The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Monday 22 June 2020 to discuss the council's response to COVID-19 and its impact on the community. The meeting heard from various stakeholders, including representatives from the housing sector, local businesses, and community and voluntary organisations, as well as GPs. Key discussions focused on the challenges faced by vulnerable residents, the economic impact of the pandemic, and the effectiveness of the council's support measures.

Impact of COVID-19 on Housing and Residents

Pam Bhamra, Chair of the Tower Hamlets Housing Forum and Director of Operations at Tower Hamlets Community Housing, highlighted the difficulties faced by residents in overcrowded or multi-generational households needing to self-isolate. She welcomed the council's support, particularly the anti-poverty team's work on food distribution and the dedicated phone line for those in need. Bhamra also noted the financial stress on households and the ongoing challenges related to schooling for families without digital access. She expressed nervousness about a potential second wave and its implications for self-isolation. Councillor Bex White inquired about innovative projects undertaken by housing associations, with Bhamra mentioning Poplar Harca's work in reinventing community activities online. Councillor Tarik Khan asked about support for residents struggling with rent and council tax, and Bhamra explained that housing associations were offering advice and repayment plans, and that evictions were not permitted during the lockdown period. She also confirmed that commercial tenants were being offered rent deferments.

Councillor Sophia Allam raised the issue of residents with no recourse to public funds, and Bhamra stated that the council's housing options team and housing associations were working together to support these individuals, including enabling moves from temporary accommodation to hostels and permanent homes. The discussion also touched upon the importance of providing permanent accommodation for those who had been housed in hotels during the pandemic. Allam also asked about the council's approach to rent exemptions for charities and mosques, with Bhamra explaining that housing associations with commercial tenants were largely adopting a similar approach to the council by offering rent deferments.

Economic Impact and Business Support

Ian Parkes, Chief Executive of the East London Business Alliance (ELBA), provided an overview of the economic impact of COVID-19 on local businesses. He commended the council's partnership approach and prompt communication during the crisis. Parkes noted that while businesses engaged with ELBA had not reported closures or insolvencies, many small retailers and hospitality businesses were struggling. He highlighted the success of government loan schemes and furlough support but expressed concern about potential redundancies. Key future challenges identified included supporting community organisations, assisting those who had lost jobs, upskilling low-earning workers, addressing the lost generation of school leavers facing a difficult job market, supporting open spaces and community infrastructure, and tackling inequalities such as the digital divide.

Councillor Andrew Wood inquired about council support for business cash flow, and Parkes suggested exploring local community finance initiatives and encouraging banks to adopt a more forgiving approach to overdrafts and loans. Councillor Bex White asked about council engagement on transport planning for businesses, and Parkes stated that ELBA had not been directly approached. Councillor Sophia Allam sought further insight into ELBA's ideas for supporting young people facing unemployment, with Parkes drawing parallels to the high unemployment period of the 1980s and emphasizing the need for programs to maintain confidence through community work, volunteering, and work experience. Councillor Marc Francis raised concerns about the adequacy of discretionary grants for market traders, noting that the allocated amount seemed insufficient. Parkes agreed that the sums offered were unlikely to sustain businesses for long and expressed a lack of direct consultation on the apportionment of funds.

Community and Voluntary Sector Response

Sister Christine Frost and Muna Ismail from Neighbours in Poplar shared their experiences as a community organisation working with older people. They felt the council's response had been disorganised, particularly regarding food parcel distribution, with some families not receiving them and others receiving unwanted items. They praised the support from Tower Hamlets Homes and Poplar Harca. They reported receiving over 300 referrals, many from social prescribers and health navigators, highlighting the vital role these individuals play in connecting people to support. Their volunteers had been instrumental in providing telephone befriending, shopping, medication collection, and cooking and delivering hot meals, increasing from 30 to 145 meals three days a week. They noted that many individuals seeking help were previously unknown to them, indicating a hidden need within the community.

Their main concerns for the future included the continued provision of hot meals, company, and shopping for vulnerable residents. They also emphasized the significant issue of lack of internet access, affecting both older people and children, and the need for greater awareness and provision of internet access to alleviate loneliness and isolation. They also highlighted the impact of mental ill health, exacerbated by the pandemic, and the quality and cost of personal care. Councillor Sophia Allam declared an interest as a volunteer with Neighbours in Poplar and asked about the financial implications for the organisation. Sister Christine stated they had received no financial support from the council and relied on donations and grants, expressing gratitude for any council assistance. They are fundraising for projects to link young people with older adults to provide digital support and combat isolation. Councillor Andrew Wood asked how those without internet access learned about available support, and Sister Christine explained it was primarily through word of mouth and neighbours, lamenting the loss of publications like East End Life which could have provided written information. Councillor Marc Francis raised concerns about the council's cessation of its Meals on Wheels service and its impact, with Sister Christine describing it as a tragedy and emphasizing the council's statutory duty to provide such services. Councillor Tarik Khan asked if the need for food and basic necessities was solely a COVID-19 issue, and Sister Christine stated that COVID-19 had unearthed pre-existing problems, which would continue to exist and likely increase as the population aged.

Health Response and Challenges

Dr. Jackie Applebee, a GP and Chair of the Local Medical Committee, and Dr. Noreen Batty, a GP and Vice Chair of the Local Medical Committee, discussed the health implications of COVID-19 in Tower Hamlets. They emphasized the disproportionate impact of the virus on deprived areas and the BAME community, particularly the Bangladeshi community. They expressed concern about the easing of lockdown without robust systems for suppressing the virus and highlighted the success of locally based test, trace, isolate, and support systems in other countries. They proposed a locally based system for Tower Hamlets, involving community organisations like the London Muslim Centre and London Citizens.

Dr. Batty detailed the devastating impact on care homes, with one practice's care home experiencing a more than 50% loss of residents due to COVID-19. She attributed this to discharges into care homes without testing, a lack of community testing, and inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and training for care home staff. Both doctors stressed the need for investment in locally based test, trace, isolate, and support systems, citing issues with the national system's reliance on smartphones and digital literacy, and the language barriers faced by some communities. Councillor Kahar Chowdhury, the health scrutiny lead, asked about further measures to protect vulnerable residents during a second wave, the potential impact of antibody testing, and the frequency of testing for students. He also questioned how contact tracing and mitigation would impact care homes and BAME communities, and what evaluation measures would be in place. Dr. Appleby reiterated the importance of locally based test, trace, isolate, and support systems, drawing parallels with countries like New Zealand and Taiwan. She noted that while antibody testing would be helpful, it would not be sufficient to achieve herd immunity and that protecting vulnerable people remained paramount. Dr. Batty added that a BAME risk assessment tool had been developed for NHS staff and could be rolled out more widely. Halima Islam, a Scrutiny Co-opted Member, asked about reassurance for people hesitant to go to hospital due to fear of contracting COVID-19. Dr. Appleby and Dr. Batty advised speaking to their GP, who could offer reassurance and discuss concerns in a less threatening environment than a hospital. They also suggested that accessible information from the council about hospital safety measures would be beneficial. Councillor Andrew Wood sought further details on the high death rates in care homes, and Dr. Batty explained it was a combination of factors including untested discharges, lack of community testing, inadequate PPE, and insufficient training. Councillor Sophia Allam declared an interest as a former patient of Dr. Appleby.

Other Discussions and Recommendations

Councillor Marc Francis proposed several recommendations for the upcoming report: encouraging the council to reinstate a version of the Meals on Wheels service, potentially in conjunction with the voluntary sector; urging the council to reconsider the apportionment of discretionary grants for market traders; and calling for a review of the quality of temporary accommodation for homeless individuals, particularly families with children. Councillor Tarik Khan raised concerns about the delayed publication of Cabinet papers regarding Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL), emphasizing the need for proper scrutiny of any decisions made about the leisure sector, which has been significantly impacted by COVID-19. Councillor Bex White proposed postponing a planned session on behaviour change and recycling to focus on issues more relevant to the current situation, such as the council's response to COVID-19 and its impact on behaviour change. Councillor Francis suggested that behaviour change was a crucial element in driving up recycling rates, especially given the council's historical low recycling performance. The committee also discussed the upcoming review of the in-house waste contract and the Liverpool Streets programme.