The questions which have been received from Councillors to be put at this Council meeting are set out in the attached report.  A maximum period of 30 minutes is allocated to this agenda item.

 

 

The following questions and in each case (except where indicated) a supplementary question were put and were responded to by the Mayor or relevant Executive Member.

 

8.1       Question from Councillor Khales Uddin Ahmed

 

How many families has the council placed in Bed and Breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks in each of the last three years?

 

Response by Councillor Sirajul Islam (Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Management & Performance)

 

Mr Speaker, can I thank Cllr Ahmed for highlighting this desperately important situation. The challenge of providing accommodation for homeless families is growing.

 

The number of families placed in B&B for more than 6 weeks has been monitored on a weekly basis since November 2012.  This information is also reported to Government on a quarterly snapshot basis and is published on the Council’s website.

 

If we take the number of families who had been in bed and breakfast accommodation for more than six weeks on the 30th September of each of the last three years the figures are:

 

2013 – 91

2014 -  49

2015 - 106

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Khales Uddin Ahmed:

 

26,000 people and families are on the waiting lists. It is well known to everyone here that the problem is increasing. Currently the council is sending people to Bed and Breakfasts without searching for accommodation within the Borough or neighbouring Boroughs. Could you please, Mr Deputy Mayor, tell me how often you meet with officers to discuss this issue, and what action has been taken more recently to address this issue?

 

CouncillorSirajul Islam’s response to the supplementary question

 

Thank you, Cllr Ahmed. You are right, the numbers have gone up but you can understand the situation we’re having, with so many families being evicted from private sector tenancies, and some are homeless. We have a statutory duty to support these families. I meet with Council officers on a weekly director, with a Corporate Director or Service Head, and amongst many other things, homelessness is one of those items regularly on our agenda. When you say, Cllr Ahmed, that we send people far and wide, our officers always try to find accommodation within the Borough or as close as possible. You will understand the rent in Tower Hamlets is very unaffordable. They do an assessment of family income and find somewhere the family can afford. We do not put people in financial burden; we don’t send people to Yorkshire or places like that. We try to find people a bed and breakfast within London, and from there we move people onto the private rented sector accommodation. If we can’t find something in Tower Hamlets we do move people. We have a duty and responsibility towards those families and we find them something as near as possible.

 

8.3       Question from Councillor Amina Ali:

 

Can the Mayor outline the next steps for the Civic Centre?

 

Response by Mayor John Biggs:

 

Following my agreement with the cabinet to the location of a new Civic Centre at The Royal London Hospital site and subject to the call in period associated with that, officers will be proceeding in line with the recommendations outlined in public report. 

 

I also agreed to the refurbishment of John Onslow House (including the One Stop Shop and Idea Store). Officers will now be looking to proceed to the detailed design phase of the project through a multi-disciplinary team. 

 

This appointment will be procured via OJEU. The Mayor requested that the following be included in the minutes.

 

In order to secure the best access to architect practices with experience of delivering schemes of a similar nature, i.e. public sector civic centres or equivalent private sector headquarter buildings.  It is anticipated this appointment will be made in Spring 2016.

 

Concurrent to the procurement of the design team, officers are procuring a package of surveys on the Royal London Hospital site. 

With both of these priority procurements underway, project officers will be working with CMT and Service Heads to develop the client brief for the new civic centre (e.g. setting out team space requirements and adjacencies).

 

The Civic Centre project is dependent on the cashflow released from the disposal of a number of surplus properties.  In order to release this cashflow in a timely manner, officers will be progressing the disposal of these sites for housing development, in line with normal protocols.  In some instances, this may involve additional design work in order to maximise the value of the site.

 

Key to delivery of the vision for the Civic Centre project is the delivery of a strong Local Presence across the Borough.  In particular, opportunities to augment the Council’s current presence in Bethnal Green and the Isle of Dogs will be progressed. 

 

In line with my commitment at the Cabinet meeting, a cross member champion group is in the process of being set up.  This will be chaired by Cllr Chesterton and will strategically support and guide the project throughout its life.

 

(No supplementary question was put)

 

Procedural Motion

 

Mayor John Biggs moved and Councillor Sirajul Islam seconded, a procedural motion “that under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 the order of business be varied such that item 12.3 Motion regarding the Civic Centrebe taken as the next item of business.” The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.

 

8.4       Question from Councillor Chris Chapman:

 

In view of the financial restraints facing the council, will the Mayor confirm when the Code of Practice on Local Authority Publicity will be fully implemented and when East End Life will be replaced by a quarterly communication?

 

Response by Mayor John Biggs:

 

Thank you very much for your question. I was with our new Chief Executive and the Commissioners this afternoon talking about this very matter. We are compliant with the code, and that is our intention by the end of March.

 

Alongside whether we have a newspaper or not, we need to have an effective communications strategy for the council. The Local Government Association were commissioned to do some work and they have carried out a quick study. They will make recommendations about our wider communications strategy which will include things like better use of the internet, reaching out to people, and other strategies which we should use as a council. I am very clear that East End life doesn’t have a life as a weekly or fortnightly newspaper.

 

Supplementary question from  Councillor Chris Chapman:

 

Does the Mayor accept that the speed at which he is working on this matter is unacceptable, particularly bearing in mind his previous pledges. Anything short of the quarterly publication is in breach of the legal requirements, and the original direction as laid down. It’s costing £1.5 Million to taxpayers which we all know can be better spent elsewhere. I want to remind him of the contents of a letter which Doris kept after it was posted through her door. It said point three: ‘I will scrap East End Life and replace it with something more useful, and not propaganda’.

 

Should he need some guidance, the word scrap also means remove, dismiss, decommission, expel, discard, and ditch….does he intend to do any of these things in the near future?

 

 

 

 

Mayor John Biggs response to the supplementary question

 

I wish him a successful campaign in pursuit of the second or third place in the elections next May. It will be scrapped as a newspaper and I have pledged that. I’m not sure Doris exists actually. We still need to have a communications strategy and it will cost money. Roughly £500,000 was raised from commercial advertising, the rest from the council. We still need a communications budget. It’s wishful thinking we will save £1.5 million by scrapping East End Life, but it will be scrapped and we will have a very exciting strategy into the future you will find.

 

8.5       Question from Councillor Danny Hassell:

 

Can you please update the council on what plans you have to continue to improve the life chances of children at the start of their life, and to increase the number of children reaching a good level of development by age 5?

Response by Councillor Rachael Saunders (Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education & Children's Services)

 

Thank you Cllr Hassell. The Mayor has given me the responsibility of reshaping our children’s policies and it is a huge responsibility. We’re the Borough in the UK with the highest child poverty, and our children’s service and especially the children’s centres are doing something to alleviate that but not enough and there’s an enormous chunk of work we need to do all that we can so that when children go to school they can succeed and achieve what they want to achieve. Our plans are broad in the sense of bringing children’s centres and management together, there’s work to do in the next few months to reshape those services and ensure they meet the ambitions we have and I look forward to working with Cllr Hassell and Scrutiny on that.

 

Supplementary question from  Councillor Danny Hassell:

 

Thank you for that response and thank you for confirming the work that is being done with regards to integrate the early years and children’s centres. It’s really important we have a joined up approach for our families and young people. I know one of the Mayor’s pledges was to instigate a start of life review which looks at how we can join us services for the first year of a child’s life in particular. I wonder if the Council can look at extending that to age five so we have joined up services all the way to children starting school. I know Boroughs such as Newham have their Early Years outcome better than our own.

 

Councillor Rachael Saunders response to the supplementary question

 

Thank you. I know the first year of life is particularly important when it comes to achievement in the future, and in pregnancy it’s huge. The more support you can give a mother during pregnancy the more she’ll be able to do everything when the baby is born. The first year of life review is right and we’ll have more conversations about that on the Health and Wellbeing Board. In terms of up to aged five, the first step is getting out children’s centres in the right place in the next year. A review that looks at all services up to five is a future priority.

 

8.6      Question from Councillor Oliur Rahman:

 

Could the part time Mayor, who still holds two jobs, explain as to how his decision to evict the residents of TUSH (62 Bruce Road) sits with the pre-election Labour campaign and promise by Labour to support them against the Council?

 

Response by  Mayor John Biggs:

 

Rachel Saunders is doing an excellent job in her role in Children’s service and we won’t mention her again. Your question is about TUSH, and there was never a Labour campaign supported by myself to support the TUSH come what may. There has since the Council meeting been a series of detailed conversations with residents of the co-op, one of whom has accepted a tenancy, two of whom are being made offers and we are making plans to look at secure them housing. When we look at the opportunity to provide family housing, on the site in Bruce Road then that is something that we have a duty to see through.

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Oliur Rahman

 

Mr Mayor, on 22 July in this Council chamber your Deputy Mayor and former Leader, Councillor Saunders, and Councillors Khales Ahmed and Abbas, stated the Labour Party when in opposition campaigned very strongly to stop the eviction of TUSH residents from 62 Bruce Road, isn’t that the fact Cllr Saunders and Tower Hamlets Labour supported the residents to get publicity before the election, and now they won the election and you’re the Mayor, you decided to evict them. You took the secret decision to give £1 million to your friends, couldn’t you let the residents stay in their homes.

 

Mayor John Biggs response to the supplementary question

 

I’m not aware of any secret decision to give any friends of mine money. I’m very much committed to seeing through refurbishment of housing in Tower Hamlets and to securing homes for people. You will find the campaign from when I was not on the council was to discourage the previous Mayor from selling on the open market the homes we’re talking about this evening. The majority of these residents were moved out under the previous Mayor, we’re following through on the decision, were we in a different place, a different decision. We have plans for those homes in Bruce Road, and we hope they will become superb council housing. To complete the answer, it is complicated with the government reforms and it might force us in other circumstances to not carry out improvements on other historic buildings in the Borough.

 

 

8.7       Question from Councillor Marc Francis:

 

Will the Lead Member for Adults Services explain the action taken by LBTH following the Care Quality Commission inspection of Pat Shaw House in December 2014, which found serious breaches of regulations relating to repairs and maintenance, medicines management and assessment and care planning by Gateway Housing Association?

 

Response fromCouncillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs (Cabinet Member for Health & Adult Services)

 

Thank you, Cllr Francis. The care and safety of the very vulnerable adults in these care homes is of great importance to us as a Council. When Gateway Housing Association, the current provider of care and owner of Pat Shaw House and Peter Shore Court, took over, the buildings were in a poor state of repair. Maintenance and repair had been the responsibility of the previous provider.  Gateway immediately undertook a buildings audit which highlighted the need for several large upgrades: lift replacement, boiler replacement and carpets being replaced. 

 

When CQC visited in December 2014, three breaches of regulations were identified relating to repairs and maintenance, medicines management and assessment and care planning.  I was particularly concerned to read about things like the lift breaking down so people could not get down the stairs and issues around people being isolated and bored in their rooms. There was lots of action that needed to be taken by Gateway. The Council put a temporary suspension of placements in place following the CQC inspection. That was lifted in May given officers inspecting and improvements made.

 

Supplementary question from  Councillor Marc Francis:

 

I thank the Member for the first half of her question. She will be aware that earlier this summer, the CQC went to inspect the other gateway housing association, Peter Shaw Court, and the public information is only just published but the rating for the service was overall required improvements.

 

Is the service safe? No it is inadequate,

Is the service effective? It requires improvement.

Is the service caring? It requires improvement.

Is the service responsive? It requires improvement.

Is the service well led? It requires improvement.

 

Can I ask, bearing in mind the CQC findings, nine months after the inspection took place, does she share my concerns that this inspection has revealed another gateway housing association getting the same damning judgement and will she ensure she and the Mayor ensure the care homes are brought up to standard.

 

 

Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbsresponse to the supplementary question

 

Thank you. I do absolutely share your concerns and I will investigate this personally, in relation to Pat Shaw house, the CQC went back in August and found improvements. In relation to both properties I will speak to officers to improve our comms protocol so that we alert Members when issues like this happen, and in terms of what we are doing about it, and I will ask officers to set up meetings with Gateway.

 

8.8       Question from Councillor Andrew Wood:

 

Will the Mayor inform the Council on the progress of the Isle of Dogs and South Poplar Opportunity Area Planning Framework that was launched by the GLA in July and who the members of the supervisory board are?

 

Response by Councillor Rachel Blake (Cabinet Member for Strategic Development)

 

The Mayor and senior officers attended the first meeting of the GLA’s Isle of Dogs and South Poplar Opportunity Area Framework (OAPF) Strategic Board meeting on 9 July 2015.

 

The GLA have established a Strategic Board to steer the development of the GLA-produced Planning Guidance. It includes the GLA, LBTH and TFL and other key landowners.

 

Supplementary question from  Councillor Andrew Wood:

 

What is the council going to do to advertise the risks that are currently underway?

 

Councillor Rachel Blake response to the supplementary question

 

Thanks for your follow up. I anticipate your follow up as we understand the level of concern there is. We are organising the GLA to brief Members on the process and we’re hoping that will happen in December. As an SGP it will have to go through consultation and hopefully you will be at the briefing in December it was nearly on Christmas eve but I thought we would have other things to do.

 

8.9       Question from Councillor Dave Chesterton:

 

The current restrictions on the issue of parking permits for ‘car free’ properties is causing difficulties for many residents, particularly those with large families. Can the Mayor please give an update on his plans to review controlled parking in the borough?

 

 

 

Response by  Mayor John Biggs

 

I am working with Cllr Ayas Miah on the review of parking policies, and we need to get underway in the next few months. It is an objective. The tricky bit is mentioned in your question, we can talk about the controlled parking policies in one sentence and then we have to jump across the legal framework to car free developments under planning law and connecting the two is challenging. I would like us to look at car free development and parking controlled as it is causing a great deal of stress to those who need a vehicle. It’s a great challenge, particularly in the North of your ward where there is an increase in density but very few parking spaces.

 

Supplementary question from  Councillor Dave Chesterton:

 

As an observation based on a petition that came to the last council meeting, the double yellow lines on Blackwall way are still there and they have not yet gone, but the question is would you please ensure in the review you look at the possibility of introducing a short period for loading and unloading in controlled parking bays for those not in possession of a parking permit, particularly near Blackwall way where there are only yellow lines, there’s nowhere to park.

 

Mayor John Biggs response to the supplementary question

 

I’ll answer back to front. I agree it is worth looking at. With regards to double yellow lines in Blackwall way my understanding is the commitment by officers that by the end of November, as it relates to a planning application in the area, it should be possible to remove those and I have been chasing it up as I want that to happen. There was an issues as to whether parking wardens were going out at 3AM to generate revenue by ticketing people, I was clear that this is not appropriate, more so if there is no obstruction. I have signalled it is not appropriate to do that.

 

Procedural Motion

 

Councillor Rachael Saunders moved, and Councillor Sirajul Islam seconded, a procedural motion that following the completion of the Members Question item “that under Procedure Rule 14.1.3 the order of business be varied such that Motion 12.10 regarding the Trade Union Bill be taken as the next item of business.” The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.

 

Extension of time limit for the meeting

 

Councillor Rachael Saunders moved, and Councillor Sirajul Islam seconded, a procedural motion, that “under Procedure Rule 15.11.7 the meeting be extended, to enable the consideration of Motion 12.10 regarding the Trade Union Bill or for an additional 15 minutes whichever was sooner. The procedural motion was put to the vote and was agreed.

 

 

8.10    Question from Councillor Rabina Khan:

 

What are Mayor Biggs and relevant Cabinet Member doing in relation to supporting victims of domestic abuse? Can you provide the strategic overview, monitoring of performance and securing budget/funding for this important area which affects many vulnerable people in the Borough – particularly women, children and older people?

 

Response by  Councillor Shiria Khatun (Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety)

 

Thank you Mr Speaker. The Council has a range of support services in place – all of which provide support for women, children and the elderly. These include;

 

-                An Independent Domestic Violence Adviser Contract awarded to Victim support in January 2014 for three years. This provides support for all victims of DV including women, children and the elderly. This costs £270,000 over three years with £60,000 received from the Home Office.

 

-                A Violent Crime Case Work Service which consists of two Violent Crime Case Workers providing intensive case work support to victims of Sexual Violence, Hate Crime & other forms of violence – including DV. This service is also being delivered through Victim Support at a cost of £70,000 per annum for a 3 year period (totalling £210,000)

 

-                £90.000 has been provided by the Housing Options Support Team for the Sanctuary Project which equips high risk victim’s homes with safety installations. 

 

-                £20,000 (part funding) is obtained from Hackney Council for the SDVC Coordinator role which sees the coordination of dv cases within a specialist DV court

 

Supplementary question from Councillor Rabina Khan: :

 

May I ask if the Mayor has made a bid for the new £3 million pot of funding made available from DCLG for local authorities to support victims of domestic abuse. The deadline was 1^st October. I’d like to know if there was a bid, how much for, and how it will be spent and prioritised.

 

Councillor Shiria Khatun response to the supplementary question

 

Thank you for your supplementary question, we will get back to you.

 

Question 8.2 was not put due to the absence of the questioner. The remaining questions 8.11 - 8.25 were not put due to a lack of time.  The  Committee Services Manager stated that written responses would be provided to the questions.  (Note:  The written responses are included in Appendix ‘A’ to these minutes.)