The Tower Hamlets Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 10 May 2016, addressed a range of significant issues including the future of the Ocean Estate Resident Warden Service, planning policy on tall buildings, substance misuse commissioning, and the housing affordability crisis. Key decisions were made regarding the substance misuse commissioning and the adoption of a new children's services strategy.

Ocean Estate Resident Warden Service

The meeting began with a presentation from Brenda Daley, Chair of the Ocean Estate Tenants Association and the Resident Warden Forum, and Ian Watkins, a member of the Resident Warden Forum. They expressed grave concern over the imminent closure of the Resident Warden Service on the Ocean Estate at the end of June, highlighting the potential negative impact on elderly residents who rely on the service for independent living. They argued that a Tower Hamlets Homes report, believed to be the basis for the closure, contained errors and inconsistencies. Mayor John Biggs agreed to a meeting with Daley, Watkins, and relevant officers before the end of the following week to discuss the matter further, subject to scheduling availability. He assured them that no decision to close the service had yet been made.

Planning Policy on Tall Buildings

The Cabinet discussed an explanatory note on planning policy regarding tall buildings. Councillor Andrew Wood highlighted concerns about the increasing development of tall buildings in the borough, noting a specific 210-metre, 53-storey building proposed for his ward. He questioned whether the local plan's public consultation on tall building policy could be brought forward to influence current development. Adele Maher, from the planning department, explained that while a partial review of the local plan was possible, the council's desire for a complete refresh meant all policies needed to be considered together. Mayor Biggs emphasised that the borough is generally low-rise and that the expectation of unlimited development needed to be carefully managed, with resident feedback indicating a desire to avoid excessive tall buildings unless for very special reasons. Councillor Rachel Blake and Councillor Joshua Peck also stressed the importance of reiterating and applying existing policies more stringently. The Cabinet agreed to consider Councillor Wood's comments and review the policy.

Substance Misuse Commissioning

The Cabinet considered proposals for substance misuse commissioning, presented by Councillor Shiria Khatun. The report outlined recommendations for awarding contracts following a competitive tender process for outreach, treatment services, and recovery support. A key decision was the recommendation to decommission the Harbour Recovery Centre due to poor performance, an inappropriate treatment model, and poor value for money. Consultation on the closure of Harbour had yielded mixed responses, but residents requiring inpatient treatment would still be able to access services. The Harbour Recovery Centre had already suspended services due to a vacancy and its operator, the Salvation Army, had decided to close the unit. Contracts for other interventions, including those at the E1 GP practice for homeless hostel residents and specialist nurses at the Royal London Hospital, were extended. Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs supported the proposals, noting that the new integrated model would focus more on treatment and recovery, and that the Harbour Centre had not been effectively helping many people complete treatment. Councillor Wood also supported the recommendations, noting that the borough had a good range of drug treatment facilities and that the closure of Harbour would not lead to a significant loss of capability. He also acknowledged the historical importance of the Bangladeshi Drugs Project, trading as Naphas, which had been a successful bidder in the tendering process.

Housing Policy and Affordability Commission

Councillor Rachel Blake presented the findings of the Housing Policy and Affordability Commission, which examined the housing crisis and affordability issues in Tower Hamlets. The commission concluded that the current model of framework rents was broken, as incomes had not kept pace with rent levels. It was recommended that council-owned sites should deliver 100% rented accommodation, combining social target rents with a living rent and investigating letting these homes through a separate waiting list. The council would also explore introducing a council-owned housing company. For Section 106 sites, the commission recommended reducing framework rents to social target rent levels, considering the impact on viability and the government's Housing and Planning Bill requiring starter homes. Jenny Fisher, speaking on behalf of the Tower Hamlets Federation of Tenants and Residents Associations, expressed disappointment that some of their recommendations had not been adopted, particularly regarding the identification of housing needs and a hierarchy of need. She urged the council to reconsider these proposals and address a perceived democratic deficit. Mayor Biggs disagreed with the assertion of a failure to identify housing need, highlighting plans for over a thousand council homes at social rents and a commitment to addressing unaffordable housing. He agreed to the recommendations in the report.

Hostels Commissioning Plan

Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs presented the Hostels Commissioning Plan, which aims to review and reshape the borough's hostel provision. The plan addresses financial pressures, the need to better match provision to current needs, and the outdated nature of some existing hostels. Key changes include a focus on individuals with more complex needs, a reduction in beds for women and those with abstinent needs, and an overall reduction of approximately 120 beds to reflect new move-on services. The proposals were put forward for high-level approval to allow for further engagement with service users, providers, and landlords. Mayor Biggs expressed frustration that hostel operators were not consulting more speedily with residents but acknowledged the report as necessary and welcome. He was happy to agree the recommendations.

Children Looked After Strategy

Councillor Rachel Saunders introduced the Children Looked After Strategy, a plan for the next three years outlining responsibilities, accountability, priorities, and objectives. The strategy's delivery will be overseen by the Tower Hamlets Corporate Parenting Steering Group, which has been expanded to include foster parents and young people. A key priority is improving educational attainment for looked-after children, with support from Haringey to learn from their better outcomes. Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs noted that transitions between children's and adult services for young people would be actively examined. Mayor Biggs welcomed the strategy, emphasising the importance of corporate parenting and the need to improve outcomes for looked-after children. The recommendations in the report were agreed.

Education Partnership

The Cabinet discussed the proposed Tower Hamlets Education Partnership, a schools-led initiative to enhance educational achievement. Councillor Shiria Khatun and Kate Bingham, Headteacher of Bow School, presented the proposal, highlighting the success of the borough's schools, driven by collaboration between schools and the local authority. The partnership aims to maintain this collaborative ethos, even as schools move towards academisation, and to provide a unified voice for education in Tower Hamlets. Funding was sought to support the establishment of the partnership. Councillor Joshua Peck raised concerns about the lack of diversity in the steering group and interim board membership, noting a significant underrepresentation of Bengali names and a gender imbalance. Councillor Saunders acknowledged these concerns and stated a desire to move quickly to appoint a more representative group. Mayor Biggs welcomed the initiative, stressing the importance of community ownership and influence in education, and committed to maintaining a strong relationship with the partnership. The recommendations were agreed, with notes taken of comments regarding the business plan, board competencies, and representativeness.

Children and Families Plan 2016-2019

Councillor Rachel Saunders presented the Children and Families Plan for 2016-2019. Although no longer a statutory requirement, the Children and Families Partnership has chosen to continue developing and committing to this collective vision. The plan, developed by a partnership including local agencies, health, police, RSLs, schools, and the voluntary sector, supersedes the previous 2012-15 plan. It sets out a shared sense of purpose and priorities, with a child rights-based approach at its core. The Cabinet noted the plan.

Public Health Grant and Savings Proposals

Councillor Amy Whitelock Gibbs presented proposals for savings related to the Public Health Grant, which has seen significant cuts from the government. The council needs to find £5 million in savings this financial year due to an in-year cut in 2015-16 and a further reduction in the 2016-17 allocation, impacting sexual health budgets and free school meals. The report outlined the first set of proposals, totalling £2.3 million, for consultation. Mandatory services such as sexual health testing and treatment would be protected, and investment in early years would be preserved where possible. Services would be reshaped or targeted, with proposals relating to smoking and sexual health services. The Cabinet was asked to approve the commencement of consultation on these proposals. Mayor Biggs noted that this was the beginning of a series of challenging decisions and highlighted a potential discrepancy in the report regarding a reduction figure. Councillor Saunders noted the relevance of the proposals to children's services and the positive focus on early intervention. The recommendations were agreed.

Corporate Director's Decisions and Executive Mayoral Decisions

The Cabinet noted the Corporate Director's Decisions and the list of Individual Executive Mayoral Decisions, with no further comments or questions raised.