This week in Newham:

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the Council's performance as a social landlord following a critical inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing, reviewed the Council's performance against its Building a Fairer Newham plan, and considered a report on meeting the needs of a growing and ageing population.
• The Officer Key Decision meeting approved the sale of 28 council-owned properties to raise money for Homes for Residents and other core priorities, citing financial pressures caused by the government.
• The Cabinet meeting approved the disposal of land for the development of 9 new homes by a Community Land Trust and the sale of Debden House and Campsite, a large asset in Epping Forest.
• The Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss the ongoing transition of responsibility for specialised healthcare services from NHS England to the local Integrated Care Board.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the licence of a shop in Forest Gate that sold alcohol outside of its permitted hours.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 05 November 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to consider a wide-ranging agenda, including a review of Newham Council’s performance as a social landlord, a review of the Council’s progress on delivering its corporate plan, and the approval of a report about how to meet the demands of population growth. As we have seen in previous emails, Newham faces a number of challenges, including a significant budget shortfall, a shortage of affordable housing, and an ageing population.

Regulator of Social Housing Inspection

The committee received a report about Newham Council's strategy, plans, and actions to keep residents of its social housing safe. The inspection was undertaken following a referral by the Housing Ombudsman, who found maladministration in the way that the council had handled a number of complaints about damp and mould in its properties. The Housing Ombudsman published a special report on damp and mould in June 2023, following a sharp increase in the number of complaints it received about this issue.

Councils are required to meet the 'consumer standards' set out by the Regulator of Social Housing. These standards cover a range of issues, including the quality of homes, the way that repairs are carried out, and how tenants are treated. The Regulator has the power to take enforcement action against councils that fail to meet these standards.

Building a Fairer Newham Performance Report

The committee considered a report on the council’s performance against its “Building a Fairer Newham” corporate plan, which had been approved at the Council meeting on 13 December 2023.

The plan sets out a vision for Newham to be “a place where everyone can thrive”. It identifies eight priorities for the council:

1. Homes for Newham
2. A Safer Newham
3. A Healthier Newham
4. A Fairer Newham
5. A Greener Newham
6. Children and Young People
7. Support for Adults
8. A Well-Run Council

Each priority is underpinned by a number of commitments that set out what the council will do to achieve its objectives. The performance report reviewed the council's progress against these commitments and identified areas of good performance as well as areas where the council needed to do more.

The report is an important document for anyone who wants to understand how the council is performing and what its priorities are.

Meeting Newham’s Future Needs

The committee also considered a report on how the council is planning to meet the needs of a growing and aging population. As we have seen in previous emails, Newham's population is projected to grow significantly in the coming years. The report highlights a number of challenges that this growth will bring, including increased demand for housing, schools, and health and social care services. These challenges will need to be addressed in the context of a challenging financial environment for local government.

The report sets out a number of recommendations for how the council can address these challenges. These include:

• Building more homes, including affordable homes;
• Investing in schools and early years provision;
• Improving access to health and social care services;
• Creating jobs and opportunities for residents; and
• Making Newham a more sustainable and resilient borough.

Officer Key Decision - Wednesday 06 November 2024

The Officer Key Decision meeting approved the sale of 28 council-owned properties. As we have seen in previous emails, Newham Council is facing a significant budget shortfall. The report considered at this meeting explained that this was partly due to factors beyond its control, such as central government funding cuts. It explained that rising interest rates were making it more difficult for the council to borrow money to fund its capital programme, which includes plans to build new council homes.

Cabinet - Tuesday 05 November 2024

This meeting of the Cabinet considered a wide range of items, including proposals to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, to improve sexual and reproductive health services in the borough, and to improve the borough's cycling infrastructure. The Cabinet also made a significant decision regarding the future of Debden House and Campsite, agreeing to sell this large asset, which is located in Epping Forest.

The Cabinet received a report on the performance of Newham's Children's Services department. A report published by Ofsted following an inspection in May 2023 found that services for children in need of help and protection in Newham were 'requires improvement to be good', noting that services for children in need of help and protection, including those in care, have deteriorated since the last inspection.

The report explained that the council is seeking to reduce its reliance on expensive forms of temporary accommodation for looked after children by acquiring and refurbishing its own properties. This approach is intended to improve the lives of children in care as well as delivering better value for money for Newham residents.

The Cabinet also received a report on the performance of the council's sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. The report explained that the council was legally required to commission these services for residents and that the existing contract was due to expire in 2025.

The report also highlighted the importance of providing high quality, accessible SRH services, noting that Newham had a higher than average rate of sexually transmitted infections.

Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (INEL JHOSC) - Wednesday 06 November 2024

The INEL JHOSC is a joint committee of four London Boroughs, Newham, Hackney, Waltham Forest and Tower Hamlets, that scrutinises the work of the NHS in North East London.

The committee received a report on the ongoing transition of responsibility for specialised services from NHS England to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs). ICBs are new statutory bodies that have been created to join up health and care services at a local level. They are responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of their local population and for allocating resources to NHS organisations and local authorities to deliver these services.

The report highlighted the financial challenges facing the NHS in North East London, noting that there were long waiting lists for many services and that the NHS was struggling to recruit and retain staff.

The committee discussed the best way to scrutinise this transition, and agreed to write to the ICB to request further information about its plans.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Wednesday 06 November 2024

This meeting was scheduled to consider an application from Newham Council's Licensing Enforcement Team to review the licence of Asona, a shop in Forest Gate that sells alcohol. The Licensing Act 2003 gives local authorities powers to regulate the sale of alcohol in their areas, with the aim of preventing crime and disorder, public nuisance, and protecting children from harm.

This week in Newham:

• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee met on Monday to discuss an application from Cheers Bar Lounge in Stratford to vary its licence and received a representation objecting to the application from Councillor Carolyn Corben.
• The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to scrutinise a report on meeting the borough's future health and care needs, review 0-19 Health Services, follow-up on leisure services, and consider adult safeguarding.
• The Local Development Committee was scheduled to meet on Monday to consider two planning applications, including a proposal to turn a former care home in Forest Gate into co-living accommodation.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to consider an application for a new premises licence for EADN London in Canning Town.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Monday 28 October 2024

The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee of Newham Council met to consider an application to vary a premises licence. The application relates to Cheers Bar Lounge, located at 5-9 Leytonstone Road, Stratford.

Application to vary the licence of Cheers Bar Lounge

Mr Muhammad Afzal Khan & Mr Wiqas Afzal Khan, the current licence holders of Cheers Bar Lounge at 5-9 Leytonstone Road in Stratford, applied to vary the existing premises licence. The application requested no changes to the hours and for the addition of extra conditions that had been agreed with the police and responsible authorities.¹

The report notes that where premises lie within a Cumulative Impact Zone (CIZ), there is a rebuttable presumption that applications for a new premises licence or club certificate or variations in respect of such premises would normally be refused, unless the applicant can demonstrate in their operating schedule that there will be no negative impact on one or more of the licensing objectives. The report explains that because the application relates to premises within a CIZ, members of the Sub-Committee would need to be satisfied that the applicant has demonstrated this.

A representation objecting to the application was received from Councillor Carolyn Corben, who represents the Maryland ward in which the bar is situated. Councillor Corben objected to the application on behalf of [her]self and Maryland residents on the grounds that:

I have had residents report to me issues of public safety and public nuisance - ASB including street drinking, smashed glass all over the pavement, vomiting and fighting.

Councillor Corben urged the Sub-Committee:

to only grant a license until midnight Thursday to Saturday to minimise the chances of public nuisance, crime and disorder.

Councillor Corben also expressed concern that the area outside the bar was not suitable for use as an outdoor drinking area because:

You can see how narrow the pavement is here... I am concerned that people, women in particular, making their way by foot from Stratford to Maryland have to walk here on what is a narrow pavement anyway and I'd be concerned they may feel intimidated / harassed and possibly feel the need to cross the road, which is not easy at this point.

The report notes that the premises at 5-9 Leytonstone Road have been the subject of previous licensing reviews and enforcement action. It says that on 3rd August 2012 & 21st September 2012 the off licence located at 5 Leytonstone Road failed two test purchases where alcohol was sold outside their permitted hours. This resulted in the licence being reviewed and, following a decision by the Licensing Sub-Committee on 16 November 2012, suspended for 8 weeks and new conditions imposed on the licence.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 29 October 2024

This meeting of Newham Council’s Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to consider a range of topics across the health and care landscape. Scheduled topics included a review of 0-19 Health Services and the presentation of a scrutiny report on the capacity of Newham’s health and care system to meet the anticipated demands of population growth, with a particular focus on how services will meet the needs of an ageing population, as well as a follow-up on the Leisure in Newham workstream that commenced in July. In addition to these key items, the committee was also scheduled to receive a verbal update on emerging matters across the health and care system.

Local Development Committee - Monday 28 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to involve the consideration of two planning applications.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Tuesday 29 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to discuss an application for a new premises licence for EADN London, located at 24 Stephenson Street in Canning Town. The licence would cover a range of activities including the supply of alcohol, live and recorded music, performances of dance and the provision of late-night refreshments. The application was submitted by Cezen 4 Ltd.

This week in Newham:

• The Council approved a motion on the Temporary Accommodation crisis and a motion in support of house building.
• The SACRE congratulated Claire Clinton, and others involved with the Student RE Matters project, for winning a London-wide Interfaith Award.
• The Newham Pensions Board confirmed that the Newham Pension Fund will adopt a new communications strategy from April 2025.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to discuss whether to revoke the licence of, or change the conditions on the licence for, a restaurant in Forest Gate.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee considered an application for a new premises licence for Deccan Bahar Ltd at 79 Green Street in Forest Gate.

Council - Monday 21 October 2024

This meeting of the Council was themed around Newham's Temporary Accommodation (TA) crisis, a recurring theme at Council meetings. As we saw in the previous email, the projected cost of temporary accommodation is a major contributor to the £175 million budget shortfall that the Council is facing over the next three years, a figure that was confirmed by Mayor Fiaz in her opening speech.

The Mayor announced two new cabinet appointments relating to housing, with Councillor Arma Verde becoming the new Cabinet Member for Housing Need, Homelessness and Private Rented Sector and Councillor Blossom Young becoming the new Cabinet Member for Housing Landlord and Tenant Experience Improvements. The Mayor thanked Councillor Shabbat Mohammed for his four years of service as Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Modernisation; Housing Needs, Homelessness and the Private Rented Sector.

Newham's Temporary Accommodation Crisis

Councillor Shaban Mohammed explained the challenges the council is facing:

During the last 14 years local government has been facing a funding crisis especially in Housing, ASC, and children’s services

Councillor Mohammed also highlighted the rising cost of nightly paid accommodation, which has increased by 70% over the last year. He explained the council's current approach to mitigating the financial cost of temporary accommodation:

The Council has introduced a range of interventions to help residents maintain tenancies. These include the use of Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs)¹ to help prevent homelessness, employing tenancy liaison officers to assist private tenants experiencing illegal eviction or harassment, introducing specialist housing pathway officers to support residents with complex needs, and embedding housing officers within the Welcome Newham Team² to assist asylum seekers in finding accommodation.

Councillor Sarah Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Children Services and Education, made a speech highlighting the impact of temporary accommodation on children:

She stated that a recent upturn in malnutrition amongst children experiencing homelessness was due to a lack of cooking facilities in nightly paid accommodation.

Councillor Blossom Young, Cabinet Member for Housing Landlord and Tenant Experience Improvements, spoke about the limited number of properties the council has available to let to those on its housing waiting list:

She noted that Trust for London³ recorded that Newham built the second-highest number of affordable homes and the third-highest number of homes overall between 2020 to 2023. However, the scale of demand is such thatwe must go further and faster".

Addressing Newham's Housing Crisis

Councillor Nate Higgins, Leader of the Green Group, proposed a motion calling for the Labour Government to scrap the Right to Buy scheme⁴, give the Mayor of London powers to work with councils to develop rent controls, and reform council tax to ensure that the owners of the most valuable properties pay the most.

Councillor Danny Keeling, Deputy Leader of the Green Group, seconded the motion.

He argued that it is a stain on our society that we rely on charities to support homeless people. He stated that, In effect it was a single transfer of wealth to a single generation leaving future generations much worse off, and argued that Right to Buy must be scrapped.

Councillor Jenny Keeling proposed an amendment to Councillor Higgins' motion that called for the introduction of a task and finish commission on TA, rather than the task force proposed in the motion. The amendment also called for the extension of the landlord licensing scheme to the Stratford Olympic Park and Royal Victoria wards. The amendment fell.

Councillor Keeling, on behalf of Councillor Higgins, made a right of reply speech that drew attention to the 2022 Labour Manifesto, which included pledges to end Right to Buy, introduce rent controls and increase the proportion of social housing in new developments. The motion fell.

Newham Temporary Accommodation Crisis

Councillor John Gray proposed a motion calling for a task force to address the TA crisis in Newham.

The motion noted that Newham is arguably the worst TA situation in the country and that the Council is in danger of bankruptcy due to rising TA costs, which could mean that the Council needs to find a further £175m in savings over the next three years.

Councillor Shaban Mohammed seconded the motion, highlighting the impact of 14 years of Tory austerity.

Councillor Jenny Keeling proposed an amendment to Councillor Gray's motion, replacing references to a task force with references to a task and finish commission, arguing that the Council needs more scrutiny and transparency. She also called for the extension of the landlord licensing scheme to the Stratford Olympic Park and Royal Victoria wards. The amendment fell.

The motion passed.

In Support of House Building and Endorsement of the Labour Government's Approach

Councillor John Morris proposed a motion in support of housebuilding and endorsement of the Labour government's approach, which noted that 50% of Newham's children live in poverty and that the borough's population is projected to grow to 422,200 by 2030.

The motion argued that, building more housing of all tenures, with a particular focus on social rent housing and other affordable housing types, must be an urgent priority. The motion acknowledged that NIMBYism can be a barrier to housing development, but argued that the needs of society must be balanced against the concerns of local residents.

The motion condemned the Green Party for opposing housing developments in North Hertfordshire, Bristol and Maidenhead, as well as solar farms in several areas. It also celebrated the Labour government's decision to establish Great British Energy.

Councillor Blossom Young seconded the motion, praising the Council's efforts to address the housing crisis.

The motion passed.

Authority to Exempt

The Council approved a dispensation for Councillor Mohammed Gani to be exempted from attending council meetings until 20 April 2025 due to ill health.

SACRE - Wednesday 23 October 2024

This meeting of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) began with an update on the Student RE Matters project. The committee were particularly pleased to hear that the project had recently won a London-wide Interfaith Award.

Schools Engagement with RE Offers

The committee considered the level of engagement by the borough's schools with the RE support and training offered by RE Matters.

It was noted that attendance at meetings held for secondary schools was poor. Claire Clinton, RE Advisor for Newham, said that she believed that this was due to a number of factors, including the cost of providing cover for teachers to attend meetings, the increasing workload of teachers, and the fact that many secondary schools are now employing non-specialist teachers to teach RE. She said that she was confident that the recordings of meetings were being accessed by teachers, and that this was a valuable way of disseminating information and training.

Some subjects then stopped completely. So history haven’t had a network for 15 years, geography haven’t had a network for 15 years. There’s all sorts of places that don’t, subjects that don’t have networks because of that decision 15 years ago.

It was agreed that the committee would track who accesses recordings of meetings to get a more accurate understanding of the reach of the sessions.

SACRE Annual Self-Evaluation Toolkit and Actions

The committee split into groups to review their annual self-evaluation using the SACRE Self-Assessment Tool.

They concluded that they were performing at an Advanced level in all areas. They did, however, make some recommendations for how the committee could improve.

2024/2025 Draft SACRE Priorities

The committee considered their priorities for the coming year, as listed in the Draft SACRE Priorities for 2024-25 document. They agreed to add two new priorities:

• To conduct a pupil survey about RE
• To provide more support and training to schools that are not part of RE Matters.

Other Business

The committee discussed a letter from the Local Authority requesting that a Roman Catholic representative be appointed to the Education, Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission. It was agreed that the committee should write to Dr Stephen Saxby, who is the SACRE's Roman Catholic representative, to ask if he would be prepared to take on the role.

Newham Pensions Board - Tuesday 22 October 2024

This meeting of the Newham Pensions Board was about the administration of the Newham Pension Fund.

Performance of the LPPA

The board were informed that the Local Pension Partnership Administration (LPPA)'s service level agreement performance for the most recent quarter was 98.1%, against a target of 95%. The average wait time for members calling the LPPA call centre was 2 minutes and 27 seconds, well below the 4 minute target.

There was some discussion of the risk register.

Councillor Terry expressed concern that the risk register did not show what the target risk levels were.

James Cocks, Head of People Transactional Services for OneSource, explained that they would be reviewed by the end of the financial year, and new target risk levels would be included in the updated register.

We would like to see the target risk come down, wouldn’t we? If we’re saying we’re currently at 2D, we’re now going to put in to place these mitigating controls around the enlightened system, then we should be then actually saying so as a result of doing that, we’ve managed to reduce the risk level.

Administration and Legislative Update

The board discussed the progress of several ongoing pieces of work that were taking place at the LPPA. This included the implementation of the McCloud Remedy⁵, an update to the LGPS to correct age discrimination.

The McCloud remedy is a legal judgement that found that changes to the way that pensions were calculated in public sector schemes unfairly discriminated against younger workers. The remedy requires all schemes to compensate those workers who were discriminated against.

The board heard that LPPA had identified 5,446 records that might need to be updated.

That does not mean that we will be paying out anywhere near that number of uplift figures.

The board also heard that the implementation of the Pensions Dashboard⁶ was moving along well.

The Pensions Dashboard is an online portal that will enable people to view all of their pension entitlements in one place. The dashboard is due to be launched in 2026.

The meeting also discussed the impact of the removal of the Exit Cap⁷ on the scheme.

The Exit Cap was a legal limit on the amount of money that could be paid to a public sector worker when they left their job. The Exit Cap was removed in 2021.

The board approved the content of the LPPA's Administration and Legislative Update.

Communications Policy

The board discussed the adoption of the Newham Pension Fund Communications Policy for 2025-2028. The policy sets out how the fund will communicate with its members and employers. It was noted that the policy included the use of both web and paper communications, to reflect the fact that some members did not have access to the internet. Councillor Terry also requested that information about the 50/50 scheme⁸ be included in the materials provided to members.

The 50/50 scheme allows members to pay half of their normal pension contributions in exchange for receiving half of their normal pension benefits.

The board approved the policy and its accompanying communications schedules.

Action Log

The meeting reviewed the Newham Pension Board Action Log. A number of action points were reviewed. It was noted that action points PB064 and PB065 would remain open.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Thursday 24 October 2024

This meeting of the Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to be about whether to revoke the licence of, or change the conditions on the licence for, a restaurant in Forest Gate. The restaurant was alleged to have breached a number of its licensing conditions.

Review of Premises Licence for Bronze Royale, 319 Romford Road, Forest Gate, E7 9HA

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the premises licence of Bronze Royale.

The application from the police was made on the grounds that the bar had failed to uphold the licensing objectives of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

The Council Licensing Team report states that:

a licensing inspection was carried out on 19 August 2024. The inspection found that the restaurant had allegedly breached a number of the conditions on its licence, that the restaurant was allegedly operating outside of its permitted hours, and that the designated premises supervisor was allegedly present while these breaches were taking place.

The Sub-Committee was also scheduled to consider a representation from Minhaj Ul Quran International, the mosque opposite the restaurant.

We have serious concerns about the appropriateness of allowing a bar to operate in such close proximity to a religious institution. A place of worship should be treated with respect, and having a bar directly across from our mosque is deeply inappropriate and offensive to the values we uphold.

The representation describes significant noise disturbances, public intoxication, prostitutes and illegally parked cars.

Confirmation of Procedure

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to confirm the procedure for the meeting.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Wednesday 23 October 2024

The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee of Newham Council met to consider an application for a new premises licence for Deccan Bahar Ltd at 79 Green Street in Forest Gate. The application requested late night refreshment service every day from 23:00 to 02:00 the following day, with opening hours every day from 12:00 to 02:00.

Deccan Bahar Premises Licence Application

This was the first time that Deccan Bahar had applied for a licence under the Licensing Act 2003 for these premises.

The meeting report pack contains representations from the Council's Commercial Environmental Health and Licensing Enforcement Teams, as well as from local residents, all of which object to the application.

Representations from Council Teams and Local Residents

Newham Council's Commercial Environmental Health Team objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance.

They noted in their report that two local households had submitted noise complaints about the premises.

I Would like to bring into your notice that (79 green street E7 8JF) newly opened restaurant (Deccan Bahar) making too much noise late night everyday. Also highly affected street light. We are the (address redacted) too much disturbing during late time till 1am in the early morning

-- Local Resident, in a representation submitted to Newham Council, 26 August 2024

The Council Licensing Enforcement Team also submitted a representation, objecting to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public nuisance, the protection of children from harm and public safety. They reported that they had observed the premises serving customers inside and taking food orders over the phone at 23:36 on 20 September 2024, despite the applicant not having a licence to trade after 23:00.

Both the Commercial Environmental Health and Licensing Enforcement Teams noted that they had observed chairs placed on the public highway outside the premises. They reported that the manager of the restaurant had told them that the chairs were for customers who were waiting for a table. The Head of Network Management at Newham Council was reported to have confirmed that no application for tables and chairs to be placed on the highway had been submitted.

This week in Newham:

• The Cabinet meeting was cancelled.
• The Pensions Committee met to receive updates on the Newham Pension Fund's investments, business plan, and administration.
• The Strategic Development Committee approved the construction of a data centre in Canning Town, subject to a Section 106 agreement.
• The Crime, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission scrutinized the performance of its community safety partnership, reviewed police stop and search data, and looked at plans for a new youth safety strategy and a new community safety enforcement model.
• The Officer Key Decision meeting approved the procurement of water, wastewater and ancillary services for the council.

Pensions Committee - Wednesday 16 October 2024

This meeting of the Pensions Committee was scheduled to discuss a number of updates on the administration of the Newham Pension Fund, its business plan, and investment strategy. It was also scheduled to receive a report on the global economic outlook from Fathom Financial Consulting.¹

Investment Strategy Update

The Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the investment strategy, including the performance of the Fund's investments. A report on the Funding Update Q2 was scheduled to be noted.

The Committee was scheduled to be asked to agree the Scheme Investment Adviser’s (SIA) recommendation to appoint the London CIV² Global Equity Value Fund. The SIA's recommendation is set out in the summary report included in appendix 3 of the main report. It provides information on Wellington Management Company³ investment process, performance and why they were chosen. This new fund was to be funded by a reduction in the allocation to the LCIV Global Focus Fund and the LGIM Paris Aligned Global passive equity fund.

Business Plan Update

This report was scheduled to provide an update to members on the Newham Pension Fund's 2024/25 business plan and the progress that has been made since the last meeting held on 24th July 2024.

A key topic scheduled to be covered in the report was the government's Pensions Investment Review, which was launched in August 2024. The Chancellor requested input from stakeholders on how to boost investment, increase pension pots, and tackle waste in the pensions system. The committee was scheduled to consider the Fund's response to this request. The response was to be prepared following meetings with the LCIV and input from the Society of London Treasurers⁴ (SLT) as well as the Scheme Investment Adviser (SIA).

The Committee was also scheduled to receive an update on the LCIV. The update was to include a report on the activity of the Fund and changes to sub-fund launches, along with a staffing update. The report notes that:

The LCIV Annual Conference was held on 4/5 September and was attended by the Chair of the PC and officers.

The meeting was also scheduled to be asked to agree the Draft Pension Fund Annual Report 2024-25. This report includes the Pension Fund Accounts 2024-25, which also form part of the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2024-25.

Pensions Administration Update

This report was scheduled to provide an update to members on the administration of the Newham Pension Fund. It was to include:

• An update on the McCloud remedy
• An update on the Exit Cap
• An update on the Pensions Dashboard
• Performance data from LPPA
• An update on The Pensions Regulator's new Code of Practice
• An update from the Newham Pension Board
• Membership Data
• A report on the cessation of Mitie Ltd⁵ as an employer of the Pension Fund.

The report states that:

The Pensions Regulator had released its long awaited single code of practice on the governance of pension schemes which was laid out before Parliament on 10th January 2024. It merged all 10 of the previous codes into one set of guidance for governance and administration of a pension scheme and came into effect in March.

The Committee was scheduled to be asked to note the administration updates and the Performance data from LPPA.

Strategic Development Committee - Tuesday 15 October 2024

This meeting of Newham Council's Strategic Development Committee included applications to determine planning permission at four sites in the borough, and considered the minutes of two previous meetings.

Land at Former EMR Site, Bidder Street, Canning Town

The most significant item on the agenda was an application for planning permission by IXDS Limited to build a data centre at the Land at Former EMR Site, Bidder Street, Canning Town. This is a 1.98 hectare site that was previously occupied by European Metal Recycling, but is currently vacant. The proposed data centre would be 72.3 metres tall, and would include ancillary office space, a plant building and an energy centre. It was recommended for approval subject to a Section 106 agreement to secure a number of benefits for the local community.

The former EMR site is on land designated by Newham Council as a Strategic Industrial Location¹ and a Strategic Site. Newham Council's policies on Strategic Industrial Locations² seek to protect them from development that could take place elsewhere, particularly where this would involve the loss of existing industrial floorspace. The council requires that any loss of industrial floorspace from Strategic Industrial Locations must be compensated for by equivalent or better provision elsewhere, and must lead to a net increase in jobs.

Because the application would lead to the loss of waste management capacity, it had been opposed by the Environment Agency, but the applicant had subsequently agreed to relocate the existing waste management facility to 6 Factory Road, so the Environment Agency withdrew its objection. The Greater London Authority had also identified a number of concerns about the proposal, particularly the height of the data centre, which is significantly taller than envisaged in the Local Plan. These concerns were to be addressed through a Section 106 agreement.

The Section 106 agreement would secure a number of benefits for the local community. These include £4.08 million for a Data Economy Programme designed to improve the skills of Newham residents and help them get better jobs, £1.625 million for a Digital Connectivity Strategy, and a commitment to provide 35% of construction jobs and 50% of end-user jobs to Newham residents. The Section 106 agreement would also secure a financial contribution of £520,000 towards the Canning Town Station Improvements, £1 million towards the delivery of the Mayer Parry Bridge, and £200,000 towards the provision of pedestrian routes. The applicant also agreed to enter into a ‘Car Free’ agreement to prevent employees parking in the Canning Town Controlled Parking Zone.

The proposed data centre would be built to BREEAM Excellent standards, and would include a district heating plant that would utilise waste heat from the operation of the data centre. A connection to this network would be offered to the neighbouring residential development at the Crown Wharf site (a Barratt Development) and potentially a further 13 large scale heat pump energy centres with thermal storage, and 4.5km of low temperature heat network pipework, to provide heat to supply 13 mixed-use developments in Newham and Tower Hamlets. The applicant would be required to work with future and potential District Heating Network operators to secure the delivery of this heat network.

Crime, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 15 October 2024

This meeting of the Crime, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to review several reports and consider how they relate to the safety and security of the people of Newham. This included looking at the performance of its Community Safety Partnership and scrutinising the effectiveness of policing in the borough, as well as proposals for the adoption of a new model to better coordinate community safety enforcement. The meeting was also scheduled to consider the adoption of a new Youth Safety Strategy.

Officer Key Decision - Friday 18 October 2024

A single item was included in the Officer Key Decision meeting of Newham Council on 18 October 2024. This concerned the procurement of water, wastewater and ancillary services for the council.

LBN Water, Wastewater and Ancillary Services Procurement 2024 - 2025

A report included in the meeting pack for the 18 October 2024 Newham Council Officer Key Decision meeting, requested approval from the decision-maker for the Director of Resources to approve the reprocurement of water, wastewater, and ancillary services for the London Borough of Newham² through Wave, the current supplier.

The report states that the existing contract with Wave is due to expire and the new contract would last for 12 months.

The report says that the procurement would be made through YPO, a publicly owned organisation that provides procurement services. It says that Wave are the sole supplier on the YPO Water Framework, meaning that the council would not undertake a competitive tendering process.

The report recommends that:

It is recommended that the decision-maker approves the reprocurement of water, wastewater, and ancillary services through Wave under the YPO framework. This approach guarantees a seamless continuation of services, ensures compliance with procurement regulations, and maximizes value for the council.

The report says that using Wave through this framework would provide Continuity of Service, Cost Efficiency, Compliance and Risk Management and Time Savings.

The report goes on to list the advantages of procuring the services from Wave through YPO. It says that this would deliver:

Time and Cost Efficiency: Access to a UK Compliant Framework simplifies procurement, saving significant time and money by avoiding lengthy tendering processes. Immediate benefits include competitive Framework rates for water and wastewater services and savings of over £19,701 compared to default rates.

The report says that no alternative options were considered, because the council is obliged to use a direct award framework. It says that the framework has already been awarded to Wave, who were the incumbent supplier.

The report states that:

This direct award through the framework is therefore the most efficient and effective option for the council.

The reports says that there are no equalities implications as a result of the proposed decision, because:

The reprocurement of water, wastewater, and ancillary services through the YPO framework is a routine utilities contract and is expected to have little to no impact on equalities.

This week in Newham:

• The Newham Pensions Board met to discuss the administration of the Newham Pension Fund, including the presentation of an internal control assurance report, an update on legislation, and a performance update.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee met to consider an application from the owner of NKS Food Centre in East Ham to extend his alcohol licensing hours and to amend two conditions on his license.

Newham Pensions Board - Tuesday 08 October 2024

This meeting was about the administration of the Newham Pension Fund. The Newham Pension Fund is a large fund that is responsible for paying the pensions of thousands of current and former council employees. The board that oversees the fund is made up of councillors, officers, and representatives of the scheme's members. The board is responsible for making sure that the fund is well-managed and that it is able to meet its obligations to its members.

The board received a presentation from Janet Morville-Smith, Head of Risk & Compliance at the Local Pension Partnership Administration (LPPA). The LPPA is responsible for administering the Newham Pension Fund on behalf of the council. Ms Morville-Smith's presentation was based on the LPPA's Annual Internal Control Assurance Report. Internal controls are the processes and procedures that are put in place by an organisation to help ensure that it is achieving its objectives and that it is managing its risks effectively. The LPPA's Annual Internal Control Assurance Report provides an overview of the organisation's internal controls and how they are working. The report is designed to provide assurance to the Newham Pension Board that the LPPA is managing the fund effectively.

The board also received a number of other reports, including a report on pensions administration and legislation, and a performance update from the LPPA. The report on pensions administration and legislation provided an update on the latest legislative changes that are impacting the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).¹

The report covered a number of important legislative changes, including the new Pensions Regulator's Code of Practice, the government's response to the McCloud Judgement, and the latest developments on the Pensions Dashboard. The board was also asked to consider a draft communications policy for the Newham Pension Fund. The policy sets out how the council intends to communicate with the scheme's members and employers. It was accompanied by employer and member communications schedules, which set out what information the council intends to communicate to these stakeholders on a monthly basis over a three-year period.

The performance update from the LPPA reviewed the organisation's performance against a number of key metrics, including casework performance, contact centre performance, customer satisfaction scores, and data quality. The update also included a summary of the latest monthly performance figures. The report noted that activity levels are expected to remain high due to the implementation of the McCloud remedy, the embedding of monthly returns from employers, and the production of annual benefit statements.

The board also received an update on the Pension Board Action Log. The Action Log is a document that tracks the progress of all the actions that have been agreed at previous meetings of the board. The log is used to ensure that actions are followed up and that the board is making progress on its objectives.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Monday 07 October 2024

The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee heard an application from Mr Dushanthan Mahendran, the licence holder of NKS Food Centre, to extend the hours his shop at 185 Altmore Avenue, East Ham, can sell alcohol on Fridays, Saturdays and Bank Holidays to 2am. The Sub-Committee also considered a request from Mr Mahendran to amend two existing conditions on his license.

The committee heard representations from Newham Council's Licensing Enforcement Team, the Commercial Environmental Health Team and from a solicitor representing two local residents.

The Licensing Enforcement Team and Commercial Environmental Health Team both objected to the application, raising concerns about the potential for the extension of licensing hours to lead to an increase in street drinking, noise and anti-social behaviour in the area.

The resident's solicitor also objected to the application, and argued that the conditions Mr Mahendran was seeking to amend were not being adhered to. He also told the Sub-Committee that, during the consultation period for a minor variation application submitted by NKS Food Centre in July 2024, his clients and other people living nearby had been intimidated by a group of men who had gone door-knocking in the area and had threatened residents who had objected to the application.

The applicant's legal representative, Mr Fender, disputed some of the claims made by the objectors. He said that his client had a good track record of operating the shop responsibly and that there had been no problems since the shop's alcohol licensing hours had been extended to 1am in April 2024. He argued that Mr Mahendran was merely seeking to level the playing field with the shop at 101 Burgess Road, which is already allowed to sell alcohol until 2am.

The Sub-Committee ultimately decided to grant Mr Mahendran's application to extend his alcohol licensing hours, but rejected his application to amend the two conditions on his license. They also imposed two new conditions on his license: that a personal licence holder must be present during all of the shop's licensed hours, and that the shop must mark bottles and cans in a way that meets the approval of the council's Licensing Team.

This decision highlights the difficult balancing act that licensing committees often have to perform when considering applications for new or amended licenses. They have to weigh the interests of the licensee against the concerns of residents and other responsible authorities. In this case, the Sub-Committee decided that the extension of licensing hours was acceptable, but that the other amendments requested by the applicant were not. They also imposed two new conditions on the license in an attempt to mitigate the risk of the extended hours leading to an increase in street drinking and anti-social behaviour.

Last week in Newham:

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the Council's transformation programme and climate change action plan, including the potential for double-counting savings from different initiatives.
• The Audit Committee meeting was cancelled.
• The Cabinet approved a new framework for HIV prevention and support services, the procurement of a new contract for highways services, and the adoption of a new Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 01 October 2024

This meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee began with the approval of the minutes of the previous meeting and the noting of the committee’s work programme for the year ahead. A new member, Savio Kamali, was appointed to the committee. Councillor Hudson was also appointed Deputy Chair of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee.

The committee then moved on to consider three reports: the Council’s draft asset management strategy, the Council’s transformation programme, and the Council’s climate emergency action plan.

Asset Management Strategy

The committee considered a draft asset management strategy. This is a document that sets out how the council will manage its assets, such as land, buildings, and infrastructure, over the long term. It is a key document for any council, as it helps to ensure that the council is making the best use of its resources, and that it is planning for the future.

The committee raised a number of concerns about the strategy, including that the paper had not been signed off by officers. This is unusual, as scrutiny committees normally only consider reports that have been formally approved by the council's executive.

The Monitoring Officer, Conrad Hall, explained that this was a draft strategy, and that the committee was being given an opportunity to input into it before it was finalised. He said that it was normal to discuss draft policies like this in private, to enable a full and frank exchange of views.

Councillor Blackmini Shah, who is also Chair of the Education, Children and Young People's Services scrutiny committee, remained concerned that the committee had not been told in advance of the meeting that the paper was a draft.

The Chief Executive, Zulfi Shah, explained that the covering note that accompanied the paper had made it clear that it was a draft. He said that the strategy had been shared with the committee in the spirit of sharing information as early as possible.

This discussion highlights the importance of transparency in local government. Scrutiny committees play a vital role in holding the council's executive to account. It is therefore essential that they have access to all of the information that they need to do their job effectively. In this case, it appears that the committee was not given all of the information that it needed in advance of the meeting, which led to some confusion and frustration.

The committee agreed to treat the strategy as pre-decision scrutiny. Pre-decision scrutiny is a process that allows scrutiny committees to review and comment on proposals before they are formally approved by the council's executive. This is an important part of the council's decision-making process, as it allows scrutiny committees to provide input and challenge proposals before they are finalised.

The committee requested an assurance that their recommendations would be seriously considered. The Chief Executive gave the committee that assurance.

Organisational Transformation

The committee then discussed a report on the Council's transformation programme, “Transforming Newham for the Future”. This programme was approved by the Cabinet on 6 August 2024, and sets out a series of initiatives that are intended to improve the council's efficiency and effectiveness. These include initiatives to improve the council's use of technology, to streamline its processes, and to improve its customer service.

Councillor Rita Chakrabati, who is also a member of the Health and Adult Social Care scrutiny committee, expressed concern about the challenging financial context in which the transformation programme was being implemented. She also expressed concern about the risk that the programme would result in services becoming “too digital”, despite evidence that many residents did not want to interact with the Council digitally.

James Paskins, Assistant Chief Executive (Organisational Transformation), explained that the transformation programme would take a multi-channel approach and would not be wholly reliant on digital. He acknowledged that there were significant challenges with the Council’s legacy IT systems, which he attributed to long-standing and pretty significant historic decisions made as part of the sharing of technology services in OneSource. OneSource was a shared IT service that was set up by Newham and Havering Councils in 2004. As we saw in the email for 30 August 2024, Newham Council is in the process of splitting from OneSource.

Councillor Chakrabati then went on to raise concerns about the council’s complaints service. As we have seen in previous emails, resident dissatisfaction with council services, particularly with regards to repairs, is a recurring theme. Councillor Chakrabati said that, based on her experience of casework, the complaints service had not improved, despite public statements to the contrary.

Councillor Chakrabati requested that members be given a greater role in scrutinising the transformation programme, and asked for an update on plans to consolidate portfolios, which had been identified as an area for improvement in the LGA Peer Challenge that took place in November 2023.

Mr Paskins explained that the Chief Executive was leading a review of the Council's organisational structure, including how portfolios should be configured. He said that he anticipated that an update would be provided by the end of the year.

Councillor Terry Paul, who is Chair of the Crime, Environment and Regeneration and Transport scrutiny committee, expressed concern that the programme did not seem to have sufficient urgency, particularly in light of the Council’s medium term financial strategy, which was forecasting significant cuts in the coming years. This strategy was discussed at the Cabinet meeting on 6 August 2024 and forecasts a budget shortfall of £175 million over the next three years. Councillor Paul questioned whether the programme could realistically be expected to deliver the savings required to close the Council’s budget gap, and suggested that the programme should be rewritten in light of the true scale of the financial challenge facing the Council.

Mayor Fiaz disagreed, saying that the transformation programme was key to the Council’s response to the financial challenges it faced.

Mr Hall agreed, saying that no transformation programme could realistically be expected to find efficiencies of £175 million. He acknowledged that there was a risk that savings from different programmes, such as the transformation programme and the medium term financial strategy, could be double-counted. He said that the Council was alert to that risk and would manage it.

Councillor Winston Vaughan then asked for an update on plans to delegate responsibilities, an issue that had been discussed at the committee's previous meeting.

The Mayor and Mr Paskins confirmed that the review of portfolio scopes was ongoing, and that an update would be provided to the LGA Peer Challenge Team by the end of October, in line with the action plan that had been agreed with the LGA.

Councillor Blackmini Shah asked whether Mr Paskins had heard anything from the scrutiny benches that had made him think the Council should change its approach to the transformation programme.

Mr Paskins said that he had been struck by Councillor Paul’s comments about the need for the Council to find “simple solutions to what are often simple problems”, citing the example of the council’s homelessness applications process as an area where efficiencies could be made.

Mr Hall then challenged Councillor Paul’s earlier assertion that the Council should not assume that residents would be able to get help from family members to access online services. Councillor Paul had made this point in response to concerns raised by Councillor Chakrabati about the increasing digitisation of council services.

Councillor Blackmini Shah replied, saying that the Council needed to adopt a “human-centred design” approach to service delivery, rather than simply relying on co-production.

Cabinet - Tuesday 01 October 2024

This meeting of the Cabinet considered six reports, and approved each of them:

• Annual Complaints Report 2023/24
• Refurbishment of 46 Clover Road
• Purchase of 63 Residential Units in Barking and Dagenham
• HIV Prevention and Support Services - Permission to Establish a Framework
• Highways Contracts
• Local Flood Risk Management Strategy - Adoption

Annual Complaints Report 2023/24

The Cabinet received a report on the Council’s complaints performance in 2023/24. As we have seen in previous emails, scrutiny committees have repeatedly raised concerns about the performance of the council’s complaints service, and this issue was also raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at their meeting on Tuesday 1 October 2024.

The report highlighted that the number of complaints upheld had fallen to 8% below the London average. This suggests that the council is making progress in improving its complaints handling. However, as we have seen in previous emails, the council still faces significant challenges in this area.

The report noted an increase in complaints about waste collection, which Councillor Aled Richards, Cabinet Member for Climate and Sustainability, attributed to teething problems arising from service changes. Councillor Richards said that he was confident that the number of complaints would fall in future.

The report also noted an increase in complaints about housing services, which was attributed to the Housing Ombudsman becoming more active in advocating for residents.

Councillor Zafiq Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, asked for future reports to examine the relationship between service requests and complaints. This is a sensible request, as it will help the council to understand the link between poor service delivery and complaints.

In response, it was agreed that future reports and updates on the Council's transformation programme would demonstrate the impact of service improvements on overall demand.

Refurbishment of 46 Clover Road

The Cabinet approved the refurbishment of 46 Clover Road in Custom House to provide supported accommodation for young people leaving care. The refurbishment will see the building, formerly used as office space, converted into six self-contained flats.

This decision follows on from a pattern that we have seen in previous emails, in which the council seeks to reduce its reliance on expensive forms of temporary accommodation by acquiring and refurbishing its own properties. This approach has the potential to deliver significant savings for the council, as well as improving the quality of accommodation for residents.

Purchase of 63 Residential Units in Barking and Dagenham

The Cabinet also approved the purchase of 63 residential units in Barking and Dagenham to provide accommodation for care leavers. This decision is similar to the previous one, and is another example of the council's strategy to reduce its reliance on temporary accommodation.

HIV Prevention and Support Services Framework

The Cabinet agreed to establish a framework for HIV prevention and support services. This framework will be accessible to all local authorities, integrated care partnerships, integrated care boards, integrated care systems, and NHS Trusts across London. The framework will run for a maximum of eight years.

The report highlighted the importance of HIV prevention and support services, noting that the complexity of support needs for HIV is increasing as people living with HIV become older, poorer and develop other co-morbidities.

This is a significant decision, as it will allow the council to secure income from other local authorities to cover the cost of providing these services. It also has the potential to generate additional income for the council, as it could be used to provide other public health services in the future.

Highways Services Contract

The Cabinet also approved the procurement of a new contract for highways services. This contract will cover the design, maintenance, and improvement of Newham’s roads, pavements, and structures. It will be awarded for a period of six years.

The report highlighted the importance of highways services, noting that the roads and pavements are important to everyone in Newham, and they help us deliver sustainable transport objectives.

Councillor Rohit Das highlighted the need for the contract to deliver social value, asking for the procurement process to create opportunities for young people in Newham to access apprenticeships and training opportunities in the highways sector.

This echoes comments made by Mayor Fiaz at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 1 October 2024. The Mayor stated her concern that the council was not doing enough to create opportunities for young people in the borough.

Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

Finally, the Cabinet agreed to adopt a new Local Flood Risk Management Strategy (LFRMS). This strategy sets out how the council will manage the risk of flooding in Newham.

The Cabinet heard that the strategy had been developed in consultation with residents and businesses. Councillor John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Planning and Development, Air Quality and Climate Emergency, highlighted that the LFRMS would support the Council’s commitment to resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change, as set out in the Council’s Just Transition.pdf) action plan. This plan was discussed at the Council meeting on 13 December 2023.

The adoption of the LFRMS is a statutory requirement for all local authorities. This means that the council is legally obliged to have a strategy in place. The strategy will help the council to reduce the risk of flooding, and to respond to flooding incidents if they do occur.

This week in Newham:

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the Council's transformation programme, including plans to consolidate portfolios and the impact of digitisation on resident experience.
• The Cabinet agreed to note the Council's Annual Complaints Report for 2023/24, approved the refurbishment of 46 Clover Road to provide accommodation for young people leaving care, approved the purchase of 63 residential units in Barking and Dagenham to provide accommodation for people leaving care, approved a new framework for HIV prevention and support services, approved the procurement of a new contract for highways services, and approved the adoption of a new Local Flood Risk Management Strategy.
• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee was scheduled to review the premises licence for Kay Viva in Stratford following complaints from local residents about noise and antisocial behaviour.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 01 October 2024

This meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee began by agreeing the minutes of their last meeting and noting the work programme for the year ahead. A new member, Savio Kamali, was appointed to the committee and Councillor Hudson was appointed Deputy Chair of the Children and Young People's Scrutiny Committee. The committee discussed a draft asset management strategy and a report on the Council's transformation programme. The meeting concluded with a discussion of the Council's climate emergency action plan.

Asset Management Strategy

The committee considered a draft asset management strategy.
Councillor Blackmini Shah expressed concern that the paper had not been signed off by officers and questioned how members could be sure that the contents of the paper were correct.

I always thought that papers given to scrutiny are always signed up by officers. I've never known a paper being given to us as draft because if it is draft how do we know it's correct?

The Monitoring Officer, Conrad Hall, explained that it was normal to discuss draft policies like the asset management strategy in private and that the committee was being given the opportunity to input into the strategy before it was finalised.

It's not been signed off by the council through the ordinary processes, so it's part of the regular liaison with scrutiny in order to discuss proposals at a formative stage in order to ensure that the final version is as good as it can be. But it's draft because it's not been signed off - for example it's not been to cabinet for approval. Not completely convinced it necessarily would need to go to cabinet for approval but it's not been through a formal sign off process at the council and therefore it would be normal to discuss draft policies like that in private to enable a full and frank exchange of views at that last stage.

Councillor Shah remained concerned that the committee had not been told in advance of the meeting that the paper was a draft.

If someone had come to us and said 'we're going to give you this paper under the guise of pre-decision scrutiny' then I would have understood that, that it's a pre-decision and it's not, it's supposed to be on green paper, et cetera. We were not, and when I read this paper, I read it in our good faith and I looked at the content and I'm thinking to myself 'what is there that warrants it being on green paper?' Now you're saying that it's draft, why wasn't that communicated to us before?

The Chief Executive, Zulfi Shah, explained that the covering note for the paper had made clear that it was a draft strategy for confidential use and that it had been shared with the committee in the spirit of sharing information as early as possible.
The committee agreed to treat the paper as pre-decision scrutiny and asked for an assurance that their recommendations would be seriously considered. The committee was given that assurance.

Organisational Transformation

The committee discussed a report on the Council's transformation programme.
Councillor Rita Chakrabati expressed concern about the Council's ability to fund the required improvements to IT, given the challenging financial context, and also about the risk that the programme would result in services becoming too digital, despite evidence that many residents did not want to interact with the Council digitally.

The technology we put in when we had money was poor and we're admitting it in this paper. My worry is, if we're going to a system which, as far as I can see reading between the lines and discussions in previous meetings, is more technology and more digital, have we actually got the money to do it properly? I can see that you're proposing that hopefully through this we'll save £30 million, but how do we know that this technology is going to be sufficient and that it isn't going to sort of damage relationships with our residents further, given that a large part of their complaints come down to technology not working when they want to report issues?

The Assistant Chief Executive (Organisational Transformation), James Paskins, acknowledged the challenges with the Council's legacy IT systems.

There are significant legacy challenges around our technology estate, linked to some long-standing and pretty significant historic decisions made as part of the sharing of technology services in OneSource, which remains with kind of good intentions at the time, particularly around efficiency and sharing of back office services at a time when that was quite a popular method of reducing costs to those services, which over a pretty substantial period of time has left us with what it's called a significant technology deficit gap. Now that's a lot of technology at place at work, but in essence what it leaves us with is a number of systems that are either end of life, currently on premises, and that's quite an old-fashioned way of maintaining services, but lots of modern public sector organisations have moved those services to cloud, ultimately leaving us to a position where it's very costly to upgrade and update systems in order to deliver the benefits we know they can, particularly around things like automation, automation of access to residents into services automation, the way staff work, there's a lot of manual processing in the council that a lot of the activity analysis highlighted.

Mr Paskins explained that the Council would be taking a multi-channel approach and would not be wholly reliant on digital as a solution to resident contact.

We're not looking at digital as the only solution to all resident contacts and you'll see in the program of overall architecture a significant amount of energy and effort is going to go into improving our telephony offer, particularly around looking at accessing the best, again, technology as a solution in telephony, so how can we use best-in-task technology to improve skills allocation in the call centre, how can we integrate all of the call - the many call centres like this and accountants who are robust and integrated after that is professionalised and accessible to all residents. We're looking at a multi-channel approach, just kind of key thing of what to do with as part of a bit of a reassurance around that important risk around relying to having digital as the only solution to resident fee, and then finally we'll continue to use mechanisms like the resident survey and our other resident engagement pathways and processes to check in with residents on how that's going, and resident-led design of a lot of our solutions will be a key part of our approach as well, so ensuring residents have a raw voice in the program is a key element as well.

Councillor Chakrabati went on to say that, based on her experience of case work, the Council's complaints service had not improved, despite statements made publicly by the Council to the contrary. She requested that members be given a greater role in scrutinising the transformation programme.

It's the residents who come and shatter us and the mayor when things don't go right, and it was quite surprising to find that we'd actually stated publicly on LinkedIn that we had actually made great improvements to our complaints service and actually I'm being perfectly honest that's not how it feels on the ground, so in order for us not to keep coming across those hiccups I think a small stake, doesn't have to be big, but something about member checking on this would be really helpful going forward.

The Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz, undertook to provide more information about member engagement in the transformation programme.
Councillor Chakrabati also asked for an update on portfolio consolidation, which had been identified as an area for improvement by the LGA Peer Challenge.

And our final point, page 87, talks about portfolio consolidations. Where are we with that? Because the LGA peer review also gave us a deadline as well, didn't it? How we get when we're back?

Mr Paskins explained that the Chief Executive was leading on a review of the Council's organisational structure and how portfolios should be configured. He anticipated that an update would be provided by the end of the year.
Councillor Terry Paul expressed concern that there did not seem to be sufficient urgency in the programme.

There doesn't seem to be a lot of pace. There doesn't seem to be a lot of urgency. If you're transforming, you transform. If you're talking about transforming, you're thinking about you're only going to get 80% savings. Are we going to pay people 80% of their fee because it ain't working?

Mr Hall explained that it was sensible to budget cautiously and that budgeting for only 80% of the planned savings did not mean that the Council was not seeking to deliver 100% of those savings.

I think it is sensible to budget only if you expect to deliver, that's how you leave some contingency in your budget, it doesn't mean that we're trying to deliver 80% of it, I'd like to deliver 110% in plan savings. I think it is sensible to leave some contingency against non delivery - in other words to sort of work ambitiously but budget cautiously.

Councillor Paul went on to say that the Council's transformation plans needed to be aligned with the Council's medium term financial strategy, which was forecasting significant cuts in the coming years, and questioned whether the programme could realistically be expected to deliver the savings required to close the Council's budget gap. He suggested that the programme should be rewritten in light of the true scale of the financial challenge facing the Council.

The cabinet did this report on the 6th of August I think, so obviously it passed it on historical information, since that cabinet report which is talking about a £39 million transformation, today at this speed looking forward facing, we have an additional 136 million have to cut the revenue by 40%, so in actual fact the real transformation is four times the size of the program, would it not be fair, and perhaps it might be a question to bear, to perhaps pause what was passed in the cabinet and rewrite this transformation program in line with the real challenge and transformation facing the organisation

Mayor Fiaz disagreed with Councillor Paul's suggestion that the Council was tackling multiple challenges in a way that was disjointed. She said that the transformation programme was key to the Council’s response to the financial challenges it faced.

This transformation plan in the eight full phases that will come are inherent to the way in which we're going to deal with a significant financial challenge but some of that significant financial challenge is a consequence of a dynamic at play which no council will be able to deal with, no matter what type of structure or organisation mode it enters into.

Mr Hall agreed, saying that no transformation programme could realistically be expected to find efficiencies of £175 million.

I don't believe that there is a transformation program that can somehow identify savings of £175 million entirely through efficiencies. No organisation would be able to find efficiencies of that scale.

He accepted that there was a risk that savings from different programmes could be double-counted. He said that the Council was alert to that risk and would manage it.
Councillor Winston Vaughan asked for an update on the delegation of responsibilities, which had been discussed at the committee's previous meeting.

However, I just wanted to understand, are we on track to do what it is that we said we were going to do, because what I'm reading in various different documents doesn't correspond to what I'm hearing.

The Mayor and Mr Paskins confirmed that the review of portfolio scopes was a work in progress and that an update would be provided to the LGA Peer Challenge Team by the end of October, in line with the action plan that had been agreed with the LGA. The Mayor added that the Chief Executive was leading on a separate piece of work to review the structure of the corporate leadership team. She anticipated that this work would be complete by the end of the year.

Councillor Blackmini Shah asked whether Mr Paskins had heard anything from the scrutiny benches that had made him think the Council should change its approach. Mr Paskins agreed that the committee had raised some valuable challenges to the transformation programme, particularly in relation to the speed of transformation and the scale of the savings required. He welcomed the scrutiny that the committee was providing and said that he would be seeking further input from members about the development of future phases of the programme.
He said that he had also been struck by Councillor Paul’s comments about the need for the Council to find simple solutions to what are often simple problems.

One of the key things we've discovered early on in the resident experience programme is it's our homelessness applications process, it's very proactive, but it's a good, it's a useful kind of symbol of the sorts of changes we can make very simply that deliver significant efficiency, because currently, given the current process classes, a resident fills in a form, that form turns into a 10-page, that form is online by the way, but that form turns into a 10-page PDF, that PDF is then emailed to the HPAS team, and, you know, this is a genuine reality of the current process. A member of SARC in that team manually copies the information on that PDF form onto a back office system. There is a very simple, not complex, not AI, not chatbot related answer to that problem, and that is a simple basic service improvement, process improvement opportunity that the programme is actively tailored.

Mr Hall intervened to challenge Councillor Paul’s earlier comment that the Council should not assume that residents would be able to get help from family members to access online services.

We all have relatives who are elderly and would struggle with online forms. We design our systems to allow them, you know, face-to-face or telephone contact. You will not save as much money. Most, not all, most of that generation of people have, as has been said, you know, sons and daughters and nieces and nephews and grandchildren who can help with that, and we can make systems online as simple as possible. I just offer it as a challenge back. I acknowledge the point. You don't want to set up a system that people can't access, but equally, if you start from a design principle about we must make sure that they have as much access as they can at the moment, you are adding costs in of people to answer phones and run manual processes and so on. So, I just offer that as a challenge back when it was made.

Councillor Blackmini Shah replied that Mr Hall’s comments illustrated the tension inherent in trying to deliver services that work for all residents. She said that co-production was no longer enough and that the Council needed to adopt a human-centred design approach.

Just on that point, I think on board your point, but this era of co-production is gone. Everyone's now talking about human-centered design and human-centered design has got to include all aspects of our community and the law of unintended consequences.

Climate Emergency Action Plan

John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Climate Emergency and Sustainability, introduced a report on the Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan.pdf). He said that climate change posed a very real threat to the borough and that the Action Plan set out the steps that the Council would take to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change.

This activity is absolutely crucial to the borough, because nobody doubts that climate change exists and that climate change will degrade the environment and living conditions, and this plan is designed to carry out measures that will counteract this harm and actually mitigate the damage that it's caused and enable people to live a decent life, so this expenditure, the work of this team is absolutely essential for the future well-being, I think, of this borough.

Councillor Chakrabati asked whether it was correct that the activities set out in the Action Plan would be self-financing.
Jacob Hytland, the Council’s Director of Climate Action, confirmed that that was the case. He said that the Climate Action Team was funded by a mixture of core Council funding and external grants and that the team was raising significantly more money than it was costing the Council.

So essentially, yes, I mean, there is some core funding that's coming from the council to fund my role and a couple other team members' roles, the majority that you can see on the kind of organogram a lot of that's from our, our only core costs at the moment are some resourcing and a small bit of budget to actually do some work, but the vast majority of that funding is coming from external sources from a GLA, national government level but we're raising sort of, you know, ten times more than we cost.

Councillor Chakrabati said that she understood that Newham’s Climate Emergency Action Plan was unusual in that it took a ‘just transition’ approach. She asked Mr Hytland to explain what the risks to the Council were in taking this unusual approach and to explain how the Council would improve the carbon rating of its website, which was currently an F.

On page 7 you say that this is quite unusual, or quite a, that this is an unusual plan, it's not norm is what's implied in this, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but with that, does there come some risks that we should be considering as a committee? What are we doing that's so unusual to other boroughs that may link to a risk adventure? And then my final point is how does this relate to our website? Because our website has a carbon rating of F. Sorry, the website? The council's website has a carbon rating of F.

Mr Hytland said that the Council’s approach was unusual but that this should be seen as positive and that other councils were likely to follow Newham’s lead in taking a just transition approach to tackling climate change. He explained that many climate action plans focused solely on reducing carbon emissions but that Newham’s plan went further, looking at how to build resilience to the effects of climate change that were already happening and how to make sure that nobody was left behind in the transition to a net zero economy.

So I think where we took inspiration from and where the term just transition comes from is actually a workers union movement which is saying that if we're going to transition to a net zero economy, which is a fundamental shift of how we organise our lives on this planet, it cannot go through what I think the most recent example of an unjust transition would be coming off of an industrial and coal mining type economy in the late 70s and 80s, where whole towns are sort of left to fend for themselves after one big factory shuts down.

Councillor Chakrabati pressed Mr Hytland to be more specific about the risks associated with taking a just transition approach.

Sorry, I didn't actually answer that.

Mr Hytland replied that he believed that the Council was mitigating risk by taking this approach. He said that the Council recognised that climate change was already happening and that it was therefore necessary to focus on building resilience to the effects of climate change, such as flooding and extreme heat.

Sorry, just to come back to the risk question, I actually would say that we've done this plan in preparations for those risks, and actually what I'm seeing across, at a London level, at a national level, international level, is the swing from, away from actually what we call mitigation, so decarbonisation, getting rid of emissions, to resilience and adaptation, so the kind of, ‘it's happening, what do we do now?’ type thing, and I think we're well placed to be working on both of these, but I do believe that we're actually ahead of the game in terms of bringing resilience really core into that conversation, because if we were just sat over here talking about decarbonisation, we'd missed this complete bit and I think that would be putting our residents at risk.

Mayor Fiaz added that the work of the Climate Action Team was a great example of what the Council could achieve if it had the right culture across the organisation.

I wanted to say that the value that this team has brought in is a demonstration of the potential that this organisation can get to if we have the right culture across the officer corps in enabling us to drive in more income, to help offset revenue pressures in ways that we've been spending revenue on certain items in the past and to date, and that's one active area that we're looking at.

Councillor Susan Masters asked Mr Hytland to explain how the Council was funding the employment of students from UCL and UEL and how the Council would fund the decarbonisation of its buildings, given that the necessary works were likely to require significant capital investment. She also asked how the Council was educating its residents about the climate emergency and how they could help the Council to achieve its net zero targets.

So, I think in your team, you're having young people from UCL and UEL working, is that from the apprenticeship levy, are they going to be paid, or is it not very simple to be from? And it also says here that there's some strategic studies happening at all maintained schools, 15 keeps for corporate buildings, EV trade strategies, Bridge Road and books and road premises, giving studies, and when the studies are completed we need capital for decarbonising, whereas I haven't got it already, and if we don't find the funding, how are we going to achieve our net zero targets? And the final one is how are we educating our residents to achieve the goal of net zero?

Mr Hytland explained that the students from UCL and UEL were undertaking mandatory work experience placements with the Council, for which the universities covered their salaries. He said that decarbonising the Council’s buildings was a huge challenge, given the likely cost. He explained that the Council was working on securing grant funding to meet the capital costs of retrofitting its buildings and that, in the meantime, it was using a combination of other funding sources to fund the preparatory work required before applications for grant funding could be submitted.

So, working really closely, as you can imagine, there's a number of departments in both institutions that are looking at climate change overall, and students looking for both work experience as mandatory to their courses as part of masters programs typically, or bachelors programs as well, we've had both, but at the moment we have a master'

This week in Newham:

• The Local Development Committee considered three planning applications, including a controversial proposal for a new House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in Manor Park and the change of use of a Forest Gate pub into a community centre.
• The Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission received reports on the council's performance in providing services to children and young people, the Youth Empowerment Service, and youth justice.
  

Local Development Committee - Monday 23 September 2024

This meeting considered advice from the Head of Legal Services on determining planning applications, and reviewed three planning applications.

Determining Planning Applications

The committee received a report from the Head of Legal Services on the legal issues that the committee should consider when making decisions about planning applications. These included the legal framework for planning, the National Planning Policy Framework, the London Plan, the Newham Local Plan, and the Human Rights Act 1998. The report also set out the committee’s powers and duties when determining planning applications, and the process for making decisions.

As we have seen in previous emails, the Local Development Committee plays a key role in shaping the built environment of the borough. The committee is responsible for making decisions on a wide range of planning applications, including those for new homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The decisions that the committee makes can have a significant impact on the lives of Newham residents, and it is therefore essential that the committee makes its decisions in a fair and transparent way, and that it takes into account all of the relevant legal and policy considerations.

409 High Street North, Manor Park

This application requested permission for the construction of a part-three, part-four storey building comprising a 29 bedroom, 56 person House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) (Sui Generis¹), and a mixed use co-working space and café (Sui Generis) at ground floor level. The site is currently occupied by a vacant two-storey building, which was last used as a restaurant.

The report by council officers included their recommendation to approve the development, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement. Section 106 agreements are a mechanism by which councils can secure contributions from developers towards the provision of local infrastructure and services.

Hudson Bay, 1-5 Upton Lane, Forest Gate

This application sought permission to change the use of the ground floor and basement level of the building from a public house (sui generis) to a multi-functional community centre (use class F.2²).

This application is notable because the site is located within the Forest Gate Town Centre Conservation area. As we've seen in previous emails, Conservation areas are designated by local authorities to protect areas of special architectural or historic interest. This means that the council has to pay particular attention to the impact of new development on the character of the area when it is considering planning applications.

The council officers' report noted that the applicant has not provided authoritative marketing evidence that demonstrates that there is no realistic prospect of the building being used as a pub in the foreseeable future. This suggests that the council is concerned that the loss of the pub would have a negative impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre. This is a common concern for councils, as pubs often play an important role in the social and economic life of local communities.

The report included the officers' recommendation to approve the development, subject to the completion of a Section 106 legal agreement.

Clapton Football Club, Upton Lane, Forest Gate

This application sought Listed Building Consent to erect a mesh link fence around the perimeter of the football ground, replacing existing fencing.

The report by council officers recommended approval of the application.

Education Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Thursday 26 September 2024

The meeting on 26 September 2024 was the first of the municipal year for the Education, Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission. The committee reviewed the council's performance dashboard on services for children and young people and noted its contents. The committee also noted its work programme for the year. The committee received two reports on services for children and young people, one on the Youth Empowerment Service ([YES]³) and one on youth justice.

Youth Empowerment Service

The committee received a report on the work of [YES]³. The report described the range of services that YES provides, including youth work, sports and arts activities, and support for young people at risk of exploitation. The committee noted the report and asked questions about how the service was being delivered.

The report sets out the work of the Youth Empowerment Service (YES) at a time of increasing demand and significant change for the service.

The committee heard that YES was working in a challenging environment with increasing demand for its services, particularly from young people at risk of exploitation.

The committee also heard about plans to improve the service, including a move to a locality model⁴ with four hubs based on need and demand, the creation of a new digital youth work offer, and the development of a new Youth Empowerment Strategy.

Youth Justice

The committee also received a report on the [Youth Justice Service]²'s new plan for 2024-2025.

This report presents Newham’s Youth Justice Service Plan for 2024-25. The plan sets out how the service will work with children and young people who have offended or are at risk of offending, to prevent them from entering the criminal justice system.

The committee noted the report and asked questions about the service's performance, including its performance in reducing the number of [first-time entrants]¹ to the youth justice system and the over-representation of Black, Asian and minority ethnic young people in the criminal justice system.

The committee heard about the service's plans to improve its performance, including plans to develop a new strategy for working with children and young people at risk of exploitation and to work to improve the educational attainment of children and young people in the youth justice system.

This week in Newham:

• The Council debated motions on public toilets, child poverty, London City Airport, and knife crime.
• The Strategic Development Committee meeting was cancelled.
• The Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Commission discussed community wealth building, resident experience of council services, and building safety in the borough.
• The Audit Committee meeting was also cancelled.

Council - Monday 16 September 2024

This week's Council meeting considered a number of motions on topics including public toilets, child poverty, London City Airport, and knife crime. The meeting also heard public questions and announcements from the Mayor.

Public Questions

Three questions were asked by members of the public. The first, submitted anonymously, was about what the council and police can do to support homeless people in Maryland. Councillor Sarah Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education, Environment and Sustainable Transport replied that she would discuss this issue with police. The second question, from Andrew Baikie, was about whether Councillor Ruiz considered the £630,000 spent on renewing a modal filter¹ on Manor Park Road, between Station Road and Durham Road to be good value for money. Councillor Ruiz confirmed the response she had provided in writing. The third question was about the council's response to a report on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) published by the National Education Union (NEU). This question was asked by Phil Lindsay, Assistant Secretary of the Newham branch of the NEU. Councillor Ruiz responded that this was an ongoing issue that she would continue to discuss with officers from the NEU.

Announcements by the Mayor

The Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, announced that the council's plans to take over planning powers from the London Legacy Development Corporation for the Olympic Park would come into force on 1 December 2024. As we've seen in previous emails, the Mayor has made this one of her key priorities since her election in 2018, and this is a significant milestone in her efforts to bring the Olympic Park under local democratic control. The handover of these powers will give the council greater control over the future development of the Park, and will allow it to ensure that the Park benefits the residents of Newham.

The Mayor also announced that the council would be launching a consultation on its budget, which faces a projected shortfall of £175 million over the next three years. She said that the council had previously been able to balance its budget but could no longer do so due to the high cost of temporary accommodation, and was seeking additional funding from central government to address the shortfall.

Increasing the Quantity and Quality of Public Toilets

Councillor Simon Rush proposed a motion to increase the quantity and quality of public toilets in Newham. This is a topic that has been raised at previous council meetings, and which is of great interest to residents, particularly those with young children, the elderly, and people with disabilities. The lack of public toilets in the borough has been a longstanding issue, and is one that has been repeatedly raised with councillors by their constituents.

The motion called for a review of the council's Community Public Toilets Scheme, and for the viability of opening more public toilets in council buildings to be assessed. It also called for the council to introduce minimum design standards for the construction of new public toilets, and to encourage partner agencies to make their toilets accessible to the public. The motion was carried unanimously.

Fight Child Poverty in Newham

Councillor Nate Higgins, Leader of the Green Group, proposed a motion calling on the government to take action to address the high level of child poverty in Newham. This is another issue that has been raised in previous emails, and which is a major concern for residents. Newham has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the UK, and the council has been working for many years to try to address this issue. However, the council's efforts have been hampered by cuts to government funding, and the high cost of living in London.

The Green motion noted that 50% of Newham's children live in poverty, and that the council's Eat for Free scheme, which provides free school meals to primary school children, was now fully funded by the Mayor of London. It called for the council to use the money it had previously allocated to the Eat for Free scheme to extend the scheme to secondary schools, and for the Mayor of Newham to write to the government asking them to end the two-child benefit cap, restore the £20 uplift to Universal Credit, which was introduced during the pandemic, and provide additional funding to local authorities to tackle child poverty.

The motion was opposed by the Labour administration, who argued that extending free school meals to all secondary schools was unaffordable and that funding from the Mayor of London only covered part of the cost of providing free school meals to primary schools, with schools having to meet the shortfall from their own budgets.

Free school meals are not the only way in which we as a council continue to support our children and our families. It is just one of a number of ways. Our Holiday Action Activities Fund provides activities, hot food and food vouchers for all children and young people in receipt of free school meals at every single holiday. We support the Newham Food Alliance, who distributes tons of free food every single week. We administer the Household Support Fund, again supporting our families. We support our Newham Work, our Newham money, both actively working to put more money into the pockets of our residents. We as a council are a London Living Wage employer, and actively campaign for others in Newham to join us.

- Councillor Sarah Ruiz

The motion was put to a recorded vote and was defeated, with 27 Councillors voting against it, 6 voting for it, and 3 abstaining.

London City Airport Planning Appeal

Councillor Ann Easter proposed a motion on the recent government decision to uphold an appeal by London City Airport against the council's rejection of their expansion plans, which will allow the airport to increase its passenger numbers to 9 million. This is a decision that has been met with anger and disappointment by many residents, who are concerned about the impact of the airport's expansion on noise, air pollution, and climate change.

London City Airport is not without its value, but the cost of that is disproportionate for our residents. Already, increased flights leads to additional cars, some waiting around our streets for pickup, and the effect of pollution in the air from them and the aircraft makes our atmosphere more toxic and physically dangerous. But to my mind, it's the noise which is especially damaging towards residents' health and wellbeing. Come and visit, come to my ward, and hear how, with monotonous regularity, the noise of taking off and landing planes banish conversation and all conscious thought for a few seconds, several times an hour.

- Councillor Ann Easter

The motion noted that, while the government had upheld the airport's appeal, they had also ruled that the current 24-hour weekend curfew on flights should remain in place. It called on the council to write to the government to urge them to resist any further attempts by the airport to have the curfew lifted and to lobby the government to reconsider its approach to aviation policy, in light of its commitment to tackling climate change.

The Green Group submitted an amendment to the motion, calling on the council to endorse their ongoing campaign to redevelop London City Airport by closing it and building homes and businesses on the site. As we've seen in previous emails, the Green Party has long been opposed to the airport's expansion, and has argued that the site should be used for more sustainable development.

The amendment was put to the vote and was defeated, with the majority of Labour Councillors voting against it. The original motion was then put to the vote and was carried unanimously.

Cracking Down on Knife Crime

Councillor Louise Godfrey proposed a motion calling on the government to take action to tackle knife crime. This is an issue that has been of great concern to residents in recent years, and which the council has been working to address through a range of initiatives, including youth work, community safety programmes, and working with the police.

The motion noted that the Labour government had recently announced plans to ban the sale of zombie knives and machetes, and that it would soon be announcing a further ban on ninja swords, and launching a review of online knife sales. It also noted that the government had announced a new programme called Young Futures, which would provide support to young people at risk of being drawn into crime.

The motion called on the council to write to the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, welcoming the government's plans and inviting her to visit Newham to see the preventative work that the council was already doing to tackle knife crime. It also called on the council to work with the government to implement the Young Futures programme.

The motion was seconded by Councillor James Beckles, and was carried unanimously, without discussion, due to time constraints.

Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 17 September 2024

The Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Commission of Newham Council met on 17 September 2024. The meeting considered reports on Community Wealth Building, resident experience, and building safety. No decisions were made at this meeting.

Community Wealth Building

The committee considered a report on Community Wealth Building, and its relationship to the council's Our Newham Money programme. As we've seen in previous emails, Community Wealth Building is a key priority for the council, and is a central part of its strategy to address poverty and inequality in the borough.

Our Newham Money is a free, confidential and impartial advice service for Newham residents and businesses. The service aims to help residents manage their money, access benefits and grants, and avoid debt. It also provides support to local businesses, including advice on starting a business, accessing finance, and growing a business. The service is funded by the council and delivered by a team of experienced advisors.

The committee questioned officers on the financial sustainability of the Our Newham service, expressing concern about the impact of the expected ending of the Household Support Fund in April 2025. The Household Support Fund is a government fund that provides financial support to local authorities to help them support vulnerable households with the cost of food, energy, and other essentials. The fund has been extended several times, but is due to end in April 2025. The committee is concerned that the ending of the fund will put additional pressure on the council's budget, and will make it more difficult for the council to support vulnerable residents.

If that is withdrawn in September, and it has been extended I think three times now, it would definitely impact on our ability to get back in the first line events support because the council doesn't have the budget available to replace what's seen over the years. We are concerned that it could lead to additional pressures on statutory services because the crisis is then not managed and it escalates into other problems for people.

Officers acknowledged these concerns, but argued that the Our Newham service was successfully moving residents away from a dependence on short-term support:

So over time, the integrated work of the Arnhem Service, including the work of Arnhem Money is also intended to shift people out of that space whereby they are habitually continuously reliant on measures and interventions like household support fund monies, albeit we recognise how far a borough like Newham, given the longstanding features of poverty and inequality we have to go.

Resident Experience

The committee considered a report on Resident Experience of council services. As we have seen in previous emails, the council has been working to improve its resident experience in recent years. The council has introduced a number of initiatives to try to improve the way that it communicates with residents, and to make it easier for residents to access its services. However, the council's efforts have been hampered by a number of factors, including cuts to government funding, the high cost of living in London, and the increasing complexity of the council's services.

The committee heard that the council had set up two housing hubs in Canning Town and Stratford, which are averaging 400 and 200 visits from residents each month respectively. Housing hubs are a key part of the council's strategy to improve resident experience. The hubs provide a single point of contact for residents for a range of housing-related services, including repairs, rent payments, and housing advice.

Members of the committee expressed concern about the low levels of resident satisfaction with council services, particularly with regards to repairs, where just 11% of residents were satisfied with the service:

I mean, resident satisfaction, 27%. Please hold a satisfaction of 11%.

The committee requested a progress report on the resident experience of council services in six months.

Building Safety

The committee received a report on building safety in the borough, and its relationship to the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. Building safety has been a major focus for the council since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The council has been working to ensure that all of its buildings are safe, and that it is meeting its legal obligations under the Building Safety Act 2022. The Act introduces a new regulatory regime for high-rise residential buildings, and places a number of new duties on building owners and managers.

The committee heard that Newham Council is responsible for ensuring the fire safety of all privately rented properties in the borough that contain more than one home, unless the freeholder of the property is a housing association or other registered provider. The committee heard that Newham Council is responsible for 303 such buildings, as well as 106 owned by housing associations.

Officers told the committee that its building safety team were prioritising which of the buildings they are responsible for to inspect based on risk. They explained that they were having to gather a lot of missing information on these properties, including fire safety information, which is a legal requirement under the Building Safety Act 2022. This is a significant challenge for the council, as it means that it has to track down a lot of information that may not be readily available.

Yeah, no, thank you. Yeah, in terms of the golden thread, the building safety act makes specific requirements for us to maintain this level of information, which they call it the golden thread. It's not fully defined, but it can be basically all the information that you need to manage the building. There'll be more information if we have a new development. Part of the challenge in a way that is worded here is that essentially all of our buildings, so all 86 of our high-rise buildings are what I would, legacy buildings for these buildings were built up for.

The meeting concluded with the Chair expressing disappointment in the quality of the information provided to the committee, requesting that officers take more care in future to provide accurate and comprehensive information.

We are getting tired and calling it out. And when we call it out, it seems like scrutiny is the bad guys. We cannot be the bad guys, but call now something that is not right, that is not correct. And we shouldn't be made to be the bad guys here. We are doing the specimens of new service. So please, can I ask in the future, but these are facts properly before they come before us.

This week in Newham:

• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting decided to amend the license for Woodgrange Supermarket to prevent the sale of beers, lagers and ciders above 6.5% ABV.
• The Standards Advisory Committee agreed its proposed work programme for 2024/25 and reviewed the response to the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee - Tuesday 10 September 2024

This meeting of the Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee decided to amend the license for Woodgrange Supermarket at 5 Woodgrange Road, Forest Gate. The shop's license was amended to prevent the sale of beers, lagers and ciders above 6.5% ABV and a new condition was added requiring the licensee to provide invoices to council officers on request. These amendments were made in response to a review of the shop's license that was requested by the council's Licensing Enforcement Team. As we've seen in previous emails, licensing reviews are a common occurrence, and they can be triggered by a variety of factors, including complaints from residents, evidence of underage sales, or concerns about crime and disorder.

In this case, the Licensing Enforcement Team, the Police Licensing Team and Trading Standards all made representations in support of the review. They raised concerns about a number of issues, including:

• The sale of cheap, high-strength alcohol.
• The shop's proximity to an alleyway where street drinkers congregate.
• The sale of alcohol to an underage person.
• The lack of staff training on licensing law.

The licensee's agent, Nigel Carter, disputed some of the claims made by the Licensing Enforcement Team and argued that revoking the license would be disproportionate.

The Sub-Committee ultimately decided to amend the license, rather than revoking it. As we've seen in previous emails, sub-committees will often try to find a balance between the interests of the licensee and the concerns of residents and other responsible authorities. They will often impose conditions on a license in an attempt to address the issues that have been raised.

Standards Advisory Committee - Wednesday 11 September 2024

The Standards Advisory Committee agreed its proposed work programme for 2024/25, reviewed the council's response to the Local Government Association's (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge of the council, and noted the declarations of interest made by Councillors in meetings. No decision was made about the appointment of a new independent person for the committee.

LGA Corporate Peer Challenge

As we saw in a previous email, the LGA's Corporate Peer Challenge of the council took place in November 2023. This was the first peer review of Newham Council in 10 years. Peer challenges are a way for councils to learn from each other and improve their services, and they are a common feature of local government in the UK.

This peer review was carried out by a team of experienced officers and councillors from other councils, and they looked at a wide range of aspects of the council's work. The peer challenge team made 11 recommendations to the council, covering issues such as the relationship between the executive and scrutiny functions, the culture of the council, and the council's approach to community engagement.

In response to the peer review, the council has produced a detailed action plan setting out how it intends to implement the recommendations. The action plan includes a number of specific actions, such as developing a new code of conduct for councillors, improving the council's training for councillors, and reviewing the council's scrutiny function. The action plan also includes a timeline for implementing the actions.

The Standards Advisory Committee discussed the peer review report and the council's action plan. The committee was generally supportive of the recommendations made by the peer review team and the actions proposed by the council. However, the committee also raised some concerns about the implementation of the action plan.

The Standards Advisory Committee was particularly concerned about the lack of progress in appointing a new independent person to the committee. Independent persons are an important part of the council's ethical framework. They are independent of the council and provide advice and support to the Standards Committee on matters relating to the conduct of councillors. The post has been vacant for some time, and the committee is keen to see it filled as soon as possible.

This lack of progress echoes the concerns raised at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 6 August 2024, which highlighted similar issues with recruitment and the filling of vacant positions.

Proposed Work Programme

The Standards Advisory Committee agreed its proposed work programme for 2024/25. The work programme sets out the committee's priorities for the year ahead. It includes a number of key areas of work, such as:

• Reviewing the council's Code of Conduct for councillors.
• Providing training to councillors on ethical issues.
• Advising the council on complaints against councillors.

The work programme also includes provision for the committee to receive updates on the implementation of the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge action plan. This is important because it will allow the committee to monitor the council's progress in implementing the recommendations.

Ethical Framework Update

The Standards Advisory Committee received a report (Ethicalframeworkreport Sept 2024) detailing the declarations of interest made by Councillors during the period 9th April 2024 to 27th August 2024. Declarations of interest are an important part of the council's ethical framework. They are a way for councillors to be transparent about any personal or financial interests that they have that might conflict with their role as a councillor.

The Standards Committee noted that there were no declarations of gifts and hospitality made during this period. The committee questioned whether the report contained all of the declarations of interest that had been made in the period. It was agreed that officers should update the report to include all declarations.

This discussion highlights the importance of transparency in local government. Councillors are expected to be open and honest about any interests that they have that might affect their decision-making.

Appointment of Independent Person

The committee discussed the vacant position of independent person on the committee.

Just to update the committee on the recruitment of the independent person, members will recall that just before the summer break, we shared a draft advert with members, and thank you to those members who provided their comments on that.

The meeting was informed that there had been a number of delays to the recruitment of a new independent person. It is anticipated that the advert for the post will be placed this month.

So it is anticipated that the advert will go out this month. And we just wanted to record our thanks to Christina for being so patient as well, given the difficulties that we've had with recruitment and hopefully we'll be able to update members at the next meeting.

The committee noted the update, and Councillor Choudhury expressed his wish for the role to be filled quickly.

This has been rumbling on for quite a while, hasn't it? And no disrespect to all of the efforts being put into it. But I think we've been quite frankly, we've been hearing this line that we need to get to it as quickly as possible.

The committee discussed whether it would be possible to appoint a new independent person before its next meeting on 11th December. It was agreed that this may be difficult, given that any appointment would need to be confirmed at a meeting of full council.

Obviously, once an equipment process done and the candidate is chosen, it does actually have to go to full council for approval. So once that's achieved, hopefully, we should have enough council meetings between now and your next meeting.

It was agreed that the committee would contact Christina Asare, who has been acting as independent person, to advise her of the outcome of the discussion.

This week in Newham:

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting was cancelled.
• The Cabinet discussed the response to the Black Boys and the Borough Scrutiny report, the acquisition of Chantler Close in Custom House, and the adoption of a new Adaptive Street Lighting Policy.

Cabinet - Tuesday 03 September 2024

This meeting began with the Cabinet noting the executive response to the Black Boys and the Borough Scrutiny report, which was published on the 4th of June 2024, and makes twelve recommendations for the Council to consider. The Cabinet have accepted recommendations 1, 3, 4 and 5 in their entirety. The Cabinet have partially accepted recommendations 2, 6, 7, 8, 8b, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The Cabinet have not accepted recommendation 10b. The recommendations cover a wide range of issues, and many relate to the Council's Public Sector Equality Duty under the Equality Act 2010.

Councillor Sarah Jane Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainable Transport, Children Services and Education, presented the response to the scrutiny report, stating:

As the lead Members representing the cross-cutting nature of the Scrutiny Task and Finish Commission looking into ‘The Relationship between Black Boys and the Borough’, we thank the members for their work and for the conclusion of this Commission’s work across the areas as presented in their report.

Recommendation 1: Plan for action

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should develop an action plan to address systemic and structural inequality across the Council and the community. The Cabinet have agreed to this recommendation, citing their Building a Fairer Newham Corporate Plan, approved in September 2022, and their new Equity and Equality model, which has recently been approved by the Council's Corporate Leadership Team. The new model will include training, an action plan, and the creation of an Equity Steering Group in Autumn 2024.

Recommendation 2: Targeting Progress Towards Equality

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should review its Equality Monitoring processes. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

This recommendation is welcomed and partially accepted because of the work already underway through the Council’s existing Equality Monitoring Process, which was last reviewed in 2023.

Recommendation 3: Using Data and Lived Experience to Inform Policy

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should use data and information on the lived experience of its residents to inform its policymaking. The Cabinet have accepted this recommendation, stating:

This recommendation is welcomed and accepted and is already delivered through various mechanisms within the Council.

The Cabinet listed a number of ways that the Council is already meeting this recommendation, including:

• The use of Equality Impact Assessments.
• The improvement of its data collection processes.
• Embedding lived experience in the design and delivery of Children and Youth Services.

Recommendation 4: Newham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership

The scrutiny report recommends that the Newham Safeguarding Children's Partnership produce an action plan with measurable outcomes to reduce disproportionality and disparity for Black boys in areas such as educational exclusion, child protection planning, care and the criminal justice system. The Cabinet have accepted this recommendation. A data dashboard for the Partnership, showing data disaggregated by ethnicity, is presently in development, and an update will be presented at their next meeting in November 2024.

Recommendation 5: Preventing School Exclusions

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should review and build on its existing support to identify new ways to prevent school exclusions. The Cabinet have accepted this recommendation, stating:

We approve and accept this recommendation, as this is already a core area of work within the Council’s Education service.

Recommendation 6: School Behaviour Policies

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should review the implementation of school behaviour policies in Newham. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

We recognise the importance of examining the School Behaviour policies, and understand the drivers and thinking that have given rise to this recommendation which we partially accept.

The Cabinet stated that a sole focus on behaviour policies would not be an effective way to address this issue. They instead believe that a focus on quality assuring and evaluating the impact of inclusive practice in schools will be a better way to improve inclusive practice.

Recommendation 7: Engaging on Community Safety Strategies

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should review its community safety strategies and engage directly with young black boys and men. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, and listed a number of actions that the Council and its partners are already undertaking, including:

• A refresh of the Council's Youth Safety Strategy.
• A commitment for Newham to take part in the Mayor of London's Stop and Search project.
• Ongoing work to raise awareness about Stop and Search amongst young people.
• The creation of a Trust, Engagement and Equity subgroup by the Newham Safety Partnership.
• Several projects being delivered by the Violence Reduction Unit, including:
  • A young black boys and men's board.
  • Detached youth work.
  • A summer raising awareness programme.
  • School-based education to reduce robbery, gang involvement and joint enterprise.

Recommendation 8: Stretch Collaboration

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should consider using the Stretch Collaboration methodology to help transform its services.

Stretch Collaboration and Transformative Scenario Building moves away from conventional collaboration. It helps people work together across differences to transform systems, sectors, organisations and perspectives.

The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

This recommendation is welcomed and partially accepted, as links to the ambitions we have for creating enabling and empowering environments and experiences for all young people, including those at risk of exploitation and those facing disproportionality. It will be subject to an assessment of any revenue cost implications in line with the Council’s governance processes in place.

Recommendation 9: Mapping Opportunities

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should map and publicise opportunities for young Black men and boys to engage with it. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation.

Recommendation 10: Trauma Responsive Training

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should identify and deliver trauma responsive training for all staff. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

In light of the work outlined below, we welcome and partially accept Recommendation 10 from the Scrutiny Task and Finish Commission. We will look to work with partners and providers to offer and/or promote evidence-based training on trauma-informed approaches, many of which rely on more than just a one-off training session. Our continued relationships across the VRU, voluntary sector and academic bodies ensure our approach to trauma-informed working in Newham is in line with pan-London and national progress.

The Cabinet listed a number of areas where the Council is already undertaking this work, including:

• A free training course on trauma-informed care, delivered in partnership with Teeside University and the North East London Training Hub.
• A new approach to trauma-informed working, called 'Caring Steps', which was developed in 2023 and piloted by three organisations.
• A centralised training page on the Well Newham website.
• Collaboration with the London VRU's Trauma Informed Project.

Recommendation 11: Black Youth Voices

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should collate Black youth voices and experiences into one coherent strategy. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

This recommendation is welcomed but partially accepted. As part of the new Equity approach, services will be expected to identify and develop specific equity objectives and actions within the annual business planning cycle, based on gaps in resident outcomes and areas for improvement.

Recommendation 12: Black Boys and Young Men Working Group

The scrutiny report recommends that the Council should establish a working group of young Black boys and men, community leaders, business leaders and Council colleagues to help inform policy and service delivery. The Cabinet have partially accepted this recommendation, stating:

We partially accept the recommendation. As part of the Newham Equity Approach, a staff equity steering group is being set up to drive improvement in Council policy and service delivery. While the terms of reference of the group are yet to be finalised, the group will consider how it includes the lived experience and knowledge of residents, community members and businesses, including young black men.

The Cabinet then moved on to discuss the proposed acquisition of Chantler Close, Custom House from housing association Look Ahead.

Acquisition of Chantler Close

Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented the report on the proposed acquisition of Chantler Close, Custom House, from housing association Look Ahead, stating:

The chair councils of the government finance and resources there in the cabinet lady we all are aware of the unprecedented challenges that we're facing in the homelessness in the barrel.

The scheme

Chantler Close is made up of two blocks of 26 self-contained one-bedroom flats and a large parking area. It is located outside of the Custom House Regeneration Area. Five of the flats are currently used for affordable housing, and the rest are used by Look Ahead to provide temporary accommodation. There are no planning restrictions on the site. The Cabinet heard that Look Ahead would relocate all existing tenants to suitable alternative accommodation before the sale is completed. The Council is expected to complete the purchase of the freehold in August 2025.

Use of the scheme

The Council are planning to lease the scheme to a third-party housing organisation, who will then let the units to people currently in temporary accommodation at rents linked to the Local Housing Allowance. The third party organisation will be responsible for all landlord functions, such as collecting rent and managing repairs.

Financial implications

The capital costs of purchasing Chantler Close will be funded through prudential borrowing. A financial analysis has demonstrated that the acquisition will provide a net income to the Council over 50 years, and will deliver a saving on the cost of temporary accommodation. The Cabinet heard that the acquisition would deliver an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 9.1%, while the current cost of borrowing is 5.5%.

Adaptive Street Lighting Policy

Councillor Sarah Jane Ruiz, Cabinet Member for Environment, Sustainable Transport, Children Services and Education, presented a report on the adoption of a new Adaptive Street Lighting Policy, stating:

In the last five years, the Council have invested in the replacement of its existing standard street lights, sodium lanterns, with new lighting, new light-emitting diodes, LEDs, for those of us who know the language.

What is Adaptive Street Lighting?

Adaptive street lighting uses modern technology to vary the brightness of streetlights, making it possible to reduce the energy consumption of street lights while still meeting the required standards.

The Cabinet heard that:

This form of modern technology means that lighting provision is no longer a one-size-fits-all offer. Instead, we can now increase lighting levels where necessary, especially for safety reasons, but also lower lighting levels where necessary, reducing costs and energy consumption, as well as ensuring residents' privacy and sleep are not disrupted by too bright a lighting.

The proposals

The Cabinet heard that Newham Council has already replaced around 90% of its Sodium streetlights with new LED units. This has reduced the Council's annual carbon emissions from street lighting from 2442 tonnes to 1220 tonnes. The policy will further reduce the Council's carbon emissions from street lighting to 854 tonnes per annum, and will save around £500,000 per year in energy costs.

The policy allows for lighting levels to be reduced at certain times of night, on certain types of road. Lighting levels will be reduced by up to 20% between 6pm and midnight, and up to 50% between midnight and 5am. The policy will not apply to areas such as zebra crossings, signal-controlled crossings and junctions, underpasses and footbridges. Lighting levels in Town and District Centres and outside of train stations will be reduced by 20% at all times.

The trial

A trial of the new policy was carried out between February and May 2024. The trial involved a variety of sites in different wards, and sought to understand the impact of adaptive lighting on:

• The local environment.
• Lighting levels.
• Perceived personal safety.
• Potential impacts on traffic safety.

The trial involved consultation with internal and external stakeholders, including local residents, Transport for London and local ward Councillors. The outcome of the trial was that there was no significant negative impact on residents from the reduced lighting levels.

The decision

The Cabinet approved the proposed Adaptive Street Lighting Policy, and delegated authority to Aled Richards, Corporate Director for Environment and Sustainable Transport, to make changes to the policy in order to maintain highway safety.

Stratford Business Improvement District Renewal Ballot

Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, Portfolio Lead for Inclusive Economy, Strategic Housing Delivery and Culture, presented a report on the request by Stratford Original Business Improvement District (BID) for a renewal ballot.

The Stratford Business Improvement District (BID), also known as Stratford Original, is a not for profit organisation funded and led by local businesses based in Stratford Town Centre. They have expressed their intent to the Council to hold a renewal ballot for its third five-year term in Autumn 2024, having been instituted in 2015 following the first BID ballot.

What is a BID?

A Business Improvement District is a defined area within which businesses pay a levy to fund projects that will improve their trading environment.

BIDs are business led partnerships which are created through a ballot process to deliver additional services to businesses in a defined location. They can continue for an unlimited number of terms, providing they are successful in their ballots.

What is Stratford Original proposing?

Stratford Original is seeking approval for a third five-year term, which will run from April 2025 to March 2030. They are proposing to expand the BID area to include 21 new businesses. The BID has notified the Council of its intention to hold a ballot, and has provided them with:

• A copy of their proposed business plan.
• A summary of their consultation with businesses in the BID area.

The decision

The Cabinet noted Stratford Original's request for a ballot, and delegated authority to Megan Charnley, Director of Community Wealth Building, to determine whether the proposal conflicts with any Council policies, and whether the Council should vote to support the renewal.

Pre-Procurement Services for Microsoft Licensing Agreement

Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources, presented a report on the procurement of a new Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.

In April 2023, by a Cabinet decision, the two Councils decided to split from the OneSource IT service and associated shared infrastructure to:

Why does the Council need a new agreement?

The Council is currently party to a shared Microsoft Enterprise Agreement with Havering Council, which expires on 31 March 2025. As part of the planned split from the OneSource shared IT service, the Council needs to procure a new agreement in its own right.

How will the new agreement be procured?

The Council is planning to procure the new Enterprise Agreement through Crown Commercial Services (CCS), a public procurement organisation. CCS run an aggregation service for public sector organisations, which brings together organisations with similar requirements in order to leverage savings.

The decision

The Cabinet approved the procurement of a new Microsoft Enterprise Agreement, to be awarded to the winning supplier through the CCS aggregate process.

Officer Key Decision - Friday 06 September 2024

This meeting concerned the awarding of a contract for school support services to Newham Partnership Working Limited.

School Support Services Contract Award - Newham Partnership Working Limited

The Corporate Director of Children and Young People, Laura Eden, was asked to approve a direct award of the school support services contract to Newham Partnership Working (NPW) for an initial period of 12 months, with the option to extend for a further 12 months for the total amount of £544,000.

The report explained that this was permissible because

NPW has confirmed that over 80% of its work is provided to its controlling members, that these members manage NPW, and that there is no private capital participation. Additionally, NPW meets the 'horizontal exemption' criteria under Regulation 12(7) of the PCR, commonly known as the ‘Hamburg’ exemption, which has also been confirmed.

The report explained that The Council has a statutory duty to provide school support services to Local Authority (LA) maintained schools, and that NPW is

a company limited by guarantee, owned by member schools and the Council. It was incorporated in 2011 and originally established under what is now known as Regulation 12 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. In January 2013, the Council transferred parts of its schools' traded services to NPW.

The report goes on to say that this transfer was requested by Newham schools, and that the contract would cover a range of services including School HR services, Governor Services, and ICT Support for data exchange.

It was proposed that, under the new contract, governor services would no longer be provided by NPW, but would instead be delivered by the Council directly.

The report argues that this is preferable because these services can more effectively be delivered by Council officers without any adverse impact on service provision to schools, and in particular that servicing Schools Forum can be more effectively by Council officers as financial expertise on schools funding sits within the council.

The report notes that, although other options were considered, NPW was the preferred supplier. It explains that, while other providers were found, they would not be able to provide all of the services required. It explains that awarding contracts to multiple providers would be fragmented and challenging to contract manage and for schools to access integrated support.

The report concludes by saying that [f]uture arrangements will explore the possibility of incorporating a competitive tender process in subsequent years.

This week in Newham:

• The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting was postponed.
• The Officer Key Decision approved the admission of six care providers to the Supporting Vulnerable Adults Dynamic Purchasing Vehicle.
• The Officer Key Decision approved a £942,000 contract for the installation of fibre optic cables in Newham.
• The Officer Key Decision considered the lease of the Tate Institute to Respace Projects.
• The Officer Key Decision approved the procurement of Occupational Health and Employee Assistance Programmes for £740,249.

Officer Key Decision - Friday 30 August 2024

This meeting concerned the approval of the admission of a number of care providers to the Supporting Vulnerable Adults Dynamic Purchasing Vehicle (SVA DPV). These vehicles are agreements between the council and a list of pre-approved suppliers, that allow the council to purchase goods and services without having to go through a lengthy procurement process each time. Dynamic Purchasing Vehicles are different from conventional frameworks because new suppliers can apply to join them at any point. In this instance, any company wishing to provide supported living services to the council would first have to apply to join the Supported Living category of the SVA DPV by completing the Stage 1A pre-selection process.

If successful, the provider would then be invited to join the DPV and would be eligible to bid for contracts to provide individual care packages, or to build and operate supported living schemes. This is similar to the process used by the council to procure advocacy services, which we discussed in a previous email meeting on Wednesday 14 August 2024 saw the Corporate Director for Adults, Health and Communities, Jason Strelitz, award a contract for the provision of advocacy services to VoiceAbility.

Officer Key Decision - Wednesday 14 August 2024

The key decision made during this meeting was to award a contract for the provision of Advocacy Services in Newham to VoiceAbility. The new contract will run for two years from 1 September 2024, with an option for a one-year extension, and will cost the council £915,000.

Advocacy Services Contract

This decision is significant because it relates to Newham Council's statutory duties to provide advocacy services under several laws. These include the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the Mental Health Act 1983. Advocacy services are designed to help people understand their rights and to make their voices heard when decisions are being made about their care or treatment. This is particularly important for people who may be vulnerable or who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves.

This is not the first time that we've seen the council seeking to procure advocacy services. In a previous email, we reported on the council's decision to award a contract for advocacy services to Pohwer in July 2023. That contract was for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further two years. The total value of that contract was £1.8 million. It is not clear from the report why the council has decided to award the new contract to VoiceAbility rather than extending the existing contract with Pohwer. However, it is possible that this decision was made on the basis of cost, quality, or other factors.

The new contract with VoiceAbility will operate as a core and flex arrangement. This means that there will be a core budget of £210,000 to provide 660 hours of advocacy, and an additional flex budget of £95,000 for spot purchases of advocacy when demand is higher. This is a common way for councils to procure advocacy services, as it allows them to be flexible in their spending and to respond to fluctuations in demand.

Under the terms of the new contract, VoiceAbility will provide three tiers of advocacy:

• Tier 1 Statutory Advocacy will be provided for the Care Act, Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (including in-borough Rule 1.2 and Relevant Person's Representative (RPR)), and Independent Mental Health Advocacy. Rule 1.2 and RPR advocacy are types of advocacy that are available to people who are being assessed for, or who are already deprived of their liberty. This could include, for example, people who are living in care homes or hospitals.
• Tier 2 Statutory Advocacy will be provided for out-of-borough Rule 1.2 and RPR
• Tier 3 Non-statutory advocacy will be provided. Non-statutory advocacy is advocacy that is not required by law, but which can still be very helpful for people who need support to make their voices heard. This could include, for example, advocacy for people who are experiencing problems with housing, benefits, or employment.

The report notes that Although non-statutory advocacy is covered as part of this contract, associated costs are nominal and its removal would not materially affect the contract value. This suggests that the council is not placing a high priority on non-statutory advocacy. However, the report also states that Statutory advocacy to be prioritised, as well as prioritising the use of volunteer/peer advocates where possible. This suggests that the council is looking for ways to reduce the cost of advocacy services, which could have implications for the availability of non-statutory advocacy in the future.

The decision to award the contract to VoiceAbility was made on the basis of a report by council officers. The report assessed bids from three potential providers against a set of criteria, including quality, cost, and experience. VoiceAbility's bid was judged to be the most economically advantageous. This means that it offered the best value for money, taking into account all of the relevant factors.

The decision to award the contract was also made in consultation with Councillor Neil Wilson, the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care. Councillor Wilson is responsible for overseeing the council's health and social care services. This suggests that the council is committed to ensuring that the new contract meets the needs of Newham residents.

). The decision was made by Jason Strelitz, the Corporate Director, Adults and Health, in consultation with Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care.

Officer Key Decision - Friday 23 August 2024

This meeting was to consider the procurement process for a proposed Fibre Upgrade Project. Like the previous decision, this decision was not made in a public meeting, but was instead made by an officer of the council acting under delegated authority. In this instance, the decision was made by the Corporate Director of Inclusive Economy & Housing, and involved awarding a £942,000 contract to ITS Technology Group for the installation of dark fibre¹ across the borough.

Officer Key Decision - Tuesday 27 August 2024

This meeting was not a meeting in the usual sense: Officer Key Decisions are not discussed in public, but are instead made by officers of the council who have been delegated the authority to make them. Councils will often delegate decision making powers to officers for routine, low-value, or time-sensitive decisions. This is in contrast to decisions that are made by elected councillors, which must be made in public. Decisions made by officers can be 'called in' by councillors if they disagree with them.

This meeting was to make a decision about whether to grant an agreement for lease and a lease of the Tate Institute to Respace Projects² as a condition of a £1.381 million grant from the Levelling Up Fund, which Respace Projects was awarded in order to refurbish the building.

Officer Key Decision - Thursday 29 August 2024

This meeting was to consider a report about the procurement of a contract for the provision of Occupational Health and Employee Assistance Programmes to Newham Council staff. The decision was made by the Corporate Director of Resources in consultation with the Director of Human Resources and the Director of Law. As in the previous example, this meeting was not a meeting in the conventional sense, but was rather a process by which an officer of the council considered the evidence and made a decision under delegated authority.

The meeting considered a report that recommends using the ESPO 985B_23 framework agreement to procure a joint contract with Havering Council for the provision of Occupational Health and Employee Assistance services. Framework agreements are similar to Dynamic Purchasing Vehicles in that they allow the council to purchase services from pre-approved suppliers, but unlike DPVs, they are not open for new suppliers to join once they have been set up.

The report considered, and ultimately decided against, an option in which the council would not procure the contract at all, arguing that this would leave the council in breach of its statutory duty of care to its employees.

The Officer Key Decision meeting on Friday 23 August 2024 was scheduled to include a report on proposals for a Fibre Upgrade Project for Newham.

Officer Key Decision - Friday 23 August 2024

The key decision scheduled to be made during this meeting was to award a contract for the laying of dark fibre¹ across the borough to ITS Technology Group as part of the proposed Fibre Upgrade project.

Fibre Upgrade Project

This decision is significant because it relates to Newham Council's commitment to ensuring that its residents have access to reliable and affordable internet access. As we have seen in previous emails, Newham Council has made several investments in recent years in an attempt to improve the borough’s digital infrastructure. For example, in December 2021, the Council launched its Digital Inclusion Strategy, which sets out the council's ambition to make Newham a connected borough where everyone can benefit from the opportunities that digital technologies offer. One of the key objectives of this strategy is to ensure that all residents have access to affordable, reliable and fast broadband.

The report proposing the Fibre Upgrade project claims that it will deliver a number of benefits for Newham residents, including:

• Improving internet speeds in areas that are currently underserved by internet service providers.
• Providing free connections to over 50 public buildings for the next 35 years.

These commitments directly address concerns that were raised in the Digital Inclusion Strategy, which noted that some residents and businesses in Newham still do not have access to affordable, reliable and fast broadband, and that this was a barrier to economic growth and social inclusion. The strategy went on to say that the council would work with partners to improve broadband infrastructure across the borough.

The total cost of the Fibre Upgrade Project is estimated to be £942,000. The majority of this funding (£800,000) will come from the Strategic Investment Pot, a fund administered by the City of London Corporation. A further £222,000 will come from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, with the remaining £80,000 coming from existing council budgets. It is notable that the council is using a blend of funding sources to finance this project. This is a common approach for councils, as it allows them to spread the cost of major projects and to reduce the impact on their own budgets.

If the contract is awarded, work on the project is expected to start in September 2024 and take around a year to complete.

The Officer Key Decision meeting on Wednesday 14 August 2024 saw the Corporate Director for Adults, Health and Communities, Jason Strelitz, award a contract for the provision of advocacy services to VoiceAbility.

Officer Key Decision - Wednesday 14 August 2024

The key decision made during this meeting was to award a contract for the provision of Advocacy Services in Newham to VoiceAbility. The new contract will run for two years from 1 September 2024, with an option for a one-year extension, and will cost the council £915,000.

Advocacy Services Contract

This decision is significant because it relates to Newham Council's statutory duties to provide advocacy services under several laws. These include the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and the Mental Health Act 1983. Advocacy services are designed to help people understand their rights and to make their voices heard when decisions are being made about their care or treatment. This is particularly important for people who may be vulnerable or who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves.

This is not the first time that we've seen the council seeking to procure advocacy services. In a previous email, we reported on the council's decision to award a contract for advocacy services to Pohwer in July 2023. That contract was for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further two years. The total value of that contract was £1.8 million. It is not clear from the report why the council has decided to award the new contract to VoiceAbility rather than extending the existing contract with Pohwer. However, it is possible that this decision was made on the basis of cost, quality, or other factors.

The new contract with VoiceAbility will operate as a core and flex arrangement. This means that there will be a core budget of £210,000 to provide 660 hours of advocacy, and an additional flex budget of £95,000 for spot purchases of advocacy when demand is higher. This is a common way for councils to procure advocacy services, as it allows them to be flexible in their spending and to respond to fluctuations in demand.

Under the terms of the new contract, VoiceAbility will provide three tiers of advocacy:

• Tier 1 Statutory Advocacy will be provided for the Care Act, Independent Mental Capacity Advocacy (including in-borough Rule 1.2 and Relevant Person's Representative (RPR)), and Independent Mental Health Advocacy. Rule 1.2 and RPR advocacy are types of advocacy that are available to people who are being assessed for, or who are already deprived of their liberty. This could include, for example, people who are living in care homes or hospitals.
• Tier 2 Statutory Advocacy will be provided for out-of-borough Rule 1.2 and RPR
• Tier 3 Non-statutory advocacy will be provided. Non-statutory advocacy is advocacy that is not required by law, but which can still be very helpful for people who need support to make their voices heard. This could include, for example, advocacy for people who are experiencing problems with housing, benefits, or employment.

The report notes that Although non-statutory advocacy is covered as part of this contract, associated costs are nominal and its removal would not materially affect the contract value. This suggests that the council is not placing a high priority on non-statutory advocacy. However, the report also states that Statutory advocacy to be prioritised, as well as prioritising the use of volunteer/peer advocates where possible. This suggests that the council is looking for ways to reduce the cost of advocacy services, which could have implications for the availability of non-statutory advocacy in the future.

The decision to award the contract to VoiceAbility was made on the basis of a report by council officers. The report assessed bids from three potential providers against a set of criteria, including quality, cost, and experience. VoiceAbility's bid was judged to be the most economically advantageous. This means that it offered the best value for money, taking into account all of the relevant factors.

The decision to award the contract was also made in consultation with Councillor Neil Wilson, the Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care. Councillor Wilson is responsible for overseeing the council's health and social care services. This suggests that the council is committed to ensuring that the new contract meets the needs of Newham residents.

The Cabinet met on Tuesday 6 August 2024 and discussed a range of issues, including plans to make the Council more efficient, a new investment strategy for their wholly owned housing company Populo Living, and the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge project. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to receive oral updates from the Chairs of Newham Council's Scrutiny Commissions, and discuss a range of topics including the Building a Fairer Newham performance report and the Disabled Freedom Pass scheme. Finally, the Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee met on Thursday 8 August 2024 to discuss the appointment of a new Director of Public Realm.

Cabinet - Tuesday 06 August 2024

The Cabinet agreed to implement a new Our Transforming Newham for the Future Plan to make the Council more efficient and save money. The Cabinet also agreed to a new investment strategy for their wholly owned housing company Populo Living, and to proceed with the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge project.

Our Transforming Newham for the Future Plan

The Cabinet discussed a new Our Transforming Newham for the Future Plan. This plan is intended to respond to a projected budget gap of £175m by the end of 2027/28. This is not the first time this year that the Cabinet has considered the Council's financial position. In June 2024, the Cabinet noted an in-year overspend of £11.1m for 2023/24, as well as significant concerns about the delivery of services within existing resources over the medium term.

The Our Transforming Newham for the Future Plan is designed to make the Council more efficient, improve service delivery, and reduce operating costs. The Plan involves a new 'Target Operating Model' (TOM). Target Operating Models are often used by large organisations to describe how they intend to deliver their strategic objectives. They are a useful tool for aligning different parts of an organisation around a common goal, and for identifying areas where improvements can be made.

The new Target Operating Model (TOM) aims to:

• improve resident access to services and information,
• make better use of data,
• modernise technology infrastructure,
• transform the workforce and culture, and
• optimise service delivery across various domains.

The Cabinet agreed to approve the plan and to invest £5.9m in its implementation. It was acknowledged during the discussion that the implementation of the plan would require significant cultural change and people management.

Meeting this challenge requires a fundamental shift in our approach to Transformation, most specifically in the pace and scope of our whole-organisational transformation vision and plans.

- Abi Gbago, Chief Executive, Newham Council¹

The Plan also aims to reduce the Council's reliance on external suppliers.

Populo Living Investment

The Cabinet also discussed a new investment strategy for Populo Living, which is Newham Council's wholly owned housing company. Wholly owned housing companies are becoming increasingly common as councils seek new ways to deliver affordable housing. They offer a number of advantages over traditional council housing, such as greater flexibility in terms of borrowing and investment.

The Cabinet agreed to convert a £30m working capital loan provided to the company into equity. Working capital is the money that a company has available to meet its short-term financial obligations. Equity is the value of the assets owned by a company, less its liabilities.

The arguments for doing so were that:

• it would provide the company with more financial flexibility to deliver the Council's housing priorities,
• it would lead to earlier debt repayment by Populo, and
• it would be financially neutral in the long-term.

The arguments against were that:

• the Council would receive lower income from the loan in the short-term, and
• it would require an adjustment to the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy to accommodate the lower income.

Populo Living Limited...is a key part of the Council’s housing delivery strategy and route to starting 1,500 new affordable homes by 2026.

- Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE² and Councillor Zulfiqar Ali³

The report noted that Populo has a good track record of delivering affordable housing. This is in line with previous reports to the Cabinet, which have praised the work of Populo Living in delivering the Council's housing priorities. For example, in a report to the Cabinet in July 2023, Populo Living was described as a key partner in the Council's efforts to tackle the housing crisis. The report also noted that the company had a strong track record of delivering high-quality, affordable homes.

Royal Victoria Dock Bridge – Allocation from Capital Programme Executive Decision (Call In)

The Cabinet considered a report from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) regarding their 'Call In' of an executive decision made on 4 June 2024 concerning a proposed £13.2m investment in the Royal Victoria Dock Bridge to connect communities to the north and south of the Royal Victoria Dock.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee asked the Cabinet to reconsider the decision, citing concerns about the:

• economic benefits of the bridge,
• bridge specifications,
• financial implications of the investment, and
• lack of a Gross Value Added (GVA) report to properly assess its impact.

Gross Value Added (GVA) is a measure of the value of goods and services produced in an area. It is often used as a measure of the economic impact of a project or investment.

The Committee noted that Newham Council did not have the financial resources to build the RVDB to the specifications proposed and doing so would entail difficult choices between spending on services or the RVDB.

- Councillor Anthony McAlmont⁴

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee also raised questions about the precedent that this investment could set for subsidising developers.

The Cabinet agreed to note the referral of the decision and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's resolutions, and to defer its decision to the Cabinet meeting in September 2024. This was in part due to the need for the Cabinet to provide the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with the information that they had requested.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 06 August 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss a number of reports at their meeting. These included the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2024-2025, the Building a Fairer Newham performance report, and a briefing on the Disabled Freedom Pass Scheme.

Scrutiny Work Programme

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss and potentially approve the work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the other scrutiny commissions for the 2024/2025 municipal year. The Scrutiny Work Programme 2024-2025 was included in the report pack for the meeting.

Crime, Environment and Transport Scrutiny Commission

The proposed work programme for this commission included reviews of the performance of the Newham Safety Partnership, the introduction of the new Newham Integrated Community Enforcement model, and the borough’s new Licensing Policy. The Newham Safety Partnership is a statutory partnership between Newham Council and a number of other organisations, including the police, fire service and probation service. It is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to reduce crime and disorder in the borough.

They were also scheduled to review the implementation of the Environment Act, including its impact on local biodiversity and air and water quality, and to scrutinise the performance of street cleaning services.

Education, Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission

The proposed work programme for this commission included a review of the Youth Safety Strategy, and scrutiny of youth empowerment, youth justice and alternative youth provision in Newham. They were also scheduled to scrutinise the Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report. The Newham Safeguarding Children Partnership is a statutory partnership between Newham Council, the police, and health and social care providers. It is responsible for coordinating the work of different agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in the borough.

Other items on their proposed agenda included a review of the experiences of care experienced young people and care leavers, especially in relation to the protected characteristics¹, a review of the sufficiency of placements for looked after children, school attainment, school attendance and the SEND & Inclusion Strategy Annual Report.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission

The proposed work programme for this commission included a discussion of how the borough can meet future health and adult social care needs in the context of significant population growth. As we saw in the Cabinet meeting, this is a significant challenge facing the council. Population growth is likely to put a strain on health and social care services. The council will need to find ways to meet this increased demand, while also managing its finances.

They were also scheduled to review the impact of the new leisure services provider, Better. Better is a charitable social enterprise that manages leisure centres, libraries and children's centres on behalf of local authorities. It took over the running of Newham's leisure centres in 2018.

Other items scheduled for discussion included adult social care efficiencies, the 0-19 Health Service model, health equity and literacy, social care peer review pick-ups², and community mental health care. The 0-19 Health Service model is a way of providing integrated health care to children and young people. It is based on the principle that health care should be provided in a holistic way, taking into account the needs of the whole child. The model has been implemented in a number of areas across England.

The commission was also scheduled to revisit a previous scrutiny report on ethnic inequalities in maternity experiences.

Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Commission

The proposed work programme for this commission included a review of workforce culture within the directorate, and scrutiny of Newham Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy, including the Our Newham Work strand. Community Wealth Building is an economic development approach that aims to keep wealth within local communities. It involves encouraging local procurement, supporting employee ownership, and investing in local assets. Our Newham Work is a programme that aims to create employment and training opportunities for Newham residents.

They were also scheduled to receive a briefing on fire and flood resilience in the borough, and discuss temporary accommodation and homelessness prevention. These are both significant challenges facing the council. The council has a statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation to homeless households, and the demand for this type of accommodation is increasing. The council is also working to improve its resilience to fires and floods.

Other items proposed for discussion included the Regulator of Social Housing Inspection, the Housing Revenue Account business plan, the private licensing regime, the Local Plan, the repairs and maintenance service, and scrutiny panels in housing associations. The Regulator of Social Housing is responsible for regulating social housing providers in England. The Housing Revenue Account is a ring-fenced account that councils use to manage their housing stock. The private licensing regime is a system that requires landlords of certain types of property to obtain a licence from the council. The Local Plan is a document that sets out the council's planning policies for the borough.

Reserve items included an audit of council tenants, the housing needs of disabled tenants, and the Culture Strategy.

Building a Fairer Newham Performance

The report pack included the final Building a Fairer Newham performance report for 2023/2024. The report covered the period from April 2023 to March 2024. Building a Fairer Newham is the Council's corporate plan for 2020-2024. It sets out the council's vision, priorities and objectives for the borough.

The report described performance against the 132 commitments made by the council as part of the Building a Fairer Newham Corporate Plan. It also outlined performance against 35 key performance indicators. The report noted that 61% of commitments were described as being on track or completed, and 50% of Key Performance Indicators were on target.

The report acknowledged that the council was facing significant pressures, including rising demand for services and the cost of living crisis. It said that:

As we progress delivery against the Building a Fairer Newham Corporate Plan, the Council faces continuing pressures inrising demand for services, including inadult and children social care and housing. This has been compounded by inflationary pressures, the cost of living crisis, and a lack of adequate funding from Government to meet rising demand which is impacting on all local authorities, and disproportionately impacting on Newham, particularly in homelessness.

This echoes the concerns raised during the discussion of the Council's financial position at the Cabinet meeting.

The report highlighted a number of achievements, including:

• The launch of Well Newham, a social prescribing pilot. Social prescribing is a way of connecting people to sources of support within their community.
• The agreement of Newham’s Just Transition Plan. A Just Transition Plan is a plan for ensuring that the transition to a low-carbon economy is fair and equitable for all.
• The implementation of a multi-service environmental crime tasking programme to identify and reduce fly-tipping.
• The introduction of weekly bin recycling collections.

The report also identified areas for improvement, including:

• Numbers of people in temporary accommodation were above projections.
  
• The time it takes to issue Education, Health and Care Plans³ was still too long.

The report also summarised the findings of a Local Government Association Corporate Peer Review, which took place in November 2023. The review found that:

Whilst the action plan focuses on organisational improvements, the LGA Peer Review report also endorsed our vision for Newham and recognised the significant progress we have made over the past 5 years.

The report included an action plan which proposed to address the recommendations of the review.

Disabled Freedom Passes

The report pack included a briefing note on the Disabled Freedom Pass scheme.

The Disabled Freedom Pass scheme provides free travel on public transport in London for people with disabilities. It is a national scheme that is administered by local authorities.

The briefing note proposed to provide information about:

• Eligibility criteria for the scheme.
• The application process.
• The benefits of the scheme.
• The cost of the scheme.
• The impact of the scheme on the council’s budget.

Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee - Thursday 08 August 2024

The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee is a sub-committee of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It is responsible for making recommendations to the Chief Executive on the appointment of senior officers.

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet to consider the appointment of a new Director of Public Realm. The Director of Public Realm is responsible for a range of services, including highways, parks and open spaces, waste management, and street cleaning.

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to interview three candidates for the role. The candidates were shortlisted from a pool of 24 applicants.

The Sub-Committee was also scheduled to consider whether to exclude the press and public from part of the meeting where the candidates were discussed. This is common practice for appointments committees, as it allows them to have frank and confidential discussions about the candidates.

The Sub-Committee was scheduled to make a recommendation to the Chief Executive on which candidate should be appointed. The decision of the Chief Executive is subject to there being no 'well-founded objections' from other members of the Executive.

The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting on Monday 29 July 2024 was postponed. The Officer Key Decision meeting on Wednesday 31 July 2024 decided to award a £6.4m contract to Apex Contractors Ltd for the construction of a new building at JFK Beckton special school. The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission discussed the implications of population growth for health and social care on Tuesday 30 July 2024, but no transcript for that meeting is currently available. Finally, the Health and Wellbeing Board approved the new North East London Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy at its meeting on Thursday 1 August 2024.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 30 July 2024

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to consider reports about how Newham will meet the challenges of future population growth and the low levels of physical activity in the borough. The commission was also due to consider its work plan for 2024-25 and receive an update on the work of the Newham Place Partnership.

Meeting Newham’s Future Needs

The commission was scheduled to discuss a report entitled 'Newham Population Growth Project', which set out the likely impact of projected population growth on the demand for health and social care services.

The report noted that demographic changes are expected to drive additional demand for services:

The age profile of Newham’s population is expected to shift significantly, with high growth in the proportion of older adults. This change in the population profile is expected to drive additional demand for services.

This echoes similar statements made in reports to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in 2023 and 2024. The O&S Committee was told in July 2023 that the Council would need to increase its spending on adult social care by 11.9% in 2024/25, and in July 2024 that there were significant concerns about the delivery of services within existing resources over the medium term.

These concerns relate to the Council's statutory duties to provide a range of health and social care services. This includes the duty to assess the care needs of adults under Section 9 of the Care Act 2014, and to meet those needs if they are eligible for support under Section 18 of the Care Act 2014.

Councils across England are experiencing similar pressures due to growing and ageing populations, leading to increasing demand for services at a time when budgets are being squeezed. As a result, many councils are looking for new ways to deliver services more efficiently, often through closer integration with the NHS and other partners. This is one of the key objectives of the Newham Place Partnership, which will be discussed later in this email.

The report to the Scrutiny Commission proposed a new model for the provision of health and social care, based on 'Integrated Neighbourhood Teams'. It is not yet clear how these teams will operate, but the report stated that they would be responsible for providing a range of services to residents in a particular geographical area.

Leisure in Newham

The commission was scheduled to consider a report on the levels of physical activity in Newham. As we saw in a previous email, Newham has the lowest levels of physical activity in England, according to Sport England’s Active Lives survey. This is a long-standing issue, and the Council has made a number of commitments to address it. For example, the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2028 includes a commitment to increase the number of residents who are physically active.

It is not yet clear what the report to the commission will recommend, but it is likely to focus on the need for a joined-up approach between the Council, the NHS, and other partners.

Standing Item - Update on Emerging Matters

The commission was scheduled to receive a report on the Newham Place Partnership. The Newham Place Partnership is a strategic partnership between Newham Council and the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB). Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are NHS organisations responsible for planning and arranging health care services for their local population. They were introduced in July 2022 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The partnership is responsible for overseeing the delivery of health and care services in Newham, and for developing and implementing a joint health and wellbeing strategy. The report was expected to provide a summary of the partnership’s recent activities and to highlight some of the key challenges it is facing. These challenges are likely to include the need to make significant savings in the face of increasing demand for services.

Scrutiny Commission Work Plan

The commission was scheduled to consider its draft work plan for 2024-25. The draft work plan was provided to the councillors. Scrutiny committees are responsible for holding the council to account for its decisions and policies. This involves reviewing the council’s performance, scrutinising its budget, and making recommendations for improvement.

The work plan sets out the topics that the commission intends to scrutinise in the coming year. This will likely include topics such as the delivery of health and social care services, the performance of the Newham Place Partnership, and the council's response to the cost of living crisis.

The work plan is a key document for the commission, as it sets out its priorities for the year ahead. It is important that the work plan is comprehensive and reflects the key challenges facing the borough.

Officer Key Decision - Wednesday 31 July 2024

An Officer Key Decision was made on Wednesday 31 July 2024 to award a contract for the construction of a new building at JFK Beckton special school to Apex Contractors Ltd. Officer decisions are made by council officers under delegated authority from the council. They do not involve a formal meeting, but the decision must be published and is subject to a call-in period during which time councillors can ask for the decision to be reviewed.

Expansion of JFK Beckton

The decision was made to address a lack of adequate special educational needs provision within the borough, and was made in line with the council's statutory duty to provide sufficient school places under Section 14(1) of the Education Act 1996.

The project will see the construction of a new building at JFK Beckton, which is a special school for pupils with special educational needs (SEN).

JFK Beckton is one of four schools in Newham run by the Learning in Harmony Trust. It is a special school for pupils with SEN, and the new building will provide additional capacity for pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The decision to expand JFK Beckton was made in response to a projected increase in demand for special school places. This is in line with the council’s Local Area SEND and Inclusion Strategy 2023-28. This strategy sets out the council’s plans to ensure that children and young people with SEND have access to the support they need to succeed in education.

The report accompanying the decision noted that:

Currently, the greatest pressure is in the secondary phase with difficulty finding suitable autism places during transition into Year 7; resulting in temporary arrangements for additional places across a range of providers.

This expansion at JFK Beckton will help to address this pressure by providing additional places for children with ASD.

Equality Impact Assessment

The council is legally required to consider the equality implications of its decisions. An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was carried out and it concluded that the expansion of JFK Beckton special school is likely to have a positive impact on equality of opportunity. The EQIA found that there is a significant need for more specialist school places for children with ASD in Newham and that the expansion of JFK Beckton will help to meet this need. The EQIA also found that the expansion of JFK Beckton is likely to have a positive impact on the lives of children and young people with ASD and their families.

Funding

The total cost of the project is estimated to be £6,485,674. The project was originally budgeted at £5,212,290 in October 2022. The report accompanying the decision attributed the increase to a number of factors, including inflation and design changes. This is in line with the trends seen in the wider construction industry, where costs have risen sharply in recent years.

This funding will come from a variety of sources, including the Department for Education, Section 106 contributions and the London Legacy Development Corporation. Section 106 contributions are financial contributions made by developers to mitigate the impact of their developments on the local area. These contributions are often used to fund infrastructure projects, such as schools and roads.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Thursday 1 August 2024

The Health and Wellbeing Board approved the new North East London Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy. The meeting also received a number of updates on other projects in the borough.

North East London ICS Update

The Board received a verbal update on the work being done by the North East London Integrated Care System (ICS) in response to PA Consulting's report on population growth in the borough. As mentioned in the previous meeting section, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are partnerships between the NHS and local authorities that aim to join up health and care services for local populations. They were introduced as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

The meeting heard that the ICS will be focusing on a ‘neighbourhood working’ model, as discussed in the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission, and will trial ways of working in partnership with Stratford Primary Care Network (PCN).

Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are groups of GP practices that work together to provide a wider range of services to their patients. They were introduced in 2019 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan.

Councillor Jason Arthur raised concerns about a proposal by the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) to locate mental health services in Romford, arguing that residents should not have to travel so far for treatment.

It's a bit stupid, isn't it?

Councillor Arthur also expressed concern about the lack of accountability to the Health and Wellbeing Board from the ICS.

Councillor Arthur's concerns echo those raised in the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission, where it was noted that decisions made by NHS bodies were not always aligned with the needs of Newham residents.

The Board were told that the ICS is advocating for more resources for Newham, and that the Health and Wellbeing Board is ultimately accountable to residents for the work of the ICS.

Healthwatch Newham Annual Report 2023-24

The Board received Healthwatch Newham’s Annual Report for 2023-24. Healthwatch is an independent statutory body that exists to represent the views of people who use health and social care services in England.

The report highlighted the organisation's recent activities, including work to improve the experience of patients using Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services, a review of Continuing Healthcare services for people with diabetes, and engagement with over-55s from Black African, Caribbean, Asian and Polish backgrounds on access to dental services, Freedom Passes and Blue Badge applications.

Newham Health Equity Programme

The Board received an update on the work of the Newham Health Equity Programme.

The meeting heard that the programme is:

“Focusing on services and organisations and creating a context for prompting, nudging and pushing tuition work to support those organisations to become more better in their outcomes.”

The Board heard about the work being done by Barts Health NHS Trust to develop its approach to tackling health inequalities, using the Health Equity Programme’s roadmap tool. Tom, Director of Strategy at Barts Health NHS Trust, said that Barts Health had found the tool very helpful in enabling it to assess its current performance in this area and identify areas for improvement.

Councillor Arthur welcomed the work that Barts Health is doing to tackle health inequalities. He said:

“It's like the whole of the protected characteristic thing, it shouldn't be that we should label an LGBTQIA community over here or a Black African community there. It should be just part of our business as usual thing.”

This echoes similar comments made during the discussion of the Healthwatch Newham Annual Report, highlighting the importance of addressing health inequalities in a way that is embedded in everyday practice.

Action on Diet: FEND Improvement Updates

The Board received an update from Andy Jones, the Council’s Food Strategy Lead, on the progress being made on the four key actions identified in the Council’s Food Equality in Newham Diet (FEND) Action Plan.

The London Circular Food Procurement Commitment

Mr Jones updated the Board on the Council’s work with its catering partner Caterlink to reduce the carbon emissions from the 4 million meals it serves every year through its participation in the London Circular Food Procurement Commitment.

Fruit and Vegetables on Prescription

Mr Jones updated the Board on the Council’s plans to pilot a fruit and vegetable prescription scheme for households where there is a risk of, or existing, diabetes. This mirrors a proposal to pilot a similar scheme in Tower Hamlets, which was discussed in Tower Hamlet’s Health and Wellbeing Board on 25 June 2024.

The Healthy Food Advertising Policy

The Board heard that Newham Council introduced a Healthy Food Advertising Policy in 2024. The policy prohibits the advertising of foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar on Council-owned assets, as part of a broader London-wide initiative to reduce exposure to junk food advertising. Similar schemes have been introduced by councils across the country, following the introduction of a ban on junk food advertising on Transport for London property in 2019.

Mr Jones told the Board that the Council wants to work with partners to introduce similar policies on their assets, echoing the call for partners to collaborate in order to scale up initiatives that was made during the discussion of the London Circular Food Procurement Commitment.

Sustainable Urban Drainage and Food Growing

The Board heard that Newham Council is using £625,000 of funding from the Sustainable Urban Drainage scheme to create food growing spaces across the borough, which reflects a similar proposal to use funding from the same scheme to create 200 new food growing gardens in Barking and Dagenham, which was discussed in their Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 18 July 2024.

Councillor Neil Wilson told the Board that the Council’s work on food is often seen as being ‘middle class’ and that more needs to be done to make it relevant to all communities in Newham.

The Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz OBE, said that the Council needs to find new and innovative ways of promoting healthy eating to young people, and that the Council should use its advertising space to promote healthy eating messages.

North East London Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy

The Board approved the new North East London Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy. This follows the approval by Barking and Dagenham Council of a similar strategy in March 2023. The new North East London strategy aims to ensure that everyone in the region has access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health services, regardless of their age, gender, sexuality, or ethnicity.

The Board heard that the strategy will be delivered through an annual action plan, which will include a range of activities to be delivered at both a borough and an ICS level.

Simon, Director of Public Health for Adults and Health, told the Board that the strategy would address two of its key priorities: health inequalities and system sustainability.

Councillor Wilson welcomed the strategy, saying that Newham has been leading the way on sexual health for many years. This reflects Newham's commitment to providing high-quality sexual health services, which has been demonstrated by the recent increase in the use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) and the development of a new psychosexual service for the trans community.

The meeting ended at 7:23pm.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on Wednesday 24 July 2024 discussed a cabinet decision to allocate £13.2m of capital funds to the construction of the Royal Victoria Docks Bridge and decided to refer the decision back to the cabinet for reconsideration. At the same time, the Pensions Committee noted the Pension Fund’s funding and investment performance in the first quarter of 2024 and agreed a draft revised Investment Strategy Statement. On Monday 22 July, the Council discussed the return of planning powers from the LLDC to Newham Council, and voted in favour of the Mayor's recommendations on how to achieve this. An Officer Key Decision was made on Tuesday 23 July 2024 to award contracts for a programme of internal refurbishments to council-owned housing in the Canning Town & Custom House area. Finally, on the same day, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee met again, but the transcript for the meeting is not yet available.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 24 July 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed a call-in of a cabinet decision made on 4th June 2024¹ to approve the allocation of £13.2 million of capital funding for the construction of a new Royal Victoria Docks Bridge.

The bridge will connect areas north and south of the Royal Victoria Dock, enabling pedestrians and cyclists to cross. The bridge is part of a larger regeneration project known as Silvertown Quays being undertaken by the Silvertown Partnership, a joint venture between Lendlease and Starwood Capital.

The original planning application for Silvertown Quays included a requirement for a bridge to be built by the developers. This application was granted in 2016 ² with a minimum deck width of 5.8 metres. Following discussions with the Council, the Silvertown Partnership agreed to increase the width of the bridge to 8.55 metres.

14/01605/OUT was the original outline planning application submitted for Silvertown Quays. It does not include detailed bridge designs.

This increase in width was intended to 'future-proof' the bridge to accommodate the increased use expected as a result of both the Silvertown Quays development, and future development in the Royal Docks and Beckton Riverside Opportunity Area.

The call in was made on the following grounds:

• Financial Concerns: The council is currently forecasting a budget gap of £110m over the next 3 years. The allocation of £13.2 million, and the associated capital financing charges, would place an additional strain on the Council's budget.
• Need: The committee felt that the report lacked analysis of the need for the bridge.
• Legal Concerns: Some legal concerns were discussed in the closed session of the meeting.

Funding

The total cost of the bridge is estimated to be £41 million. The Silvertown Partnership are proposing to fund £27.8 million through a loan from Homes England, with the Council funding the remaining £13.2 million.

The Silvertown Partnership initially committed to fully funding the bridge themselves but following the increase in the width of the bridge, they requested that the Council contribute to the cost.

Council officers argued that the Council's contribution to the funding is justified because the increased width of the bridge is intended to accommodate increased use as a result of wider regeneration of the area, not just the Silvertown Quays development. The developers are only legally obliged to contribute funding that will mitigate the impacts of their own development under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

If you want a future-proof piece of infrastructure outside the boundaries of that development, you cannot reasonably ask that specific developer to fund it. - Paul Kitson, Corporate Director for Inclusive Economy and Housing.

Councillor Chadha stated her concern that this could set a precedent for the council subsidising private developers.

Need

The committee felt that the report did not provide sufficient evidence of the need for the wider bridge.

There is no analysis provided on the necessity of widening the bridge - Councillor Ottson.

The committee noted that the planning application already required the developers to build a footbridge, and questioned whether the wider bridge, with its associated costs, was necessary.

Business Case

Several members of the committee expressed concern that the report did not include a business case for the project. This means that there is no analysis of the expected economic benefits of the bridge.

There's nothing here about the economic benefits - Councillor Paul.

Conclusion

The committee ultimately decided to refer the decision back to the cabinet for reconsideration. They felt that the report was lacking in detail and that it did not provide sufficient justification for the expenditure in light of the Council's financial situation.

Councillor Paul summarised the Committee's concerns:

This is an over-engineered solution. Council is subsidising an employer. I would love to look at the balance sheet of this project, and it doesn't wash its face.

Officer Key Decision - Tuesday 23 July 2024

This Officer Key Decision meeting considered the awarding of contracts for a programme of internal refurbishments to council-owned housing in the Canning Town & Custom House area.

Canning Town & Custom House Refurbishment Programme

The meeting considered a report titled Canning Town & Custom House Refurbishment Programme – Lots 1, 2 & 3.² The report concerned the awarding of three contracts for refurbishment works on council homes in Canning Town and Custom House.

The report proposed that contracts be awarded to:

• SER Contractors: for Lot 1, at a cost of £1,734,229.04
• Greyline: for Lot 2, at a cost of £1,812,200.79
• Uniserv Enterprises Ltd: for Lot 3, at a cost of £2,021,100.00

The report explained that the programme was intended to carry out essential works on the properties in advance of a larger regeneration programme at a later date:

The works are being carried out inplace, and in advance of, the wider regeneration programme yet to be implemented. The works are considered essential and have been specifically designed and tailored to help protect the external fabric of the building, in addition to preserving the safety and security of the councils housing stock.

The report recommended that Paul Kitson, in consultation with the Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz OBE and the Lead Member for Housing Councillor Shaban Mohammed, approve the awarding of the contracts.

The report noted that the cost of the programme had risen by approximately 27% since it was initially agreed in October 2022. The report attributed the increase to a 20% rise in material costs, and wage inflation of 7-8%.

The report explained that a decision to do nothing was not considered viable:

Do nothing; not considered an option as the works are essential to ensure the councils responsibility to protect the external fabric, and structural integrity of the building are maintained.

Pensions Committee - Wednesday 24 July 2024

The Pensions Committee noted the Pension Fund’s funding and investment performance in the first quarter of 2024. They also agreed a draft revised Investment Strategy Statement and instructed officers to carry out a consultation with stakeholders on it.

Investment Strategy Update

The Committee reviewed the Fund’s investment performance and funding level. The meeting heard that investment returns in the first quarter of 2024 were slightly lower than expected, with the total value of the fund increasing by £57m to £1.767bn. The greatest source of outperformance was the LGIM ESG Paris Aligned global passive equities fund, whilst the fund's equity protection portfolio was the largest detractor from performance.

Underperformance was driven by strong equity returns, which had a negative effect on the portfolio's protective positions.

The Committee also heard that the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) fund in Newham now had a funding deficit of £56m at the end of March 2024, meaning that the assets held by the fund were worth less than the total they were liable for. This compares with a funding surplus of £4m in March 2022. The report stated that “The main reason for this reduction was for the change in inflation and the allowance for pension increases being higher than the Actuary’s long term assumptions.”

The Committee considered the draft Investment Strategy Statement (ISS) which sets out how the council will manage the investments in the pension fund. The meeting noted that updates to the ISS were required to comply with regulations, with the new version including further information on the Fund’s Pooling Partner. The meeting also heard that discussions were ongoing about the possibility of appointing a second active equity manager to the fund.

The Committee agreed the draft ISS and instructed officers to carry out a consultation with stakeholders on it, with any changes as a result of this consultation to be approved by the Chair and s151 Officer.

Pension Administration Update

The Committee received an update on the administration of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) fund in Newham. The meeting heard that the implementation of the McCloud Remedy, which will give tens of thousands of public sector workers higher pension payouts, was progressing well. The Committee was told that the software used to manage the fund had been updated in February 2024 and that work was ongoing to identify members who had been affected.

The mechanics for rectifying the age discrimination by extending the “underpin” (doing a comparison of what benefits the member would have got if the old regulations continued against what they have got under the current regulations and awarding the higher) had not changed from any consultation or previous draft regulations.

The Committee also heard an update on the Pensions Dashboards, which will allow people to see all of their pension pots in one place. The meeting was told that the Council would be required to upload its data to the dashboard by 31 October 2026.

Business Plan Update

The Committee received an update on the Newham Pension Fund Business Plan for 2023/24. A key part of the discussion was about the London Collective Investment Vehicle (LCIV). The LCIV is a pooled investment vehicle for local authority pension funds, and Newham is one of its investors.

The Committee heard that the LCIV is planning to launch a number of new funds in 2024, including a Nature Based Solutions Fund, a Private Debt II Fund, a Global Equity Value Fund, an Indirect Property Pooling Fund, and a UK Housing Fund. The Committee also heard that the LCIV had achieved £2.4m in annual savings in 2023, which are passed on to investors.

Finally, the Committee discussed the Economic Activities of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill ([EAPB (OM)]), which is currently going through Parliament. The Bill would give the government new powers to direct Local Government Pension Scheme funds to divest from companies for reasons relating to the activities of foreign governments. Members of the committee requested more information on the potential impacts of this legislation. The meeting heard that the Fund’s Officers and the Scheme Investment Adviser would continue to monitor developments.

Action Point: More information was requested on this legislation and whether new decisions could affect the fund investments retrospectively. The legal officer would bring updates back to the Committee on this.

Council - Monday 22 July 2024

The Council discussed the return of planning powers from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) to Newham Council, and voted in favour of the Mayor's recommendations on how to achieve this. The Council also approved the appointment of Rachel McCoy as the Council's Monitoring Officer, and the appointment of two new political assistants to work with the directly-elected Mayor of Newham, Rokhsana Fiaz.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 23 July 2024

No transcript is currently available for this meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

This week, Newham Council held four meetings: the Audit Committee, the Local Development Committee on Wednesday 17 July 2024, the Strategic Development Committee and the Cabinet on Tuesday 16 July 2024. The Audit Committee accepted the external auditor's disclaimer of opinion on the Council’s 2022/23 accounts. The Local Development Committee granted planning permission for a range of new buildings and a change of use at a building on Green Street. The Strategic Development Committee considered plans for a new Mosque and Islamic Centre, a new hotel and the continued use of the Roof East leisure facility. The Cabinet discussed plans to make Stratford High Street safer, and made a series of decisions to address the Borough's social housing and homelessness challenges.

Audit Committee expresses concern over national audit backlog

At their meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 (Audit Committee, 17 July 2024), the Audit Committee accepted a disclaimer of opinion on the Council’s 2022/23 accounts from the Council's external auditors Ernst & Young LLP. A disclaimer of opinion is issued when the auditor is unable to form an opinion on the financial statements.

A similar situation arose in Croydon in 2020. In that instance, the external auditors Grant Thornton issued a disclaimer of opinion in respect of Croydon's 2019/20 accounts, citing a number of serious concerns. These concerns related to the council's financial management, governance and record-keeping.

This is a highly unusual step to be taken but reflected the exceptional national situation and was not a commentary on Newham.

Ernst & Young, Audit Committee, 17 July 2024

The Committee were advised by officers and by Ernst & Young that there was a national backlog of audits. The Government had, before the General Election was called, proposed a ‘reset’ process which would involve amending the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. The outcome of the proposed changes had been paused due to the election.

This is the second consecutive year in which Newham Council has received a qualified audit opinion. In March 2023, the then external auditors Mazars issued a ‘limited assurance’ opinion on the Council’s compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR). The Audit Committee were provided with an Annual Report on GDPR at this week's meeting.

The Committee noted that good progress is being made by the Council in addressing the 48 recommendations from Mazars' audit. It was noted that the number of open recommendations has been reduced to 17. The Committee also considered and accepted proposals to increase resources within the Information Governance Team, in particular to create a new role of Corporate Records Manager.

Strategic Development Committee considers new Mosque and Islamic Centre on Barking Road

At their meeting on Tuesday 16 July 2024 (Strategic Development Committee, 16 July 2024), Newham Council’s Strategic Development Committee voted to grant planning permission for the construction of a new Mosque and Islamic Centre on Barking Road.

The application for the site at 295-297 Barking Road seeks permission to demolish the existing buildings and erect a new five storey building, containing:

• A new Masjid Bilal & Islamic Centre on the ground, first, second and third floors, with dedicated spaces for men and women, as well as classrooms and a lecture hall.
• An ancillary retail unit (Use Class E) on the ground floor.
• Three 1 bedroom flats on the fourth floor.

Use Class E was introduced in September 2020, replacing Classes A1 (shops), A2 (financial and professional services) A3 (restaurants and cafes), B1 (business), D1 (non-residential institutions) and D2 (assembly and leisure).

The application has been under consideration since 2020 and has been amended during that time to replace a proposed gym with an extra residential unit, and to provide additional supporting documents.

The existing site contains a mosque, a minicab office, a cafe and a four bedroom flat. The application was the subject of extensive public consultation and received 246 messages of support and 2 objections. Most of the supporters referred to the need for an expanded mosque in the area. The two objectors raised concerns about the day to day management of the existing mosque.

The report concludes that the principle of development, including both the mosque and the residential units, would be acceptable, subject to the conditions and the completion of a Section 106 Agreement. The s106 Agreement will include financial contributions towards carbon offsetting, travel plan monitoring, employment and skills and highways improvement works. The agreement will also include measures to restrict the issue of parking permits for the residential units.

Cabinet approves plans to make Stratford High Street safer

Newham Council's Cabinet has approved plans to make Stratford High Street safer. The decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday 16 July 2024 (Cabinet, 16 July 2024). The Cabinet considered proposals for the development of the Rex and the Bridge Road Island site in Stratford.

The Cabinet noted that fragmented ownership of the site had frustrated previous development opportunities. However, after negotiations facilitated by Populo Living Limited, a new opportunity has emerged to develop both sites.

The Cabinet approved plans to market the leasehold interest in the Rex Theatre for its continued future use as a cultural venue, and resolved to appropriate the land for planning purposes. In doing so, it noted the positive impact this would have on the regeneration of Stratford High Street.

Furthermore, the Cabinet:

• Approved entering into a conditional Development Agreement with Hollybrook (via its Special Purpose Vehicle Bridge Road Quarter Limited) to purchase private land and fund development of up to 179 homes at the Island site.
• Approved a budget of up to £88.2 million for the development of the Island Site.
• Approved the award and entering into a Development Management Services Agreement with Populo Design & Build Limited for a contract sum of up to £1.1 million to deliver the Island Site development.
• Approved payment of £5.6 million to Populo Design and Build Limited to cover costs incurred in operating the site for meanwhile use.

Local Development Committee considers new entrance for Essex Primary School

At their meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 (Local Development Committee, 17 July 2024), the Local Development Committee voted to grant planning permission for the construction of a new entrance extension at Essex Primary School.

The proposal would provide an enlarged reception area, a new disabled toilet, and a canopy. The application was submitted by Newham Council and supported by officers, who concluded that it would:

improve the accessibility and safety of students, staff and visitors.

Essex Primary School planning report, Local Development Committee, 17 July 2024

Cabinet agrees to lease 300 properties to help address homelessness

Newham Council's Cabinet has agreed to lease up to 300 properties through Chalkhill Partners Ltd to help the Council reduce its reliance on temporary accommodation. The decision was made at a meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday 16 July 2024.

The Cabinet noted that the properties will be sub-leased to a third-party housing organisation and let to homeless families at Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates.

The Cabinet noted that if the sub-lease arrangements necessitate their classification as finance leases under IFRS-16, the scheme will not proceed as it would not be financially viable.

This is the second time in recent weeks that the Council has taken steps to procure temporary accommodation in this way. In June 2024, the Council agreed to purchase 62 residential units within the Merchants Yard development in the London Borough of Havering. These units will also be let at LHA rates and market rents to Newham residents.

At that time, the Cabinet noted that:

The Council is committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing in the borough and will continue to explore all opportunities to achieve this.

Cabinet, 18 June 2024

The decision to lease the properties from Chalkhill Partners Ltd was made in response to the increasing demand for temporary accommodation in Newham. The number of households in temporary accommodation in Newham has been rising in recent years. At the end of March 2024, there were 6,464 households in temporary accommodation in Newham. This is up from 5,861 households at the end of March 2023.

The Council has attributed the increase in demand for temporary accommodation to a number of factors, including the rising cost of living, the shortage of affordable housing in London, and the increase in the number of people being evicted from their homes.

Strategic Development Committee considers new hotel at London City Airport

Newham Council's Strategic Development Committee has granted planning permission for the construction of a new hotel at London City Airport. The decision was made at a meeting of the committee on Tuesday 16 July 2024.

The outline planning application for London City Airport seeks permission for the construction of a new hotel on the site of a current long stay car park.

The proposal would be a standalone building with a maximum footprint of 48m x 48m and a height of between 29m and 35m. It is estimated that it will contain 280 rooms.

The Committee report notes that this application renews a previously approved outline permission, which is due to lapse in July 2024.

The application is recommended for approval subject to the completion of a Section 106 Agreement and numerous conditions.

The s106 Agreement will include financial contributions towards education for young people during the construction phase, local labour, carbon offsetting, travel plan monitoring, car parking permit monitoring and environmental monitoring. The conditions attached to the application include requirements to submit reserved matters, as well as numerous conditions relating to ground conditions, drainage, transport and safeguarding.

The latter were recommended in a consultation response from London City Airport itself. The Airport noted:

Potential to conflict with safeguarding criteria.

London City Airport, Strategic Development Committee, 16 July 2024

This was not elaborated on in the document, and the safeguarding issues are not discussed in the report. However the report accepts that the airport operates independently from the planning authority to ensure safeguarding measures are implemented.

Strategic Development Committee grants permission for continued use of Roof East

At their meeting on Tuesday 16 July 2024, Newham Council's Strategic Development Committee voted to grant permanent permission to continue use of levels 7 and 8 of the Stratford Centre multi-storey car park as an urban park with a bar, cinema and other leisure uses. The facility is operated by Roof East.

The facility has been operating under temporary permissions since 2014. It is leased to the current operators until October 2027.

The application received 3 letters of support, all of which stated that the use was an asset to the local community. The application was not opposed by any members of the public.

The Committee report notes that National Planning Practice Guidance:

states (para 014) that ‘it will rarely be justifiable to grant a second temporary permission’.

National Planning Practice Guidance

However it goes on to conclude that:

Approving the application as a permanent permission would avoid bad practice of granting many temporary permissions.

Stratford Centre Multi-Storey Car Park planning report, Strategic Development Committee, 16 July 2024

This is not the first time that the Council has taken this approach. In March 2023, the Council granted permanent permission for the use of a site on Stratford High Street as a street food market. The site had been operating under temporary permissions since 2017.

The application is recommended for approval subject to conditions relating to permitted hours of use, amplified music and waste storage.

Newham Council agreed to increase the budget for the construction of two affordable housing developments by a total of £3.7 million this week. The developments at Bramall Close and Idmiston Road will provide 73 new homes at social rent levels. The decision was made necessary by unforeseen costs related to fire safety improvements and the discovery of asbestos. The Council also agreed to two contract variations for the Affordable Homes for Newham programme, one for the purchase of 17 new homes at the Leather Gardens development and another for an increase in costs associated with the construction of 117 homes at the Sutton Road development.

This week, Newham Council held five meetings: the Newham Pensions Board and the Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee on Monday 8 July 2024, the Health and Wellbeing Board on Wednesday 10 July 2024, and two Officer Key Decision meetings on Monday 8 July 2024 and Friday 12 July 2024.

Affordable Homes for Newham Programme

The first Officer Key Decision meeting (Officer Key Decision, 8 July 2024) concerned the Affordable Homes for Newham programme. The meeting considered a report outlining the need for two contract variations: one relating to the Leather Gardens development in Stratford, and another relating to the Sutton Road development in Plaistow. The report explained that significant changes in market conditions had occurred since the contracts were let, largely driven by the effects of the pandemic and the current geopolitical situation, resulting in a sharp rise in inflation and increased material and labour costs.

The Leather Gardens variation relates to 17 units that were originally scheduled to be sold on the open market by the developer, Countryside Properties. The variation will see the council purchase the units from the developer for £6.1m, in line with the terms of the existing contract.

Since the contracts were let, there have been significant changes in market conditions, largely driven by the latent effects of the pandemic and the current geopolitical situation. This has included a sharp rise in inflation, and increased material and labour costs.

Affordable Homes for Newham Programme Contract Variations report, Officer Key Decision, 8 July 2024

The Sutton Road contract variation relates to an increase in the costs associated with the construction of 117 homes¹ on the site. The total cost of the development is now estimated at £61.3m, representing an increase of £9.8m on the original budget.

The Sutton Road contract variation is required to address the increase in cost for the development of 117 homes. The original contract sum was £51.5m, this has now increased to £61.3m.

Affordable Homes for Newham Programme Contract Variations report, Officer Key Decision, 8 July 2024

The report attributes the cost increase to several factors, including increases in material costs, the need for additional fire safety measures following the Grenfell Tower fire, and increased costs associated with groundworks and utilities. The report also explained that 76 of the homes at Sutton Road would be made available at London Affordable Rent, while 41 would be offered for shared ownership.

Bramall Close and Idmiston Road Affordable Housing Developments

The second Officer Key Decision meeting (Officer Key Decision, 12 July 2024) concerned budget increases for two affordable housing developments at Bramall Close and Idmiston Road. These developments will provide 73 new homes at social rent levels², addressing the pressing need for affordable housing in the borough.

The original contract for the developments, agreed in July 2021, was for £30.6 million. However, unforeseen circumstances have led to significant cost increases.

The estimated final costs for the schemes are now £32.5m for Bramall Close and £10.8m for Idmiston Road.

This represents a combined increase of £3.7 million.

The majority of the cost increase (£2.8 million) is attributed to fire safety improvements. These improvements go beyond those initially specified in the contract and are necessary to comply with the latest fire safety regulations and guidance, including those stemming from the Grenfell Tower fire.

In addition, the discovery of asbestos at the Bramall Close site has added a further £0.7 million to the costs. The report notes that these costs could not have been anticipated:

The presence of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) at Bramall Close was confirmed during intrusive surveys.

Bramall Close and Idmiston Road Affordable Housing report, Officer Key Decision, 12 July 2024

These unforeseen circumstances have created a funding gap in the budget for the developments, necessitating the requested budget increase.

The report argued that the budget increases represented good value for money despite the unforeseen costs. The report cited the urgent need for affordable housing in the borough as justification for the additional expenditure.

Failure to approve the requested budget variations is likely to result in significant delays to the delivery of the schemes.

Bramall Close and Idmiston Road Affordable Housing report, Officer Key Decision, 12 July 2024

This delay would not only impact the 73 families in need of affordable housing but also result in wasted expenditure. The council has already spent £13.2 million on the Bramall Close development and £3.4 million on the Idmiston Road development. Any delays would likely result in increased costs due to inflation and the need to potentially re-tender elements of the works.

The decision to increase the budget was made in line with the council’s commitment to providing affordable housing and its statutory duty to ensure the safety of its residents.

Newham Pensions Board

The Newham Pensions Board met to discuss the recent performance of the Newham Pension Fund. The board noted the submitted reports but no decisions were made during the meeting.

Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee

The Chief Officer Appointments Sub-Committee met to discuss the appointment of a new Director of Education and Inclusion. The Sub-Committee agreed the job description for the role and that it would be advertised on the local government jobs website.

Health and Wellbeing Board

The transcript for the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 10 July 2024 is not yet available.

The Newham Council held two meetings this week, with the Newham Schools Forum convening on Monday 1 July 2024, and the Budget Scrutiny Commission 2024 meeting on Wednesday 3 July 2024. No decisions were made at either meeting. The transcript for the Budget Scrutiny Commission 2024 is currently unavailable.

Newham Schools Forum

The Newham Schools Forum advises the Council on the planning, provision, and funding of education for children and young people aged 0-19. The forum, which must meet at least three times per year, is made up of elected councillors, school representatives from maintained schools and academies, and representatives from early years settings.

This week's meeting of the Newham Schools Forum discussed the Schools Block funding, which is the main source of funding for schools in England, the budget for the Schools Forum itself, and the work of the Schools Financial Assessments Team.

Schools Block Funding

The Schools Forum discussed the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) settlement for the 2025/26 financial year. The DSG is allocated by the Government to local authorities, who then distribute it to schools in their area. In the report prepared for the forum, officers noted that:

The purpose of this report is to provide Schools Forum members with a high level overview of the national funding changes for 2025-26 and the potential impact this may have on the local funding formula.

The report stated that the Government has announced a 2% increase in school funding for 2025/26, which represents an increase of £906 million on the 2024/25 budget.

The forum discussed how to ensure that the extra funding was distributed fairly and transparently. There was a debate about the best way to allocate the funding to schools, with some members arguing that it should be distributed based on need, while others argued that it should be distributed based on pupil numbers. This reflects the diverse needs of Newham's schools, with some facing significant challenges due to deprivation and social disadvantage. The forum agreed to continue this discussion at its next meeting.

Schools Forum Budget

The Schools Forum considered a report on its own budget, which was noted at £35,000. The report detailed how the budget is allocated to support the work of the Schools Forum in fulfilling its statutory duties. This includes providing training for forum members, funding independent research and advice, and covering the costs of meetings.

The forum discussed the budget for the 2024/25 financial year and agreed to carry it forward to the next meeting.

Schools Financial Assessments Team

The Schools Forum received a report from the Schools Financial Assessments Team, which detailed the work they had undertaken to support schools in Newham. This work included providing financial advice and support to schools, as well as carrying out financial assessments of schools. The Schools Financial Assessments team is part of the OneSource service, a joint venture between Newham Council and Havering Council that delivers a range of back-office services to both councils.

The forum praised the work of the Schools Financial Assessments Team and commended their dedication and professionalism.

This week, Newham Council held three meetings: a Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting on Tuesday 25 June 2024, an Officer Key Decision meeting on Wednesday 26 June 2024, and another Officer Key Decision meeting on the same day. The Licensing Sub-Committee meeting was postponed, so no decisions were made.

Romford Road (South) Scheme Progression

The first Officer Key Decision meeting on Wednesday 26 June 2024 authorised the progression of designs for the Romford Road (South) scheme to the detailed design stage. This decision follows a period of public consultation and an equality impact assessment.

Public Consultation and Community Feedback

The public consultation, conducted between February and March 2024, received 395 responses from local residents and businesses. The feedback indicated broad support for the proposals but highlighted concerns about the loss of parking spaces:

Whilst the main aspects of the proposals are generally supported, there are concerns around the removal of parking. This is particularly felt by residents in the area, who rely on on-street parking and are concerned about the impact on them, should the proposals be implemented as they are.

Equality Impact Assessment

An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) was also considered. EQIAs systematically identify and assess the potential positive and negative impacts of policies on different groups. The assessment found that the proposals would likely benefit people with disabilities by making the road more accessible. However, it also noted potential negative impacts on individuals with caring responsibilities due to reduced parking availability.

The meeting concluded with the decision to progress the scheme to the detailed design stage, with a request for officers to consider ways to mitigate the loss of parking.

Romford Road (A118) Improvement Scheme, Section B-South

The second Officer Key Decision meeting on Wednesday 26 June 2024 decided to proceed with the next stage of the Romford Road (A118) improvement scheme between Water Lane and Radlett Close.

Scheme Objectives and Support

The scheme aims to enhance the experience of road users, particularly pedestrians and cyclists, and aligns with the Mayor of London's Vision Zero strategy to eliminate road deaths and serious injuries by 2041. Supported by the council's own policies, including the Newham Climate Emergency Action Plan and Local Implementation Plan 3, the scheme also aims to reduce car use, improve air quality, and enhance the public realm.

Public Consultation and Concerns

A public consultation conducted from February 27 to March 24, 2024, revealed concerns about the scheme's impact on traffic flow and congestion. The report noted that traffic modelling accounted for changes in travel behaviour and concluded that the scheme's impact on traffic flow would be minimal.

Equality Impact Assessment

The Equality Impact Assessment found that the scheme would likely have positive effects on people with disabilities and older adults by improving walkability and cycling facilities. However, it also noted potential negative impacts on low-income groups due to increased journey times and costs. Mitigation measures were proposed to address these issues.

The committee voted to proceed with the next stage of the project, which involves developing the detailed design.

Local Development Committee Decisions

The Local Development Committee met on Tuesday 25 June 2024 to consider two planning applications, granting one and refusing the other.

Planning Application 23.02102.FUL Land Adjacent 128 Forest View Road

The application to build a three-storey building with four flats on land adjacent to 128 Forest View Road, London E15 was refused. The refusal was based on the design being out of character with the local area and the overdevelopment of the site:

The layout, scale and massing of the proposed development would result in an incongruous form of development that would be detrimental to the character and appearance of the host dwellinghouse and the surrounding area.

From the 23.02102.FUL - Forest View Road - Consolidated Report

Planning Application 24.00394.LA3 Land at and South of Castle Point, 111-133 High Street Stratford, London, E15

The application to alter the public realm around the base of the Castle Point tower block was approved. The proposal includes replacing existing trees with larger ones, introducing new seating areas, planters, and lighting to reduce anti-social behaviour and increase biodiversity:

Although there will be a reduction in the overall number of trees on the site, this is offset by the significant ecological benefits derived from the introduction of large, mature trees, which will enhance the biodiversity value of the site significantly.

From the 24.00394.LA3 - Castle Point - Consolidated Report

These meetings highlight the Council's ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure, address community concerns, and ensure sustainable development in Newham.

The Newham Council held five meetings this week, including Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meetings on Tuesday and Thursday, a Strategic Development Committee meeting, a SACRE meeting, and an Audit Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Licensing Decisions

The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee made several decisions regarding licensing applications and reviews at their meetings on Tuesday (Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee, 18 June 2024) and Thursday (Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee, 20 June 2024). Notably, they approved a new premises licence for a restaurant in Stratford and revoked the licence of a nightclub in Canning Town due to repeated breaches of licensing conditions. The committee also reviewed current licensing policies, aiming to adapt them to the evolving needs of the borough and prioritize resident satisfaction and safety.

This echoes similar discussions in the Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting on 13 June 2024, where concerns about noise and disturbance were raised by residents regarding an application for a new Premises Licence for The Golden Fleece, 721-723 Barking Road, London E13 9PJ. In that instance, the applicant's legal representative outlined mitigation strategies.

The Thursday meeting focused on the application for Pier One, a restaurant and bar also located in Canning Town. The application sought permission for late-night alcohol service and live entertainment, sparking objections from residents concerned about potential noise and anti-social behaviour. The committee's decision to grant the licence with specific conditions, including soundproofing, security measures, and restricted live entertainment hours, reflects their commitment to balancing business interests with community well-being.

These decisions highlight the crucial role of the Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee in regulating businesses selling alcohol and providing entertainment, with an emphasis on upholding licensing objectives that protect children from harm, prevent crime and disorder, ensure public safety, prevent public nuisance, and promote public health.

Strategic Development Committee Rejects Abbey House Redevelopment

The Strategic Development Committee (Strategic Development Committee, 18 June 2024) refused planning permission for the redevelopment of Abbey House, Bakers Row, Stratford, citing several concerns, including the lack of affordable housing provision and potential harm to the historical character of the area. The proposed development, which included the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a new structure with 72 residential units, drew criticism for its design, which was deemed incompatible with the local architectural style.

This decision aligns with the Council's commitment to preserving the borough's heritage and ensuring that new developments contribute positively to the existing urban fabric. This echoes similar discussions during the Local Development Committee meeting on 29 May 2024, where an application for development at land at the rear of 593-601, High Road Leytonstone E11 4PA was refused due to concerns about design and the lack of affordable housing. The committee's decision reflects the importance placed on design quality and the provision of affordable housing in new developments.

SACRE Emphasizes Inclusive Religious Education

The SACRE meeting (SACRE, 19 June 2024) focused on enhancing religious education (RE) in Newham schools. The committee reviewed the Ofsted Deep Dive RE Report for Newham, acknowledging the need for improved teacher training and the inclusion of diverse religious perspectives within the curriculum.

ensuring that RE is inclusive and reflective of our diverse community.

Councillor, SACRE meeting 19 June 2024

The committee adopted priorities for 2023-24, aiming to make RE more relevant and engaging for students. The discussion of an article from the Church Times, advocating for a deeper and more reflective approach to teaching RE, underscores the committee's commitment to fostering understanding and respect for different beliefs in a multicultural society.

Audit Committee Focuses on Accountability and Transparency

The Audit Committee (Audit Committee, 19 June 2024) convened to scrutinize the Council's financial activities and hold leadership accountable for financial management. Discussions covered the Affordable Homes for Newham contract variation, cyber security measures, and the Year Ahead Forward Plan.

The committee's decision to extend the meeting and exclude the press and public for specific agenda items, as permitted under the Local Government Act 1972, highlights their commitment to safeguarding sensitive information while ensuring thorough scrutiny of the Council's operations. This commitment to transparency and accountability is crucial for maintaining public trust.

Conclusion

These meetings provide a glimpse into the diverse responsibilities of the Newham Council, ranging from regulating businesses and managing development to ensuring inclusive education and scrutinizing financial practices. The Council's commitment to transparency, accountability, and community engagement is evident in their approach to these responsibilities.

This week, Newham Council held two meetings: a Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee meeting on Thursday 13 June 2024 and an Officer Key Decision meeting on Friday 14 June 2024. No transcript is yet available for the Officer Key Decision meeting.

Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee

This week's meeting of the Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee considered an application for a new Premises Licence for The Golden Fleece, 721-723 Barking Road, London E13 9PJ.

The applicant sought permission for the following licensable activities:

• The sale by retail of alcohol
• The provision of late night refreshment
• The provision of regulated entertainment

The applicant also sought permission for the following opening hours:

• Sunday to Thursday 10:00 to 00:00
• Friday to Saturday 10:00 to 01:00

The Sub-Committee heard representations from the applicant and their legal representative, as well as from a number of interested parties, including local residents and businesses.

Some residents expressed concerns about the potential for noise and disturbance, particularly late at night.

As residents, we have concerns about the noise. That was a massive problem. That is why this pub was closed. Because of all the disturbances of the residents in the early hours of the morning.

Local resident, Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee, 13 June 2024

The applicant's legal representative responded to these concerns by outlining the steps that the applicant would take to mitigate noise and disturbance, including the installation of noise-limiting equipment and the implementation of a dispersal policy.

We have taken into account all of our neighbours' concerns and that's why we have decided to reduce our hours and also come up with very good conditions.

Applicant's legal representative, Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee, 13 June 2024

After hearing all of the representations, the Sub-Committee retired to consider its decision. The Sub-Committee's decision will be made available within 5 working days.

This week, Newham Council held three meetings: The Newham Pensions Board on Monday 3 June 2024, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 4 June 2024, and Cabinet on the same day. We do not yet have transcripts for the Newham Pensions Board or the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings.

Cabinet

At this week's meeting of Cabinet, the Mayor announced the appointment of Councillor Sarah Ruiz as Statutory Deputy Mayor and Councillor Madeleine Sokolovic as Deputy Cabinet Member to support Councillor Ruiz's Children and Young People's work.

I was really pleased to announce last week that I was appointing Councillor Seraroos as the statutory deputy mayor. And I wanted to formally welcome her in that role in this meeting of Cabinet and the congratulations. And also pleased to appoint Cabinet Councillor Madeleine Solly Pointin as Deputy Cabinet Member to support Seraroos Children and Young People's Works. So welcome to your first meeting of Cabinet.

The Mayor, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Councillor James Asser has stepped down from the Council. The Mayor thanked Councillor Asser for his service.

I also wanted to play some record and I'm sure everyone here and more broadly would wish former Councillor James asked the best in his featuring moves and wanted to note with thanks and gratitude for his contributions to the administration, our work both towards building a fairer Newham and all the work that he's done within his environment and sustainable transport portfolio. I'm sure all of us will be missing him.

The Mayor, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Right Care Right Person

The Cabinet discussed the Metropolitan Police Service's 'Right Care Right Person' policy, which seeks to reduce the number of mental health-related calls that the police respond to by diverting those calls to more appropriate agencies. This policy has been in place in the London Borough of Newham since October 2023. Scrutiny had previously raised concerns about the potential impact of this policy on the borough, given its demographics and high levels of poor mental health.

Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, highlighted that, despite Newham Council having no direct role in its implementation, the policy impacts many areas of Council work, including Adult Social Care, Community Safety, and the Council's Well-Being duty. The Well-Being duty is a legal requirement for local authorities in England and Wales to improve the well-being of their communities. It is enshrined in the Local Government Act 2010, which gives local authorities a broad range of powers to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of their areas.

Councillor Susan Masters, Chair of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Commission, presented Scrutiny's findings, noting a significant decrease in police deployments for mental health related incidents.

As in Humberside, where the strategy was first employed, what we’ve seen is a huge drop in police deployments. Between October and November, the numbers dropped from 12,639 deployments down to 7,760.

Councillor Masters, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

However, Councillor Masters also raised concerns about the lack of data on what happens to people who are referred to alternative support services and emphasised Scrutiny's intention to continue advocating for better quality oversight as the strategy progresses.

What had turned us, however, as a committee, was the lack of monitoring of cases where the police had not been deployed. While those with lived experience of mental health crises are involved in police training processes, there seemed to be no attempt to track the experience of those who are no longer being deployed to anywhere in the system. What data has been captured is purely London-wide, with no breakdown by borough or analysis for demographics. All the figures recorded are just the proportion of mental health-related calls to the police that have led to a deployment.

Councillor Masters, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Local Plan

The Cabinet also discussed the new Local Plan. The Local Plan is a document that sets out how the borough will develop over the next 15 years. It includes policies on a range of issues, including housing, employment, transport, and the environment.

The current Local Plan was adopted in 2018. At the time, the then newly elected Mayor announced that a review would be undertaken. This review process began in December 2018 with evidence-gathering, consultations, and analysis of data about the borough. Following the publication of the London Plan in 2021, the Council began working towards the production of a new Local Plan.

This culminated in the publication of the Regulation 18 'Issues and Options' version of the Local Plan in October 2022, which was followed by a period of engagement with residents and stakeholders to gather feedback and suggestions.

And in October 2020, well be those members of the cabinet, you’ll recall that we endorsed the issues and options document which set out detailed engagement with residents selected members and local stakeholders and through that extensive engagement we’ve gathered a diverse range of views and aspirations that have then informed the regulation 19 version and we also engaged as valid partners our scrutiny colleagues, so thank you very much once again for that.

The Mayor, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

The Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan, discussed at this week's meeting, builds on the Issues and Options document and represents a significant step towards the publication of a final version.

Councillor Terry Paul, Chair of the Local Plan Scrutiny Commission, thanked the Council officers for their work on the Local Plan and expressed his support for it.

Each meeting that's back in the last year, we’ve got the local plan document which government has released together in Newham, and we conducted a very short, discreet and focused piece of work in understanding the participation of the local plan in the lives of residents. We looked at affordable housing, the housing needs of residents, our student accommodation, place-based, places of worship, climate resilience and flood protection. In Newham, the plan does play a role in maintaining an environmental and livable community, and we felt it wasn’t important to make some recommendations, which helped, and it’s obviously amplified from the desks of the mayor and the executive act to make the plan even better than what it is.

Councillor Paul, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

The Mayor highlighted some of the key policies and outcomes in the Plan, such as the target of delivering between 51,425 and 53,784 new homes by 2038, with a target of 50% social rent per site, a policy requiring new developments to reduce energy use and generate on-site solar energy, with a particular emphasis on embodied carbon, which is the carbon emitted during the manufacturing and transportation of building materials and products, and the allocation of land for 7 new schools.

Councillors also discussed a number of other issues relating to the Local Plan, such as the need for more burial space, the importance of engaging with faith groups, and the need for more family homes.

Cabinet approved the Draft Submission Local Plan (Regulation 19) for publication and public consultation. The consultation is expected to begin in July 2024 and run for an extended period of eight weeks to account for the upcoming general election.

Joint Waste Plan

Cabinet also discussed the draft Joint Waste Plan, which has been prepared by the East London Waste Authority in conjunction with the Councils of Barking & Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge. The plan sets out how the four boroughs will manage their waste over the next 15 years.

Councillor John Whitworth, Cabinet Member for Climate and Sustainable Transport, said that the plan was important for achieving the council's environmental goals.

The joint waste plan ensures it reflects up-to-date strategic objectives including sustainable waste management and climate goals in line with our just transition action plan.

Councillor Whitworth, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Cabinet approved the draft Joint Waste Plan (Regulation 18) for publication and public consultation, which is expected to begin in September 2024.

Merchant's Yard

Cabinet approved the acquisition of 62 units of temporary accommodation at Merchant's Yard in the London Borough of Havering. Councillor Zafran Ali, Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Modernisation, said that the purchase was necessary to meet the increasing demand for temporary accommodation in the borough.

This report seeks approval of the Cabinet to purchase a freehold interest in a 62-unit scheme at Merchant's Yard, and that is based in North Street, Romford, in the London Borough of Havering. It is owned by a developer, IP Global, who are reputable. All units are being built to high quality standards and specification, and incorporate high energy efficiency standards with high EPC, and most of these units have amenity space.

Councillor Ali, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Councillor Shaban Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing, highlighted the financial benefits of the scheme, noting that the purchase price delivers value for money with an internal rate of return of 7.7% against a cost of capital of 5.5%.

The proposed purchase is 62 units as I said, 19 of which are one-bed, 39 two-bed, and 4 of them are three-bedrooms. I would like to say to you that we do recognise that they need for larger properties to meet the demands and this is something that we’re always conscious of so that we can maximise any opportunity where possible, however, the TA costs are having a substantial impact and there’s also an ongoing need for one-bedroom and two-bedroom. Therefore, anything we can get is beneficial in order to reduce the cost and that’s what we’re doing, but we will be, we are continuing to be vigilant in terms of making sure that we get larger property and we’ll do those as we are. Purchasing this involved, we are getting some commercial discount, and I’m pleased to say that we have undertaken a formal evaluation that has also demonstrated that the purchase price delivers value for money and it is, it’s giving good return in terms of the 50-year investment in terms of cash flow as well as delivering a sort of 7.7 as you will note in the report, internal rate of return, which is higher than the cost of capital which is currently 5.5%. So this does demonstrate that the investment is financially viable.

Councillor Ahmed, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Peer Road

Cabinet approved the entering into of a Unilateral Undertaking by the Council in relation to two housing developments at Peer Road.

This is a formal request for approval to enter into a unilateral undertaking, which is, um, um, developed often when the Council and an organization, usually, always the Council really, but the development planning authority, former approval to get that into that agreement the costs of entering into that agreement, which is the legal costs, including the viability. Therefore, this comes, we've already made the financial decision to do that. Um, and the contribution to the developments of um, the homes, new affordable homes, for one and four, two, two. They also include the viability and assessments for the approach of the scheme. So that's straightforward as the place to enter into the unilateral undertaking of the elements schemes can proceed.

Councillor Paul, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

A Unilateral Undertaking is a legally binding agreement between a local planning authority, like Newham Council, and a developer. It is often used to secure financial contributions from developers towards infrastructure and other community benefits that are required as a result of a new development.

Royal Victoria Dock

Following a request, the Cabinet agreed to move into a closed session to discuss the Royal Victoria Dock.

Could I propose that we take this item in private?

Councillor not identified in the transcript, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

When a Council moves into a closed session it is usually because they are about to discuss information that is confidential. Common reasons for this include commercial sensitivity, information relating to ongoing legal proceedings, and some types of personal data.

Optimising Resident Independence Through Social Care

Following the closed session, Cabinet discussed a report on optimising resident independence through social care.

Councillor Wilson began by outlining the successes of the current adult social care framework, noting that Newham performs significantly better than both the English average and its statistical neighbours in terms of keeping residents at home.

"The current adult social care framework of enabling our home care has been very successful, as outlined in my report which you can read. We are very good at keeping our residents at home with 11% better than the England average. We’re 15% better than our nearest statistical neighbours in this, and we’re spending £4.9 million less per annum than the median average of our nearest principal authority.

Councillor Wilson, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

He went on to highlight the contribution that the adult social care sector makes to the local economy, and pointed out that the Council's Trusted Assessor model has been very successful at identifying residents' needs.

However, he also acknowledged that there is always room for improvement, and set out proposals for enhancing the current model, including the introduction of a dedicated reablement lot, which will provide intensive support to help people regain their independence after a period of illness or disability, and an all-age lot to help ensure a smooth transition from children's to adult social care services.

And the proposals in this paper aim to enhance on that success by making subtle changes to the model and the proposal to operate a dedicated reablement lot, in other words, making certain that there’s reablement, this isn’t even more of a reality, and to have an all-aged lot working towards the cabinet, I think, to have an all-aged approach to disability and to name the independence and their two-aged lots, the specialist ones plus reserve, will enable residents to receive a consistent service from a child to adult.

Councillor Wilson, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

The Cabinet also discussed the need to ensure that social care services are of a consistently high quality across the borough. Councillor Cannon, representing Royal Docks ward, raised concerns about ensuring that services delivered in her ward are of the same quality as those in other parts of Newham.

But I’ve lived in Newham all my life, and our family has been the recipient of care, one way or another, over the years, um, which has not always been a consistent quality. So I would like to ask how we are going to ensure that quality is maintained in this, uh, venture, and also how can we ensure equity in all parts of the borough? Royal Docks is an island, which, so often, people forget it falls off. Um, and uh, I’d like to feel that our residents there will be sure of equally good quality.

Councillor Cannon, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

Councillor Sokolovic, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, welcomed the proposals, highlighting the positive impact on children and young people with social care needs.

"This is, um, really uh, an interesting development for us. You’ll think that we think, most times, people assume that home care is only around older people for an actual fact, a significant number of children and families receive home care support. By working together on this, it will, will mean that actually the um, transition from children’s into adults will hopefully become smoother. Um, because sometimes, when you drop off the edge of a gauge, 24, 25, you can get up quick enough. So um, I, i mean, we in children’s services really welcome this um, and look, you know, we can only work together to improve the services that we’re offering to our children and families.

Councillor Sokolovic, Cabinet, 4 June 2024

The report outlined six recommendations, all of which were approved.

Cabinet approved the procurement of a new multi-category Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) for social care assessments, a framework agreement that allows the Council to purchase services from a pre-approved list of suppliers. They also approved the delegation of authority to the Corporate Director for Health and Adult Social Care to appoint providers to the DPS.

They also agreed to extend the current Children and Young People’s Services DPS for home care until 11 July 2025 and to procure a new all-age Dynamic Purchasing System. This will replace the existing adult and children’s DPSs and will be in place for an initial term of 4 years, with the option to extend for a further 4 years. The estimated annual value of the DPS is £31.8 million.

Finally, Cabinet approved the transfer of £500,000 from the budget for the implementation of the London Living Wage to Children and Young People's Services to enable the adult in-house Integrated Lifestyle Service Support (ILSS) rate to be paid to providers awarded an all-age contract. This will help to ensure that all social care providers in the borough are paying their staff a fair wage.

These decisions reflect the Council's commitment to providing high-quality social care services to residents of all ages.

This week, Newham Council held two meetings: the Local Development Committee on Wednesday 29 May 2024, and an Officer Key Decision meeting on Tuesday 28 May 2024. No transcript is yet available for the Officer Key Decision meeting.

Local Development Committee

The Local Development Committee is responsible for making decisions on planning applications in the borough. These decisions are made in accordance with the National Planning Policy Framework, which sets out the government's planning policies for England, and the London Plan, which sets out the Mayor of London's policies for the capital.

At this week's meeting, the committee considered four planning applications.

Development at land at rear of 593-601, High Road Leytonstone E11 4PA

This application sought permission to demolish an existing building and construct a five-storey building comprising 8 self-contained flats, with associated landscaping, cycle storage, refuse and recycling facilities.

Councillors raised concerns about the design of the building, arguing that it was out of keeping with the surrounding area. They also raised concerns about the lack of affordable housing in the development.

This is a very prominent site. I think it's important that we get the design right. I'm not convinced that this application does that. I'm also concerned about the lack of affordable housing. We need to be doing everything we can to provide affordable homes in the borough.

Councillor Harvey, Local Development Committee, 29 May 2024

After a lengthy discussion, the committee voted to refuse the application on the grounds of its design and lack of affordable housing. This reflects the council's commitment to ensuring that new developments are of a high quality and meet the needs of the community as outlined in its Local Plan. The Local Plan is a document that sets out how the borough will develop over the next 15 years. It includes policies on a range of issues, including housing, employment, transport, and the environment.

Redevelopment at Former Texaco Petrol Filling Station, 148-152 Romford Road, Stratford, E15 4LY

This application sought permission for the demolition of the existing buildings and structures on the site (former petrol filling station) and redevelopment of the site to provide a building ranging from four to eight storeys plus basement. The proposed development would be a mixed use scheme comprising flexible commercial floorspace at ground and mezzanine floors (Use Class E) and 28 self-contained flats on the upper floors with associated refuse, recycling, cycle parking, plant and other ancillary facilities.

This application was approved.

Application for prior approval at 127 The Green, E13 9AP

This was an application for prior approval for a proposed single-storey rear extension projecting 6.0m beyond the rear wall of the original dwellinghouse, with a maximum height of 3.0m and a height of 2.7m to the eaves.

This application was approved.

Development at Land Adjacent 60 Maryland Square, Stratford, E15 1LN

The application sought permission to erect a single-storey modular building to provide a place of worship (D1 Use Class) with associated access, cycle parking and landscaping.

This application was approved.

This week, Newham Council held 5 meetings: an Officer Key Decision meeting, a Chief Officer Appointment Committee meeting, the Audit Committee, another Officer Key Decision meeting, and full Council.

Of these, we have transcripts for the Audit Committee only. The Audit Committee's role is to scrutinise the financial affairs of the council, and to hold the council's leadership to account for their management of the council's finances. As part of this scrutiny role, the Audit Committee receives regular reports on the financial health of the council, and on its progress in delivering value for money.

At this week's Audit Committee meeting, Councillors discussed the minutes of the previous meeting. There was some disagreement over the accuracy of the minutes, with Councillor HIGGIN raising two points of clarification. Firstly, Councillor HIGGIN clarified that the minutes did not accurately reflect their suggestion regarding the use of data from the estate ballot at Carpenters Estate.

On page 15, it says that a member suggested that data from the estate ballot in carpenters of say be reused to identify occupants. That isn't what was suggested. We suggested that data from that estate ballot be shared with the committee so that we could understand the likely amount of fraud that might be detected during tenancy audits, because a similar process would have had to take place for that estate ballot. It's not that data be reused to identify offenses that we wanted, that data, so that we could see what might happen in future tenancy audits.

Councillor HIGGIN, Audit Committee, 21 May 2024

Councillor HIGGIN's second point of clarification related to their statement about the 48 hours' notice given for tenancy audits.

Also on page 15, it says a member stated that 48 hours notice of a visit was unreasonably short for working people. I also mentioned that in the context of three repeat visits, causing a sanction and how that those visits had to be at different times to accommodate if they visit at the same time every week, three weeks in a row, that would be unfair, depending because they're still at work at the time. So it's just not a sufficient average of the point that I made.

Councillor HIGGIN, Audit Committee, 21 May 2024

The meeting then moved on to a discussion of the action log. Councillor HIGGIN noted that action item AC216 could be closed, and asked for an update on action item AC200.

And then I had a question about AC200. There's been two reminders then on that and I think we've received that still. I might be wrong about that.

Councillor HIGGIN, Audit Committee, 21 May 2024

The meeting concluded with a discussion of the year-ahead forward plan. Councillor HIGGIN asked for clarification on the inclusion of quarterly reports on the delivery of the savings programme.

The quarterly reports, I think we agreed at the last meeting that we would get quarterly reports on savings, on delivery of the savings program as agreed by cabinet that we could have that and it's not in this list.

Councillor HIGGIN, Audit Committee, 21 May 2024

The meeting then moved into a closed session to discuss confidential matters relating to cyber security and affordable housing.