Agenda and minutes

To report any changes to the Membership.

1.         MEMBERSHIP

1.1       It was noted that Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg was substituting for Councillor Aicha Less.

1.2       The Chairman welcomed Councillor David Harvey (Cabinet Member for Sports and Leisure) to the meeting.

1.3       The Chairman also welcomed Jean Daintith, Independent Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB), who introduced the LSCB Annual Safeguarding Review item.

1.4       The Chairman on behalf of the Committee thanked Darren Guttridge for his contribution whilst sitting on the Committee and welcomed Ann Townshend, Headteacher at St Barnabas’ CE Primary School, to the Committee.

To receive declarations of interest by Members and Officers of any personal or prejudicial interests.

2.1       No further declarations of interests in respect of items to be discussed were made, other than those noted in the circulated schedule as set out below in paragraph 2.2.

2.3       Table of Member’s interests tabled at the Committee Meeting was as follows:

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2016.

3.1       RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 20 June 2016 be approved for signature by the Chairman as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

a)    To note the progress in implementing the Committee’s Recommendation and

Action Trackers.

b)    To provide comment and input into the Work Programme for 2016/17.

4.1       ACTION AND RECOMMENDATION TRACKERS

4.1.1   RESOLVED: That the Action and Recommendation Trackers be noted.

 4.2      COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME

4.2.1   ACTIONS

1. That consideration be given to inviting a charity to attend a future Committee meeting to talk about the work they carry out regarding violence against women and girls.

4.2.2    RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to add the following items to their work programme: Future Plans for the Library Service and Youth Violence and Gangs.

Councillor David Harvey (Cabinet Member for Sports and Leisure) to update the Committee on current and forthcoming issues) in his Portfolio.

5.1       The Committee received a written update from the Cabinet Member who responded to questions on the following topics:

• the positive feedback and progress with the delivery of the new sports and leisure facilities contract including the future re-development of the Queen Mother Sports Centre.
• the future restructuring and technological change of the library service including the consultation with staff and residents and the challenges of the construction of the Luxborough Street site, the use of the New Cavendish Street site and the future provision for Marylebone library.
• the Council’s success in London in Bloom and the future of Berkeley Square.
• the future opportunities for young people to be inspired by Team GB.

5.2          ACTIONS

1. That a tour of Westminster libraries be organised for Committee Members.

2. That a briefing note be sent regarding the cost to the Council of the construction of the long delayed Marylebone Library on Luxborough Street.

RESOLVED: That the bidders for the new contract for Management and Maintenance of Parks, Open Spaces and Cemeteries incorporate support in employment targets, and submit proposals on the positive role that parks and open spaces can contribute to the healthy eating agenda. 

Councillor Danny Chalkley (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) to update the Committee on current and forthcoming issues in his Portfolio.

The Committee received a written update from the Cabinet Member which covered current and forthcoming issues in his Portfolio. 

To examine the work of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

7.1       The Committee received an Executive Summary of the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s (LSCB) Annual Report 2015-16 which reviewed and evaluated the achievements and progress of the LSCB which covered the Tri-Borough area.

7.2       The Committee welcomed Jean Daintith, the Independent Chair of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) for Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster, who discussed the priorities for the Safeguarding Plan for 2016/17, outlined the work of the Board and available resources and responded to questions.  The Committee noted that the LSCB had been rated “good” by Ofsted and that the government were currently reviewing future arrangements to coordinate safeguarding partnerships and boards at a local level to make the arrangements less bureaucratic.

7.3       The Committee discussed the achievements of the Westminster Partnership Group which included: the collation and dissemination of a comprehensive list of Westminster supplementary schools, the development of the Children’s Services and Housing Panel to prevent homelessness for children and families, the improvements made to the emergency out of hours social work service and identifying the need for young carers to receive a better service.  The Committee noted the positive impact that the themed Workshops had achieved which had addressed the local priorities of Serious Youth Violence, Child Sexual Exploitation, Female Genital Mutilation and Radicalisation and Prevent.

7.4       Some of the key issues that emerged from the Committee’s discussion were:

• the future impact of the government’s review of the LSCBs and ensuring that the work of the LSCB was relevant to practitioners.
• the positive progress being made following the recommendations from Ofsted.
• the community engagement work carried out by the Prevent Team and the regular training given to front line staff involved in children’s care.
• the significant shortage of beds in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
• the strong involvement that all schools have with the LSCB.
• the need for all housing providers to have a trained safeguarding officer.
• the importance of encouraging synergy between adults and children services regarding modern slavery and violence against women and girls.
• the need for the Partnership to find specialist advocacy support for children and young people under 13 years of age who have been affected by domestic abuse.

7.5       The Chairman thanked everyone who had given up their time to attend the meeting and contribute to the discussion.

7.6       ACTIONS

1.    That a briefing note be sent on the progress being made following the recommendations made during the Ofsted inspection.

2. That the tables on page 38 of the report should contain additional (past yearly) data in order that any trends could be established.

3. That a briefing note be sent on whether all the housing providers should have a designated safeguarding officer.

4. That a charity be invited to attend a future Committee meeting to talk about the work they carry out regarding violence against women and girls.

7.7       RESOLVED: The Committee made the following comments which would be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People for consideration:

1. The Committee welcomed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To evaluate the work undertaken into Looked After Children, Care Leavers and Corporate Parenting.

8.1       The Committee received a report highlighting the role of the Corporate Parent, the educational outcomes of Looked after Children and Care Leavers and some analysis in relation to the general decrease in Looked After Children (LAC) numbers at the end of March 2016.  The Committee noted that the decrease in LAC was attributed to a number of factors, including the impact of the range of interventions linked to the Focus on Practice programme.

8.2       The Committee welcomed Matthew Blood, Tri-Borough Head of Virtual School and College, who highlighted the support given to Looked After Children (LAC) and the educational outcomes of the LAC of each cohort.  The Committee noted that Westminster’s LAC achieved higher than the national average and that five Care Leavers had just graduated from University.  The Committee then discussed the department’s work of promoting the benefits of education and the rigorous tracking of each child’s progress carried out during the year, the importance of good foster placements, the difficulties and challenges faced by children in care and the particular difficulties and fundamental issues that children post 16 years of age had to overcome to live successful and fulfilling lives.

8.3       Some of the key issues that emerged from the Committee’s discussion were:

• the importance of carefully assessing the ’risk’ of each individual’s circumstances in order to make the correct choice on whether they should go into the care system or stay with their family.
• the significant increase in the number of Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children Looked After Children UASC LAC within Westminster.
• the importance of undertaking some public relations work to encourage companies to employ Care Leavers.

• the lack of DfES guidance on how to measure attainment of children who attend lots of different schools.
• Hammersmith and Fulham’s voluntary fact finding expedition to Calais to help Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children wishing to live in the UK.
• the importance of continuing to locate missing children.
• the importance of improving the health of Looked After Children through additional help and healthy eating and cooking programmes.

8.4       The Chairman thanked everyone who had given up their time to attend the meeting and contribute to the discussion.

8.5       ACTION

1.    That a briefing note be sent detailing Hammersmith and Fulham’s voluntary fact finding expedition to the Calais camp to help Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children wishing to live in the UK.

8.6       RESOLVED: The Committee made the following comments which would be forwarded to the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People for consideration:

1. The Committee welcomed the report which highlighted Westminster’s ambition as a Corporate Parent.

2. The Committee welcomed the work to ensure that care is only used as appropriate and long term or permanent solutions were found as soon as possible.

3. The Committee highlighted the need for the Council to work to improve the health of Looked After Children and highlighted the importance of healthy eating guidance.

4. The Committee welcomed the work being carried out by Mathew Blood and his team to ensure that Looked After Children have access  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Verbal update (if any)

9.1       The Chairman advised that there was nothing to report.

            The meeting ended at 8.59pm