Agenda item
Overview & Scrutiny Committee Recommendation Tracking Report
(Time allocated – 15 minutes)
Minutes:
Councillor A. Heslop declared a personal interest in Agenda item 10.2 “Overview & Scrutiny Committee Recommendation Tracking Report” on the basis that the report contained recommendations relating to monitoring the implementation of recommendations arising from previous Scrutiny Reviews including “Leaseholders - A study of Customer Care” and “Choice Based Lettings” and Councillor Heslop was a representative of the Authority on the governing body of Tower Hamlets Homes and a Tower Hamlets Leaseholder.
The Chair informed members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that:
· The report was a six monthly monitoring report which tracked progress in implementing recommendations arising from past scrutiny reviews.
· An addendum to the original report,, containing three tracking updates comprising part of Appendix 1, not available at the time of despatch, had been Tabled, a copy of which would be interleaved with the minutes.
· The Scrutiny Lead Members had re-visited one major review within their portfolio area and had met with the Officer leads in the service areas to discuss progress in implementing the recommendation and the impact of this. The Scrutiny Leads would verbally update the Committee on their findings.
· Overall the report highlighted there had been good progress in implementing recommendations, including those leading to major policy change Eg Choice Based Lettings Scheme. It was important that the Committee continued to monitor the progress and impact of our work to highlight areas for improvement.
Scrutiny review – Leaseholders – A Study in Customer Care
Councillor Alex Heslop, Scrutiny Lead – A Great Place to Live, updated those present in relation to the previous scrutiny review above which directly linked to the current scrutiny review on Private Rented Sector:
· Highlighting that Tower Hamlets Homes (THH also known as the ALMO) had now taken on responsibility for Council leaseholders and the associated finances. 40% of properties on Council estates were leased and 40% of those were sub-let to other tenants.
· Advising that there had been 19 recommendations of which 5 had been implemented, 12 partially implemented and 2 were yet to be implemented.
· Those implemented included:
o Staff training and leaseholder open days to further improve leaseholder engagement.
o All aspects of the Councils Customer Promise, in terms of both process and culture.
· Advising that in relation to recommendation 13 THH, had adopted a new neighbourhood based model for service delivery to tenants and leaseholders, intended to provide a more cohesive service. Scrutiny Members would observe developments going forward.
· Commenting that an introductory summary of recommendation implementation to enable Members to easily gauge what had been implemented and what remained to be done, would be helpful in future tracking reports.
Scrutiny review –Domestic Violence
Councillor Denise Jones, Scrutiny Lead – Safe and Supportive, updated those present in relation to the previous scrutiny review above, undertaken in September 2006:
· Advising that she had met with the Lead Officers for the review, who had informed her that progress had been made on all the recommendations made in the original review, except for the creation of a scheme where all services are offered in one place. Victims of Domestic Violence (DV) suffered as a result of having to go to different sources for advice and help and this needed to be addressed as a matter of urgency. DV booklets had been produced to raise awareness, staff in the Council’s Customer Contact Centre and One Stop Shops had been trained to recognise DV, follow up calls to a sample of DV victims had been embedded and “Warrior Women”, a DV self defence project was continuing.
· Current key concerns included:
o Policy context: Government was due to announce a new national strategy on Violence Against Women and Girls and the Council would need to link this strategy and other strands of violence against women with its DV Policy and partnership strategy on violence.
o Domestic Violence guidelines for schools, produced in 2004, needed a refresh.
o Housing:
Ø Registered Social Landlords were inconsistent in responding to tenants who were experiencing DV and also in their engagement with partnership work on DV and none contributed to resourcing specialist DV services.
Ø The recent restructure of the Homeless and Housing Advice Service removed the specialist DV assessment officer role and it remained unclear how the victims of DV who sought housing assistance would receive specialist assistance. This needed to be addressed urgently.
o Funding: some specialist Domestic Violence services in the Third Sector still lack sustainable funding and this needed to be addressed urgently.
Ø One off funding of £45,000, from the Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust, for a DV and Substance Misuse Worker would cease at the end of December 2009.
Ø Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership supplemental funding for 2 additional Independent DV Advocacy Posts, to the 3 full time posts funded by the Council, would cease at the end of March 2010 and it was unclear how the 5 posts recommended by the national MARAC implementation programme would be provided.
Members of the Committee expressed concern regarding the probable loss of specialist DV posts due to funding difficulties and it was proposed and subsequently Resolved:
That the appropriate Chief Officer and Lead Member be invited to the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to discuss the probable and imminent loss of specialist Domestic Violence posts due to funding difficulties.
The Committee also requested that its members be informed in advance of its next meeting which Officers would be attending for this item.
Noted
Scrutiny review – Translation and Interpretation Services
Councillor Ann Jackson, Scrutiny Lead – One Tower Hamlets, updated those present in relation to the previous scrutiny review above, undertaken in April 2008:
· Advising that there had been 7 recommendations, 4 of which related to ESOL services and 3 related to interpreting and translation services and she had met Corporate Equalities Officers to discuss progress towards implementation and the impact of this.
· On the recommendations Working Neighbourhood Funding had been secured earlier in 2009, ensuring basic ESOL service provision and helping residents into employment. The Cabinet would be considering allocating an additional £200,000 to ESOL at their meeting on 3rd November.
· Highlighting the link between ESOL provision and the demand for interpreting and translation services and the need for joined up working in examining this linkage. A recent scrutiny challenge session indicated the need for basic ESOL services in Tower Hamlets, however there were also gaps in service provision; not necessarily those now the subject of national policy focus. The findings of the challenge session would be presented to the Committee for consideration at its next meeting.
· A review of interpreting and translation services, current contracted out to LB Newham, was underway with a view to ensuring the service met needs and was value for money. Councillor Jackson considered that engagement with partners to ensure a co-coordinated approach to delivery of these services was important. The potential for more joined up service delivery within the Council (similar service provision existed in adult and children’s social services) might also deliver efficiency savings.
· She considered the challenge session had had a positive impact and this was helpful in raising this high profile issue vital to local residents.
Noted
Scrutiny review – Graduate Unemployment
Councillor Abdul Aziz Sardar, Scrutiny Lead – A Prosperous Community, updated those present in relation to the previous scrutiny review above, undertaken in May 2007:
· Advising that he had met with the Lead Officer for the review, who had informed him that progress had been made on all the recommendations made in the original review, except for one regarding the commissioning of research, for which no further funding has been identified.
· Giving a detailed update of implementation progress in relation to the following recommendations:
o That the Employment Task group champions employment opportunities to local graduates.
o Exploring and developing secondment and volunteering opportunities through Skillsmatch and its partners.
o Council expansion of in-house graduate training programme.
· Concluding that the review had had a positive impact on graduate unemployment, with more employment opportunities open to them and all graduates advised of the information and guidance available to them.
Noted
Scrutiny review – Use of Consultants
Councillor Bill Turner, Scrutiny Lead – Excellent Public Services, informed members of the Committee that his meeting with Corporate Director Resources and Service Head Corporate Finance, to examine progress in implementing the recommendations arising from the above review, had been rescheduled due to diary commitments and he would update the Committee on progress at its next meeting.
Noted
Scrutiny review – Access to GP and Dentistry Services
Scrutiny review – Tobacco Cessation
Councillor David Snowdon, deputising for Councillor Archer, Scrutiny Lead – Healthy Communities, updated those present in relation to previous Scrutiny Reviews above:
Access to GP and Dentistry Services
· Advising that there had been 11 recommendations with all either implemented or the subject of ongoing work.
· Those implemented included:
o Training and guidance being provided to GPs and Dental Practice reception staff with particular focus on Customer Services and understanding the needs of disabled and BME patients.
o In response to the Tower Hamlets PCT being asked to customer survey information to identify areas for service improvement and improved performance monitoring of services, all practices now had an action plan in place aimed to reduce demand for appointments, increase supply of appointments and deliver 100% access to appointments within 48 hours.
o In response to the PCT being asked to work with local schools, GDPs and community organisations to begin compilation of data about local peoples oral health and improve uptake of dental services, a pilot programme was run in two primary schools (“Happy Teeth”) and the lessons would be used to roll out a screening and fluoride application programme in other schools in Tower Hamlets during this school year for nursery ad reception children.
Tobacco Cessation
· Advising of progress in relation to the implementation of the 9 recommendations arising from the review. Those implemented included:
o Widespread publicity and activity to increase demand for smoking cessation services from within the Bangladeshi community: street level activity and work based recruitment and good coverage in the Bengali press.
o Tobacco Control Unit had developed a Service Level Agreement with the helpline provider to capture information to help understand user’s needs and to gauge the effectiveness of communications resources.
o PCT had commenced a project to ensure that all hospital based staff were trained to raise the issue of smoking and signpost to services.
Noted
Supporting documents:
- OSC Tracking Report, item 10.2 PDF 341 KB
- OSC Tracking Report Addendum, item 10.2 PDF 23 KB
- OSC Tracking Report Addendum - YP Olympics Appx, item 10.2 PDF 57 KB
- OSC Tracking Report Addendum - ASB Appx, item 10.2 PDF 63 KB
- OSC Tracking Report Addendum - NRF Appx, item 10.2 PDF 45 KB