Issue - meetings

Cabinet re-affirmed its commitment to ensuring the safeguarding of the districts most vulnerable residents by adopting safeguarding policy that reflected the broader responsibilities that included safeguarding against domestic abuse, exploitation, radicalisation, forced marriage, trafficking and modern slavery.

Cabinet further acknowledged the contributions made by the Overview & Scrutiny Panel who considered the proposed policy at their October meeting and came up with some suggestions that Cabinet had taken on board. A further suggestion that grooming of victims of abuse ought to be included in the summary list of signs of abuse was agreed by Cabinet.

The following Members spoke under Council Procedure Rule 20.1:

Councillor Bayford;

Councillor Game;

Councillor Campbell.

Councillor L. Fairbrass proposed, Councillor Brimm seconded and Cabinet agreed the adoption of the Safeguarding Policy.

Councillor L. Fairbrass, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Community Services led the presentation or the proposals for a new Combined Safeguarding Policy. Council had a duty to protect children and vulnerable adults by raising awareness and reporting any concerns to appropriate authorities, through the Triage.

It was important for council to understand the various roles that councillors and officers ought to play regarding this issue. It was therefore necessary for council to establish robust procedures for recognising victims of abuse when delivering services to residents, hence the need to adopt the policy. Such procedures could also provide a list of indicators of abuse.

Members welcomed the development of the proposed policy. One Member suggested that Council develops and adopts as part of the policy procedure documentation a report form template that enabled a member of the public to report their concerns anonymously. Another Member suggested that female genital mutilation should also be added to the list of domestic abuse. Councillor Fairbrass agreed to take the suggestions on board when finalising the policy proposals.

Penny Button, Head of Safer Neighbourhoods confirmed that councillors and officers will receive appropriate training after the policy had been adopted by Council.

Councillor Parsons proposed, Councillor Bayford seconded and Members agreed that subject to the proposed suggestions being included in the policy, the Combined Safeguarding Policy be recommended to Cabinet for adoption.