There were no apologies for absence.

There were no disclosures of interest.

To submit for signature the minutes of the meeting held 9 July 2013.

The minutes of the meeting held on 9 July 2013 were submitted and signed.

The Programme Manager will be in attendance and will make a presentation to the Task Group about the Thriving Families initiative in Hertfordshire.

The Chair welcomed Gareth Morgan, Thriving Families Programme Manager, and Karen Dorney, Watford and Three Rivers Team Manager, to the meeting. 

Mr Morgan introduced the presentation and gave an overview of the Thriving Families programme.  He explained that the approach in Hertfordshire was about early intervention and the project incorporated the government's Troubled Families initiative.  He explained that the government's approach, by necessity, was quite prescriptive and that there were clear criteria about which families could be involved.  The aim was that following intervention and support, the families involved would become self-sustaining and less dependent on public services.  This would be achieved for example, through reducing antisocial behaviour, improving parenting, reducing vulnerabilities including mental health and substance misuse and improving safeguarding and health and well-being.  In the future, it was hoped that the programme would have an even greater focus on communities.  He reminded the group that this was a financially linked programme, which aimed to reduce the costs incurred by the public purse.

He explained where these families fell on the scale of intervention and how they had been identified.  The last sample group analysed showed that 56% of families in the programme suffered from worklessness and 40% had a history of antisocial behaviour.  He drew the Task Group’s attention to the number of families identified in the initial data process as being eligible for support in Watford, which was about average compared to other Hertfordshire districts.  He defined the model of family intervention used by the programme which provided for a dedicated worker, who developed a sound relationship and knowledge of the family who was assertive where required and gave practical support.  He outlined the different partners and specialists involved in the work. 

Karen Dorney, the Watford and Three Rivers Team Manager, outlined the structure of the team.  She noted that there would be an additional Family Intervention Worker joining the team with a special focus on housing.  The majority of the families that they worked with were tenants of Watford Community Housing Trust.  She outlined a case study which showed how the project worked in practice.

Following a question from Councillor Martins, Ms Dorney clarified that the family in question had not yet engaged with her team when they received the eviction notice.  She explained how they could work with partner organisations to address the different needs of the families involved.

Ms Dorney addressed a question from Councillor Meerabux about school attendance of older teenagers, she noted that there was a legal duty to educate.  She argued that other options for education could be explored if continuing at school was not the most appropriate route for the young person.  Councillor Joynes added that in her experience schools were prepared to be flexible for the best outcomes for their students.

Councillor McLeod asked about the contacts that the Thriving Families team had with local headteachers and how schools were made aware the programme.  Ms Dorney outlined the ways that they engaged with headteachers, who were a key  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer will give a verbal update on the progress of analysing the surveys.

The Task Group received an update from the Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer about the engagement questionnaires that the Task Group had commissioned.

She reported that there had been 15 responses to the councillors’ survey, 26 responses to the community survey and 19 responses to the Police survey.  She highlighted some key findings for the Task Group:

·         Over 40% of the groups who answered the community survey did not know the local contacts with whom they could raise concerns about community safety.  Every respondent to answer this question asked to have details of local contacts.

·         When asked how communication between residents and authorities could be improved, some community groups responded that they would like more community involvement by PCSOs.

·         Councillors from nine wards in Watford completed the survey.

·         Approximately two thirds of councillors who answered the survey felt that casework was most effective means of engaging with their community.  Residents Association meetings and other community group meetings also scored highly.

·         For the Police survey, 95% of respondents felt that community events were either very or fairly effective in engaging residents.

She reported that the service had been analysed with assistance from officers from Partnerships and Performance.  A final report would be prepared for the next meeting of the Task Group.

RESOLVED –

That the update report be noted

The work programme for 2013/14 is attached along with the action list.

The Task Group is asked to note the update and to sign off any actions that they are satisfied are complete.

The Task Group reviewed the work programme for the remainder of the municipal year.

The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer reported that the Probation Service had been invited to the next meeting to discuss the areas outlined in the original scrutiny suggestion.  It was suggested that an invitation should be sent to Councillor Lynch as she had contributed to the original suggestion and that all members should be invited as well.

ACTION-Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer

The Committee and Scrutiny Support Officer noted that the Task Group had discussed meeting to consider the learning points from the member briefing on drug and alcohol treatment.  She suggested that this be added to the agenda for December.

ACTION-Committee on Scrutiny Support Officer

The Task Group considered the action list that was attached to the agenda and agreed that several of the actions could be signed off. 

RESOLVED –

That the updates to the work programme and action list be noted.