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Current Scrutiny Reviews |
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Detail |
Proposed Completion Date |
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School Exclusions |
The previous Committee agreed in March 2020 to undertake a Scrutiny Review of issues relating to school exclusions. The Committee also agreed the Terms of Reference proposed by the Scoping Board. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the availability of schools to contribute to further work on this review, it was subsequently paused with the intention to recommence it at a suitable future date.
Since the original review was scoped, the Department has commenced a project with ISOS consultancy to draw together aspects of good and emerging practice into a clear, whole-system, strategic approach to inclusion and the use of Alternative Provision for secondary-age pupils in East Sussex.
The Committee wishes to recommence this review and, subject to agreement at the March 2022 Committee, will hold a further short scoping meeting in early autumn (anticipated to be October) to consider the outcomes of the ISOS project and any adjustments required to the existing Terms of Reference before commencing the review.
Membership of the Review Board: Councillors Adeniji, Field, Maples and Nicola Boulter, Parent Governor Representative.
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To be confirmed when second scoping board undertaken in early autumn 2022 (anticipated to be October).
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Subject area for initial scoping |
Detail |
Proposed Dates |
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School Attendance |
The Committee heard at their 2021 work planning awayday that overall school absence and persistent absence rates across East Sussex are high, when compared to national and statistical neighbours; and that East Sussex has a significant number of children and young people deemed too ill to attend school due to anxiety and poor mental health, and increasing levels of Emotionally-Based School Avoidance.
A scoping board meeting was held on 10 March 2022 and the Board agreed that although the subject was appropriate for a Scrutiny Review, as so much of the current situation regarding school absence rates in East Sussex was related to the ongoing impact of, and disruption from, the coronavirus pandemic, it was too early for the Committee to undertake a scrutiny review of school attendance.
The Board therefore agreed that the review should commence in Spring 2023 when we expect to have a clearer sense of the long-term impact of COVID on school absences. Subject to agreement at the March 2022 Committee, a further short scoping board meeting will be held in early 2023 to build on issues discussed at the 2022 scoping board and draft Terms of Reference for this review. In the interim, an update on school attendance data will be reported to the November 2022 Committee as part of the work programme update to support work programming of this review.
Membership of the Scoping Board: Cllrs Adeniji, di Cara, Field and Howell (Chair) and Nicola Boulter, Parent Governor Representative.
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To be confirmed following a further short scoping board in early 2023. |
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Suggested Potential Future Scrutiny Review Topics |
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Suggested Topic |
Detail |
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Elective Home Education
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The Committee heard at their 2021 work planning awayday that issues relating to the increase in the numbers of children being electively home educated (EHE) remain a concern for the Children’s Services Department and expressed an interest in scrutinising the work the Department is doing in response.
The Committee also heard about national developments expected to impact future policy and the approaches of local authorities in this area, including an Education Committee enquiry into strengthening home education (published July 2021) and a judicial review into the approach taken by Portsmouth City Council to assurance on EHE. In February 2022, the Government published its response to its ‘Children not in school’ consultation which outlined that, subject to the necessary time in Parliament, the Government intends to legislate on the proposal to place a duty on local authorities to maintain a register of children not in school.
The Committee agreed at the November 2021 meeting to retain this as a potential area for review and an update on the Department’s work in this area and national developments impacting this work is scheduled for the November 2022 Committee to support consideration of how and whether to progress with a scrutiny review.
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Scrutiny Reference Groups |
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Reference Group Title |
Subject area |
Meeting Dates |
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Health and Social Care Integration Programme (HASCIP) Reference Group
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The Committee agreed to establish a Reference Group to monitor progress of the East Sussex Health and Social Care Integration Programme and identify areas for future scrutiny. It will review HASCIP progress reports provided to the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) and meet on an ad hoc basis as required to consider issues arising in more detail.
Membership of the group: Councillors Clark, di Cara, Geary, Howell, Ungar and Webb.
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Next meeting: 6 April 2022.
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Loneliness and Resilience Scrutiny Reference Group
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The Committee agreed to establish a Loneliness and Resilience Scrutiny Reference Group at its meeting in March 2021. The purpose of the group is to provide scrutiny input into a loneliness project being undertaken by the Adult Social Care and Health Department. The project will aim to develop practical solutions that will help address some of the key negative impacts of loneliness on local communities in East Sussex.
The Group have had presentations on progress with the project in August and December 2021. A further meeting is planned to take place in March 2022, for the Group to consider and feed into development of the project’s emerging recommendations.
Membership of the group: Councillors Clark, Geary, Maples, Howell, Ungar and Webb.
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Next meeting: 21 March 2022 |
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Educational Attainment and Performance Scrutiny Reference Group |
The Committee agreed in June 2018 to establish a Reference Group to focus on reviewing data on educational attainment in East Sussex and related issues. The group meets on an annual basis.
Membership of the group: Councillors Adeniji, Field and Howell and Nicola Boulter, Parent Governor Representative.
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Next meeting: Autumn 2022 |
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Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR)
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RPPR Board meet annually to agree detailed comments and any recommendations on the emerging portfolio plans and spending and savings proposals to be put to Cabinet on behalf of the scrutiny committee.
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Next meeting: December 2022 |
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Strategic Commissioning Review of Early Help Scrutiny Reference Group |
The purpose of this Reference Group is to provide scrutiny input into the Children’s Services Department review of Early Help services.
The Reference Group of the previous Committee requested an opportunity to review progress with the implementation of the revised Early Help strategy in spring 2021, but as some changes were postponed this was deferred and a further meeting will be considered if required.
Membership of the group: to be confirmed if meeting required.
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Next meeting:
Further meeting TBC if appropriate
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Reports for Information |
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Subject Area |
Detail |
Proposed Date |
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Better Care Fund
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Following a request made by the previous Committee at its meeting in March 2021, the Director of Adult Social Care undertook to provide Members with a briefing on developments relating to the Better Care Fund. The Department was awaiting guidance from central government for the 2021/22 financial year. Now this has been received the information will be reported to next HASCIP Reference Group, 6 April 2022.
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Next HASCIP Reference Group meeting. |
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The Committee heard at their work planning awayday that the Children’s Services Department faces challenges in delivering SEND services following reforms to the system implemented in 2014; and that a national major review into support for children with SEND is currently underway, which may make recommendations or provisions that help clarify roles and responsibilities in the system.
The Committee has requested a briefing presentation when the national SEND Review is published on the implications of the Review for ESCC and our planned response to inform potential areas for future scrutiny work. If the Review is delayed much into 2022, the Committee has requested a general briefing on the Council’s approach to delivering SEND provision, and challenges within that, to inform potential areas for future scrutiny work.
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Dependent on publication of SEND Review by Government |
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Title of Training/Briefing |
Detail |
Proposed Date |
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Author |
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22 July 2022 |
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Committee Work Programme |
To manage the Committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.
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Senior Policy and Scrutiny Adviser
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27 September 2022 |
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Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR) 2023/24 |
The Committee will begin the process of examining the Departmental Portfolio Plans and budget for the 2023/24 financial year.
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Becky Shaw, Chief Executive |
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Committee Work Programme |
To manage the Committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.
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Senior Policy and Scrutiny Adviser |
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Safeguarding Adults Board - Annual Report
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The Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) Annual Report outlines the safeguarding activity and performance in East Sussex during the previous financial year, as well as some of the main developments in place to prevent abuse from occurring.
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Chair, Safeguarding Adults Board |
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Annual Review of Safer Communities |
To update the Committee on performance in relation to Safer Communities in 2021/22 and the priorities and issues for 2022/23 that will be highlighted in the Partnership Business Plan. The Committee has requested the update cover progress on work to implement the Strategy for Domestic Abuse Accommodation and Support for Sussex; and to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls.
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Tom Hook, Assistant Director - Planning, Performance and Engagement
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East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (ESSCP) Annual Report |
Presentation of the annual report of the East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership. The Committee requested that: · the report provide contextual information on figures included (e.g. trajectory over time) and an update on partnership work on Elective Home Education (at Nov 2021 Committee); and · that the section of the report on learning from case reviews covers learning for ESCC from the national review into the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes (at Dec 2021 presentation on ESCC work on domestic abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls).
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Independent Chair, East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership
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17 November 2022 |
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Adult Social Care Workforce progress report
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A scoping board of a scrutiny review of Adult Social Care Workforce Challenges was held in March 2022. The board heard that challenges in recruitment, retention, development and future planning of the ASC workforce are not new or specific to East Sussex and had been compounded by COVID-19. The Board heard that in response, the Department are planning and delivering a wide range of interventions to address these challenges in ESCC’s ASC workforce and in the independent sector, building on the learning and recommendations from the People Scrutiny Committee ASC Workforce Review undertaken in 2019.
As it was too early to know what impact these interventions would have, the Board requested that the Department report back to the Committee with a progress report on the work and the impact it is having in nine months.
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Leigh Prudente, Assistant Director Operations and Samantha Williams, Assistant Director Strategy, Commissioning and Supply Management |
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Elective Home Education
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The Committee has expressed an interest in undertaking a scrutiny review of Elective Home Education (EHE). This report will update the Committee on work the Department undertakes in this area and recent national developments impacting the response to EHE to support consideration of how and whether to progress with a scrutiny review.
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Assistant Director, Education |
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Reconciling Policy, Performance and Resources (RPPR) 2023/24 |
The Committee will continue the process of examining the Departmental Portfolio Plans and budget for the 2022/23 financial year.
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Becky Shaw, Chief Executive |
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Committee Work Programme |
To manage the committee’s programme of work including matters relating to ongoing reviews, initial scoping reviews, future scrutiny topics, reference groups, training and development matters and reports for information.
This report is to include an update on school attendance data for the 2021/22 academic year and start of the 2022/23 academic year, to support work programming of the planned review of school attendance.
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Senior Policy and Scrutiny Adviser
Assistant Director, Education |