Agenda and minutes

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at the meeting.

The meeting was recorded for future or live broadcasting on the Council’s website.

Apologies for absence were received from Helena Kania (LINk) and Yvonne Denny (Church Representative).

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).

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.

Councillors Bull and Winskill declared personal interests in item 9 – Performance of Registered Housing Providers as they were Council leaseholders.

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 and answers to questions – Councillor Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods.

RECEIVED the briefing from the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Councillor Nilgun Canver, and the questions and answers submitted in advance of the meeting.  The Cabinet Member highlighted that the Government had allocated £214,000.71 to Haringey for pothole repairs and expressed concerns that the Localism Bill introduced a power to recover from local and public authorities European Union infraction fines for non compliance with EU law.  The Cabinet Member would circulate a briefing about and a letter responding to the Localism Bill (Action No. 216.1). 

The Committee noted the new waste contract and that, in the first year of the contract there would be a comprehensive education and engagement programme and whilst recyclables would continue to be collected on a weekly basis, starting from January 2012 residual waste for street properties would move to fortnightly collections; starting in the Muswell Hill area and rolling out across the Borough.  The Cabinet Member would email the colour brochure from Veolia, the new waste service provider (Action No. 216.2).

NOTED the following in response to supplementary questions:

Q3 – Area Committees – The Cabinet Member reported that the details of how the Area Committees will serve will be agreed as part of the Council’s governance review.  A key role for engagement and enablement officers will be to identify priorities in each area which will then be agreed by each Neighbourhood Committee to enable local communities to action.

Q5 – Fortnightly Refuse Collections – In response to a concern about the lack of a pilot scheme and consultation with residents the Cabinet Member explained that the waste contractor, Veolia, will carry out extensive consultation with the community in the first year of the programme including education about recycling.  The Committee questioned the proposals put forward in the new waste contract and noted that the aims were to increase recycling rates and reduce carbon emissions as well as provide a high quality service.  A new trade waste contract partnership would provide an attractive incentive to encourage pubs and clubs to recycle more.

Q12 & Q13 – Engagement & Enablement Teams and Neighbourhood Management Service -  A Committee Member expressed concerns about gaps in service and how the new teams would deal with existing workloads.  It was reported that the Council’s Governance review would clarify how the teams would work although many neighbourhood management services functions had ceased.   Officers will work with residents to encourage communities to be more involved in neighbourhoods.

Q18 – Parking Charges – A Committee Member sought assurance that help would be provided to businesses if they were affected by the increased parking charges.  The Cabinet Member assured the Committee that concerns about the impact of the parking charges had been taken seriously and surveys on the potential impact had been conducted.  99% of people surveyed had raised issues mainly about parking signs rather than pricing.  The Cabinet Member stated that she would discuss with officers the possibility of a review of the arrangements, which would not be implemented until May 2011, before the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 216.

To receive an update from the service on the recommendations of the recycling review of source separated and co-mingled collection methods in Haringey presented to the Cabinet on 13^th October 2009.

RECEIVED an update on the progress made against recommendations in the scrutiny review of Recycling Collection Methodologies in Haringey, introduced by Graham Jones (Client Performance Manager – Waste Management) and Stephen McDonnell (Head of Environmental Resources).  A discussion followed.

NOTED

·        A re-tendering process including recycling, food and green waste, took place further to the review and Veolia won the contract from April 2011.  A Committee member expressed that they would have liked to have seen some detail of the food and green waste options.

·        Recyclables were collected and taken to the North London Waste Authority where it was sorted and sent to processors accordingly.

·        A briefing note on the proposals for a new waste depot in Pinkham Way would be circulated to the Committee (Action No. 217.1).  Committee members expressed concern about the large volume of lorries going in and out of Pinkham Way and whether the plant would emit fumes and bad smells.  It was noted that there would not be an incinerator on the site.

·        A briefing note on the reasons for co-mingled recycling collections would be provided to the Committee (Action No. 217.2).

RESOLVED to note the report

To consider the briefing on the Health and Wellbeing Board and implications for scrutiny.

RECEIVED the briefing on the implications for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of the Health and Social Care bill and the Localism Bill, presented by Melanie Ponomarenko (Scrutiny Officer).

NOTED

·        Overview and Scrutiny would continue to have the power to refer matters of significant services to the Secretary of State.  However, under the Bill this would need to be triggered by a meeting of Full Council.

·        Overview and Scrutiny powers under the Bill will be expanded to cover all NHS funded services.

·         The Committee would, at such a time that the Health and Social Bill is finalised, seek confirmation from the Leader of the Council that statutory health scrutiny powers will be retained by the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. 

·                    A Committee member expressed concern about how GP Consortia and NHS budgets would be scrutinised and noted that the committee could request the information from the GP consortia, who will  be accountable to the NHS Commissioning Board.

·                    The Committee asked for a briefing note on “designated services” mentioned in the Health and Social Care Bill (Action No 218.2).

·                    The Local Involvement Network (LINk) would become “Healthwatch” and would sit on the Health and Wellbeing Board. 

RESOLVED to note the report.

RESOLVED

To receive the Annual Report on the performance of registered housing providers

RECEIVED briefing note on the annual performance report of registered housing providers, introduced by Nick Powell (Head of Housing strategy, Development and Partnerships).  A discussion followed in response to Members’ questions.

NOTED

·                    The Council did not regulate registered housing providers but worked closely with those which were signed up to the Council’s partnership agreement and took part in sub-regional forums with other boroughs that compared performance.

·        In response to questions it was reported that registered housing providers were required to meet the decent homes standard and fund any repairs and their tenancy agreements varied slightly from Council tenancies (assured as opposed to secure tenancies).

·                    Housing associations were required to have their own complaints procedures in place but the Council would by exception get involved in any member enquiries that had not been resolved.

·                    There were approximately 16000 council housing units and 12000 housing association units in the borough.  Less new social rent housing would be provided in the future due to reductions in grant funding and the government encouraging the supply of affordable rent housing 80% of market rent levels.  The slow down in the market also affects the level of Section 106 funding which can be obtained fro developments to put towards new affordable housing.

·                    The Committee asked for figures for the number of Extra Care housing units that will be available in the Borough (Action No. 219.1).

·                    The displacement of rough sleepers from central London into Haringey was a concern to the Council. The Council’s Rough Sleepers Strategy was in place and in addition an annual count of rough sleeper was conducted to provide the Council with intelligence on the number of rough sleepers in the borough

RESOLVED to note the report.

To receive an update on the progress made against the recommendations made by the Overview and Scrutiny review of Animal Welfare in Haringey as reported to Cabinet on 16^th June 2009.

The Committee received the report updating on the progress made against the recommendations of the scrutiny review of Animal Welfare in Haringey. Robin Payne (Head of Enforcement) reported that the Council’s Animal Welfare partnership, including local partners (page 47 of the agenda pack), had devised a programme of action covering the scrutiny recommendations, which would be circulated to Committee Members once signed off by the Animal Welfare Partnership (Action No. 220.1).  The Animal Welfare Policy was likely to be permanently amended to allow performing domestic animals on Council land further to the trial period and positive feedback. 

The Committee noted that the Council’s Animal Welfare Policy was relevant to events on Council owned land; all other events must conform to the Animal Welfare Act.  In response to the Committee’s questions on dangerous dogs it was reported that a licence was required for breeding dangerous dogs except for “Hobby Breeding” – where dogs were not bred as a form of income.  The Council was working with partners in the Bruce Grove area on challenging young people in control of dogs and a pilot scheme in collaboration with the Parks Department was being considered.  The Cabinet Member would email all Council Members details on how they could report details of breeders of dangerous dogs (Action No. 220.2).

RESOLVED to note the report.

To receive the report on the Scrutiny Review of the 20 mile per hour (mph) speed limit. (TO FOLLOW)

RECEIVED the scrutiny review on the introduction of a 20 mile per hour (mph) speed limit and a discussion took place.

NOTED

·                    A local organisation representing driving instructors has expressed support for the 20mph limit.  The organisation encouraged instructors to teach learner drives to limit their speed to 20mph.

·                    A Committee Member suggested introduction a borough-wide pilot scheme of 20 mph rather than only in a town centre.

·                    All waste contract vehicles included a GPS monitoring system and would be monitored to ensure they did not exceed 20pmh.

RESOLVED to approve the report and refer it to Cabinet for a response.

To receive the report on the Scrutiny Review of the Haringey Guarantee.

(TO FOLLOW)

RECEIVED the scrutiny review of the Haringey Guarantee introduced by Martin Tucker (Regeneration Manager) and Melanie Ponomarenko (Scrutiny Officer).  A discussion followed.

NOTED

·        In response to a question raised by a Committee Member it was reported that discussions had been held with Tottenham Hotspur Football Club about the employment of local people during the new stadium development and afterwards. Jointly funded training programmes (particularly for hospitality and catering) had been planned but discussions had halted as the planning application was not being taken forward.

·        In relation to recommendation 4 the Committee noted that the work done with local big employers included assisting them in setting up workshops for the recruitment of local people.

·        The Families into Work projects meant that where there were 2 people in a family out of work they would be seen as one project.

RESOLVED to approve the report and refer it to Cabinet for a response.

An opportunity for members to be updated on pre-scrutiny reports and to suggest future pre-scrutiny reports.

NONE.

There were no new items.

To approve the minutes of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee meetings held on 1^st November 2010 (call-in) and 21^st February 2011.

The minutes of the meetings held on 1^st November 2011 (Call-in) and 21^st February 2011 were agreed as correct records.

Wednesday 30^th March 2011 (Child Protection)

Monday 9^th May 2011

The Committee noted the dates for future meetings:

Wednesday 30^th March 2011

Monday 9^th may 2011

To note the actions completed since the last meeting.

NOTED the actions completed since the last meeting.

The meeting ended at 20:45 hrs.