Issue - meetings

The Panel considered the report and confidential appendix of the Executive Director - Children and Learning, outlining the service’s budget position and the developing proposals to decrease pressures over the next three years, from 2024/25.

Cllr Winning – Cabinet Member for Children and Learning and Rob Henderson - Executive Director, Children & Learning, were in attendance and, with the consent of the Chair, addressed the meeting.

The Panel discussed a number of points including:

·  Efforts to reduce spend in the current financial year and manage the budget for future years;

·  The conflict between the needs of those receiving support and rising costs and demand.  The Panel noted that demand was difficult to forecast with much certainty;

·  The potential to save money through the redesign of services from June 2024;

·  Ongoing reductions in the numbers of agency staff through the establishment of a fixed permanent workforce and making Southampton an attractive place to work;

The Panel expressed concerns that the scale of the reductions required could jeopardise the improvements that had been to children’s services in Southampton. The Panel committed to utilising the performance report and regular financial updates to scrutinise the delivery of the budget proposals and the impact on outcomes for children and young people in the City.