The Chair introduced his report advising that this Committee, in co-operation with the other three Overview and Scrutiny Committees, was responsible for proposing and delivering an annual Scrutiny Work Programme. The Work Programme should align with the corporate priorities of the Council, in particular the delivery of the Wirral Plan pledges which were within the remit of the Committee.

The Chair’s report provided an update regarding progress made since the Committee meeting held on 24 January 2019, and the current work programme made up of a combination of scrutiny reviews, workshops, standing items and requested Officer reports was appended.  Also appended was a report on a Pooled Funding Arrangements Scrutiny Workshop held jointly with the Adult Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee in January 2019.

Further to the Workshop report and in response to a query concerning gaps in Special Educational Needs provision and the implications for those with Education, Health and Care Plans once they reach 18 years of age, the Committee was advised that transition was being looked at across Wirral as a whole as different services had differing approaches to transfer between children and adult services.  It was also noted that criteria to access services could be different between children and adult services.

With regard to the proposed Obesity Working Group (Minute 43 refers), the Chair and Councillors Burgess-Joyce, Carubia, Clement, Grey, McLaughlin and Wood registered an interest in membership.  It was noted that membership of this Group would be confirmed on appointment of the new Committee in May 2019.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the addition of the establishment of an Obesity Working Group to the work programme be noted, along with further work relating to domestic abuse in a form to be determined by the Chair and Spokespersons as agreed at Minute 44 above;

(2)  the updated Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee work programme for 2018/19, as amended, be approved;

(3)  the report and recommendations of the Pooled Funding Arrangements Scrutiny Workshop be noted and accepted.