Issue - meetings

Report of Director of Service Delivery

Lead Cabinet member: Councillor Elayne Merry

(Key decision):

(1) To note the review of Lewes District Council’s and Eastbourne Borough Council’s safeguarding children and vulnerable adult policies and procedures carried out in 2018.

(2) To approve the new safeguarding policy appended to the report.

(3) To delegate authority to the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Lead Member for People and Performance to make any minor amendments required following consultation.

(4) To require newly elected councillors to complete mandatory training, within three months of being elected.

The Cabinet considered the report of the Director of Service Delivery seeking their agreement to the proposed joint safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policy.

The Cabinet and visiting members agreed on the importance of the report and expressed their thanks to officers for their work on the policy.

Section 12 (1.17) detailed that induction for new staff and councillors on safeguarding must be completed within 3 months of the start of their employment/placement/term of office. It was discussed and unanimously agreed to add an additional resolution, detailed below, to require newly elected councillors to complete mandatory training, within three months of being elected. Any refresher training for councillors and staff would run parallel with each other

The Director of Service Delivery added that the Pan Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures Manual was updated every 6 months to take account of new legislation and guidance and learning from Serious Case Reviews. Cabinet and visiting members agreed that any future updates to the policy should be conspicuous.

Resolved (key decision):

(1) To note the review of Lewes District Council’s and Eastbourne Borough Council’s Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adult policies and procedures carried out in 2018.

(2) To approve the new Safeguarding Policy appended to the report.

(3) To delegate authority to the Director of Service Delivery, in consultation with the Lead Member for People and Performance to make any minor amendments required following consultation.

(4) To require newly elected councillors to complete mandatory training, within three months of being elected.

Reason for decisions:

To update the previous policy bringing into line with recommended practice and with current pan-Sussex policies and procedures.