Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the confidential report of the Head of Quality Assurance outlining the outcomes of the Ofsted standard inspection of Southampton’s Children and Learning Service in June 2023 and the service response.

Councillor Winning – Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and Robert Henderson - Executive Director Wellbeing (Children & Learning) were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

• General improvement across the Service;
• The Panel’s gratitude for the hard work of officers and previous Cabinet Members; 
• The points identified by the inspection that required attention that form part of the action plan in response to the Ofsted report;
• The requirement to reduce expenditure, particularly in 3 key areas – Children Looked After; Agency costs, Home to school transport.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Panel requested that the Cabinet Member and the Executive Director express its thanks and congratulate officers for their hard work in improving the Service;
2. That the Panel prioritises scrutiny of the Children’s Services transformation programme - Building Brilliance: Building Sustainability 2023, and the service’s financial plans for the 2023/24 municipal year.
3. That scrutiny of the Ofsted Improvement Plan is incorporated within the Panel work programme.