Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were noted.

None declared.

The Chairman announced details of the arrangements in case of fire or other events that might require the meeting room or building’s evacuation.

To approve the report for 2012/2013.  (Attached)

The Committee received a presentation of the report by Carol Hayden, Business & Performance Manager in Children’s Young People’s Services.

The Committee were referred to Appendix 1 containing the summary report on the position regarding service complaints handled in relation to the Children and Young People’s Services during the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. In addition, it also showed the compliments received.

Complaints about Children and Young People’s Services are reported separately because they are handled under specific regulations that individually define the statutory process into 3 formal stages (Stage 1, 2 and 3). Havering introduced an informal Pre Stage 1 process in 2005 to support a better complaints practice and avoid complaints escalating to statutory processes.

Some of the key messages within the report during 2012/13 were:

• The overall number of complaints are around 180 and within this figure 46

matters raised by MP’s and Councillors.

• The Pre Stage 1 process has been very successful in resolving many

initial concerns, with 5 escalating to the formal stage 1 process.

• Matters raised through a Councillor or MP are monitored through their own

individual corporate processes.

• The overall number of Stage 1 complaints has decreased by 5. There has

been a consistent approach with complaints made by the Children’s

Advocacy Service.

• The number of Stage 1 complaints, that escalated to a Stage 2 complaint

had increased in 2012/13 by 1.

• There was one Stage 3 complaint for the financial year 2012/13 This Stage

3 complaint will roll over into 2013/14.

•  For 2012/13, 43 Compliments were received, these are in relation to the

good work Children and Young People’s Services have carried out.

•  5 complaints were submitted to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO).

The outcomes from these complaints were: 2 referred back as a premature

complaint and investigated locally as a statutory Stage 1 complaint. 1

outside LGO jurisdiction, 1 informal enquiry, 1 complaint was investigated by

the LGO with local settlement.

• Most complaints are initiated by parents and very few by children and young

people.

• The majority of complaints relate to the quality of service, alleged behaviour

of staff and disputed decision.

 Currently Havering Council has a corporate complaints model that captures non-social care complaints, principally education, children services activity. These complaints systems are statutory and have separate defined and differing regulated processes.

To approve the report for 2012/2013. (Attached)

The Committee were referred to Appendix 1 containing the summary report on the position regarding service complaints handled in relation to Learning and Achievement for the period 1 April 2012 - 31 March 2013. The Committee were asked to note that the report excluded Social Care & Learning, Pupil Services - School Admissions & Exclusions Appeals,which are a statutory requirement and are dealt with by Committee Administration within Legal & Democratic Services.

In 2012/13 there were 8 complaints, compared to the previous year 2011/12 the number was 20 and 1 of these complaints were against Commissioning (Schools).  The reasons related to quality of service, challenge of Council decision, dispute decision, Council being unreasonable and policy issue. The number of enquiries received from MPs and Councillors amounted to 50, 17 of which related to school appeals decisions.

The Committee noted the report and voiced their concerns on both of the reports format which they found confusing. Officers advised that the report presentation would be improved in 2014.

Power point Presentation by Mary Pattinson.  (To follow)

Members participated in a practical training exercise relating to the Self Evaluation Form for OFSTED Inspections. Members were given 9 possible aspects that Inspectors may investigate and were asked to provide their suggestions for an Evidence Base – i.e. what meetings the Inspectors may want to attend, documents they might wish to see, people they may want to talk to and questions they might ask.  Members were split into discussion groups of two or three. The results from the discussions would be collated and evaluated by officers within the Children and Learning department and would form part of a briefing to be circulated at a later date. The Committee found the exercise very informative and requested that the paperwork for the training exercise be circulated to members.

Officers advised the Committee noted that an action plan would be in place by January 2014 to address areas for development. A final draft form of the SEF would be sent to all education providers in the New Year and that members observations from the training exercise would be collated and considered prior to circulation and that a briefing document would be make available on each of the points in each task.  The Committee requested sight of the final document at the March 2014 meeting.

Committee Members are invited to indicate to the Chairman, items within this

Committee's terms of reference they would like to see discussed at a future meeting.

Note: it is not considered appropriate for issues relating to individuals to be discussed under this provision.

The Vice-Chairman proposed that future reports/briefings are noted only due to the large volume of information and data requested by the Committee. 

No urgent business was raised.