1.         that the draft Best Start in Life (BSiL) Plan as set out at appendix 1 to the submitted report be approved; and

2.         that delegated authority be provided to the Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to make any necessary amendments to the Plan to enable publication by 31 March 2026.

To ensure the Council is compliant with the Department for Education requirement to publish the Best Start in Life (BSiL) Plan by 31 March 2026, and to provide members with appropriate transparency and oversight of the proposed vision, targets, and delivery approach for improving the proportion of children in Torbay achieving a Good Level of Development by age five.

No alternative options were considered due to the plan being a DfE requirement.

The decision will come into force and may be implemented on 30 March 2026 unless the call-in procedure is triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to Overview and Scrutiny).

The BSiL Plan sets out how Torbay would achieve its locally set targets for the proportion of children reaching a Good Level of Development (GLD) by age five (end of the Early Years Foundation Stage).  It outlined the vision, strategic approach, and delivery mechanisms that would be used to meet these targets.  The plan uses Torbay’s local data to illustrate where children are performing well and where the most significant developmental gaps remain.  The Plan provided the approach to improving early childhood outcomes from pregnancy to age five, ensuring that more children achieve a Good Level of Development by 2028.

At the meeting of the Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Board held on 16 March 2026, the BSiL Plan was considered and the Sub-Board agreed to monitor the implementation of the Plan every six months 

At the Cabinet meeting, Councillor Bye proposed and Councillor Tyerman seconded a motion that was agreed unanimously, as set out above.

None.