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:

12.1    Committee Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

12.2    Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny

(Agenda republished to include the update from the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on 16 November 2024)

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.

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:

13.1    Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny

(Agenda republished to include the update report from the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on 18 September 2024)

13.2    Committee 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.

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 Ketan Sheth had given his apologies for the meeting, the Mayor advised that the report on the activity of the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee would be noted as submitted.

The Mayor then invited Councillor Conneely as chair of the Resources & 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:

·            The work undertaken to finalise the Committee’s work programme for 2024-25 recognising its flexible, dynamic and broad ranging nature and engagement  of relevant stakeholders and the local community in its development.

·            The wide-ranging nature of scrutiny activity undertaken by the Committee since the last update, with key issues highlighted as an outcome of this work including:

Ø   The ongoing monitoring of Brent’s overall financial position based on detailed updates regarding the financial outturn position for 2022-23, current financial forecast and the medium-term financial outlook with the Council continuing to operate in a challenging financial environment with an uncertain funding outlook and the potential for significant ongoing spending pressures in demand-led services such as social care and homelessness.  As a  result, the Committee had recommended the continuation of lobbying efforts for the urgent reform of local government finance in order to provide local authorities with greater options for how they raised and spent resources (e.g. fiscal devolution options leading to more freedoms over local revenues such as 100% business rates retention and flexible use/spend of community infrastructure levy (CIL) monies) along with calling for an end to the privatisation of Children’s social care services and greater co-ordinated between local authorities in the commissioning of services designed to curb profiteering by private companies and create new insourcing opportunities.

Ø   The review of the initial year of operation of the new Grounds Maintenance Contract which had included contributions from local stakeholder groups and the Committee keen to encourage greater communication and collaboration between the new contractor and these groups as a result.  Other issues highlighted had been the need to provide a clearer outline of expected standards, performance, key achievements, challenges  and priorities within the Grounds Maintenance contract along with improved coordination between the verge cutting and street cleaning operations across the borough.

Ø   The review of the contribution being made through i4B Holdings Ltd (i4B) and First Wave Housing Ltd towards delivery of the Council’s strategic housing objectives and in contributing towards the provision of affordable housing.  This had resulted in the Committee highlighting a need  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14

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    Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee

12.2    Resources & Public Realm 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 the update report from the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on 3 July 2024)

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:

·             The Chair took the opportunity to thank those members who had stepped down at the end of the previous Municipal Year for the support provided during their time on the Committee and also to welcome those members who had subsequently joined the Committee.

·             The work being undertaken to finalise the Committee’s work programme for 2024-25 which, recognising its flexible and broad ranging nature, had already included engagement with Brent Youth Parliament to ensure the views of young people across the borough were included and planned engagement with a range of other key stakeholders including local health providers, housing, social care and the local community.

·             The significant work already undertaken by the Committee, since the start of the 2024-25 Municipal Year which had included a focus on the Annual School Standards and Achievement report, implementation of the Brent Carer’s Strategy and update on the Brent Reablement Service with options also being considered to provide a more localised focus for future scrutiny meetings and review activity.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Ketan Sheth for his update and then invited Councillor Conneely as chair of the Resources & 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:

·             The work also being undertaken to finalise the Committee’s work programme for 2024-25 which, again recognising its dynamic and broad ranging nature, the Chair was keen to ensure included engagement with relevant stakeholders and also input from the local community.

·             The wide-ranging nature of scrutiny activity undertaken by the Committee since the last update, with key issues highlighted as an outcome of this work including:

Ø   the need identified to address and provide a consistent methodology across London for assessing viability in relation to the delivery of affordable housing alongside stricter building standards and quality measures and more stringent targets for the delivery of affordable social housing;

Ø   the work being undertaken to develop a ‘Public Health’ approach towards delivery of the Safer Brent Community Safety Strategy, involving work with key partners to act earlier, identify wider support needs and improve interventions to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour, with a particular focus on knife crime aligned with regional and national strategies.

·             The ongoing focus and work of the Committee in seeking to encourage, where identified  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13