Councillor Musthak Ahmed gave apologies, Councillor Bodrul Choudhury chaired the meeting in the absence.

The Mayor and Chief Executive also gave their apologies for the meeting.

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

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were received at the meeting.

Minutes of the 27 November 2023 meeting of Overview and Scrutiny Committee will be presented at a future committee meeting.

Minutes of the previous committee meeting will be presented at a future committee meeting.

The following items are due to be considered at the Cabinet meeting 13 December 2023. The committee is invited to consider the reports below:

Cllr Saied Ahmed presented the report on the council’s strategic performance & delivery in Q2 2023-24 with Denise Radley, Simon Baxter and Doug Plumber.

The committee made the following comments and questions:

• Can we have an update on the recycling rate since the Mayor has declared a Waste Emergency? We have not seen an improvement since the emergency was declared. Under Covid-19, the recycling rate was not this low and the council managed to get through the pandemic.   Officers have confirmed that the industrial action taken has affected the recycling rate and waste in general. The waste emergency will see an impact on over 13 different services. The council has taken steps to recover from this, along with presenting a plan to the GLA, which will be presented in 2024.
• The low percentage of recycling rate, quarter on quarter is very concerning. This was well before the industrial action. Officers confirmed that the recycling rate is low and there is no quick fix for that. There are big concerns on recycling rates in the high-rise buildings particularly.
• Members stated that officers were unable to explain what action has been taken under the Waste Emergency so far. The Mayor and the cabinet should be present to explain this plan.
• Missed collections of waste needs to be addressed and reported correctly within the data.
• Why was the measure on street cleansing not been submitted as a performance indicator? Officers confirmed that they will follow up in the street cleansing indicators.
• The council is spending a lot of time on estate cleaning, which is being impacted by poor collection rates.
• Can officers detail what are is the state of play around refuse collection vehicles? Officers detailed the on the road vehicles and ones in reserves. Officers will follow up in writing.
• Why did the council revise attendance performance indicators? Officers confirmed a written answer will be provided.
• Can officers explain the performance about care admissions? Officers detailed the care admissions for care homes and residential, which has been corrected in the reporting and will be shown in future reporting.

RESOLVED

The committee noted the report.

Cllr Saied Ahmed presented the report on the council’s budget monitoring for 2023/24 Quarter 2, with Ahsan Khan.

The committee made the following comments and questions:

• What are the council plans for reducing agency staff? Cllr Saied Ahmed agreed that the spending on agency staff was high, and it is being reviewed on an ongoing basis.
• What are the impacts on closing business to the council on business rates and council tax? Officers will provide a written response on this.
• There are pressures on the council budget on rehoming and supporting residents who find themselves homeless, how much is spent on housing residents in expensive hotel based temporary accommodation? Officers will respond in writing on this issue.
• Staff within housing services have raised concerns with how the service has run, leading to costly overspends.
• What actions have been taken to ensure the council remains in a good financial position, with the external local and national pressures? Officers highlighted the internal boards that the council has to review spending. The boards have helped see where spending is growing, and intervention can be applied.

RESOLVED

The committee noted the report.

Cllr Abu Chowdhury gave a presentation on the draft Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Needs Assessment with Simon Smity and Angela Burns.

The committee made the following comments and questions:

• How do we engage with those who did not take up training? What communications can the council take up to reach those who do not think the training is for them? Officers highlighted the work that has been done engaging with schools and local businesses, but also how important the work around prevention is.
• What are the Mayor’s own targets for VAWG, as it feels like the council is scaling back in this area? Officers stated that this is the biggest year for VAWG funding and shows the council is taking violence in the community very seriously.
• When the council runs campaigns, like the 16 days of activism campaign for VAWG, it is important to ensure that information is captured and recorded appropriately.
• Some of the language needs to be reconsidered, like the wording around male allies and empowering men, where this needs to be women centred.
• Housing is an area that needs to be urgently reviewed as a safeguarding area for the work of VAWG. Officers detailed the emergency accommodation for vulnerable women across the borough, stating how the council is considered good in this area. The council is working towards gaining best practice accreditation in this area.
• The strategy needs to consider what advice is given out to residents to ensure it is compliant with the law but also empathic of those who are in a vulnerable situation.
• The strategy should seek to engage with all members to gain a picture of what is going on with residents across the borough.

RESOLVED

The committee noted the presentation

To consider and agree pre-decision scrutiny questions/comments to be presented at the 13 December 2023 meeting of Cabinet.

RESOLVED:

Members noted the forward plan.

RESOLVED:

Members noted the action log.

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

RESOLVED:

Members noted the Update

No decisions of the Mayor in Cabinet 25 October 2023 in respect of unrestricted reports on the agenda were ‘called in’.

Nil items.

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

Nil items.

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

As the agenda circulated had no exempt/confidential reports 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.

Nil items.

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

Nil items.