Issue - meetings

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.

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)

1. 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.

2. 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. 

3. Five questions were received from Catherine Powell. No supplementary questions were asked.

4. 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.