Agenda item

This report presents the People and Communities Directorate Plan to the Panel for consideration and feedback as part of the Council’s service planning and budget development process.

All Directorate Plans can be viewed at https://democracy.bathnes.gov.uk/ecCatDisplay.aspx?sch=doc&cat=13506

The Strategic Director for People & Communities introduced this item to the Panel. He stated that the scale of the financial challenge facing the Council was clear.

The Chair asked if the budget for school’s maintenance was enough.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that there was never enough and there is a long list to work through. He added that maintenance is prioritised on health and safety grounds.

The Chair asked if project delivery in this area was good.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that he felt that there was a good track record of project delivery.

The Chair requested that a report on the process of basic need priority be brought to the Panel.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that they had given a previous report to the Panel around 12 months ago and could look to provide an update to a future meeting.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if any information could be given relating the new proposed pre-school in Midsomer Norton.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that this proposal was to support the development of a Free School in Mendip. He said that the DfE were now looking for an alternative site as the original one had been refused by their Development Management Committee. He added that discussions were ongoing, but it was not anticipated to be ready for the 2017/18 academic year.

Councillor Paul May commented that the majority of pupils that attend Whitchurch Primary School are from Bristol and asked if the planned expansion would be able to accommodate the new pupils expected through the new local housing developments.

Richard Morgan replied that the expansion has been planned with the new local housing development in mind and that Section 106 and Basic Need funding would be received for the project.

Councillor Paul May asked if the expansion would be complete before pupils arrived on site.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that this would be the intention.

Councillor Alison Millar asked why there was a difference in the costs for bulge class proposals in Midsomer Norton and St Saviour’s Junior School.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that this was due to site configuration and the solution decided upon.

The Head of Education Transformation added that a more permanent solution was being proposed at Longvernal School with the reconfiguration of two classrooms.

Councillor Liz Hardman who will be in charge of the Adoption Team through the regional approach and what input will B&NES have.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that the service would be co-owned and managed by the six Local Authorities involved and that the six Directors of Children’s Services would be on the board of Adoption West and that there would be a Strategic Board beneath them. He added that he felt that this will provide an improved quality of service. He said that there would be one shared database which would allow decisions to made in a shorter timescale.

Councillor Paul May said that the proposal to increase ‘in house’ Foster Placements was aspirational and that the saving stated could not be guaranteed to be delivered.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that as officers we would not propose the figure if we did not feel it was achievable. He added that this process had already begun by utilising the abilities of a current member of staff and the use of Facebook and Twitter. He said that they had already seen a 40% increase in applications.

The Chair asked why on the issue of Children’s Safeguarding Court Proceedings were no savings able to be made in 2017/18.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that we will look to make initial savings where can. He added a restructure of the Council’s Legal Services was underway and the outcome of this will impact on this proposal.

Councillor Alison Millar commented that she was amazed that this amount of saving could not have been made previously.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that Ernst & Young had looked at our current use of barristers and advised a reduction.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities added that he would not have included this proposal within the plan if he did not think it was safe and appropriate.

The Chair asked if by reducing the funding for Skills and Employment were there any risks if employers decide not to cover the costs.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that the Place Directorate were confident of the viability of the proposed model.

The Chair asked when would be a good timescale to assess this decision.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities suggested that the Panel could look at the status of this issue in March 2018.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what measures will be put in place to ensure that the focus on care leavers and other vulnerable young people is not lost in this new funding model.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that he was confident of the process that tracks our care leavers and their needs and aspirations.

The Chair asked if we should have been recovering previous Home to School Transport costs from other Local Authorities.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that yes, we should have been.

The Chair asked if the qualifying criteria for Home to School Transport had changed.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that it had not.

The Chair asked if they expect the threshold to rise.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that they were currently assessing the data available relating to this issue.

The Chair asked how a saving of £12.5k relating to Preventative Commissioning could be made from April and yet the plan says that opportunities are merely being explored.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that it was anticipated that the saving will be delivered in the mid-point of the financial year.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what exactly was meant by integration of commissioned services creating more joined up approaches.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied and used the example of the Family Play Service which would join up three current contracts into one commissioned service.

The Chair asked if any community groups had shown an interest on the issue of Children’s Centres Building Management.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that considerable interest has been and all four have interested parties.

The Chair asked if the Council would be charged for future use of the buildings.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that the Council would be able to use the buildings without charge as part of the lease agreement.

The Chair asked the level of loss in terms of capital receipts.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that it was negligible.

The Chair asked what would happen to the buildings should the new proposals fail.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that they would return to the Council by way of the lease agreement.

The Chair asked if a commercial nursery or organisation take over the use of one of the buildings.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that in terms of one of the buildings that this was a distinct possibility.

The Chair asked if any universal and non-statutory services would remain in place.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that services would primarily be of a targeted nature, but some universal services would continue.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if there were plans to sale any of the buildings.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that there were not.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what the status of the Sure Start Centre on site at St Nicholas Primary School would be as the school was due to become an Academy.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that he believed the Centre would remain owned by the Council.

Councillor Alison Millar said that she was concerned if the interest shown did not to come to fruition.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that the situation would then have to be reassessed.

The Chair asked what was the statutory minimum Youth Connect Service and how would it be delivered by the Council.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that the statutory minimum was at the discretion of the Council. He added that in terms of delivery conversations will take place with Town & Parish Councils with regard to them taking on this role. He said that Keynsham Town Council had approached the Council to take on this service and had been doing so for the past three or four years.

Councillor Sally Davis commented that she was aware that some Parish Councils had provided this role previously, but felt that they would find it difficult to do so now. She asked if any community funding options were available.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that they were exploring options in this regard.

Jake Bishop-Ponte said that he was concerned that Youth Services would become fragmented by this proposal. He added that he recognised that the Council must make savings, but he said that they should also have in mind the role they play in enabling those most in need.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities said that the priority of the Council must be to deliver its statutory responsibilities.

Jake Bishop-Ponte commented that without this service there would be a distinct possibility of more young people getting into trouble and that would have an impact on the proposal of savings regarding the reduction of court proceedings / preventative measures.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that early intervention work was in place and that there was a model in place to provide delivery of these services.

The Chair asked what evidence is there that community groups / Parish & Town Councils will be able to deliver this provision for young people.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that the work in place at Keynsham and Midsomer Norton should be recognised and that community groups were interested in providing this service.

The Chair asked for this matter to be followed up in six months time.

Councillor Liz Hardman said this was a challenging proposal and that her parish of Paulton could not provide this service by themselves and that they were already being asked to help with the local library and post office. She added that she was concerned about losing extremely talented and able staff. She said that officers might like to consider that particular vulnerable areas be targeted.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that he recognised the need to provide a service for these young people.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities said that 7 – 10 posts could transfer to other groups in connection with this proposal.

Jake Bishop-Ponte said what was the point in having a service if it can’t do what it’s supposed to do.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that it will take planning and negotiations over the next three years to find the most appropriate solution.

Councillor Paul May commented that the Panel should back the judgement of our officers.

The Chair said that she did not doubt the intentions of the officers and that it was the responsibility of the administration to make these decisions.

Councillor Charles Gerrish, Cabinet Member for Resources addressed the Panel. He wished to commend to the Panel a recent report that was submitted to Keynsham Town Council that said that the Youth Service they provide could expand to seven days with no additional funding required. He added that he was aware that Peasedown Parish Council were talking to third parties and were looking to take one year to explore available options.

Jake Bishop-Ponte said that the young people of Keynsham did not feel that the service being provided was very good. He added that he has also worked with Sam Plummer in Peasedown and Councillor Eleanor Jackson in Radstock and they are both concerned over future provision.

The Chair asked who currently enjoys the Music Service subsidy and who will this saving impact.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that this was the second year of this proposal and that it is not a targeted subsidy.

The Head of Education Transformation added that matters would be dealt with on a case by case basis. She said that the service would be free of charge for pupils in receipt of Free School Meals. She stated that there has been an increase in contributions from parents. She added that Pupil Premium will retain the subsidy and look to target vulnerable areas.

The Chair asked if the saving of £28k would be passed onto parents.

The Head of Education Transformation replied that it would not.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked how the Children’s Services Collaboration with other Local Authorities relates to the Teckal model being considered next on the agenda.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that the Teckal option would be fully explored in the first instance.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what will be the impact on special needs nursery provision across B&NES when we know anecdotally that Council-run nurseries are much better at delivering special needs provision outside Bath.

The Divisional Director for Targeted & Specialist Services replied that nurseries will remain where there is a community need to provide this service.

The Head of Education Inclusion Services added that they will look to expand provision where we can and enable mainstream nurseries to provide an SEN service.

Councillor Alison Millar commented that she hoped we would retain our good level of work with regard to Education Support & School Services.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that it would be a challenge as resources become stretched, but the Council would promote and encourage schools to retain this service.

The Head of Education Transformation added that schools do value this work and that she believed that they would seek to continue to provide it.

Jake Bishop-Ponte said that he was concerned over the potential loss of the Educational Psychology service. He added that as B&NES was already below current attainment levels how could they expect to improve with reductions made to this service.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that statutory work would remain in place through Educational Health & Care Plans and that schools could commission additional needs. He added that the Government had changed the landscape for School Improvement and that the Council’s role had reduced. He added that it still had a role to play in targeted work.

Jake Bishop-Ponte said that he understood that it was an economic choice that had been made by the Government. He stated that the MP for Bath, Ben Howlett should be approached on this matter as he feared for the prospects of our current young people.

Councillor Paul May commented that he was concerned over the forecast £1.48m overspend for Children’s Services and asked if we had enough control over the budget.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that officers and Cabinet Members have worked hard to get to this present position and that the administration have recognised the ongoing challenge with regard to Children’s Social Care.

Councillor Alison Millar asked what were the reasons for the overspend and how would it be addressed.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities replied that Trading Services within Children’s Centres had not been as successful as it had been hoped and that costs associated with Children’s Social Care had been the main factors. He added that there has initially been some promising work regarding SEND Home to School Transport and Personal Budgets.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Councillor Michael Evans stated that in his former shadow role and now from within the Cabinet that he felt that the Council balances its resources well. He stated that he was confident of achieving the proposed savings alongside carrying out their statutory responsibilities.

The Chair thanked the Panel for their comments and the officers and Cabinet Member for their contributions during the debate.