Agenda and minutes

To agree the minutes of the last meeting held on 20^th November 2014 as a true and correct record.

The Committee agreed that the minutes of the Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 20th November 2014 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

To consider the Executive and Cabinet Member decisions taken since the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee considered the decisions taken since the last meeting of the Scrutiny Committee by the Executive and Cabinet Members.

A question was raised in relation to decision number EX/58/2014 ‘Rail North Limited – Blackpool Council Membership’, as to what was the objectives were in relation to the Council’s membership of the organisation. In the absence of the relevant Cabinet Member, Councillor Jones, Mr S. Sienkiewicz, Scrutiny Manager, agreed to obtain an answer to the question and forward this onto the Committee members in due course.

The Committee agreed to note the Executive and Cabinet Member Decisions.

To consider the content of the Council’s Forward Plan, issue number 12/2014.

The Committee considered the items contained within the Forward Plan, issue number 12/2014.

The Committee agreed to note the Forward Plan items.

To consider the Safeguarding Alerts and Referrals Analysis Report  for Quarters One and Two 2014/15. The Committee is also informed of service developments in Adult Safeguarding and planning underway in relation to the Safeguarding aspects of The Care Act 2014 and improvements both underway and planned, ahead of the Local Authority Peer Review of Blackpool Council Safeguarding Adults activity, scheduled to take place in January 2015.

Ms L. Gornall, Principal Social Worker (Adults), presented a report to the Committee which detailed the findings and service responses in relation to safeguarding adults at risk for quarters 1 and 2 of 2014/15.

The report commenced by highlighting the key facts, which were explained as follows:

The Safeguarding Adults Framework was accessible to all individuals aged 18 years of age or above, if they had been harmed or were at risk of harm and were unable to protect themselves – whether or not they were eligible to receive social care services.

In 2013/14, 771 safeguarding alerts had been raised with the Council at year end and in Quarters 1 and 2 of 2014/15, 307 alerts had been raised. Of the 307 alerts, 49 were deemed to be not safeguarding, 110 were incident only and 148 were referred for further investigation, which had often required complex and lengthy multi-disciplinary enquiries. 91 of those 148 investigations had been completed at the end of Quarter 2.

The Committee was informed of the types of abuse that were cited within alerts. It was pointed out that often, one alert for one person would cite that more than one type of abuse had occurred and therefore the number of types would therefore exceed the number of cases that were investigated. Of the 148 cases that were referred for investigation, the main types of abuse cited (229) were:

75 neglect, mistreatment and acts of omission (as one type).

47 financial.

47 psychological.

30 physical.

13 institutional (to be known from April 2015 as organisational).

10 sexual abuse.

7 other.

In relation to age and gender, of the 148 cases referred for further investigation, 36 related to adults aged 18-64 and 101 related to adults aged over 65 (where recorded). Of those 148, 53% were female and 43% male (where recorded).

Members were then given details of the outcomes of the investigations. Of the 91 cases both referred for investigation and completed by the end of Quarter 2, outcomes based upon the balance of probabilities were found to be as follows:

19 were found to be not safeguarding and after further enquiries, 20 were found to be inconclusive, where insufficient information was available to make a fair judgement on balance.

34 were not substantiated, where all of the allegations in the case were found not to be substantiated.

9 were partly substantiated, where findings of fact related to some of the types of abuse that were alleged were found.

8 were wholly substantiated, where there were findings of fact around all types of abuse within the allegation.

Ms Gornall went on to outline the service responses and future plans, which were summarised as follows:

Amendments to the recording processes had been undertaken since March 2014 in order to expedite the speed at which cases were concluded.

In depth audit processes were now being undertaken to ensure accurate recording, with 150 audits having been undertaken since April 2015.

Listening reviews were being undertaken by an independent  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider the report of the Community Safety Partnership Scrutiny Review Panel.

The Committee considered a report which summarised the outcomes of the last meeting of the Community Safety Partnership Scrutiny Panel which took place on 28th October 2014.

Councillor Galley spoke of the implications of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and the impact on what this would mean for Blackpool. He explained that a consultation, at local level, would be carried out after the elections in May 2015, the outcome of which would have a bearing on the possibility of Public Space Protection Orders, to deal with local issues of anti-social behaviour.

The Committee agreed on the importance of as many local people as possible taking part in the consultation, including young people. Members voiced concerns regarding enforcement issues and agreed that flexibility and how enforcement would be carried out would be key. Concerns were also expressed about introducing any new powers unless they were considered to be absolutely necessary.

The Committee agreed to note the content of the report

Background papers: None.

To consider a referral from the Public Protection Sub-Committee regarding a possible scrutiny review of landaus on the promenade.

The Committee considered a referral from the Public Protection Sub-Committee regarding a possible scrutiny review of landaus on the promenade.

Members agreed that it would be beneficial to undertake an in-depth scrutiny review on the topic, but to defer commencement of the review until the start of the new Municipal Year.

Background Papers: None.

To consider progress updates on the appointed Scrutiny Panels including verbal updates from Lead Members.

The Committee considered a progress report on the appointed Scrutiny Panels.

Members queried the date of the next scrutiny panel meeting with Blackpool Zoo and also whether the Blackpool Airport scrutiny panel would continue to meet, given the current status of the airport. Mr S. Sienkiewicz, Scrutiny Manager, agreed to make further enquiries and report back at the next meeting.

The Committee agreed to note the report.

Background papers: None.

To consider the Scrutiny Workplan, together with any suggestions that Members may wish to make for scrutiny review topics.

The Committee considered its Workplan for the remainder of the Municipal Year.

The Committee agreed to note the Workplan.

Background papers: None.

To note the date of the next meeting as Thursday 26^th February 2015, at 6.00pm.

The Committee agreed to note the date of the next meeting as Thursday 26th February 2014, at 6.00pm.