Agenda and minutes

To receive and note apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Mason, Moroney and Nicholls. Councillor Moroney was substituted by Councillor Rose.

At this point in the meeting, Members and co-opted members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary interest, or other registerable interest, they might have in respect of business on this agenda, if they have not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest.

An interest must also be disclosed in the meeting when it becomes apparent to the member during the meeting.

[Please see the attached sheet for further guidance for Members.]

Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on the agenda if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2025.

Members considered the accuracy of the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2025. An amendment was suggested to correct a duplication of the text of item 2 (Declarations of Interest) at item 3 (Public Participation).

Resolved:

i.                    That the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2025 be amended at item 3 to replace:

·            ‘Members were asked to declare at this point in the meeting any disclosable pecuniary interest or other registerable interest they might have in respect of business on the agenda if they had not already done so in advance on the Register of Interests. Councillor Waller declared an interest in discussions under item 4, Work Plan, in that his partner worked for NHS England.’

with

·            ‘It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.’

ii.                  That subject to the above amendment, the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2025 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

At this point in the meeting members of the public who have registered to speak can do so. Members of the public may speak on agenda items or on matters within the remit of the committee.

Please note that our registration deadlines are set as 2 working days before the meeting, in order to facilitate the management of public participation at our meetings. The deadline for registering at this meeting is 5:00pm on Monday, 7 July 2025.

To register to speak please visit www.york.gov.uk/AttendCouncilMeetings to fill in an online registration form. If you have any questions about the registration form or the meeting, please contact Democratic Services. Contact details can be found at the foot of this agenda.

Webcasting of Public Meetings

Please note that, subject to available resources, this meeting will be webcast including any registered public speakers who have given their permission. The meeting can be viewed live and on demand at www.york.gov.uk/webcasts  

It was reported that there had been one registration to speak at the meeting under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

Flick Williams, speaking remotely regarding Agenda item 5 (Update on the York Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision Strategy 2025-2030), expressed concerns over ableist language and the potential impact of government policy on eligibility for support, noting competition for scarce resources, and warning that disabled children who were failed today would become unnecessarily dependent adults of tomorrow.

To consider a report presenting the committee with an early draft version of the Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision Strategy (SENDAP) 2025-2030 for initial discussion and comment.

Members considered a report presenting the committee with an early draft version of the Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision Strategy (SENDAP) 2025-2030.

The Assistant Director for Education and Skills and the Head of Integrated SEND provided an overview, with contributions from a representative of Parent Carers Forum York. In response to questions from the committee it was noted that:

·       The biggest risks to the strategy from the national level would be if the government failed to undertake a full financial impact assessment of its forthcoming proposals to ensure there was sufficient funding to make the changes a success; this would have an immediate and tangible impact, and it was important that changes were made cautiously and considerately. 

·       The strategy represented a local co-produced response with sufficient flexibility to adapt to anticipated national changes, with the emphasis on supporting children and young people in their local mainstream school.

·       There was a focus on ensuring access to educational opportunities for children and young people who were not in school and engaging with families who were harder to reach. Feedback had been gathered and while there would be challenges there would be an emphasis on building trust and communication.

·       In terms of reflecting real world experience, the strategy provided a broad framework, and an action plan to address specific issues would sit alongside it. This would entail a partnership response with early intervention at its core.

·       The SEND family hub in Clifton was now in the implementation phase, with a formal opening event planned for 20 September. The hub had been designed to be accessible and easy to drop into, with the Parent Carer Forum hosting front of house navigators to help people feel better connected with services.

·       With reference to the strategy’s first pillar of changing society for inclusion, a recent conference on inclusion had been well-attended by school leaders and work was being done through a sub-group with teachers from the York Schools and Academies Board (YSAB) to help reset culture in schools. This was not just about funding; leadership and culture within schools was important while bringing parent and teacher knowledge together could help unlock learning for children.

·       It was recognised that a better understanding was needed of the barriers to some children attending school; professionals did not have all the answers and families were often best placed to identify problems, and a strength-based approach would be taken to individual needs.

·       There was optimism that health colleagues would remain fully committed to partnership working through the SEND Partnership and SEND remained a statutory function of the Integrated Care Board (ICB).

·       Parent carer wellbeing had been a major theme for the Parent Carer Forum over the last few years, and the new hub would help more parents feel supported.

·       The need to embrace a culture of inclusion as a city was emphasised, and the Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education offered his thanks to education staff for the work being done in bringing partners together  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider the committee’s work plan for the current municipal year, including suggestions for possible Task and Finish Groups.

Members considered the committee’s work plan for the current municipal year.

With reference to possible Task and Finish groups, it was:

·       Suggested that setting up no more than two Task and Finish groups per scrutiny committee within the municipal year would help maximise impact and available capacity, and noted that membership of a Task and Finish group was not limited to members of the parent committee. It was also suggested that Task and Finish groups should focus on issues from across the whole remit of the committee rather than all focusing on one area.

·       Noted that two possible Task and Finish groups into the work of York Youth Council and repair service satisfaction had been suggested at the committee’s previous meeting.

·       Noted that following a motion approved by Council in March 2025, a Task and Finish group had been established by the former Corporate Services, Climate Change and Scrutiny Management Committee in May 2025 to examine the proposed changes to long-term sickness and disability benefits; its membership consisted of Cllrs J Burton, Coles, Fenton, Runciman and Steward, and it was now felt more appropriate for this group to report to the People Scrutiny Committee.

·       Noted that given the possibility of upcoming changes at a national level to Education, Health and Care Plans, there was little point at this stage in progressing with the proposed Task and Finish group into this subject inherited from the former Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee; nothing would be lost as the group had not yet commenced its work.

·       Noted that the work of the Task and Finish group considering Food Insecurity, which had also been inherited from the former Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee, was close to completion but some officer capacity was needed to assist with compiling a final report. It was agreed that this work could be completed without impacting on the choice of new Task and Finish groups.

·       Suggested that the Chair and Vice-Chair should liaise to consider prioritisation of remaining proposed Task and Finish work.

It was noted that an informal meeting of the committee was being planned for September to further consider the allocation of work plan items.

The Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education noted that work around York Hungry Minds and the Free School Meal Pilot was close to completion and would be ready to be considered by the committee in its preferred timescale and format.

It was noted that informal scrutiny briefings would provide opportunities to identify areas for further work. Members expressed a preference for holding briefings online in the interests of accessibility, and for avoiding hybrid briefings where possible; the Scrutiny Review Working Group would be considering this further.

Resolved:

                i.                    To note the work plan.

              ii.                    To approve the Task and Finish group on proposed changes to long-term sickness and disability benefits reporting to the People Scrutiny Committee.

             iii.                    To agree to the completion of the work of the Food Insecurity Task and Finish group for future presentation to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.