The Cabinet meeting on 24 April 2024 saw the approval of a new Community Engagement Strategy for 2024-2028, aimed at fostering better relationships between the council and its residents. Significant progress was also noted on the Women's Safety Action Plan, with many recommendations already implemented or in progress, and decisions were made regarding new regulatory functions for social housing and contract extensions for vital youth services.

Community Engagement Strategy 2024-28

The Cabinet approved the new Community Engagement Strategy for 2024-2028, which outlines the council's vision to be a council that listens to communities to build a borough that works for everyone. This strategy was developed following extensive consultation with 328 stakeholders, including residents, staff, partners, and elected members. It identifies six key objectives, focusing on a joined-up approach to engagement, collaborative decision-making, reaching seldom-heard groups, ensuring staff have the necessary skills, communicating the impact of resident involvement, and empowering residents to become community leaders. The strategy also emphasizes principles of good practice, such as transparency, accessibility, and providing feedback to the community. The council committed to monitoring progress through resident surveys and annual impact assessments.

Women's Safety Action Plan

The Cabinet reviewed the Women's Safety Action Plan, which has been developed in response to seven recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in February 2023. The report highlighted significant progress, with many actions already completed or underway. Key initiatives include the launch of the Don't Cross the Line anti-misogyny campaign in the nighttime economy, the mainstreaming of a zero-tolerance approach to misogyny in the new Licensing Policy, and the development of a new Women's Resource Centre. The plan also addresses recommendations related to increasing support for women's groups providing domestic abuse services, improving access to self-defence classes, enhancing schools' capacity to raise awareness of domestic abuse, strengthening partnerships with Residential Social Landlords (RSLs) on estate safety, and encouraging the recruitment of representative women within the police force. Councillors expressed strong support for the plan, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding women and creating a safer borough.

New Social Housing Regulatory Functions and Nominees to Adopt

The Cabinet approved the appointment of individuals to two new regulatory functions for social housing landlords, as required by the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 and the Charter for Social Housing Residents. Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, presented the report, recommending the appointment of Michael Keelin, Director of Housing Asset Management, as the Health and Safety Lead. Paul Paterson, Corporate Director for Housing and Regeneration, was recommended as the Responsible Person to oversee compliance with new consumer standards. These appointments are crucial for ensuring compliance with new legislation and demonstrating the council's commitment to resident safety and standards in social housing.

Contract Extension for Young People's Supported Housing Pathway

The Cabinet approved a six-month contract extension for the Young People's Supported Housing Pathway (YPSHP) to ensure service continuity for vulnerable young people. The existing contracts were due to expire on 31st May 2024, and a recent tender process did not yield bids of sufficient quality. The extension will allow for a comprehensive service review and redesign before a new procurement exercise. This pathway provides essential accommodation and support for 16-25 year olds who are in or on the edge of care, or are homeless, with a priority for those with Special Educational Needs. The extension, costing £1,016,839, will be funded from the existing revenue budget.

Contract Extension for School Health and Wellbeing Service and Integrated Young People's Health and Wellbeing Service (Safe East)

The Cabinet approved an eight-month contract extension for the School Health and Wellbeing Service and the Integrated Young People's Health and Wellbeing Service (Safe East). This extension is necessary because the recent procurement process for the new Children and Young People's Health and Wellbeing Service (CYPHWS) did not deliver best value. The extension, which will run from August 2024 to March 2025, will allow for the completion of the retendering process and a four-month mobilisation period, aligning with school terms to minimize disruption. The services are funded through the Public Health Grant, and the extension will not incur additional financial implications.

Other Discussions

The meeting also included announcements, including congratulations to Steve Reddy on his recommended appointment as Corporate Director of Children's Services. A moment of silence was observed to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Brick Lane bombings, with Councillor Suluk Ahmed asked to represent the council at a vigil. The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Abdul Wahid, presented advice on key issues and questions raised by the committee, including progress on the LGA Corporate Peer Review Action Plan, readiness for service changes, and plans for parking enforcement. The Chief Executive also provided an update on the Corporate Peer Action Plan, noting limited responses from some political groups regarding input.