The Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting on Monday 22 November 2021 focused on performance monitoring and waste and recycling services, with councillors scrutinising the council's Q2 performance report and discussing challenges and improvements in waste management. The committee also reviewed the council's budget monitoring report for period 6 and discussed the future of swimming provision in the borough.

Performance Monitoring Strategic Delivery and Performance Report for Q2 2021-2022

The committee reviewed the Q2 2021-2022 Performance Monitoring Strategic Delivery and Performance Report. Mayor John Biggs, alongside Denise Radley, Corporate Director for Health, Adults and Communities, and Thorsten Dreyer, Head of Intelligence and Performance, presented the report. The overall performance indicators showed 26 green, 10 amber, and 12 red indicators. Key areas of concern included education, skills, employment and income, health and social care, safeguarding, and environment and sustainability. Staff sickness and turnover rates were also highlighted as areas needing attention.

Councillor Andrew Wood raised concerns about Measure 46, the number of regeneration outcomes secured, noting that while it was rated green, it was achieved by approving five major planning applications, some of which exceeded statutory decision-making timelines. Mayor Biggs explained that these were complex applications where the overall benefits justified the extended negotiation periods.

Halima Islam (Scrutiny Co-Optee) questioned Measure 10, concerning children with child protection plans receiving timely visits, which was rated red. James Wilson, a co-opted member, assured the committee that no child was put at additional risk, and the performance was improving, moving towards amber. He also confirmed that most children subject to protection plans reside within the borough.

Questions were also raised about Measure 15, young people engaging with youth clubs, and Measure 14, long-term looked-after children. James Wilson addressed concerns about social worker stability and foster carer recruitment, noting improvements in the council's position year-on-year.

Councillor Gabriela Salva Macallan Salva Macallan and Denise Jones Jones inquired further about Measure 14, specifically regarding foster carer recruitment and the stability of placements for looked-after children. James Wilson provided details on the council's efforts to recruit foster carers and manage social worker retention.

A final question was posed regarding Measure 53, victims of violence against women and girls who feel safer after engaging with victim support. Denise Jones confirmed that a drop in performance was primarily due to a lack of completed satisfaction surveys, and that the team was exploring alternative methods for capturing feedback.

Spotlight on Waste and Recycling

Councillor Asma Islam, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, and Dan Jones, Director for Public Realm, presented a comprehensive overview of the council's waste and recycling services. The presentation highlighted five key priorities: improving staff engagement, service redesign, tackling fly-tipping and contamination, data cleansing and route optimisation, and behavioural change.

Challenges discussed included staff shortages due to sickness, the impact of Brexit on supply chains, HGV driver shortages, and breakdowns with the URS (Underground Refuse System) bins. Solutions being implemented include a restructure to improve management oversight, upskilling current staff to become HGV drivers, and increasing resilience for URS vehicles.

A significant piece of work with ReLondon on guidance for developers regarding waste and recycling infrastructure within new buildings was highlighted. The committee also discussed improvements to complaint handling through a new Whitespace system and the integration of the Love Your Neighbourhood app.

Concerns were raised about the accuracy of figures related to URS collections and missed bins, with a commitment to correct any discrepancies. The increase in recycling tonnage during lockdown was noted, alongside the need to improve the borough's recycling rate, which is currently below the London average. Fly-tipping was identified as a significant and increasing problem, with an enforcement team issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

The council's commitment to greening its fleet by 2030 was outlined, with plans to replace diesel and petrol vans, cars, and light commercial vehicles by March 2023, alongside the development of EV charging infrastructure.

Discussions also covered the waste transfer facility at Northumberland Wharf and the materials recycling facility at Bywaters. The recycling rate for Tower Hamlets was presented, showing an increase but lagging behind the London average. A bid for £2 million to roll out a flats recycling package across the borough was mentioned, alongside pilot schemes for food waste collection. The upcoming Environment Bill and its implications for producer responsibility, deposit return schemes, and consistent collection requirements were also discussed.

Councillor Andrew Wood raised concerns about recycling and general waste being collected in the same truck, which was explained by Oli Kapopo, Head of Waste Operations, as a contingency measure due to URS vehicle breakdowns. However, Councillor Afazul Hoque noted that residents had reported this happening with ordinary street collections, which is not considered normal practice.

Marc Francis Francis expressed support for bringing waste services in-house but noted that improvements were not yet fully evident. He raised concerns about the process for handling contaminated recycling bins and the subsequent disposal of this waste. Oli Kapopo clarified that contaminated recycling should be collected as refuse and taken to a facility where recyclable materials are extracted.

Halima Islam (Scrutiny Co-Optee) inquired about the cost of missed collections and potential refunds to residents. James Wilson addressed issues with the placement of reverse lid bins and the communication of the recycling champion scheme and the Love Your Neighbourhood app. Councillor Gabriela Salva Macallan Salva Macallan asked for more detail on the recycling champion scheme and its potential to incorporate public realm engagement.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the URS bins, particularly on the Minerva Estate. Concerns were raised about the maintenance, collection process, and the impact of damaged bins on fly-tipping. Oli Kapopo explained that URS units are owned by managing agents, who are responsible for their maintenance. He also detailed efforts to improve the resilience of the URS vehicle fleet.

Councillor Marc Francis raised concerns about street cleanliness, noting a perceived deterioration in street sweeping and bin emptying frequency. Dan Jones acknowledged these issues and outlined plans for route optimisation and increased supervision for street cleansing services.

Councillor Gabriela Salva Macallan Salva Macallan requested timelines for the replacement of damaged URS bins. Dan Jones committed to providing a more detailed response on the Minerva Estate issues after the meeting.

The waste transfer facility at Northumberland Wharf was discussed, with Councillor Ehtasham Haque highlighting resident concerns about traffic, noise, and smell. Richard Williams provided details on mitigation efforts and the capacity of the site, while also noting the need to consider future waste tonnage and the implications of new collection regimes.

The committee discussed recommendations including investigating waste contamination, increasing the profile of the recycling champion scheme, clarifying additional costs incurred by RSLs, communicating the availability of electrical item drop-off points, addressing URS bin issues, prioritising street cleaning, and reviewing the impact of Northumberland Wharf. Councillor Marc Francis also highlighted the positive step of introducing food waste recycling and the need for better monitoring of contaminated recycling bin follow-ups. Denise Jones Jones suggested working with RSLs to ensure more appropriate placement of bins. Councillor Andrew Wood advocated for stronger enforcement measures and publicising court cases.

Budget Monitoring Report of Period 6

Councillor Candida Ronald, Cabinet Lead for Resources and Voluntary Sector, and Kevin Bartle, Interim Corporate Director for Resources, presented the half-year budget monitoring report. The report indicated a forecast deficit of £300,000 on the General Fund for the year, supported by £19.6 million of extra funding. The Directorate for Health, Adults and Communities (HAC) was forecasting an overspend of £2.3 million, Children's Services an overspend of £1.6 million, and Resources and Governance an overspend of £1 million. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was forecasting an overspend of £1.4 million.

The council's reserves position was noted as £70 million at year-end, which, in the context of expenditure running at £19 million over budget, was considered a limited buffer. Savings targets had been revised down, with £7.5 million forecast to slip into future years and £1.4 million deemed unachievable.

Denise Jones Jones inquired about investment in leisure centres, and Councillor Ronald confirmed that proposals for investment were being put forward. Kevin Bartle addressed concerns about inflation, stating that it was factored into the medium-term financial strategy and that current forecasts did not anticipate significant adverse effects for the current financial year.

Councillor Marc Francis requested an update on the implications of the government's spending decisions for Tower Hamlets, noting the delay in the MTFS refresh. Nisar Visram, Director of Finance, Procurement and Audit, confirmed that the settlement was not yet known but that the council was making qualified judgments based on the national position.

Councillor Andrew Wood raised a presentational issue regarding the lack of a summary for Section 106 and SIL (Section 106 and Infrastructure Levy) funds held by the council. Councillor Ronald agreed to take this away and consider how to present this information more clearly in future.

A question was raised about the impact on general fund reserves pending the closure of the Statement of Accounts for 2016-21. Kevin Bartle stated that while initial forecasts suggested a significant impact, more recent findings indicated a relatively neutral effect, though he cautioned that the audit process was ongoing.

Scrutiny Challenge Session Report: Swimming Provision

Denise Jones Jones presented the report from the scrutiny challenge session on swimming provision in the borough. The session highlighted the importance of swimming for physical and mental well-being, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Key findings included the need for significant investment in leisure centres, many of which are over 40 years old and require refurbishment. The report also noted the impact of council budget reductions on sports and physical activity services and the barriers faced by schools in accessing swimming facilities, such as travel time.

Seven recommendations were made, including exploring options for catch-up swimming sessions, developing a long-term capital investment strategy for leisure centres, and establishing new swimming provision. The report also highlighted concerns about the lack of investment in leisure centres, with previous survey recommendations for urgent repairs at St. George's not being carried out. Councillor Andrew Wood noted that the consultation documents suggested a potential closure of St. George's.

Councillor Bex White shared reflections on the cleanliness of changing rooms and the temperature of pools at Poplar Baths, and the need for the council to monitor GLL's performance in these areas.

The committee agreed to sign off on the report, with recommendations to be considered by the Cabinet.

Scrutiny Updates

• Parking Challenge Session: Councillor Faroque Ahmed, who was unable to attend, had his apologies noted. A brief summary of the parking challenge session held on 3 November was provided, focusing on the council's parking permit policy, its influence on behaviour, the impact of car-free dwellings, the introduction of Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZ) boundaries, and the drive towards electric vehicles. Key findings and recommendations, to be detailed in a report for the December meeting, included reviewing parking and mobility service policies to ensure a clear approach to pricing, control parking zones, permit schemes, and managing highway and parking demand, and linking these to council priorities such as climate change and air quality.

• Pre-Decision Scrutiny Questions: Members agreed that the pre-decision scrutiny questions regarding budget monitoring and performance delivery had been addressed in the meeting.

Any Other Business

Councillor Marc Francis raised concerns about a decision to allow AEG to hold commercial events in Victoria Park, which he argued should have been classified as a key decision and made by democratically elected members rather than under officers' delegated authority. He requested a note explaining why this decision was not deemed a key decision.