The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Barnet Council met on Tuesday 23 January 2024 to discuss a range of important council matters. Key topics included the decarbonisation of the council's corporate estate, an annual performance review of registered housing providers, and an update on the development of the council's culture strategy. The committee also reviewed the council's financial forecast for the 2023/24 financial year and received updates on various task and finish groups.

Towards Net Zero - Decarbonisation of the Corporate Estate

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's progress towards achieving net zero emissions by 2030, focusing on the decarbonisation of its corporate estate. This report detailed actions taken as part of the Sustainability Action Plan, including progress on the Towards Net Zero (TNZ) programme. The TNZ programme aims to retrofit council-owned buildings to reduce carbon emissions, with initiatives such as installing air source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic panels, and LED lighting. The report highlighted the completion of Phase 1 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS), which involved retrofitting 18 buildings, and outlined plans for Tranche Two of the TNZ programme, focusing on further decarbonisation of schools and council buildings. A pilot project at a caretaker's residence at 3 Chandos Road was also discussed, aiming to share lessons learned with private homeowners and landlords. The report noted that future programmes would require budget allocation and would be funded through a combination of grant funding and external borrowing.

Annual Performance Review of Registered Providers (RPs)

A review of the performance of Registered Providers (RPs) operating in Barnet was presented. These RPs manage over 9,000 affordable homes in the borough and are key partners in delivering the council's housing strategy. The review focused on the top eight developing RPs and assessed their performance in areas such as landlord services, response to the cost of living crisis, fire safety, and sustainability. The report indicated that RPs are generally providing satisfactory services and are proactive in addressing current issues. It also highlighted the commitment of RPs to developing sustainability programmes and working towards achieving Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) band B by 2030. The review also touched upon fire safety regulations, damp and mould issues, and the role of RPs in supporting residents through the cost of living crisis. The report detailed the number of affordable homes completed in 2022/23 and the projected completions for 2023/24, noting delays in development due to factors such as Brexit and increased construction costs.

Culture Strategy Progress Briefing

The committee received a briefing on the development of Barnet's five-year cultural strategy, which aims to celebrate, support, and enrich the borough's cultural landscape and creative economy. The strategy is being developed through consultation with an external steering group, residents, and cultural organisations. Key priorities identified include building capacity and participation in the cultural sector, developing placemaking and cultural infrastructure, mobilising culture as a connector for diverse communities, and accelerating Barnet's identity as a cultural destination. The strategy also aims to support cultural education for young people and cultivate culture to enrich society. The report noted that the final strategy would be presented to Cabinet in April 2024 and highlighted the close link between the culture strategy and Barnet's bid to be London Borough of Culture in 2027.

Chief Finance Officer Report – 2023/24 Q3 Financial Forecast and 2023/24 Budget Management

This report provided a summary of the council's revenue and capital forecast outturn for the financial year 2023/24 as at quarter 3. The revenue budget projected an overspend of £19.763 million, a reduction from the previous quarter. The report detailed the reasons for the overspend, including rising demand for services, inflationary costs, increased social care placement costs, and higher demand for temporary accommodation. Mitigation actions being undertaken by officers were also outlined. The report also presented the capital programme expenditure forecast, which showed a variance against the budget due to the reprofiling of project expenditure. Details on the council's debt position and the top ten debtors were also included.

Task and Finish Groups Update

An update was provided on the progress of ongoing Task and Finish Groups established by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its sub-committees. The report detailed the membership and focus of groups such as the Elective Home Education, Barnet Highway Network, and Primary Care (GP) Access groups. The Elective Home Education group was nearing completion of its work, with a final report due in March 2024. The Barnet Highway Network group was focusing on improving communication, responding to climate change, and future funding plans, with a site visit to review new technology and a planned discussion on communication strategies. The Primary Care (GP) Access group had held several meetings, including site visits to GP practices, and had agreed on final recommendations concerning communication with residents, funding allocation, primary and secondary care interfaces, and phone system updates. Updates were also provided on the planned commencement of the Discharge to Assess and Youth Homelessness Task and Finish Groups.

Cabinet Forward Plan (Key Decision Schedule)

The committee was presented with the Cabinet Forward Plan for 2023/24, which outlines upcoming key decisions to be made by the Cabinet. The committee was asked to review the plan and identify any items they wished to request for pre-decision scrutiny. This process allows non-Executive Members to provide input on major policies and strategies during their development. Any items selected for pre-decision scrutiny would be incorporated into the committee's work programme.

Scrutiny Work Programme

The report set out the 2023/24 Work Programmes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its sub-committees, detailing the planned topics for review throughout the municipal year. The committee could make amendments to these programmes to address emerging issues or new pre-decision scrutiny requests. The report also provided proposed arrangements for planning the 2024/25 work programme, which would involve gathering suggestions from councillors, officers, the public, and community groups, with a focus on issues of local priority, underperforming services, and matters of public interest. A workshop facilitated by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny was planned to prioritise these suggestions.