Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that:

The minutes of the meeting held on 12 December 2012 be agreed as a correct record.

Apologies for Absence were received from Cllr. Kate Salinger, who was absent due to Council Business.  Cllr. Kate Salinger was substituted by Cllr. Sury Khatri.

Apologies for absence were also received from Cllr. Brian Coleman.

Apologies for absence were also received from Cllr. Harper, the Cabinet Member for Education, Children and Families, and Cllr. Sachin Rajput, the Cabinet Member for Adults.

None.

None.

Soraya Bowie and Feroz Khan from Barnet’s Youth Shield provided the Committee with a presentation that outlined the work of the Barnet Youth Shield, and their success in winning the London Safeguarding Children Award 2012.

The representatives from Youth Shield advised the Committee that they had undertaken a survey of over 400 young people in the Borough.  The Committee were advised that the survey covered the following topics:

·         Healthy Relationships

·         Young Carers

·         Drugs & Alcohol

·         Disability

·         Mental Health

·         Faith & Culture

·         Transport

·         Out & about and Hate Crime

The Committee were informed of the results of the survey, including the statistics of the survey which showed that of the young people surveyed:

•       69.5%  (178 people)  think that domestic violence exists in teenage relationships

•       41% (109 people) don’t feel there is enough help for young people involved or affected by domestic violence. 

Responding to a question from a Member, the Youth Shield informed the Committee that Feroz Khan was also a member of the Role Model Army.

The Committee were informed that the Youth Shield had been working with an organisation called “Tender” who trained Youth Shield and other young people to be able to deliver healthy relationship training. The Youth Shield advised that they had conducted peer to peer training, which was aimed at young people aged from 14 years upwards, in order to raise awareness about what is a healthy relationship, early warning signs of controlling behaviour, how to support a friend and where to go for help.

RESOLVED that:

1)    The Committee congratulate the Youth Shield on their success in winning the London Safeguarding Children Award 2012.

2)    That the Committee request to receive a copy of the consultation that was undertaken by the Barnet Youth Shield with young people from the Borough.

The Barnet LINk Manager and Networks and Partnerships Officer, Selina Rodrigues, presented the Barnet LINk “Enter and View” report, which outlined the details of a visit undertaken by Barnet LINk volunteers to Nazareth House Residential Care Home.

Ms. Rodrigues also provided the Committee with an update regarding the “Enter and View” scheme, and informed the Committee that to date, another six “Enter and View” visits had been completed. 

Responding to a question from a Member, Ms. Rodrigues advised the Committee that premises to be visited could be chosen upon advice from Advocacy Barnet, or if they had not had a recent visit from the Care Quality Commission. 

Referring to a comment in the “Enter and View Report” which noted that extra English classes had been provided at Nazareth House for staff requiring support, a Member commented that language barriers can be isolating for residents in care homes. 

Members questioned the transition from “Barnet LINk” to “HealthWatch”, as provided for under the Health and Social Care Act 2012.  The Committee noted that CommUnity Barnet, who had ran Barnet LINk, had been awarded the HealthWatch contract.  Ms. Rodrigues noted that going forward, “Enter and View” and “HealthWatch” wanted to focus on having good relations with the Council, the Health and Well-Being Board, and Health partners. 

RESOLVED that the Committee note the Barnet LINK “Enter and View” report.

Paul Shipway, the Head of Strategy and Performance, and Kate Laffan, the Head of Housing Options at Barnet Homes, presented a report that outlined the closure of Barbara Langstone House, and informed the committee of the arrangements for providing alternative housing and the on-going support for residents of the scheme.  

Ms. Laffan informed the Committee of a pilot scheme called the “Get Real” Project, which provides shared accommodation and ongoing support to young people who show a commitment to education, training or employment. 

When considering the decant process, a Member expressed concern that the high number of people having to move into temporary accommodation, and requested that the Committee were provided with the final figures of what accommodation residents of Barbara Langstone House had been moved to. 

Councillor Brian Salinger, who had been the responsible Cabinet Member at the beginning of the lease, advised the Committee that there were normally 81 residents residing at Barbara Langstone House at any one time, meaning that there would have been approximately 1,000 residents over the 10 year lease period, and that the building could therefore be considered to have served its purpose during that time.

A Member raised concern over people who would have resided at Barbara Langstone House, if it were not for the decant process, Mr. Shipway advised the Committee that there was ongoing support, and that the Council would continue to develop more holistic support for people going through the housing system. 

RESOLVED that:-

1)     The Committee requests to receive an update report on the people that had moved from Barbara Langstone House, and an update on the Get Real project.

2)    The Committee requests to receive an update on Safestart.

The Chairman announced a variation to order of the agenda, with the exempt item being considered after Agenda Item 8.  Following the consideration of the exempt item, the meeting continued in public session. 

RESOLVED that:-

The Committee note the exempt information.

Sharon Scott, the Interim Assistant Director for Partnerships and Transformation, presented a report which outlined the proposed funding arrangements for Northgate Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) alongside the tier 4 mental health intervention for 2013/14. 

The report also focused on the maintenance of education for young people who may need to access Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).  The report outlined that financial contributions from Enfield and Haringey had been outlined in principle for 2012/13 in order to balance the budget, and that a mixed model of funding was being proposed for Northgate PRU 2013/14.

In introducing the report, the Interim Assistant Director for Partnerships and Transformation advised that the funding mechanism was very strong, and that the quality of education at the PRU had been recognised as “excellent” by OFSTED. 

A Member questioned whether the level of service would be sustainable following budget cuts.  Ms. Scott advised the Committee that the budget changes had been recognised, and that re-organisation had taken place so that the level of service could be sustained. 

A Member asked for a breakdown of the number of children who were currently at Northgate PRU from Barnet, Enfield, Haringey or any other Borough.  Ms. Scott advised the Committee that she would inform the Committee of this figure after the meeting. 

RESOLVED that:-

1)    The Committee note the proposed funding arrangements in the year 2012/13 and the revised funding proposals for 2013/14 to maintain education provision at Northgate PRU alongside tier 4 mental health intervention.

2)    The Committee request that the Interim Assistant Director for Partnerships and Transformation provides a breakdown of the number of children currently at Northgate PRU from Barnet, Enfield, Haringey or any other Borough.

Dawn Wakeling, the Adults and Communities Director, and Ann Graham, the Assistant Director for Social Care and Health (Children’s Service) presented a report that outlined the functions and priorities of the Safeguarding Adults and Children’s Boards options for closer working, and identified how joint working could be used to strengthen and improve Safeguarding outcomes.

Ms. Graham advised the Committee that joint working was a positive way forward, and included the development of a joint programme of work between the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board and The Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.

The Committee were advised that there was an intention to move towards a single Chair arrangement.  Responding to a question on why a joint Chair had been proposed, the Director for Adults and Communities informed the Committee that whilst there would still be separate boards for areas of expertise, a joint Chair would allow for a joint focus and better interface between Adult’s and Children’s Social Care issues. 

Responding to questions from Members, Officers advised that there was an expectation for a small saving by having a joint chair, and that the real advantage would be that the proposal enabled the joining up of the family agenda. 

RESOLVED that:-

The Committee note the report.

RESOLVED that:-

The Committee note the Advanced Notice of Executive Decisions

RESOLVED that:-

1)    The Committee note the Forward Work Programme

2)    The Committee request that the Scrutiny Office investigate options for the Committee to receive a report on youth issues and crime

3)    The Committee request to receive a report on budget implications on the four nursery schools within the borough.

None.

None.