Agenda

To agree the Council’s procedure rules for hybrid meetings.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2022

Report of the Director of Camden Learning.

A summary and analysis of the attainment and achievement of pupils in Camden schools in 2020/21. In addition to analysis and information about results and performance, it also identifies some key areas of development and priorities for the future.

Report of the Director of Education and Integrated Commissioning, Supporting People.

The report summarises health outcomes for children and young people (CYP) in Camden and outlines work being undertaken to improve or maintain these by the Council, north central London (NCL) Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and other local partners. It draws on the most recent Child Health Profile (March 2021), and other local data setting out areas of strength and areas for development and reflects our work to deliver Our Camden Plan and Camden 2025 vision that people lead healthy, independent lives.

It has been a challenging year with covid and lockdowns having a significant impact on services as the level of need has increased in many areas. This includes a rise in mental health needs, pressure on eating disorder capacity and simultaneously services experiencing workforce challenges in recruiting and retaining staff. However, our partners have continued to be resilient in managing these challenges. They have been working with us to continue to develop and offer innovative solutions for Camden families like Minding the Gap, the integrated paediatric service and closer to Camden plan.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Young People, Equalities and Cohesion.

This report provides findings from the Council’s Youth Review for young people aged 12-18 years old and up to 25 years old for those with a learning disability. The scope of the Review covers existing provision and activities on offer including the Council’s own Integrated Youth Support Service, Sports & Physical Activity, Libraries and the Voluntary and Community Sector. Young people and professionals were consulted to identify which parts of the existing offer should remain and which should be re-imagined in the context of current challenges, including the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our communities.

The report provides an overview of Camden’s current youth offer and its links to other strategic priorities.

Recommendations are made for a New Camden Offer for young people across four areas: developing a diverse offer of activities across a range of settings, increasing the agency of young people, developing a skilled workforce across Camden’s youth sector and, improving partnership working and promotion of the offer.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families.

This report presents a proposal for delivery of the HAF programme from 2022-2025, as part of a broad offer of activities for children and families and in particular the development of a Camden Summer Programme 2022, building on the success of the Summer in Camden campaign 2021 which included the delivery of the first summer element of the HAF programme.

The report is coming to the Cabinet to approve the approach being proposed for the further development of Camden’s HAF and Summer Programme as part of the broad measures the Council is taking to tackle poverty, address health inequalities- including high levels of childhood obesity- and enrich the lives of children and families in the borough.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation.

Camden continues to operate in unprecedented times.  Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Council has moved swiftly to mobilise our staff, our partners and our communities to provide a vital safety net, ensuring that people have the support that they need and are able to stay at home to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The Covid pandemic has had a lasting impact on many residents and businesses, and it is vital that the Council continues to provide support to the most vulnerable residents across Camden.  A Renewal Commission was established in response to the significant impact of the pandemic, and the recognition that the borough needed to plan not just how it would recover - but also how it would renew, and build a more equal, sustainable, and fairer borough, in which everyone has a voice, and no one gets left behind.

Inevitably, the pandemic is having a significant impact on our financial position with the Council having to commit £19m of its own resources in the response to the Covid emergency in 2020-21.  On top of this the Council will continue to need to set aside resources to deal with the effects of the pandemic from supporting the NHS vaccination and testing programmes to supporting residents and businesses affected by the pandemic.  The pandemic has also rapidly increased demand for some key services including social care, public health and homelessness support and children’s services.

The Council, citizens and partners have also been in the process of refreshing Camden 2025, recognising the need to update our community vision to recognise the fundamental changes over the last few years. The renewed borough vision, should it be agreed by Cabinet and Full Council, will be known as “We Make Camden”. This work on community and council priorities has informed our approach to investment and budget setting set out in this report.

In response to the hardship now being faced by many across the borough the Council is doubling the welfare support it provides to vulnerable residents from £1m to £2m and continuing to invest in ‘Good Work Camden’ so that residents can be better supported into, and thrive within, good work.

Maintaining good quality well-funded adult social care services continues to be a priority and will form a key part of our renewed vision. It is a vital to ensure that everyone can access the services they need to keep themselves well and older and disabled people can live independently for as long as possible.  In proposing the adult social care precept, the council is mindful of the pressures on the health and social care system which cannot be overestimated. The current pandemic has amplified this demand with more individuals needing support from the council. As such, and in the absence of a sustainable long term funding plan from government, the raising of the Adult Social Care precept will be vital in addressing these significant financial pressures.

The Local Government finance  ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Report of the Leader of the Council.

Camden 2025 covers all Cabinet portfolios and areas of work within the Council, setting the overarching strategy for the Borough and therefore for the Council.

This report asks Cabinet to consider and agree a new borough framework in appendix 1, entitled ‘We Make Camden’. This is a refreshed version of what was previously Camden 2025. It recognises and builds on achievements over the last four years and updates our plans to ensure our vision for our communities reflects future challenges. It proposes the introduction of an annual state of the borough report which will be a key way of understanding impact and progress against We Make Camden.

This report also asks Cabinet to consider and agree the statement in appendix 2, entitled ‘The Way We Work’ which outlines how as an organisation, the Council will develop to deliver that vision.

Report of the Executive Director, Supporting People.

This report sets out the work programme for the municipal year 2021/22 for the committee’s consideration. The committee will continue to be provided with an updated report on their future work programme at each meeting, for their consideration.

The Children, Schools and Families Scrutiny Committee is asked to note the proposed meeting dates for 2022/23:

·       Tuesday, 19 July 2022

·       Monday, 5 September 2022

·       Monday, 14 November 2022

·       Tuesday, 13 December 2022

·       Thursday, 12 January 2023

·       Monday, 20 February 2023