Agenda item

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.

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:

·             Issue considered at the last meeting of the Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee had been focused around Children and Young People including an overview of SEND provision in Brent and Early Years Provision and progress being made towards meeting the expansion of childcare entitlements.  Both items had provided an enhanced understanding on how the Council continued to deliver services for children and young people along with the pressures schools and other providers were facing both financially and in relation to resources as they prepared for the planned expansion of childcare entitlements.

·             The review of SEND provision across the borough had highlighted current levels of need in terms of the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP) and associated pressure on the Council to assess each child and ensure the appropriate packages of support were available, recognising the increasingly complex nature of need being identified.  Despite the challenges identified, the Committee had also been pleased to recognise the work being undertaken to maximise the support available to children and young people with SEND, including both inclusive and specialist educational provision along with the progress in delivery of the SEND capital programme which aimed to provide more than four hundred local SEND places.  Areas for improvement identified had included the gap for post-sixteen provision, which members were advised the new post-sixteen skills and resource centre in Welsh Harp would help to address, and the continued work being carried out to reduce the waiting times for families applying for an EHCP on which the Committee had agreed to continue monitoring developments and progress.

·             In terms of Early Years provision and progress being made towards meeting the expansion of childcare entitlements the Committee had received an update on the borough-wide response focussed around the provision by independent nurseries or childminders and Council’s supporting role.  The Committee had been pleased to note the range of excellent provision already on offer along with the contribution early years providers made to the borough, with members reassured that Brent had prepared for the expansion and was supporting providers and the parent carer experience.  The review undertaken by the Committee also included evidence from a voluntary agency nursery manager and an early years childminder who both not only thanked the Early Years Team and the Inclusion Team for their support but also explained what additional support they required moving forward and provided suggestions to make Brent’s offer even more comprehensive.

·             The focus of the next meeting on Housing as a theme, with updates including the performance and resident satisfaction of i4B and First Wave Housing, an annual update from Brent Housing Management and the current status of the Temporary Accommodation and Homeless Prevention services.

·             The ongoing and active engagement of the Committee in the work of the North West London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee Brent, which Councillor Ketan Sheth continued to Chair.  This had included a review of proposals relating to Palliative Care, a new Mental Health strategy for North West London and a continued focus around Primary Care Access with upcoming reviews including the North West London NHS Winter Campaign and Health Equity Programme.

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.  Having congratulated Councillor Hack on his appointment as Deputy Mayor, the following issues were highlight as part of the update:

·             The wide-ranging nature of scrutiny activity undertaken by the Committee since the last update, with key reviews including:

Ø   Ongoing monitoring of Brent’s overall financial position based on a detailed review of the current 2024-25 financial forecast.  This had highlighted a total forecasted overspend of £14.8m, consisting of £0.4m against the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and £14.4m against the General Fund revenue budget with the main pressures identified related to ongoing spending pressures in demand-led services such as social care and costs associated with homelessness and provision of Temporary Accommodation.  Members had also sought further clarification on a newly identified budgetary risk for 2024-25 related to ‘Supported Exempt Accommodation’ with the Committee keen to maintain an overview on the action being taken to mitigate against the pressures identified and effectiveness of control mechanisms as part of their ongoing monitoring process.

Ø   The collection, allocation, and spend of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) and Section 106 Agreement contributions.  Having received an update on the allocation process, further clarification had been sought on the effectiveness of the process given concerns highlighted in relation to the utilisation of available funds in meeting borough plan priorities and addressing local needs.  Whilst recognising the current constraints on use of SCIL and S106 funding, the Committee had been keen to encourage a more proactive and creative approach towards the use of available and unallocated funding with members supporting ongoing lobbying to allow for a more flexible use of the funding being generated.

·             The ongoing focus and work of the Committee in seeking to encourage, where identified as required, change and improvements in the way services were being delivered for local communities across the borough involving all relevant stakeholders including a focus in the new Year on the Safer Brent Partnership Annual Report and People Strategy.

·             The thanks expressed to members and other key stakeholders for their engagement to date in the Scrutiny Budget Task Group which Council was advised had now commenced its review of the Councils draft budget proposals 2025-26.

The Mayor thanked Councillors Ketan Sheth and Conneely for presenting their updates, and it was RESOLVED that the contents of both reports be noted.

Following the updates provided, the Mayor advised that the remainder of time available would be open for questions from non-cabinet members to the Scrutiny Chairs.  As no questions were raised, the Mayor thanked the Scrutiny Chair’s for their contribution and moved to the next item.