Venue: Room C1, 1st Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London E14 2BG
Contact: David Knight, Democratic Services
Tel: 020 7364 4878 E-mail: david.knight@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were
received from Councillor James King, the Chair of the
Councils Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
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2. |
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST PDF 117 KB
To note any
declarations of interest.
When declaring an interest,
Members are requested to specify the nature of the interest, the
particular agenda item to which the interest relates and whether
the interest is a disclosable pecuniary interest.
Minutes:
No declarations of
disclosable pecuniary interests were received at the meeting.
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3. |
REVIEW OF MINUTES/ACTIONS AND MATTERS ARISING PDF 143 KB
To approve the minutes of the meeting held on
9th September, 2019 and discuss any actions and matters
arising.
Minutes:
The minutes of the
meeting held on 9 September, 2019 were confirmed as
a correct record and the Chair was authorised to sign them
accordingly.
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4. |
UNRESTRICTED REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION
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4.1 |
Tower Hamlets Improvement Plan 2018-2022 PDF 275 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The
Board received a report that provided Q3 progress updates on the
Tower Hamlets Improvement Plan’s 11 recommendations;
developed in response to the findings
of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge (June 2018) and captures the
improvement activity currently undertaken in the
Council. The main points of the
discussions are summarised as follows.
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The
Board noted that:
- In
June 2018, the Council had participated in a LGA Corporate Peer
Challenge. The purpose of this review was to achieve an independent
perspective of the Council’s achievement against its Best
Value Improvement Plan and to learn from best practice;
- The
Peer Challenge represented a significant milestone in the
Council’s strengths, weaknesses and provided a catalyst to
deliver the ongoing improvements required to improve services for
residents;
- The
Corporate Peer Challenge identified a number of areas where the
Council can make further improvements.
- Whilst
the report outlines the significant transformation and improvement
activity being undertaken by the Council to become a modern and
efficient Council. It was noted that there are large areas within
the Council that are in need of modernisation with some services
operating under a traditional and paternalistic model of
delivery;
- The
Council therefore needs to expedite the pace of change as it
remains too risk averse as a result of past decision
making;
- The
Council should focus on taking a more proportionate risk approach
and empower officers to be less cautious and bureaucratic in order
to drive through a real change in culture;
- This
means becoming more financially disciplined, commercial, adaptable
and innovative at all levels that resources are
managed;
- The
key questions are (i) to know where the Council is in this journey
of improvement; (ii) that there is still scope for future
improvement; (iii) a recognition that there is a more challenging
environment financially to address the pressures; (iv) the need to
look at the extent that the Council can use its resources to
facilitate local communities and businesses in working through
problems in an effective way;
- It is
important to consider (i) how effective is the leadership within
the Council at driving performance; (ii) the development of a cost
conscious culture within the Council so that every decision is
built on informed financial assessment; (iii) how well officers are
demonstrating financial awareness and ensuring a coherent approach
to financial management the Council’s corporate
centre;
- Whilst
there have been reforms the Councils management arrangements in
terms of systems and personnel, there is more work to do on the
development of financial discipline E.g. whilst
work has been undertaken on outcome based budgeting there is still
more work to be undertaken on this; and
- The
Council needs to address the services in need of improvement and
integration e.g. resource management.
Accordingly the Transformation and Improvement Board RESOLVED:
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1.
To note the progress with regards to the Tower
Hamlets Improvement Plan.
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4.2 |
Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge - Follow up and future PDF 302 KB
Minutes:
The Board received a report that (i)
outlined the improvement journey to date: (ii) sought the
Board’s approval for a proposed approach to a follow up visit
by the LGA; and (iii) asked the Board to consider options for
continuing the Council’s public transformation and
improvement journey in 2020. The main points
of the discussion on this report are summarised below:
The Board:
- Was
advised that when the Local Government
Association (LGA) had performed the Corporate Peer Challenge
of the Council in June 2018. It had
been suggested that as part of the Challenge process there should be a follow up
visit by the LGA to occur within two years of the original
visit;
- Noted that the purpose of this follow up
visit was to: (i) help the Council assess the impact of the peer
challenge; and (ii) demonstrate the progress that it has made
against the areas of improvement and development as identified by
the peer review team;
- In
considering the options for continuing the Council’s
transformation and improvement journey in 2020 felt that both
Members of the Cabinet, together with the Overview and Scrutiny
Committee should hold a number of deep dive meetings into the
Council’s transformation and improvement progress, focussing
on particular areas of interest or improvement and this could be
held post LGA follow-up visit;
- Felt
that the benefits of this option would be that it is public-facing,
and would involve the non-executive elected members (scrutiny) and
that this is a streamlined approach. Although the drawback is that
these events need to be managed and supported;
- Agreed
that it was important to show what the Council is doing every day
to improve the quality of life of local residents;
- Noted
that the Council needs to share the stories behind the huge variety
of vital services that it provides every day to highlight the
amazing work that is going on in the local communities;
- Noted
that the Council provides hundreds of different services to
residents that cover all aspects of daily life, so it is important
as mentioned to showcase what LBTH does. This will mean the local
communities are better informed about how the Council helps and
assists them;
- Was
informed that the work it has undertaken has meant that more of the
internal transformation process has been exposed and there is a
need to ensure the progress is publicised e.g. the
triumphs and evaluation of progress;
- Acknowledged that there was a need also to look at the
challenges and situations with regards Audit and
Pensions;
Accordingly the Transformation and Improvement Board RESOLVED:
1.
To approve the proposed approach for a follow up
visit by the LGA Peer Challenge Team, as a part of the Corporate Peer Challenge process;
2.
To agree on an LGA follow-up visit from June 2020,
pending LGA Peer Challenge Team’s availability;
and
3.
That members of the Cabinet, together with the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee should hold a number of deep dive
meetings into the Council’s transformation and improvement
progress, ...
view the full minutes text for item 4.2
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5. |
TRANSFORMATION AND IMPROVEMENT SPOTLIGHT
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5.1 |
Community Safety Transformation PDF 330 KB
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The
Board received and noted a report presented by Ann Corbett(Divisional Director, Community
Safety), that focused on the progress of
seven areas of priority set out in the letter from the Mayor to the
Chief Executive on 6th June, 2018 under the heading
‘Safer communities and ASB’. These being (i) Rise in
youth violence; (ii) Reassuring the community about wider crime and
ASB; (iii) Close working with police; (iv) Violent Crime Summit;
(v) Council funded police officers; (vi) Neighbourhood Management
Pilot; and (vii) Chairing of a Crime and ASB Board.
The main points of the discussion regarding the
ongoing work of the community safety priority areas may be
summarised as follows:
The
Board:
- Was
advised that the ASB Blueprint had been produced in March 2017
following a 6 month independent review of how the Borough dealt
with ASB. The Blueprint had identified a new, victim centred
approach for the Council and partners to adopt in order to better
respond to anti-social behaviour and the impact on residents’
quality of life and set out an ambitious programme of change in
terms of how the Council would tackle ASB;
- Noted
that the report covered the transformation journey that the Council
has undergone since then (i) within the community safety service;
and (ii) the achievements and the challenges the Council faces in
responding to community safety concerns;
- Observed that in response to the rise in
knife violence in the Borough, the Knife crime action plan had been
produced which reflected a shift from a criminal justice to a
public health approach, looking at the long term
solutions;
- Noted
that the Plan committed the Council and its partners to delivering
65 actions;
- Was
informed that since commencement of the knife crime action plan,
police crime data has shown a downward trend of offences compared
on a rolling year and between 2018-2019 Tower Hamlets experienced
the biggest decrease in knife crime injury victims of all London
Boroughs;
- Noted
that Operation Continuum was launched in December 2017 to promote
closer working with the police and in response to ongoing reports
of drug dealing, drug use and associated criminality. It involves
coordinating Council teams and partners including the Partnership
Task Force (PTF) the team of police officers funded by the Council
and are tasked to a number of key priorities agreed with the
Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime, Tower Hamlets Homes,
CCTV team, clean and green, Police Safer neighbourhood Teams,
Trading Standards and Licencing and the ASB team;
- Was
informed about the Rapid Response Team (RRT) that works with young
people (both as victims and perpetrators) to reduce knife crime and
group violence. This was innovative project funded by the Council
had set up in January 2019 with the Royal London
Hospital;
- Noted
that as part of the RRT a Violent Crime Reduction (VCR) Officer is
now based at Royal London Hospital to work with people aged 10-26
who have been victims of weapon enabled violence including knife
crime to support them through ...
view the full minutes text for item 5.1
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5.2 |
Housing and Capital Delivery PDF 283 KB
Minutes:
The
Chair thanked Councillor Sirajul Islam (Statutory Deputy Mayor and
Cabinet Member for Housing); Jane Abraham
(Housing Project Manager); and Rupert Brandon
(Interim Head of Housing Supply) for
attending tonight’s Board meeting to provide an
overview of Housing Capital Programme.
The main points of the discussion on the report may
be summarised as follows:
The
Board:
- Noted
that the 2019 Annual Residents’ Survey had shown that the
lack of affordable homes was the second highest concern
(29%);
- Noted
that the average house price in the Borough in November 2019 was
£559,289;
- Was
advised that the median ratio of house prices to local earnings in
the borough is 12.7 (significantly higher than the national average
of 8.0);
- Observed that the Council faces considerable challenges in
delivering homes which are affordable to local people on average
incomes;
- Was
informed that currently circa there are 19,000 on the
Council’s Common Housing Register with (i) 58% in urgent
priority housing need; (ii) 38% over-crowded; and (iii) highest
demand for 1 beds;
- Noted
that 39% of the Borough’s housing stock is in the Private
Rented Sector; and
- Wanted
to (i) look at how to get the best use of existing housing stock
e.g. under occupiers moving to smaller properties;
(ii) look at helping people taking up to Rent to Buy/Shared
Ownership properties outside of Tower Hamlets; (iii) consider the
benefits in buying back properties; (iv) look at social housing
stock on new developments; and (v) establish an intermediate
Housing Register of interest for those living or working in
Borough.
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6. |
ANY OTHER UNRESTRICTED BUSINESS CONSIDERED TO BE URGENT
Minutes:
Closing Comments
As this was the last meeting of the Board in closing
the meeting, the Chair thanked the Members and officers for
continuing the work to deliver the ongoing
improvements required in services for residents.
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