The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Tuesday 13 March 2018, discussing a wide range of topics including the Mayor's performance, the council's financial challenges, and the provision of adult social care. Key decisions included the agreement to continue scrutiny work on the impact of Brexit and a commitment to further investigate the council's housing and enforcement strategies.

Mayor's Scrutiny Spotlight and Quarter 3 Performance Report

Mayor John Biggs presented his Scrutiny Spotlight and the Quarter 3 performance report, reflecting on his tenure since 2015. He highlighted the council's transformation in reputation and operational efficiency, despite significant spending cuts of £58 million over three years. Achievements mentioned included the relaunch of the WorkPath employment program, delivering more affordable homes than any other council in the country, and investing in GP surgeries and new police officers. Mayor Biggs also acknowledged challenges such as the ongoing financial pressures and the need to foster a more outward-looking council culture.

During the discussion, Councillor Clare Harrison raised concerns about social polarisation within the borough and the need to prevent Tower Hamlets from becoming increasingly divided. Mayor Biggs acknowledged this as a significant challenge, linking it to the issue of housing affordability and the difficulty for small and medium-sized enterprises to afford rents. He also discussed opportunities for joint working with neighbouring boroughs, particularly in areas of employment, skills, and training.

Councillor Danny Hassell questioned the move towards outcome-based budgeting and the barriers to achieving this. Mayor Biggs explained that the council is still inching towards this model, with current obstacles including departmental silos and the need to empower officers. He also addressed the issue of housing affordability for key workers, such as teachers and social workers, and the challenges of providing intermediate housing options.

Councillor Andrew Wood highlighted the rapid population growth in certain wards, particularly on the Isle of Dogs, and questioned how the council would cope with such unequal growth and its impact on infrastructure and services. Mayor Biggs acknowledged the ultra-high-density development and its strain on systems, noting that while some planning decisions preceded his election, the council is working to manage growth and has persuaded City Hall to reduce housing completion targets.

Councillor Christine Trumper asked about the council's investment in social infrastructure, the use of Section 106 money, and plans for improving social enterprises and addressing the impact of Universal Credit. Mayor Biggs detailed the council's capital programme, the challenges in spending Section 106 funds, and the importance of supporting local community enterprises. He described Universal Credit as a nightmare and outlined plans for community commissioning to provide advice and support services.

Dr Phillip Rice inquired about the council's reserves and how they are prioritised. Mayor Biggs explained the prudent level of core reserves and the existence of various other reserves for specific purposes, such as transformation and IT. He also touched upon the potential for increased borrowing powers for investment in areas like housing and skills training.

Dr Rice also raised questions about top-up learning for children and its impact on aspirations and apprenticeship drives. Mayor Biggs acknowledged the aspirational nature of the community and the hunger for children to succeed, but noted that the discussion on vocational versus academic pathways and the post-16 offer would require further consideration.

Councillor Danny Hassell asked about the development of community hubs, specifically the Christian Street Hub, and the continuation of funding for startup business initiatives. Mayor Biggs expressed his view that the council is not the best body to manage community buildings and suggested commissioning external organisations. He also addressed the issue of EU funding ending for programs like EnWiz and the need for government clarity on future funding for skills and employment.

Dr Phillip Rice then asked about the council's aspirations for plugging the reduction in government grant funding for the Strategic School Improvement Fund and the deployment of the £3 million invested in extra policing. Mayor Biggs acknowledged the complexity of school funding and the establishment of the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership. He also discussed the multifaceted approach to tackling anti-social behaviour, including the deployment of police resources and the piloting of a neighbourhood management approach in Bethnal Green.

Shabbir Chowdhury raised questions regarding the relocation to the Royal London Hospital site in Whitechapel and the costs associated with the Muslim cemetery. Mayor Biggs confirmed the town hall project would cost approximately £105 million and was considered better value than current office rental costs. He also provided details on the cost of plots at the council's cemetery in Sidcup, which is significantly lower than private cemeteries, and acknowledged the need for further promotion of this facility.

Councillor Clare Harrison asked about metrics for anti-social behaviour and community safety. Mayor Biggs agreed that current indicators were crude and suggested a need for thoughtful work with new staff to identify more effective measures, focusing on public confidence and people's sense of safety.

Councillor Danny Hassell questioned the focus on secondary school investment when achievement gaps exist at primary and early years levels. Mayor Biggs agreed that the roots of underachievement lie in earlier years and acknowledged the need to address issues of poverty, social exclusion, and aspiration within communities.

Councillor Andrew Wood asked about the ideal date for achieving absolute targets in relation to children's services, rather than relative improvement. Mayor Biggs stated that while authorities should be judged by higher standards, individual circumstances vary, and the focus is on improving the fostering service and addressing delays in placing children.

Adult Services and Health Scrutiny

Councillor Denise Jones, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, presented an overview of the portfolio, highlighting the complexity and challenges of reducing social care budgets while demand is likely to increase. She emphasised the importance of integrated commissioning with the NHS, prevention strategies, and supporting carers.

Dr Somen Banerjee, Director of Public Health, discussed the Health and Well-being Board's focus on inclusiveness, bringing in perspectives on wider determinants of health, and the importance of community involvement. He noted that mental health remains a priority, with efforts to build resilience, improve early identification, and address stigma.

David Jones spoke about the improvement programme in adult social care, focusing on safeguarding, practice improvement, and cultural change towards an outcomes-based approach. He highlighted challenges in workforce stabilisation and the need for better data collection.

The discussion also covered the regulation of health and social care services by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with positive ratings for GP practices and the East London Foundation Trust (ELFT). Challenges were noted with some residential nursing homes and home care agencies requiring improvement.

Councillor Clare Harrison raised questions about the East London Health and Social Care Partnership, the integration of the healthy lives agenda across the council, and the move towards outcome-based evaluation systems. Mayor Biggs and Dr Banerjee discussed the opportunities and risks of the partnership, the need for a cross-corporate approach to health, and the development of a shared outcomes framework based on community priorities.

Councillor Danny Hassell asked for assurances regarding case allocation, assessment timescales, and management oversight in children's services, as well as workforce stability and the use of audit findings to improve frontline practice. The responses indicated ongoing challenges with backlogs of assessments and reviews, a high percentage of agency staff, and efforts to recruit and retain permanent social workers. An example of good practice was given regarding a new high-risk panel for young people in transition.

Councillor Andrew Wood inquired about the origins of mental health issues in the borough, whether they stem from the original or new population. Mayor Biggs and Dr Banerjee acknowledged the difficulty in answering this definitively but suggested that inequalities are increasing within Tower Hamlets, with both long-term deprivation and a younger, more mobile population contributing to mental health challenges.

Councillor Meyer raised concerns about GP access, particularly at the Harford Multi-Centre, and the implementation of the carer charter and ethical care. He also questioned the charging of home care service users. The responses indicated that while the council works in partnership with the NHS and CCG on GP access, direct influence is limited. The carer charter is generally being implemented, and the council's charging scheme for home care is more generous than national provisions, with a process for reassessment if concerns arise.

Christine Trumper asked about the realisation of the aspiration to involve communities in driving health improvement. The Healthy Communities programme was highlighted as a key initiative, commissioning local voluntary sector organisations to co-produce outcomes based on community needs.

Brexit Scrutiny

The committee formally agreed to continue scrutiny work on the impact of Brexit into the new municipal year. Councillor Andrew Wood emphasised the importance of making Tower Hamlets more attractive to businesses and sticky to retain them, suggesting further detailed scrutiny on this topic. Dr Phillip Rice highlighted an omission regarding the impact of Brexit on education, both higher and primary levels, and suggested its inclusion in future discussions.

Updates from Scrutiny Leads

Councillor Clare Harrison reported on the final health scrutiny meeting of the year, noting a low attendance from members but a productive discussion on the recommissioning of sexual health services. She also mentioned the nearing completion of a review into healthcare access for homeless individuals.

Councillor Danny Hassell provided an update on the scrutiny review of gangs and serious youth violence, with the report due to be presented at the next Overview & Scrutiny Committee. He also mentioned his involvement in social care practice week and updates on the youth service.

Councillor Andrew Wood reported that the grant scrutiny subcommittee had accepted its recommendations, which were presented to the Mayor. He noted that a review on recreational activities was largely complete but would be passed on to the next subcommittee due to a cancelled meeting.

The committee also received Cabinet papers and was asked to submit questions by lunchtime on Friday. Councillor Wood raised questions regarding the sale of almshouses and the resourcing of enforcement for short-term holiday lets.