It was agreed that as part of the regular review of the Annual Strategic Performance Report 2021/22 Members should have going forward have time to properly consider the Report.

Accordingly, the Committee raised a number of questions and subsequent to the meeting received the following:

v  Question: TheCommittee requested for the outturn of the recycling rates for 2021/22 as there was no figure shown in the most recent quarter of the performance reporting.

v  Answer: Recycling rate for 2021/22 – 19.7%

v  Question: The Committee raised concerns on the low percentage of education health care plan assessments completed at 29% and wished to ascertain what and how this was measured.

v  Answer:

A.   The figure of 29% for completed EHCP’s relates to those completed within the 20-week timescale. The remaining 71% of EHCP’s will have been in progress and will be completed, albeit having taken longer than we would have liked. Q4 was a particularly challenging period, and earlier periods showed increased performance in this area.  Additional resources have been put in place which are starting to have an impact. It was noted that current cumulative performance is 35% (year to date) and increasing with May (42%), June (45%) and July (45%) demonstrating an improved trajectory. Noted that weekly meetings are held with services to monitor the impact of the increasing demand for EHCPs on timeliness of advice requests coming back into the SEN Service.

B.   This measure is a SEND improvement plan priority and is an inspection risk. It has been suggested as an additional focus measure by the Corporate Director. There is a statutory timescale for the completion of an EHCP assessment and benchmarking data is available. Data is also available for quarterly reporting. The challenge the service may have for this measure is that there is already a lot of focus on this measure.  The target for this measure is cumulative. The services are working on a backlog of cases which they plan to clear by the autumn term. In terms of benchmarking, the national figure for EHC timeliness is expected to be around 50% for 2020/21.  The targets are based on a modelling of number of monthly assessment requests and an internal target of 95% completion rate for all new cases Q1 target = 26%; Q2 target=35%; Q3 target =46%; and Q4 and end of year target =53%.

The Chair thanked Cllr Saied Ahmed (Cabinet Member for Resources and Cost of Living) and Will Tuckley (Chief Executive) for their attendance and providing responses to the committee’s questions.

The Committee noted that good financial practice requires that regular reports be submitted to Council/Committee setting out the financial position of the Council against budget, and its service performance against targets.

The regular reporting of the Strategic Performance and Corporate Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring should assist in ensuring that Members are able to scrutinise officer decisions.

The Committee noted that good financial practice requires that regular reports be submitted to Council/Committee setting out the financial position of the Council against budget, and its service performance against targets.

The regular reporting of the Strategic Performance and Corporate Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring should assist in ensuring that Members are able to scrutinise officer decisions.

Specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Social Work Team.

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals; and

•           To see more details of the savings in Early Years.

Review of Day Services for Older People

OSC agreed

·         It wished to see a more detailed business case and calculations/assumptions for charging;

·         It wanted to receive figures for in-house verses commissioned services;

·         It wanted the total budget and breakdown of spend public health;

·         It wished to receive a briefing on re-ablement particularly invest to save costs vs the saving;

·         It wanted information on the impact of loss of the Independent Living Fund;

·         It wanted details of any risks of a reduced/poorer service of learning disability packages.

Saving Money by Reducing or Stopping Sunday Idea Store Opening

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals

Renegotiation of Current Leisure Service Contract

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals

Discontinue the Incontinence Laundry Service

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals

Alternative Funding arrangements for Toilets

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals

Review of Streetcare and Streetworks Team

OSC agreed:

•           To see a more detailed Business Case on these proposals

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) noted that good financial practice requires that regular reports be submitted to Council/Committee setting out the financial position of the Council against budget, and its service performance against targets.  The regular reporting of the Strategic Performance and Corporate Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring should assist in ensuring that Members are able to scrutinise officer decisions.  The main points of the discussion may be outlined as follows:

Review of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals, including the risks; and

Realignment and funding of efficiencies in early years provision

OSC agreed:

•           To request more details.

Charging for community Social Care services

OSC agreed:

To request a more detailed business case and calculations/assumptions for charging;

Review of Day Services for Older People

OSC agreed:

• To request further information on how spending on Mayfield House is split between in-house and commissioned services;

Improving focus on reablement for social care users

OSC agreed:

• To request a briefing on the assumptions underpinning this proposal.

Review of high cost Learning Disability care packages

OSC agreed:

• To request details of any risks of a reduced/poorer service resulting from these proposals.

Saving Money by Reducing or Stopping Sunday Idea Store Opening

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Renegotiation of Current Leisure Services Contract

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Discontinue the Incontinence Laundry Service

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals, including the risks.

Alternative funding arrangement for Toilets

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Alternative Waste Disposal Solution

OSC agreed:

• To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Review of Streetcare and Streetworks Team

OSC agreed:

•           To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Reduction in Blackwall Tunnel Approach Cleansing

OSC agreed:

• To request a more detailed business case on these proposals.

Increased productivity and commercialisation of planning and building control services

OSC agreed:

• To request information on the limits of what could be funded from potential increased income generated by these proposals.

Other requests

OSC agreed:

• To request the total budget and breakdown of spend on the council’s Public Health service;
• To request information on the impact of loss of the Independent Living Fund.

DECISION

1.    To note the budget adjustments for 2015/16 to reflect new growth pressures and mayoral priorities (paragraph 3.3.4 and 3.3.5).

2.    To note the additional funding secured by the authority through the Local enterprise partnership (LEP)

3.    To agree spending plans that have been approved by the GLA (Appendix 1) (paragraph 3.3.7 to 3.3.10).

4.    To note that through the 2014/15 closure process £7.5m uncommitted new homes bonus (NHB) has been set aside to fund replacement of social housing (paragraph 3.6.6).

5.    To consider options to set aside additional NHB to fund more affordable homes as part of the budget process in 2016/17 (paragraph 3.6.8).

6.    To agree the Strategic Plan for 2015/16 (Appendix 5).

7.    To note that the financial outlook over the MTFP has been extended to include assumptions for 2018/19 and a total savings target of £63m between 2016/17 and 2018/19 is the current working target (Appendix 3).

8.    To note that the financial position is subject to volatility and that development’s in Government policy following SR15 and their implications on MTFP planning assumptions will be monitored closely and reported back at regular intervals during the financial year as part of the budget process.

Action by:

ACTING CORPORATE DIRECTOR, RESOURCES (C. HOLME)

(Service Head, Corporate Strategy and Equality (L. Russell)

(Interim Service Head, Finance and Procurement (B. Scarr)

(Head of Financial Planning & Corporate Business Partner (E. Hussain)

Councillor David Edgar, Cabinet Member for Resources, introduced the report. He highlighted the significant cuts that were required and the likely impact of the forthcoming government’s spending review.

During discussion some of the proposed budget alterations were noted including additional money for street cleaning.

The Mayor agreed the recommendations as set out in the report.

RESOLVED

1.    To note the budget adjustments for 2015/16 to reflect new growth pressures and mayoral priorities (paragraph 3.3.4 and 3.3.5).

2.    To note the additional funding secured by the authority through the Local enterprise partnership (LEP)

3.    To agree spending plans that have been approved by the GLA (Appendix 1) (paragraph 3.3.7 to 3.3.10).

4.    To note that through the 2014/15 closure process £7.5m uncommitted new homes bonus (NHB) has been set aside to fund replacement of social housing (paragraph 3.6.6).

5.    To consider options to set aside additional NHB to fund more affordable homes as part of the budget process in 2016/17 (paragraph 3.6.8).

6.    To agree the Strategic Plan for 2015/16 (Appendix 5).

7.    To note that the financial outlook over the MTFP has been extended to include assumptions for 2018/19 and a total savings target of £63m between 2016/17 and 2018/19 is the current working target (Appendix 3).

8.    To note that the financial position is subject to volatility and that development’s in Government policy following SR15 and their implications on MTFP planning assumptions will be monitored closely and reported back at regular intervals during the financial year as part of the budget process.