Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 11 June 2024 6.30 pm

June 11, 2024 View on council website Watch video of meeting
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Summary

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Harrow Council met on Tuesday 11 June 2024 to discuss key issues including the Youth Justice Plan and Housing Improvement and Regulatory Changes. The committee reviewed the Youth Justice Plan for 2024-2027 and the Housing Regulation Report, providing feedback and requesting further data on several points.

Youth Justice Plan

The committee received the Youth Justice Plan Report 2024-2027, which outlines how the Local Authority will deliver and finance youth justice services in Harrow, in line with the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The committee noted that Harrow Youth Justice Service had met outcomes and delivered positively against national indicators, including reducing first-time entrants into the criminal justice system, reducing re-offending by children and young people, and reducing the use of custody for children.

Key points raised included:

  • Performance Indicators: Members expressed difficulty in judging the performance of the Youth Justice Service without performance indicators and questioned when these would be released by the Youth Justice Board. They were informed that the release date was unknown and that this was a national issue.
  • IT Transition Risks: Concerns were raised about the risks related to transitioning information technology services. The committee was assured that a dedicated team was working on the IT transition, with risk mitigating measures including testing and training.
  • Impact of Additional Police Constable: The addition of one extra Police Constable (PC) had brought numerous positive changes, such as a reduction in re-offending and more support for victims. The PCs were also able to attend school assemblies more frequently, giving talks to young persons.
  • Youth Offending Data: While the plan provided a positive picture of the reduction in youth offending, some councillors observed that youth offending in Harrow appeared to be worsening. The committee was informed that the data on reduced youth offences was obtained from the Police, which was considered accurate.
  • Support for Youth Mental Health and Child Sexual Exploitation: Questions were raised about additional support for youth mental health and child sexual exploitation amidst budgetary constraints. The committee was informed that the Council contributed the largest sum to the youth services budget, showing the Administration’s commitment to youth programmes.
  • Support for Young Adults Post-18: The committee was informed that while there was a difference in support for post-18 young persons, dedicated Probation Officers managed the transition until they turned 25-years-old.

The committee requested more detailed data on outcomes of programmes, including waiting times for key services such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

Housing Improvement and Regulatory Changes

The committee reviewed the Housing Regulation Report, which outlined changes to the regulation of registered providers of social housing by the Regulator of Social Housing and the Housing Ombudsman. The report also provided an update on the Council’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures for 2023/2024 and the Housing Complaints Performance for 2023/2024.

Key points raised included:

  • Complaint Handling Satisfaction: Members questioned whether the satisfaction rate of around 50% to 60% was acceptable. The committee was informed that Harrow was benchmarked against other local authorities, and while there was room for improvement, the current rate was consistent with broader trends.
  • Benchmarking Data: The committee was informed that benchmarking data would be available in the Autumn but would not be ranked.
  • Qualifications for Housing Officers: Questions were raised about the impact of new Government regulations requiring housing officers to hold certain qualifications. The committee was informed that this applied to officers with managerial responsibility, and some officers in Harrow already held the requisite qualifications.
  • Engagement with Residents’ and Tenants’ Associations: The committee requested that data on engagement with residents’ and tenants’ associations be included in future Council’s Tenant Satisfaction Measures and Housing Complaints Performance Reports.

The committee resolved to refer their comments to Cabinet for consideration.

For more details, you can refer to the Printed minutes of the meeting.