Report by Chief Executive

Further to Minute 32 of the meeting of Council held on 28 January 2025, the Chief Executive submitted a report on the setting up of an independently chaired Children’s Services Improvement Board as part of the transfer of Children’s Services from Brighter Futures for Children Limited (BFfC) to being provided in-house by the Council.  Draft Term of Reference for the Board were attached to the report at Appendix 1 and a Governance Framework at Appendix 2.

The report noted that the Board would provide advice and support to the delivery of BFfC’s significant transformation programme in place to mitigate demand and manage cost pressures, as well as the action plan to address issues identified in the 2024 inspection of Children’s Services. The findings of the Joint Targeted Area Inspection of the multi-agency response to children who were victims of domestic abuse in Reading, which had taken place in March 2025 and been published on 6 May 2025, further reinforced the need for an Improvement Board to be established.

The report set out the proposed terms of reference for the Improvement Board, its constituent members, its governance, reporting arrangements, and the process and timeline to recruit the Independent Chair.

The following motion was moved by Councillor Terry and seconded by Councillor Griffith and CARRIED:

Resolved –

(1)          That the draft Terms of Reference for the Children’s Services Improvement Board as attached at Appendix 1 be agreed;

(2)       That the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Lead Councillor for Children’s Services be authorised to appoint an Independent Chair of the Improvement Board following a member appointment panel;

(3)       That the proposed governance structure for reporting, as set out in Appendix 2, be agreed.