Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member (Children and Families) submitted a report presenting an action plan following the Ofsted inspection of Bury Council’s Children’s Services relating to children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and a review of the Local Safeguarding Board. The inspection took place between 22 February and 17 March 2016 and had determined that children and young people in Bury were safe.

The proposed action plan incorporated the recommendations from Ofsted inspection to assist the Council in ensuring all services to children and young people were good or outstanding.

The plan identified funding from reserves in 2016/17 for the provision of additional short term posts (6 months). The total request of resources from reserves for the action plan was £195K in 2016/17.

It was reported that Cabinet had approved the resource request at its meeting held on 20 July 2106.

During discussion of the Action Plan, the Assistant Director (Social Care and Safeguarding), reported on recruitment issues within the service, highlighting that the key post of Strategic Lead for Quality Assessment and Performance had now been filled. With regard to temporary posts within the Department the Assistant Director commented that the process was being managed economically.

In response to a question from the Chair concerning cost implications, the Assistant Director explained that much of the actions highlighted were cost neutral and met from within existing resources. An undertaking was given to ensure this was explicit in future updates to the Committee.

It was agreed:

1.    That this Committee notes that the implementation of the Action Plan will be regularly monitored through Cabinet, the Corporate Parenting Board, Safeguarding Children Overview Project Group and Local Safeguarding Board.

 That an update be submitted to this Committee early in 2017, following a further visit from Ofsted.

The Cabinet Member (Children and Families) submitted a report presenting an action plan following the Ofsted inspection of Bury Council’s Children’s Services relating to children in need of help and protection, children looked after and care leavers and a review of the Local Safeguarding Board. The inspection took place between 22 February and 17 March 2016 and determined that children and young people in Bury are safe.

The proposed action plan incorporates the recommendations from Ofsted inspection and will assist the Council in ensuring all services to children and young people are good or outstanding.

The plan identifies funding from reserves in 2016/17 for the provision of additional short term posts (6 months). The total request of resources from reserves for the action plan is £195K in 2016/17.

Delegated decision:

1.    That approval be given to the action plan which has been written in response to the Ofsted report on Bury Council’s Children’s Services.

2.   That approval be given to the allocation of £195K from reserves to fund the work identified in the action plan in 2016/2017.

Reason for the decision:

The Council is required to submit an action plan to Ofsted within 70 working days of the publication of the report on Children’s Services. The deadline for the response is 23 August 2016.

Other options considered and rejected:

To reject the action plan in whole or in part. The Council would then be unable to comply with Ofsted requirements.