Agenda item

Motion on Ofsted inspection of Children's Services

To consider the following motion, notice of which was given on 20 May 2019 by Mr Jones.

 

In light of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Social Care Services which rated all elements of the service inadequate and the acknowledgement of the Executive that it has failed to provide adequate funding to prevent substantial service decline, this Council:

 

(a)      Calls on the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to arrange a Member Day at the earliest opportunity so all members can understand how the political and corporate leadership enabled services to decline so severely since the last inspection and, given that all members have corporate parenting responsibilities, to provide an update on the improvement programme and receive assurances that all the children and young people the County Council is responsible for are receiving adequate support;

 

(b)      Pledges to do everything necessary to improve services for those children and families who need support as directed by the Commissioner (soon to be appointed) and the Independent Improvement Board;

 

(c)      Calls on the Leader to ensure that improving these services is the County Council’s top priority and that any funding deemed necessary to turn these services around is made available, and that no savings targets are allocated to Children’s Social Care; and

 

(d)      Calls for oversight, scrutiny and challenge to be more robust and independent minded, by enabling all of the Select Committees to nominate their own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, one of which should be drawn from the minority groups.  Such nominations to be conducted by secret ballot, in line with recent national scrutiny guidance, and to be implemented as soon as possible.’

Minutes:

24.1  The following motion was moved by Mr Jones and seconded by Ms Sudan. 

 

‘In light of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Social Care Services which rated all elements of the service inadequate and the acknowledgement of the Executive that it has failed to provide adequate funding to prevent substantial service decline, this Council:

 

(a)     Calls on the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to arrange a Member Day at the earliest opportunity so all members can understand how the political and corporate leadership enabled services to decline so severely since the last inspection and, given that all members have corporate parenting responsibilities, to provide an update on the improvement programme and receive assurances that all the children and young people the County Council is responsible for are receiving adequate support;

 

(b)     Pledges to do everything necessary to improve services for those children and families who need support as directed by the Commissioner (soon to be appointed) and the Independent Improvement Board;

 

(c)     Calls on the Leader to ensure that improving these services is the County Council’s top priority and that any funding deemed necessary to turn these services around is made available, and that no savings targets are allocated to Children’s Social Care; and

 

(d)     Calls for oversight, scrutiny and challenge to be more robust and independent minded, by enabling all of the Select Committees to nominate their own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, one of which should be drawn from the minority groups.  Such nominations to be conducted by secret ballot, in line with recent national scrutiny guidance, and to be implemented as soon as possible.’

 

24.2  An amendment was moved by Mr Simmons and seconded by Mr Crow as set out below:

 

‘In light of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Social Care Services which rated all elements the overall effectiveness of the service inadequate and the acknowledgement of the Executive that the Council needs to address it has failed to provide adequate funding to prevent substantial service decline, this Council:

 

(a)     Calls on the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and the Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Panel to arrange a member event Member Day at the earliest opportunity so all members can understand how the political and corporate leadership enabled services were able to decline so severely since the last inspection, how they can support, enable and ensure the changes required and, given that all members have corporate parenting responsibilities, to provide an update on the improvement programme and receive assurances that all the children and young people the County Council is all members are responsible for are receiving adequate support;

 

(b)     Pledges to do everything necessary to improve services for those children and families who need support as directed by the Commissioner (soon to be appointed) and the Independent Improvement Board;

 

(c)     Calls on the Leader to ensure that improving these services is the County Council’s top priority and, recognising the swift action already taken, that any funding deemed necessary to turn around support these services and the valued staff who provide them is made available, and that no savings targets are allocated to proposals divert this ambition for Children’s Social Care; and

 

(d)     Calls for members who carry out oversight, scrutiny and challenge to ensure they are be more robust and independent minded, and invites the Governance Committee to consider whether any changes should be made to the Council’s scrutiny arrangements by enabling all of the Select Committees to nominate their own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, one of which should be drawn from the minority groups.  Such nominations to be conducted by secret ballot, in line with recent national scrutiny guidance, and to be implemented as soon as possible.’

 

24.3  The amendment was put to a recorded vote under Standing Order 35.5.

 

(a)     For the amendment 39

 

Lt Cdr Atkins, Mr Barnard, Mr Barrett-Miles, Mrs Bennett, Mr Bradford, Mrs Bridges, Mr Burrett, Mr Catchpole, Mr Cloake, Mr Crow, Mr Elkins, Ms Goldsmith, Mrs Hall, Mr High, Mr Hillier, Mr Hunt, Mrs Jones, Mrs Jupp, Mr Jupp, Ms Kennard, Mrs Kitchen, Mr Lanzer, Mr Marshall, Mr McDonald, Mr Mitchell, Mr Montyn, Mr R J Oakley, Mr S J Oakley, Mr Parikh, Mr Patel, Mrs Pendleton, Mrs Purnell, Mrs Russell, Mr Simmons, Mrs Sparkes, Mr Turner, Mrs Urquhart, Mr Whittington and Mr Wickremaratchi.

 

(b)     Against the amendment - 17

 

Mrs Brunsdon, Mr Buckland, Dr Dennis, Mrs Dennis, Mr Jones, Mr Lea, Ms Lord, Mrs Millson, Dr O’Kelly, Mr Oppler, Mr Oxlade, Mr Purchese, Mr Quinn, Mrs Smith, Mr Smytherman, Ms Sudan and Dr Walsh.

 

(c)     Abstentions – 5

 

Mrs Arculus, Mr Baldwin, Mr Barling, Mr Bradbury and Mr Fitzjohn.

 

24.4   The amendment was carried.

 

24.5   An amendment was moved by Dr Walsh and seconded by Ms Lord as set out below:

 

          ‘In light of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Social Care Services which rated all elements of the service inadequate and the acknowledgement of the Executive that it has failed to provide adequate funding to prevent substantial service decline, calling into question the confidence this Council can have in its Leader and whether she should retain that position, this Council:

 

(a)     Calls on the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People to arrange a Member Day at the earliest opportunity so all members can understand how the political and corporate leadership enabled services to decline so severely since the last inspection and, given that all members have corporate parenting responsibilities, to provide an update on the improvement programme and receive assurances that all the children and young people the County Council is responsible for are receiving adequate support and in particular by ensuring senior staff stability;

 

(b)     Pledges to do everything necessary to improve services for those children and families who need support as directed by the Commissioner (soon to be appointed) and the Independent Improvement Board;

 

(c)     Calls on the Leader to ensure that improving these services is the County Council’s top priority and that any funding deemed necessary to turn these services around is made available if necessary by drawing on contingencies this year, with appropriate budget provision next year and following, and that no savings targets are allocated to Children’s Social Care; and

 

(d)     Calls for oversight, scrutiny and challenge to be more robust and independent minded, by enabling all of the Select Committees to nominate their own Chairman and Vice-Chairman, one of which should be drawn from the minority groups.  Such nominations to be conducted by secret ballot, in line with recent national scrutiny guidance, and to be implemented as soon as possible.’

 

24.6  The amendment was put to a recorded vote under Standing Order 3.35.

 

(a)     For the amendment – 18

 

Mr Baldwin, Mrs Brunsdon, Mr Buckland, Dr Dennis, Mrs Dennis, Mr Jones, Mr Lea, Ms Lord, Mrs Millson, Dr O’Kelly, Mr Oppler, Mr Oxlade, Mr Purchese, Mr Quinn, Mrs Smith, Mr Smytherman, Ms Sudan and Dr Walsh.

 

(b)     Against the amendment - 38

 

Lt Cdr Atkins, Mr Barling, Mr Barnard, Mr Barrett-Miles, Mrs Bennett, Mr Bradford, Mr Burrett, Mr Catchpole, Mr Cloake, Mr Crow, Mr Elkins, Ms Goldsmith, Mrs Hall, Mr High, Mr Hillier, Mr Hunt, Mrs Jupp, Mr Jupp, Ms Kennard, Mrs Kitchen, Mr Lanzer, Mr Marshall, Mr McDonald, Mr Mitchell, Mr Montyn, Mr R J Oakley, Mr S J Oakley, Mr Parikh, Mr Patel, Mrs Pendleton, Mrs Purnell, Mrs Russell, Mr Simmons, Mrs Sparkes, Mr Turner, Mrs Urquhart, Mr Whittington and Mr Wickremaratchi.

 

(c)     Abstentions – 5

 

Mrs Arculus, Mr Bradbury, Mrs Bridges, Mr Fitzjohn and Mrs Jones.

 

24.7   The amendment was lost.

 

24.8  The motion, as amended, was put to a recorded vote under Standing Order 35.5.

 

(a)     For the motion, as amended – 44

 

Lt Cdr Atkins, Mr Barling, Mr Barnard, Mr Barrett-Miles, Mrs Bennett, Mr Bradford, Mrs Bridges, Mr Burrett, Mr Catchpole, Mr Cloake, Mr Crow, Mr Elkins, Ms Goldsmith, Mrs Hall, Mr High, Mr Hillier, Mr Hunt, Mr Jones, Mrs Jones, Mrs Jupp, Mr Jupp, Mrs Kitchen, Mr Lanzer, Mr Marshall, Mr McDonald, Mr Mitchell, Mr Montyn, Mr R J Oakley, Mr S J Oakley, Mr Oxlade, Mr Parikh, Mr Patel, Mrs Pendleton, Mrs Purnell, Mr Quinn, Mrs Russell, Mr Simmons, Mrs Smith, Mrs Sparkes, Ms Sudan, Mr Turner, Mrs Urquhart, Mr Whittington and Mr Wickremaratchi.

 

(b)     Against the motion, as amended - 9

 

Mr Buckland, Dr Dennis, Ms Lord, Mrs Millson, Dr O’Kelly, Mr Oppler, Mr Purchese, Mr Smytherman and Dr Walsh.

 

(c)     Abstentions – 7

 

Mrs Arculus, Mr Baldwin, Mr Bradbury, Mrs Brunsdon, Mrs Dennis, Mr Fitzjohn and Mr Lea.

 

24.9   The motion, as amended and set out below, was carried.

 

          ‘In light of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Social Care Services which rated the overall effectivenessof the service inadequate and the acknowledgement of the Executive that the Council needs to address substantial service decline, this Council:

 

(a)     Calls on the Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and the Chairman of the Corporate Parenting Panelto arrange a member event at the earliest opportunity so all members can understand how services were ableto decline, how they can support, enable and ensure the changes required and, given that all members have corporate parenting responsibilities, to provide an update on the improvement programme and receive assurances that all the children and young people all members are responsible for are receiving adequate support;

 

(b)     Pledges to do everything necessary to improve services for those children and families who need support as directed by the Commissioner (soon to be appointed) and the Independent Improvement Board;

 

(c)     Calls on the Leader to ensure that improving these services is the County Council’s top priority and, recognising the swift action already taken, that any funding deemed necessary to supportthese services and the valued staff who provide themis made available, and that no savings proposals divert this ambition forChildren’s Social Care; and

 

(d)     Calls for members who carry out oversight, scrutiny and challenge to ensure they arerobust and independent minded, and invites the Governance Committee to consider whether any changes should be made to the Council’s scrutiny arrangements.’

Supporting documents: