The Full Council of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Wednesday 31 January 2024 to discuss a range of important matters, including the annual report of the BAD Youth Forum, the Adoption Annual Report, and proposed changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2024/25. The meeting also included tributes to former councillors and aldermen.

Tributes to Former Councillors and Aldermen

The meeting was scheduled to include tributes to three individuals who had served the borough: Haji Mohammed Siddique, Freeman of the Borough; former Councillor Albert Gibbs, Freeman of the Borough; and former Councillor Roy Patient, Freeman and Alderman of the Borough. Reports detailing their contributions and lives were made available for the Assembly to note.

BAD Youth Forum Annual Report 2023

The Barking and Dagenham Youth Forum's annual report for 2023 was scheduled for discussion. This report was expected to detail the projects, campaigns, and achievements of the forum, highlighting the impact of young people's work on the borough. The forum, established in 2001, aims to provide a platform for young people to express their views and influence council policy. The report detailed the work of two sub-groups: the Community Action sub-group, which focused on issues such as sexual harassment and sexual assault, and the Young Mayor sub-group, which supported fundraising efforts and community volunteering. The forum had secured £12,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to support its activities.

Adoption Annual Report 2022/23

The Adoption Annual Report for 2022/23 was presented for information. This report covered the activities of Adopt London East (ALE), a regional adoption agency that provides services for Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Tower Hamlets, and Newham. The report detailed ALE's work in recruiting and training adopters, finding families for children needing adoption, and providing post-adoption support. Key highlights included the approval of 21 households as adopters, with a focus on increasing the number of Black adopters and improving adoption support services. The report also noted that Barking and Dagenham's children's services had been subject to an Ofsted ILACS inspection in July 2023, which found that while ALE works closely with the borough, some children waited too long for permanence decisions.

Council Tax Support Scheme 2024/25

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme for 2024/25. The council has a statutory duty to review its CTS scheme annually for working-age recipients. The report outlined a proposal to replace the current means-tested scheme with a simplified income-banded discount scheme (Model 1). This new scheme aims to be more affordable, easier for residents to understand, and better aligned with the Universal Credit system.

The proposed Model 1 scheme would introduce income bands with varying discount percentages off Council Tax bills. Key changes included disregarding certain benefits and elements of Universal Credit, limiting household size allowances to two children, introducing a flat-rate non-dependant deduction of £7.50 per week, and reducing the capital and savings limit to £6,000.

A public consultation on these proposals was conducted between 23 October and 23 November 2023. The report detailed the consultation process, feedback received, and the analysis of survey responses. While a majority of respondents supported the proposed scheme, concerns were raised regarding the income band thresholds, the two-child limit, and the potential impact on vulnerable groups, particularly carers and larger families. The report also included an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) that identified potential adverse impacts on certain protected characteristics, alongside proposed mitigations. The Assembly was recommended to adopt Model 1 as the Council's replacement CTS Scheme for 2024/25 and to agree the carry forward of £250,000 Council Tax Discretionary Hardship Funding.

Leader's Statement

The Leader of the Council was scheduled to present a statement updating the Assembly on various matters.

Appointments

The Labour Group Secretary was expected to announce any nominations for vacant positions on Council committees or other bodies.

Minutes of Sub-Committees

The minutes of the JNC Appointments, Salaries and Structures Panel meetings held on 14 and 19 December 2023 were scheduled to be noted. These minutes detailed discussions regarding senior leadership appointments and interim restructure proposals.

Motions and Questions With Notice

The agenda also included provisions for any motions to be put forward and for questions with notice to be asked by councillors.

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as apologies for absence and the declaration of members' interests.