Agenda item

Cabinet will receive four scrutiny reports:-

-        From the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Cost of Living

-        From the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Transitions to Adult Social Care

-        From the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Children and Adults’ Social Care Workforce

-        From the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Home to School Transport Policy Working Group

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On behalf of the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Performance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Tom Hudson, Principal Scrutiny Officer introduced the report “Cost of Living Performance”, which summarised the Committee’s consideration of the interventions in place and in development to support those facing challenges with the cost of living and comparing them with LGA advice on the role that Councils should play in this area.  He referred to the recommendation regarding regular liaison with Locality meetings on cost-of-living activity.

Councillor Nigel Simpson, Chair of the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report “Transitions to Adult Social Care” which summarised the Committee’s consideration of Oxfordshire’s approach to supporting young people through their transition into adult services.  He referred to the recommendation regarding the potential opportunities for Section 106 capital funding for housing needs.

Councillor Simpson also introduced the report “Children and Adult Social Care Workforce” which summarised the Committee’s consideration of the children and adults’ social care workforce (both internal and external), recruitment and retention challenges and opportunities. He referred to the recommendations the Council introduces a Council-wide staff retention strategy and to develop a partnership approach to key-worker housing with the District Councils.

Councillor Andy Graham, Chair of the Home to School Transport Working Group, introduced the report from the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee which summarised the Working Group’s findings from its review of the Home to School Transport Policy.  He gave details of the various factors which had led to the 9 recommendations in the report.  Councillor Simpson, Chair of the Scrutiny Committee confirmed that the recommendations had been carried with cross-party support.

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services responded to the report and thanked Councillor Graham and the members of the Working Group for their work which had led to the recommendations. She made the following points:

-        The Council had been provided with information about the alternative bus provision in a number of schools

-        There had been considerable work on mitigation in response to the reduced numbers of spare seats in some schools

-        The Council would continue to support the spare seats policy

-        A report on the policy would be brought to the Cabinet meeting in May

During discussion members made the following points:

-        The provision of public transport was an important element of the Council’s environmental strategy to tackle the impact of climate change and all possible steps should be taken to reduce the number of car journeys and mitigate the loss of spare seats in some areas of the County

-        Parents attending the meeting were encouraged to hold discussions with the Director of Children’s Services regarding the concerns expressed at the meeting

Cabinet will respond to the four Scrutiny Committee reports in due course.