It was noted that apologies for lateness had been 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 Members for transparency declared a potential interest in relation to Item 9 Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions:

1. Councillor Marc Francis due to his wife Councillor Rachel Blake being the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing; and
2. 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 meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Chair Moved and it was: -

RESOLVED

That the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 18^th January 2021 be approved as a correct record of the proceedings and the Chair was authorised to sign them accordingly.

The Chair Moved and it was: -

RESOLVED

That the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 22^nd March 2021 be approved as a correct record of the proceedings and the Chair was authorised to sign them accordingly. Subject to the inclusion of the following in the list of those present:

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

Nil items

The Committee is asked to note the Cabinets Forward Plan.

Noted

The Committee will receive an update on Covid-19 from Dr Somen Banerjee – Director of Public Health.

The Committee received an update from Covid-19 from Somen Banerjee – Director of Public Health, the main points of the questioning maybe summarised as follows:

The Committee:

v  Observed that Tower Hamlets GP Care Group has worked hard to ensure that any unused supplies of vaccine are use appropriately especially with the Pfizer vaccine where there is an issue about shelf-life once unfrozen, to maximise the people who are vaccinated. Accordingly the GP Care Group have a process whereby they have a set of contacts that they have identified (e.g. those in the highest need groups) are able to access unused vaccines. Therefore, people should not show up to a vaccination centre without an appointment as they would not be seen.

v  Were advised that people have expressed uncertainty about getting a jab, or who were unwilling or unable was because they did not trust the vaccines; they did not feel the vaccines were necessary for them and  the ease of access to vaccination centres. Therefore the GP Care Group and the Council are reaching out to non-responders, ramping up promoting of the vaccine programme and establishing walk in centres.

v  Heard that whilst reactions to the AstraZeneca vaccine have been very rare and this includes when blood clots and low levels of platelets occur between four and 28 days after the jab. Therefore, some residents are now expressing reluctance to have their next jab although overwhelming message is this is a safe and effective vaccine whereas the risk of getting severely ill from the coronavirus, or of being hospitalised in intensive care, is much higher.

v  Was informed that LBTH have set up a network of Covid Champions who will help residents to stay up to date with the latest advice about Covid-19. Covid Champions provide a trusted source of information and will help to dispel myths and avoid confusion. They help their family, friends, and the wider community to make sense of the latest advice and information, to make sure we all stay safe and alert to the risks of the virus. The Champion are sent regular updates on Covid-19 and they aim to get the right information to local residents, to keep themselves, their family, and community safe.

v  Was advised that regarding the Indian variant it is one of four mutated versions of coronavirus which have been designated as being "of concern" by UK public health bodies, with others first being identified in Kent, South Africa, and Brazil. The Indian variant has mutated to become less recognisable to neutralising human antibodies and therefore allows it to get past the first line of immunological defence in people who have been vaccinated or previously infected, enabling the virus to carry on circulating.

v  Wanted to receive localised data regarding household infection rates, positive cases by age group and ward and hospital admission rates in the Borough by age group.

v  The Committee indicated that it would wish to be updated on the knowledge surrounding the role of children  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

The Committee will receive a presentation from the Executive Mayor John Biggs’s on his priorities.

The Chair introduced the main substantive item this evening that will focus on the Mayor’s Spotlight.

He (i) thanked the Executive Mayor John Biggs and the Chief Executive Will Tuckley for, attending this evenings meeting; and (ii) indicated that that the Committee wished to understand:

v  Council’s Response to Covid-19.

v  Pandemic Recovery Priorities; and

v  Achievements of this past year and any Non Covid challenges and situations for Tower Hamlets.

The key themes arising from the questioning on the presentation may be summarised as follows:

The Committee:

v  Enquired what the Council and its partners would be doing to address residents’ concerns (i) following the murder investigations that are underway following fatal stabbings in Poplar and Canning Town; and (ii) in regard to addressing the high incidence anti-social behaviour in Tower Hamlets.

v  Noted that as a consequence of these fatal stabbings a section 60 notice had been issued.

v  Noted that whilst police-recorded crime had seen its biggest annual decrease since 2010 with robbery and theft having dropped dramatically during 2020 as  people have not been in as many situations where they felt they had to pull a knife or a gun because people have not been gathering at places like they used to before lockdown, but with restrictions being lifted there are concerns of a spike in knife and gun crime as venues re-open and groups begin to mix again in public places - increasing the potential for conflict.

v  Noted that there are two types of people who tend to carry weapons – criminals for threats and their protection because of their lifestyle choices and young people who believe that every other young person is carrying a knife.  The police can tackle the first group by concentrating on organised gang crime, but a lot needs to be done to help the young people change their mindset so that they realise that not everyone carries a knife despite what they are led to believe.

v  Was advised that the recent stabbings in Poplar and Canning Town have led to a renewed focus on knife crime and how to reduce it.  One power available to the Police Service being a Section 60 notice and understood that a significant percentage of older people in the Borough feel if its use means that lives can be saved, then these residents feel it is a very good thing.

v  Noted the increased activity of local policing teams in the Bethnal Green; Spitalfields and Whitechapel wards these officers are made up of officers based in the area, supported by additional officers from the wider area who are working closely with LBTH, organisations, partners to address local problems.

v  Was pleased to be informed about the crackdown on antisocial behaviour including the use of nitrous oxide, with police officers undertaking foot patrols and the Council’s Trading Standards Officers  working with the police and residents to tackle retail outlets that sell gas to people who misuse it.  In addition, it was noted that residents  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.1

The Committee is to consider the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2020-21.

v  Agreed that benchmarking is an extremely effective tool for Members to observe, analyse and comment on performance over a given time frame. Benchmarks help Members to scrutinise the key performance drivers for the Council’s contained within the Strategic Plan and how realistic are the objectives set out in that document.  Therefore it was felt that it was important to (i) obtain such information in a timely manner; and (ii) follow up on the Executive reports and the action plans that do get created in response to Scrutiny reports to help in demonstrating the impact of the Committee.

v  Discussed the importance of the culture shift within the Council that needs to happen around scrutiny so that the Council would be ready to have discussions about those areas that are harder to investigate or to review or where problems might be arising and that the Scrutiny Process is properly valued.

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

(Time allocated – 30 minutes).

Following comments by the Committee the Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions (PDSQ) were agreed for submission to the Cabinet on the 28^{th of} April 2021 (See attached appendix).

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

Nil items

Noted

As the agenda circulated contained no exempt/ confidential reports and

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

for its consideration.

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