37 QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS PDF 284 KB
To
receive any questions or petitions.
Notes:
1.
The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm
four working days before the meeting (19 June
2020).
2.
The deadline for public questions is seven days
before the meeting(18 June 2020)
3.
The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the
meeting, and no petitions have been received.
The
public retain their right to submit questions for written response,
with such answers recorded in the minutes of the meeting;
questioners may participate in meetings to ask a supplementary
question. Petitioners may address the Committee on their petition
for up to three minutes Guidance will be made available to any
member of the public wishing to speak at a meeting.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Witnesses:
Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Education and
Learning
Tina Benjamin, Director – Corporate Parenting
Liz
Mills, Director – Education and Lifelong Learning
Hayley Connor, Director – Commissioning (CFL)
- Four questions were
received from Fiona Davidson. The Member asked a supplementary
question about the reason for the net decrease of mainstream foster
carers and why the service was struggling to retain and recruit
them. The Director for Corporate Parenting gave reasons that
included retirement, standards of care, and personal circumstances.
The service was working with the Foster Care Association to rectify
any issues foster carers had. Difficulties to recruit and retain
foster carers was a nationwide issue, as well as the impact of the
pandemic regarding lifestyle changes.
- As a supplementary
question, the Member queried whether it was possible to change the
process regarding the deadline for submitting transport requests to
consider the timeframe of appealing a school place. The Director
for Education and Lifelong Learning explained that this was being
looked into. Once the initial phase had passed, there would be an
analysis of the cohort to understand the sequence and to inform
changes. The Director for Commissioning added that the analysis of
staffing requirements had started, and they had introduced some
levels of automation. A Member asked whether this work should come
to the Select Committee. The Cabinet Member reassured Members that
they would be closely involved in the review.
- Five questions were
received from Catherine Powell. No supplementary questions were
asked.
- Five questions were
received from Mark Sugden. The Member suggested for a further
report on home to school transport to come as an item to a future
public meeting. It was agreed that the Committee would receive an
interim report to the meeting in December 2022 and a full report in
2023.