Issue - meetings

Further to Minute 118 (19 April 2016), the Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Investment presented a report on the Select Committees’ consideration of the recommendations made by the independent Growth Commission’s in its report “No-one left behind: in pursuit of growth for the benefit of everyone”.

The Living and Working, Children’s Services and Public Accounts and Audit Select Committees had reviewed the 90-plus recommendations over the summer and had identified their key priorities from the full list.  The Cabinet Member commented that he was very grateful for the work of the Select Committees and had invited the respective Lead Members to attend this evening’s meeting to speak on the priorities. 

The Cabinet Member advised that the Select Committees’ priorities covered a wide range both in terms of the subject matter and the timescales in which they could be achieved.  The priorities included the tunnelling of the A13, stronger regulation of private landlords, the creation of a multi-agency early intervention strategic partnership to help children’s early years development, the expansion of peer support schemes in the Borough and attracting major institutions to the Borough.  With regard to the latter, the Leader confirmed that significant progress was already being made in that area with the Dagenham Civic Centre being chosen by Coventry University as the location for its London campus, as well as the recent announcement by the Mayor of London of potential plans for major new film studios at the former Sanofi site in the Dagenham East area.

The Cabinet resolved to:

(i)  Note the feedback from the Select Committees following their consideration of the Growth Commission recommendations; and

(ii)  Agree the responses to the Select Committees’ comments and recommendations as set out in section 3 of the report and that a further report updating the Select Committees on progress against the priorities and the wider Growth Commission recommendations shall be presented in 12 months time.