Agenda item
SCRUTINY SPOTLIGHT
Mayor Lutfur Rahman has been invited to attend the meeting.
(Time allocated – 30 minutes)
Minutes:
The Chair invited Mayor Lutfur Rahman, supported by the Council’s Chief Executive, Kevan Collins, to address the Committee in his first Scrutiny Spotlight as Executive Mayor.
Mayor Rahman thanked Members of the Committee for their excellent work over the past year, and stressed that the role of Overview and Scrutiny and their contributions had helped to ensure that residents got the excellent services they deserved.
The Mayor referred to the coalition government’s spending review and benefit changes which were negatively affecting a large section of local residents, especially those most vulnerable, and advised that despite these challenges, council tax had been frozen for the second consecutive year, key frontline services such as libraries, youth services and after schools facilities had been safeguarded, and Tower Hamlets was the only council in the country not charging for homecare.
A programme of transformation had been implemented which was designed to make the organisation more lean, flexible and citizen centred:
- In 2010/11, 737new affordable homes have been delivered – while an additional 310 affordable homes would be delivered within the next few months
- 214 of thesewere socially rented family sized homes.
- £4.3 million of extra funding secured through the New Homes Bonus based on our 2009/10 housing delivery performance – the best result nationally.
- £94.5 million worth of Decent Homes money secured for investment in council housing over the next five years
- Ocean Estate - 497 units have had their internal refurbishment works completed
- Blackwall Reach - 1,600 new homes, and the creation of new open spaces and better shops and community facilities.
EMPLOYMENT
- 4,374 jobs provided through the Working Neighbourhoods Fund
- The new Employment Strategy would be agreed by Cabinet on 11th May.
- Priority for residents to access 1000 Olympics jobs.
- £4 million external funding for ‘the High Street 2012 Project’
EDUCATION/ YOUTH
- Achievement of 5 or more A*- C grades at GCSE or equivalent including English and Maths has gone up to 51.8%.
- Reduction in the number of NEETs – down to just 5.3%.
- No cuts in youth services provision
- No reduction in the number of front line staff working with vulnerable young people, those at risk of crime, substance misuse or teenage pregnancy
- St Paul’s Way Trust School opened in January 2011.
- £60 million secured for secondary school refurbishment
- 2 million visits to Idea Stores and libraries in the last year - the loan of CDs and DVDs would now be free.
- Idea Store Watney Market – due to open in the summer of 2012.
COMMUNITY SAFETY/ COHESION
- Violent crime down by 17.29%, including Gun Crime down by 46%.
- 409 arrests made under the Council funded ‘Dealer a Day’ initiative.
· The taskforce and deployment of the 21 additional police officers is progressing. A management team from the Partnership has been formed - the Inspector for the team and 14 constables have been appointed.
ENVIRONMENT
- Recycling had shown a massive improvement from 9% in 2005/2006 to 26.51% in 2009/10.
- A £12 million project to improve Victoria Park for current and future generations was underway.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
- 29.6% decrease in the under 18 conception rate; compared with a London decrease of 20.3% and a national decrease of 18.1%.
- Targets for residents stopping smoking had been exceeded
- Council judged to be ‘overall performing excellently’ for the 7th year in succession by the Care Quality Commission, placing Tower Hamlets within the top 5 Councils in the country with Adult Social Services Responsibility.
ARTS, HERITAGE AND LEISURE
- The refurbished Bancroft Library had been reopened
- The refurbishment of Poplar Baths was well under way
In conclusion the Mayor stated that OneTower Hamlets – reducing inequality, fostering community cohesion and building community leadership – remained even more vital and he would continue to strive for the very best for the Borough.
The following question and answer session was centred on the reorganisation of the existing two Council directorates of Children, Schools and Families and Adults, Health and Wellbeing into one new unified directorate with one Executive Director.
The Mayor stressed that the safeguarding of both vulnerable adults and children was paramount, and no appointment would be made unless the candidate was exceptional.
The Chief Executive advised that many other authorities had already made the change with excellent results, and he was confident that the core processes currently in place could be built upon in order to achieve this. Ensuring the safety of vulnerable adults and children was not down to just one director, but to the work of the staff below them as well.
Members of the Committee also asked questions in relation to Mayoral decision-making, Community Land Trusts, crime and disorder, Rich Mix, unemployment and overcrowding.
The Chair thanked the Mayor and the Chief Executive for their presentation and their responses to questions.