The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Monday 29 July 2019 to discuss the Local Community Fund (LCF), the council's waste services, and pre-decision scrutiny questions for the upcoming Cabinet meeting. Key decisions included the continuation of discussions around the LCF, with a commitment to formalising recommendations, and a focus on improving the in-house waste collection service.

Local Community Fund (LCF)

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Local Community Fund (LCF), a new funding programme replacing the former mainstream grants programme. Representatives from the Tower Hamlets Children's and Young People's CVS Forum, including Tanya Sheik, director at the Atleast Centre, raised concerns that fundamental services for children and families, particularly all-year-round staffed play provisions and services for under-fives with severe disabilities, appeared to be missing from the funding allocations. They highlighted the importance of unstructured play for children's mental health and resilience, referencing the Children and Family Strategy 2019-2024 and the Play Community Insight Report from May 2018.

Peter O'Carly, Chief Executive of Tower Hamlets CVS, provided feedback on the co-production process for the LCF, noting that while broadly successful, there were areas for learning regarding co-production and the speed of support for identified gaps. He also highlighted the importance of the equalities assessment in identifying these gaps.

Council officers, including Chief Executive Will Tuckley, Councillor Candida Ronald (Cabinet Member for Resources and the Voluntary Sector), and David Freeman (VCS Strategy Manager), presented the LCF programme. They explained that £2.6 million over 3.5 years was available, with bids totalling over £10 million, making it a competitive process. The programme prioritised local organisations and focused on outcomes for residents, with new themes including community safety and domestic violence. Concerns were raised by councillors regarding the geographical distribution of bids, the impact on smaller and BME organisations, and the lack of funding for specific community groups, such as the Somali community. Councillor Marc Francis expressed shock that the LCF process was creating more problems for the voluntary sector than the previous commissioner-led process.

Several recommendations were discussed, including the need for more robust mitigation for identified gaps, a review of the process to ensure fairness, and a focus on leveraging funds from other organisations. Councillor Tarik Khan proposed a recommendation for the Funders Forum to develop capacity, particularly amongst BAME-led organisations, and to focus on building organisations for future funding rounds. Councillor Eve McQuillan suggested reviewing whether outcomes-based funding was the most effective approach, given that some societal inequalities do not have specific outcomes attached. Councillor Mohammed Pappu recommended continued monitoring of the addresses of delivery participants and ensuring that bids accommodate the geographical distribution of beneficiaries.

Environment and Waste Services

The committee also focused on the progress of bringing waste, recycling, and cleansing functions in-house, set to commence in April 2020. Councillor David Edgar, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene, and officers Dan Jones (Divisional Director for the Public Realm) and Mark Griffin presented the plans. The decision to bring the service in-house was driven by a belief that it would provide a better service with greater flexibility.

Key areas of discussion included a seven-week delay in the modular buildings for the depot, which officers stated would not impact the overall project timeline. Concerns were raised about the HR TUPE data and its financial implications, with officers assuring the committee that a thorough assessment was ongoing. Councillor Bex White highlighted the need for improvements in service consistency, such as ensuring timely rubbish and recycling collections.

Councillor Marc Francis raised concerns about the potential deterioration of service from the current contractor, Veolia, between now and the in-house transition. He questioned the monitoring arrangements for Veolia and requested information on penalties imposed for persistent miscollections. Officers detailed ongoing efforts to manage Veolia's performance through regular meetings, joint inspections, and an action plan to address issues such as fleet age and staff shortages. A new neighbourhood management function is planned to oversee the in-house service and monitor performance.

Questions were also raised about the environmental impact of the fleet, with a commitment to acquiring ULEZ-compliant vehicles and exploring electric, hybrid, and hydrogen options for larger vehicles. Discussions with the Unite union regarding the transition were also noted as ongoing and positive. Councillor Francis proposed a recommendation for the waste contract to be carbon neutral by 2025, quarterly contract monitoring reports to be sent to the Scrutiny Lead for Environment and Community Safety, and for the re-rounding plan affecting 700 properties to be shared with the same lead.

Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme

The committee received an update on the Overview and Scrutiny work programme for the year. Councillor Dipa Das, Scrutiny Lead for Housing Regeneration, reported on the Housing Regeneration Committee's activities, including discussions on the allocation policy, fire safety, and social landlord performance. Proposals for changes to the allocation policy were explored, focusing on preventing homelessness, releasing larger units, and addressing the needs of domestic abuse victims.

Councillor Kahar Chowdhury, Vice Chair of the Health and Adults Overview and Scrutiny Committee, shared updates on their work programme, including a report on healthy life expectancy in Tower Hamlets and feedback on adult social care charges. Future work will focus on childhood obesity, all-age physical activity, and a detailed review of learning disability services.

Councillor Bex White, Scrutiny Lead for Environment and Community Safety, outlined plans for a challenge session on working in partnership with seldom-heard residents to promote safe communities. Themes being reviewed include the transport strategy, air quality, and increasing ward member involvement in community safety.

Councillor Tarik Khan, Scrutiny Lead for Resources and Finance, reported on meetings with divisional directors and plans for a budget monitoring group. He also highlighted the need for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to engage more effectively with the Grants Determination Committee.

Pre-decision scrutiny questions for the Cabinet were discussed, with Councillor Marc Francis raising concerns about the medium-term financial planning and the assumptions regarding grant funding cuts. A question was also raised about how private funding could be brought into the LCF. Councillor Francis also raised the issue of the closure of the One O'Clock Club in Victoria Park, seeking clarification on who made the decision and under what delegated authority.