Issue - meetings

– Report by Jenny Whittle, Cabinet Member for Specialist Children's Services, Roger Gough, Cabinet Member for Business Strategy, Performance & Health Reform and Peter Bole, Director of Information and Communication Technology)

(1)       Mrs Whittle said that following assessment by OfSTED areas for improvement were identified related to the Integrated Children’s System (“ICS”) in use by the Council and partner organisations.  The Council has therefore initiated a wide-ranging programme of activity to address the concerns raised in the OfSTED report and also now to take on board the recommendations in the Monroe Report. The procurement of this updated technology was therefore a top priority and demonstrated the County Council’s ongoing commitment to the improvement of Children’s Services.  

 (2)      Cabinet resolved to endorse the overall ICS Programme and Strategy as detailed in the Cabinet report so that the programme could continue to deliver against the immediate needs of Children’s Services. Also now having put in place a framework for the sustainable delivery of ongoing changes to the ICT system, practice and policies in use by Children’s Service, Cabinet further resolved that a process should now be commenced for the procurement and implementation of a suitable long-term ICT solution.