Agenda item

A)   To note the current 2025/26 work programme for the Committee.

B)   To approve Scrutiny Reviews (reports to follow):

-       Violence Against Women & Girls

-       Interim report: Provision of Services for Children Under One Year Old

-       Interim report: Walking & Cycling Safety

-       Communications with Residents (Adult Social Care)

Cllr White reported that there were four Scrutiny Reviews for the Committee to consider, two of which were ready to be approved and sent to Cabinet, while some further work was required in relation to the other two.

Walking & Cycling Safety

Cllr Gunes provided a summary of the Interim Report on Walking and Cycling Safety on behalf of the Culture, Community Safety and Environment Scrutiny Panel. The Review examined the walking and cycling action plan with a particular focus on safe cycling and issues relating to e-bikes. The Panel held evidence sessions with relevant Cabinet members, Directors and stakeholder groups. Key findings included that there had been an unfortunate increase in the collision rate for both pedestrians and cyclists over the past couple of years.

Regarding next steps for the Review, Cllr Gunes said that further work was expected in the next municipal year, including an analysis of best practice in other local authorities. Cllr White suggested that details about the progress of the Review should be included in the handover report to the 2026/27 Overview & Scrutiny Committee given that it was not yet known who the scrutiny members would be. (ACTION)

Communications with Residents (Adult Social Care)

Cllr Connor provided a summary of the Interim Report on Communications with Residents (Adult Social Care) on behalf of the Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel. She explained that difficulties in communicating with the Council had been a longstanding issue for residents and that it had also emerged as a prominent issue in the most recent ‘Scrutiny Café’ consultation event. The Panel had spoken to representatives of service users at local groups including the Joint Partnership Board to obtain details of specific concerns, such as issues with safeguarding referrals. The Panel had also received information about the redesigned adult social care directory on the Council’s website.

The evidence for the Review had been gathered with recommendations developed and so it was anticipated that a final draft could be provided to the first meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee in 2026/27 without the need for any additional work by the new scrutiny members. (ACTION)

Provision of Services for Children Under One Year Old

Cllr Lawton reported that the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel had conducted an extensive review of services for children under the age of 1 in the Borough. Due to the large scope of services in this area, the Panel had decided to focus less on healthcare services and more on services such as childcare, children’s centres and family hubs. Evidence had been received from various witnesses, including those involved with providing childcare services, and the Panel had visited children’s centres and family hubs. Specific issues had included:

·       The government provided some childcare funding for babies over the age of nine months but only for working parents. However, there was evidence that childcare was beneficial for most children, particularly those from more deprived backgrounds, regardless of whether their parents were in work. There was therefore a recommendation about lobbying the government regarding the current situation in Haringey.

·       Another recommendation concerned improved communications to residents about the services for under-1s in the Borough, including through a directory and by using social media channels.

·       After receiving evidence about the difficulties that childminders experienced in accessing Haringey provision, there was a recommendation about the Council improving partnerships with childminding businesses, including by considering greater use of Council spaces such as libraries.

·       Improved antenatal support was considered by the Panel. A free online NHS offer was available which mainly focused on providing information, but this did not enable the development of the type of support network that was typically developed through paid-for services such as NCT groups. There was therefore a recommendation for the Council to work with health partners to provide free perinatal peer-support groups for parents on low incomes.

Committee members welcomed the report and endorsed in particular the recommendation on free access to support groups, noting the importance of physical meetings and support networks.

Cllr Lawton noted that the report was essentially completed but with some minor checks to be carried out. It was therefore proposed that the Committee approve the draft report as currently available and to delegate any minor amendments to the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel. It was anticipated that the final version of the report could be approved at the first 2026/27 meeting of the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel and then sent to the Cabinet. This proposal was agreed by the Committee on the understanding that only minor amendments would be made by the Panel and it was further agreed that the final version of the report would be made available to the Committee. (ACTION)

Violence Against Women and Girls

This report had been developed through the Overview & Scrutiny Committee and so members were already familiar with the recommendations. Cllr White noted recent feedback that had been received from members proposing minor amendments to the recommendations which had been circulated to the Committee:

·       Recommendation 7 (Family Hub Navigators) - a minor edit to specify that advice, guidance and referrals to support services to be provided within the Family Hubs.

·       Recommendation 8 (Consultation with young people) – a minor edit to include different communities and areas of the Borough in the consultation.

·       Recommendation 9 (Children & young people) – a minor edit to add online harms as a consideration.

·       Recommendation 14 (Supreme Court ruling) – the removal of a sentence on waiting for the publication of the updated Statutory Code of Practice as this was advised to be unnecessary.

The Committee agreed that these minor amendments should be accepted. (ACTION)

Cllr White also referred to some new more substantive amendments to the recommendations that had been proposed:

·       Recommendation 1 (Domestic Abuse Awareness training) – the draft recommendation welcomed the introduction of mandatory Domestic Abuse Awareness training for all Council staff, but a proposal from a member was that there should also be mandatory specialist training for those who delivered services directly.

·       Recommendation 6 (Whole school approach) - the draft recommendation stated that the Council should aspire to developing a whole school approach as it was understood that this would be one of the most resource intensive of the recommendations. However, a proposal from a member was that the senior officers should submit a detailed implementation programme within 12 months and to seek funding to develop a pilot programme.

·       New recommendation – A new recommendation proposed by a member was that “Given the short-term nature of some government funded projects, the VAWG team are asked to assemble the end of project reports with a brief introduction on the learnings and the future viability of projects in the lifetime of the upcoming strategy.”

The Committee approved the amended recommendations and the new recommendation to be included in the final report. (ACTION)

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review on Violence Against Women and Girls be approved (included the amendments outlined above) and sent to Cabinet.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review on Provision of Services for Children Under One Year Old be approved, subject to any minor amendments deemed necessary by the Children & Young People’s Scrutiny Panel, and sent to Cabinet.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review on Communications with Residents (Adult Social Care) be completed within the current municipal year and then sent to the first 2026/27 meeting of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee for approval.

RESOLVED – That the Scrutiny Review on Walking & Cycling Safety be referred to the 2026/27 Overview & Scrutiny Committee for consideration to be given on next steps.