Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Maggie Hulcoop and Councillor Linda Pailing.

To receive Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any matters on the agenda.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2015.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 3 February 2015 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Further to Minute 52 - Review of Hate Crime in Harlow - interviews with witnesses and interim report – the Committee noted that the requested Police statistics of disability hate incidents in Harlow and Essex had yet to be provided. Officers informed Councillors they would seek an update from Essex Police.

To receive any questions from members of the public in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 10.

None.

To receive any questions from Councillors in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 11.

None.

To consider responses (if any) of the Cabinet to reports and recommendations from the Committee.

The Cabinet considered the Committee’s recommendations arising from this review at its meeting on 26 February 2015. The Cabinet RESOLVED that:

(i)    The proposal to introduce a new performance indicator and target for Contact Harlow telephone waiting times, as detailed in paragraph 11 of the report, is approved.

(ii)   A review be undertaken of the performance target for meeting the Council’s complaints procedure timescales.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet’s response to the recommendations from this review is noted.

The Committee received the final report for the review of Modern Homes Works Customer Care. Andrew Murray, Head of Housing, introduced the report and provided a brief summary of the review’s findings and recommendations.

The following Council tenants who had Modern Homes improvements to their homes were in attendance for this item:

      I.        Mrs Alford

     II.        Mr Russel.

Councillors requested more detail on the Issues Log summarised in Table 2 of the report. Andrew informed the Committee that more detailed information on complaints, enquiries and issues is provided regularly to the Council’s Housing Standards Board.

The Chairman invited the Portfolio Holder for Housing, Councillor Rod Truan, to address the Committee. Councillor Truan thanked the Committee for its valuable review into Modern Homes customer care and noted the excellent ideas proposed by the Committee to improve processes. He especially thanked the Council tenants who had participated in the Committee’s review.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Committee notes the report and enhancements to Modern Homes Customer Care processes outlined in paragraphs 19-26 of the report submitted.

The Committee received the final report for the review of Hate Crime in Harlow. Marysia Rudgley, Community Safety Team Manager, introduced the report and outlined its key proposals.

Marysia informed the Committee that, further to comments made at the 3 February meeting, the Harlow Youth Council would (subject to Cabinet approval of the Committee’s recommendations) be invited to contribute both to the Safer Harlow Partnership’s work on Hate Crime and the arrangements for the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

The Committee asked that the Safer Harlow Partnership’s work include a focus on disability Hate Crimes and hate incidents.

RESOLVED that it is RECOMMENDED to Cabinet that:

A     The initiative to develop greater understanding of Hate Crime in Harlow through the production of a leaflet that could be utilised in schools and other public bodies in regular contact with members of the public, is approved.

B    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to obtain an up to date and detailed analysis of Hate Crime and investigate any trends revealed by that data which might inform further partnership approaches to address these issues.

C    The Safer Harlow Partnership is requested to prioritise Hate Crime in recognition of the rise in incidents.

D    The Harlow Arts Trust be asked to explore the possibility of the Anne Frank Exhibition in the Gibberd Gallery.

The Committee received a scoping report for the Review of Community Engagement and Service User Engagement. Jane Greer, Acting Head of Community Wellbeing, introduced the report and reminded the Committee that this review stemmed from a referral from the Cabinet made in January 2015 to implement some of the recommendations of the LGA’s Corporate Peer Challenge.

The Committee asked that community representatives be included in the review.

RESOLVED that the Committee agrees the scope of the review of the Council’s approach to community engagement and service user engagement as set out in the report.

To review the Committee’s work plan for the current year and recommend review items for 2015/16.

The Committee received a report detailing the items that had been included on its 2014/15 work plan, but that had not been started or allocated dates of consideration during 2014/15. Graham Branchett, Chief Operating Officer, introduced the report and informed the Committee that any items recommended for progression would be reported to the first meeting of the Committee in 2015/16, where that year’s work plan would be formally agreed.

RESOLVED that:

A     The 2014/15 work plan is noted.

B    The items listed in paragraphs 6-13 of the report submitted are recommended for inclusion in the 2015/16 Scrutiny Committee work plan.