Agenda item

County Councillor Prynn and other Elected Members

To note feedback from work undertaken by the Chair of the Board and our Elected Members as part of their role on the CPB, including Member visits carried out since the last meeting.  There will also be an update on Housing.

CC Prynn

Care Leavers Email Project

CC Prynn reported that there had been some follow up on the email project that BTLS had been leading on and due to various issues, this had not progressed.  Another option could be that young people submitted their email addresses and signed up to a mailing list.  A letter could be sent out explaining the purpose and why the Board were wanting to do this and then a group would be set up containing all email addresses.  This was to be looked at with Barnardos.

Action:  CC Prynn will look into this further.

Regulation 22

CC Prynn had recently undertaken a visit to Lancaster.  The report is being finalised.

CC Brown

Had been involved with shortlisting for the PROUD awards.  There had been approximately 80 nominations, which had been shortlisted to 28 finalists and 11 winners.  The event would be held on 4 March 2016 at Preston North End Football Ground.

CC Brindle

Noted that the response from Cllr John Harbour was very positive and that there was also another project in Burnley, the Elizabeth St Project which was working well.  It was a former Council owned building that had been converted into flats to give supported accommodation to vulnerable people when needed.

CC Brindle reported that she would be attending the PROUD awards in her role as Chairman of the County Council.  She had also hosted a Young Carers reception for 4-16 year olds, which CC Brindle found really rewarding and thanked Barnardos for arranging the transport for the young carers.

CC Brindle opened Moorside School in Lancaster and attended the Holocaust Memorial Service where three Lancashire Schools were also involved.

Care Leavers

Issues have arisen about how well supported care leavers feel when they leave residential care.  There was a need to look at a gradual system to support care leavers when they moved onto independent living.  Currently the Staying Put policy was only for young people that are fostered, there was nothing in legislation for those in residential care.

CC Prynn was proposing to put forward a motion for Full Council to lobby Central Government to have Staying Put for all Care Leavers not just for those in fostering placements.

Housing

At the meeting held on 10 September 2015, various District Councillors attended and the Board challenged them to revisit their housing policies and ensure that there were references to Care Leavers within them.  An email had subsequently been sent to all District Councils following this up and there had been only one reply which was from Cllr John Harbour, Burnley Borough Council.  A copy of his reply was circulated at the meeting and is attached for reference.

Action:  CC Prynn agreed to link in with Cllr Harbour and look at best practice and set a precedence, so other Councils would follow.

Cllr Moon gave feedback from South Ribble Borough Council (SRBC) on their housing policy, however this had not been updated since 2008.  Regular monthly meetings with LCC Leaving Care Team and SRBC appear to have ceased following changes at LCC.

Action:  Tony Morrissey to follow up as to why these meetings have ceased.

Cllr Moon stated that she would like to link in with New Belongings scheme.

Action:  Tony Morrissey to ask Jane Hylton to contact Cllr Moon.

Cllr Moon raised a comment with regards supported accommodation and rent being charged if a young person is undertaking an apprenticeship programme.  There should be a disregard on payment if that is the case to encourage young people to take up an apprenticeship/training programme without having a detrimental effect on their benefits.  CC Brindle suggested that hardship disregards could be put into the policy.

Action:  CC Moon to report back on the suggestion that hardship disregards should be included in the housing policy.

SRBC could carry this out as a pilot and if successful then it could be rolled out across all the districts and ensure it was included in all Housing Policies.

Community Safety Partnership

CC Prynn highlighted that there was a new act for 'legal highs' from the Government in relation to Psychoactive Substances and all Members of the Board were encouraged to read it.