The Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet on 6 May 2025 to discuss the Mayor's Waste Improvement Programme, the Scrutiny Challenge Session on Supporting Markets and Traders, and updates from Scrutiny Leads. The committee was also scheduled to review forthcoming decisions expected to be taken by the Mayor from the Executive Forward Plan.

Mayor's Waste Improvement Programme (MWIP) 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to discuss the Mayor's Waste Improvement Programme (MWIP) 2024/25. The report pack states that the waste service was brought in house in 2020 due to concerns that overall performance was poor, and that the Mayor declared a waste emergency and invested £5m for 2024/25 to improve the service.

The report pack identifies the workstreams in the waste services improvement plan as:

• Street and parks cleansing
• Introduction of time-bands
• Commercial service and waste systems review
• Communication and community engagement

It also contains data on cleanliness and waste improvements, including the level of public realm cleanliness, which is measured by the percentage of sites within an acceptable standard. The target for this Key Performance Indicator (KPI 058) was 92%. The report pack states that in Q1, 91% of independent Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) street cleansing inspections were graded at or above the 92% acceptable standard, and in Q4, 95% of inspections were graded good, exceeding the target.

The report pack also notes that in Q2, Q3 and Q4, KBT grading results for detritus continued to be better than London and National Benchmarks, and that 99.81% of all waste collections were completed on time against a target of 97%.

The report pack lists a number of operational improvements, including:

• Route realignment and optimisation: dedicated domestic, commercial and recycling collections now 7 days a week
• Introduction of time-banded waste collections to keep street scene clear in high streets and commercial areas
• Dedicated commercial waste collection service, 7 days a week
• Introduction of fully automated pre-paid sacks for commercial businesses
• Better data and intelligence through improved IT systems
• Introduction of trial scheme for estates recycling initiative
• Vehicles hired to provide immediate resources while procuring new vehicles
• Find it Fix it dedicated rapid response team

The report pack also details learning and development initiatives, including:

• Over 100 staff completed Tower Hamlets induction
• 3 Roadshows attended by frontline line staff
• Over 150 street sweepers and environmental managers trained for street survey training
• 80 staff CPC trained (driving license)
• 400 staff Health and Safety trained
• 12 staff on Heavy Good Vehicle (HGV) apprenticeship programme
• 6 managers completed Institute of Occupational Safety and health (IOSH)
• 2 staff completed National Certificate for H&S

The report pack provides a breakdown of the budget and sustainability of the MWIP, including the activities embedded into Business As Usual (BAU):

The report pack also includes links to communications and recycling engagement activities.

Scrutiny Challenge Session on Supporting Markets and Traders

The committee was scheduled to discuss the actions in response to the Scrutiny Markets Challenge Session.

The report pack notes that Tower Hamlets boasts some of the most iconic and internationally renowned street markets in London. It states that under the Local London Authorities Act 1990¹, councils must licence individual parts of the highway, also known as designation. These are usually single stalls, or clusters of stalls in markets.

The report pack identifies the following areas of focus:

• Market Infrastructure and Trader Facilities
• Anti-Social Behaviour and Crime: Deterrence and Reporting
• Waste Management and Enforcement
• Attracting Younger Traders and Retaining Current Traders
• Improving Communication between Portfolio Areas

The report pack details a number of actions that will be taken to address the issues raised through the Scrutiny process, including:

• Surveying and creating a report to show all market related infrastructure within the Borough, to include stalls, storage, utilities and any other items.
• Producing a report to show the gaps and funding needed to build the necessary infrastructure.
• Seeking to bring LBTH storage that is managed by Asset Management over to Markets.
• Joint initiatives by the local SNT/Community Safety and Markets will take place.
• Communicating a phone line to traders to report live ASB issues to CCTV and a credit card sized card with correct contacts for ASB, Crime both active and for intelligence.
• Exploring the possibility of creating a Business Crime Reduction Partnership, initially focussed on Spitalfields & Banglatown.
• Continuing with the program to separate and compact recycling (waste) at Whitechapel as a pilot and look to roll out further with Watney Market as the next potential hub.
• Enforcing new time bandings from early 2025 across all Market locations.
• Working in partnership with local schools and young adults to organise pop-up events and training sessions to attract young people to the entrepreneurial opportunities available in Market trading.
• Producing and distributing a Traders Handbook aimed at supporting existing traders and retaining new ones.
• Communicating to lead member on regular basis, through Director 1:2:1.

The report pack states that there are no equalities implications to any protected characteristic groups, and that the changes being proposed will enhance the look and feel of these markets, making them more attractive and safer for market stall holders and market user visitors.

Scrutiny Leads Updates

The committee was scheduled to hear updates from the Overview and Scrutiny Leads on their work across the Council.

Councillor Nathalie Bienfait, Scrutiny Lead for Environment and the Climate Emergency, was scheduled to provide an update on the following:

• Wrapping up the two reports which she published this year on Flood Risk and Net Zero.
• Supporting the Markets team to finalise their action plan in response to recommendations made by her predecessor.
• Considering how best to coordinate between Overview & Scrutiny and the Transformation Assurance Board in her role on both bodies.

Councillor Bellal Uddin, Scrutiny Lead for Adults and Health Service, was scheduled to provide an update on the following:

• Attending and participating with the target and KPI workshop.
• Attending Royal London Hospital (RLH) site visit and meeting with the Leadership Team on the Hospitals service for antenatal and Post Natal support.

Councillor Abdul Mannan, Scrutiny Lead for Children and Education, was scheduled to provide an update on the following:

• The CESSC Scrutiny Report on Free School Meals has been drafted following the Sub-Committees Challenge Session.

Councillor Bodrul Choudhury, Scrutiny Lead for Housing and Regeneration, was scheduled to provide an update on the following items discussed at the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub-Committee on Tuesday 15 April:

• The Performance Report of Social Landlords for Quarter 3.
• Verbal feedback on the report from the Regulator of Social Housing on Tower Hamlets Housing Management.
• Recommendation tracking of the Scrutiny report on housing provider performance in the borough.

Councillor Ahmodur Khan, Scrutiny Lead for Resources, was scheduled to provide an update on the following:

• Attending the Scrutiny briefing on target and key performance indicators on 14 April.
• Working with officers to develop the key lines of enquiry regarding both the Strategic Delivery and Performance Report for Q3 of Yr3 and the budget monitoring report for Q3 2024/25 for the OSC meeting on 25 March.
• Scrutinising the reports of the Grants Determination Sub-Committee held on 9 April.

Forthcoming Decisions

The committee was scheduled to review forthcoming decisions expected to be taken by the Mayor from the Executive Forward Plan and identify any areas for further Scrutiny for committee.

The Forthcoming Decisions Plan includes the following decisions:

• Substance Misuse Service Redesign
  • The paper will outline proposals for the future design of Adult Substance Misuse Treatment and Recovery Services within the borough.
• Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy 2025-2029
  • The Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy outlines the Council’s vision for our work with the Voluntary and Community Sector and our plan for how we will achieve it.
• Young Tower Hamlets Strategy 2024-2027
  • This is the Young Tower Hamlets Strategy that sets out our ambitious plans to ensure all young people in the borough have access to a diverse and inclusive range of youth work opportunities and support through the delivery of a well-resourced and high-quality youth service.
• Scrutiny Deep Dive Markets Challenge Action Plan
  • The proposal seeks agreement on the actions in response to the Scrutiny Markets Challenge Session
• Outcome of representations received in response to the statutory (public) notice to amalgamate Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools
  • A decision is required by Cabinet on the publication of statutory notices for the proposal to amalgamate Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools.
• Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services
  • This item is to seek approval for the re-commissioning of the CAMHS in Children’s Social Care service to ensure continuity of clinical mental health support for young people open to children’s Supporting Families division.
• Agency worker contract – Contract Award for 2 years
• Introduction of a dog control public spaces protection order
  • This report seeks approval for the introduction of specific PSPO orders relating to dog fouling; dogs on lead by direction; dog on lead; dog exclusion and maximum number of dogs walked at any one time, and separately, introducing a professional dog walkers license, informed by the consultation feedback
• Out of Hours Noise Service – Insourcing
  • This paper sets out the activities necessary to ‘in-house’ an Estates Patrolling Service for the Council’s estates, particularly in relation to public consultation with tenants and leaseholders, and the level of resource that is required to carry these out
• King George’s Field Trust – Commercial property recommendations and updates
• King George’s Field Trust Review of Fees and Charges 2025/26
  • Review and approve the proposed fees and hire charges for the Art and Ecology Pavilions, located in Mile End Park for financial year 2025/26.
  • Review and approve the proposed fees and charges for the astroturf pitch, located in Stepney Green Park for financial year 2025/26.
• King George’s Field Trust Finance, Activity and Governance updates
  • Update on the submission of the 2022/23 audited accounts and annual report to the Charity Commission.
  • Update on the submission of the 2023/24 audited accounts and annual report to the Charity Commission.
  • Update on the current financial position and activity update for 2024/25.
  • Governance update.
  • Update on Fields in Trust grant funding.
• St George’s Leisure Centre; Approval to increase the project budget to enable the delivery of a new leisure centre and 29 new affordable council owned homes
  • This report seeks Cabinet approval to increase the project budget for St. George’s Leisure Centre from the approved £55.16m to £66.43m (£11.27m (£7.858m to the Leisure capital programme and £3.422 million from the Housing Revenue Account).
• Domiciliary Care Services Direct Award of contracts
• Separate Food Waste Collection Service for Households and Businesses
  • Through the national Resources and Waste Strategy² the Government has been working on the implementation of a series of policy reforms that will have a direct impact on the council’s waste and recycling services.
• Contract Forward Plan – Q4 – FY 2024-2025
  • This report presents the contracts being procured during quarter four.
• Mansards Roof Extension & Character Appraisal
  • This report proposes the adoption of new and updated design guidelines for mansard roof extensions and revised Character Appraisal and Management Plans (CAMPs) for five conservation areas in Bow: Clinton Road, Driffield Road, Medway Ropery Street and Tredegar Square.
• Tower Hamlets Community Cohesion Partnership Plan 2025-29
• Conversion to Academy Status: Virginia Community Primary School
• Strategic Delivery and Performance Report Year 3 Quarter 4