Issue - meetings

Councillor Curran reported that the Sustainable Development Select

Committee had referred to Mayor and Cabinet, the recommendation that the

Council had a place on the website where advice could be found on how to

live more sustainably and reduce carbon footprint.

Councillor Sorba said that the Children and Young People Select Committee

made two referrals to Mayor and Cabinet, recommending that two of the cuts

proposals should not be taken in this financial year. One was the cut in

children’s mental health services the other was the cut to health visitors.

He said that the next meeting of this Select Committee would receive the six

monthly safeguarding report and members would also consider a six month

follow up on the work the Committee had undertaken on temporary

accommodation and how it affected families who were placed out of the

borough, particularly if they had children attending Lewisham schools.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

In regard to the scrutiny of the budget and on engagement, the Head of Scrutiny advised the Panel that in the current cycle of meetings, Select Committees would be scrutinising budget cuts proposals. It was stated that three Select Committees had met so far this cycle, with three still to meet, and they would all be invited to make referrals to the Public Account Select Committee (PAC). It was noted that comments from PAC and referrals from the other committees would be forwarded to the Mayor and Cabinet as single referral from scrutiny. The Panel was advised there would be further scrutiny on the budget proposals in January to address the remaining gap in the Council’s budget.

In terms of engagement, the Panel noted that it had been difficult to undertake work on community engagement because of the restrictions as a result of the pandemic. However remote engagement was possible, and Scrutiny Managers would be consulting with Chairs of Select Committees on options.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The meeting closed at 8.59pm.

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Chair

The report was introduced by the Assistant Chief Executive.  Members of Select Committees were invited to raise issues they considered necessary for information and/or comment.

Councillor Muldoon, Chair of Healthier Communities Scrutiny Committee stated that the Committee had not met since the last meeting of the Panel.  However, it should be noted that it made a referral to Mayor and Cabinet on 7 October 2020 to express views that test and trace activities would be effective if conducted locally, rather than by central government.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The report was introduced by the Head of Scrutiny, recommending to the Panel to endorse the work programmes to be undertaken by the Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees in 2020-21.

The Panel noted the report, and that there would be four meetings of each select committee during the current municipal year because of the late start created by the suspension of scrutiny meetings during the initial lockdown period.

Councillor Muldoon, Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee (HCSC) also commented on the report.  He highlighted topics for consideration at the first meeting of the HCSC that would take place on 11 November 2020 in relation to a joint academic piece of work in relation to the Birmingham and Lewisham African-Caribbean community around inequalities, and a review relating to south-east London pathology service.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.