Agenda item

The Cabinet Member will update the Panel on any relevant issues. Panel members may ask questions on the update provided.

Councillor Dine Romero, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Communities and Culture addressed the Panel. A copy of the update can be found as an online appendix to these minutes, a summary of the update is set out below.

Free School Meals (FSM)

I have been lobbying for FSM vouchers to continue over the summer holidays and I am pleased to announce that the central government has now provided grant funding to do this. The amount received for summer holiday FSM is less than hoped for. She added that she would be looking at what measures can be taken to resolve any shortfall in the funding.

These vouchers will now be distributed in the same manner as previously, enabling a high uptake by eligible parents. Alongside this, we will be promoting the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) to FSM children and families.

Mental Health

The Mental Health Audit in schools has been completed and a review and update of mental health resources is taking place and will be available via the Hub. She added that she felt that Mental Health in general was such an important issue for the Council that she was looking to bring together a body of agencies to collaborate on specific areas of work.

Councillor Liz Hardman commented that the head of OFSTED, Amanda Spielman, recently said that at least 100,000 children are being home-schooled and that this will seriously derail efforts to catch up on children’s missed education.  She asked if the Council has figures for the number of children in B&NES currently being home-schooled and are we making any extra provision for them to catch up on their missed education.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that the Inclusion Service makes contact with all parents that choose to home-school their children and that they are encouraged to join a parental network. He added that there had been a rise in numbers during the pandemic and that the DfE do monitor these figures.

He added that the Council would help with appropriate resources where possible and that some funding had been received through the Covid-19 fund. He said that there were around 120 children in B&NES currently being home-schooled.

Councillor Michelle O’Doherty referred to the written update supplied by Councillor Alison Born, Cabinet Member for Adults and Council House Building and said that she supported the proposal to form a Transformation of Adult Care Services Working Group.

The Chairman said that he felt that the Group should comprise of members of this Panel to have an element of governance and that it may be possible to extend the membership at a later point.

Gill Stobart asked how children were referred to take part in the Holiday Activity Food (HAF) Programme and how would the work be evaluated.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding said that the Programme is led by Public Health and Bath Rugby Foundation and that referrals were made direct from school. He added information would be supplied to those families in receipt of FSM vouchers and that he could also pass this onto the Panel. He said that the Programme would be evaluated by Public Health.

Councillor Rob Appleyard asked if any comment could be given on the relationship between the three local (BSW) Health & Wellbeing Boards and Integrated Care Partnership.

The Interim Director of Adult Social Care replied that each of the Boards remain autonomous, but that they are seen as drivers for the Integrated Care Partnership. She added that the work of the three Boards needs to be aligned.

Councillor Appleyard asked if any collaboration had taken place across the Boards currently.

The Interim Director of Adult Social Care said that there was nothing formal in place but that initial conversations had been held.

Kevin Burnett asked if the findings of a second report into the Music Service were available yet.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that a draft of the report had been received, that officers have had the opportunity to comment upon it and that they were awaiting the final version. He said that the draft was broadly positive of the Service’s use of funding and that work was ongoing in terms of the Improvement Plan. He offered to bring a report on this matter to the Autumn meeting of the Panel.

Kevin Burnett asked if Quest Prime Assessment completed at Bath Sport and Leisure Centre would be carried out at other local centres and whether Paulton was included in the Tennis in Parks project.

Councillor Dine Romero replied that she did not have that information to hand and would need to reply in due course.

Kevin Burnett asked if any recent discussions have been held with the Ofsted Regional Schools Director as to what they now intend to inspect against.

The Director of Education & Safeguarding replied that they were seeking to arrange an Autumn meeting with the Ofsted Regional Schools Director.

The Chairman thanked Councillor Romero for her update on behalf of the Panel and reminded them that written reports had also been received from Councillor Alison Born and Dr Bryn Bird (BSW CCG).