This meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee included a review of the recommendations made by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, a review of the One Hounslow Financial Strategy, an update on housing regulation, an update on the work of each of the scrutiny panels, and a review of the Forward Plan.

Centre for Governance and Scrutiny report

A report was presented to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny.¹ The report included a number of suggested actions for improving scrutiny in Hounslow. The action plan for these suggestions is included as Appendix 1 to the report and includes the following points:

The executive-scrutiny relationship needs to be reframed to ensure that roles, and needs, are better understood on all sides.

Scrutiny should be involved more in policy development – especially in light of the Council’s aspirations on public service reform, and community participation.

Scrutiny’s role should be better focused and articulated – framed around a niche that maximises scrutiny’s potential to add value.

More should be done, strategically, to understand the links and connections that scrutiny has and the influence it is seeking to exert over partners in support of scrutiny across the wider area, with work being carried out to engage and communicate with those partners more systematically.

More should be done to set common expectations on how questioning and debate should be transacted at Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Member development plans need to be revisited – there is a priority need for support on questioning skills as well as in supporting members to work well together.

Scrutiny’s agreed role should inform careful topic selection, based on clear criteria, for items to be taken to committee, to be investigated through deep dives.

A new approach to financial scrutiny needs to be developed that confirms a proportionate role for scrutiny members in budget development and oversight, as well as confirming mutual responsibilities on financial monitoring between Cabinet, scrutiny and Audit.

Deep dive recommendations should be directed towards people in a position to deliver them; recommendations should be outcome-focused, where possible strategic, and subject to measures of success that make it easier to ascertain whether they have been successfully implemented.

One Hounslow Financial Strategy

The Committee was scheduled to note and comment on the One Hounslow Financial Strategy. The report said that the strategy brings together the council’s business and financial planning and looks forward over the next 3 years. It sets out how the strategy will support the council's objectives under the One Hounslow Plan² supported by a medium-term financial plan and a balanced budget for 2025/26. The report also sets out a proposed timeline for the council’s budget setting process.

Housing Update - regulation and inspections

The Committee was asked to note an update on preparations for inspection of the council’s social housing function by the Regulator of Social Housing, and to note in particular that the Tenants’ Voice Board will be making their annual reports available to the Committee.

The report mentions the King's Speech 2024, Awaab's Law, the Decent Homes Standard, the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 2 Report, the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, the Localism Act, the Housing Transformation Programme, the Tenant Satisfaction Measure survey results, the HRA Business Plan, and the Housing Strategy.

Scrutiny panels and JHOSC updates

The Committee was scheduled to review, and where appropriate, comment on, the work of its three Scrutiny Panels, the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel, the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Panel, and the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel, as well as the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (NWL JHOSC).

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel is looking at disadvantage and school performance in primary-aged children.

The Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Panel is looking at commissioning and contract management for adult social care providers. They have agreed the following Terms of Reference for their review:

What is the commissioning approach taken at the London Borough of Hounslow;

How does the London Borough of Hounslow award Adult Social Care contracts;

How are these contracts managed and monitored and what metrics are used for this purpose;

What impact do current staffing levels in certain providers have on the delivery of our contractual obligations;

What mechanisms exist to ensure that providers are providing adequate services to residents.

The Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel is looking at flood resilience across the borough.

Forward Plan Review

The Committee was scheduled to review the Forward Plan³ to see if any items contained within it should be brought to the committee.

Work Programme Review

The Committee was scheduled to review, consider and agree the committee's Work Programme.