Issue - meetings

To receive a report from the Director of Schools & Children’s Services setting out the draft Terms of Reference and operating arrangements for the Child Sexual Exploitation Task Group, established by Council on 25^th February 2015.    TO FOLLOW

(Report No.206)

Members are asked to note that in establishing the Task Group, Council requested that a further report be submitted setting out the detailed Terms of Reference and operational arrangements for the Group, following initial consideration by members of the Task Group.

Councillor Orhan moved and Councillor Abdullahi seconded the report from the Director of Schools and Children’s Services (No. 206) setting out the proposed Terms of Reference and operating arrangements for the Child Sexual Exploitation Task Group, established by Council on 25 February 2015.

NOTED

1.         That in establishing the Task Group, Council had requested that a further report be submitted, setting out the detailed Terms of Reference and operational arrangements for the group, following initial consideration by members of the Task Group.

2.      The innovative and trailblazing nature of the Task Group in terms of Enfield’s approach towards strengthening the governance arrangements and political oversight around the safeguarding of vulnerable children and young people.

3.      The Terms of Reference proposed for the Task Group, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, which had been subject to consultation with members of the Task Group.

4.      Membership would consist of non-Executive Members with the Task Group required to report to full Council twice a year.

5.      The cross party support for the establishment of the Task Group and its role, as set out within the proposed Terms of Reference, including the need identified to undertake a review of relevant legislation.

6.      The need identified to ensure, in terms of maintaining political proportionality on the Task Group, that reference to its membership avoided mention of specific political groups and was instead based on members from the Majority and Opposition Group.

6.      Whilst supportive of the proposed remit of the Task Group, the need was also recognised to avoid any complacency in terms of the approach adopted towards investigating and tackling concerns raised in relation to the safeguarding of vulnerable children and young people within the Borough.  An assurance was provided by the Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services and Protection that all concerns raised were taken seriously and subject to robust investigation procedures.

There then followed a short debate on the report.  Given the time available before the meeting was due to end and number of members who had indicated they still wished to speak Councillor Taylor moved and Councillor Stewart seconded a procedural motion during the debate under Council Procedure Rule 11 (m) to extend the meeting for an additional period of 15 minutes.  This was agreed unanimously without a vote.

The recommendations in the report were then put to the vote and agreed unanimously without a vote.

AGREED to approve the Terms of Reference for the Task Group, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report subject to its composition being amended to read 4 members of the Majority Group and 2 members of the Opposition Group.