Agenda and draft minutes

All Members were present.

No interests were declared by Members present.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2021 were agreed as a correct record.

To confirm that the items of business marked Part I will be considered in public and that the items marked Part II will be considered in private.

Items to be considered in public and those in private were confirmed.

To receive the responses on any information requests or clarifications on matters from the previous Cabinet meeting and associated reports.

The report was noted.

To undertake the statutory scrutiny role of executive decision-making by the London Borough of Hillingdon, and in particular to review decisions made by the Cabinet prior to this meeting. Members should consider any other decision taken by a Cabinet Member(s) or key decision taken by an Officer published in the five working days before this meeting.

Members of the Committee attended the virtual Cabinet meeting held prior so that they could review the Cabinet reports and decisions made.

In respect of Cabinet’s decisions agreeing the findings from the Social Care, Housing & Public Health Policy Overview Committee’s review into ‘making the Council more autism friendly’, Councillor Kerri Prince moved to call-in these decisions with the rationale being a lack of consultation with and evidence from autistic people in developing the Committee’s recommendations considered by Cabinet. Councillor Prince also sought clarification on how the Council plans to work with autistic people on the actions arising from the review and on the usefulness of having an easy read version of the report.

Members explained how the review was both shaped and undertaken on a cross-party basis and clarification was given that the review involved a broad wide range of stakeholders in shaping the final report presented to Cabinet. Additionally, that further details would be provided on the witnesses involved in the review. Mr Tony Little sought clarification on whether school governors would be given autism awareness training, as was given to council officers.

The motion to call-in the decision having been proposed by Councillor Prince, was seconded by Councillor Pete Curling. Being put to the vote, the motion was lost.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet’s decisions on the Policy Overview Committee review into ‘Making the Council more autism friendly” be not called-in.

For the purpose of the minutes, Mr Little did not take part in the vote on the call-in.

On the annual report to Cabinet on education attainment, Mr Little urged Members and Officers to look at how the significant level of detailed data and information within could be presented in a better way going forward.

On the Cabinet report relating to budget monitoring, Councillor Prince raised some questions regarding the new fee charges for parking at Ruislip Lido, including how many Hillingdon vs non-Hillingdon residents currently park there and whether these measures would help reduce congestion, in particular for Hillingdon residents, and encourage people to take alternative forms of transport and help reduce air pollution.

Similarly, on the budget monitoring report, Mr Tony Little noted that there was further adverse movement in the High Needs Block and asked if officers have a clear plan to manage the growth to help avoid a continued rise in the deficit.

RESOLVED: – That the remaining decisions made by the Cabinet at their meeting on 22 April 2021 be endorsed and that no call-in be made.