Minutes:
The Chair invited updates from individual Scrutiny Chairs. The following updates were provided:
Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel
The last meeting of the Children and Young People’s Learning Scrutiny Panel was held on Monday 13 February 2023.
Following a Notice of Motion submitted to Council on 30 November 2022, the Panel considered an assessment of the costs associated with an extension of Middlesbrough’s Free School Meal offer to include three- and four-year-olds in nursery and primary schools.
Although the Panel recognised the benefits of providing a healthy school meal, Members highlighted concerns about extending free school meals to only three- and four-year-olds would have been considered discriminatory against those children attending Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) nurseries, childminders or academy sector provision.
The Panel considered extending free school meal provision to all three- and four-year-olds resulting in costs of £1,748,000 in the first year. Given the Council’s current financial position, the extension of free school meal provision, to include three- and four-year-olds, would have been too expensive.
Children and Young People Social Care and Services
Scrutiny Panel
At the Panel’s last meeting on the 14 February 2023 Members received updates from the Children in Care team with regards to its review into supporting young people in preparing for adulthood and independence. The date of the Panel’s next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday 14th March 2023.
Adult Social Care and Services Scrutiny Panel
The Panel last met on 8 February 2023 at which Members received two updates from Erik Scollay, Director of Adult Social Care and Health Integration.
The first update advised Members of work dealing with winter pressures at hospitals. Details were provided in relation to two government funding allocations provided to help support this and how it had been utilised.
The second update focused on a previous review into the Recruitment and Retention of Staff Within Adult Social Care undertaken and progress in relation to its recommendations. The Panel was pleased with the work that had been carried out, and that continued to take place.
The Panel’s next meeting was scheduled for 29 March 2023.
Culture and Communities Scrutiny Panel
The Panel met on 26 January and received an update about the Council’s Surveillance policy and RIPA. The Panel agreed to defer its review into the Museum Service given resourcing issues and for the review to be added to its 2023/24 work programme.
The Panel’s next meeting was scheduled for 23 March 2023.
Economic Development, Environment, and Infrastructure
Scrutiny Panel
The last meeting of the EDEI Scrutiny Panel was held on 15 February 2023 at which the Panel received information in relation to Planning Enforcement from the Head of Planning. The Panel were informed of the different actions that could be taken by the Council and how enforcement action was prioritised.
The Panel also received an update from Councillor Branson in relation to the mass morbidity of crustaceans that had taken place along the North East coast. Investigations into the possible cause were still ongoing and the latest Government evidence suggested that the deaths may have been caused by a pathogen.
At the next meeting, which is scheduled for 22 March 2023.
ORDERED: That the information presented be noted.