The Assembly of Barking and Dagenham Council met on Wednesday 27 September 2023, where they discussed the Leader's statement on national and local issues, approved the appointment of a new Monitoring Officer and an interim Statutory Scrutiny Officer, and adopted the Annual Youth Justice Plan for 2023-24.

Leader's Statement

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dominic Twomey, delivered a statement covering a range of topics. He began by criticising the UK Government's U-turns on policy, particularly concerning climate change, arguing that these decisions negatively impacted the country's future and exacerbated the cost of living crisis for residents in areas like Barking and Dagenham. He highlighted that businesses such as Ford and Nissan had also expressed concerns about the government's unreliability.

Councillor Twomey also spoke about the importance of addressing climate change, stating, saving the planet will save us all, no matter our political feelings. He emphasised that tackling climate change is intrinsically linked to alleviating the cost of living crisis, as measures to improve energy efficiency and sustainability would bring prosperity to people.

The Leader commended the Shadow Education Secretary, Bridget Philipson, and Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, for their visit to Sydney Russell School where students debated climate change. He praised the young people for their engagement, noting that they were ready to debate what really matters about our future.

In relation to housing, Councillor Twomey acknowledged challenges faced by the Council's Housing Revenue Account (HRA) due to a lack of funding, which impacted safety and ecological standards. He addressed the issue of damp and mould in homes, stating that while hundreds of cases had been resolved, the Council accepted that not all had been addressed promptly. He attributed these issues to the aftermath of the pandemic and the ongoing cost of living crisis, which prevented residents from heating their homes adequately. He expressed pride in the Council's work with the Housing Ombudsman and its staff. He also raised concerns about letters received from the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, suggesting a potential political motivation, and noted that these issues seemed to be disproportionately affecting Labour councils.

The financial situation of the Council was also a key point, with Councillor Twomey mentioning a briefing on the medium-term financial plan. He stated that the government had significantly reduced funding, with the Council now receiving only 66p for every £1 it received in 2010. Despite this, he expressed confidence that the Council would avoid issuing a Section 114 notice, unlike other councils such as Croydon and Birmingham. He highlighted the Council's investment in homes, noting that 20% of London's affordable housing since COVID-19 had been built in Barking and Dagenham, with 85% of these homes going to local families.

Councillor Twomey also celebrated the improvement in the borough's schools, with 96% now rated as 'Good' or 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, a significant increase from 69% in 2014. He acknowledged the challenges posed by a growing young population and a high proportion of single-parent families, but expressed pride in the staff's efforts to support young people.

In terms of regeneration and innovation, he highlighted the development of Industria Barking, the UK's first stacked warehousing system, built in partnership with Be First and McLaren. He also announced that the 'A House for Artists' social housing scheme had been nominated for the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize.

Finally, Councillor Twomey mentioned upcoming celebrations for Nigerian Independence Day and Black History Month, reinforcing the Council's commitment to celebrating the borough's diversity and ensuring no-one will be left behind.

Appointments

The Assembly resolved to appoint Councillor Hardial Singh Rai to the Member Development Group.

Appointment of Monitoring Officer

The Assembly resolved to appoint Deirdre Collins, Head of Legal Services, as the Council's Monitoring Officer with effect from 28 September 2023. The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dominic Twomey, thanked the outgoing Monitoring Officer, Alison Stuart, for her service.

Appointment of Interim Statutory Scrutiny Officer

The Assembly resolved to designate Leanna McPherson, Principal Governance Officer, as the Council's interim Statutory Scrutiny Officer with effect from 29 September 2023. Councillor Jane Jones and Councillor Twomey both spoke in support of the appointment, highlighting Ms McPherson's previous contributions.

Annual Youth Justice Plan

Councillor Jane Jones, Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care and Disabilities, presented the Barking and Dagenham Youth Justice Plan for 2023/24. The plan outlines the service's work in reducing first-time entrants into the criminal justice system, re-offending rates, and the number of children in custody.

Councillor Jones reported that while all three indicators had decreased over the last five years, they remained higher than London and national averages. She attributed this to the borough's high proportion of young people, high levels of deprivation, and the current economic crisis. She highlighted the positive impact of intervention work in schools and commended the YARM team for their national award nomination. The plan was noted to align with national and local priorities and had been agreed at a partnership level.

The Assembly resolved to adopt the Barking and Dagenham Youth Justice Plan 2023/24. Deputy Leader Dominic Twomey and Councillor Councillor Cungethi, Cabinet Member for Education, both spoke in support of the plan, emphasising the challenges faced by the borough and the remarkable impact the Youth Justice Service was having.