Issue - meetings

The Scrutiny Panel will be asked to consider its work programme for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year.

The Democratic Services Officers submitted a report, the purpose of which was to assist Members in considering and agreeing the panel’s work programme for the 2024/2025 Municipal Year.

A list of topical issues and the suggestions received in respect of the scrutiny panel's remit were contained in the submitted report.  It was suggested that the scrutiny panel should select a maximum of three topics for full review, along with several short topics and updates.  It was noted that there were two reviews from the previous year that the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Panel (‘School Attendance’) and the Health Scrutiny Panel (‘Avoidable Deaths and Preventable Mortality’) had commenced, but not completed. However, Members were of the view that because the scrutiny structure and membership of the panels had changed, and because some time had lapsed between the initial evidence gathering stages and the present time, those reviews would be discontinued.

Members discussed the topics suggested in the report, together with the information provided by the Directors and the ICB representative, and the suggestions made by Councillors, at the meeting.  Topics of interest included:

• Obesity.
• The Education of Children in Care.
• Homelessness.
• Missing Children.
• Housing Provision for Children in Care.
• Care Quality Commission (CQC) Inspections and Updates.
• ICB Updates: Special Allocation Scheme; Dental Recovery Progress Update; Speech and Language Children and Young People Services; and Children’s Mental Health.
• Safeguarding Updates.
• Budget and Transformation Programme Updates.

The Chair suggested that owing to the level of information received and number of suggestions made, further time for consideration be provided to Members.  The panel agreed that a decision regarding the Work Programme would be taken at the next scheduled meeting.  In addition, the Chair would meet with the Democratic Services Officers in the interim to discuss the topics raised.

In terms of Housing Provision for Children in Care, it was suggested that an update in respect of this be provided at the next scheduled meeting.

AGREED

1. That a decision regarding the topics for the Work Programme would be taken at the next scheduled meeting; the Chair would meet with the Democratic Services Officers in the interim to discuss the topics raised.
2. That an update regarding Housing Provision for Children in Care be provided at the next scheduled meeting.
3. That the information, as provided, be noted.