Agenda item

(COUNCILlOr cusworth took the Chair for this item)

Councillor Maggi Clark introduced the report as Chair of the review, thanking other councillors and officers for their input and support. In October 2016, (former) Lead Commissioner Sir Derek Myers wrote to the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive, and asked that the Council consider the lessons learnt from other Alternative Management Arrangements (AMAs) in children’s services. The report set out the latest analysis and current thinking of the Improving Lives Select Commission’s cross-party review group on the range of AMAs for children’s services which might secure the long-term success of Rotherham’s Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS). It evaluated the relative strengths and challenges of the primary options available to the Council and provides initial recommendations for future management arrangements.

The supporting evidence underpinning this report was gathered through visits/conversations with other areas to identify the impact their delivery arrangements had on improvements. In addition, Isos Partnership (with the support of the Local Government Association) used an independent research methodology to enable an objective assessment of the model/s most likely to secure sustainable improvements. Alongside this assessment, external peer reviews, practice partner feedback, Commissioner’s reports, and Ofsted monitoring visits were also used to assess progress and improvements that have been made in CYPS. An option appraisal was also undertaken to provide an objective analysis of the range of alternative management arrangements available to the Council.

The review concluded that given the improvements made over the last two years a Practice Partner model would secure the most rapid and sustainable improvements in the short term (two years) and present the lowest risk to the Improvement journey. In particular, its evidence suggested that the Practice Partner model will:

-     Establish the right balance of political ownership, oversight and accountability for CYPS at the same time as rigorous external challenge;

-     Enable the good progress being made on the improvement programme to continue at an accelerated pace with minimal disruption to partners, wider council priorities or management focus; and

-     Avoid high transition and operating costs associated with each of the AMAs and enable spend to be focused on front line delivery.

The review acknowledged that the peer practice partner model is by definition temporary. Once there is consistent good quality front-line practice, the Council will actively consider other options to work with others through integration, collaboration or further commissioning if this would secure more rapid and sustainable improvement.

Discussion ensued on the report with the following issues raised/clarified:-

The Chief Executive commended the work undertaken by Members in this review. The option appraisal was steered by key principles arising from the review and independent research. The learning from the review had been shared with partners and received positively.

Clarification was sought on the role of overview and scrutiny in authorities with alternative management arrangements. It was stressed that the importance of ongoing external scrutiny, support and challenge would be central to considering options for future delivery. This included a principle that strong oversight of children’s services should be maintained by elected members, which would involve exercising their corporate parenting and scrutiny roles (and in case of lead member statutory responsibilities) to secure the best outcomes for children and young people in Rotherham.

Resolved:

1)        That Improving Lives Select Commission approve the report and recommendations as outlined in Section 11 of Appendix 1;

2)        That Improving Lives Select Commission forward the scrutiny review to Cabinet and Commissioners for their consideration;

3)        That the response of Cabinet and Commissioners be fed back to this Committee; and

4)        That the Review Group reconvenes to consider the additional learning points from the review and these be fed back to the Senior Leadership Team for consideration.