Question

Number

Questioner

Supplementary Question

Question to

SPQ 1

Mr James McGeown

Weobley

council’s constitution references ‘statutory’ co-opted members.

You have no Churchmen:

"I won't be recommending a replacement from the Diocese until I am satisfied that there is any point,"

Parent Governor Representatives (England) Regulations 2001 and constitution require Herefordshire Council to recruit three:

There is but one!

4.5.7 of the constitution require “teaching sector” and “families” Representatives: 

There is but one!

Can you provide reassurance that should this committee continuing its 2025 work program it wouldn’t be operating against the The Local Authorities (Committee System) (England) Regulations 2012, The Parent Governor Representatives (England) Regulations 2001, and Herefordshire Council’s constitution?

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

Response: Section 4.5.7 of Herefordshire Council’s constitution allows for the appointment of co-opted statutory education representatives to its Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, one representative as nominated by the diocese of Hereford  and one representative as nominated by the archdiocese of Cardiff. It also allows for the appointment of three parent governors as elected from the school sector. However, although we require these positions to be filled, this is not required for the committee to continue to operate. It may still lawfully meet and carry out its work with vacancies to its membership.

Herefordshire Council continues to seek nominations to the co-opted statutory representative positions on the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.

Question

Number

Questioner

Supplementary Question

Question to

SPQ 2

Mr Eddy Parkinson

Leintwardine

An internet search shows this council in 2016 placed a child with a sex offender in Bradford. The child told BBC news '"My whole time up there was torture, every day was a struggle, not having my parents there," adding he had suffered physical and verbal abuse while living there, but not sexual.'

I have met professionals concerned about current failures of duty of care by this council.

Children may be being placed into the care of persons deemed such a risk to children that police have made referals based on legitimate concerns that could lead to prosecution.

Will the council undertake a full forensic review of cases past and present to be sure that no children are in placements with registered sex offenders or those flagged by police as a potential danger. 

Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee

Response:

We are keen to give further assurances in this matter. Therefore, the Director of Children’s Services (DCS) with support from appropriate service directors, will carry out a review of all current placements to provide additional senior management overview in each case. We will review for each Disclosure and Barring ServiceDBS and police information pertaining to the individual carers to at the time of the suitability assessment, alongside a review of the fostering approval panel minutes. We will review any cases where any new allegations of sexual offences have been made post placement and will ensure the risk assessment and outcome decision in relation to each case is appropriate, basing our review on the starting position that no child should be placed with any person convicted of sexual offences against a child. We will cross reference all Police registered Multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA) level 2 and level 3 offenders against our list of registered carers to ensure if any child is placed with any MAPPA individual a risk assessment of suitability has been completed. We will also share communications with all staff on this review to reiterate our position on this matter. We will complete this work by 31^st March 25.