Agenda item
VERBAL UPDATES FROM SCRUTINY LEADS
Scrutiny Lead members will report on their portfolio areas.
(Time allocated – 10 minutes)
Minutes:
Scrutiny Review – Safeguarding Adults at Risk
Councillor Lesley Pavitt reported that the evidence gathering exercise for this review had now been completed and the Panel would be meeting on 15 February to formulate its recommendations. The Panel would also be hearing from the Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board and Action Against Elder Abuse at this final session.
Scrutiny Review – Supporting New Communities - Case study of the Somali Community
Councillor Ahmed Omer reported that all of the evidence gathering sessions for the review had now been completed and the Panel would be meeting on Monday 14 February to discuss recommendations.
Scrutiny Review on Empowering Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Councillor Rachel Sauders reported that she was Chairing a scrutiny review on empowering SMEs, and at the introductory meeting on 26 January 2011 the Panel had heard from officers regarding the Tower Hamlets Local Economic Assessment and the Enterprise Strategy.
A public meeting had also been arranged for 16 February 2011, the purpose of which was to gain a better understanding of the needs of local businesses in the Borough.
Two further meetings had been arranged for 22 Feb and 15 March.
Health Scrutiny
Councillor Tim Archer updated the Committee on the outcome of the Scrutiny Challenge Session on Cancer which had been well attended by service users, carers of patients and cancer patients themselves who alongside Councillors had looked at the care and treatment available and made suggestions for how survival rates could be improved.
Councillor Archer also advised that the Health Scrutiny Panel had recently considered the following reports:
· Update on Ocean Estate GP services;
· Complaints services in Tower Hamlets;
· Maternity services;
· The Public Health White Paper; Healthy Lives, Healthy People
· Transformation of Adult Social Care and the Personalisation agenda;
· Response from BLT to an improvement report by THINk.
Councillor Archer considered that the Public Health White paper meant there was potentially a stronger role for Scrutiny, and a response would be made to ensure that the strength and need for local accountability was well recognised within the new proposals for sector wide decision making boards.
Scrutiny Review – Public Perceptions of Parking
The Chair reported that the Panel had been given a pan-London perspective through presentations by London Councils and Transport for London (TFL), a good local perspective through meetings with parking managers and CEO (Civil Enforcement Officers) within Tower Hamlets, and finally a comparative perspective following discussions with another London Borough that faced similar challenges to Tower Hamlets.
The Committee also noted the following scheduled events:
Thursday 17 March - This event would have a member of PATAS (Parking and Traffic Appeals Service) to discuss their view of the perceptions of parking, and an officer from Westminster Council to discuss the Parking Review that they were currently undertaking.
Thursday 24 March - This event would involve a presentation and question and answer session by the Tower Hamlets Strategic Transport Team Leader on the issue of Car Culture and how to tackle it.
Thursday 31 March – A public involvement session intended to provide an opportunity for residents to discuss parking policies with officers.