Issue - meetings

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny advised the Panel as follows:

·                     That some select committee dates were changed following the announcement of Queen's death.

·                     That the Council is currently in the middle of a select meeting cycle.  Sustainable Housing Select Committee and Safer and Stronger Communities Select Committee will be meeting the following week to complete this round of meetings.

·                     That the next cycle of Select Committee meetings will start with Healthier Communities Select Committee which will be meeting on 1 November.  The budget cuts will be considered by all the select committees in that round of meetings.

The Panel also noted updates about the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which met on 21 September as follows:

·                     The main item was a report on Lewisham’s response to the cost-of-living crisis.  As a result of that, three select committees - Healthier Communities, Safer and Stronger Communities and Children and Young People - will be carrying out further work on the topic

·                     That the Overview & Scrutiny Committee also established two task and finish groups.  One of those will be looking at creative and community workspaces and the other will be reviewing community gardening and allotments practise.  The investigations are now in the process of being scoped and the first meetings will take place later in the month or early next month.

Councillor Rathbone, Chair of Public Accounts Select Committee informed the meeting as follows:

·                     That because of certain recent financial decisions made by the Government, a substantial part of the Council’s budget projections no longer apply.  It was stated that officers are having to make changes very rapidly to their financial projections as the Bank of England acts on the issues.

·                     That it is a normal financial risk for the Council not receiving the Government’s financial settlement until very close to the end of its financial year.

Councillor Penfold, Chair of Housing Select Committee stated that the next meeting of the Committee will be on 12 of October 2022, and Members will consider among other things, Lewisham Homes’ Annual Report, the Service Charge Policy, and updates on selective licencing.

Councillor Lahai-Taylor, Chair of Safer and Stronger Communities Select Committee echoed the statement by the Head of Overview and Scrutiny that the equalities perspective of the cost-of-living crisis has been added to the Committee’s workplan.

Councillor Royston, Chair of Sustainable Development Select Committee stated that there has been no significant update since the last meeting, and that the next meeting of the Committee will take place the following week.

Councillor Best, Chair of Healthier Communities Select Committee reported as follows:

·                     That there will be a substantive item on the cost-of-living crisis. 

·                     That the Director of Public Health has been invited to present a report which will include information on the food justice work, and the warm hubs and spaces.

·                     That the Executive Director for Community Services will provide an update on the use of local libraries, community centres, and the work with Lewisham’s local. 

·                     It was stated that as the winter period approaches,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny reported as follows

·         The select committees have all met and the work programmes they are putting forward are contained in the meeting pack.

·         I think they present a broad and varied programme of scrutiny over the course of the year and are focussed on key policy issues.

·         The panel is asked to review and agree them and make sure they don’t duplicate each other in any way, so a co-ordinated overall programme is agreed.

·         From this meeting onwards, you will be asked to review them at each meeting so progress can be checked.

The following were also noted at the meeting:

-       Housing – Selective licensing item will be brought forward to September

-       CYP – Will be doing more engagement at meetings now we are post pandemic; and will be looking at the cost of living in November (once it has been considered at OSC at a strategic level in September) and is likely to consider things like the household support fund and eligibility for free school meals.

-       HCSC – Will be doing engagement between meetings, including on the Healthcare and Wellbeing Charter

-       SDSC – Has prioritised and tried to stick to no more than two substantive items per meeting but will look to do things between meetings

-       PASC – Chair has met with senior officers in overspending areas in the run up to the next meeting and will keep the Chairs of relevant committees updated (CYP and HCSC)

-       SSCSC – Consideration of the Safe Lewisham Plan will include an update on VAWG strategies

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny presented an update report to the Panel, advising that because some select committees had not met since the start of the municipal year, the report to the next meeting would contain items of work for each of the bodies, with a proposal for Members to agree a co-ordinated programme of work.  Thereafter, the Panel would receive reports on progress on the work programmes of select committees at its future meetings.

The Panel also received report that the main item for consideration at the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would be the “Resident Experience Programme”, which would include the Member-casework strand.

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny further advised the Panel that scrutiny Members could establish up to three task and finish groups at the September meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.  It was stated that should Members decide to establish the groups, they would be required to submit ideas in time for officers to produce a report for consideration.

Councillor Millbank reminded members of the recommendations of the Local Democracy Review undertaken by the Council, including the establishment of task and finish groups.

Councillor Sorba stated that he was not in favour of task and finish groups, as he felt in-depth investigations were better carried out within the select committee setting.

However the Panel was further advised by Councillor Sorba that Members should perhaps commit to a second year of task and finish groups before deciding whether to make them a permanent part of the scrutiny process as continuing with task and finish groups for another year would enable new councillors to be involved in an alternative system of scrutiny. 

Councillor Best suggested that before committing to a second year of task and finish groups, considerations should perhaps be given to addressing outstanding matters from the recommendations of the Local Democracy Review work undertaken by the Council.

Commenting on statements and suggestions expressed at the meeting, the Assistant Chief Executive informed the Panel that the results of a survey undertaken in May had been circulated to Members requesting them to share ideas about their experiences of undertaking tasks and finish groups.

The Assistant Chief Executive also reiterated that there was no requirement in the Council’s Constitution to have task and finish groups. However, if there was a desire by Members to have such groups, officers would need time to arrange them.  Therefore, Members should complete the circulated pro-forma to submit ideas of topics for consideration in advance of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in September 2022.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Panel received an update report by the Head of Overview and Scrutiny who confirmed that the final arrangements for Select Committee meetings for the current administration had taken place.  It was noted that the final reports of task and finish groups had also been submitted to the Mayor and Cabinet. 

The Head of Overview and Scrutiny invited Select Committee chairs to comment on their respective committees, and also reported that the Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation attended the final meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee which considered the Future Lewisham priority “An Economically Sound Future”.  The Panel noted that the Chief Executive of the New Economics Foundation spoke to Members about sustainable local economic growth, and that the meeting also received an update on the residents’ experience programme, in which some scrutiny Members had participated.

Councillor John Muldoon informed the Panel about challenges in securing a quorum at the two last meetings of the Healthier Communities Select Committee.  Councillor Muldoon suggested that it was appropriate for Members to give equal importance to attendance of scrutiny meetings as those of the executive.

The Panel also noted confirmation from Councillor Ingleby that he would be circulating a report to Labour Group Members about the work of the Public Accounts Select Committee (PASC) since he became a chair in July 2021.  Councillor Ingleby stated that there had been a progression in work relating to income generation commercialisation.  Councillor Ingleby stated that it would be useful for the Council to consider the capital programme, social value, and asset optimisation during the next administration, not only for PASC, but other committees as well.

Councillor Millbank enquired about the future workings of task and finish groups, drawing attention to the fact that they were set up subject to a review.

Councillor Wise commented that the task and finish groups had completed some very interesting work in a short space of time, and that Members were kept interested.  However, those groups and select committees, while working separately but complementary to each other, had placed a lot of burden on Members.  Councillor Wise suggested that during the next administration, the chair of the Constitutional Working Party should consider a review into the number of meetings that would require Members’ attendance, commenting that she had never experienced such a high expectation during her 24 years as a councillor.

In response to concerns raised, the Assistant Chief Executive clarified that the requirement for attendance at meetings remained that members should be present physically to be part of the quorum formation.  She acknowledged that the arrangements had been challenging, but that scrutiny ought to be workable for proper oversight to take place.  Thus, there would be choices for Members to make during the next administration as to which vehicles of scrutiny to utilise.  Notwithstanding that, the Panel was advised that there was no obligation for Overview and Scrutiny to appoint task and finish groups, as such a formation was a choice.  Therefore, there would be no requirement  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8