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There is no summary of this meeting yet. Summaries are written once the council publishes the minutes, which are its official record of what a meeting decided. They usually appear a few weeks after the meeting.
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Councillors Ceris Jones and Matthew Vaux apologised for their inability attend.
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The Chair welcomed Elin Prysor to the meeting to present the current situation in relation to RIPA. Key points were as follows: 1. RIPA Activity There has been no RIPA activity by any service of the Council during the period between the 1st of September 2024 and 28th of February 2025. Authorising Officers have confirmed that they have not considered any RIPA applications during this time. 2. Review of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Policy The RIPA Code on item 4.47 (Covert surveillance and property interference code of practice (accessible) - GOV.UK) requires that elected members of a local authority should review the authority’s use of the 1997 Act and the 2000 Act and set the policy at least once a year. They should also consider internal reports on use of the 1997 Act and the 2000 Act on a regular basis to ensure that it is being used consistently with the local authority’s policy and that the policy remains fit for purpose. The RIPA Policy was last reviewed by Committee on 23.11.2022 and approved by Council on 26.01.2023. The SRO has since reviewed the RIPA Policy and made amendments where they are necessary to ensure the policy remains up to date with current legislation, Codes and guidance including the 2024 Covert surveillance code of practice. Elin Prysor advised the Committee Member that the key changes were: · Links to updated legislation · Updates from the Covert Surveillance and Property Interference Code of Practice 2024 · Updated contact information for the ICO 3. Reviewed RIPA Social Media Policy 2025 The RIPA social media Policy was last brought to Committee on 15.09.2021and approved by Council on 23.09.2021. The SRO has reviewed the RIPA social media Policy and made amendments where they are necessary to ensure the policy remains up to date with current legislation and guidance. The key changes are: 1) Updated links to updated legislation 2) Updates from the Covert Surveillance and Property Interference Code of Practice 2024. 4. IPCO Inspection 2025 The council has an IPCO inspection every 3 years, the last inspection took place in August 2022. On 12th December 2024, the Council received an initial request for information letter in relation to the 2025 inspection. The Council responded on 16th January 2025 and received IPCO's response on 29th January 2025 which noted ‘I am satisfied that your reply provides your assurance that ongoing compliance with RIPA 2000 and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 will be maintained. As such, your Council will not require further inspection this year. An action plan has been developed following the IPCO inspection, which includes the following actions: • Review the Designated Officers to ensure all services are covered • Schedule quarterly meetings with Designated Officers • Conduct DIP sampling on quarterly returns. 5. RIPA training The last training was held on 18.04.2024 and 16.08.2024. Further RIPA training has been scheduled for 08.05.2025 for relevant officers and a further training session for October due to a high demand. The training session ensures Main points raised during discussion were: · A Member on behalf of the Committee congratulated Elin Prysor and her Team for receiving a positive response from the IPCO, as follows: ‘I am satisfied that your reply provides your assurance that ongoing compliance with RIPA 2000 and the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 will be maintained. As such, your Council will not require further inspection this year. · Members requested a copy of the Council’s response letter to the IPCO inspection, and it was noted that this would be circulated confidentially by e-mail. Following a discussion, Committee Members were asked to consider the following recommendations: RECOMMENDATIONS: That the Committee: 1. Note the contents of the report 2. Considers the draft amended Corporate Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Policy and makes recommendations to Council as appropriate 3. Note the contents of the draft Amended RIPA social media Policy 2025 and makes recommendations as appropriate to Council. REASON FOR RECOMMENDATIONS: To ensure the committee is kept up to date with developments, including amendments to the respective RIPA policies. Committee Members agreed to recommend that Council: 1. note the contents of the report 2. endorse the draft amended Corporate Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Policy, and, 3. endorse the amended RIPA social media Policy 2025. The Chair thanked the Elin Prysor for presenting the report and again congratulated her and her team for receiving such a positive response from the IPCO.
The Chair welcomed the Corporate Manager, Elizabeth Upcott to the meeting to present the report. Main points arising as follows: · There was an increase in the number of reports/referrals leading to a Strategy discussion this quarter from 263 in Quarter 2 to 308 in Q3, although, the total number of children who were subject to Initial/pre-birth transfer conferences were less this quarter (20) compared to Quarter 2 (23). · 17 children were placed on the register this quarter, 3 were not registered. 23 were placed on the register in Q2. · There were 36 children who were the subject of a Review CP Conferences in this quarter and of these, 12 children were removed from the register. · There were 89 Section 47 enquiries undertaken, 69 with the Police, 20 as Single Agency. · The main categories of abuse which led to S47 enquiries being undertaken, were physical abuse and sexual abuse/sexual exploitation which is consistent with previous quarters. · The percentage of the Initial Child Protection Conferences held in the 15 day timescale is low again this quarter, only 57.9% this quarter compared to 69.6% in the previous quarter. Police availability for 2 conferences and family availability for 3 were the reasons this quarter. However, 97.2% of Review conferences were held in timescale. · Parental Mental Health difficulties, domestic abuse, parental substance misuse and also parental separation were the main risk factors that brought children/young people into child protection procedures. · There were 49 children on the child protection register as at the end of Q3 and there has been an increase in the number on the register since the end of Quarter 1. · Neglect (25) was the highest category of registration, then with emotional/psychological abuse (11), physical abuse (8), sexual (4) and neglect and physical (1). 34 children have been on the registered for under 6 months, 12 on for 6-12 months, 3 for 1-2 years. · There have been 12 children/young people where there has been concern about child exploitation. · There have been 11 professionals who have been subject to Section 5; Professional Concerns Processes in relation to children. ADULT SAFEGUARDING · There has been a decrease in the number of adults suspected of being at risk of abuse and/or neglect reported-150. This is a slight decrease on the number in Q2 156 and there has been a significant decrease in the last 2 quarters from previous periods. · Local Authority Staff are the highest source of referrals this quarter, followed by Provider agencies and the Local Health Board. · Emotional/psychological abuse was the main category of abuse reported (68), followed by Neglect (61), physical abuse (30), financial abuse (30), sexual abuse (19). · In all categories the highest number of victims are female, except for financial abuse where there were 16 mal victims and 14 female. · 14 enquiries concluded that further safeguarding processes needed to be followed i.e. proceeded to a strategy meeting and further enquiries. · In people’s own home is where abuse occurred the most, followed by a care home setting, then in the community and lastly in a Health care setting. · The majority of the abuse was perpetrated by a relative, friend, partner, followed by a paid employee, then “other” and then by another service user. · There have been 8 professionals subject to a Section 5 process, Professional Concerns. During discussion, the following were raised: · To request an update upon the recommendation that Cabinet write to the Minister of Education expressing concerns that current legislation does not require parents to inform Local Authorities of their intent to home educate their children and the lack of legislation around requiring parents to have a visit from the Local Authority when children are being home educated. · To continue to monitor the percentage of Child Protection Conferences held within the statutory 15-day period. · To request additional detail relating to the percentage of employees that have completed the mandatory Group A, Safeguarding e-learning module. The report currently only provides details of the number that has completed the module during the quarter. · To request additional detail in the graphs relating to ‘School Contacts’, to clarify the number of individual pupils as well as the number of contacts made, as multiple contacts may relate to one pupil. Recommendations: Members agreed to note the contents of the report and the levels of activity with the Local Authority, subject to the following: · It was agreed to request that future reports are amended to include details of the percentage of employees that have completed the mandatory Safeguarding e-learning module. · It was agreed to request that additional detail is provided in the graphs relating to ‘School Contacts’, to clarify the number of individual pupils as well as the number of contacts made. Reasons for decision: So that governance of the Local Authority activity and its partner agencies are monitored.
Each Chair/vice Chair/Overview and Scrutiny Officer in turn gave an update on their respective Committee’s Forward Work Plans. During discussion, it was agreed to add the following to a Forward Work Plan: - Thriving Communities - Highway Asset Plan – grants to improve signage and roads in general.
It was AGREED to confirm the minutes of the 27 March 2025 Committee meeting as a true record. Prior to the meeting, the Chair had requested that Audrey Somerton-Edwards, Corporate Lead Officer be present for this agenda item as a Councillor had a matter to raise from the minutes of the previous meeting, as follows: Reference was made to the 2 vacancies currently advertised by Ceredigion County Council on the website – Social Workers – one is an assistant post and another a Senior Practitioner. However, it was noted that there are currently two agencies advertising a total of 9 vacancies with Ceredigion County Council. Councillors requested an explanation as to how this would happen. Audrey Somerton-Edwards stated that the agencies search our websites and put out speculative adverts without us commissioning a service from them. The Chair thanked Members for attending, Translators, Nia Jones and Dwynwen Jones for their support during the meeting. He reminded the Committee Members of the importance of attending the Budget task and finish group on Friday morning. The Chair expressed his disappointment in that no Cabinet Members were present at the meeting and asked that in future Cabinet Members do their best to attend to present their agenda item.
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