Agenda item

Governance Arrangements for Community Safety and Safeguarding in B&NES

This report shares with the Panel the new multi-agency governance arrangements for community safety and safeguarding children and adults in B&NES.

Minutes:

The Director of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance introduced this report to the Panel. She explained that the new B&NES Community Safety and Safeguarding Partnership will come into being on the 29th September 2019 and the existing Local Safeguarding Children Board, Local Safeguarding Adult Board and Responsible Authorities Group will be disbanded.

 

She added that the new Partnership had been developed in response to the statutory requirement brought in by the Children and Social Work Act 2017 to abolish LSCBs by 28th September 2019.

 

She informed the Panel that a strong Working Group consisting of the statutory partners considered other options and shared these with the LSCB and LSAB which already had several joint working groups to deliver their business.  She added that the Working Group considered other models being implemented by the Early Adopter sites and those being developed by neighbouring areas.

 

The Chair asked if the Panel would still have a role in monitoring and scrutinising the work of the Partnership in the same way as it did with the LSCB and LSAB.

 

The Director of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance replied that yes they would and said that they have an important part to play in reviewing the new arrangements. She added that the Partnership wishes to be open and transparent to scrutiny.

 

The Chair said that to review the new arrangements in 12 months would sound reasonable.

 

Councillor Paul May said that he fully supported the concept proposed as the transition between young person and adult was such an important part of life. He asked how the Community Safety element would fit into the new arrangements.

 

The Director of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance replied that the three former groups all worked on a number of areas of Community Safety, including trafficking, slavery, domestic abuse, rogue traders, prevent / radicalisation and youth offending.

 

Councillor Liz Hardman asked if further information could be given with regard to how the cost of any reviews will be shared equally by the CCG, Council and Police and if not what the likely consequences are.

 

The Director of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance replied that a well-established system exists from previous Child and Adult reviews whereby each party has agreed to pay a third of the costs incurred.

 

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that bearing in mind, the increased numbers of people dependent on Food Banks; last year 2,472 people (of whom 1,151 were children) in the Somer Valley and asked how does this need fit into the Safeguarding model.

 

The Director of Safeguarding and Quality Assurance replied that where appropriate food vouchers can be allocated to those that need them.

 

Councillor Liz Hardman stated the need for an overall Food Poverty Action Plan as was agreed to be developed recently by the Council.

 

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty asked if the thresholds from intervention in social care were higher.

 

The Corporate Director for People replied that they were not.

 

Councillor Paul May asked if the Police were happy to be working within a narrower footprint than that of the Constabulary.

 

The Corporate Director for People replied that they were and it had been acknowledged that the CCG is due to operate under a different footprint and that five Local Authorities sit within the area of the Constabulary. He added that there is value to some of the wider reaching work that will be carried out.

 

The Panel RESOLVED to;

 

i)  Approve the new Partnership as set out in Appendix 1 and 1a and the associated appendices 2 – 5

 

ii)  Request the Partnership be reviewed by the Panel 12 months after implementation or earlier if issues arise.

Supporting documents: