Agenda item
PRE-DECISION SCRUTINY OF UNRESTRICTED CABINET PAPERS
To consider and agree pre-decision scrutiny questions/comments to be presented to Cabinet.
Minutes:
The following pre-decision questions submitted to the Mayor in Cabinet [05 November, 2014].
Agenda Item 6.1
Watts Grove – Selection of Preferred Bidder
Question: The Committee asked for a response on the implications of the Best Value Inspectionfor schemes such as Watts Grove.
Summary of response at Cabinet: The Best Value Inspection has no impact on the scheme as the Council is not disposing of the site.
Agenda Item 6.2
New Homes Development Schemes at 4 New Sites
Question: The Committee asked that with regard to these 4 New Developments that a proposal be brought forward whereby local residents are given priority for these new homes. Then the properties that they have vacated are brought up to an agreed standard so that other borough residents may also benefit from these developments.
Summary of response at Cabinet: The Council had examined options for a local lettings plan but that there were restrictions on what you could do. The Council allocation policy did seek to prioritise those with the highest need but that where funding was provided by the GLA there may also be additional restrictions in those cases. It was also confirmed that the Council’s policy was to bring vacated homes up to a Decent Homes Standard.
Agenda Item 8.1
Extension of Substance Misuse Strategy
Question: The Committee indicated that they wished to receive assurances that those providers involved in the programme meet the requirements of the contract.
Summary of response at Cabinet: Officers thought that this referred to the Recommissioning Drug Services report that was also in progress at this time and they confirmed that they would consider this as part of the work on that report.
Agenda Item 10.1
Tower Hamlets Fairness Commission: One year on
Question: As a result of discussions on the petition regarding the closure of Public Nursery’s (Item 4 refers) the Committee agreed that this issue should be referred to the Fairness Commission.
Summary of Officer Response: Officers requested more detail on what aspects of the Borough’s nursery provision the Committee would like the report to cover.
Agenda Item 10.3
Establishment of a Joint Committee of the Six Growth Boroughs
Comment: In Section 10.1 on the Inter Authority Agreement it states that the Chief Executives of the Six Boroughs’ shall meet on a regular basis as the Chief Executives Board.
Question: The Committee indicated that it wanted to know if the Board accepts the Head of Paid Service in the absence of the Chief Executive.
Officer response: The Board terms of reference will accept the Head of Paid Service in the absence of a Chief Executive.
Comment In Section 5.6 of the covering report it states that the Joint Committee is subject to Overview & Scrutiny requirements under section 9(f) of the Local Government Act 20000 which provides that executive arrangements by a local authority must ensure their overview and scrutiny committee (or their overview and scrutiny committees between them) have power to scrutinise decisions made, or other actions taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the executive.
Question: The Committee wanted to know how this takes place and what will be their role.
Officer Response: Each Borough’s OSC would retain its role in scrutinising the work of the Joint Committee. The Joint Committee’s Procedure Rules are attached for information but the OSC can scrutinise in the manner that they wish to.