Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest declared at the meeting.

– Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Joint Committee held on 11 March 2022 be received and where necessary approved and adopted.

Report of the Director: Governance and Communities.

The Director: Governance and Communities submitted a report providing an update on the Council’s in-year financial position, with specific reference to the inflationary environment it was operating within and considered an increase in reserve utilisation to maintain a balanced position. It also identified the implications for the Council’s medium term financial plan position and financial planning process for the 2023/24 budget setting process and requested Cabinet to note the latest revenue budget and approve the revised capital programme set out within the report and its appendices.

The report explained that in February 2022, Council approved plans to invest £169.8m of revenue resource in 2022-23 and £137.8m of capital resource over a four-year period to support delivery of the Council plan, achieve its strategic objectives and legal duties for the benefit of residents and businesses. The financial strategy guided this and provided the mechanisms to ensure the council was financially sustainable and resilient.

 At the time of setting the budget and medium-term financial plan the national economic outlook was that inflation would peak at 7.25% in April 2022 and begin to decline, taking two years to return to 2% target levels. The July 2022 rate of consumer price inflation (CPI) had now increased to 10.1% and was expected to further increase to exceed 13%. The Bank of England currently expected inflation to return towards normal levels in two years’ time.

In line with good financial management practices, the council’s use of resources was closely monitored and reported to the Executive and this report provided information on the current financial position and would inform the next stages of financial planning, taking account of the risks and opportunities in respect of financial sustainability. A summary explanation with supporting appendices were provided under the following headings –

•         Financial Position 2022/23

•         Financial Resilience Context

•         Medium Term Financial Plan and

•         Budget Policy Framework

Councillor Marper, Cabinet Member Finance, Governance and Veterans thanked the Director for her report and work carried out by her officers and highlighted, summarised and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved – (a) That the financial position set out in the report be noted; (b) that a change to the budgeted use of reserves by an additional £5m in mitigation to the inflation impact on net operating costs be approved; (c) that the budget adjustments approved under delegated powers and the revised budget position for 2022/23 be noted; (d) the revised capital programme 2022/25 be approved, and (e) that the progress against the approved Treasury Management Strategy and prudential code indicators be noted.

Report of the Director: Children and Families.          

The Director: Children and Families submitted a report requesting Cabinet to support the North Lincolnshire Youth Justice Plan 2022-24 which set out the shared ambition and priorities of the North Lincolnshire Youth Justice Partnership.

The Director in her report explained that Section 40 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 stated that it was the duty for each local authority, after consultation with the partner agencies, to formulate and implement an annual youth justice plan setting out: 

•                how youth justice services in the area were provided and funded;

•                how the Youth Justice Partnership was composed and funded, how it operated, and the functions it carried out.

In March 2022 the Youth Justice Board (YJB) provided updated guidance on the required format and contents of Youth Justice Plans. This included a new template that had to be utilised to support and facilitate the YJB oversight and analysis of plans. This was a change to previous requirements reflecting that the data and information contained within the plan was used by the YJB as an intelligence source that supported oversight function. The standardised template supported consistency of content and structure, accessibility of the information and improved the identification and sharing of best practice.

Annual Youth Justice Plans were also an opportunity to review performance and developments over a single year period and plan for the next year. This allowed services to be able to respond to any changes that have taken place in the previous year, including new legislation, demographic changes, delivery of key performance indicators, and developments in service delivery. The annual Youth Justice Plan considered local and regional priorities including:

•         Reducing first time entrants to the youth justice system

•         Reducing the use of custody

•         Reducing reoffending rates

The Youth Justice Plan attached as an appendix to the report set out the local key priorities as:

•                Prevention of Serious Youth Violence (including weapon related offending)

•                Community Safety and reduction of exploitation

•                Transition to Adulthood process

•                Engagement in Education, Employment and Training

•                Improve the Emotional and Physical Health of children involved with youth justice

The report stated that key stakeholders were engaged in the development of the Youth Justice Plan 2022/24 and their views were taken into account to shape and influence priority setting. The YJB requirement was that the plan be submitted to them by 30 June 2022. A draft plan was presented to the Youth Justice Strategic Partnership Board on 6th May 2022 and the revised plan had been signed off by the board chair. The Youth Justice Plan 2022-24 would also be presented to Council for final approval.

Councillor Reed, Cabinet Member Children and Families thanked the Director for her report and work carried out by her officers and partners and highlighted, summarised and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved – That the North Lincolnshire Youth Justice Plan 2022-24 which is a key document in the delivery of youth justice services in the area be endorsed and supported.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1492.

Report of the Director: Children and Families.

The Director: Children and Families submitted a report attaching as an appendix the above annual report which summarised work undertaken during the period 2020/21 to implement the North Lincolnshire Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) and Inclusion Plan 2021-24.

The Director in her report explained that the annual report set out the council’s expectations for the lived experience for children and young people with SEND in North Lincolnshire and provided case studies which illustrated the difference the support had made to children and young people’s lives. It described the council’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and how quickly it adapted to new ways of working and progressed into the ensuing period of recovery and renewal.

Headline strengths included well established integrated partnership working across the local authority, strong evidence of co-production and successful completion and compliance with SEND reforms and rollout of a new digital Education, Health and Care (EHC) Hub to enable children, young people and families to participate more effectively in the statutory special educational needs assessment process.

The report detailed the range of priorities for development that would enable progress to be made against the place partnership ambitions of ‘safe, well, prosperous and connected’ and the continued One Family Approach drive to ensure that children and young people remain within their families, schools and communities. It also highlighted the excellent local area SEND inspection outcome, which was a testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone working in local services across North Lincolnshire for children and young people with SEND.

Inspectors praised the suite of strategies that were in place in North Lincolnshire to help young people achieve better outcomes, access opportunities, and lead better lives. They acknowledged the effectiveness of the support provided by all agencies at key transition points and the range of opportunities available to develop independence and life skills. The quality of leadership, the strength of partnerships, a clear commitment to co-production and the dedication of the teams within North Lincolnshire which clearly helps children, parents and carers in our local communities were also highlighted.

Councillor Reed, Cabinet Member Children and Families thanked the Director for her report and work carried out by her officers and summarised and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved - That the SEND Annual Report 2020-21 be approved and published.

Report of the Director: Children and Families.

The Director: Children and Families submitted a report informing Cabinet of the content of the North Lincolnshire Self Evaluation of the Experiences of Children in Need of Help and Protection and of Children Looked After and Care Leavers 2021/22. 

The report explained that he Ofsted framework for inspecting local authority children’s services, published in November 2017, and updated in August 2020, included "local authorities sharing an annual self-evaluation of the quality and impact of social work practice". The self-evaluation report was attached in an appendix and the Director in her report stated that building on a strong base articulated in the self-evaluation 2020/21, the self-evaluation updated/highlighted the continued good progress made by services to children in North Lincolnshire. Further external scrutiny through the Ofsted annual conversation, as well as reported performance information had also confirmed the continuing positive progress throughout the year. 

Children, young people, families and communities had remained as the centre of all what the council did and the needs of individuals and diverse communities continued to be responded to prioritising the most in need, to help and protect children, young people and families, whilst supporting and protecting the workforce.  It had enabled the council to continue the excellent progress in achieving our ambition for children to be in their families, in their schools and in their communities.  Examples of impact articulated in the self-evaluation 2021/22 were summarised under the following headings –

•         Supporting Families programme

•         Case management system

•         One Family Approach Hub

•         National Referral Mechanism (NRM) Pilot

•         Risk outside the home (ROTH)

•         Workforce development

The report also highlighted examples of key progress from a leadership and management perspective, from a children in need of help and protection perspective, from a children in care perspective, from a from a care leavers perspective and moving forward, summarised an amplified focus on areas for implementation, review and transformation.

Councillor Reed, Cabinet Member Children and Families thanked the Director for her report and work carried out by her officers and summarised and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved – That the North Lincolnshire Council Self-Evaluation of the Experiences of Children in Need of Help and Protection and of Children Looked After and Care Leavers 2021/22 be noted.

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive.

The Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report which provided Cabinet with an update on the new “Protect Duty” 2022 and to confirm the local process for implementation of the Duty.

The Deputy Chief Executive in his report explained that Protect was one of the four Government P’s which comprise the CONTEST strategy used to help implement their approach to Counter Terrorism: Protect, Prevent, Pursue and Prepare. With some exceptions (e.g., on transport and security and for certain sports grounds), there was no legislative requirement to consider or implement security measures at publicly accessible locations.      

The Government undertook a consultation in 2021 and was proposing to introduce a new Protect Duty in Autumn 2022. The proposed Protect Duty could apply in three main areas (but may also apply to other locations, parties, and processes by exception):

•                Public venues (e.g., entertainment and sports venues, tourist attractions, shopping centres)

•                Large organisations (e.g., retail, or entertainment chains)

•                Public spaces (e.g., public parks, beaches, thoroughfares, bridges, town / city squares and pedestrianised areas)

The proposals focused on legislative consideration of security being undertaken at certain publicly accessible locations (any place to which the public or any section of the public had access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission), but not private venues, such as places of employment, or other locations where there was not public access. The scope of the duty together with the requirements of the duty were also summarised.

The report stated that the duty would be on the Council and its assets, requiring responsibility and a clear line of site to the Senior Responsible Officer. A one council approach (prevent and protect) would be needed that built upon and incorporated the existing duty regarding “prevent” and ensured that all portfolios activity was joined up. Police interaction was through the Counter Terrorism Unit. To progress the work required in advance of the Duty, a new North Lincolnshire CONTEST Board had been established, Chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive. This Board would be supported by the work of the existing Multi Agency Prevent Board and a new Protect Board both of which would feed into the CONTEST Board on a regular basis.

Councillor J Davison, Cabinet Member Safer, Stronger Communities Ashby, Bottesford and Scunthorpe (Urban) thanked the Deputy Chief Executive for his report and work carried out by officers and highlighted, summarised, and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved – That the Protect Duty and confirmation that the required resources and structures are in place to deliver the Duty as summarised in the report, be noted.

Report of the Director: Governance and Communities.

The Director: Governance and Communities submitted a report, with a supporting appendix, which informed Cabinet of the success of the first year of implementation of the North Lincolnshire Fuelled Programme (Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) Programme funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

The Director in her report explained that in North Lincolnshire the HAF programme was delivered under the brand name ‘FUELLED’. Places were made available to all children (aged 5-16 years) in the local authority area who were in receipt of benefits-related free school meals (FSM).   In line with the HAF delivery objectives by the Department for Education, the 'FUELLED' programme vision was to:

•                Provide meals and snacks to ensure participants can eat healthily over the school holidays.

•                Provide a range of sport and physical activities to ensure participants could be more active over the school holidays.

•                Support the development of resilience, character, and wellbeing of participants along with wider education attainment. This included giving children and families a greater knowledge of health and nutrition.

•                Create a safe environment, combatting social isolation over the school holidays.

•                Use 'FUELLED' as a connection platform, linking schools to activity providers in their local area and linking families to wider support.

The Department for Education extended the offer to include the 15% most vulnerable children in each local authority and the criteria for this category was decided as an authority. This was the above offer to over 6000 children.

The report stated that the summer 2022 ‘Fuelled’ Programme continued to build upon the first year and implemented several changes that improved both the access and monitoring elements of the programme. This had included a much more effective registration and booking system more aligned to the needs of parents in North Lincolnshire. Forty-three providers were recruited to deliver the Fuelled Programme and the majority being from the North Lincolnshire Community which  increased the sustainability of the local infrastructure for providing high quality holiday activities for our children and young people.

During the 2022 Summer programme North Lincolnshire had a visit from the DfE lead for the region who asked a wide range of in-depth questions about the North Lincolnshire model and observed the several different elements of the programme. The DfE lead was very impressed at the way the programme had been developed, particularly the monitoring of the quality of the delivery of the programme. Subsequently the DfE had requested a video case study of the North Lincolnshire Fuelled Programme to share with other local authorities across the region as an example of ‘Good Practice’.

The DfE had congratulated the North Lincolnshire team on their work to ensure the programme was informed by local data, knowledge, and insight to ensure there was an equality of access and travel was kept at a minimum for parents, children, and young people particularly in our more rural localities, and establishing opportunities where gaps of pin provision had been identified as part of the audit in year one of the programme.

Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1496.

Report of the Director: Governance and Communities.

The Director: Governance and Communities submitted a report providing Cabinet an update on the ‘SUMMER DAZE 2022’ – a programme of free school holiday swimming for children and young people during the recent school summer holiday.

The Director in her report stated that the ‘SUMMER DAZE’ free summer holiday programme offered opportunities to take part in swimming to:

•                Improve young people’s physical and mental health and emotional well-being

•                Support the social and personal development of young people

•                Provide a safe environment in school summer holiday that helped keep young people out of open water

•                Raise young people’s aspirations, build their resilience and inform their decisions

•                Overcome any potential barriers for those wishing to take part, particularly if they are from underrepresented groups or come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds  

•                Provide early steps to employment in our leisure centres and the wider leisure industry through exposure to careers such as pool lifeguarding.

The SUMMER DAZE’ was a programme of scheduled pool time for children and young people to access free of charge at Baysgarth Community Hub, Ancholme Leisure Centre, Riddings Pool, The Pods, Axholme North Leisure Centre and Epworth Pool (a community operated pool, sessions supported by North Lincolnshire Council investment). Sessions were available free of charge for children aged 16 years and under (pool safety ratios apply).  It commenced on Monday 25th July until Sunday 4 September 2022. The offer was integrated with the (Holiday Activity and Food) HAF programme so that children and young people eligible for HAF places (based on their eligibility for free school meals), were also offered the free sessions alongside their peers, as part of an extended activity session that met the HAF criteria.

Councillor C Sherwood, Cabinet Member Safer, Stronger Communities – Rural thanked the Director for her report and work carried out by her officers and highlighted, summarised and commented upon key aspects of its content.

Resolved - To the report on the ‘SUMMER DAZE 2022’ free school holiday swimming for children and young people during the recent school summer holiday be accepted and noted