Agenda item
Appendix 1 - Supplementary questions from members of the public and responses.
Minutes:
Supplementary questions from members of the public – Scrutiny Management Board, 16 December 2024
Question Number |
Questioner |
Supplementary Question (received via email) |
Question to |
PQ 1 |
Ms Reid Hereford |
Per LAIT as at 31 March 2024, the rate of children in care per 10,000 children was:
Per LAIT, the number of children in care in Herefordshire on 31 March 2024 was 387. Per the Placement Sufficiency Strategy, there should be 350 at 31 March 2024, 300 at 31 March 2025 and 280 at 31 March 2026.
“average annual cost for each child that returns back into care is £61,614 compared with an average annual cost of supporting a child to return home of £5,627 [www.leeds.gov.uk].”
Should extra resources (e.g. staff) be invested in reunification to reduce the cost and number of children in care?
|
Scrutiny Management Board |
Response:
We are currently meeting the demand for care prevention and rehabilitation in the services provided. We need to ensure staffing is proportionate across the whole of children social care services within the budget allocation provided. We keep an overview on demand pressure in each part of the service areas and we have responded to move funding and staffing to respond to changing demand and we will continue to do this as part of our strategic and budget management. |
Question Number |
Questioner |
Supplementary Question (delivered verbally by Mr Milln during the meeting) |
Question to |
PQ 2 |
Mr Jeremy Milln Hereford |
Simply excusing failure to keep minuted records of its regular meetings with Active Travel England over the considerable funding the Council receives for ATMs, as we heard in response to the questions from Mssrs Protherough and Martin on 6th December, is unhelpful.
I therefore ask plainly for a full account of how the various external moneys for active travel (DfT Access & Capability, LUF, ATF4, HCCI, STF, Supercycle, HCCTP, S.106 etc) are proposed to be applied to the various projects (Aylestone Hill, Barton Road, GWW, Cathedral Quarter, Quiet Routes, Safer to School, LCWIP, Commercial Road, Blueschool Street, Three Elms area etc) with an assurance that scheme development and design is transparent and openly consulted to ensure they are fit for purpose and value for money before decisions are made?
|
Scrutiny Management Board |
Response:
Dear Mr Milln
Thank you for your supplementary question regarding the governance around the delivery of Active Travel Fund schemes. Hopefully the following bullet points will assist you in understanding the processes we have in place for approvals of ATF spend.
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