NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL

15 NOVEMBER 2023

STATEMENT OF CHAIR

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

Feedback from Executive on 29 August 2023

I informed Members of the matters that I had raised at the above meeting and the responses to these from the Executive Members and the Corporate Director.

Adult Learning and Skills Service – Autumn 2023 Update

Paul Cliff, Shared Head of Adult Learning and Skills, delivered a presentation, which is available here.

The Shared Head of Adult Learning and Skills took Members through the context within which the Service operates; its aims; and the approaches used.

He advised that an OFSTED Inspection had highlighted some areas for improvement.  Policies had been tightened in response to this and good progress is being made against the areas identified.

He also highlighted two case studies which illustrated how the Service has helped people achieve positive outcomes.

The Shared Head of Adult Learning and Skills responded to a number of questions from Members.  These included:-

· The amount of work that is undertaken with community bodies to support them.

· The pathway for young people for whom mainstream schooling does not work and whether the Service is reaching enough of these people.

· What is different about the Service’s aims and objectives now, as a result of the OFSTED Inspection.

· Whether the Service track how many people have become independent.

School Closures and Governance

We considered a presentation by Amanda Newbold, Assistant Director, Education and Skills, Howard Emmett, Assistant Director, Strategic Resources and Andrew Dixon, Strategic Planning Manager.

The presentation, which is available here, covered three principal aspects:-

- School closures, process and academies.

- Are closures and a lack of Governors related?

- Governor recruitment, training and selection.

Officers responded to a number of questions from Members including:-

· Whether the Local Authority look back and calculate the cost to it, in terms of transport, as a result of a School closure.

· The support provided to Academies.

· How partners can work together to preserve Schools where they are needed and avoid their closure through under-performance.

· Whether there are any retention issues in respect of Governors.

Child Death Overview Panel

Hannah Ellingworth, North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership Manager, outlined the Annual Report, which provided:-

- an overview of the work of the Panel;

- data on the number and category of deaths;

- achievements in 2022/2023; and

- its priorities for 2023/2024

One of the priorities is Road Safety, working with Roadwise to promote safe use of roads for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists.   Referring to this, David Watson, Added Member, offered support from North Yorkshire Sport who, as well as working on an Active Travel Fund (as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund), have strong links to Schools and sports provision that may help to spread the road safety messaging.

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Hannah Ellingworth, together with Anita Dobson, the Chair of the Child Death Overview Panel,  responded to a number of questions from Members, including:-

· How the priorities for 2023/2024 were determined.

· Whether there had been any discussion to extend the range of the Panel to reflect the changing way that North Yorkshire Council works with the Looked After Children Board.

Looking ahead

Items currently scheduled for our next meeting, on 8 December 2023, are:-

· Children’s Mental Health.

· North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership, Annual Report, 2022/2023.

· Report of the Scrutiny Task and Finish Group re Special Educational Needs and Disability in the Scarborough and Whitby Area.

COUNCILLOR BARBARA BRODIGAN

27 OCTOBER 2023