Issue - meetings

To receive an update on Council-wide matters of interest from the Director of Education, Simon James

Simon James, Director of Education, was in attendance to present the update. The

following points were highlighted:

·         The main pressure for Children Services was the recruitment of social workers. This was to reduce the reliance on agency staff and improve consistency for children and families.

·         An Ofsted Inspection was expected within the calendar year, to examine safeguarding procedures and Children Services. It was hoped that this would be a good reflection on the reputation of the service and be a positive effect on future staff recruitment.

·         The budget for education and skills was heard, with per pupil funding due to increase for schools to provide greater support and resources to children. There was on-going support over the holidays for families to provide food and activities. Focus had been placed on identifying skills businesses need in the local community and matching them up with individuals. Training had been provided to those seeking work, such as digital skills.

·         Mr James emphasised how grateful children and schools were for the community board funding. The funding had been used to tackle priority areas, such as children’s mental health, to raise awareness and provide more resources.

·         Live consultation was open for the Council’s annual budget for 2022-2023. Mr James encouraged Members to raise awareness and get residents involved. The Community Board was informed of the campaign in connection to adult social care; ‘See Something, Say Something, Do Something’, to raise awareness of reporting abuse or neglect of adults. In regards to the Burnham area, Mr James informed the Board of the sufficiency work to ensure that there were enough school places for local residents. This included a 5-10 year projection to ensure these needs would be met.