Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Darran Davies and from Councillor Ekta Gohil with Councillor Shehryar Ahmad-Wallana substituting for the latter.

There were no declarations of interest.

At the request of Members, it was agreed that Joanne Howells, Street Scene Enforcement Service Manager, would provide Democratic Services with an update regarding the rehabilitation rates of participants as referenced in the minutes of the previous meeting.

After the meeting it was confirmed that officers administered the scheme, arranged works and ensured offenders completed the required hours as issued by the Courts but did not collect any data regarding rehabilitation.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting dated 13 March 2025 be approved as an accurate record.

It was confirmed that all items of business were marked Part I and would be considered in public.

The budget and spending report was introduced as a new item on the agenda. The Corporate Director - Place explained that the report outlined savings proposals for Residents’ Services, with a requirement to make considerable savings this year, totalling £15 million. It was confirmed that Cabinet had reviewed these proposals in detail, and they had been agreed at Full Council.

It was explained that the green waste charging provision was expected to save £2.5 million. The importance of assessing and monitoring demand was emphasised. It was noted that there had been an uplift in crematory charges and parking penalty charges had increased across London.

In respect of services falling within the Community and Environment portfolio, it was confirmed that the Council aimed to bring in additional housing stock in the near future to reduce the costs of temporary accommodation. The Corporate Director of Homes and Communities would be in attendance at the June meeting of the Select Committee to respond to Members’ queries.

Members noted that a traffic light system (RAG rating) would be helpful to highlight areas of concern. Officers acknowledged the request and confirmed that further work around the profiling of budgets was underway. The Committee heard that Corporate Directors met to discuss the budget on a weekly basis. Monthly budget monitoring was also undertaken.

Councillors enquired about the increased car park revenue and the out-of-hours noise service review. The parking strategy and the need to review statutory nuisance and environmental enforcement work were highlighted. Members emphasised the importance of transparency and asked about the backup plan if the garden waste consultation did not go ahead. It was explained that alternative savings would be found if the consultation did not proceed.

Members sought further clarification regarding the temporary accommodation renegotiation and the impact on rates. It was confirmed that the backup plan was to acquire more properties from the open market using HRA funding; the local authority would then be less reliant on private landlords. £5 million had been added to the budget to address risks. Members were informed that the aim was to reduce the Council’s use of temporary accommodation. Long-term leases were being considered, and officers were attempting to bring empty properties back into use. It was acknowledged that most London boroughs were facing similar challenges.

Councillors asked about the Council's adaptability in reviewing the budget situation. The monthly budget monitoring process and the steps taken to address pressures were highlighted. Members heard that, to assist with budget management, profiling was in use to reflect key dates during the year.

In response to further questions from the Committee, regarding the impact of efficiency savings on frontline services, the role of the transformation team and the performance standards monitored by external regulators was highlighted.

Members enquired about the employee terms and conditions review. It was explained that the HR department was reviewing contracts to ensure harmonised terms and conditions across the organisation.

It was agreed that the Chair would liaise with the Labour Lead and Democratic Services  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

Sam Strong, Assistant Director - Homes and Neighbourhood, and Gary Penticost, Director of Operational Assets were in attendance to respond to Members’ questions and requests for clarification regarding the matters set out in the report.

In response to Members’ questions regarding the four consumer standards set out on page 16 of the agenda pack, it was acknowledged that there were issues with the complaints process, as per feedback from residents. Officers highlighted the importance of transparency and accessibility when dealing with residents and noted an increase in tenancy satisfaction measures over the last year, except in relation to the handling of complaints, which had only increased by 1%. They emphasised the importance of learning from complaints and referenced an ambitious restructure within the housing service, which included a member of staff responsible for complaint learning analysis to solve recurring issues.

In reply to further questions from the Committee, the need to improve the way the service put residents first was noted. It was confirmed that a lead for complaint analysis had recently been recruited and the importance of common sense in handling complaints was emphasised. Officers confirmed that staff were now required to call the complainant before writing a complaint response; this had resulted in a 1% increase in satisfaction. They expressed confidence in delivering better complaint handling the following year.

Councillors noted that eight cases had been upheld by the Ombudsman and enquired what lessons had been learned to reduce the number of upheld cases. It was confirmed that officers defined success as any percentage improvement in handling complaints and aimed for a 30% improvement the following year. Members heard that a restructure would increase frontline staff and improve accessibility to residents. Officers emphasised the importance of recording complaints accurately and learning from them.

Members referred to pages 31-33 of the agenda pack, which provided an update further to the Special Interest Group meeting held on 17 January 2025 and noted the feedback statements from residents. Councillors sought further clarification regarding the status of the action points and ongoing issues mentioned, including IT and telephone system problems. It was acknowledged that the 56-page document was a heavy-read, and it was agreed that future documents would be more accessible. Officers highlighted the recruitment of someone to lead the learning from the Special Interest Group and noted the importance of demonstrating outcomes clearly.

Councillors sought further clarification regarding deadlines for referring issues to other departments and the time frame for resolving them. It was noted that improvements to the NEC housing system could take some 6-8 months. Plans for improvement were being shared with the housing regulator and officers expressed confidence in delivering these improvements.

The Committee asked about the diversity of the 8 members of the Special Interest Group and whether it was representative of the entirety of the Borough. It was confirmed that representation from both the north and the south of  the Borough would be ensured.

In response to concerns raised by the Committee in respect of language  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

Joanne Howells, Street Scene Enforcement Manager, Stephanie Waterford, Head of Public Protection and Enforcement and Richard Webb, Director of Community Safety and Enforcement, were in attendance to respond to Members’ questions and requests for clarification regarding the matters set out in the report.

Councillors enquired about the prohibitory measures, partial closure, and closure orders for tower blocks, mentioning feedback from residents about the effectiveness of these measures in addressing antisocial behaviour. It was explained, that while evidence may be clear, CCTV evidence and resident reports were relied upon, and other enforcement actions could be considered.

Members asked about the presence of uniformed environmental enforcement officers, expressing concerns about their visibility and the worsening issue of women being hassled and receiving racist comments. Officers explained that ten uniformed officers covered the entire Borough, working seven days a week, and collaborated with other teams to address antisocial behaviour, including threats and discrimination.

The Committee raised concerns about the operation hours of the CCTV room and the need for more staff and cameras in hotspots. In response, the importance of CCTV for visual reassurance was acknowledged and it was explained that staffing was a funding decision, with gaps emerging due to leave or sickness.

Councillors sought further clarification regarding the high percentage of misdirected and actionable reports and the process of redirecting them to the appropriate teams. Officers explained that misdirected reports were redirected to the relevant teams within the Council, and efforts were being made to refine the portal and triaging processes to limit misdirected service requests.

In response to Members’ concerns regarding the safety of officers and the number of instances of obstruction and assaults on officers, the procedure for dealing with engine idling and obstruction was explained and it was noted that assaults on officers were very low.

In response to their request for a breakdown of fines by ward for various offences, Members heard that the systems used by the teams did not currently support collecting enforcement data by ward, but that they were exploring how datasets could be collated and provided by ward in the future.

Councillors enquired about the targeting of hotspots for enforcement actions and the outcomes of action days. Officers explained that hotspots were identified from reports and intelligence, and it was noted that action days had achieved good results.

With regard to the criminal element of fly posting and the difficulty in identifying offenders, it was confirmed that officers made attempts to engage with organisers and took enforcement action when possible. It was acknowledged that it was often difficult to establish who was responsible for fly posting – the service was intelligence and complaint led. Officers were happy to attend ward panel meetings to discuss specific concerns if invited to do so.

Members noted that fly tipping was a serious issue and a blight on the Borough, yet, as detailed on page 87 of the agenda pack, only 52 FPNs had been issued in 2024. In response, officers highlighted the challenges of prosecuting fly-tipping  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

Martin King, Trading Standards Manager, was in attendance to respond to Members’ queries and requests for clarification in respect of the report included in the agenda pack.

Members thanked the Trading Standards Manager for the efforts being made and complimented the work being done.

Councillors enquired about the recruitment and remuneration of young volunteers, suggesting the use of cadets or Scouts and raising concerns about their safety. In response, it was confirmed that volunteers were predominantly staff members' children, recruited through staff emails, and were given Amazon gift cards and thank-you letters as a gesture of gratitude for their work. Officers emphasised the importance of safety, ensuring volunteers did not frequent the shops they were sent to.

It was explained that shops targeted for test purchases were those with complaints and intelligence from local residents. If an underage sale was made, both the seller and the owner were invited to an interview under caution, with potential outcomes including written warnings, formal cautions, or prosecution. Members sought further clarification regarding the disposal of seized products, and it was confirmed that alcohol was tipped down the sink and cigarettes or nicotine were destroyed.

Members raised concerns about the environmental impact of disposable vapes and the potential market surge following their ban. It was confirmed that shops would be targeted to ensure proper disposal and prevent underground sales. The Committee heard that intelligence was received from various sources, including Youth Services, schools, and the police. Officers also collaborated with the local police licensing team.

In response to further questions from Members, the officer explained that volunteers were generally available during evenings, weekends, and school holidays, and that test purchases were conducted four times a year. The logistical challenges of conducting test purchases during school hours and the resource-intensive nature of such operations were highlighted. Members heard that occasional after-school test purchases were carried out, managing about three in a session.

Councillors suggested working directly with schools to recruit volunteers, but it was clarified that, while officers received intelligence from schools, they did not use students from those schools for test purchases. The officer emphasised the importance of collaboration with the police schools’ team and the local police licensing team.

RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee:

1.    Noted the important work being carried out by the Trading Standards Service in relation to underage sales of alcohol and vapes; and

2.    Noted the important work being carried out by the Trading Standards Service in relation to the importation, sale and supply of unsafe and non-compliant e-cigarettes.

RESOLVED: That the Select Committee:

1.    NoteD the recommendations previously agreed and agreed in principle the final review report and for its submission to Cabinet at the earliest opportunity; and

2.    2. Delegated any minor textual changes required prior to submission, to the Democratic Services Officer, in consultation with the Chair.

RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee noted the Cabinet Forward Plan.

Democratic Services noted that the Parking Annual Report had been deferred on the Work Programme for consideration at the 12 June 2025 Select Committee meeting.

RESOLVED: That the Residents’ Services Select Committee considered the Work Programme report and agreed any amendments.