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

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 report from the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee on 4 July 2025)

Having returned the Mayor moved on to deal with the updates from each Scrutiny Committee Chair, reminding members that 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, he advised 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:

·            Having congratulated Councillor Bajwa on his appointment as Deputy Mayor, and welcoming Councillor Afzal as the newly appointed Vice-Chair on the Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Ketan Sheth updated members on the work being undertaken to finalise the Committee’s work programme for 2025-26 which, recognising its flexible and broad ranging nature, had included engagement with Brent Youth Parliament to ensure the views of young people across the borough were included as well as engagement with a range of other key stakeholders including local health providers, housing, social care and the local community.

·            The significant work undertaken by the Committee, since the start of the 2025-26 Municipal Year with the most recent meeting focussed on the Brent Safeguarding Adults Board (Multi-agency safeguarding arrangements) Annual Report 2024 - 25 and Brent Safeguarding Children Partnership (Multi-agency safeguarding arrangements) Annual Report 2024 – 25.  The Committee had been pleased to welcome the Independent Chairs of both Boards to the meeting with the  primary focus on the multi-agency partnership arrangements in place to address the various safeguarding challenges identified.

·            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, the Health Equity Programme and on the recent proposals regarding the restructuring of NHS England (NHSE) and impact of funding reductions to the Integrated Care Strategy and Board structure along with NorthWest London Planned Care Strategy and NHS Ten Year Plan.  Members were advised the work programme for the Joint Committee had also now been finalised for 2025-26 on which further updates would continue to be provided.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Ketan Sheth for his update and then, in the absence of Councillor Conneely (who it was noted had submitted apologies for absence at the meeting) invited Councillor Kennelly (as Vice Chair of the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee) to introduce the update report on the work being undertaken by that Committee with the following issues highlighted:

·            The wide-ranging nature of scrutiny activity undertaken by the Committee since the last update, as set out within the update report circulated with the agenda.  In noting the debate scheduled to take place on the introduction of a visitor levy, Councillor Kennelly highlighted this was a proposal which had also been considered and recommended by the Scrutiny Committee when considering the budget consultation proposals in previous years.

·            In addition, attention was drawn to the next meeting of the Committee which would be scrutinising the performance of the Council’s current housing repairs contractor as part of a broader review of complaints handling performance across the Council and tenant feedback arising from consideration of the 2023-34 Complaints Annual Report.

·            Other items scheduled for consideration as part of the Committee’s work programme during 2025-26 included an update on recycling initiatives and performance as well as ongoing monitoring of Brent’s overall financial position based on a detailed review of the current 2025-26 financial forecast. 

·            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 with members also advised of the establishment of a Scrutiny Task Group (chaired by Councillor Mitchell) which was shortly due to commence, on Kerbside Management and thanks expressed to members and other key stakeholders for their engagement to date.

The Mayor thanked Councillor Kennelly for the updated provided 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. The Mayor reminded members of the need to ensure that questions raised were focused on the updates provided or the work being undertaken by the relevant Committee.

As a result, Councillor Lorber took the opportunity to remind members of a recent call-in relating to Barham Park, which had been considered by the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee in April 25 and had included access to an exempt document relating to the valuation obtained on the modification to the restrictive covenant on 776-778 Harrow Road.  Councillor Lorber advised that his understanding was that the valuation had been produced shortly in advance of the Barham Park Trust Committee which had taken the decision to approve modification of the covenant that met in February 25 and had formed the basis of the subsequent call-in.  As a result of discussions with the owner of the site, however, Councillor Lorber now understood that the valuation had been agreed in advance of that timescale with clarification therefore sought on the timing of the valuation and whether this required further investigation by internal audit.

Given the nature of the issue raised, Councillor Kennelly advised (in response) that the clarification being sought would need to the followed up with officers and a written response provided given the matter was not one that fell directly within the remit or current work programme of the Scrutiny Committee.

With no further questions raised, the Mayor advised that he would move to the next item and thanked all members for their contribution.