This meeting's report pack contains a presentation on the Council's progress in implementing the recommendations of the report of the independent inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in the Borough. It also contains the Council's proposed work programme for the coming year. The report pack also includes the Council's biennial scrutiny report for 2022-2024.

It is important to note that this article only summarises what the report pack says will be included for discussion in the meeting, based on the documents that have been made publicly available. There is no guarantee that these topics will actually be discussed, or that any decisions will be made.

CSE Inquiry Update

The meeting will include a verbal report on the outcome of the inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in Telford and Wrekin. The report of the inquiry itself was published in July 2022, and made 47 recommendations, with 148 actions for the Council and its partners to implement. 82 of those actions were the sole responsibility of the Council.

This update will apparently set out the steps that have been taken by the Council to implement the recommendations made by the Inquiry. It will cover work across a wide range of areas, including:

• Data - including the production of an annual CSE profile for the Borough, and improvements to data collection and sharing on CSE across partner organisations like the Council, the Police and health services.
• Enforcement - including a review of the appropriateness of the licenses held by businesses like taxi companies.
• Governance & Oversight - including a review of the sub-groups of the Safeguarding Partnership.
• Policy & Procedures - including updates to existing policies and the production of new policies and procedures to improve the Council's work to protect children, and its work with schools and other partners like West Mercia Police and the local Integrated Care System.
• Quality Assurance - including an annual review of CSE files in the Council's CATE¹ and Safeguarding services.
• Resources - including attempts to secure more resources for the CATE team and initiatives like the Street Pastors and the Taxi Marshalls.
• Training - including training for practitioners, taxi drivers, awareness-raising for children, and information sharing with partners.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2024-25

This meeting's agenda includes the Scrutiny Assembly's work programme for 2024-2025. The work programme sets out the issues that the Assembly's committees plan to scrutinise in the coming year, and includes topics like:

• Children’s Services Ofsted Inspection Outcome Report and Action Plan - a new item for discussion following the inspection in July 2024.
• Education Attainment and Outcomes - an annual review of education attainment and outcomes.
• School Admissions and Placements - a new item for the committee's discussion following concerns raised by local parents.
• SEND - a new item for discussion by the committee to review the Council’s provision for SEND including identification, placements, and funding.
• School Attendance - a new item to allow the committee to receive an update on School attendance and absence figures for the previous academic year.
• Affordable Warmth - a new item to allow the committee to understand the success of the Council's Affordable Warmth Strategy, a key part of the Council's response to the cost of living crisis.
• Domestic Abuse Grant - a new item for discussion to review the Council’s duty and funding of schemes targeting domestic abuse, a key element of the Safer Stronger Communities Partnership.
• Biodiversity Duty - a new item to allow the committee to receive an update on the Council’s Biodiversity Duty.
• Landfill Management in Telford and Wrekin - a new item to allow the committee to receive an update on the Council’s landfill management.
• Local Nature Recovery Strategy - a new item to review the Telford & Wrekin Local Nature Recovery Strategy.
• The Green Pledge - a new item to receive an update on The Green Pledge.
• Adult Social Care CQC Inspection Outcome - a new item for discussion following the inspection, which was prompted by recent legislative changes.
• Hospital Discharge and Intermediate Care - a new item to allow the committee to receive an update on hospital discharge rates and intermediate care provision, following the committee's previous concerns about bed blocking and the availability of step-down facilities in the Borough.
• Mental Health - a new item to review the provisions for mental health support for adults, children and young people across the Borough, including the Mental Health Support Team that works in some schools in the Borough.
• Telford & Wrekin Integrated Place Partnership (TWIPP) - a new item to receive an update on the Telford & Wrekin Integrated Place Partnership (TWIPP).

Council Plan 2024/25 - 2026/27

The meeting will include a presentation on the Council's four-year plan.