The Newham Council Overview and Scrutiny Committee convened to discuss a call-in regarding a key officer decision concerning Juniper Ventures. Following deliberations, the committee agreed to refer the decision back to the Cabinet for reconsideration, outlining several recommendations. These recommendations included a review of the council's governing documents, a commercial and financial review of Juniper Ventures, and a call for contractors providing preschool meals to pay the London Living Wage.

Juniper Ventures Decision

The committee addressed a call-in of a key officer decision made on 15 April 2025 regarding Juniper Ventures, a wholly-owned company of Newham Council, along with its subsidiaries Juniper Pursuits Limited and NASPM Ltd (National Alliance of School Premises Management). The call-in was initiated by Councillors Anthony McAlmont, Councillor Lester Hudson and Councillor Susan Masters.

The committee agreed to refer the decision back to the Cabinet for reconsideration, putting forward the following recommendations:

• Subsidiary Business Plans and Budgets: All business plans and budgets of all subsidiaries are to be approved by Cabinet before the main budget setting for the council. These plans should include income and expenditure, cash flow, and balance sheets.
• Scrutiny Paper Authorisation: Papers provided for scrutiny call-in meetings should be authorised by the relevant Corporate Director and, where appropriate, the Monitoring Officer.
• Accounting for Future Risk: Appropriate consideration should be given to accounting for any potential future risk in the council's accounts.
• School Meal Funding and London Living Wage: The council will write to the Mayor of London, London Councils, and the Department of Education to request that contractors providing preschool meals pay the London Living Wage to their employees as part of grant conditions. The council will also advocate for school meal funding to be calculated on a full cost recovery basis, including the London Living Wage.
• Review of Key Officer Decisions: A review of the council's governing document will be undertaken to reassess the threshold and remit of key officer decisions, to be included in the current work of the Constitutional Review Working Group.
• Referral Back to Cabinet: The decision is referred back to Cabinet in the interests of public accountability and transparency.
• Commercial and Financial Review of Juniper: A commercial and financial review of Juniper and all locally owned council companies will be conducted to ensure financial viability and best value considerations, and that all external and internal risks are managed.
• Partnership Opportunities: Opportunities will be explored for going into partnership with neighbouring boroughs as a shareholder.

Closing Remarks

Councillor Susan Masters reflected on her 11 years serving on the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, highlighting the committee's growth and understanding of its role in governance.

colleagues i have seen scrutiny the eyes and lows of scrutiny we sometimes we have issues about scrutiny but scrutiny is at its strongest now compared to what it was 11 years or so and we are fitting into the role and understand the role contrary to what the best value report says about um roles and responsibility i think quite the contrary scrutiny quite understand its role quite understand its responsibility and it is because we understand our roles and our responsibilities that in the last three years the budget reports that we have the choice has been better than ever before we have done callings and for this year alone we have done five calling and that's because we understand our role especially in terms of governance and this evening there is another demonstration that is because we understand our role and we as scrutiny is taking governance seriously