Issue - meetings

The Assistant Director, Strategy, Commissioning and Prevention presented the report which informed the Committee of the proposals to replace the Peterborough Children’s Trust Board with a Children and Families Joint Commissioning Board.  Members were advised that there was no longer a requirement for a Children’s Trust Board or Children’s Plan.  There was however still a requirement for Local Authorities to develop highly effective partnership arrangements to improve outcomes for children, young people and their families.  The new Children and Families Joint Commissioning Board would consist of Senior Officers who were decision makers who had accountability within their organisation for understanding the needs of children and young people.  There would also be stakeholder groups.  The Board would meet a minimum of four times a year and there would be an option to call additional meetings to address specific issues that would require agreement, decision or action.  Accountability for the Board would be through the Director of Children’s Services and the Lead Cabinet Member, reporting through the Health and Well-being Board.  The Board would also have a key relationship with the Peterborough Safeguarding Children Board. 

Observations and questions were raised and discussed including:

·         Members wanted to know who the existing members of the Peterborough Children’s Trust Board were.  The Assistant Director, Strategy, Commissioning and Prevention advised that she would send Members a list.  Some of those members would continue on the new Children and Families Joint Commissioning Board.

·         Were members paid to be on the Children’s Trust?  No.

·         Some Members felt that the new title of Children and Families Joint Commissioning Board did not seem to reflect accurately its purpose.  Members were advised that all authorities were required to put into place a Children’s Trust by the last government.  There were many types of Trusts in place and the Children’s Trust had been very weak with little statutory responsibility.  The strength of resetting the Board means that it starts afresh with a new membership and the name reflected what it would do which was Joint Commissioning.

·         Was the model being proposed a Peterborough Model?  Members were informed that it was very much about Peterborough.

·         Was there a mechanism in place to ensure that the people who made the decisions were the people who always attended the meetings?  The Assistant Director, Strategy, Commissioning and Prevention advised Members that it was up to her to drive it forward and the people who had signed up to the Board had made a commitment but as with all groups it was the skill of the Chair and Lead Officer to keep people engaged.

ACTION AGREED

The Committee agreed to endorse the proposal to dissolve the Peterborough Children’s Trust Board and replace it with a new Children and Families Joint Commissioning Board.