To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

Councillor Marc Francis Scrutiny Lead for Resources informed the Committee that there would be a Scrutiny Challenge session on Customer Access /One Stop Shops on 8^th June.

He also reminded the Committee of the Scrutiny Challenge session on 30^th April regarding Children’s Services.

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

Councillor Marc Francis Scrutiny Lead for Resources informed the Committee that there would be a Scrutiny Challenge session on Customer Access /One Stop Shops after the Easter Holidays.

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

1.    Councillor Bex White Scrutiny Lead for Governance advised the Committee that (i) she had, had a meeting with officers on the development of the Overview and Scrutiny Toolkit (ii) Attended the launch of the Councils Brexit Report and (iii) the report of the Spitalfields Community Governance Review would be going to General Purposes and Cabinet this week.

2.    Councillor Marc Francis Scrutiny Lead for Resources informed the Committee that (i) there had been a Scrutiny Challenge Session on Customer Access and (ii) further work is required on the development of the Grants Scrutiny Sub-committee.

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

It was agreed that the updates from the Scrutiny Leads would be circulated with the agenda for the next meeting – See Appendix 1 to 3.

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

1.    Councillor Bex White Scrutiny Lead for Governance advised the Committee that (i) on Brexit Commission at its meeting on 27^th November, 2018 the Commission had met at the Harford Health Centre to hear evidence from civil society representatives; and (ii) On 16^th January, 2019 there will be a scrutiny spotlight session on communications.

2.    Councillor Kahar Chowdhury Scrutiny Lead for Health, Adults & Community advised the Committee that on 11^th December the Sub-Committee considered (i) received an overview of the findings from the recent impact assessment that was carried out to review the impact of the new charging policy for community-based adult social care services on service users and carers; (ii) Noted the results of the survey on adult and social care they will help the Council to understand the impact of services on people’s quality of life and key areas for improvement, helping to inform and support the standard and delivery of adult social care services in Tower Hamlets; (iii) Received a report that provided an overview on Residential and Nursing Care Homes and Home Care provision in the Borough.

3.    Councillor Marc Francis Scrutiny Lead for Resources advised the Committee that regarding the Challenge Session on Council Tax Reduction it was noted there had been a productive discussion with the Lead Cabinet Member.

4.    Councillor Sufia Alam Scrutiny Lead for Lead for Children’s Services advised the Committee that (i) she attended the Mayors Early Years Summit on 30th November which was a conversation on how high quality early childhood education and care can ensure children have the best health and education outcomes for life and how best it supports parents into training and employment; (ii) Meetings have been arranged with Directors/Service Leads and she has had a briefing from the Divisional Director, Children's Social Care.

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

1.    Councillor Bex White Scrutiny Lead for Governance advised the Councillor Bex White Scrutiny Lead for Governance advised the Committee that (i) A Communications Challenge Session had been held that had looked at a number of issues including (i) internal communications and (ii) increased resident engagement. In addition, it was noted that on the 27th November, 2018 at Harford Community Centre there would be an evidence gathering session of the Brexit Commission to consider evidence in relation to (i) Migration; (iii) Charities; and (iii) Social Cohesion.

2.    Councillor Kahar Chowdhury Scrutiny Lead for Health, Adults & Community advised the Committee that (i) In July there had been a meeting with the Health and Social Care Partners; (ii) In September the Sub-Committee had, had a presentation by Menara Ahmed the Council’s VAWG Domestic Abuse and Hate Crime Manager.  Topics covered had included (a) the identification and management of residents at risk of domestic violence, (b) reporting levels, (c) the impact of universal credit on domestic violence; and (d) the provision of services for those residents with no recourse to public funds.  The Sub-Committee had also received a verbal summary of the Healthwatch Annual Report 2017/18, which had been presented by Dianne Barham – Chief Executive of Healthwatch Tower Hamlets.  Finally, going forward the Sub-Committee it was noted would be considering a number of themes including (i) Adult Social Care and (ii) Alcohol and Substance misuse

3.    Councillor Marc Francis Scrutiny Lead for Resources advised the Committee that at the meeting of the Cabinet on the 31^st October, 2018 he had on behalf of the Chair provided an update on the Scrutiny Challenge Session in relation to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

4.    Councillor Sufia Alam Scrutiny Lead for Lead for Children’s Services advised the Committee that (i) on 12^th November, 2018 the latest Safeguarding Training Session had been held; (ii) on 19^th November, 2018 the Young Peoples Summit had taken place which had been a positive event; (iii) on 23^rd November, 2018 meeting with Judith St John the Council’s Divisional Director Sports Leisure and Culture on the preparation for a Workshop to consider the Borough’s Leisure provision and (iv) on 30^th November, 2018 was the date of the Mayors Young Peoples Summit.

5.    Councillor Abdal Ullah, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee advised that on 31st October, 2018 he had attended the meeting of the Cabinet to provide an update on the work of the Committee. He reported on a number of issues including (i) the most recent Scrutiny meeting that had focussed on educational aspirations and included presentations from head teachers, officers and the Cabinet Lead Member. He had told the Mayor that this session had been very valuable and a report would be following on at a later date (ii) that the Committee had started to consider how they would be responding to the Council’s budget proposals and had received the quarterly budget monitoring report; and (iii) the Committees work on fire safety had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9

To receive verbal updates from each of the Scrutiny Leads.

(Time allocated – 5 minutes each)

The Committee agreed to consider the briefing from the lead Members at the next meeting.