The Board considered reports which summarised the performance of the performance indicators and projects in the Council’s strategic scorecard, the Council’s approved capital programme for the first quarter of 2011/12, and the Council’s revenue budget for the same period.

The Executive Lead Member for Children, Schools and Families and the Acting Director of Children’s Services attended to provide additional information and respond to Board members questions.  The Board was advised by the Executive Lead Member for Children, Schools and Families that the backlog in safeguarding cases would be clear by the end of August 2011.  The Board was informed that safeguarding issues would take eighteen months to rectify and require additional funds.

Members questioned the timetable put forward to address safeguarding issues and the likelihood of success.  In reply to questions, the Acting Director of Children’s Services indicated that professionals within Children’s Services had become risk adverse.  He advised that intensive work with families to enable the child to stay in the family was often the best route.  Members suggested that action sooner to achieve a permanent solution, along the lines of the Denmark early intervention model, was most effective. 

Members questioned the shortage of foster care and were advised that a number of staff were focusing on foster care recruitment and that a recent campaign had been successful.

Board members questioned whether corporate resources were helping to address safeguarding issues.  In response the Chief Executive Officer advised that all Commissioners and Executive Heads had been challenged to help and that the issue was not confined to a single unit in Children’s Services. 

With reference to previous assurances and targets, Board members questioned the likelihood and intellectual capacity of the Council to deliver successful safeguarding.  In response, the Board was advised that the backlog of cases would be rectified shortly and an eighteen month plan was needed.

With reference to a projected overspend of £1.5m in Children’s Services for 2011/12 and previous statements that an overspend was likely, Board members questioned whether the budget set had been realistic.  In response to questions about the possible closure of Children’s Centres within Torbay as an in-year saving, the Executive Lead Member for Children, Schools and Families advised the meeting that the operations of the centres were under review but they would not close.  The Acting Director of Children’s Services advised that measures to address the budget overspend including all expenditure over £500 requiring his authorisation.  The Board was advised that the possibility of charging academies for services was being investigated.

Board members were advised by the Acting Director of Children’s Services that due to the budget process, historical overspends indicating difficulties within safeguarding had been absorbed within the overall Children’s Services budget.

With reference to adult social care the Board was advised by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Torbay Care Trust, of capacity issues and increasing waiting lists.  The Board was informed that the projected overspend for adult social care for 2011/12 was £1.5m, with a current year to date overspend of £575,000.

In response to questions concerning bed blocking, the Board was advised that there were not delayed discharges within Torbay’s community hospitals, but there were within the eleven community hospitals within southern Devon.

Members discussed the financial risk sharing arrangements between the Council and the Care Trust and potential proposals to reduce commissioned adult social care spending.  With particular reference to the Annual Strategic Agreement between the Council and the Care Trust, Board members expressed concern at the lack of information available during the budget process for 2011/12.

Members discussed the possible impact of moving to critical care only during the current financial year.  The Executive Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Older People indicated that both substantial and critical care should be protected.

In reply to questioning, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Torbay Care Trust, confirmed that certain services would cease over the next 2-3 years.

The Executive Lead Member for Finance and Audit indicated that current budgets were unrealistic and undesirable and the executive would be looking across the Council to identify savings.  In response to questions, he advised that the Council had not borrowed since May 2010.  Board members asked what the cost of capital borrowings was to the revenue budget and were advised £6.9m.

Members asked for evidence of the added value of the capital plan, such as jobs created, and suggested performance indicators could be created to clarify such benefits.

Members alluded to possible financial liabilities and penalties to Councillors such as incurred in the Clay Cross dispute and agreed to request the advice of the Monitoring Officer on the issue.

Resolved:  (i)  that the Chief Executive Officer be recommended to ensure appraisals of Executive Heads and higher posts include children’s and adults’ safeguarding and positive engagement with corporate parenting; and

(ii)  that monthly updates of performance indicators and projects relating to children’s safeguarding be provided to Overview and Scrutiny Board members.

(Note:  Prior to consideration of the item in Minute 194, Councillor Pentney declared a personal interest due to her grandchild receiving care from Children’s Services.)