The meeting was brief and focused on a few key topics, including the election of a Vice Chair, the Corporate Safeguarding Board report, and the engagement activity on the Day Opportunities Review.

Election of Vice Chair

Councillor Gareth E Jones was elected as Vice Chair. He was nominated by Councillor Carol and seconded by Councillor Chris. The vote was unanimous.

Corporate Safeguarding Board Report

Councillor Richard Churchill and Sharon Fruin provided an update on the Corporate Safeguarding Board report. Key points included:

• The JICPA review from last year, which had favorable comments but also recommendations that are being implemented.
• The Bothwells Safety Group's work during the Royal Welsh Show, which helps make people safer and saves costs for other public services.
• Concerns about elective home education and fixed-term exclusions, particularly for young people being educated at home.
• The appointment of Karen Arthur as the chair of the channel panel in adult services.
• Increased demand at the front door and steps being taken to cope with it.

Councillor Chris raised several questions about elective home education, mandatory training compliance rates, and modern slavery guidance. Sharon Fruin took notes and promised to provide answers in the next meeting.

Engagement Activity on Day Opportunities Review

The committee discussed the engagement activity on the Day Opportunities Review. Key points included:

• The engagement exercise used a mixed-method cooperative inquiry approach, including a survey and live engagement events.
• The survey received 472 responses, with a high number from Newtown and Knighton.
• Engagement events were held in every locality, with a total of 357 attendees, including service users and other stakeholders.
• Key findings included the need for more time in day opportunities, improved transport, and better information sharing.

Councillor Chris and Councillor Gareth raised concerns about the validity of the survey responses and the need for a breakdown of attendees. They also emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of decisions on the wider system, including health care.

Councillor Amanda requested anonymized survey responses and materials from engagement events for further scrutiny. Sharon Fruin agreed to provide this information and suggested moving the decision-making timeframes to allow for proper scrutiny.

Forward Work Programme

The committee decided to discuss the forward work programme in private, noting that the July meeting agenda was already full and an additional meeting might be needed over the summer.