Agenda for Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, 23rd June, 2022, 7.00 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Conference Room, Civic Centre, Silver Street, Enfield, EN1 3XA. View directions

Contact: Marie Lowe, Governance and Scrutiny Officer, 020 8132 1558 Email: Democracy@enfield.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

WELCOME & APOLOGIES

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introductions were made.

 

The Chair explained that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would hear from the Leader, Councillor Nesil Caliskan and Ian Davis, Chief Executive, outlining the Council and priorities and areas of challenge for the upcoming municipal year. The Leader, and the Chief Executive Cabinet Officer would then be asked to leave the meeting, at which point the Committee members would discuss topics and agree a work programme for 2022/2023.

 

Apologies had been received from Councillor Elif Erbil.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of the Council are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non-pecuniary interests relevant to the items on the agenda.

 

Minutes:

No Declarations of Interest were received.

3.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS pdf icon PDF 187 KB

To agree the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 21 March 2022.

Minutes:

AGREED the minutes of the meeting held on 21 March 2022.

 

4.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Terms of Reference pdf icon PDF 78 KB

To note, for information, the attached terms of reference for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

NOTED, for information, the Terms of Reference for the for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as set out in the Council’s Constitution.

5.

CABINET PRIORITIES FOR 2022/23

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee will hear from the Leader and Chief Executive outlining priorities and areas of challenge.

 

The Leader and Chief Executive will be asked to leave the meeting at this point.

Minutes:

The Chair invited the Leader of the Council, Cllr Nesil Caliskan to out-line the Council’s Priorities for the coming year.

 

Cllr Caliskan reminded members that the administration’s priorities were set out and detailed in the Council Plan.

 

The Chair noted that many areas raised by the Leader were in relation to the scrutiny panels in place and these will be picked up by the panels. It was confirmed that the minutes of this meeting will be circulated to all the panel chairs.

 

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Nesil Caliskan presented the Council’s local priorities for 2022/23.

 

Cost of Living Increases 

Identify ways to provide as much support as possible across the Borough, particularly from the residents’ perspective.  Including benefits, homelessness, debt management and advice, debt welfare teams maintain council tax support scheme, protect the hardship fund. 

 

More and Better Homes  

Interventions into the housing market by the Council as soon as possible.  Quality of homes and the impact of the changes to the private rented sector which has increased homelessness in the Borough. 

 

The use of strategic industrial land, e.g. Meridian Water, in the provision of thousands of affordable homes already pledge and additional units.  The renewal of the Council’s estate.  Recognition that the Council could not provide the homes needed alone and needed to work with the private sector to find resolutions.  The Council’s policy documents were pivotal to land designation.

 

Skills and Local Economy

The Council is to provide support around homes which are not connected to public transport links.  Renewal and regeneration of the Borough’s high streets and town centres.  The use of strategic industrial land to provide two academies, one for construction and for the film industry to train over 1,000 each year.

 

Young People – Best Start         

Continue to provide early intervention.  Rollout additional school streets and encourage active travel. The introduction of free-swimming lessons, if possible.  A review of the unsatisfactory leisure provision across the Borough.  The creation of five new family hubs and children’s centres to meet the particular needs of communities in which they are located and to work with Ward Councillors.

 

Healthier Enfield    

To reduce inequalities.  New health and wellbeing centres once sites have been identified.  To review adult social care and the impact on the Council’s budget.

 

Safer Enfield           

Creation of a new Enfield Council Law Enforcement Team of 50 officers, working with but independent of the Police.  There was much work to be completed to scope the roles and how these would support the role of the Police.

 

Parks and Open Spaces 

Enhancement of parks and open spaces across the Borough, the facilities in the parks were an important part of the Council’s work.

 

The Chief Executive, Ian Davis presented the regulatory changes and inspections affecting Local Government.

 

Adult Social Care  

Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections challenges were around having the right systems in place to meet the needs of adult social care required.  Significant changes ahead including funding which are unclear at this stage.  There is a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

PLANNING THE WORK PROGRAMME FOR 2022/23

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee to agree and prioritise items for the new work programme.

Minutes:

Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, following the presentation from and question and answer session with the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive a detailed discussion ensued, and it was AGREED that:

1.    The presentations on the 2022/23 Local priorities received from the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive be welcomed and noted;

2.    Two to three items be considered at each scheduled meeting be agreed;

3.    Following the meeting, the draft 2022/23 work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, as attached as Appendix A, be circulated to the Chair, of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration with all the draft work programmes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Scrutiny Panels to ensure there is no overlap or duplication of topics; and

4.    The draft 2022/23 work programmes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Scrutiny Panels be referred to Cabinet on 14 September 2022 and Council on 21 September 2022 for ratification and approval, endorsement.

7.

DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS

To note that the next Overview & Scrutiny Committee business meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday 14 July 2022.

 

The next provisional Call-in Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting is scheduled to take place Thursday 21 July 2022.

Minutes:

Noted that:

 

The next Overview & Scrutiny Committee business meeting was scheduled to take place on Thursday 14 July 2022; and

 

The next provisional Call-in Overview & Scrutiny Committee meeting was scheduled to take place Thursday 21 July 2022.