendix C – Ofsted School Status Report; and

·    Appendix D – Performance Monitoring of Contracts – Exempt Paper.

The Committee was reminded that Appendix D to the report contained exempt information and if the Committee wished to discuss details pertaining to Appendix D, a vote would need to be taken to move into exempt session.

During discussion, the Committee raised the following issues:--

·         Page 119 – Juvenile First Time Offenders – It was highlighted that the data reported had a six month lag and a rolling 12 month period.  One member queried historical data provided on the website.  The Committee was advised that for this quarter the Restorative project in Lincolnshire in conjunction with Lincolnshire Police had shown some effect in this period which had resulted in a significant reduction in the number of young people coming into the criminal justice system for the first time.  Officers confirmed that incidents previously regarded as offences were still committed, but were not being recorded in the same way, as the definition of the offence was being changed as a result of the restorative work.  It was agreed that it would be useful to see how many young people had gone through the restorative route;

·         Page 126 – Juvenile Re-offending – Concern was expressed to the time lag of data from the Ministry of Justice.  A request was made to see if this delay could be improved.  A further member agreed that it would be useful to have information pertaining to the type of offences committed by the young people.  It was noted that a report on Restorative Practice was due to be presented to the 26 April 2019 meeting; and

·         Page 142 – Complaint to Stage 2 – The Assistant Director of Safeguarding provided the Committee with an overview of the Children's Services complaint process, from which a request was made for more information on the outcomes of Ombudsman complaints, so that any underlying themes could be looked at in more depth if necessary.  A further suggestion was made for an annual Ombudsman report for the Committee to consider at the end of Quarter 4.  Officers agreed to look into this request.

At this point in the meeting, it was moved, seconded and:

RESOLVED

That in accordance with Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for consideration of Appendix D to the report on the grounds that if they were present there could be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.

The Chairman invited members of the Committee to ask questions in relation to Appendix D of the report and officers responded to questions raised.  It was noted that this item was now resolved.

RESOLVED

That the performance report for Quarter 2, 2018/19 and the comments of the Committee be noted.