Agenda item

Context:

To scrutinise a report on the implementation of the Action Plan approved by County Council in March 2017 and performance measures in place.

Key Issues:

·         On 20^th March 2017, Council received the Wales Audit Office (WAO) report on the Safeguarding scheme in Monmouthshire County Council and endorsed the action plan to address the findings of the WAO report.

·         On the 5^th July 2017, Cabinet received a report entitled ‘Update and Approval of matters arising from the Action Plan – Safeguarding arrangements – kerbcraft scheme.

·         Attached to the report to Cabinet were new procedures for the provision of kerbcraft training which were approved by Cabinet.

·         Kerbcraft training commenced in September 2017 in compliance with the procedure and checklist approved by Cabinet on the 5^th July 2017.

·         Officers have investigated what information is appropriate to monitor the performance of the scheme for officers of the Children and Young People Directorate and Members. The kerbcraft training is funded by and provided on behalf of Welsh Government. A performance management pro forma is provided to Welsh Government on a quarterly basis.

·         The action plan requires a select committee to be nominated to monitor the ongoing performance of the kerbcraft scheme. Given the link to Monmouthshire’s school children, officers consider the Children and Young People Select Committee to be the most appropriate committee to receive ongoing performance management reports. Welsh Government quarterly return will be collated on a six monthly basis and submitted to the Children and Young People Select Committee, Audit Committee and Cabinet. The return will be supplemented by a further document indicating which schools have received training and which are scheduled to receive training along with any commentary received from schools and parents relating to the kerbcraft training.

·         Over and above the reports to the Children and Young People Select Committee, the action plan requires the Audit Committee and Cabinet to receive progress reports to ensure that the performance of the scheme has improved and risks reduced. A report was submitted to the Audit Committee on the 23^rd November 2017 and a report to Cabinet is scheduled for 10^th January 2018.

·         Cabinet, on the 5^th July 2017, amended the recommendation that the service remains within the Highways Section (Traffic and Road Safety unit) but robust reporting links be created between the Kerbcraft Team and the Children and Young People Directorate.

·         Officers from the Highways Section and the Children and Young People Directorate have discussed how the reporting links and protocols will be managed.

Member Scrutiny:

·         In relation to paid staff providing Kerbcraft training, the Authority has one full time employee and two part time employees and these officers work term times.

·         One of the issues that caused concern for the WAO was the number of volunteers which the Authority had available which equated to 80 volunteers. The authority is presently using six volunteers which are Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checked, and training is provided. No volunteers will be used until all of these checks have been undertaken.

·         In relation to the schools, 16 have received the kerbcraft training.  The aim is to ensure that all of Monmouthshire’s primary schools, that choose to have the training, receive it by the end of the academic year.

·         Training is being undertaken over a ten week period, in agreement with Welsh Government. The Welsh Government is satisfied with the Authority’s training programme.

·         In response to a question, the Head of Operations stated that he would check whether any schools had indicated that they would not be taking part in the kerbcraft scheme.

·         It would be beneficial if the Select Committee received a further report to ensure that those primary schools that did want to receive the training have the opportunity to do so.

·         The PCSOs are not formally a part of the procedure.  However, the kerbcraft coordinator liaises with the local PCSOs and they often attend kerbcraft training events.

·         In relation to the turnover of volunteers, this is anticipated as time progresses.  However, as replacement volunteers come into the scheme, appropriate training will be provided.