Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

The meeting was webcast on the Council’s website.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dodds.

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item below. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at item below).

There were no such items.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Councillor Aitken declared a personal interest in respect of item 8, Homes for Haringey.

Councillor Adamou declared a personal interest in respect of item 14, Adult Safeguarding & Personalisation, by nature of her daughter being a social worker.

Councillor Egan declared a personal interest in respect of item 8, Homes for Haringey, by nature of being on the HfH Board.

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no such items.

Briefing from Councillor John Bevan, Cabinet Member for Housing Services.

Members received a briefing and answers to questions provided by the Cabinet Member for Housing Services.  The Cabinet Member and his Officers also provided clarification to follow-up questions asked orally by Members at the meeting.

The Cabinet Member stated that good progress was being made on matters such as affordable homes.  The Cabinet Member also informed Members that he had, in conjunction with the Leader of the Council, written to the Housing Minister on the issue of the use of compulsory purchase powers.

Members noted that the issue of Sheltered Housing was currently being considered by a group of Officers, with a change in configuration due to be put into place upon their report back.  The Cabinet Member also informed the committee that assessments for temporary accommodation were carried out within days, with accommodation provided for the genuinely homeless.

The committee noted that a scheme was in place in Haringey to combat fuel poverty, with funds being in place to carry out insulation installation and related heat works across the borough.  Haringey was also keen on the use of Warm Front grants, including the use of ‘mystery shopping’ to ensure they were being properly implemented.  The Council was prepared to ‘top up’ grants where appropriate by up to £2,000.

The committee learned that work concerning both over- and under-occupation in the borough was ongoing, with an Officer being recruited to be assigned to these issues, and with plans in place to set up a register of these properties.

RESOLVED:

1.         That feedback on Sheltered Accommodation be provided to the committee.

2.         That the Homelessness Strategy be distributed to Members.

3.         That the Cabinet Member provide Members with information concerning ‘Warm Front’.

4.         That the briefing and answers to questions be noted.

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment) To provide Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee with a position statement regarding the current delivery of the decent homes programme.

TO FOLLOW

With the consent of the Chair, this item was withdrawn.

(Report of the Head of Corporate Property)  To report on the composition, management and performance of the Council’s Commercial Property and review if a further in-depth Scrutiny review is required.

The committee received information on the composition, management and performance of the Council’s Commercial Property Portfolio.

Officers provided clarification for Members on a number of points raised at the meeting; in particular, Members were assured that the Council legally was required to charge commercial rates for properties it owned which were shops.

RESOLVED:

1.      That Members respond to concerns raised at the meeting regarding amount of rent owed, the action taken and the turnaround time after the meeting be responded to.

2.      That information be supplied on void income loss.

3.      That the Committee receive a breakdown of commercial, industrial and retail commercial property.

4.      That the report be noted.

To receive the Homes for Haringey First Quarter Performance Report, 2008/09.

The committee received the Homes for Haringey performance report for the first quarter 2008/09; performance was set against the agreed key performance indicators to be monitored quarterly.

Officers informed Members that Homes for Haringey was currently performing well.  Good work was ongoing in areas such as reducing voids and rent collection.  Issues remained regarding responses to Member enquiries, with Officers that improvements would be seen in this area in due course.

With regard to direct works and contractors performance, Officers informed the committee that weekly performance meetings had been taking place since the end of August, which were tackling underlying issues in these areas.

RESOLVED:

1. That information be provided to the committee on adaptations.

2. That the report be noted.

Briefing from Councillor Nilgun Canver, Cabient Member for Enforcement & Safer Communities

The committee received a briefing and answers to questions provided by the Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Safer Communities.

The committee received apologies for absence due to illness from the Borough Commander.

The committee were informed that the former home of Alexander Litvinenko was now safer for habitation, with scientists having completed their monitoring of radiation levels.

It was noted that the recruitment of ethnic minority Officers to the police force was ongoing operation, with initiatives continuing to encourage applications.

In terms of a question raised regarding knife detectors in schools, the committee noted that the School Weapons Protocol was being reviewed, together with guidance notes by Head Teachers and Governors.  This was an issue which continued to be discussed between School leaders and police; any decision on the Weapons Protocol would be one for the Schools governing bodies.  It was noted that at the present time, the protocol only applied to secondary schools.

In response to concerns raised over children being stopped by the police, it was stated that Stop & Search policy was formulated in consultation with community leaders and schools.  Youth Council were also consulted on a regular basis, with the consensus being that Stop & Search was most effective when it was evidence-led.

RESOLVED:

That the briefing and answers to questions be noted. 

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment)  To inform Members of the progress on reducing open planning enforcement cases and on service improvements.

Members were informed of progress in reducing open planning enforcement cases, and on service improvements within this area.

In addition to the despatched report, a guide to Planning Enforcement was tabled at the committee for all Members.

Members were provided with new Performance Indicators for the service, and were informed that the 80% target of early closures within six months was on target.  Further targets were due to be set following the determination of appropriate reporting methodology.

It was noted that one in ten cases resulted in formal enforcement action.  Recruitment issues in the service still remained, with Officers intending to help combat this by re-advertising the posts with a market supplement.

Members also discussed direct action with regards to HMOs, and mechanisms for alternatives to action for first time offenders.

RESOLVED:

1.        That Members be encouraged to feedback their views to Officers as outlined in Recommendation 6.1 of the report.

2.        That all Members be provided with the completed document.

3.        That the progress to date outlined in the report be noted.

(Report of the A.C.E. – Policy, Performance, Partnerships & Communications)  To inform Scrutiny of the development of an alcohol harm reduction strategy, and to encourage comment and feedback.

Councillor Adamou took the Chair for this item.

The committee received a report informing them of the development of an alcohol harm reduction strategy for Haringey.

Members noted that the strategy had been consulted on widely, and that it was one of the first of its kind within London.  The strategy incorporated both issues of both wellbeing and community safety, with input fed in from the HSP’s thematic boards.

Work was ongoing with the police and voluntary sector on the issue of street drinking, with test purchasing taking place to combat underage sales.  The committee also learned that the Young Person’s Substance Misuse Team were at the forefront of appropriate outreach work within the community.

It was noted that it was not believed possible to be able to introduce ‘saturation zones’ in areas where there was believed to be an over-supply of alcohol, although Officers agreed to make enquiries to ascertain whether this position had changed.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Strategy be noted.

2. That the Strategy be distributed to all Councillors.

3. That Officers investigate whether they are allowed legally to introduce ‘saturation zones’.

4. That Members feed into the Scrutiny Review being Chaired by Councillor Alexander.

Presentation by Adult Services on Safeguarding and Personalisation

Councillor Adamou declared a personal interest by nature of her daughter being a social worker.

The committee received a tabled briefing on the Adult Services Safeguarding and Personalisation agenda.

Members were informed by Officers that they regarded this briefing as the start of a conversation regarding the safeguarding and personalisation agenda.  They were informed that tight recruiting policies existed for carers, ensured those who were employed as personal assistants had had the appropriate training.

RESOLVED:

1. That the briefing be noted.

2. That a more substantive report be fed back to the Committee in due course.

(Report of the A.C.E. – Policy, Performance, Partnerships & Communications)  To provide quarter 1 2008/09 update against the Local Area Agreement Targets.

The committee were provided with the quarter 1 update against Local Area Agreement targets.

The committee noted that the provided report was structured in terms of community strategy priorities.  Officers were commended for providing an excellent report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

(Report of the Chair of the Review Panel)  To approve the scope and terms of reference for the Scrutiny Review.

The committee received this report, approving the scope and terms of reference for the Scrutiny Review on Support to Pupils with Drugs and/or Alcohol Problems.

It was suggested that the Review contact the ‘Haringey Xposure’ youth magazine for an additional angle and help on the topic.

RESOLVED:

1.       That point 7.2 of the Terms of Reference be amended to add the following text: “and referral onward routes to specialist service”.

2.       That, subject to the above modification, the terms of referenced and the proposed co-options onto the Panel be approved.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting held on September 11^th 2008.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th September 2008 be confirmed and signed.

There were no such items.