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  Monitoring Officer.

• Councillor Chaudhary indicated that his wife works for Care Solution Bureau; and
• Councillor Bex White indicated she was the Chair of Trustees of the Canaan Project and the primary carer for her father who is in receipt of support from LBTH.

To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16^th December 2019

The Chair Moved and it was:-

RESOLVED

That the unrestricted minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on 16^th December, 2019 be confirmed as a correct record the Chair be authorised to sign them accordingly.

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

Nil items

To note and comment on the published forthcoming decisions

Noted

No decisions of the Mayor in Cabinet on 18^th December, 2019 in respect of unrestricted reports on the agenda were ‘called in’.

Nil items

The Board will undertake a critical friend challenge to (i) the budget setting process in line with the Council’s priorities and (ii) consider new savings, re-profiling existing and fee increases.

Mayor John Biggs; Councillor Candida Ronald – Cabinet Member for Resources and the Voluntary Sector; Neville Murton – Corporate Director, Resources and Kevin Bartle Interim Divisional Director Finance Procurement and Audit gave a presentation to the Committee regarding the Budget Overview. The main points of the discussion are outlined below:

The Committee:

• Noted that the intention of the Budget is to (i) safeguard front line; (ii) invest in the future of local community; and (iii) to safeguard the vulnerable members of the community;
• Noted that since 2010 the process of making savings has become increasingly harder;
• Wanted to know how to hear what other councils are doing;
• Noted that there is a good relationship between officers and members and Executive members meet on regular basis with officers;
• Noted that (i) the Strategic Plan is critical in planning the delivery of the savings; (ii) the Council is a vast organisation which offers challenges in managing the process; and (iii) it is important that all Members and Officers are fully engaged.
• Noted that both officers and members of the Executive attend many London wide bodies which provides them with a good appreciation of the regional/national picture;
• Noted that Adult/Children Social Care had presented greater than anticipated challenges and situations;
• Noted that any extra income for the Council should be banked as opposed to reducing cuts;
• Noted that the Council are operating within a spending vacuum as current arrangements have been rolled forward by the Government by extending the previous arrangements until March 2020.  In addition, the fact that the settlement was late has also impacted upon the process;
• Noted that as it is the Council that takes the decisions on the budget then residents can feed into the process via their ward councillors;
• Noted that whilst there are some projects that require skills for a fixed period the Council needs to be mindful of the potential benefits against the costs of such “expert advice”;
• Noted that with regards to consultations on the budget it is important to draw difference between statutory and non-statutory consultations i.e. those that are required and those that are best practice e.g. working with focus groups to make the process more inclusive;
• Indicated that any consultation undertaken on the shape of the budget would need to have ways to hear from residents to have an informative dialogue with them;
• Noted that Veolia’s national pay award to its staff will have impact upon those who are to transfer to the Council on 1st April 2020.  This the Committee were advised would be a complex process as those individuals would need to indicate (i) if they want to come back into the Local Government Pension Scheme - LGPS; (ii) their age and (iii) if they wish to consider taking retirement;
• Noted that regarding the Community Language Service (CLS) it had been agreed not to carry out any savings until that there had been a review and that the Council had developed a viable strategy to deliver the CLS;
• Commented that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.1

Councillor Amina Ali – (Cabinet Member for Adults, Health and Wellbeing) and Denise Radley – (Corporate Director, Health, Adults and Community) gave a presentation on the budget for the directorate. The main points of the discussion are outlined below:

The Committee:

·         Noted that the Directorate had delivered £9m in savings and will deliver 75% of savings in this year;

·         Noted that the Council is developing Technology Enabled Care Services (TECS) such as telecare and self-care apps that have the potential to transform the way residents can engage in and control their own healthcare, empowering them to manage it in a way that is right for them;

·         Noted that TECS have been developed to help maximise the value of technology enabled care services for patients, carers, commissioners and the whole health economy;

·         Noted that TECS also provide forecasts to mitigate how to address the issues related to demographic growth;

·         Was informed that in terms of charging there have been two reviews to mitigate over the charging and deliver services;

·         Noted that there is also a need to develop web enabled systems to help the Council to deliver services;

·         Noted that the merging of Day centres provision for those older and disabled residents was undertaken to ensure that both groups get the care that they need;

·         Noted that the outcomes for these two groups are similar and the Council can no longer sustain two separate centres.  Therefore, it was decided that they should be merged to deliver enablement/independent i.e. it is not just about closing a building but considering the wider picture;

·         Asked officers to arrange for Members of the Committee to meet with some of the users;

·         Noted that the reduction in homeless provision was only undertaken after (i) there had been an Equality Impact Assessment and (ii) work had been undertaken to increase the private rented sector accommodation and the provision from another public sector provider to mitigate the impact of savings; and

·         Noted that with regards to the increases in fees and charges the Council are required to undertake a consultation when increasing charges.

Councillor Danny Hassell, (Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People) and Richard Baldwin (Divisional Director, Children's Social Care)) gave a presentation on the budget for the directorate. The main points of the discussion are outlined below:

The Committee:

·         Noted that the increases in holiday childcare have been bench marked and presents good value when compared to other councils;

·         Noted that the current underspends in the budget is £494m within in the integrated early years’ service;

·         Indicated that it would wish to receive a breakdown of that underspend in early years;

·         Commented that in the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) there are proposals regarding (i) SEND Transportation; (ii) Youth Service and (iii) Free Schools meals (FSM).  Therefore, the Committee wanted to know how these services will be redesigned;

·         Noted that regarding SEND transport the Council is moving to a different system with more providers so will have greater flexibility and offer an independent travel schemes and looking at the direct payments scheme where families get the money and procure their own service.  Thereby empowering service users and their families;

·         Noted that inspite of the cuts in the Youth Provision, Tower Hamlets still has one of the most generously funded services in London and is looking at (i) developing specialist Hubs; (ii) detached Youth Workers to support young People in travelling around the Borough; and a mix economy of provision; and

·         Noted that with regards to the FSM strategy work is being undertaken so that it can better support children to have healthy weight.

Following the debate on the budget the Committee:

• Agreed that regarding the merging of Day centres provision for those older and disabled residents a view on this would be taken after having heard from the users;
• Agreed the in respect to the savings in homeless persons services there is a need to have a review of the impact;
• Noted that before savings are implemented, they will be subject to a detailed analysis and there will be an opportunity for the Committee to look at the impact of the savings on provision;
• Agreed that there was a need to undertake an investigation of increasing internet access for users given the increase use of online services in Tower Hamlets;
• Wanted to receive details of the underspends in Early Years;
• Agreed that there should be a consultation on the Councils priorities to ensure services are being delivered to meet the needs of users;
• Agreed that they wanted to look at the growth/savings within the budget process as early as possible;
• Indicated that it would wish to revisit savings given that the funding is higher than anticipated;
• Stated that it would wish to see evidence that Equality Impact Assessments had been undertaken to look at impact of the savings; and
• Wanted to see the Strategic Vision proposed for the Youth Service.

The Committee received and noted those questions that had been presented at Cabinet on 8^th January, 2020 by the Chair in relation to the Budget attached as appendices to these minutes.

Noted the Children and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee on 17^th December, 2019 had received a presentation from Councillor Danny Hassell, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Young People which had been added to the agenda in response to a number of Member Enquiries relating to the closure of the Victoria Park One O’clock Club building and the scope for continued use of the building and activities provided for early years children within Victoria Park.

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

No decisions of the Mayor in Cabinet 18^th December, 2019 in respect of exempt/ confidential reports on the agenda were ‘called in’.

Nil items

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

Nil items