Agenda item
Overview and Scrutiny Recommendation Tracking Update
(Time allocated – 20 minutes)
Minutes:
The Chair presented the first six monthly tracking report which monitored the progress of implementing past recommendations of scrutiny reviews.
The Chair considered that the report was very positive and indicated that both Council and Partner agencies were implementing the majority of the recommendations and outcomes suggested.
The Chair informed the meeting that during 2010 all the Scrutiny Lead Members had revisited a review within their portfolio area, either by meeting the service lead officer or actually visiting a service area, and she asked each of them to provide an update following her own regarding the Licensing Strip Clubs.
The Chair advised that her review on Licensing Strip Clubs was undertaken in 2007/08, following a cross party motion from Full Council for scrutiny to undertake this piece of work. The spirit of this review’s recommendations had been captured by S27 of the Policing and Crime Act 2009 which reclassified strip clubs as sexual entertainment venues and gave local authorities the powers to regulate them, and also gave local people a greater say over where and how many strip clubs opened and operated in their neighbourhoods.
The Council was currently drafting a policy around licensing of strip clubs which would be fully consulted on and finalised in March 2011.
Councillor Lesley Pavitt, Lead Member for Safe and Supportive Communities, had revisited the Tackling Anti Social Behaviour review and reported that all 13 recommendations had either been completed or were ongoing. The Council continued to identify anti-social behaviour (ASB) as a key priority which was being reflected through funding decisions such as the introduction of the Tower Hamlets Enforcement officers. 12 of the largest Registered Social Landlords in the Borough had also signed up to ASB minimum standards.
Councillor Ahmed Omer, Lead Member for One Tower Hamlets, reported that his focus had been on a previous challenge session on Interpreting and Translation provisions within the Council. Significant progress had been made on all the recommendations which included:
- An Accessible Communications review being undertaken intended to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council’s approach to accessible communication in response to changing business and community needs
- Alternative resources found for ESOL classes through the Council’s “You Decide” participatory Budgeting programme
- The option of joining shared interpreting and translation services with neighbouring Boroughs was being explored.
Councillor Rajib Ahmed, Lead Member for Excellent Public Services, reported that he had revisited the review on the Use of Consultants. There had been progress with all of the recommendations and a policy had been developed regarding procurement of consultants.
In general, use of consultants had significantly reduced in the Council and in-house staff were now trained so that skills could be retained.
Councillor Tim Archer, Lead Member for A Healthy Community, had revisited two reviews in the tracking report – Tobacco Cessation and Young Peoples Participation in Sports leading up to the Olympics.
The work done on Tobacco Cessation had been a valuable contribution to the Tobacco Control Alliance Strategy set up by the Council and the PCT, and had included a large programme of activities which had positive results.
The majority of the recommendations from the Young People’s Participation in Sports leading up to the Olympics review had now been completed despite many challenges to budget availability and following the announcement that some of the Olympic focus was being taken away from East London. Unfortunately it had also been made clear that there would be no free tickets for young people.
RESOLVED
That the report be noted.
Supporting documents: