Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Matt Golby and Jonathan Nunn (West), Anna Earnshaw (Rebecca Pack substituting), Ben Smith, Rory Seymour.

None received.

Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting of the Children’s Trust Joint Committee held on 2 February 2022 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

The Chair invited those who wished to do so to declare interests in respect of items on the agenda.

No declarations were made.

The Assistant Director of Commissioning and Partnerships, Tony Challinor, presented a report to seek approval to the transfer of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Support Service, for Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, from West Northamptonshire Council to Northamptonshire Children’s Trust.

The report detailed that both West and North Northamptonshire Council’s delivered several support services to the Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, with the Health, Safety and Support Service currently being delivered by the West at a cost of £65,000 per annum.   Following a recent review, it was considered beneficial for Northamptonshire Children’s Trust to take over responsibility for the delivery of the service directly. 

The committee considered that the recommendation at 3.2 ‘that moving the service in house to Northamptonshire Children’s Trust would better meet its needs in enabling it to deliver good services to children, young people and their families’ was a bold statement and asked for assurance that this was the right way forward.

The assistant director clarified that the post was currently vacant despite a recruitment process having been undertaken by the West, which had resulted in no applications being received.

The committee asked if the £65,000 from the last financial year would remain in budget. This was allocated via West Northamptonshire’s area and the Assistant Chief Executive, for the West, Rebecca Pack, would make enquiries and report back.

It was considered that further information about the recruitment process and the failure to attract any applicants was required before a decision could be made. A question was also raised over why the Trust thought it would be more successful in recruiting a suitable applicant.  

It was proposed by Councillor Smithers and seconded by Councillor Bunday  that this item be deferred. On being put to the vote this was declared carried.

Resolved that:

The transfer of the delivery of the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Support Service from West Northamptonshire Council to Northamptonshire Children’s Trust be deferred.

(Reasons for decision:  Further information was requested on the recruitment process that had been undertaken. In addition further information on the budget of £65,000, allocated for the service was also requested.) 

There being no exempt or urgent items to be discussed, the Chair closed the meeting.