The Children, Education and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 10 June 2025 to discuss its remit and key priorities, risks, and challenges within its service areas. The committee was also scheduled to discuss its work programme for the upcoming year.

Overview of Key Priorities, Risks and Challenges

The committee was scheduled to receive a presentation on the key priorities, risks, and challenges in the service areas that fall under its remit. These areas include:

• Education
• Family help and family hubs
• Northamptonshire Children's Trust¹
• Housing

Remit of the Committee

The committee was scheduled to be advised of the areas within its remit. According to the report pack, the Children, Education and Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee's remit includes:

• Children's Social Care
• Education
• Child Mental Health
• Housing

The report pack also clarifies the roles of the Overview and Scrutiny function within West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), which include:

• Holding the Cabinet to account
• Contributing to policy development and review
• Monitoring performance
• Scrutinising organisations external to WNC

Development of the Committee Work Programme for 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to give initial consideration to the content of its work programme for 2025/26.

The minutes of the previous meeting on 12 March 2025, included in the report pack, contained recommendations for topics to be included in the 2025/26 work programme. These included:

• Trends in relation to Elective Home Education
• Support for children and young people's mental health and the role of schools as an access point for these services.
• Family help and work by West Northamptonshire Council on the development of family hubs.
• The impact of smartphone usage on children and young people and phone free policies in schools

At the 12 March meeting, a member of the public named Mrs. Katie Moore spoke about the impact of smartphones and social media on children, advocating for a smartphone free policy in primary schools.

Other Matters

The agenda also included:

• Apologies for Absence
• Declarations of Interest
• Confirmation of the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 March 2025
• Chair's Announcements
• Urgent Business
• Exclusion of Press and Public