Agenda and minutes

1.1       RESOLVED:

Councillor Juliet Campbell and Councillor James Rathbone were confirmed as the Chair and Vice-Chair respectively.

2.1       RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on the 12^th March be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings.

3.1       There were no declarations of interest.

There are no responses to referrals due at this meeting.

4.1       There were no referrals due at this meeting.

5.1       Katie Wood introduced the report and informed the committee that the provisional timetable for the budget cuts report was now September 2019.

·         The Chair and Vice-Chair tabled some proposed changes to the work programmed, a copy will be included with the agenda documentation.

·         Members of the Committee felt it would be useful to continue to receive the Library and Information Service annual report but as part of a wider report on Lewisham Libraries to come to Committee in October.

·         There was discussion on the National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Company update. Some members felt a joint committee with LB Southwark could be useful. Committee members requested that the Scrutiny Manager and the Head of Public Protection liaised to ensure the reports were relevant and accurate to allow for quality scrutiny by the committee.

·         It would be useful to have regular updates on progress on the public health approach to Violence.

·         An item on food poverty was important. This could include how to get a better understanding of the number and location of food banks in the borough and summer holiday provision.

·         The Committee requested that an item on Modern Day Slavery be included in the Committee’s work programme. This could be an update including looking at compliance, monitoring and contracts.

·         The annual report on Local Assemblies should include information on the review of the implementation of the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy. This should also include detailed equalities implications of funding allocations.

·         Members of the committee requested the Committee carry out an in-depth review on Equalities. This could link into the timeframe for the consultations for the new Comprehensive Equalities Scheme. The review should include looking at the Council’s employee profile and staff survey results; how equalities is embedded across the Council including organisations funded by the Council; Equalities Impact Assessments including looking at what best practice is and how they are carried out in Lewisham; and looking at data and disclosure rates to see whether improvements need and can be made. Each Directorate could be asked to highlight the key issues in their area.

·         Members of the Committee felt a referral to Business Panel highlighting that all Select Committees should ensure they have a strong focus on equalities in particular when they are scrutinising new plans such as the Children and Young People Plan and Housing Strategy and ensure that equalities implications have been properly considered and documented.  

·         A new violence reduction board was being set up. Scrutiny chairs would be invited to be on the board.

5.2     RESOLVED:

1)    That the Committee carry out an in-depth review looking at how the Council embeds equalities across its service provision.

2)    That the following referral be made to Business Panel: That

·         Due to the importance of promoting equality of provision across the Council; all Select Committees should ensure they have a strong focus on equalities as part of their annual work programme. In particular, select committees should ensure that when they are scrutinising new plans such as the CYP  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.1       Geeta Subramaniam-Mooney, Head of Public Protection and Safety presented the plan to the Committee. During the discussion, the following key points were raised:

·         A member of the Committee highlighted that the gun crime statistics on page 4 of the report were incorrect. This would be looked into and amended.

·         The targets and action plan related to the Safer Lewisham Plan would be shared with the Committee once they had been finalised.

·         The Council’s out of court disposal plan would be shared with members of the Committee.

·         The trauma informed approach initially trialled in the Council’s Youth Offending Service was being extended across different service areas.

·         The Council was setting up a Serious Youth Violence Prevention Panel. Chairs of Select Committees would be invited to be on the panel.

·         Lewisham was piloting a process to monitor and review the Metropolitan Police’s gangs matrix.

·         The Council continued to work with the organisation For Jimmy on safe havens across the borough. The map and leaflet of Lewisham Safe Havens would be shared with members of the Committee.

·         The Children and Young People Select Committee’s review on School Exclusions would be shared with the Committee once it was finalised.

6.2       RESOLVED:

            That the report be noted.

            That the Committee receive the documentation requested.

A referral was made to Business Panel under item 5.