Members are to receive presentations from Heads of Service on areas scrutinised by the Committee.
Minutes:
The Committee received presentations on the services within the remit of Committee. These included all services covered by Culture and Leisure, Regulatory Services, Homes & Housing and Community Safety.
The Head of Services presented outlined their respective services objectives and how the services operated in order to meet these objectives.
The Head of Service, Culture & Leisure explained that the services main objectives were to transform lives through participation in, and enjoyment of culture”.
The following seven areas were detailed to the Committee:
The Library Service was responsible for the management and development of 11 libraries, 10 physical branch libraries and the new 11th branch, virtual library. The libraries provided a lending and integrated online reference services, online training, a full events programme, extensive outreach work in the community and opportunities to encourage reading for pleasure.
The service also comprised a Reader Development Team (adults and children), a Housebound Service, a Schools Library Service and a Local Studies and Family History service which were all supported by a joint stock manager (with Enfield Council). The Committee was informed that a programme of building refurbishments was well under way with nine buildings already completed.
The Parks and Open Spaces service was responsible for the management and improvement of approximately 100 parks and open spaces; the management and improvement of Havering’s two Country Parks (Havering and Hornchurch); the management and improvement of 27 allotment sites.
The Committee noted that several capital projects were underway such as Raphael Park, Langtons Gardens, Broxhill, Central Park, Hornchurch Country Park Visitors Centre, Bedfords Park Walled Garden, Upminster Windmill restoration.
The Heritage Buildings and Landscapesservice was responsible for the management, maintenance and promotion of Havering’s historic buildings and landscapes, the provision of advice and support to other Council officers and community organisations. The service also undertakes the management of events relating to historic buildings and landscapes, partnership working with heritage and history groups (including the Upminster Windmill and Upminster Tithe Barn), support to the Historic Environment Forum and securing external funding including applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Arts Service was responsible for managing Fairkytes Arts Centre, managing the relationship with the Havering Theatre Trust (the Queens Theatre), managing a programme of community based seasonal programmes (including The Four Seasons and The Season for Summer programmes), co-ordinating various one-off festivals and events (e.g. the Langtons Concert, and the Hornchurch Arts and Heritage Festival), working in partnership with Havering Music School.
The Youth Services Facilitation Team work with young people across the borough through a range of targeted initiatives in order to support young people to be ‘safe, social and successful’. Activities include running youth clubs, providing information & advice service, delivering street work, consulting with and developing the voice of young people, promoting positive images of young people, and working with a range of partners to deliver work and develop young people’s ‘personal assets’.
The Committee was informed that Havering Music School was the lead partner in the Havering Music Education Hub - a partnership of local and national organisations delivering music activities, projects and events.
Member noted that the Health and Sports Development service was responsible for providing a sports development programme at various venues across the borough delivering a sports and physical activity programme in conjunction with Public Health, including the delivery of an Physical Activity Referral Scheme (PARS), MEND programme (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It) and Healthy Walks programme. The service was also responsible for organising and entering sports events including London Youth Games, working with sports clubs and Schools Sports.
The Corporate Policy and Community Manager detailed the following responsibilities of her service area to the Committee:
The Committee was informed that the Corporate Policy & Diversity team provided support to the new administration in developing the Council’s priorities and strategic plans for the future. The team’s responsibilities also included maintaining the corporate performance framework and developing the ‘Corporate Brain’ intelligence function.
The Committee noted that the Corporate Complaints, including Member Enquiries and Equality and Diversity was also the responsibility of the team.
The Committee was informed that the Community Safety team was responsible for preventing crime through partnership working (Havering Community Safety Partnership) and ensuring the Council’s statutory responsibilities are discharged under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and other legislation. The Community Safety team also provided an Annual Strategic Assessment and regular intelligence reporting. They also engaged in Multi-agency case management work relating to Domestic Violence and Anti-Social Behaviour. It was noted that this team reported to the Committee.
Other services within Corporate Policy and Community Manager Team included the Community Engagement and Energy Strategy Team. The Committee was informed that Community Engagement Team had responsibility managing the council’s relationship with core funded organisations. This also involved maintaining key relationships and programmes of work with faith, community and other voluntary organisations.
The Committee noted that the team also had responsibility for the review of voluntary sector strategy and funding and ensuring the delivery of the ‘Active Living’ Over 50s volunteering and social inclusion programme.
The Head of Homes and Housing presented on her service area to the Committee.
Members were informed that Homes & Housing Services comprised of 256 permanent staff and an additional 40 agency staff. The service had a Housing Revenue Account budget of about £65million and a Housing General Fund (£44K).
The Committee noted that the service had the responsibility to manage all Council homes that consisted of:
· 9,938 social rented homes
· 2,260 leasehold properties
· Let 616 homes last year
· Spent £31m capital programme
Within the service, there was the Rent and Leasehold Service charge collection team that managed the following revenue:
· £45m rent income
· £4.8m tenant annual service charges
· £1.5m leasehold annual service charges
· Impact of Welfare Reform
The Committee noted that the service provided a Supporting Elderly residents team that catered for:
· 4,483 clients of Telecare
· 1,872 Adult Social Care clients
· Average response time 23 minutes
· 15 response staff + manager
· 6 Mobile support staff + manager
· New Befriending scheme starting
The Committee was informed that within Homes & Housing, there was a strategy to meet the Community Engagement targets for 2014- 2015 that included:
· Engage with 300 young people.
· To set up 5 Job Clubs, sign post residents to apprenticeships and NVQ training.
· To set up a befriending service and activity programme for sheltered housing
· To set up a social media network and SMART phone application.
· To set up a mystery shopping programme
· To obtain £90K in external funding for our resident projects.
· To consult with residents on environmental improvements and decent homes work.
The Head of Regulatory Services presented on his service area to the Committee.
Members were informed of the various teams that comprised the service.
They included:
• Planning Control
• Projects & Compliance
The Committee was informed that the team had responsibility for considering mmajor applications and undertaking Building Control and taking Enforcement action when necessary.
• Strategic Planning & Transportation Policy
The Committee also noted that the Public Protection that comprised of the following units reported to Regulatory Services.
· Environmental Health
· Trading Standards
· Licensing
The other teams with the service included the following:
• Emergency Planning & Business Continuity
• Bereavement Services & Registrars
The Committee was informed that the operational framework of the Regulatory Services was to emphasis:
• Most of the work carried out were statutory based duties and powers
• Most of the work had strong legal bases to support activities of the respective teams
• The teams provided an advisory, operational and enforcement functions
• The teams work were mostly demand led
• The work of the teams had performance regimes
The Head of Regulatory Services detailed the various people who sought required the services of the various team within his area:
• Public
• Business
• Members
• Organisations and agencies
• Supporting LBH Customer channel shift
• Operating principles
Members noted from the presentation that officers within the various teams in Regulatory Services carry out their role in a professional manner, which also makes them approachable to any enquiries. Most importantly, teams within the service were outcome oriented rather than process.
The Committee NOTED the following presentations.