The People Committee met on Tuesday 06 February 2024 to discuss and make recommendations on the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy and budget for 2024/25, alongside several policy updates and strategic plans. Key decisions included the approval of the proposed budget for various service areas, the adoption of updated home to school travel policies, and the approval of the schools capital maintenance programme for the upcoming year.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024-2028 & Detailed Budget 2024/25

The committee considered the proposed budget for 2024/25 to 2027/28, which will inform recommendations to the Corporate and Resources Committee and ultimately to the full Council. The committee resolved to recommend the approval of general fund proposals for a wide range of services, including Adult Social Care, Public Health, Children's Services, and Education. Specific recommendations were also made regarding the Schools Budget for 2024-25, including the approval of proposals for the Central School Services Block, Early Years Block, High Needs Block, and the Schools Block, which includes a Minimum Funding Guarantee of +0.5% per pupil.

The committee voted 6 in favour, with 2 abstentions. Councillor Andrew Sillett was not present for the vote.

Admission Arrangements for Community Schools 2025/26

The committee reviewed and approved the proposed admission arrangements for community schools for the 2025-2026 academic year. These arrangements are determined annually as part of the local authority's statutory duty and include oversubscription criteria and coordinated admissions schemes. No significant changes were proposed from the previous year's arrangements, with only dates within the coordinated admission schemes being updated to align with Pan-London arrangements.

The decision was unanimous. Councillor Andrew Sillett was not present for the vote.

Kingston Better Care Fund Governance Changes

Proposals to update the governance arrangements for the Kingston Better Care Fund were considered. The changes aim to enable the Kingston Partnership Board, acting as Kingston's Health & Wellbeing Board, to approve the final Better Care Fund Delivery Plan and End of Year Report. This is intended to support more flexible, joined-up, and compliant strategic oversight of the fund, which aims to help people stay well, safe, and independent at home for longer. The committee also requested to be informed of actions arising from the Kingston Place Partnership Committee meetings regarding quarterly Better Care Fund reporting.

The decision was unanimous. Councillor Andrew Sillett was not present for the vote.

Home to School Travel Policy (Mainstream & SEND)

The committee approved updated policies for home to school transport for children aged 5-16 years and young people aged 16-25 years. These updates align with new guidance issued by the Department for Education in June 2023. The review identified a need to update existing policies to ensure compliance with regulations and provide clearer understanding for families and professionals. Key changes include introducing eligibility review points at the end of National Curriculum years 3, 6, and 11, requiring families to re-apply with updated information to support the development of independence and preparation for adulthood. The policies also integrate the Council's wider policies on its Carbon Zero target and the SEND Futures Plan.

The decision was unanimous. Councillor Andrew Sillett was not present for the vote.

SEND Futures Plan Update

Members received an update on the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Futures Plan, including performance against the Safety Valve Agreement. Progress was noted in areas such as increased parent and carer engagement, positive impacts from the SEND placement commissioning team, and the successful first term of the supported internship programme. However, challenges remain, including waiting times for speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and child and adolescent mental health services. The number of Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans has increased by 9% since December 2022, and ongoing price increase requests from placement providers are a concern. The committee resolved to note the progress and submit feedback on the draft updated SEND Futures Plan by 15th February 2024.

The decision was unanimous.

Education Maintenance Grant Programme

The committee considered and approved the proposed schools capital maintenance programme for 2024/25. This programme ensures that local authority maintained schools have suitable facilities for teaching and learning. The Council receives an annual Schools Condition Allocation (SCA) grant from the Department for Education to support repair and maintenance works. For 2024/25, an assumed grant amount of £0.813m has been used, which is consistently oversubscribed, necessitating prioritisation of works. Eight priority projects and five reserve projects were identified, with a total estimated value of approximately £1.75 million. Authority was delegated to the Assistant Director of Property Investment and Development to agree changes to the programme within the year to ensure the appropriate application of available funds.

The decision was unanimous.