Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Agreed with the following amendments:

• Councillor West’s vote in favour of motions 3,4 & 5 be recorded, and,

• Councillor Liam Smith’s name added to the first sentence of the final paragraph on page 15 to clarify that the comments are accredited to him and not to Councillor Barnbrook.

Agreed to adopt:

(i) the Community Plan, and,

(ii) the Council Plan Update and Medium Term Financial Strategy,

as set out in the Executive Agenda of 24 March 2009 with the additional, tabled, introduction from the Chief Executive.

The Divisional Director of Legal and Democratic Services introduced the report, highlighting the following:

• the review of the scrutiny structure had been initiated by Members in January, this was timely as the Council is required to comply with emerging legislation,

• in finalising the proposals, best practice has been researched, advice from leading experts sought and a consultation exercise completed,

• appendix 1 sets out the themes of the standing select committees and outlined how the committees would work in practice,

• appendix 2 sets out the suggested make up of the select committees taking into account the rules governing political proportionality,

• a Member Development programme will be designed enabling Members to fully engage with the new structures and scrutiny process,

• a public engagement campaign will be pursued, raising public awareness and encouraging members of the public to get involved, and,

• there will be an impact on the Council’s Constitution which will be amended accordingly and brought to Members for their approval at the Annual Assembly in May.

In responding to a number of questions by Members, the Divisional Director reported that:

• the Health and Adult Services Select Committee will continue to have links with the pan-London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC), as well as the regional joint four borough JHOSC comprising Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

• co-opted Members for Education will be appointed to the Children’s Committee and practitioners,  industry experts as well as other interested parties will be invited to relevant select committees as appropriate, and

• any recommendations from the existing scrutiny panels will be referred to the relevant select committee.

Agreed that:

1.  the proposals for a new political model for Scrutiny as outlined in Appendices One and Two be agreed in principle, enabling final Constitutional detail to be worked up and presented to the Assembly for adoption in May, with a view to the new structure taking effect from the beginning of the new Council year, 2009/10. Lead and Deputy Lead positions, and memberships of the Select Committees will also be determined at the Annual Assembly meeting in the normal way.

2.  The Scrutiny Management Board, the Health Scrutiny Panel, the Audit Committee and Policy Commissions be disbanded at the end of the current Council year and, where still in existence, that they be asked to close off all outstanding business before then.

Councillor West, the Lead Member for the GP Services Scrutiny Panel, introduced the report.  She made the following comments:

• in the very limited timeframe, the Panel covered a wide range of GP services,

• the recommendations set out in the report are to ensure that an improved GP service is delivered to residents,

• the Panel was mindful that the public looks on NHS services as a whole and expects efficient, high quality, conveniently available services, irrespective of what borough the GP’s building is located or who monitors the services delivered by the GP,

• a belief that, recommendation 9 – to  implement cross-borough billing as soon as possible for the benefit of our residents – will bring an end to our residents being sent for tests or treatment to the other side of the borough, when a neighbouring borough delivers the same facility for patients in the neighbourhood also contributing to equality of services across boroughs,

• highlighted recommendation 10 which is to improve access to GP services for our young people,

• the recommendations also include issues in respect of staff employment and training and the need for a health publication setting out services, including where and when they are available, to be delivered to every household in the borough,

• the appointment system and the multi-agency receptions at Walk-In Centres and large medical centres are worthy of further investigation,

• thanks to the Panel for their work over a very short timeframe in producing this report and, in particular, the two co-opted members, Jim Camp, a Barking and Dagenham LINKs Member and Alison Moorton, a local GP Practice Manager, for volunteering their time to assist in undertaking this very important scrutiny,

• with more health consultations to improve the delivery of services currently being scrutinised on a local and across London basis, the delivery of health services and social care will be changing and it is important that scrutiny is active to ensure getting the best services for our local residents, and,

• if adopted by the Assembly, the report will then be sent to NHS Barking and Dagenham for a formal response and action plan.  This plan will be monitored by the Health Scrutiny Panel.

There then followed a debate on the report with the majority of contributions supporting the review and its findings, as well as congratulations to Councillor West and colleagues for completing such an in-depth review.  Members were particularly impressed with the level of public engagement and the depth of information and analysis undertaken that led to the recommendations in the report.

In response to a councillor’s question, Matthew Cole,Director of Health Improvement Barking and Dagenham NHS, indicated that the polyclinic model had been well received by the medical profession and that there was only one dissenting voice coming from a GP in the borough.  He also stated that the PCT, alongside the strategic health authority, had agreed a hub and spoke model for the borough. However, he reported that the emerging development in Barking Riverside did propose the building  ...  view the full minutes text for item 86.

There were no appointments.

Motion 1. Welcoming the Council’s plans for Saint George’s Day

Moved by Councillor Jamu and seconded by Councillor Agrawal

"The Council welcomes news that this Labour Council plans to hold Saint George’s Day celebrations this year across the borough. The Council acknowledges that the borough should do more to celebrate Saint George’s Day and hopes that the planned events will be popular and well attended."

The following amendment was then moved by Councillor Bailey and seconded by Councillor Barnbrook:

"This Council welcomes the news that the Labour Group has at long last decided to fund Saint George's Day celebrations. To ensure that future Saint George's Day celebrations are a success, well planned and attended, this Council will set aside £50,000 every year for Saint George's Day celebrations. As a further commitment to recognise the English and Saint George's Day, the Council will, from this day forward, fly the Union flag and the flag of England, the St George's Cross, above the Civic Centre and Barking Town Hall. "

There then followed a debate with Members making comments on both the amendment and the original motion.  A summary of the comments in support of the motion is as follows:

• councillors have previously tried to generate interest for celebrating St. Georges day with mixed success,

• any day which commemorates heritage and brings communities together should be celebrated and embraced, and,

• flying flags help celebrate people’s identities and this should be encouraged on special occasions, however flying flags on a daily basis dilutes its meaning,

Members that opposed the amendment agreed that it would be unwise to set aside a fixed amount of money to spend marking the occasion as it could be higher or lower than the proposed amount in any year.

In making his closing remarks, Councillor Bailey stated his support for the Council’s decision to commemorate St George’s day but also expressed his disappointment that Members would not support his proposal to set aside £50,000 every year for the occasion.

Councillor Jamu summarised by encouraging Members to recognise and celebrate the different cultures thriving in Barking and Dagenham.  He called on people to take pride in their identities and for a mutual respect to be shown to people with different ethnic backgrounds and religions.  He spoke of a yearly Sikh festival which celebrated all cultures and ethnicities by flying a myriad of flags.

The amendment was put to the vote and was not agreed as follows:

For:  Councillors Bailey, Barnbrook, Buckley, Ronald Doncaster, Knight, Rustem and Steed.

Against:  Councillors Agrawal, Alexander, Barns, Bramley, Carpenter, Carroll, Collins, Davis, Denyer, Fairbrass, Fani, Flint, Nirmal Gill, Rocky Gill, Hemmett, Hunt, Jamu, Justice, Kallar, Little, McDermott, McKenzie, Patricia Northover, Warren Northover, Obasohan, Poulton, Rawlinson, Reason, Rush, Liam Smith, Nadine Smith, Twomey, Vincent, Lee Waker, Philip Waker and West.

Abstain:  None.

The original motion was put to the vote and was agreed as follows:

For:  Councillors Agrawal, Alexander, Barns, Bramley, Carpenter, Carroll, Collins, Davis, Denyer, Fairbrass, Fani, Flint, Nirmal Gill, Rocky Gill, Hemmett, Hunt,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 88.

Question from Councillor Sidney Kallar

Would the Leader care to comment on the recent award for a 4-star rating to this Council?

Response from Councillor Fairbrass

“I am pleased to do so, because this gives me the opportunity to place on record my thanks to my colleagues, in the majority party,  for their work over the past decade, as we have gone forward with decisions and policies that  helped us to improve the services available for our residents.  I would also place on record our thanks to all council staff, from the Chief Executive right across the board, to my very efficient local street cleaner.  Without doubt we have a very good team of employees.

I also thank our partner organisations for their efforts in assisting us to be among the best 28 Local Authorities in England and the highest rated Labour controlled Borough in Greater London. It would be wrong of me not to note the congratulations given by Councillor Justice on the award of 4 stars and improving strongly.

This is my last question time as Leader and I thank my colleagues for their support over the past 11 years.”

Question from Councillor Bailey

"There is a severe shortage of all types of housing in this borough. Most councillors, I am sure, will agree with me when I state that it is the number one complaint of the residents of this borough. I am also sure that all councillors will agree that it should be a Council priority to ensure housing within the borough is used and fairly distributed.  Could someone from the Labour Party tell me if it is Council and Labour party policy to encourage people to buy houses in this borough and then not live in them?" (Councillor Liam Smith to respond)

Response from Councillor Liam Smith

  “No”

GQ2 from Councillor Barnbrook

“In the light of last year’s Tuberculosis (TB) outbreak in Cambell School when the whole school was screened after positive cases were found and tests were carried out at Jo Richardson School and other secondary schools in the borough, and in accordance with the Government’s guidelines of four cases per 10,000 warranting the instigation of universal neo-natal immunisation, is it not time that the Borough offers to every pupil and minor the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination against TB?

Response from Councillor Alexander

“A decision had already been made last year to implement neonatal BCG to all children under the age of one.

Once again, the Councillor has his facts wrong and is asking an ill formed question.  The threshold for administering universal BCG vaccination is 40 to 100,000 or greater.  We have yet to reach this rate, although we are close at 38.5 to 100,000.  This is why we took the decision to immunise all children under the age of 1 with the BCG vaccine.

I quote from a letter by Dr. Misra the leading consultant in Communicable Disease Control from the Health Prevention Agency and who led in investigating the incident at Cambell School.

She goes on to say that the BCG vaccine is not as effective in older children and that is why the decision was taken not to immunise them as part of the mass immunisation strategy.

The measures we had adopted were in line with the World Health Organisation, the Health Prevention Agency and assistance from the PCT.

My message to you would be to stop spreading fear and lies through the press, as long as you continue to do so I will respond with the facts.

Question from Councillor Rush

"When you submitted your alternative budget this year it included many figures that I, and my colleagues, knew to be incorrect. We noticed on your website that your budget was co-compiled by Chris Forster. His website describes Mr Forster as “The only qualified Internal Auditor and Accountant working full time as a psychic”  and goes on to explain that he is a  “regular tarot and crystal ball reader”. Can you tell us, did your colleague Mr Forster use the help of tarot cards or a crystal ball when compiling your budget?  "

Response from Councillor Bailey

“I must congratulate Councillor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 90.