Agenda and minutes

·  Cllr J Davis

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting on 23 April 2012 were confirmed as correct.

Daniel Ward (Statutory Scrutiny Officer) presented Members with the committee’s Terms of Reference, asking them to note the contents of the documents and agree to adhere by them for the term of the Select Committee.  Members’ were also informed about the location of the Terms of Reference in the Council’s Constitution, and their attention drawn in particular to their statutory Call-in and Councillor Call for Action powers.  

The Select Committee noted the Terms of Reference.

Daniel Ward (Statutory Scrutiny Officer) gave Members a short presentation on the role and remit of the committee.  Particular attention was paid to the Select Committee’s additional statutory responsibilities to scrutinise community safety activities across the partnership, and call to account the performance of the Metropolitan Police.

Some consideration was given to the work programme for the coming year. However, last year’s committee had given a very clear steer to their successors that the focus of scrutiny in 2012/2013 should be antisocial behaviour in Council-owned housing and its surrounding neighbourhoods. This year’s Select Committee confirmed the steer of their predecessors, and formally accepted this topic as their main scrutiny review of the coming municipal year.

Glynis Rogers (Divisional Director of Community Safety and Public Protection) presented the SSCSC with a briefing on the recently published Government White Paper, Putting Victims First – More Effective Responses to Antisocial Behaviour.  The document sets out how the coalition Government intends to implement their commitment to improve the response to antisocial behaviour.

Following the presentation, the committee asked how many “Troubled Families” – the 120,000 families the White Paper claims are the most problematic nationally – are present in Barking and Dagenham.  In response, Glynis Rogers agreed to circulate a briefing note on the issue (which had previously been discussed by the community safety partnership) which set out the extent to which such families were an issue in this borough.

The SSCSC also enquired how a tougher response to antisocial behaviour could be delivered with reductions in police budgets, and how we, as a Council, intend to raise our concerns with the decision makers.  Glynis Rogers responded by drawing Members’ attention to a “meet the commissioner” event in the borough on 27 June 2012.  The public meeting would give local people – and therefore Members of the committee as well – the opportunity to directly question the Metropolitan Police Commissioner.  The SSCSC agreed to coordinate, through Glynis Rogers, for Members to attend the event and ask strategic questions about the future funding and delivery of policing in the borough.

Finally, the SSCSC noted the White Paper, and its implications for Barking and Dagenham.

Attached is a scoping report from the Interim Divisional Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services for a phase two ASB review of housing services

Following the SSCSC’s agreement to carry out a scrutiny review into anti-social behaviour in housing and neighbourhoods, Maureen McEleney (Interim Divisional Director of Housing and Neighbourhood Services) presented the meeting with a draft scoping report.  The document gave Members some background information about the number of ASB cases, the authority’s responses to them, and the sums of money currently budgeted to tackle the issue.  The report further suggested a focus for the scrutiny review, and outlined a draft timetable. The SSCSC accepted the scoping report and agreed that its terms should define their review.

Presentation from the Divisional Director of Culture and Sport

At the previous meeting of the SSCSC (23 April 2012), Members received an update from Paul Hogan (Divisional Director of Culture and Sport) about the future management and operation of the Broadway Theatre.  As the theatre is currently undergoing a critical period of change, Members asked that the Select Committee receive a second update at this meeting.  Paul Hogan therefore provided the SSCSC with an update on the latest developments.

He indicated that the existing Theatre Trust is still on schedule to voluntarily wind up its affairs on 31 July 2012 – in line with the agreement reached after negotiations with the Council and consultation with the trust’s staff.  On 01 August 2012, the Council will temporarily assume control of the theatre, directly managing the enterprise, and organising its Autumn and Winter programmes.  In the meantime, a new trust will be established, which, with the support of the Council, will prepare itself to take over operation of the theatre on 01 April 2013.

The Divisional Director indicated to Members that the outcome is a positive one, saving a valuable local cultural asset from closure, and allowing it to put on a comparable Autumn/Winter season of performances and events.  He also explained that the direct management of the theatre by the Council was an opportunity to make the enterprise more efficient, and find ways to both reduce costs and increase income.

The Select Committee was keen to reassure itself that the Council was able to manage the theatre, even in the short term, and asked Paul Hogan firstly if there was a precedent for local authorities to run theatres, and secondly what experience Barking and Dagenham Council could draw on.

The Divisional Director confirmed that it is reasonably common for local authorities to directly manage theatres, and many, particularly outside London, do so successfully. He also explained to the SSCSC that his personal experience of running successful theatres was extensive, and that he was confident that he could deliver a good programme of events at a lower subsidy cost to the Council.

The SSCSC finally noted the report, and Members thanked Paul Hogan for his hard work in securing the future of the theatre.

Paul Hogan (Divisional Director of Culture and Sport) gave a presentation to Members about the Council’s draft Heritage Strategy, designed to focus heritage services energies and resources on developing a “core offer” to local people.  Assisted by Chris Foord (Group Manager for Heritage and Archives), The Divisional Director proposed heritage priorities: to engage local people in an understanding of their shared history; to preserve our heritage collections for future generations; to improve the health and wellbeing of local people; to encourage people to visit the borough; and to provide a key educational opportunity for young people.

He also outlined how the strategy focuses activity around two key heritage assets, Valance House Museum and Eastbury Manor House, both of which are currently experiencing something of a resurgence in terms of visitor numbers and the range of cultural activities currently on offer.

The SSCSC welcomed the report, and congratulated Paul Hogan and his team on their success in dramatically increasing visitor numbers.  With this in mind, the committee called for further publicity to raise awareness of the borough’s heritage offer, and further increase its use by all local residents.  Chris Foord confirmed, in response, that a shared sense of history and culture was one of the most effective ways of integrating the borough’s differing communities and, as such, would feature strongly in his delivery of services.

Members also offered some suggestions for additional heritage priorities, including that additional focus be given to past local events, and the role of local activists.  They drew attention to the successful naming of streets in honour of local heroes as an example of how local people could be celebrated and immortalised. Following their contribution, Members noted the report.

Date:  17 July 2012

Time:  18.00

Venue:  Committee Rooms 1&2, Civic Centre, Dagenham

6pm, 17 July 2012 – Civic Centre.