Agenda item

(To receive a report 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 by the Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, which detailed the future work programme of the Committee, as well as recent work of the Committee. Further detail was provided at Appendix A to the report.

The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner and a representative from NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group had attended the last meeting of the Committee to represent the Police and Health Services, who, along with the Council, were the statutory partners of the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP).  After a lengthy debate with a lot of challenge provided to the LSCP’s Independent Chair and Business Manager, the Committee was assured of the work being undertaken by the LSCP.

The Chairman of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee was pleased to report that a letter received from Ofsted in relation to its focused visit to Children’s Services was extremely positive and highlighted that children were supported highly effectively to make good progress and that there was clear evidence of strong relationship-based social work practice throughout the service.

The Committee had supported the recommendations to the Executive and welcomed the commissioning arrangements for the holiday activities and food (HAF) programme in which the Council would receive grant funding to provide school meals to eligible children outside of term time. 

Consideration was then given to a report by the Chairman of the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee, which detailed the future work programme of the Committee, as well as recent work of the Committee. Further detail was provided at Appendix B to the report.

At its meeting in April, the Committee had received a report in relation to Volunteering in Lincolnshire and was updated on how Covid has affected the voluntary sector in the County; a report on the current picture about Avian Flu across the County and how cases were being tackled; a report on the outcomes of the Her Majesty's Inspectorate for Constabularies and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) review of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue in which the Committee had agreed for a further report to be added on to the work programme in regards to actions taken to mitigate concerns and address recommendations; and lastly, the Committee was reassured around the arrangements established by Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire’s district douncils, and multi-agency partners to deliver the government’s requirements in relation to the Ukraine humanitarian crisis and requested that a further update be submitted to the Committee in six months time.

Further to the dispatch of the agenda, the Board was advised of the following additions to the work programme of the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee:

·       The Trading Standards Annual Review and the Stay Safe Update Report in September 2022

·       Reducing Offending – The Work of the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership in December 2022

·       An update in the Food sector by Trading Standards and an Update from the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership in January 2023

·        The Annual PREVENT report and a report on Substance Misuse in March 2023

Assurance was provided by the Chairman of the Public Protection and Communities Scrutiny Committee that the Committee was working alongside the Executive Councillor for Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services and the Chief Fire Officer, to address areas for improvement within the Fire Service following the findings of the report from HMCIFRS.

RESOLVED:

1.      That the Board's satisfaction be recorded with the activity undertaken since 27 January 2022 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.