Minutes:
From Councillor Jones
Can the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration provide Councillors with an update on how the local hospitals performed over recent weeks?
Response
The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration advised that the latest figures from the Department of Health showed that the Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals Trust was the 24th worst performing out of 237 trusts in respect of patients waiting more than four hours in Accident and Emergency Departments. On a positive note, however, and despite the much publicised problems across the country, the excellent work of the Council’s Mental Health Crisis Intervention team had meant that there had been only one case of delayed discharge from hospital in the same period.
Supplementary Question
Councillor Jones enquired as to whether the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWBB) could assist in help the hospitals to improve?
The Cabinet Member advised that although the HWBB wished to have open dialogue in order to resolve service problems, the Hospitals Trust was less forthcoming.
From Councillor Jones
Can the Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration comment on whether the change of job title for the Secretary of State will go far towards fixing the problems being faced in the NHS?
Response
The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration advised that the former Department of Health had always included responsibility for social care, although the change of name to the Department for Health and Social Care could assist in moving the social care system higher up the Secretary of State’s priority list.
Question 3
From Councillor Miah
Will the relevant Cabinet Member update the Assembly on the Council’s bid to become the London Borough of Culture?
Response
The Leader explained that the London Borough of Culture was a new culture initiative from the Mayor of London. The Council had a bold and ambitious long-term plan to put culture at the heart of the Borough and had bid to be the first London Borough of Culture in 2019, which carried an award of £1.1m. The winner would be announced on 27 February 2018.
Question 4
From Councillor Fergus
Can the Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement explain what action is being taken to ensure that more students from Barking and Dagenham gain a place at university?
Response
The Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement advised that the number of Barking and Dagenham residents attending university had risen significantly over the past few years.
Building on that, the ‘Aimhigher’ service, which was unique to Barking and Dagenham and had the full support of Borough schools, was established to develop, coordinate and deliver activities to support progression to higher education and its management was in regular contact with University outreach departments.
Question 5
From Councillor Haroon
Following recent reports of properties operating as brothels and cannabis factories being found in Barking and Dagenham, can the relevant Cabinet Member update the Assembly on what progress is being made to stop rogue landlords from blighting our borough?
Response
The Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety advised that the Council had so far inspected 12,000 privately let properties as part of the ongoing Borough-wide scheme aimed at ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations relating to housing. Where non-compliance was found and improvement recommendations ignored by the landlords, the Council would take appropriate enforcement action and the Cabinet Member confirmed that 435 enforcement notices had been served in the current financial year to date.
Question 6
From Councillor Choudhury
Response
The Cabinet Member for Finance, Growth and Investment advised that those who had responded to the online consultation were broadly accepting of the fact that the Council needed to take steps to mitigate the financial pressures it was facing. In response to two specific questions posed as part of the online consultation, 55% agreed or strongly agreed to an increase in Council Tax to fund services and 57% agreed or strongly agreed to the 3% social care precept.
Question 7
From Councillor Freeborn
Can the relevant Cabinet Member explain what the Council is doing to mark the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in 2018?
Response
The Cabinet Member for Equalities and Cohesion advised that the Council would be celebrating the anniversary with a year-long programme of events under the banner of “HerStory”. The “HerStory” campaign would honour women, past and present, who helped to drive change for greater equality.