Browse meetings

Children & Learning Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee

This page lists the meetings for Children & Learning Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

Meetings

Information about Children & Learning Overview & Scrutiny Sub-Committee

The Children and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Sub- Committee undertakes the Council’s scrutiny function with regard to children’s services and education. In general, the Committee is able to look at any issue that affects children and young people in the borough.

The Committee’s focus is strategic and policy-orientated, which means that it isn’t the place to consider individual complaints or concerns. However, the Committee does look at how schools, youth centres and children’s social services are providing for young people in the borough. It can question Cabinet members, officers and other organisations to ensure that the borough’s children and young people receive the best possible support across all the services they use.

The Committee is required by law to include faith and parent governor representatives amongst its membership. These additional members, who are known as ‘co-optees’ or ‘co-opted members’, are full members of the Committee with equal voting rights to councillors.

Specific areas that the Committee is tasked with scrutinising include but are not exclusive to:  

·         Pupil and Student Services (including the youth service)

·         Children's Social Care

·         Safeguarding Children

·         Adult education

·         Social Inclusion

·         Councillor Call for Action

The Committee is keen to hear of any matters that residents feel could be examined by scrutiny. If you would like scrutiny to consider any area please let us know using the form on our main website, if it is something the Committee can help with we will let you know.

 

Topic Groups

Occasionally, the Committee will deem that some issues require an in-depth investigation. The Committee will then form what are called ‘topic groups’, formed of a smaller number of councillors to meet with residents, service providers, outside experts and professionals to explore how services work and consider ways of improving them.

In the past, the Committee has undertaken topic groups on a range of matters, some of which are listed below:

·         Speech & Language Therapy

·         Drapers Academy

 

Corporate Parenting Panel

The Committee has a Sub-Committee called the Corporate Parenting Panel, which meets privately (given the confidential nature of the issues considered) and which undertakes the duties of the Council with respect to children in care. Children who are looked after look are in the care of the Council, and councillors are therefore corporate parents. The Panel oversees all services and activity for looked after children to ensure that they are safe, able to achieve and be happy.