The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Monday 24 May 2021, discussing the Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Inequalities Commission Report and the Air Quality Scrutiny Challenge Session Report. The committee also reviewed and agreed upon the draft OSC Improvement Plan.

Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic Inequalities Commission Report

The committee considered a call-in of the Cabinet's decision on 24th March to note the BAME Inequalities Commission Report. The call-in proposed that the report be translated into community languages, produced in a non-digital format, distributed widely, and undergo a further six-month consultation period. A second proposal was for an independent panel to investigate allegations of racial discrimination made to the Commission.

Councillor Purimia, representing the call-in members, argued that the council had not consulted fairly, was in breach of its public sector equality duty, and that adopting the decision without further consultation was irrational. They highlighted concerns from residents and council staff regarding discrimination and poor management, emphasizing the need for a fair process and wider discussion.

Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth Services and Education, responded by explaining the challenges of consultation during the pandemic and the efforts made to engage with a diverse range of voluntary sector organisations. She stressed the need for immediate action to tackle racism, citing the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on BAME communities and the urgency highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement. She also noted that the report was a starting point and that action plans were already being developed by partners.

After extensive discussion, the committee voted to confirm the Cabinet's decision and not refer the matter back for reconsideration. While acknowledging the concerns raised about consultation and the need for wider engagement, members felt that delaying implementation would lead to a loss of momentum on crucial recommendations. The committee did, however, request a written answer for their next meeting regarding allegations of racial discrimination made to the commission and their outcomes. They also agreed that the committee would revisit the report in the future as part of its scrutiny work.

Air Quality Scrutiny Challenge Session Report

The committee was asked to agree and sign off on the Air Quality Scrutiny Challenge Session Report. Councillor Ahmed presented a brief summary, stating his agreement with the recommendations. Councillor Wood noted that while air quality had been improving, there were still issues with construction sites and PM 2.5 levels. Councillor Francis expressed concern that the council's ambition for electric vehicle charging points was not sufficient. James Wilson, a co-opted member, raised a potential issue regarding air quality at the council's depot due to Euro 6 vehicles, and a commitment was made to look into this.

The committee agreed by majority to sign off on the report, subject to the noted comments and the potential inclusion of James Wilson's point in recommendation one.

Draft OSC Improvement Plan

Daniel Kerr, Strategy and Policy Manager, provided an overview of the draft OSC Improvement Plan, an evolving document to be reviewed throughout the year. Key priorities identified included improving communications to better inform residents about scrutiny and encourage engagement, enhancing alignment between the main scrutiny committee and subcommittees, and improving the feedback loop. The plan also aims to ensure members are effectively trained for their scrutiny roles through a skills audit and targeted training.

Councillor Mark Francis raised concerns about performance monitoring and the setting of targets, suggesting that the committee should have more involvement in the target-setting process itself, not just in questioning performance against them. Councillor White highlighted the subcommittee's upcoming focus on the impacts of coronavirus on young people's mental health, as well as the BAME strategy and violence. Councillor Papu, the Chair, encouraged members to attend and observe other subcommittee meetings to gain a better understanding of their work. A programming workshop was also announced for Saturday 19th June.

The committee discussed the plan, with members contributing ideas for improvement. The plan will continue to be developed and updated throughout the year.

Other Business

Councillor White flagged that her subcommittee would be focusing on the impacts of coronavirus on young people's mental health, and would be hearing from the parks department and looking at the BAME strategy and violence. She invited any members with concerns or points to raise to contact her. Councillor Papu also encouraged scrutiny members to attend and observe other subcommittee meetings. A programming workshop was scheduled for Saturday 19th June.

The meeting concluded with the announcement that the next meeting would be held on 28th June 2021.