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.