Agenda item

A report by the Director of Finance and Support Services, setting out the finance and performance position as at the end of September 2021.

The Committee are asked to examine the end of September 2021 (Quarter 2) quarterly performance and resources report which sets out the Council’s corporate performance, finance, savings delivery and business performance for the services within the remit of this Committee.

33.1     The Committee examined the Performance and Resources report (PRR), which set out the Council’s corporate performance, finance and savings delivery and business performance for the services within the remit of this Committee from July to end of September 2021.

Children and Young People

33.2     The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Russell, introduced the item reporting that the financial position was improved from quarter one. There were still some costly external placement fees to work on and there had been an increase in interest in foster service applications. 

33.3     Members of the Committee asked questions and a summary of those questions and answers follows:

·       Rereferrals – The table on page 43 showed an increase in rereferrals to Children’s Social Care within 12 months compared to the quarter one report.  It was advised that this had been caused by a reporting error which had been addressed.  The correct rate was slightly above average at 23%, which was in line with other local authorities and the English average. 

·       Contacts – A piece of work had been undertaken on contact enquiries which had showed re-contact rates were very low.

·       Stability of children looked after placements – The Assistant Director – Corporate Parenting reported that this was at the forefront for the service now.  The County Council has two outstanding rated homes specialising in higher complexity or need, and a third reopening shortly.  The service had seen some external placements returning to in-county provision.  Work was ongoing with providers and also looking into whether appropriate foster placements could be used.

·       Staffing vacancies – There was no financial target to have less staff and it was intended that the staffing budget would be fully spent.  The Covid pandemic had been a challenge in trying to achieve a full complement of permanent staff.  This had meant agency staff had still been employed, however some had transferred from agencies into permanent positions.  Additionally, internal training meant the County Council were growing our own professionals.  Action: The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People agreed to give members a briefing report on “growing our own” work.

Learning and Skills

33.4     The Cabinet Member for Learning and Skills, Cllr Nigel Jupp, introduced the item for Learning and Skills and highlighted that the quarter two from July to September had very little time when the schools were fully functioning due to the school holidays.

33.5     Members of the Committee asked questions and a summary of those questions and answers follows:

·       Transport of Children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – Parents of children with EHCPs are made aware of the parental mileage rate offer and encouraged to transport their children to special schools and claim the mileage.  The numbers doing so have doubled since 2020.  Committee members were reassured that parents were also made aware of the scheme through social care teams and the EHCP process. 

·       Dedicated Schools Grant – The County Council is planning to manage the risk in part by increasing the number of places in special support centres in mainstream schools and increasing the number of places in special schools.

·       Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee School – The project had been delayed due to the original contractor withdrawing.  The retendering process had led to higher costs due to the increase in the price of building materials due to the pandemic.  This had delayed the construction project.

·       EHCP Secondary School pilot – The project started in the summer 2021 and focussed on individual year 6 primary school pupils with EHCPs to help children to transition into a mainstream secondary school.  Once settled the existing secondary school provision would support pupils.  Similarly, there was a scheme for pupils aged 16 years and over helping with transition from secondary school into further provision eg colleges.

·       Staffing Vacancies – Funding is made available to schools for school crossing patrols but often schools don’t take that up.  Some vacancies have not been recruited to because the Education and Skills directorate is undertaking a redesign.  With the direct Government reducing grant for central block activities, which the County Council uses to support statutory responsibilities, savings must be made.

33.6     Resolved – That the Committee:

1.   Welcomes the format and information contained in the PRR and agreed it was a useful tool to carry out scrutiny of the Council’s Performance and Financial Position. 

2.   Welcomes the services focus and ambition around Performance Measure 1 (Percentage of re-referrals to Children’s Social Care within 12 months of the previous referral) recognising it is an important indicator to measure the quality of service provided to children and young people. 

3.   Would like to see how the option for parents to claim milage to provide home to school transport for their children could be further promoted and agreed to explore with the service how Members can assist to promote this to parents.  

4.   Thanks those working together to help address the financial pressures and risks in the Learning and Skills Portfolio, which are primarily due to the increase in EHCPs, and supports the work being taken forward to increase capacity of WSCC SEND placements. The Committee welcomes that the Special Support Centres are being progressed as a priority as part of this.