In the interests of transparency Councillor Gibbons disclosed an interest in the item relating to Joseph Nutter’s Foundation (Minute 6) as he was a Trustee of the Foundation and a signatory to the Accounts.

In the interests of transparency Kerr Kennedy disclosed an interest in the item relating to Joseph Nutter’s Foundation (Minute 6) as he worked with the Foundation.

In the interests of transparency Sidiq Ali disclosed an interest in the item relating to Procurement for the Purchase of Accommodation to Support Young People Leaving Care (Minute 8) as an independent Social Worker providing such support.

ACTION: Interim City Solicitor

Recommended –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 February and 11 April 2018 be signed as a correct record (previously circulated).

(Fatima Butt/Jill Bell – 01274 432227/4580)

Resolved –

That the minutes of the meetings held on 14 February and 11 April 2018 be signed as a correct record.

ACTION: Interim City Solicitor

(Access to Information Procedure Rules – Part 3B of the Constitution)

Reports and background papers for agenda items may be inspected by contacting the person shown after each agenda item.  Certain reports and background papers may be restricted. 

Any request to remove the restriction on a report or background paper should be made to the relevant Strategic Director or Assistant Director whose name is shown on the front page of the report. 

If that request is refused, there is a right of appeal to this meeting. 

Please contact the officer shown below in advance of the meeting if you wish to appeal. 

(Jill Bell - 01274 434580)

There were no appeals submitted by the public to review decisions to restrict
documents.

The Committee is asked to note any referrals and decide how it wishes to proceed, for example by incorporating the item into the work programme, requesting that it be subject to more detailed examination, or refer it to an appropriate Working Group/Committee.

No referrals had been received.

(Article 6.7.2 of the Constitution)

The Committee is asked to confirm and recommend to Council the appointment of the following non-voting co-opted representatives for the 2018/2019 municipal year:

NON VOTING CO-OPTED MEMBERS:

Health Representative: vacancy                                      

Teachers Secondary School Representative: Tom Bright

Teachers Primary School Representative: vacancy

Teachers Special School Representative: Irene Docherty

Voluntary Sector Representative: Kerr Kennedy

(Jill Bell  - 01274 434580)

Resolved –

That the appointment of the following non-voting co-opted representatives for the 2018/2019 municipal year be recommended to Council:

Teachers Secondary School Representative: Tom Bright

Teachers Special School Representative: Irene Docherty

Voluntary Sector Representative: Kerr Kennedy

ACTION: Interim City Solicitor

The Committee will receive a verbal presentation on the work of the Foundation from the Chair of the Foundation, Sir James Hill.

The Committee received a presentation on the work of the Foundation from the Chair of the Foundation, Sir James Hill and John Lambert the Foundation’s Administrator.  They explained that the objects of the Charity were to provide assistance to children and young people in need and who had at least one deceased parent.  Their aim was to offer modest support in the form of annual and one-off grants for essential items that would improve the welfare of the child or young person.  It was noted that referrals were received from Primary Schools, from Children’s Social Care and through word of mouth and that the Foundation had capacity to work with more families.  A number of suggestions were made to widen channels of communication with the  Foundation such as through GPs, Bradford schools on line, pastoral care staff and designated safeguarding leads in schools, and Young Carers.  The Voluntary Sector Co-opted member would liaise with the Strategic Director of Children’s Services on this issue.

Resolved –

(1)          That Sir James Hill and John Lambert be thanked for their presentation.

(2)          That the Joseph Nutter Foundation information flyer be circulated to all members of Council.

ACTION: Overview & Scrutiny lead

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services (Document “A”) presents the most recent information on the workload of Children’s Social Work Teams and updates Members on key pressures on the service. The workload analysis is based on activity up to 31^st March 2018.

There has been a further slight rise to the overall workloads of social workers, and pressures upon the service since the last report was presented.

Recommended -

That the Committee consider further reports in the 2018-19 work programme to ensure the continuation of safe workloads and practice into the future given the current financial climate.

(Di Drury – 01274 437077)

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services (Document “A”) presented the most recent information on the workload of Children’s Social Work Teams and updated Members on key pressures on the service. The workload analysis was based on activity up to 31^st March 2018.

There had been a further slight rise to the overall workloads of social workers, and pressures upon the service since the last report was presented.  It was noted that this slight increase was on top of those reported on the last three occasions which was having a cumulative impact and was causing additional pressure on Social Workers.  There were 182 Social Workers employed by the Council and at 31 March 2018 and 19 agency social workers which was the 11^th lowest level in the country.  Bradford had created an additional 8 Social Worker posts and recruitment was currently underway, however nationally there were not enough Social Workers or experienced Social Workers to go round.  Vacancies were being held that were not able to be filled with agency Social Worker because of concerns about quality.  Child Protection and Looked After Children figures had risen, which followed the national trend but Bradford’s rate per 10,000 was still less than its statistical neighbours.  There was concern regarding the balance between experienced and newly qualified Social Workers with 40% of Social Workers being experienced where a figure nearer 60-70% experienced Social Workers would be more desirable.   There was little problem recruiting new Social Workers, the problem was in retaining Social Workers and recruiting experienced Social Workers.

The Deputy Director Social Care referred to the destabilising effect on the Bradford Social Care workforce of the aggressive recruitment practice of neighbouring authorities. Kirklees Council Children’s Services had been judged as inadequate in recent years and had increased the pay scales of Social Workers which had attracted Social Workers to move away from Bradford.  He noted that Wakefield Council Children’s Services had recently been judged as inadequate and he anticipated that this would also have an impact on Bradford in terms of recruiting and retaining Social Workers.  He added that a recruitment fair had been held in June in which experienced Social workers in other fields were targeted.  This had resulted in 41 Social Workers being shortlisted of which 25 had been recruited.  Some of those recruited were experienced Social Workers but not experienced in Children’s Services but the majority were newly qualified.  Details of the support given to newly qualified Social Workers were outlined to members by a Social Work Practice Supervisor.  It was noted that the retention allowance that brought Bradford’s pay scales in line with Calderdale had been well received and had already made a difference to recruitment and retention.  It was stressed that there was no quick fix to the issues being experienced and that they should be viewed in the long term.  The key to the retention of Social Workers was manageable workloads, appropriate  support and levels of pay.

A member asked about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Children’s Services are undertaking a procurement exercise to put in place new commissioning arrangements for the purchase of Accommodation and Support for Young People Leaving Care and Vulnerable Young People. This will establish a purchasing system that will name Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield Councils as participating authorities.

The new arrangement is required as the existing regional framework ends in December 2018 and regional arrangements for purchase of this type of provision will no longer be in place.

The Contract Standing Orders identify the following requirement:

4.6       Before inviting tenders or quotations, the Authorised Officer must:
4.6.1    for contracts with a total estimated contract value in excess of £2m, report details to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee using the standard Committee report template.

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services (Document “B”) therefore, sets out the details of the provision to be procured to inform Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the intended process.

Recommended –

That the Committee note the contents of Document “B”.

(Mary Brittle - 01274 432633)

Children’s Services were undertaking a procurement exercise to put in place new commissioning arrangements for the purchase of Accommodation and Support for Young People Leaving Care and Vulnerable Young People. This would establish a purchasing system that will name Bradford, Calderdale and Wakefield Councils as participating authorities.

The new arrangement was required as the existing regional framework ended in December 2018 and regional arrangements for purchase of this type of provision would no longer be in place.

The Contract Standing Orders identify the following requirement:

4.6       Before inviting tenders or quotations, the Authorised Officer must:
4.6.1    for contracts with a total estimated contract value in excess of £2m, report details to the relevant Overview and Scrutiny Committee using the standard Committee report template.

The report of the Strategic Director of Children’s Services (Document “B”) therefore, set out the details of the provision to be procured to inform Children’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the intended process.

The Strategic Director stressed that new arrangement only applied to the Young People Leaving Care and Vulnerable Young People element of the contract and that other elements would remain in place.

In response to a member question as to whether the views of children in the care of the authority had been sought it was agreed that young people needed to be more involved.

A member asked question about the number of young people supported and it was confirmed that 30 places were spot purchased per year and 100 places block purchased per year.

Resolved –

That the contents of Document “B” be noted.

NO ACTION

The report of the Chair of the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee (Document “C”) presents the Committee’s Draft Work Programme 2018-19.

Recommended -

(1)          That the Committee agrees the Work Programme

(2)          That the Work programme 2018-19 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

(Licia Woodhead – 01274 432119)

Resolved -

(1)          That the Committee agrees the Work Programme with the addition of an item on budget proposals at the 23 January 2019 meeting.

(2)          That the Work programme 2018-19 continues to be regularly reviewed during the year.

ACTION: Overview and Scrutiny Lead