The Families, Health and Care Policy Accountability Committee held its inaugural meeting, focusing on the structure and scope of People Services and how resident voices will be incorporated into the committee's scrutiny role. The committee also discussed the terms of reference for future meetings.

Resident Voice in Scrutiny

The committee discussed how the voices of residents will be incorporated into its scrutiny work. Councillor Natalia Perez, Chair of the Committee, highlighted that co-opted members, who will be representative of the community, will play a role. Jo Gunning, Head of Programmes for Commissioning and Transformation, explained that extensive co-production with various groups is already undertaken, and residents have a voice through numerous partnership boards. Feedback from councillors in their wards and direct engagement with residents also inform the committee's work. While residents are welcome to attend meetings, the committee aims to manage the agenda to ensure relevant officers are present to answer questions effectively, preventing the meetings from becoming entirely open forums.

Introduction to People Services

Jackie McShann, Executive Director for People and Director of Children's Services, provided an overview of People Services, which was formed in 2024. This department encompasses adult social care, public health, children's social care, youth justice, children in care, education, schools, and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), as well as commissioning, partnerships, and health. McShann emphasised the importance of a holistic, life-course approach and the creation of synergies across these areas.

Within children's services, the remit includes education, schools, SEND, family centres, and children's social care, with a strong focus on safeguarding and workforce development. Adult social care covers services for older people and specialist support. The Commissioning Transformation Health Partnerships function acts as a central hub, managing contracts, ensuring compliance, and fostering collaboration with health partners. Public health, led by Dr. Maya Abu-Afan, is integrated into all aspects of People Services, with a broad definition that includes housing, environment, nutrition, transport, education, and employment.

Councillor Ali Afzal-Khan, Opposition Deputy Whip and Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care and Children and Education, inquired about the possibility of introducing a quarterly People Services dashboard to monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across all services. McShann explained that while there are hundreds of indicators monitored at various frequencies, producing a consolidated quarterly dashboard would be labour-intensive. However, she assured that relevant data would be presented in reports as needed. Dr. Abu-Afan added that the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), available on the council's website, provides data on public health indicators such as smoking cessation and life expectancy, and is being developed into a more accessible digital format.

Committee Terms of Reference

The committee noted its terms of reference. Councillor Genevieve Warbert raised a point regarding the balance of co-opted members, suggesting that the current terms of reference might be skewed towards children's and education services, with fewer slots for adults and health. The committee agreed to review the terms of reference to ensure a more balanced representation before confirming co-opted members for the next meeting.