Agenda item

The Committee received a report from the Communities Manager regarding proposed updates to the Council’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures. The report summarised the Council’s legal duties in relation to safeguarding and it was explained that the updates had been agreed in partnership with other local authorities within the County to ensure that the Council’s arrangements aligned fully with those of the other authorities.

Officers responded to a number of comments from Members, including the need to maintain robust recruitment policies that took account of safeguarding principles both within the Council and in relation to contractors, as well as the need to guard against false allegations and to pursue investigations in an open and transparent manner without making conclusions in the absence of corroborated evidence. It was enquired as to whether there needed to be an audit of the Council’s safeguarding practices after a reasonable period of operation of the updated policy, it was suggested that this be brought to the attention of the Council’s Monitoring Officer.

Members were supportive of the proposed updates and the recommendations within the report were duly proposed and seconded. On taking the vote it was unanimously

RESOLVED that

a)    the updated Safeguarding Policy and Procedures documents be approved; and

b)    delegated authority be granted to the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Communities to make any necessary minor amendments to the policy, in consultation with the Chairman of this Committee.