Issue - items at meetings - Children's Services Partnership Agreements (s75 Agreements) and the Children's Trust Board

Report of the Director of Children’s Services (copy attached).

(1)       That Cabinet approves the principles of the proposed S75 agreements as outlined in paragraph 3.6 and Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)       That Cabinet approves the proposed governance arrangements as set out in Appendix 2 and that the Council’s constitution be amended so far as required to reflect the new arrangements.

(3)       That Cabinet authorises the Director of Children’s Services, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, to finalise the detailed terms of the s75 agreements and to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the proposals.

(4)       That Cabinet authorises the Head of Law to prepare and execute the s75 agreements.

(5)       That Cabinet notes the proposed new duties in relation to establishing a Children’s Trust Board outlined in paragraph 4.1 of the report and authorises the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services to approve the steps necessary to establish the new Board.

197.1                The Cabinet considered a report of the Director of Children’s Services concerning proposed changes to the Council’s existing partnership arrangements with the Primary Care Trust and South Downs Health in relation to Children’s Services and new draft Statutory Guidance in relation to Children’s Trusts Boards.

197.2                Councillor Hawkes spoke in support of the proposals and advised that it was important for the council to remain ahead of other local authorities in relation to partnership arrangements. She stated that the existing Children’s Trust Board had made significant achievements and it was important to ensure that the Board remained linked to the rest of the new arrangements. She added that she hoped the Cabinet would monitor the new partnership arrangements.

197.3                Councillor Brown confirmed that while there was an obligation to include an increasing number of representatives on the new Children’s Trust Board, there was no intention to exclude the voluntary sector or alter the existing cross-party nature of Member involvement.

197.4                RESOLVED - That having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That the principles of the proposed S75 agreements be approved.

(2)         That the proposed governance arrangements be approved and that the Council’s constitution be amended so far as required to reflect the new arrangements.

(3)         That the Director of Children’s Services be authorised, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, to finalise the detailed terms of the s75 agreements and to take all steps necessary or incidental to the implementation of the proposals.

(4)         That the Head of Law be authorised to prepare and execute the s75 agreements.

(5)         That the proposed new duties in relation to establishing a Children’s Trust Board be noted and the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services be authorised to approve the steps necessary to establish the new Board.