Agenda and minutes

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

The Chair referred those present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting and asked that those present reviewed and noted the information contained therein.

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for Absence were received from Cllr Gallagher. Cllr Barbara Blake attended the meeting as substitute.

There were no items of Urgent Business.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee received a deputation from Rev. Paul Nicholson on behalf of Northumberland Park Supporters Group.

Rev. Paul Nicholson presented the deputation. NOTED:

a.    There were a significant number of academic studies which showed the impact of low incomes and debt on health outcomes.

b.    Dr Angel Donkin of the Institute of Health Equity argued that "Income impacts on health directly; for instance insufficient money to heat your home or buy a healthy balanced diet. Cold homes increase rates of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, excess winter deaths and mental illness. Inadequate diets increase the risk of malnutrition, obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Debt impacts on health indirectly through increased stress, depression and anxiety."

c.    Job Seekers Allowance has depreciated in value since 1979.  It was argued that a benefit claimant receiving £73.10 a week in JSA was unable to provide themselves with a healthy diet. The benefit system was so inadequate that parents needed their child’s benefits to survive, and the disabled are forced into destitution when they fail the work capability assessment and their disability benefits are stopped. 

d.    Rev. Nicholson advised that low birth weight levels were high in Northumberland Park. Poor maternal nutrition and low birth weight had, since 1972, been described as the strongest predictor of poor learning ability, school performance, behavioural disorders and crime by the Institute of Brain Chemistry and Human Nutrition.

e.    ?The Committee was advised that money spent on increasingly unaffordable levels of rent competed with food, fuel and water. The result was a record increase in evictions, record admittance to hospital with malnutrition and unprecedented rises in mortality and infant deaths in 2015 at national level.

f.     Northumberland Park was the most deprived ward in the Borough. Rev. Nicholson contended that the Council was required, under the Health and Social Services Act 2012, to improve the health of local population. It was suggested that the Council was already exacerbating the situation by extracting council tax from benefit claimants.

g.    It was anticipated that the HDV would exacerbate problems further. Rev. Nicholson argued that council housing was the only housing whose affordability the Council could ensure as landlords. It was feared that the HDV would result in more tenants being at the mercy of a booming housing market. This would result in an even greater proportion of disposable income being spent on rent at the expense of other necessities, leading to even greater poverty and higher levels of ill-health. 

In response to the deputation, the Committee sought clarification on what, in the deputee’s opinion, effect the HDV would have on housing issues and poverty in the area. In response Rev. Nicholson argued that the biggest effect was that the HDV would break up communities and the local networks that residents relied upon. Rev. Nicholson outlined a recent example where a person was relocated from the Love Lane estate and the pay-off that he received was sequestered by HfH to pay off his rent arrears. In addition, the rent in his new  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 27^th March.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the OSC meeting of 27^th March be agreed as a correct record of the meeting.

To receive and note the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels and to approve any recommendations contained within:

Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel – 16^th March 2017

Environmental & Community Safety – 21^st December 2016 & 9^th March 2017

The Committee received and noted the minutes of the following Scrutiny Panels and approved any recommendations contained within:

Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel – 16^th March 2017

Environmental & Community Safety – 21^st December 2016 & 9^th March 2017

The Committee enquired about the status of the Onside group referenced in the minutes of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel. Cllr Hearn understood the Purdah period had delayed holding the first meeting.

Councillor Connor undertook to ask the Cabinet Member for Communities to provide an update on the Onside group. (Action: Cllr Connor).

To approve the terms of reference and membership for the four Scrutiny Panels, and to consider the appointment of two Haringey representatives to the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee received a report which set out the terms of reference and membership of the scrutiny panels for 2017/18. The report also set out the appointment of two Haringey representatives to the NCL Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC).

The Committee noted that that the OSC budget scrutiny meeting for Priority X  in January would be chaired by the Chair of budget scrutiny.

The Committee also noted that Cllr Waters was to added to the membership of the Housing & Regeneration scrutiny panel.

RESOLVED

      I.        To note the terms of reference (Appendix A) and Protocol (Appendix B) for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

    II.        To establish the following Scrutiny Panels for 2017/18:

-      Adults and Health

-      Children and Young People

-      Environment and Community Safety

-      Housing and Regeneration

   III.        To approve the terms of reference/policy areas and membership for each Scrutiny Panel for 2017/18 (Appendix C)

  IV.        To appoint Councillors Connor and Wright as the two Haringey representatives to the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee for 2017/18. 

To agree the amended Terms of Reference for the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Committee received a report which amended the terms of reference of the JHOSC to ensure the option for the JHOSC to make referrals to the Secretary of State when when responding to formal consultations on substantial developments or variations to local health services.

RESOLVED 

      I.        That the Committee recommend to Council that it delegates formally the right of referral to the secretary of state in responding to formal consultations involving all of the Councils on the JHOSC, pursuant to Regulation 23 (9) of the Local Authority (Public Health, Health and Wellbeing Boards and Health Scrutiny) Regulations 2013.

Cllr Ibrahim, Chair of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel introduced the report. The Committee was advised that the report was a follow-up to the interim review carried out by the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel with the intention of providing recommendations on the governance arrangements for the proposed HDV. The Chair of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel advised that a number of issues arose during the review which, although falling outside of the agreed terms of reference, the Panel felt prudent to include in the final report.

The Chair of the Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Panel commented that a key recommendation was around the development of an updated business case for the HDV in light of changing political and economic circumstances. A number of recommendations also reflected concerns that the Panel felt around exclusivity agreements and risk.

The Committee was asked to consider whether the report fell out with the specific terms of reference of the review and whether the Committee accepted the recommendations and findings, on the basis of their importance and relevance to the subject matter.

The Committee AGREED to the revised scope of the review, as reflected in the report.

The following arose during the discussion of the report.

a.    A committee member sought assurances around the breadth of evidence that was used to draw the conclusions presented in the report. The committee member also raised concerns that the examples drawn upon in the report did not necessarily reflect the model proposed under the HDV.  In response the Chair of the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel advised that evidence was drawn from a range of different sources including the Centre for London and Oxford District Council, neither of which were opposed to the HDV in principle. The Chair of the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel emphasised that there was no direct comparison with other schemes due to the nature and scope of the proposed scheme under the HDV and that to some extent this was reflected in the number of recommendations in the Panel’s report.

b.    In relation to the example of the Sheffield Housing company, which adopted a model with a 50/50 partnership agreement, the Committee was advised that this example had been noted as part of the evidence gathering process. The panel considered that the Sheffield Housing company had adopted a different structure and that that scheme only related to Brownfield sites, as result, the panel felt that the scheme was a very different model and could not be compared directly with the HDV.

c.    The Chair invited Cllr McNamara to address the Committee. Cllr McNamara emphasised that the report and its recommendations received the unanimous support of the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Panel. Similarly, the Committee was advised that the evidence gathering process was both objective and robust. It was summarised that, in the view of the Scrutiny Panel member, there were two main conclusions to draw from the process; firstly that alternatives to the HDV did exist and that secondly, more work needed to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

To agree the timeframe for the development of the Overview & Scrutiny Work Programme for 2017/18.

.

The Chair of OSC introduced the report as set out.

The Chair of the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel advised the Committee that the panel would be focusing on three main projects this year:

• Supporting asylum seeking and refugee children
• Care leavers
• Restorative Justice

The Chair of OSC advised the Committee that the terms of reference for the Parks scrutiny project was being developed and would be available shortly.

RESOLVED

1. To agree the outline work programme for Overview and Scrutiny for 2017-18 as per paragraph 4.7 of the report;

2. To approve the draft Scope and Terms of Reference for the Environment

            and Community Safety Scrutiny Panel’s review of Residential Street

            Sweeping, attached at Appendix A

This item was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee. (Action: Clerk).

None.

To note the dates of future meetings:

17^th July 2017

16^th October 2017

21^st November 2017

16^th January 2018

29^th January 2018

26^th March 2018

That the future meeting dates be noted:

17^th July 2017

16^th October 2017

21^st November 2017

16^th January 2018

29^th January 2018

26^th March 2018