The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss fly-tipping, receive an update from Be First, and begin a review of the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process. The committee agreed to extend standing orders by half an hour to allow more time to discuss the EHCP report.

Fly-tipping Update

Rebecca Johnson, Director of Public Realm, presented a report on fly-tipping in the borough, highlighting that while reported instances decreased by 6% in 2023-24 compared to the previous year, unratified reports for 2024-25 indicate a potential increase. The rise could be attributed to increased street-cleansing frequency and changing attitudes towards waste disposal.

Ms Johnson noted challenges in data collection, making comparisons with other boroughs difficult, and identified cost avoidance, lack of access to legal disposal, insufficient education, and rogue waste disposal firms as key contributors to fly-tipping.

Initiatives to combat fly-tipping include:

• A year-long Days of Action programme in priority hotspot areas, involving community engagement and coordinated actions.
• A Cleaner Barking and Dagenham communication campaign to promote proper waste disposal and civic pride.
• Investment in replacing litter bins across the borough.
• Collaborative initiatives between street cleansing and environmental enforcement services, such as Operation Scoop and Operation Early Waste.
• Utilising CCTV to monitor fly-tipping hotspots.

Councillors raised concerns and questions:

• Councillor Paul Robinson, Deputy Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, inquired about dealing with fly-tipping on private land owned by bodies like Transport for London (TfL) and Network Rail. The interim director for enforcement and community safety said the council engages with private landowners and may use enforcement powers to ensure they clear fly-tips and secure their land. Jane Johnson from Roman's enforcement, gave an example of officers attending an incident on Highbridge Road near Tesco's where illegal dumping was taking place, and serving notice on the landowner to clear the site and prevent future occurrences.
• Councillor Regina Rahman, Chair of Personnel Board and Labour Group Secretary, raised concerns about businesses improperly disposing of rubbish and blocking footpaths. Officers said they regularly visit businesses early in the morning to issue notices under Section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 and Section 47, instructing them on proper waste disposal.
• Councillor Ingrid Robinson suggested providing landlords of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with a certain number of free bulky waste collections per year to combat fly-tipping.
• Councillor Mukhtar Yusuf inquired about the cost of picking up litter versus installing CCTV cameras. The average cost of redeployable cameras is over £8,000, while a fly-tipping fine is about £500.

Be First Update

Caroline Harper, interim managing director of Be First, presented an update on the organisation's progress since February 2025, highlighting a shift towards a new business model based on partnerships and utilising the council's asset portfolio. The new business plan, the Strategic Plan & Roadmap, was approved by cabinet in July.

Key points from the update:

• Be First aims to deliver 3,650 homes over the next five years through partnerships.
• The organisation receives no core funding from the council and delivers statutory services at no additional cost.
• An investment partnership focused on Barking Town Centre is progressing, with soft market testing underway and a preferred partner expected by March.
• There is significant investor confidence and appetite for the borough, as evidenced by recent transactions involving Homes for Life, Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC), Greystar, Goodstone Living, Notting Hill Genesis and Royal London.

Councillors raised concerns and questions:

• Councillor Phil Waker questioned the realism of Be First's projections and the increase in overhead costs for capital work. Ms Harper said the projections are based on investor confidence in the borough and that BFIRST receives no core funding from the council, so its fees are dependent on the work it does.
• Councillor Muazzam Sandhu, Deputy Chair of Personnel Board, asked about legally binding mechanisms to guarantee affordable housing, social employment, and social values in the new partnership model. Ms Harper said social values are part of discussions with potential partners and will be formalised as part of the investment partnership launch.
• Councillor Paul Robinson, Deputy Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, inquired about risk mitigations for linked targets with other council companies like BD Energy. Ms Harper said there are intentional efforts to strengthen relationships between council subsidiaries, including attending the council's commercial oversight board and monthly meetings between managing directors.
• Councillor Mukhtar Yusuf raised concerns about the short-term management of partnerships, the removal of the previous management team, and the zero homes delivered in the first quarter of the plan. Ms Harper said the change in leadership reflected a shift from phase one to phase two, and that the organisation is committed to delivering on targets.
• Councillor Ingrid Robinson asked about reporting from the shareholders panel and ensuring building quality with new legislation. Ms Harper said there will be a quarterly cabinet report from the shareholder panel and that there are stringent planning policy requirements and compliance with building regulations to ensure quality.
• A councillor asked about the commitment to infrastructure alongside development, including amenities and green spaces. Councillor Cameron Geddes, Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Economic Development, said the council has an infrastructure development plan and tries to marry housing with infrastructure, but is often at the mercy of other agencies.
• Councillor Phil Waker asked for figures on four-bedroom homes, houses versus flats, and social rent properties built by Be First. He also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest with Be First being paid by companies to develop proposals while also recommending whether to accept or reject those plans.

Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) Process

Jane Hargreaves, Commissioning Director for Education, presented a report to begin a review of the EHCP process, highlighting national and local contexts. She noted a national crisis in special educational needs (SEND) provision, with Barking and Dagenham recognised as a leading authority in inclusive provision.

Key points from the presentation:

• The number of EHCPs has grown significantly, with assessments increasing four times the national average in 2022.
• Autistic spectrum condition is the most prevalent primary need among children in the borough.
• A significant portion of special school provision is in the independent sector, with costs potentially triple those of state-maintained schools.
• National reports highlight an inconsistent and inequitable system, a lack of understanding of demand increases, and challenges in demonstrating value for money.
• Barking and Dagenham has a long-standing policy of local schools for local children, with a high percentage of children with EHCPs in mainstream or additional resource provisions (ARPs).
• The council faces challenges in administratively keeping up with the number of EHCPs and annual reviews.

Councillors raised concerns and questions:

• Councillor Val Masson inquired about improving communication with parents. Officers acknowledged communication as a regular feature of complaints and highlighted high caseloads for EHCP coordinators.
• A councillor asked about the reasons for the significant increase in EHCPs in the borough. Officers said there is no national evidence base, but suggested a correlation between deprivation and disability, as well as potential opportunities to stem the flow through better early intervention.
• Councillor Ingrid Robinson noted that inclusion schools are not incentivised and that some extra care funding has been taken away. She suggested learning from other departments how to deal with communication to avoid complaints.
• Councillor Paul Robinson, Deputy Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, asked if it was worth exploring sharing resources with other boroughs. Officers said they do a lot of work regionally on sharing best practice, but each local authority is statutorily responsible for its own children.
• Councillor Mukhtar Yusuf asked what is stopping health support from following a child when they move to a new borough. Officers said it is not the way the system is structured or funded.

The committee agreed that the EHCP process would be discussed at future meetings.