Decision details

The Assembly will be presented with the 2021/22 Annual Reports of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Health Scrutiny Committee.

The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) in 2021/22 presented an Annual Report highlighting the work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in that period.

Given the number of new Members to the Council the former Chair opened her presentation with a brief overview about the structure and function of the Committee explaining the purpose of scrutiny and its importance to the operation of the Council by helping to improve services for the benefit of the local community. She explained that OSC had a wide remit and was able to look into internal Council services, as well as those of our external partners such as the Police, BDSIP and Be First, holding decision makers to account, including the Cabinet, whilst reviewing policy and in so doing, making recommendations for improvement.

She advised that the year had again begun by meeting with Cabinet Members, Directors and officers to learn more about their thoughts around key issues, which also helped to guide the Committee in developing a meaningful work programme. She recognised the support given by Cabinet Members who were committed to the scrutiny process and had always attended OSC meetings wherever possible, listening to the Committee’s feedback and responding to any questions.

OSC covered a wide range of items during 2021/22, of which the former Chair highlighted a few of the achievements including the impact of change to the Reside affordability threshold in line with the Housing Allocations Policy, a review of Targeted Early Help services, and acting as a forum for Borough representatives to talk to the Police on response times and community engagement, and specifically greater engagement with the LGBTQ+ community.

Throughout the year the Committee also provided further suggestions for consideration, such as generating more income by the Council utilising space on the sides of waste trucks for local business and private advertising and officers approaching ward councillors to ask whether they would be willing to use part of their allocated ward budget for pollution-busting plants close to school buildings, to reduce pupils’ exposure to carbon emissions.

Councillor Glenda Paddle took over the role of Chair at the beginning of this municipal year and the Committee was set for another busy year with a wide-ranging work programme on key topics such as the review of the first Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) programme and engagement on the second phase, Employment Support and the Housing Offer for Vulnerable Groups.

In conclusion the former Chair thanked Masuma Ahmed, Claudia Wakefield, Fiona Taylor and Alison Stuart for their support to her and the Committee.

The Leader commended the work of both the former and current Chair, who he meets with monthly. He recognised the value of the overview and scrutiny process in the checks and balances it provided to ensure open and transparent decision making through collective leadership. 

The Chair of the Health Scrutiny Committee (HSC) then presented an annual report highlighting the work of the Committee in 2021/22, similarly explaining the role and function of the Committee for the benefit of new Members.

Over the last year it was no surprise that a key topic of the work programme continued to be the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, due to the profound impact that it was having on health services since its onset. To that end the Chair expressed the Committee’s continued thanks to all frontline staff and partners, for their dedication in supporting residents affected by Covid-19, as well as to key colleagues for their ongoing support in the scrutiny response.

The Committee had addressed a broad range of topics this year, from smoking cessation through to engagement on the new St George's Hospital Development, which would be able to be used by Barking and Dagenham residents in the future. Despite a busy work programme, the Committee also addressed other areas of key importance such as NELFT’s Care Quality Commission Inspection.

Moving forward HSC would continue to oversee the Council’s and health partners’ response to Covid-19 as well as fulfilling a demanding and broad work programme for 2021/22, which amongst other things included exploring key topics such as how to manage the waiting lists for urgent and non-urgent health conditions, and priorities for the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

He paid thanks to Masuma Ahmed, Yusuf Olow, Claudia Wakefield and Matthew Cole for their support to himself and the Committee as well as to Councillor Worby as the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration and partners, for their continued support, honesty and willingness to take on board the Committee’s feedback.

The Assembly resolved to note both the Overview and Scrutiny and Health Scrutiny Committee Annual Reports 2021/22 set out in Appendix A and B to the report respectively.