Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Denise Jones.

Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, please see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

Members are reminded to declare the nature of the interest and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it’s the Members’ responsibility to declare any interests form and to update their register of interest form as required by the Code.

If in doubt as to the nature of your interest, you are advised to seek advice prior to the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services

The following Councillors declared a potential interest in relation to the Item 8 Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions:

·         Councillor Marc Francis due to his wife Councillor Rachel Blake being the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing; and

·         Councillor Ehtasham Haque due to wife Councillor Sabina Akhtar being the Cabinet Member for Culture, Arts and Brexit.

To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 26^th October, 2020.

The Chair Moved and it was: -

RESOLVED

That the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the last meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 26^th October 2020 be approved as a correct record of the proceedings and the Chair was authorised to sign them accordingly.

To receive any petitions (to be notified at the meeting).

Nil items

The Committee are asked to note the Forward Plan.

Noted

Nil items

The Committee noted that a decision from the Mayor on the proposed changes to the Common Housing Register Allocations Scheme was awaited.

Members are asked to refer to the report included in the Cabinet agenda 25^th November, 2020.

The Committee received a presentation on the delivery and performance information for Quarter 2 (July – September 2020) by Mayor John Biggs; Will Tuckley, Chief Executive and Thorsten Dreyer, Head of Intelligence and Performance. The main points of the discussion on this report may be summarised as follows:

The Committee noted that:

• The Council was exceeding performance in many areas, but areas of under-performance was recognised.
• This period has been impacted by the pandemic.  Notably, the Council’s ability to conduct the Annual Residents Survey, and collect qualitative information on residents’ views. 
• The Service and officers are seeking to accurately capture that information based on comparable survey techniques with other local authorities in London.
• LBTH are working with their supplier to develop different options including how any face to face consultation would be undertaken in a COVID-19 secure way or with whatever restrictions are in position at the time (e.g. a doorstep interview with 15-minute maximum at a safe distance or telephone survey as an alternative). Accordingly, LBTH are working on different models for delivery with the contractor to make sure that a survey can be undertaken during January 2021 to February 2021.
• As consequence of the pandemic there has been the development of better methods of remote monitoring of public opinion (e.g. telephone survey methods have undergone a serious methodological development regarding the coverage of households with increased access to telephones justifying its use and provided you get representative samples). However, it is recognised that it can produce slightly differing results from face to face surveys and it is important to take this into account when the data is being interpreted.
• One of the good things about the approach that has been adopted in Tower Hamlets is that the Council now has a good set of core questions and techniques developed over many years now. 
• Regarding Households prevented from becoming homeless the Outturn for Q2 2020/21 shows an increase by 20.99%.
• LBTH have recruited Tenancy Sustainment Officers to work with social and private landlords, and directly with clients to address homelessness.
• This is related to the new target that flows from the Homelessness Reduction Act, that places new more challenging duties on housing authorities to intervene earlier to prevent homelessness and to take reasonable steps to relieve homelessness for all eligible applicants, not just those that have priority need under the Act.
• The nature of the housing market in East London makes it challenging to provide sustainable tenancies for people in the private sector and the Mayor indicated that he would very much welcome a more detailed scrutiny on how LBTH as a housing authority can address this effectively.
• Although LBTH performance regarding preventing homelessness has improved the increased volume of work that the Homelessness Reduction Act has brought to the Housing Options Team and the impact of the pandemic has had a significant influence on performance.
• Noted that LBTH as a housing agency needs to take a fundamental look at the way which the Housing Option Services is working  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.1

The Committee to receive an update from Dr Somen Banerjee, Director of Public Health.

The Committee received an update from COVID-19 by Somen Banerjee – Director of Public Health regarding:

1.    COVID-19 infection: weekly incidence, variation across Tower Hamlets.

2.    Local Outbreak Control Plan Priorities.

3.    Mass testing (Targeted Asymptomatic Testing).

4.    Vaccination.

5.    Post lockdown; and

6.    Regional Tiering.

The main points of discussion on the presentation are outlined as follows:

The Committee noted that:

• There was under assessment before the introduction of local testing sites.
• In the Borough there is monitoring of data by ethnicity/deprivation and although there have been quite significant disparities these have now narrowed and the testing uptake in different groups has improved.
• One of the key concerns from the data being received from the test and trace programme was that 20% of the people contacted are not self-isolating which is a real concern.
• One of the purposes of the Test and Trace model is not just about identifying contacts but working with people to support them to self-isolate and linking them into support services.
• The data seems to show that in some of the least deprived areas of the Borough there seems to be a lower incidence of Covid-19. Therefore, it is important to understand why the rates are so low and is it necessary to increase uptake of testing.
• Importance of addressing anti-vaccine content online and that the Councils Communications and Marketing Team monitor online content to counter with facts the baseless conspiracy theories about a coronavirus vaccine that have been spreading on social media.
• It will be a significant challenge to develop the trust of the population by the circulation of the correct information through the right channels if there is to be a widespread uptake of the vaccine.
• With regard to the types of workplaces that have been negatively affected as a result of the pandemic these tend not to be the large workplaces, but the small businesses might be a part of the business sector that would benefit from the introduction of mass testing.
• It was difficult to predict which of the new Tiers Tower Hamlets would fall into but if the Borough moved into Tier Two which would means for example that you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 people outside, including in a garden or a public space – (i.e. the ‘rule of 6) pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals.  The Council would need to be strong on local compliance and Local Enforcement because there is a risk that cases will start to go up again as it did last time with the easing of the lock down last time.

In conclusion, the Chair:

1.    Thanked Somen Banerjee – Director of Public Health for his presentation and for the level of pertinent detail that he had provided; and

2.    Informed the Committee that he had received the Mayor’s response to the Committee’s COVID Review, and that the Committee would review these responses in greater depth  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.2

The Committee to receive a presentation on Improving Resident Engagement.

The Committee received a detailed presentation on how the Council is Improving Resident Engagement by Mayor John Biggs; Sharon Godman, Divisional Director for Strategy Policy and Performance; Andreas Christophorou, Divisional Director, Communications and Marketing and Emily Fieran-Reed, Senior Strategy and Policy Manager.  In addition, the Chair informed the meeting that Claire Harding from the Centre for London was in attendance – to share an external perspective on community engagement.  An outline of the discussion is set out below:

The Committee noted that:

• Communications and Marketing Team have a Bengali Press Officer who is tasked with making pitches to the Bengali media including Channel S (which has an audience of 500,000 British Bangladeshis) all the time and produces a media report every week to the Bengali media. The Team also (i) produces a Bengali Newsletter; (ii) works closely with Mosques across London including work specially on Covid-19 with the East London Mosque); (iii) works with Housing Association’s; (iv) advertises in community languages; and (v) provides translated material in community languages.
• 62% of people in the last residents survey indicated that they felt involved although this could be improved upon and there is the potential to get a lot better. This works on a number of levels as whilst a good consultation hub is important LBTH also needs to have an accessible website and introduction of the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018 is intended to ensure that public sector websites and mobile applications are accessible to all users which are all local authorities and public sector organisations have to abide by. Whilst LBTH is working to improve accessibility all the time the pandemic has prevented the face-to-face element both through the Council and partner agencies. For example, LBTH held a Community Day last year with 300 people in attendance and it is the mixture of (i) digital; (ii) face to face; (iii) partnership work; and (iv) targeted work that can give access to a wider audience.
• With regard to the “Seldom-Heard” or the under-represented it is the responsibility of agencies to reach out to such excluded people, ensuring that they have access to services and that they are heard by service professionals and decision-makers. Accordingly, it is important to find out how to reach them and often it will be (i) partner organisation; (ii) the resident route; (iii) or that they already part of a certain community that is the best way to get the content out. The Council recognises that there are others with closer links to “Seldom-Heard” communities.
• Consultations can be too narrow and directive and excluding participation from a wider audience to share views and ideas e.g. a technical issue with the SEND/SLS consultation which made it difficult for residents who are not parents/carers to respond. [NB: Subsequent to the meeting this has now been rectified and the Service confirms that this is an open consultation to which anyone can respond.]
• Even in the Bengali community the Communications and Marketing Team found that adult children have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.3

The Committee to receive a presentation on the Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) Proposals.

In addition, an advanced copy of the report for consideration by General Purpose Committee on 8th December 2019 in attached.

The Committee received and noted a presentation from Adam Boey Senior Strategy & Policy Manager on a report regarding the Councillor Call for Action guidance which is to go to the Council’s General Purposes Committee on 8^th December, together with draft guidance intended to improve clarity and processes around Councillors being able to raise local matters of concern, where all other avenues have been exhausted. The main points of the discussion on this report are outlined as follows:

The Committee noted that:

• The CCfA guide has been developed as part of the strengthening local democracy framework. It allows Councillors to raise issues or matters of local concern and affecting their ward for consideration by OSC. The Localism Act 2011 broadens this so that councillors can refer matters which are not restricted to local government.
• A CCfA can be used to tackle problems on a neighbourhood or ward specific level which has been unable to resolve through normal channels e.g. corporate complaints, petitions, Member’s Enquiries, Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and mediation. It is at the discretion of each councillor as to what issues they wish to raise for a potential review through the CCfA. However, councillors must demonstrate that other methods of resolution have been exhausted first. A CCfA request should not be considered as merely ‘scrutiny process’ it should be viewed as a whole council approach, that can assist councillors to resolve issues on behalf of their constituents.
• There is some circumstance where a CCfA will not be dealt with under this scheme as specified by the limitations of a CCfA; or any other circumstances which, in the opinion of the Statutory Scrutiny Officer would mean the CCfA would be better dealt with using a different Council procedure.
• Depending on the nature of the request once it has been considered a report will be produced together with a set of recommendations and those responsible for implementing the recommendations to a relevant service area will provide an update report as necessary to the Committee.

The Chair then Moved, and it was:

RESOLVED that:

In general, the Committee welcomed this work and the embedding of the Councillor Call for Action in the constitution, and the guidance for Members and officers.

To consider and agree pre-decision scrutiny questions/comments to be presented to Cabinet LINK

(Time allocated – 30 minutes).

Following comments by the Committee the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions (PDSQ) were agreed for submission to the Mayor in Cabinet on the 25^th November 2020 (See attached appendix).

To consider any other unrestricted business that the Chair considers to be urgent.

Nil items

As the agenda circulated contained no exempt/ confidential business and

there was therefore no requirement to exclude the press and public to allow

for its consideration.

Nil items

Nil items

Nil items

Nil items

To consider and agree pre-decision scrutiny questions/comments to be presented to Cabinet.

(Time allocated 15 minutes).

Nil items

To consider any other exempt/ confidential business that the Chair considers to be urgent.

Nil items