Agenda and minutes
Venue: Room M71, 7th Floor, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG
Contact: Antonella Burgio, Democratic Services Tel: 020 7364 4881, E-mail: antonella.burgio@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Sirajul Islam. Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Cabinet Member for resources apologised that he was unable to attend to present agenda item 8.1. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST To note any declarations of interest made by Members, including those restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from the Chief Executive.
Minutes: No declarations of personal or prejudicial interest were made. |
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UNRESTRICTED MINUTES To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 5 July 2011. Minutes: The Chair Moved and it was:-
RESOLVED
That the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 5th July 2011 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record of the proceedings.
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REQUESTS TO SUBMIT PETITIONS To be notified at the meeting. Minutes: None received. |
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REQUESTS FOR DEPUTATIONS To be notified at the meeting. Minutes: None received. |
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SECTION ONE REPORTS 'CALLED IN' There were no Section One reports ‘callled in’ from the meeting of Cabinet held on 6 July 2011. Minutes: There were no decisions called in from the meeting of Cabinet held on 6 July 2011.
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PRE-DECISION SCRUTINY OF SECTION ONE (UNRESTRICTED) CABINET PAPERS (Time allocated – 30 minutes). Minutes: The Chair exercised her powers to vary the order of business and accordingly this item was considered following agenda item 8.5.
Two written questions had been submitted under procedural rules and these were tabled at the meeting.
The Chair noted that no additional questions had been brought forward and suggested that Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members encourage Backbencher colleagues to use pre-decision scrutiny to ensure that formal responses were given by Cabinet Members to matters raised through this route.
RESOLVED
That the written questions tabled at the meeting be referred to Cabinet at its meeting on 3 August 2011.
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REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION Minutes: The Chair moved to vary the order of business. The following reports; ‘Cabinet Report: Budget 2012/13 - 2014/15 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review’, ‘Cabinet Report - Contracts Forward Plan’ and ‘Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Annual Report for 2010/11’ were considered prior to agenda item 7. |
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Cabinet Report: Budget 2012/13 - 2014/15 - Resource Allocation and Budget Review To consider the financial outlook paper. Additional documents:
Minutes: Chris Naylor, Corporate Director of Resources presented the report circulated at agenda item 8.1 assisted by Peter Hayday, Service Head, Financial Services, Risk and Accountability. The Corporate Director summarised the key areas of the report illustrating to Committee the areas of challenge that would be faced by the Council. These were
Cabinet would be asked to: stress-test the proposals. The Committee requested that Overview and Scrutiny be involved in the stress testing of provisions for service delivery during the period of the Olympic Games and proposed that the Authority reviewed measures implemented by past Olympic host authorities.
Action Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
In response to Members’ questions, the Committee received the following information:
The Council could fund its priorities from any combination of 3 methods:
The extent to which the Mayor’s priorities would be delivered in the context of funding reductions and increased borough population would be a decision for Members. The report offered a financial outlook; no further Government transitional grant funding would be given and figures for 2012/13 had been calculated on the assumption that Council Tax would not be increased.
To achieve savings, the Authority was exploring options for economies of scale, risk sharing and transformational change such as smarter working, use of new technologies, changes to working patterns, generic working, strategic partnership, and the personalisation programme.
Figures for core grants printed at 6.5 of the reports were based on available Government information. Further announcements of changes to funding for 2012/13 would probably not be forthcoming until November/December.
The Council would ensure that there was early consultation on future savings proposals to reduce the risk of judicial challenges on either the adequacy of the consultation or the associated Equality Impact Assessments. Members were reminded of their role in brokering community engagement in this regard.
RESOLVED
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Cabinet Report - Contracts Forward Plan To consider the Contracts Forward Plan Report Additional documents: Minutes: Richard Parsons, Service Head, Procurement and Corporate Programmes presented the report circulated at agenda item 8.2.
The quarterly report was a forward plan of supplies and services contracts and capital works and offered Cabinet the opportunity to request further information regarding any of the contracts in the period July 2011 – June 2012 that had not previously been reported.
It was noted that Council had taken a decision to allow Cabinet to apply the test for contracts that fell within the scheme instead of officers.
In response to questions on data provided at Appendix 1, the Committee was given the following information:
o the estimated value of the CSF contract for overnight short-breaks lots 1 and 2. o the estimated contract value of the Adults Health and Wellbeing, Mental Health Day options
Action Richard Parsons, Service Head, Procurement and Corporate Programmes / Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
Councillor Rachael Saunders joined the meeting at 6.22p.m.
Action Richard Parsons, Service Head, Procurement and Corporate Programmes
In response to Members’ general questions, the following information was provided:
Concerning administration of contract rules to encourage tenders from local suppliers; the Committee was informed that the Council let both small and large contracts. All were considered on their individual merits taking a broad view of contract awarding, looking at how each might best be filled and the potential benefits of awarding to smaller organisations. Additionally, contracts up to a value of £50,000 were ring-fenced to local suppliers and all Council contracts were advertised through the Council’s website and East London Business Place in order to better reach local business. The Council also held an annual suppliers’ forum to which local suppliers were always invited. It was noted that currently the Council was implementing more measures than some of its neighbouring authorities.
Concerning whether the procurement team possessed the skills to know the best products in contractual terms, the Committee was informed that specifications were carefully specified and generated by the purchasing directorates and referred to a category manager within the Procurement Team. S/he worked collaboratively with the directorate stakeholders to develop a plan to determine how best value could be achieved. The plan was tested in the directorate at the proposal stage to ensure that it was fit for purpose and ,when necessary, external expertise was also sought.
Concerning mechanisms in place to ensure that Procurement provided the best services to residents in terms of events, the Committee was informed that Procurement team sought to ensure that its methods were transparent. The process was ... view the full minutes text for item 8.2 |
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Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) - Annual Report for 2010/2011 To update the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on the Council’s use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (“RIPA”) during 2010/2011.
Minutes: Reverend James Olanipekun left the meeting at 6.53p.m.
The report was presented by David Galpin, Head of Legal Services, - Community and reported on the Council’s covert activities under the powers of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) for the period 2010/11.
In response to Members’ questions, the following information was provided:
The inspection undertaken in June 2010 had been unfavourable, primarily by reason of insufficient central control. New procedures had been introduced to monitor and record activities and additional levels of scrutiny through the Standards and Overview and Scrutiny Committees had been put in place.
Use of RIPA powers in surveillance of touts in Brick Lane had led to enforcement action. The Council had taken action through the Licensing Act 2003 regime which placed responsibility on premises, rather than individual touts.
The Chair noted that the report findings would contribute to the Committee’s Directorate Challenge programme. The Chair requested that Overview and Scrutiny Committee continue to receive future RIPA Annual reports.
Action David Galpin, Head of Legal Services – Community
The Chair also requested that Overview and Scrutiny Committee receive reports of all unfavourable external inspections in order scrutinise findings.
Action Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
RESOLVED
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Council Motion 12.5 Housing Sales Phases 2 and 3 To consider the Motion 12.5 – Housing Sales Phases 2 and 3 which was referred to Overview and Scrutiny Committee by Council at its meeting held on 13 July 2011.
Report to Follow Minutes: The motion had been discussed by Council at its meeting on 13 July 2011. The Chair presented the item and proposed that the matter be added to the work programme as a Directorate Challenge item for Development and Renewal Housing Service and that a meeting date be agreed
Action Councillor Ann Jackson/Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
The Chair suspended standing orders and Councillor Gardiner, who was in attendance at the meeting, was permitted to speak on the matter.
RESOLVED
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Scrutiny Work Programme To receive a verbal update on the Scrutiny work programme for 2011/12. Minutes: A verbal update on progress towards agreeing a scrutiny work programme 2011/12 was presented by Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer. A first draft had been drawn up at an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Members’ workshop in the previous week.
The following areas of investigation were also discussed:
The Head of Service encouraged the Committee to focus on how to develop a better insight of the challenges within directorates as well as the Council as a whole and explore the role of Scrutiny Leads in helping meet them. He also recommended that the Committee prioritise its work to ensure that focus was maintained during the municipal year and that resources to support it were used effectively.
RESOLVED
That the verbal update be noted
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VERBAL UPDATES FROM SCRUTINY LEADS (Time allocated – 5 minutes each) Minutes: The following Members presented verbal updates on their work areas:
Councillor Helal Uddin gave a verbal update on lettings policy for mental health needs.
Councillor Amy Whitelock gave a verbal update on the future of Children’s Centres, staffing of adventure playgrounds, the CSF budget and service buyback by schools, the Munro Review of children’s protection, the Lamb review of personal budgets for children with special educational needs, the youth service re-tender, the rise in child referrals from East London Mental Health Trust, Mr Jake Kemp felt that there could be a much better link between the work of the Scrutiny Lead and the role of the and the Committee’s (schools governor) co-opted members.
Action: Mr Kemp and Councillor Whitelock to explore
Councillor Zenith Rahman gave a verbal update on street cleansing reviews and the relationship between and promotion of cultural and religious events.
Councillor Rachael Saunders gave a verbal update on the Dilnott Review, consultation with the community on personalisation, budget matters and healthcare changes currently proposed and the reporting of hospitals data. She requested that ‘Stress Points through Health Issues and Cuts in Services and Changes in Health Primary Care’ be added to the work programme of the Health Scrutiny Panel which the Chair agreed.
Action Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
The Chair requested that the Development and Renewal and Adults Health and Wellbeing Directorate Challenge Sessions to explore budget and related issues be timetabled within the work programme
Action Sarah Barr, Senior Strategy, Policy and Performance Officer
Councillor Tim Archer gave a verbal update on the asset strategy, equality impact assessments and East End Life.
RESOLVED
That the verbal updates be noted.
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ANY OTHER SECTION ONE (UNRESTRICTED) BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT Minutes: No items were tabled. |