Issue - meetings

To receive reports from the Chairs of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees in accordance with Standing Order 36.  The reports have been attached as follows:

11.1    Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

11.2    Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee

(Agenda republished to include Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee Chair’s Update report on 16 November 2022)

Members are asked to note that this session will include an opportunity (within the time available) for Non-Cabinet Members to ask questions of relevant Scrutiny Chair’s in relation to the remit of their Committees.

NOTED the update reports provided by the Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee and Chair of the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee.

Before being presented with the updates from each Scrutiny Committee, the Mayor reminded members the time set aside for this item was 12 minutes, with each Chair having up to three minutes in which to highlight any significant issues arising from the work of their Committees.  Once these updates had been provided, the remaining time available would then be opened up for any other non-Cabinet members to question (without the need for advance notice) the Scrutiny Committee Chairs on matters relating to the work of their Committee.

Councillor Ketan Sheth was then invited to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, with the following issues highlighted:

·            Key issues considered at the previous Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee had included a review of the Council’s Early Help Strategy and Family Wellbeing Centres, with Brent recognised as being ahead of the national debate on Early Help with the introduction of its hub model of service delivery.  In addition, the Committee had reviewed the impact arising from implementation of potential changes to the services for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) including the High Needs Funding Block, as set out within a recently published Green Paper.  The Committee had been keen to focus these reviews on the outreach support being provided for the most vulnerable families as well as the engagement with key partners and associated funding impacts.

·            In terms of the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) the committee remained focussed on the emerging priorities of the newly established North West London Integrated Care System (ICS), with the previous meeting having included a review and made a number of recommendations in relation to the primary care strategy and performance across North West London.  In addition, the Committee had reviewed and made recommendations in relation to Accident and Emergency Pathways and London Ambulance Service Performance across North West London before receiving an update on the Community based specialised Palliative Care Improvement Programme and work streams being progressed by the North West London ICS with the ongoing importance in scrutiny continuing to work in partnership with the NHS to ensure the best outcomes were being delivered for local residents again highlighted.

·            As a further update, members were also advised of the first meeting of the four acute provider Trusts in North West London which Brent had been pleased to host, given Councillor Ketan Sheth’s role as Chair of the North West London JHOSC.  It was felt this provided further evidence of the increasing collaboration between acute Trusts across North West London as well as highlighting Brent’s ambition to contribute towards and support the vital role of the NHS across North West London.

·            As a final update, Councillor Ketan Sheth also highlighted the progress being made by the Task Group establishment by the Committee to explore and review the use of social prescribing in Brent along with their participation in the Scrutiny Budget Task Group.

The Mayor thanked  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12

To receive reports from the Chairs of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees in accordance with Standing Order 36.  The reports have been attached as follows:

12.1    Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee

(Agenda republished to include Resources & Public Scrutiny Committee Update report on 13 September 2022)

12.2    Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

Members are asked to note that this session will include an opportunity (within the time available) for Non-Cabinet Members to ask questions of relevant Scrutiny Chair’s in relation to the remit of their Committees.

NOTED the update reports provided by the Vice-Chair of the Resources & Public Realm and Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committees.

A response was also provided by the Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee on the following additional question raised during the open session of this part of the meeting:

Councillor Kabir regarding engagement of the voluntary & community sector in the work being undertaken through the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee to review palliative and end of life care.

Before being presented with the updates from each Scrutiny Committee, the Mayor reminded members the time set aside for this item was 12 minutes, with each Chair having up to three minutes in which to highlight any significant issues arising from the work of their Committees.  Once these updates had been provided, the remaining time available would then be opened up for any other non-Cabinet members to question (without the need for advance notice) the Scrutiny Committee Chairs on matters relating to the work of their Committee.

As Councillor Conneely had given her apologies for the meeting, the Mayor invited Councillor Long as Vice-Chair of the Committee to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee, with the following issues highlighted:

·            The broad ranging nature of the Scrutiny Committee’s ongoing work programme for 2022-23.  This had included recent updates on the plans being developed to address the uncertainties and risks associated with the current level of economic and financial uncertainty as part of the Council’s budget setting process for 2023-24 and Medium Term Financial strategy alongside a progress update on delivery of the Council’s Digital Inclusion Strategy.

·            Other issues which had been subject to review included progress on implementation of the recommendations from the Baroness Casey review in relation to the management of events at Wembley following the UEFA Euro 2020 Final and on the actions being taken by the Council to support residents in managing the cost-of-living crisis.

·            These reviews had led to a number of recommendations and suggestions for improvements being made, progress against which was now being regularly monitored through a scrutiny tracker update.

·            As part of future reviews the Committee would be considering the Council’s grants programme at their next meeting alongside the Safer Brent Partnership Annual Report with Councillor Long also highlighting the commitment to maintain a watching brief on items scheduled for decision on the Council’s Forward Plan as part of the Committee maintaining a flexible work programme that remained responsive to the needs of members and local residents.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Long for her update and then invited Councillor Ketan Sheth as chair of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by that Committee.  The following issues were highlight as part of the update:

·            In reflecting on the period of national mourning following the death of HRH The Queen, Councillor Ketan Sheth began his update by advising of the decision taken to postpone the last meeting of the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC) which had been scheduled to take place in advance of the state funeral.  He confirmed this had now been rescheduled to meet in October.

·            Key issues considered at the previous JHOSC had been an update on emerging issues highlighted through the recently established Northwest London Integrated Care System, a review of proposals for an elective orthopaedic centre at Central Middlesex Hospital and new community diagnostic centres in North  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13

To receive reports from the Chairs of the Council’s Scrutiny Committees in accordance with Standing Order 36.  The reports have been attached as follows:

11.1       Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee

11.2       Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

Members are asked to note that this session will include an opportunity (within the time available) for Non-Cabinet Members to ask questions of relevant Scrutiny Chair’s in relation to the remit of their Committees.

(Agenda republished to include Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee update report on 8 July 2022)

NOTED the update reports provided by the Chairs of the Community and Wellbeing and Resources & Public Realm and Scrutiny Committees.

Responses were also provided by the relevant Scrutiny Chair on the following additional question raised during the open session of this part of the meeting:

·                Councillor Kansagra seeking an assurance regarding the opportunities that would be made available to opposition group members on each Scrutiny Committee to contribute towards the scrutiny process.

Before being presented with the updates from each Scrutiny Committee, the Mayor reminded members the time set aside for this item was 12 minutes, with each Chair having up to three minutes in which to highlight any significant issues arising from the work of their Committees.  Once these updates had been provided, the remaining time available would then be opened up for any other non-Cabinet members to question (without the need for advance notice) the Scrutiny Committee Chairs on matters relating to the work of their Committee.

Councillor Ketan Sheth was then invited to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, with the following issues highlighted:

·            Thanks were expressed on behalf of the Scrutiny Committee to both Gail Tolley and Shazia Hussain for their support of the Committee and scrutiny in general within Brent.

·            The broad ranging nature of the Scrutiny Committee’s work programme for 2022-23 which included items of strategic priority in terms of the Borough Plan; of concern to a significant proportion of the local community or which formed part of forthcoming policy reviews or new strategy being developed.  The work programme also included sufficient flexibility to respond to other issues as they arose throughout the year.  The first meeting of the new Municipal Year (held on 5 July 2022) had focussed on issues relating to adult social care including support for adult carers, updates on adult day care services and Brent’s shared living schemes as well as a review of end of life care services.

·            As part of its work programme for the year, members were advised that the Scrutiny Committee had also proposed to establish a Task Group focussed on social prescribing in health, on which a detailed scope was currently being prepared.

·            Updates on progress against the work programme would continue to be provided, with reference also made on the positive impact which the recommendations agreed as a result of the Task Group reviews undertaken by the previous Committee in relation to GP Access and Transitional Safeguarding were also having in respect of the services and local community.

·            Councillor Ketan Sheth ended by advising the Committee were looking forward to engaging with members across the Council as part of their work programme for the coming year to ensure scrutiny continued to add value and made a positive impact for residents across the borough.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Ketan Sheth for his update and then invited Councillor Connelly as the newly appointed chair of the Resources and Public Realm Scrutiny Committee to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by that Committee.  The following issues were highlight as part of the update:

·            In welcoming all new members serving on the scrutiny function, the broad ranging and dynamic nature of the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny work programme was also highlighted along with the lead being taken in establishing the Scrutiny Task Group to review the Council’s budget proposals.

·            Key issues already identified for review as part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12