Agenda item

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

Consideration was given to a report by the Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, which provided an update of recent work of the Committee and its future work programme, which was set out on pages 39 to 43.

Members were advised that the Committee would be receiving an update on the Joint Diversionary Panel, which was introduced in 2017 in response to detailed analysis of criminal justice disposals which evidenced the inappropriate use of Police Cautions against children and young people.

In partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, the Council had commissioned The University of Lincoln to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the Joint Diversionary Panel, and the key findings of this evaluation would be considered at the next meeting.

In January 2022, a report on the capital scheme appraisal decision in relation to the Building Communities of Specialist Provision Strategy which was the expansion of St Lawrence School in Horncastle was scheduled. The Committee had received an update on the implementation of this Strategy at its meeting on 15 October and was pleased with the fantastic progress that had been made despite the pandemic. Visits to the special schools would be arranged when it was appropriate and safe to do so.

The Committee had welcomed some new councillors to its membership and the Chairman was pleased to report that the Committee was operating well and there was a good level of questioning taking place within meetings.

The Board considered the report and in response to a concern raised about the need for a better model of transport for schools as well as a review of the exclusion policy and the mechanisms to support it, the Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee confirmed that the Committee would be considering a report on modes of sustainable school transport in March 2022. The Committee received regular updates on a range of issues raised by Members.

Consideration was then given to a report by the Chairman of the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee, which provided an update on the recent work of the Committee as well its future work programme.

Members were advised that in addition to reoccurring items such as the quarterly Service Level Performance and annual reporting from areas such as the Stay Safe Partnership, Libraries, Heritage, Coroner’s Services and others, the Committee had the opportunity to scrutinise and comment on decisions including the adoption of the Community Strategy 2021-24; the Proposed Submission to the Chief Coroner for the merger of the Lincolnshire and Grimsby and North Lincolnshire Coroners Areas, that allowed for a joint business case to be submitted from Lincolnshire County Council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council to the HM Chief Coroner; and the Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue (LFR) Technical Response Unit Refresh, where was reviewed and endorsed. 

The Chairman referred the Board to the Committee's future work programme, which was set out within the report.

An additional area highlighted and introduced from the initial meetings of the Committee under its new membership was Fire and Rescue Service attendances at Flooding Incidents, which included performance information on attendances to gauge trends and activity that were not currently forming a part of the quarterly performance indicators.

In response to a question raised, the Scrutiny Officer assured the Board that she would work with the Chairmen of both the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee and the Highways and Transport Scrutiny Committee to ensure that they had a joined up approach when reviewing the use of average speed camera schemes across the county.

RESOLVED:

1)      That the Board's satisfaction be recorded with the activity undertaken since June 2021 by:

(a)   the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee; and

(b)   the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee.

2)      That the Board's satisfaction be recorded with the planned work programme of:

(a)   the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee; and

(b)   the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee.