Agenda item

(To receive a report by Tracy Johnson (Senior Scrutiny Officer), which sets out the work programmes of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee; and the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee, in accordance with the Board's agreed programme)

Consideration was given to a report which set out the work programmes of the:

·    Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee; and

·    Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee.

The Board was requested to make any necessary suggestions on the content of the work programmes.

Statements from the Chairmen in relation to the work programmes were circulated at the meeting.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

In the absence of the Chairman, a member of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, Councillor R Wootten updated the Members on the work being undertaken by the Committee.

It was noted that the Chairman of the Committee, Councillor R Foulkes wished to highlight the following areas of work to the Committee:

·    SEND Review;

·    Prevent Strategy; and

·    Restorative Panels Pilot.

It was highlighted that a Councillor training session on Prevent was being organised to take place in November 2017 to which all Councillors would be invited.

The Restorative Panels Pilot was being considered at the Committee's March 2018 meeting.  The benefits of restorative justice for the small core of repeat young offenders in Lincolnshire, was considered to be of high importance, especially if they came from a family of criminals where committing crimes was deemed normal. 

It was noted that, at its last meeting, Councillor S R Dodds had been elected as Chairman of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Boards Scrutiny Sub Group.

With a 50% reduction in the number of children excluded from primary schools, Mr Rudman, (Church Representative) explained that an alternative curriculum for excluded pupils had been used and this had reduced the number of exclusions.

Items yet to be programmed included School funding and the impact of the National Funding Formula implementations.  There was discussion regarding the suggestion from NASUWT that some schools were squirreling away spare cash.  Questions were asked regarding how much schools in Lincolnshire were saving.  Mrs Barnett, (Parent Governor Representative) highlighted that at her school, the governors were privy to the accounts each year, and could see where money was going. 

Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee

It was highlighted at this point, that it was considered good practice for the Chairman and Vice Chairman to regularly meet with their Committee's relevant Executive Councillor.

There were three key areas that the Chairman, Councillor N H Pepper wished the Committee to be made aware of:

·         The Committee would consider The Citizen Engagement Strategy at its next meeting;

·         Assisting Rehabilitation through Collaboration would be considered by the Committee sitting as the Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Committee in early 2018;

·         The Theatre in Education play Too Fast Too Soon would be performed for Councillors at its next meeting on 31 October 2017 at 1.30pm.  Any Councillors wishing to see this were welcome to attend;

·         The Committee's current working group on Future Governance Models for the Heritage Service had held its first and second meetings.

RESOLVED

1.    That the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board be satisfied with the content of the work programmes of:

·         The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee (Appendix A to the report); and

·         Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee (Appendix B to the report)

2.    That no suggestions on the content of the work programmes of the two committees listed above be put forward by the Board.