Items
No. |
Item |
163. |
WELCOME AND APOLOGIES
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed attendees to
the meeting. Apologies for absence had
been received from Tony Murphy and Alicia Meniru and for lateness from Councillor Nneka
Keezor.
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164. |
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members of the Council are invited to identify
any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary
interests relevant to items on the agenda.
Minutes:
There were no declarations of
interest.
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165. |
HOUSING ALLOCATION SCHEME UPDATE ON CONSULTATION PDF 147 KB
To receive a report from Laura Martins (Acting
Strategy & Policy Hub Manager)
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Laura Martins (Acting Strategy
& Policy Hub Manager) and Susan Sharry (Head of Housing
Strategy) presented a report on the consultation being undertaken
on the Housing Allocations Scheme. Councillor Levy explained that this was the
first time an item was presented to OSC for pre-decision scrutiny.
Comments would contribute to the consultation which ends on 8
September 2017.
The following issues were
highlighted by Laura Martins
:
- The Housing
Allocations Scheme was being reviewed in order to continue to
prioritise applicants fairly whilst ensuring that it meets current
legal requirements. It aims to help in the prevention of
homelessness and temporary housing pressures and to effectively
manage estate regeneration. An
undertaking was made in 2012 that the scheme would be reviewed at
this time.
- The scheme aims to
simplify the process. There are severe
pressures on social housing in the borough and whilst the scheme
will not solve this problem it is hoped that members of the public
will be able to understand as clearly as possible the realistic
options available to them.
- One of the main
challenges has been to ensure that people who would be most
affected by the policy would be able to take part in the
consultation. As part of this, 10 community sessions have been held
and also a meeting with ‘registered landlords’ group
would take place on 8 September 2017. Officers have also engaged
directly with communities and discussions held with community
groups. There have been advertisements in the local press and the
council website. As at the time of this
meeting there had been 577 responses
- The responses
currently indicate that a lot are in favour of the
proposals. It is apparent that the aim
to reach people affected by the policy has been realised with 32%
of respondents claiming either Council Tax support or Housing
Benefit. 24% have a disability or long
term health problem and 26% of respondents are from a BME
community.
- Responses will be
analysed and evaluated, and a report would be shared and discussed
with the Executive Management Team and the Cabinet Member by early
October 2017. The final version of the Housing Allocation Scheme
document will go to Cabinet in February 2018. The scheme will go
live in 2018.
Councillor Smith said the new
scheme proposals do not appear to be very different from the
existing ones, it appears to mainly ‘fine tune’ the
policy. He spoke of the large number of
questions in the survey (approximately 50 to 60) and said it was
positive that we had received a significant number of responses. He
said the issues were very thought provoking.
In answer to a question from
Councillor Levy about whether help had been given to people to
guide them through the survey process, it was answered that support
had been provided including that given for community
groups.
Susan Sharry spoke of the key
proposed changes to the scheme:
·
The number of ‘demand groups’ to be
reduced from 6 to 5, with existing Enfield Council and housing
...
view the full minutes text for item 165.
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166. |
FOSTERING & ADOPTION SERVICES IN ENFIELD PDF 99 KB
To receive a report from Debbie Michael,
Adoption Manager.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Anne Stoker (AD
Children’s Social Care and Principal Social Worker),
presented the reported which updated the Committee on the work of
the Fostering and Adoption Services between April 2016 and March
2017. She highlighted the
following:
- In
2016/17 Enfield recruited 12 foster carers and were looking to
increase the number this year.
- There
is an on-going challenge as the number of foster parents leave the
service although it should be remembered this is often because they
go on to adopt the children they have been caring for, also some
have left due to retirement. The team is actively
recruiting.
- Ten
children were adopted in Enfield in 2016-17. It was noted that there has been a significant
increase in Special Guardianship Orders (SGO’s) and this is
substantially higher than the other North London Consortium
boroughs. The increasing number of SGO’s are made by Courts rather than
Placement Orders. SGO’s enable
children to stay in their family.
The following issues were
raised
- It was
asked if the large shift to SGO’s meant that children stayed
with their birth mother. It was
answered that children would be moved to be looked after by family
or friends. It was thought this would
usually result in a more positive outcome for the child as they may
stay with a friend’s family or other family member so they
would not need to leave their school.
It was driven by what the child wants and probably allows for
better contact with the parent.
- That
in an emergency situation it may not be possible to match a child
with all characteristics of the foster parent. On those occasions
it is necessary to find the safest place for the child.
- Although events/ advertising is sometimes undertaken for
prospective foster parents, Anne Stoker said she is hesitant about
how we advertise as it is important that children are not treated
as commodities. Meetings of prospective foster parents and children
would happen when we already have an expression of
interest.
- It was
confirmed that the reason why there had been an
overspend regarding Children’s Services allowances,
this was because of the large increase in the number of SGO’s
where an allowance is paid. Such an
increase had not been expected and it was acknowledged that as this
was a demand led service nothing could be done to reduce the
cost.
- In
answer to a question whether there were problems in finding
adoptive parents for children with disabilities, it was stated that
this had not been a problem in Enfield because of the good work of
the joint service which ensures that the needs of the children and
foster parents are met.
- It has
been acknowledged that the DfE
scorecard indicators to benchmark performance are not sufficiently
sensitive to reflect the range of circumstances of the children and
families involved.
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167. |
ENFIELD SAFEGUARDING CHILDRENS BOARD (ESCB) ANNUAL REPORT PDF 175 KB
To receive a report from
Grant Landon (Service Manager, Practice &
Partnerships).
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Grant Landon (Service Manager
Practice & Partnerships) presented the Annual report of the
Enfield Safeguarding Children Board. He
highlighted the following:
- The
Safeguarding Board is comprised of agencies and partners across
Enfield to analyse, scrutinize and offer
challenges to ensure the safeguarding of children across the
borough.
- The
Alan Wood review of local safeguarding children boards in May 2016
recommended significant changes to the way safeguarding
arrangements are structured in the country. We have continued to
prepare a business plan with a summary giving the key
priorities.
- One of
the specific safeguarding concerns is ‘Child Sexual
Exploitation/ Missing/ Trafficking’ and it was pointed out
that there will be an Overview and Scrutiny Workstream for 2017/18 on ‘Human Trafficking/
Modern Slavery’ the lead member for this will be Councillor
Rye.
- Domestic Abuse/ violence against Women and Girls - A new Joint
Tarageted Area Inspection framework
introduced early 2016 to understand how effectively agencies in the
area respond to specific issues for a six month period. The theme was children living with Domestic
Abuse.
- Radicalisation and Prevent – the Board works closely with
the Prevent service in the Community Safety Unit.
- Safeguarding Boards would continue to change and adapt to meet
future challenges, the three key areas to bring together are the
Police, Health (CCG) and Social Services.
The report was NOTED and the
following issues raised:
- Members thanked Grant Landon for his encouraging report. It was
suggested by Councillor Smith that it may be helpful for an
assessment to be made if more detailed performance data/ figures
were available to show trends. It was stated that in many
situations there was limited data obtainable. The main issues
related to the increased demand for help and support and the
borough’s attempts to ensure this is met.
- That
consideration be given as to whether it
is feasible/ beneficial to combine the four reports that relate to
Children’s Services at this meeting into one for future OSC
meetings.
- Councillor Levy referred to the possibility, in future, that an
OSC standing workstream be established
for Children’s issues.
Grant Landon was thanked for
his report update.
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168. |
ENFIELD ANNUAL INDEPENDENT REVIEWING OFFICERS (IRO'S) REPORT 2016/17 PDF 99 KB
To receive a report from
Maria Anastasi, Service Manager for Safeguarding & Quality
Service.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Anne Stoker, presented this item which updated OSC on the
annual IRO report April 2017 to March 2017.
She highlighted the
following:
- Independent Reviewing Officers represent the interests of looked
after children and there are 7.5 officer posts in the
borough. They also chair the Child
Protection conferences.
- There
was a decline in the number of children subject to child protection
plans of approximately 10%. It was
thought this may be due to the use of the ‘signs of safety
model’, which have put clear safety plans in place which are
easily understood by parents and professionals.
- This
is a demand led service with more complex issues as more families
move into the borough. The process is well managed with clear plans
in place.
The following issues were
raised:
- It was
questioned whether we should be concerned as the number of children
being looked after and their issues have increased although the
number of children subject to a child protection plan had declined?
Anne referred to the consistent approach used to support families
and that social workers were using the same clear protection/
safety plans as previously.
- The
rates of adoption for looked after children
was queried and it was thought to be approximately
14%. It was pointed out that there have
been changes to allow for young people over the age of 18 to stay
with their foster carers. Anne mentioned that more young people
were coming later into care.
- It was
confirmed that when a child who is subject to a child protection
plan moves into Enfield from another borough then we would assume
responsibility for this.
- The
report was helpful as it enabled comparisons/ trends to be
made.
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169. |
ENFIELD ANNUAL LOCAL AUTHORITY DESIGNATED OFFICER (LADO) REPORT 2016/17 PDF 98 KB
To receive a report from
Maria Anastasi, Service Manager for Safeguarding & Quality
Service.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Anne Stoker, presented this item which updated OSC on the
annual LADO report April 2017 to March 2017.
The following was
highlighted:
- The
role of the LADO is undertaken by the Service Manager of
Safeguarding and Quality Service who is responsible for overseeing
investigations, alerting senior council officers to allegations of
a serious nature and making referrals to the Disclosure and Barring
Service. She also offers advice and
guidance to staff where there are low level concerns.
- There
were 50 allegations during the year which met the threshold for
formal LADO involvement and 10 of these allegations (20%) were
substantiated.
The following issues were
raised:
- It was
confirmed that in some instances where a person is found guilty
i.e that allegations are substantiated,
then they may receive a prison sentence.
- There
is evidence that allegations have been covered up in the past in
other authorities/institutions. We need to be sure that this would
not happen in Enfield. Although
insufficient evidence may have resulted in an allegation being
unsubstantiated all referrals were logged for the
future.
- It was
asked how often there are cases of whistleblowing. It was answered that this happens occasionally, in
which case only the highest level of officers would investigate, in
order to protect the whistleblower. In
the past we have received anonymous letters and these are always
looked into.
Anne Stoker was thanked for
presenting the reports.
AGREED
That consideration be given as to whether it is feasible/ beneficial to
combine the four reports that relate to Children’s Services
into one for future OSC meetings.
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170. |
WORK PROGRAMME 2017/18 PDF 310 KB
To review and agree the
Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2017/18.
Minutes:
It was noted that there would
be more Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings this year compared
to last year. This includes a joint
meeting with
Crime Scrutiny held on the 11 July 2017, on knife crime and
a joint meeting with Health Scrutiny to be held on the 8 November
2017.
Workstreams agreed for 2017/18
include
- Human
Trafficking/ Modern Slavery – Lead Member - Michael
Rye
- Transport Connectivity – Lead Member – Nneka
Keazor
- Primary School Exclusions – Lead Member – Guney
Dogan
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171. |
MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING PDF 108 KB
To agree the minutes of the Overview and
Scrutiny Committees held on
25 July 2017 and 14 August
2017.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
AGREED
the minutes of the meetings held on 25 July 2017 and
14 August 2017.
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172. |
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
14 September 2017 – Provisional Call-in
Date
12 October 2017 – Business meeting
Minutes:
|
12 October 2017 –
Business meeting
Items for discussion
- Meridian Water and
- Retail
in Town Centres.
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Councillor Levy thanked
everyone for attending the meeting
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173. |
.
To consider, if necessary, passing a resolution
under Section 100A(4) of the
Local Government Act 1972 excluding the press and
public from the meeting
for the item of business listed in Part 2 of the
agenda on the grounds that it
will involve the likely disclosure of exempt
information as defined in those
paragraphs of Part 1 Schedule 12A to the Act (as
amended by the Local
Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order
2006), as are listed on
the agenda (Members are asked
to refer to the Part 2 agenda).
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