Verbal Update
Minutes:
The Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Jobs and Community Cohesion, Cllr Jogee, gave a short verbal update to the Committee on his portfolio. This was followed by a Q&A session.
· Cllr Jogee characterised his portfolio as creating jobs, creating opportunities, ensuring the economy worked for local people. As well as ensuring that Haringey was safe for Haringey’s communities to live and work here.
· The Cabinet Member advised that earlier today he was part of a session, chaired by the Leader and the Borough Commander to discuss the findings of recent report by Baroness Casey into the attitudes and culture of the Metropolitan Police. The Cabinet Member commented that the report made clear that the atmosphere and culture of the police needed to change.
· The Cabinet Member commented that the Council would shortly be going out to engagement with residents on the new community safety and hate crime strategy. The Cabinet Member emphasised that this was an important opportunity for local people to shape how these issues were tackled.
· The Cabinet Member advised that as part of the Economic Development brief he was responsible for Haringey Learns and that he was proud of the Council’s adult learning provision.
· Haringey Works created job opportunities for local people and the Cabinet Member set out that he wanted Haringey the best place to operate and keep a local business, as well as the best place for people to come and spend money.
The following arose as part of the discussion of this item:
a. The Committee sought assurances about what was being done to support high streets and to rejuvenate declining high streets. In response, the Cabinet Member advised that he was working to ensure that there was a proper package of support in place, including support with energy costs. The Cabinet Member acknowledged he need to lobby government to provide the requisite support and funding.
b. The Committee sought assurances about what was being do to ensure that there was trust built between the police and communities. In response the Cabinet Member emphasised the importance of making sure that the police reflected the communities they served. The Cabinet Member advised that he was not able to influence operational decision making by the police but that he saw his role as holding the police to account and calling out where things had been done that were not right. The Cabinet Member advised that he had regular meetings with the police and emphasised the importance of having dedicated ward officers and functioning SNT teams in Haringey.
c. In response to a follow-up question, the Cabinet Member advised that he had conversations with senior local police officers every other day. In response to a specific case raised that had not been responded to despite happening one year ago, the Cabinet Member advised that he was happy to take this up on behalf of one of the panel chairs.
d. The Committee sought assurances about what was being done to bring empty shops back into use and whether there was a strategy in place for officers to be able to find out who owned these units and then find alternative businesses, such as pop-ups for them. In response, the Cabinet Member advise that he and Cllr Gordon had conversations and were looking at how to bring empty shops and homes back into use. The Cabinet Member agreed to provide a further written update on this to the Chair of the Adults and Health Panel. (Action: Cllr Jogee).
e. The Chair sought clarification about the ward walks undertaken by the Cabinet Member and the extent to which he had visited all 21 wards. In response, the Cabinet Member agreed to provide a written update on this. (Action: Cllr Jogee).
RESOLVED
Noted