Issue - meetings

To receive and consider report 53/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy. 

(Time: 3.50pm to 3.53pm)

The executive received and considered report 53/09 of the Head of Corporate Strategy.  The report proposed a new policy to support children and vulnerable adults.  This had been jointly prepared with South Oxfordshire District Council. 

Section 11 of the Children Act 2007 widened the council’s responsibilities in relation to children.  As well as protecting children from harm, the council had a responsibility to promote their welfare.  The Act applied to a range of public bodies, including district councils, whose housing, environmental health, leisure and licensing teams all had a role to play.  The Act required the council to:

• produce a clear statement or policy on the council’s responsibilities and communicate these to staff;

• allocate clear lines of responsibility on safeguarding issues and identify a designated officer to ensure the duties were carried out and to be the first point of contact for staff;

• provide training for all staff and councillors appropriate to their roles and the level of contact with children; and

• ensure it had safe recruitment practices, including Criminal Record Bureau checks appropriate to the level of contact staff and councillors had with children.

Proposals to achieve these were set out in the draft policy, including guidelines on Criminal Records Bureau checks.  The executive supported the policy.  Councillors noted that councils across the county would be working towards a joint training programme for councillors and officers. 

RESOLVED

that the safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policy be approved.