Meeting documents

Venue: Mezzanine Room 2, County Hall, Aylesbury. View directions

Contact: Clare Gray/Karen Jones 

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Media

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Items
Note No. Item

10am

1.

Apologies for Absence/Changes in Membership

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Minutes:

Apologies were received from Mr W Bendyshe-Brown.

2.

Declarations of Interest

To disclose any Personal or Disclosable Pecuniary Interests

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Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 223 KB

To agree the Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 September 2014.

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Minutes:

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 30 September 2014 were agreed as a correct record.

4.

Public Questions

Public Questions is an opportunity for people who live, work or study in the county to put a question to a Scrutiny Committee about any issue that has an impact on their local community or the county as a whole.

 

Members of public, who have given prior notice, will be invited to put their question in person.

 

The Cabinet Member and responsible officers will then be invited to respond. 

 

Further information and details on how to register can be found through the following link:-

 

http://www.buckscc.gov.uk/about-your-council/scrutiny/get-involved/

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Minutes:

There were no public questions.

10.05am

5.

Chairman's Report

For the Chairman of the Committee to provide an update to the Committee on recent scrutiny related activity to include a verbal update on the Crisis Support Inquiry.

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Minutes:

The Chairman reported that the Emergency Crisis Support Inquiry would be reported to the Committee on 16 December 2014. He also informed Members that Buckinghamshire had been chosen to take part in a Centre for Public Scrutiny Improvement Project on the scrutiny of Commissioning and that all the Select Committee Chairman would be invited to contribute to developing guidance.

6.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 24 KB

To consider and agree the Finance, Performance and Resources Select Committee Work Programme 2014/15.

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Minutes:

The Chairman reported that the Work Programme is currently focusing on preparing for budget scrutiny. The meeting on 16 December will consist of a budget briefing in the morning with a budget scrutiny session with the Cabinet Member of Health and Wellbeing in the afternoon. The Committee will also discuss the Crisis Support Inquiry. Chairmen of all the Select Committees would be invited to the budget scrutiny sessions.

 

There have been some additions to the Work Programme following issues raised by Members at the last meeting.

7.

Budget Scrutiny - Delegation

For the Committee to agree that the finalising of the report to Cabinet on the budget be delegated to the Chairman of Budget Scrutiny in consultation with the Policy Officer.

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Minutes:

The Chairman reported that this Select Committee should agree the final report on the budget scrutiny inquiry which is submitted to Cabinet. However, because of the short timescale, the report will be emailed round to Members for comment with a proposal to delegate final agreement of the report to the Chairman of Finance, Performance and Resources Select Committee in conjunction with the Chairman of the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry Group, David Shakespeare. Members agreed with this proposal.

 

10.15am

8.

Future Shape Update pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To receive an update from the Service Director (Service Transformation) on Future Shape

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Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, Peter Hardy and the Service Director for Transformation, Nick Cave provided an update on the Project Plan at the meeting. There is a Member Briefing being held on 17 November which will provide detail on the Future Shape Organisational Plan and the staff consultations which are currently being undertaken.

 

The Service Director for Transformation reported that they were now at the detailed design phase and updated Members on the following points:-

 

·         They had appointed Managing Directors to the Business Units with the One Council Board in place meeting in December.

·         Staff consultations had commenced on 21 October for Headquarters, Business Enterprise Shared Services and Transport, Economy and Environment. The consultation will last for a 45 day period, closing in early December.

·         Children Services would be considered at a later stage because of the need to focus on the Ofsted Improvement Plan.

·         Adult Services will commence their consultation in April 2015 once they have prepared for the implementation of the Care Act.

·         Future Shape savings will be transferred to the appropriate Business Unit and Headquarters to provide clear accountability, ownership and support a single view of change

·         Developing the digital strategy – there was a Future Shape Live Event which was attended by 350 members of staff to show different agile technologies and also how Business Units fit into the future.

How is value for money going to be assessed across the Council in future? Please could you provide more detail on the Strategic Options Appraisal approach?

The Strategic Options Appraisal approach will encompass Category Reviews, Value for Money, Alternative Delivery Vehicles and income generation. They were streamlining the contracts process which incorporated the new contract regulations. This was a methodical approach to apply to Business Units which included soft market testing and to look at a series of options to take forward which would deliver a service that was right for customers. A Member asked about the approach to agency staff. The Cabinet Member referred to Children’s Services and reported that the average vacancy rate should be 20% when it has been at 40% in Children’s Services which needed to be addressed. However they were looking at attractive recruitment and retention packages to make sure that 20% was achievable. It was important to use agency staff during the peaks in service. A Member asked about the approach to use of consultants. The Cabinet Member reported that he valued the use of consultants particularly during times of change to undertake specialist work.

 

A Member emphasised the importance of keeping morale high during this period of change. The Cabinet Member referred to the Future Shape event held for all staff and emphasised that communication had been key during this process to reduce uncertainity. Future Shape had been implemented to ensure a viable future rather than salami slicing services. The Business Units would be encouraged to bring in additional work outside of the Council to ensure job security.

 

Who will be Members of the One  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

10.35am

9.

Children Services Update on Financial Pressures pdf icon PDF 172 KB

For the Committee to consider financial pressures on Children Services, particularly following the recent Ofsted Inspection and the development of the Improvement Plan.

 

Katrina Wood will be invited for this item to represent the Education, Skills and Children’s Services Select Committee

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Minutes:

This item is for the Committee to consider financial pressures on Children’s Services. The Education, Skills and Children’s Services Select Committee is currently scrutinising the Ofsted Improvement Plan on Children’s Social Care, whilst this Committee is looking at the overall pressures on Children’s Services and how this will impact on the Medium Term Financial Plan to inform and prepare Members for the Budget Scrutiny Inquiry in January 2015. This Committee will be making recommendations in January on the draft budget therefore this item is for informing the Committee in advance of this.

Katrina Wood was invited for this item to represent the ESCS Select Committee.

Mr Mike Appleyard Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Skills and Children’s Services, Mr Trevor Boyd, Strategic Director, Mr David Moran, Finance Director and Mr Richard Ambrose Service Director for Finance and Commercial Services were invited to the meeting. The Cabinet Member referred to the confidential appendices which were submitted to Cabinet on 8 September relating to the Outcome of the Member-Led Task and Finish Group into resources in Children’s Services and Ofsted Inspection Outcomes which would be discussed in exempt session. Additional information had been tabled outlining the budget for the last few years and also the number of referrals. He informed Members that not only had there been an increase in referrals but that the referrals coming through from other agencies had very little detail; some only had the child’s name and address which impacted on the workload of social workers. This issue was being addressed. This Service Area had been underfunded and the main problem was the increase in referrals, the volume of work and the difficulty in recruiting social workers.

The Strategic Director reported that in response to the shortfalls between the allocated budget and the costs associated with running the service a further allocation of £4.8m has been made. In response to the investment needed for the Ofsted Improvement Plan there has been a one-off allocation of £1m from Contingency. Council will be asked at their meeting in November to fund a further cost of £1.67 m to support the Improvement Plan.

 

The Finance Director made the following points on the report attached to the agenda:-

 

·         Because of the increase in spend in this area there was a large funding gap which could also be related to the increase in referrals from the police, health service and also concerns raised by the public. The referrals from Police and Health in particular have risen by over 100% in each of those.

·         The Association of Directors of Social Services have specifically raised concerns about this issue and the growth in spending for Children’s Services. Legal judgements have also had an impact on the number of referrals.

·         There were growing expectations but financial allocations were static.

·         Funding for 2015/16 was expected to be £2.9 million as a baseline to reflect the work required to be Ofsted compliant.

 

The following questions were asked by Members:-

 

Please could you provide further clarification about  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

11.10am

10.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To resolve to exclude the press and public as the following item is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972

 

Children Services Update on Financial Pressures - because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

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Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the press and public be excluded for the following item which is exempt by virtue of Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act 1972 because it contains information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)

11.

Confidential Report on Children Services Financial Pressures

For the Committee to consider the confidential appendices which were submitted to Cabinet.

Minutes:

Members noted and discussed the exempt appendices.

12.45pm

12.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

16 December 2014

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Minutes:

16 December 2014