The Overview and Scrutiny Commission of Merton Council met on Wednesday 11 September 2024 to discuss the council's priorities, the progress of its Change Programme, and the findings of its annual Member Survey. Key decisions included the approval of the Scrutiny Annual Report and the Member Survey report for presentation to the full Council.

Questions to the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive

Councillor Ross Garrod, Leader of the Council, outlined the council's priorities for the year ahead, which include the transition to a new contracted waste service in March 2025, with street cleansing brought back in-house. Other key priorities include commencing housing building on site in 2025, effective budget management, and addressing financial monitoring pressures related to homelessness, children's social care, and adult social care. The council is continuing to support residents affected by the cost-of-living crisis through various funds and advice services.

In response to questions, Councillor Garrod provided updates on the 'Garth Road on the road' pilot, dialogue with unions regarding TUPE arrangements for street cleansing staff, and the council's commitment to internships for individuals with learning difficulties. Pre-decision scrutiny of the waste contract will be provided to the Commission. The Safer Streets Patrol pilot, which began in late August, has engaged with 72 individuals and received 45 reports on FixMyStreet, with intelligence being passed to relevant teams.

Chief Executive Hannah Doody highlighted her priorities, focusing on the workforce and recruitment challenges, particularly in social care. She also mentioned the launch of new corporate values, preparations for an LGA Peer Review, and readiness for a CQC inspection in Adult Social Care. Councillor Doody noted that diversity rates are high across new senior roles and that hybrid working is monitored, with staff expected to be in the office three days a week. She also addressed concerns about the release of prisoners, stating that robust plans are in place, and that the council is struggling to recruit to specialised social care posts. Regarding risks and emergency preparedness, she explained that lessons are learned from every incident and that the Resilience Group conducts scenario planning.

Change Team

Asad Mushtaq, Executive Director of Finance and Digital, introduced members of the Change Team, Ruth Knox and Heather Begg. The team provided an update on their work, including progress on a members' casework solution, which involves ongoing discussions with suppliers and IT colleagues, and addressing cyber security. It was noted that some data presented was from pre-COVID surveys, and the Change Team will return with updated data following a new staff survey, which the Scrutiny team intends to add to its work programme. Work is also underway to ensure Administration and Business Support staff are optimally deployed and equipped for a resident-centric service, utilising technological advancements. Programme boards are held bi-monthly and feed into an Oversight Board.

Scrutiny Annual Report

Commission Members approved the Overview & Scrutiny annual report to be presented to the Council on 18 September 2024. The report outlines the work of the overview and scrutiny function over the municipal year, highlighting key outcomes.

Scrutiny Member Survey

Members noted that a CfGS review is imminent and may impact the scrutiny function. The Scrutiny Team acknowledged that some data in the Member Survey report was difficult to read due to the colour of the graphs. The survey itself revealed that 48% of respondents consider scrutiny to be effective overall, an increase from the previous year. Task group work was rated as the most effective element of scrutiny by 82% of respondents. However, call-in continues to be an area with low satisfaction rates. The survey also indicated that 60% of respondents believe more use of external experts would improve the organisation of scrutiny business. Satisfaction levels with the support provided by the scrutiny team remain high at 74%. Budget scrutiny understanding was identified as the most selected training and development need for members.

Identify Questions for the Borough Commander

Members were asked to submit any questions for the Borough Commander to the Scrutiny Team by 25 October.

Work Programme

The Commission agreed on its work programme for the upcoming year. Key items include questions to the Leader and Chief Executive, an introduction to the Change Team, the Scrutiny Annual Report, the Scrutiny Member Survey, and identifying questions for the Borough Commander. Future meetings are scheduled to discuss crime and policing, safer Merton initiatives, business plan updates, and emergency planning.