The Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee of Brent Council was scheduled to discuss a range of important issues, including proposals to reduce the opening hours of the Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre, the council's efforts to tackle poverty across the borough, and updates on emergency planning and the implementation of recommendations from the Casey Review. The committee was also set to review its work programme for the upcoming year and consider its recommendations tracker.

Petition to Reduce Opening Hours of Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre

A petition was scheduled to be presented to the committee requesting consideration of proposals to reduce the opening hours of the Central Middlesex Urgent Treatment Centre¹. The petition highlights concerns that the centre, which currently closes at midnight, may see its hours reduced to 9 pm if proposals from the London North West University Healthcare Trust are implemented. The petition argues that this reduction is particularly concerning given Brent's growing and ageing population, which increased by 9.2% between 2011 and 2021. It suggests that such a reduction would place further pressure on Northwick Park Hospital's A&E and Urgent Treatment Centre, potentially leading to delays in medical attention. The petition references a precedent set in 2019 when the committee considered proposals to reduce the hours of the centre's overnight service.

Emergency Planning and Update on the Casey Review

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's emergency planning, licensing enforcement, and multi-agency coordination concerning major events at Wembley Stadium. This discussion follows scrutiny work undertaken in 2021 after the UEFA Euro 2020 Final and the subsequent Casey Review². The report was expected to detail the progress made in implementing the review's recommendations, the current governance and operational arrangements, and how risks are managed as the number and scale of events at Wembley Stadium increase. Areas for further work, particularly concerning corporate emergency response arrangements and recovery planning, were also to be highlighted. The report noted that the council has moved from a reactive response in 2021 to a more structured, risk-based, and strategically coordinated model for managing major events, with clearer accountability and stronger partnership governance. This includes the introduction of a sterile Zone Ex, enhanced Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) enforcement, clearer command and control arrangements, improved licensing controls, and more robust planning, briefing, and debriefing processes.

Tackling Poverty in Brent

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing Brent's progress and challenges in implementing commitments related to poverty reduction, cost-of-living support, housing, and child poverty alleviation. This report serves as a follow-up to a previous scrutiny session on poverty and cost-of-living issues. The report outlines Brent's approach to tackling poverty, defining it as a situation where a person's material resources do not meet their minimum needs for everyday living, including social participation. The council's strategy is described as holistic and resident-focused, aiming to reduce inequality and support those most affected by the cost-of-living crisis through targeted measures.

Key statistics presented indicate that Brent has a poverty rate of 33%, the seventh highest in London. Approximately 3,680 Universal Credit households in Brent are adversely impacted by the two-child limit, affecting 13,620 children. The report also notes that Brent has become relatively more deprived compared to 2019, with 58% of its Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) moving into a more deprived decile. Income deprivation scores have risen significantly, partly due to changes in the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) methodology that now accounts for housing costs.

The report details various initiatives to combat poverty, including:

• Employment Support: The Brent Good Work Standard aims to improve employment opportunities and workplace standards. The Brent Works programme and initiatives by the Shaw Trust provide employability workshops, recruitment support, and apprenticeships.
• Cost-of-Living Support: The council has allocated £1,620,155 for Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) and £4.9 million in Household Support Funding for various programmes, including food vouchers, debt advice, and support for the New Horizon Centre. Brent Hubs provide support with council tax, housing, food, and fuel.
• Housing and Homelessness: Brent is committed to delivering 5,000 affordable homes by 2028. The council is also implementing a Preventing Homelessness Improvement Programme and has launched a borough-wide Additional Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licensing scheme.
• Child Poverty: Brent's child poverty rate is 41% after housing costs, compared to the London average of 35%. The council provides free school meals, holiday activities and food programmes, and supports early years education. The Families First Partnership Programme aims to rebalance the children's social care system towards earlier intervention.

Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Work Programme 2025-26

The committee was presented with its work programme for the 2025-26 municipal year. The programme outlines the items the committee will consider, aligning with its remit which covers adult social care, safeguarding, children's services, cultural services, education, health, housing, and public health and wellbeing. The selection of items for the work programme was based on the strategic priorities of the Borough Plan 2023-27, areas of local community concern, significant issues affecting residents, and emerging policies. The work programme is intended to be a flexible document, subject to review and updates throughout the year.

Community and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee Recommendations Tracker

The committee was scheduled to review its Recommendations Tracker for 2024-25 and 2025-26. This tracker details the progress of scrutiny recommendations, suggestions for improvement, and information requests made by the committee. It serves to monitor the implementation of these items by the Cabinet, council departments, and external partners. Recommendations are removed from the tracker once they have been rejected or successfully implemented and the review date has passed. The tracker also outlines the procedure for recommendations, including the requirement for executive responses within two months of receipt.