Agenda item

As part of this item a presentation will be provided on the risks around the significant pressures on the children’s social care placement budget which funds the care of vulnerable children.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Corporate Resources, the purpose of which was to provide an overview of key risk areas and the measures being taken to address them. A copy of the report marked ‘Agenda Item 8’ is filed with these minutes.

 

The Committee also received a presentation on the risks associated with the significant pressures on the children’s social care placement budget which funds the care of vulnerable children, and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children, both of which are included in the Corporate Strategic Risk Register. A copy of the slides forming the presentation is filed with these minutes.

 

Presentation

 

Arising from the presentation the following points were noted:

 

(i)            With regard to Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children it was clarified that Leicestershire supports 24 children in its care, and a further 27 care leavers. There was a nominal nationally set target of 94 Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children in care per authority though there was no timescale for when this target would be reached and it may not in fact ever be reached. The number 94 set out the maximum capacity.

 

(ii)          Clarification was given regarding Risk 1.6 on page 98 of the agenda pack which referred to consideration of using a ‘DPS model’ for outsourcing SEN placements. This referred to a direct purchasing system which processed online placements for children already identified and enabled need to be met more quickly.

 

(iii)         As more schools had become academies the relationship between the County Council and the schools had changed which meant that the Council’s role was more of exerting influence and providing system wide leadership.

 

(iv)         The main reason people chose to Foster through the County Council rather than an Independent Fostering Agency was the amount of support provided to Fosterers by the County Council particularly with regard to challenging cases. The rates paid to Fosterers were not such a significant factor.

 

Risk Register

(v)          The corporate framework for risk management was reviewed and revised annually to ensure that high ranking risks which were identified and placed on departmental risk registers were escalated onto the Corporate Risk Register. In response to a question regarding whether Members could play a role in identifying which risks should be on the register the Director of Corporate Resources agreed to give further consideration to this. It was noted that departmental risk registers were covered in meetings between Cabinet Lead Members and the relevant Director. Departmental Risk Registers were previously available for viewing on the County Council intranet and the Director of Corporate Resources agreed to check whether this was still the case.

 

(vi)         Members queried why the risk register did not make reference to the transition of service users to the new Help to Live at Home Domiciliary Care Service which went live on Monday 7 November across Leicestershire. It was noted that nine new providers had been appointed to deliver domiciliary care services following a procurement process which concluded in July 2016. The Director of Corporate Resources confirmed the risks were recorded and explained that whilst the project was in development it was actively considered to be a project delivery risk which placed it on the Transformation Unit risk register and once the project went live the risk became an operational one under Adults and Communities. Lessons had been learned from the way this risk was dealt with and in future there would be more robust linkage between the Transformation Unit Risk Register and departmental risk registers.

 

(vii)        In answer to a question on the emerging risks of the Combined Authority and potential devolution deals it was confirmed that the risks related to the possible lost opportunity should a devolution deal not be agreed or if the government did not devolve the level of powers that Leicestershire asked for. There were risks associated with the extra responsibility that came with devolved powers and ensuring the governance arrangements were appropriate.

 

(viii)      In answer to a question about concerns that the Better Care Fund was not becoming as integrated as intended it was reported that the Director of Adults and Communities had stated that the Better Care Fund in Leicestershire was still on track and had a stronger model than in other areas of the country. It was noted that nationally there were queries about how the Better Care Fund linked in with Sustainability and Transformation Plans and to what extent one supported the other. Nationally there was no collective view on this. However, the Director of Public Health stated that the Sustainability and Transformation Plan for Leicester and Leicestershire had been produced in line with the Better Care Fund scheme and the same officers had been involved with both projects.

 

(ix)         With regard to Counter Fraud Activity and the Blue Badge amnesty which enabled individuals to hand in without question blue badges being held (and perhaps used) illegally it was noted that this initiative was scheduled to take place in 2017. Members asked for a report to be brought to the Committee at a future date on the success of this scheme.

 

(x)          With regard to Counter Fraud Activity and recovering losses from an individual’s pension fund, the Director of Corporate Resources confirmed that the powers had previously been available to the County Council but this was the first time the County Council had used them.

 

 

 

 

RESOLVED:

 

a)        That the current status of the strategic risks facing the County Council and the updated Corporate Risk Register be approved;

 

b)        That the update on the following areas be noted:

(i)        the emerging risks around the Combined Authority and devolution proposals;

(ii)      the Better Care Fund;

(iii)     counter fraud initiatives that have taken place during the last quarter;

(iv)     Business Continuity.

 

c)         That officers be requested to provide a presentation on the risks associated with information security and data breaches at the next meeting;

 

d)        That officers be requested to provide an update on the Blue Badge amnesty at a future meeting of the Committee.