Government watchdog to monitor Council

CHILDREN’S services in Warrington are to be watched closely by the Government to ensure improvements are made following a damning Ofsted report which highlighted 15 failings over child safety, while the council’s leadership will be be asked to account for its role in the failures at a special meeting of the council on Thursday.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has issued an ‘Improvement Notice’ after a recent report showed 15 areas where the Council was inadequate.
The ‘Improvement Notice’ sets out how the DCSF wants Warrington Council to make rapid changes that will make lasting improvements to the way it runs its children’s department.
Minister Dawn Primarolo said: “We are intervening in Warrington’s children’s services following the Ofsted inspection.
“I wrote to the council to inform them that the Government will be intervening to improve its services to safeguard children. I’ve explained that I am minded to issue an Improvement Notice which will contain stretching targets and robust requirements relating to quality set by DCSF.
“The council will have monthly reviews of performance with DCSF, and report at set intervals to Ministers so that DCSF can ensure that the required level of progress is being made.
“As I said earlier this month, we will ensure that there are robust plans to get to the heart of the problems and secure swift and effective improvement. I will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to ensure the safety of children and young people in Warrington and elsewhere.”
The report and the ‘Improvement Notice’ will be the hot topic at an extraordinary meeting of Warrington Council on Dec 3,which was proposed by Labour leader Councillor Terry O’Neill. (pictured left)
He said: “There needs to be some account as to what the role of the leadership of this Council was in relation to the failures of the Children’s Department. Some serious questions will be asked of them at the extraordinary meeting of the Council on Thursday.”
The Council has agreed to comply fully with any measures required by the ‘Improvement Notice’.
Councillor Ian Marks, Leader of the Council, pictured right with Chief Executive Diana Terris, said: “The Department for Children, Schools and Families has outlined the improvements that it expects to see for the social care service and we will continue to take swift and decisive action to implement the recommendations and improve these critical services.
“We welcome the support that will be provided by the Government Office for the North West and will work closely with them to ensure that the improvements are made quickly.
“We all have a responsibility to ensure that the changes now being made are sustainable in the long term so that the welfare and safety of all children and young people is given the highest priority.”
Kath O’Dwyer, executive director of Children and Young People’s Services, said: “We will take whatever action is necessary to make sure our children and young people are safe, supported and successful.”