Agenda item
VERBAL UPDATES FROM SCRUTINY LEADS
Scrutiny Lead Members will report on their portfolio areas.
(Time allocated – 10 minutes)
Minutes:
A Prosperous Community – Reducing Worklessness amongst Young Adults 18-24
Councillor A.A. Sardar reported that recommendations were being finalised for the scrutiny review. Members met three weeks ago to discuss the final recommendations and would have until the close of play on 10 February 2010 for comments on the draft report.
The recommendations looked at a number of themes including more information and guidance for young adults, the important role of the third sector, early intervention and the role of community leaders in reducing worklessness.
Councillor Sardar added that he aimed to have the report available for Overview and Scrutiny Committee consideration next month.
A Safe and Supportive Community – Reducing Youth Offending
Councillor Denise Jones indicated that there had been two further review meetings since the last Scrutiny Leads’ update.
In December the group looked at:
- The Police’s perspective of Youth offending in Tower Hamlets.
- How well the YOT performed compared to the rest of London.
- The links of learning difficulties and young offenders. Realising that learning difficulties were not a cause of crime but instead were very prevalent amongst young offenders.
- The current preventative measures used by the YOT.
In its January meeting, the group:
- Had a long discussion about the provision of housing for homeless young offenders.
- Agreed the Council should sign up to the London Youth Resettlement Pledge.
- Were updated about the use of the Police’s stop and search powers.
- Discussed possible recommendations for the review.
Councillor Jones commented that the review was now being drafted and would be considered at the next meeting on 16 February. A final visit for the review was being considered, to comprise a visit to a youth court to see what happened there.
One Tower Hamlets – Strengthening Local Democracy
Councillor Ann Jackson indicated that the final meeting of the review group had been held in January. There had been discussion around the evidence considered so far and also some draft recommendations.
The key issues arising from this review included further developing the CCfA model that had been developed in Tower Hamlets, improving residents’ engagement through the partnership; improving residents’ participation in local democracy and supporting the development of community leaders. The aim was to finalise the draft report over the next week, for consideration by Overview and Scrutiny Committee in April.
A Healthy Community
On behalf of Councillor Tim Archer, Councillor Peter Golds reported on:
Health Scrutiny Panel – 26 January meeting
The Panel heard from
- East London NHS Foundation Trust on the proposals for redesign of older peoples’ services.
- Katharine Marks (Interim Service Head, Disabilities) on “Transition from Under 18 to Adult Autism Services”.
- Ms Mabli Jones, Associate Director, Primary Care Commissioning on the GP List Cleansing Process.
- Deb Clarke, Director of Human Resources, NHS Tower Hamlets with a detailed verbal presentation, slide show and video presentation of the PCT workforce.
- Mr Jeremy Gardner, Head of Communications, & Engagement, NHS Tower Hamlets, with details of a consultation programme on the Health for North East London Consultation Plan.
- Mr Andrew Ridley, Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Tower Hamlets providing a report and tabled paper on the preparation of the Commissioning Strategy Plan for the next five years.
Scrutiny Review – Preventing Childhood Obesity
Councillor Golds stated that as part of the review, five focus group sessions were held with external facilitators in January with the following groups:
· Somali mums/carers
· Male carers/dads
· Bangladeshi female carers/mums
· White working class female carers/mums
· Secondary school children age 11 to 16
The review group held a meeting at Toby Lane on 1 February, when:
- Michael Hales, Head of Contract Services, gave a presentation on “School Setting – encouraging Healthy Eating” as well as arranging for the group to test a typical school meal.
- Ann Sutcliffe, Head of Building Schools for the Future and Pat Watson, Head of Building Development, gave a presentation on “Building Schools for the Future and Building Developments – response to childhood obesity”.
The next and final review meeting to discuss recommendations would be held on 25 February.
Health 4NEL
Councillor Golds reported that the JOSC to review Health4North East London Acute Services Review had nearly completed their programme. Tower Hamlets hosted the last INEL JOSC meeting on 2 February and Members heard presentations from the Inner London North East acute trusts (Newham, Homerton and Barts) on the impact reconfiguration would have on services, as well as updates from H4NEL and Unison.
The next meeting (and last evidence session) would be on 11 February at Newham Town Hall. The Royal Colleges of Nursing, Psychiatrists, General Practitioners and Physicians would be presenting as well as Transport for London and public and patient representative groups. The JOSC were expected to agree the final draft report on 25 March 2010.
A Great Place to Live – Private Rented Sector
On behalf of Councillor Alex Heslop, the Chair reported that the working group had held their final session on the Private Rented Sector about two weeks ago. This session looked at the merits and demerits of Private Sector leasing as well as the increased role of RSLs in the Private Rented Sector. The working group heard evidence from the Group Chief Executive at East Thames Housing, the Director of Strategic Operations at Poplar HARCA and representatives from Look Ahead and Crises.
The final report for the review was being devised, along with recommendations which would be available by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in April.
Councillor Jones referred to her report and commented that one recommendation her review group was likely to make would be that improvements in literacy were not proceeding quickly enough and should be extended to take on a life long learning approach. The Chair stated that this should be flagged up for consideration when next year’s scrutiny reviews were being considered.