Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 1 October 2025

The meeting began with the formal approval of the previous committee minutes. Councillor Ewert moved, and Councillor Moore seconded, that the minutes of the Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16 July 2025 were correctly recorded and signed by the Chair. A question was raised by Ms K Williams (Mevagissey) about reviewing the Home‑to‑School Travel Assistance policy to create a shared designated area for St Austell that would cover both Penrice and Poltair schools, citing past oversubscription issues and the council’s carbon‑neutral objectives. The Chair and the Head of Connectivity and Transport Policy explained that any amendment would require a public consultation, Cabinet consideration, and assessment of budget implications; the Chair noted the matter would be taken forward with the relevant Cabinet Member and the speaker would be kept informed.

The Director of Public Health presented the statutory annual report on child poverty, highlighting that roughly 27 000 children in Cornwall live in relative poverty, with a majority from working families, and emphasizing the role of housing and transport. The report, produced in partnership with the Director of Children’s Services and contributors from the Isles of Scilly, was praised by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, who reaffirmed the council’s commitment to a whole‑system, rights‑based approach. The report’s findings have already informed Cabinet actions such as automatic enrolment for free school meals for families on Universal Credit and a push to influence national policy on the Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Subsequent discussion addressed several cross‑cutting issues. Committee members asked about the handling of the current budget overspend, the rise in residential placements for children and young people, and the consistency of best‑practice and cost‑control across services. The Cabinet Member confirmed ongoing deep‑dive reviews of the budget, exploration of in‑house residential options, and a focus on procurement standards. Additional queries covered the preparedness of schools for increased inclusion, the status of the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit, the impossibility of altering national SEND assessment wording, and the review of the “Belonging Strategy” to align with upcoming SEND reforms.

The Head of Customer Experience reported a sharp increase in non‑statutory education complaints (from 70 to 191), largely driven by delays in Education, Health and Care Plans, and noted that only 56 % of education complaints met required response times. While uphold rates remain high (around 80 % at both Step 1 and Step 2), the council has introduced a new complaint‑handling system, expanded training, and set priorities for 2025‑26 to improve timeliness, early resolution, and SEND‑related capacity. In parallel, the Service Director for Education and Community Health outlined the “Curriculum Kernewek” initiative, which received £30 000 of council funding and a further £50 000 grant from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport. The curriculum will be integrated across subjects to reflect Cornish identity, is being offered free to local schools, and is designed to be inclusive and compliant with equality legislation.

Finally, the Head of Connectivity and Transport Policy presented the council’s Home‑to‑School transport provision, noting that it serves nearly 15 000 children daily with a £35 million budget that is projected to rise to £45 million by 2028‑29 due to rural geography and increasing SEND demand. The report highlighted data‑driven forecasting, a refreshed Sustainable Travel Strategy, and advocacy for fair national funding. The committee resolved, after a brief confidential session, to exclude the press and public from consideration of the financial