Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record and sign Minutes of the meeting held on 24 November 2021.

The Minutes (copies of which had been circulated) of the meeting held on 24 November 2021 were approved as a correct record.

Councillors and officers to declare any interests which they have in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

Councillors and officers were invited to declare any interest which they had in any of the items on the agenda for the meeting.

The following interests were declared:-

Personal Interests

To consider call-in items (if any).

There were no call-in items to consider.

To consider a report of the Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services and Education.

The Cabinet has previously set out its approach to responding to the opportunities, challenges and uncertainty outlined within the review of the medium-term financial plan at its meeting on 21st September 2021. This was shared for further discussion and comment with scrutiny committees in October 2021.

Following these discussions further development of proposals have been undertaken and these are now being shared again with Scrutiny for comment and consideration.

The Scrutiny Committee is requested to comment on the proposals within the four business cases alongside feedback from consultation and equalities analysis.

Officer contact: Holly Rae on 0161 474 3014 or email: holly.rae@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Children’s Services and the Director of Education submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the Cabinet’s proposed approach to responding to the opportunities, challenges and uncertainty outlined within the review of the medium-term financial plan presented at the Cabinet meeting on the 21 September 2021.  The Scrutiny Committee was provided with an opportunity to make initial comments on the proposals at its meeting in October 2021.  Following these discussions further development of proposals have been undertaken and these are now being shared again with the committee for comment and consideration.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services and Education also attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee welcomed the detailed report and the information provided to the Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services.

This report provides an update on the key announcements made by the Department for Education (DfE) on the education funding settlement for 2022/23 and provides information relating to the local funding formula models to be used to determine the individual 2022/23 budgets for early years providers and schools in Stockport.

The Scrutiny Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Peter Hughes, 0161 474 3947, peter.hughes@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on the key announcements made by the Department for Education (DfE) on the education funding settlement for 2022/23 and provides information relating to the local funding formula models to be used to determine the individual 2022/23 budgets for early years providers and schools in Stockport.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services and Education (Councillor Colin Foster) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

Clarification was sought relating to the views of the schools and the School’s Forum regarding the 2022/23 funding settlement and budgets. In response, it was noted that the school leaders were pleased with the settlement and that the additional funding would deal with cost pressures. It was also noted that the School’s Forum had not yet considered the information as the information was still going through the internal governance processes and would be presented to its next meeting.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Director of Children’s Services.

This report provides an update on progress with Tameside and Stockport shared services programme which aims to improve outcomes for children and families by delivering the best possible services through challenging times and within diminishing resources, supported through an emphasis on collaboration and partnership. The programme aims to explore and realise the opportunities to do things differently to build capacity and share best practice across traditional boundaries.

The Scrutiny Committee is asked to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Carolyn Anderson, Carolyn.anderson@stockport.gov.uk

The Director of Children’s Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing an update on progress with Tameside and Stockport shared services programme which aims to improve outcomes for children and families by delivering the best possible services through challenging times and within diminishing resources,  supported through an emphasis on collaboration and partnership. The programme aims to explore and realise the opportunities to do things differently to build capacity and share best practice across traditional boundaries.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services and Education (Councillor Colin Foster) attended the meeting to respond to questions from the Scrutiny Committee.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         Clarification was sought regarding the governance and scrutiny processes involved with the shared services. In response, it was noted that there was Shared Services Board that included Cabinet Members and Directors from both authorities and that once details relating to opportunities and benefits for both authorities are identified then the scrutiny process would follow.

·         Members were concerned that there was no performance data included in the report and sought clarification on the outcomes, resource and capacity challenges referenced in the report. In response, it was commented that performance date would be included in future reports. Regarding the challenges it relates to the local authorities resources, school budgets and increase in academy schools.

RESOLVED – That this Committee resolves to urgently place the Shared Services proposals on the agenda of the next Children & Families Scrutiny Committee and requests that officers bring a report which clearly sets out comparative data between Stockport MBC and Tameside MBC on all Children & Family Services and Education service areas. This should include, but is not limited to, performance, outcomes and attainment data, relevant demographic and demand data, a comparison of the budgets at the two authorities for the Children & Family Services and Education services and current and proposed organisational structure charts for the affected service areas. This Committee also requests that this item is drawn to the attention of the CRMG Scrutiny Committee and, at the discretion of the Chair of that Committee, a new report is placed on the next available CRMG Committee for consideration given the governance and management issues this is likely to raise and the significant level of resource involved in this service area.

The Scrutiny Committee has the opportunity to consider the portfolio dashboards for the Children, Family Services and Education portfolio and raise any issues with regard to performance.

Members can view the portfolio dashboards by visiting the following pages:-

Children Family Services and Education Portfolio Dashboard | Tableau Public

Members considered the portfolio dashboards for the Children, Family Services and Education Portfolio, the link to which was provided on the agenda front sheet.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Family Services and Education (Councillor Colin Foster) attended the meeting to respond to Members’ questions.

There were no issues rasied.

To consider a report of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal & Democratic Governance).

The report sets out planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and Forward Plan items that fall within the remit of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Scrutiny Committee is invited to consider the information in the report and put forward any agenda items for future meetings of the Committee.

Officer contact: Charles Yankiah on 0161 474 3206 or email:

Charles.yankiah@stockport.gov.uk

A representative of the Strategic Head of Service & Monitoring Officer (Legal & Democratic Governance) submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) setting out the planned agenda items for the Scrutiny Committee’s next meeting and any relevant Forward Plan items.

Members were reminded that the next meeting of the Scrutiny Committee would be held on 1 March 2022.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) The Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2 March 2022 be moved to 1 March 2022 due to a religious holiday.