The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Monday 23 October 2023 to discuss the Cabinet's decision on Liveable Streets in Bethnal Green and review the Strategic Performance and Delivery Report for Quarter 1 2023-2024. The committee ultimately confirmed the Cabinet's original decision regarding the Liveable Streets scheme, despite concerns raised about the consultation process and lack of political representation. They also reviewed the council's performance, noting improvements in some areas but highlighting ongoing challenges with recycling and housing delivery.

Liveable Streets Bethnal Green Consultation Outcome and Measures

The committee considered a call-in regarding the Cabinet's decision on 20 September 2023 concerning the Liveable Streets Bethnal Green Consultation Outcome and Measures. The call-in sought to delay and reconsider the implementation of options, rewrite the report with industry-recognised assessments, conduct a more thorough consultation, and consider convening a citizens' assembly.

Councillor Serajul Islam and Councillor Asma Begum presented the case for the call-in, arguing that the consultation process was flawed and inadequate, failing to reach hard-to-reach communities. They stated that the decision to disregard consultation results was based on subjective and unsupported opinions, lacking clarity of aims and desired outcomes. They also raised concerns about the lack of financial cost-benefit analysis and the contravention of the council's strategic plan regarding the removal of the Liveable Streets scheme.

Officers, represented by Raj Mistry, Interim Corporate Director for Communities, and Ashraf Ali, defended the consultation process, stating it was statutory and more comprehensive than previous highway scheme consultations. They asserted that the decision was based on careful consideration of all responses, data, and stakeholder engagement, and that no single element was relied upon in isolation. They also noted that schools were considered stakeholders and their responses were part of the feedback.

During the discussion, councillors expressed frustration at the absence of political representatives to defend the Cabinet's decision. Councillor Marc Francis highlighted the waste of public money in reversing the scheme and suggested a citizens' assembly as a way to rebuild community cohesion. Councillor Asma Islam argued that evidence was lacking and that the council had moved from supporting Liveable Streets to removing them without justification.

Ultimately, the committee voted to confirm the original Cabinet decision, meaning the Liveable Streets scheme in Bethnal Green will proceed as decided by the Cabinet.

Strategic Performance and Delivery Report - Quarter 1 2023-2024

The committee reviewed the Quarter 1 performance report for the Year 2 Annual Delivery Plan of the Strategic Plan 2022-2024. Councillor Saeed Ahmed, Cabinet Lead for Resources and the Cost of Living, presented the report, highlighting a reduction in Red category objectives compared to the previous quarter, with 21 Green, 6 Amber, 4 Red, 7 No Data, 6 Data Only, 5 Reported Annually, and 2 Service Not Operational.

Denise Radley, Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director, noted progress in the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) now being within target and a significant increase in uniformed patrols delivered by the Council's safer neighbourhood operations. However, four Red measures were identified, with two expected to be challenging to meet targets for the year.

Key areas of concern discussed included:

• Recycling: Councillor Francis expressed concern that recycling performance was bumping along on the bottom, with a potential drop to 13-15% if current trends continued. He questioned the confidence in the summarised interventions to improve this. Officers acknowledged this as a challenging area and a work in progress, with ongoing communication campaigns and a focus on engagement.
• Housing Delivery: In response to a question about Homes for the Future, officers explained that the low net additions to the housing stock in Q1 were reported as data only because housing outturn is typically assessed over a 12-month period due to lumpy data from large schemes. They acknowledged the tough housing market and difficulties in getting schemes off the ground.
• Street Cleansing: Councillor Francis noted the removal of the street cleansing target from the report, which he considered meaningful to residents. Officers agreed to take this away for review and to investigate if it is reported elsewhere.
• Homelessness: Councillor Mannan raised concerns about the percentage of homelessness cases prevented or relieved and support for sustainable accommodation. Officers acknowledged the complexity of the issue, including landlords exiting the private rented sector, and stated that the council was working hard to hit targets despite these challenges.
• Care Leavers: Councillor Sabina Khan noted a fall in care leavers aged 17-25 in education, employment, and training, from 70% to 66%. Officers stated this was an Amber indicator, above the minimum target but not yet at the 70% target, and that further information would be sought from the service.
• Residents' Perception: In response to a question about KPI 51 (residents' perception of decision-making), it was noted that the annual residents' survey had been published and uploaded to the website, with an action plan being developed for areas of improvement.
• Workforce Representation: A question was raised about the representation of Black and multi-ethnic communities amongst senior earners. Officers explained that a significant piece of work was underway across directorates to set specific targets for workforce data and to tailor these to individual services and teams.

Budget Monitoring

The committee reviewed the Quarter 1 budget monitoring report. Councillor Saeed Ahmed explained that the report was presented later than usual due to an oversight. The forecast for the General Fund indicated a potential overspend of £6.7 million, primarily driven by demand-led service pressures in homelessness and adult social care. This forecast was noted as being better than the average for the pan-London benchmarking group.

Key points from the budget monitoring included:

• General Fund: A forecast overspend of £6.7 million, mainly due to increased demand in homelessness and adult social care.
• Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG): A brought-forward deficit of £13.8 million, with a forecast underspend of £1 million in 23-24, reducing the deficit to £12.8 million. This deficit has accumulated over five years due to increased demand for EHCPs.
• Housing Revenue Account (HRA): A forecast in-year overspend of £1.3 million, with efficiencies from the integration of Tower Hamlets Homes (THH) yet to be incorporated.
• General Fund Capital Programme: A forecast net variance of £25.7 million, largely due to expected slippages in the Council's new Council Homes Programme.
• HRA Capital Programme: A forecast net variance of £66 million, also due to expected slippages in the new Council Homes Programme.

Concerns were raised about the integration of THH and its potential risks and investment requirements, though officers stated that the risk had always sat with the Council. The committee also discussed the Local Government Association (LGA) peer review recommendations, with Councillor Asma Islam questioning potential savings from the Mayor's office and the reallocation of funds for community chairs to member development. Officers confirmed a rigorous savings process was underway across all areas of the council.

Regarding the deficit on the school budget, officers stated that the government's funding had been inadequate and that underspends in the current year would contribute to paying off the deficit, with a longer-term plan to be developed. The significant overspend in homelessness was attributed to rising numbers of people presenting as homeless, private landlords exiting the market, and increased costs of temporary accommodation.

Combating Drug Strategy Priorities

Councillor Abu Chaudhry, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, presented the developing Combating Drugs Strategy. The strategy aims to tackle supply, treatment and recovery, and reduce demand, with a new partnership and strategy expected by early 2024. Nine priority areas have emerged from consultation:

• Tackling Supply:
  1. Diverting young people from crime and drug gangs.
  2. Helping offenders leave drugs behind.
  3. Reducing visible drug dealing and use.
• Treatment and Recovery:
  1. Streamlining access and routes through services.
  2. Improving the effectiveness of community-based, culturally competent treatment.
  3. Providing settings that sustain recovery.
• Reducing Demand:
  1. Raising awareness of harms and where to find help.
  2. Targeting groups at risk of specific substance misuse harms.
  3. Preventing problematic substance misuse before it begins.

Concerns were raised about the innovative methods used by drug dealers, such as drones, and the need for public confidence in reporting drug dealing. Officers highlighted proactive targeting of street-level dealers through council-funded police and CCTV, and acknowledged the need for more work on the demand side.

Suggestions included tackling poverty and raising aspirations, and ensuring agenda sensitivity in the strategy. Councillor Sabina Khan emphasized the need for parental engagement, clinical mental health support, and support for special educational needs. The strategy will consider integrated links between mental health and substance misuse, and the council's exploitation team works with police and children's services on issues related to drug lines. The engagement with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) to tackle drug dealing was also discussed, with a commitment to gather information and work in partnership.

Tower Hamlets Local Plan

Councillor Kabir Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and House Building, presented the draft new Local Plan. This plan is the borough's most important planning document and will guide decisions on planning applications, sitting alongside the London Plan and national guidance. The plan aims to respond to the housing crisis, cost of living pressures, and the impacts of COVID-19, while promoting sustainable development and addressing inequalities.

Key elements of the plan include:

• A long-term vision for the borough over the next 15 years.
• Planning policies grouped into 10 chapters.
• 36 site allocations, each with the capacity for at least 500 new homes.
• New progressive policies on affordable housing.

The council is seeking approval to consult on the draft plan (Regulation 18), with a six-week consultation period planned to begin on 6 November. This will be followed by a Regulation 19 consultation in summer 2024, submission to the Secretary of State by early 2025, and adoption by late 2025. The plan will also incorporate areas being brought back by the London Legacy Development Corporation.

Concerns were raised about the implementation of the plan, the potential for developers to seek to go beyond its provisions, and the impact of tall buildings on residents. Officers highlighted the robust planning issues that will be considered, including infrastructure needs, harm to heritage assets, ecological and open spaces, and architectural design. They also noted the high calibre of the planning team, which has won national awards.

The consultation process will include 12 public events, drop-in sessions, meetings with hard-to-reach communities, and extensive communication through social media and news articles. The council plans to conform with the current National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) reforms, with a submission deadline of early 2025 to ensure this.

Scrutiny-Led Updates and Minutes

The committee received updates on scrutiny-led items, which were published alongside the minutes. The minutes from the September meeting were approved, with Councillor Marc Francis raising concerns about the lack of detailed updates on the investigations into the Housing Options Service, requesting a private session to discuss the matter further. He also highlighted the need for a response regarding additional housing scrutiny meetings.