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Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 11th June, 2025 6.30 p.m.
June 11, 2025 View on council website Watch video of meeting Read transcript (Professional subscription required)Summary
The Tower Hamlets Overview & Scrutiny Committee met to discuss a report on hate crime reporting and the direct award of contracts for domiciliary care services. Councillor Abdi Mohamed presented a report on hate crime reporting, which was well-received by the committee, and the committee agreed to send it to the cabinet. The committee then moved into a closed session to discuss the Domiciliary Care Service Direct Award of Contract.
Hate Crime Reporting
Councillor Abdi Mohamed, scrutiny lead for community safety, presented a report on the hate crime reporting journey in Tower Hamlets. The report highlighted that while reported hate crime had decreased, underreporting remained a concern. Councillor Mohamed emphasised the importance of trust in the system, so that victims feel heard, believed, and supported when reporting hate crimes. The report included recommendations to expand access to third-party reporting centres, improve training for staff, strengthen data sharing, ensure timely follow-ups for victims and enhance engagement with schools and community organisations.
Councillor Abu, cabinet member for community safety, welcomed the suggestions and highlighted the council's No Place for Hate
campaign and the inclusion of the Ask for Angela campaign in the updated licensing policy.
Councillor Nathalie Bienfait asked about the suggestion of a reporting app, and whether it would be inclusive, given that digital inclusion can be a barrier to reporting. Councillor Mohamed responded that the app was suggested by a charity to encourage younger, digitally engaged people to report hate crime. He added that the report also recommended using council points of entry, such as libraries and sports centres, to ensure inclusivity.
Councillor Sabine Khan asked how the experiences of survivors of hate crime were evidenced in the report. Councillor Mohamed explained that he held a closed session with charities and people with lived experience to ensure their voices were included. He also mentioned plans to engage residents further through surveys.
Another councillor raised the issue of trust in the police and asked how the council could put pressure on them to improve. Councillor Mohamed suggested that the council's community safety team, which is separate from the police, could help rebuild trust. He also encouraged the cabinet member to raise the issue at the community safety partnership board. Councillor Abu said that he was happy to take it to the community safety partnership.
The committee agreed to send the report to the cabinet. It was also suggested that the report should be brought back to the committee in six months for a progress update.
Domiciliary Care Service Direct Award of Contract
The committee then moved on to discuss the Domiciliary Care Service Direct Award of Contract. Councillor Sabina Akhtar, lead member, introduced the item, explaining that the report was a follow-up to a previous meeting in December where the council's home care procurement had been abandoned. She stated that officers had managed to agree a two-year arrangement with the five contracted home care providers to ensure continuity of care.
Georgie Achimbini, corporate director of health, well-being and social adult care, added that the council had sought specialist legal advice and agreed on inflationary uplifts for the next two financial years. She also highlighted the council's requirements around zero-hour contracts and future plans for re-procurement, including co-production with providers and members, an emphasis on social value, trusted assessor arrangements, and digital solutions.
Jonathan, a legal representative, advised that the discussion would move into a closed session because the report contained significant allegations about supply and heavy-duty legal advice.
Councillor Amy Lee asked about the impact of the failed tender and interim arrangements on the council's plans for adult social care, particularly the manifesto commitment of free home care. Councillor Akhtar assured her that the free home care budget was separate and would not be affected. Councillor Lee also asked about digital changes, and whether they had been negotiated with the five providers as part of the interim arrangement. Georgie Achimbini clarified that these were aspirations for the new home procurement.
Councillor Khan asked about the cost implications of spot purchasing1. Georgie Achimbini responded that it was difficult to give a cost implication because rates may increase without a contract in place.
Councillor Abdou asked if any of the five suppliers had initially lost the contract and how the council would ensure the quality of service during this time. Georgie Achimbini believed that one provider had initially been unsuccessful, but that there had been no impact on the quality of care.
Julie Lorraine, who said it was her last day at the council, was asked about the cost of the PWC report2 that had been commissioned. She explained that the initial issue was flagged when a new Section 151 officer3 joined the council and commissioned an independent review of all third-party supplier payments against the contract register. She said that this identified a scale of spend that far exceeded the contract value.
The committee then moved into a restricted session to discuss the item further.
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Spot purchasing is when goods or services are bought on an ad hoc basis as and when they are needed, rather than through a pre-arranged contract. ↩
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PWC refers to PriceWaterhouseCoopers, a multinational professional services network. ↩
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A Section 151 officer is a statutory officer required by the Local Government Act 1972 to ensure the lawfulness and financial prudence of the council's activities. ↩
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