Issue - meetings

To approve the revised Safeguarding Policy.  

That the Safeguarding Policy be DEFFERED to the Executive Committee meeting on 4 September 2024 in order to incorporate the amendments and additions requested by Members.

10.1          The report of the Community Safety Team Leader, circulated at Pages No. 51-67, asked Members to adopt the revised Safeguarding Policy and to delegate authority to the Director: Communities in consultation with the relevant Lead Member to make minor and inconsequential amendments to the policy.

10.2          The Head of Service: Environmental Health advised that the Council had a legal obligation to consider the safeguarding needs of both children and vulnerable adults when discharging its functions and conducting its operations.  In 2020, the Council adopted a Safeguarding Policy which set out the Council’s arrangements to deliver its safeguarding obligations.  This report concerned a recent review of the policy to ensure that it was fit for purpose and reflected current professional best practice.  Paragraph 2 of the report outlined the key changes and updates which included: increased detail on the safeguarding training expectations for Members and Council employees, specifically all front-line staff being required to complete at least level 1 safeguarding training every two years, and Council staff working directly with children and vulnerable adults being required to undertake higher level face to face training, with Members having an in person briefing every four years; recognition that some Members and employees may require a higher level of training dependent on their role within the organisation; and updated contact details for key Council personnel and external agencies involved in the safeguarding referral process.

10.3          A Member drew attention to Page No. 57 of the report which set out who the Council’s Safeguarding Officers were but did not provide contact details, and similarly, Page No. 65, bullet point three which stated “if you are not sure what to do your first response should be to contact a Line Manager, Deputy Safeguarding Lead or Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)…”.  In addition, Page No. 65, bullet point eight referred to passing a completed form to the DSL but did not explain what the form was or where to get it from.  The last bullet point mentioned that the DSL must report the incident or seek advice from LCC Children Services and she asked whether that was Gloucestershire County Council.  In response, the Community Safety Team Leader explained that Officer names and contact details were not included in the policy as it could easily become out of date with changes to personnel; however, it was possible for the DSL information to be included on the Tewkesbury Borough Council Contact Details Sheet which was available on the Members’ section of the intranet and circulated to Members by email as and when it was updated.  Another Member pointed out that Page No. 57 included the Director: Communities as ‘Safeguarding Lead’ but should read ‘Designated Safeguarding Lead’.  The Chief Executive acknowledged that Page No. 57 also referred to the Associate Director: People, Performance and Culture as a Deputy Safeguarding Lead; however, Members would be aware there was currently nobody in that post, as such, there were only two Deputy Safeguarding Leads. 

10.4          In response to a query as to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10