Agenda item

The Committee received its annual presentation from the Leader of the Council.

The following key points were raised and discussed at the meeting:

·       A committee member asked whether a deep dive or further exploration of issues around temporary accommodation would take place, particularly considering issues of children being moved out of borough and the impact on persistent absences this could cause. The leader of the Council explained they had just received an external auditor report into temporary accommodation that outlined how the council could work differently and better. The Chief Executive said 1 in 50 Londoners were in temporary accommodation and it was costing London councils £90 million a month. Islington’s long-term work around temporary accommodation had meant no residents were in bed and breakfasts or leased accommodation. Those placed in temporary accommodation were there for 64 weeks, which was lower than the subregional average of 5 years. The Committee member commented that she wanted to ensure children in temporary accommodation and the impact on their schooling was considered. 

·       The committee considered SEND support for children. The leader said the current EHCP system was detrimental to the child’s needs and a two-year waiting time was unacceptable. It was explained that although there was support and funding provided to schools by the council the resources needed were not available and there needed to be a push for national government to fund support.

·       The committee considered the Access Islington Hubs.  The leader said a deeper dive with case studies could be brought back to the committee. The Committee agreed.

·       A committee member asked how the leader’s impact on the delivery of their portfolio could be measured. The leader said their role was to support all the portfolio areas, including supporting the portfolio holders’ vision and the delivery of that vision. The delivery plan, reviewing KPI’s and the communications plan currently under development all supported a strategic approach to delivery. A new public affairs function was also being developed.

·      The committee considered the Council’s budget constraints and overspend. The Leader said that pressures in all departments were regularly reviewed and solutions and mitigations considered.

·       A committee member asked whether there were difficult decisions that needed to be made because of the current financial situation. The Leader said they had made all the small decisions so there were only difficult decisions left to make. Prioritising the residents that need council services the most and ensuring decisions would not store issues for the future was a priority. It was highlighted that there was also peer learning to be had as other councils had already faced those difficult decisions.

·       The committee considered recycling rates in Islington. The leader explained there was funding for people to go door to door to talk about food waste.

·       A committee member asked how refurbishments could be justified when there is an overspend. The Leader explained that residents should be able to attend at a building where they felt relaxed, a sense of dignity and like someone was on their side. Staff should similarly be able to work in a decent environment.

·       A committee member asked how councillors could be reassured that large and small-scale capital projects would be delivered at pace. The Chief Executive explained the delivery plan was part of ensuring capital projects were programmed and delivered effectively.

·       A committee member asked whether ongoing issues such as the cost-of-living and the Ukraine crisis had been factored into their future planning. The Leader said that they had acted for long term structural change, for example by joining a regional consortium for buying energy. Associated risks were monitored in several ways, for example through the risk register. 

·       The committee discussed violence against women and girls, particularly in the context of the information age. The Leader said they recognised, as an organisation, where the council and commissioned support services could support people and that it was important to have as many touch points as possible to allow the opportunity for victims to be heard. The Chief Executive explained that there had been a 100% increase in people suffering domestic violence in temporary accommodation and the Council had gained a domestic alliance accreditation through housing. The leader also highlighted the importance of working with perpetrators. 

·       A committee member asked what the Leader was doing to ensure funding for adult social care. The leader was in regular contact with national government regarding funding. 

·        The committee considered targets for building more housing, and whether they were helpful in the London or Islington context. The Leader of the Council said there was a myriad of issues that needed to be addressed and there were a number of schemes ready to be developed if government funding was forthcoming.

·       The committee considered the number of complaints received in 2024, what was driving them and why so many were being upheld. The Leader said there had been deep dives into the complaints and they were keen to ensure the right systems were in place to ensure residents got the right help first time. The Chief Executive explained that some of the volume was related to the high number of inhouse services and housing stock managed by the council.

·       A committee member asked about the balance between building new homes and maintaining the current housing stock. The Leader explained there was considerable investment in the current housing stock and the council were compliant in all key risk areas. It was also felt investing in new homes was important for many reasons including the lower environmental impact.