Agenda and draft minutes

1.1       The Lead Member approved as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2023.

Disclosure by all Members present of personal interests in matters on the Agenda, the nature of any interest and whether the Member regards the interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct

2.1       There were none.

Notification of items which the Lead Members consider to be urgent and propose to take at the end of the appropriate part of the Agenda

3.1       There were none.

4.1       Reports referred to in the minutes below are contained in the minute book.

Report by the Director of Children's Services

5.1       The Lead Member considered a report by the Director of Children's Services.

DECISIONS

5.2       The Lead Member RESOLVED to:

1) Endorse for East Sussex County Council continuing Regional Care Cooperative Pathfinder activity and in doing so agree for East Sussex County Council to enter into relevant agreements with the Department for Education and other Local Authorities as appropriate;

2) Delegate authority to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Lead Member for Children and Families, to take other relevant actions, including but not limited to: finalising the terms of and entering into required contracts or other legal agreements, as necessary to implement the decision including negotiating, finalising and entering into relevant legal agreements such as Partnership Agreements or award of contract(s), as required to implement this decision; and

3) Agree to receive a further report on the development of the Regional Care Cooperative later in the year when more detailed information about the implications of the project for East Sussex County Council are available.

REASONS

5.3       As outlined in the report the placements market is in a fragile position, Local Authority budgets are under extreme pressure, a significant factor is the current sufficiency of and spend on placements. There is a clear need to do something differently. The Regional Care Cooperative represents the best prospect of developing new and innovative ways to secure the placements needed for looked after children. The Department for Education are providing generous funding to design a new approach and access to capital grants that are not available to authorities who are not part of a Regional Care Cooperative pathfinder.