Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Toor.

There were no declarations of interest received.

There were no items of urgent business received.

There were no public questions received.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board held on 16^th October 2018 are attached for approval.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 16^th October 2018 be approved as a correct record.

The minutes of the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee held on 10^th September 2018 are attached for noting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee held on 11^th September 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Housing, Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13^th September 2018 are attached for noting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Housing, Planning and Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 13^th September 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Corporate Issues and Reform Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 18^th September 2018 are attached for noting

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Corporate Issues and Reform Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 18^th September 2018 be noted.

The minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Economy, Business Growth and Skills Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 21^st September 2018 are attached for noting.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Economy, Business Growth and Skills Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 21^st September 2018 be noted.

Consideration was given to a report of the Director Targeted Services, Positive Steps, which set out the strategy for Oldham Youth Justice Service (YJS) in 2018/19, with an outline action plan setting out how it would achieve its primary functions and key objectives. The Board noted that it was a statutory duty of the Local Authority to produce an annual plan.

Members were informed that Oldham was one of nine Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in Greater Manchester within the North West region and was the only statutory Youth Justice Service (YJS) in England & Wales which was subcontracted by the Local Authority and directly delivered by an independent charitable trust, Positive Steps (PS). PS also provided an integrated range of targeted services. The Centre through which they were delivered, also hosted a range of partner services. Oldham was a medium-sized YJS, employing 29 staff and currently has 15 volunteers. The Service was managed in an integrated way alongside other services to support children, young people and families within a Targeted Services Directorate at PS. The Service was overseen by the Youth Justice Management Board, which included

representatives from the Local Authority and other statutory partners.

The Board noted that the primary functions of the services were:

·       The reduction in First Time Entrants (FTE) to the criminal justice system

·       The reduction in Re-Offending following both pre and post court disposals

·       The reduction in the use of Custody for offenders

·       To effectively protect the public

·       To effectively safeguard children and young people

Members were informed that Greater Manchester had seen emerging change through the GM Children’s Service Review and the devolution of power to Greater Manchester in key policy areas, including criminal justice. Oldham continued to work with all key GM decision makers and stakeholders to ensure the quality of local provision was maintained and improved. Oldham had taken a key role in the development and continuation of Greater Manchester priorities and held a lead role in the development of the following areas:

·       Resettlement

·       Evidence based practice

·       Out of court Disposal (pilot area)

·       Problem Solving courts (pilot area)

The action plan was separated into two sections, one focussing on 2018/19 priorities and service delivery, and the second focussing on development which was costed. The costed plan was a requirement of the Youth Justice Board (YJB). As the grant provided by the MoJ via the YJB must only be used for development work.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·       Problem solving courts pilot – this was a different approach that was in development, which usually involved the families and was more of a participatory discussion than just sentencing.

·       Post linked to A&E – this had not yet been appointed to and wold be based on the model from St Martin’s in London, where the approach worked well.

·       Low communication skills – 60% of young people in the justice system had some form of speech or language barrier. Helping overcome this quickly built self-esteem and motivation.

·       Probation service contribution – the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Members gave consideration to a report which updated them on the recent review of the Council’s Gambling Policy and sought their views on the suggested amendments required prior to Council approval. The policy was largely concerned with the regulation of businesses and included a section concerning gambling-related harm.

The Board was informed that the current policy was adopted in January 2016 and had to be reviewed every 3 years. The policy at Appendix 1 proposed amendments since it had last been approved. Most gambling policies issued by Councils would use the same template issued by the Local Government Association as it was based on best practice and ensured a consistent approach nationally.

The majority of alterations to the policy since the one adopted in December 2015 were tidying up changes to references from national guidance and making certain points clearer.

The Board was informed that, in setting its local policy, the Council must show how it would seek to promote the licensing objectives under the Act, which were:

·       Preventing gambling from being a source of crime and disorder, being associated with crime or disorder or being used to support crime;

·       Ensuring gambling was conducted in a fair and open way; and

·       Protecting children and other vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

The revised policy focussed a lot more on the issues of public health and harm. A section had been included in the proposed Policy in relation to gambling related harm, following a motion debated at Council on 12th July 2018. The main resolution from the Council motion was to ensure that information was displayed on the Council website to ‘signpost’ residents with a gambling ‘problem’ to the providers of relevant services, such as GambleAware, to support them with their addiction. In addition, the Council requested that all schools, colleges and youth centres in the Borough were made aware of the Gambling Toolkit produced by GambleAware, which was available online. The Council also resolved that the Council’s Gambling Policy would reflect any recommendations that resulted from the work done to achieve these outcomes by the time of its renewal in January 2019.

The Board was informed that gambling addiction was a hidden problem and figures could only be estimated, however it was likely that there were between 700-1900 problem gamblers in Oldham. It was recognised that there was work to do with regards to prevention and the service was working closely with schools.  

Members were informed that the work undertaken by Officers in licensing and public health had shown the Council’s commitment to support those who are suffering or likely to suffer from the effects of gambling, and detailed areas of help and support whilst recognising that there was a problem.

Members noted that the proposed policy would be considered by the Council on the 12^th December.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·       The service offered by GambleAware in relation to financial hardship – it offered information and advice, and further  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

The Board gave consideration to the Annual Reports of the Safeguarding Adults Board and the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board for 2017/18.

In relation to the Safeguarding Adults Board, the Board noted the Annual Report had been signed off on 14th November 2018 and would be published on the safeguarding pages of the Council’s website.

The Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report set out:

·         The achievements of the sub-groups of the Safeguarding Adults Board, linked to the priorities identified in the action plan

·         The benefits of undertaking a peer review with Stockport Safeguarding Adults Board, and how the outcomes of this would feed into the development of the business plan for 2019/20

·         The activity data relating to Safeguarding and to the Deprivation of Liberty

·         Safeguards for the year

·         Reports from the partner agencies on their challenges, achievements and ambitions

·         Priorities for the Safeguarding Adults Board for 2018/19 and beyond, as set out in the 2018/19 business plan, and 2018-2021 three year strategy.

Members were informed that the Board had revised it structures to provide both a strategic and targeted approach. There were specific work groups in relation to integration and joint working. Work was focussed on PREVENT, domestic violence, mental capacity and deprivation of liberty. There was a commitment to performance management and the quality of service was both assessed and audited.

Members noted there had been a growing number of safeguarding adults reviews and learning from these had been shared with partners. There had been mutual peer reviews undertaken with Stockport and the recommendations would be actioned.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·         Did the targeting recognise learning disabilities – there was a need to assess mental capacity to put in place a protection plan. There was a difficult balance to be undertaken by social workers between the need to protect and the wish to provide as full a life as possible, and this would usually involve a multi-disciplinary team. There was a particular challenge around getting clients into employment.

·         The number of granted applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) had reduced – the current DoLS system was under review and these safeguards were due to change. A number of assessments had been brought together and, as they could only be signed off at a very high level, a backlog had arisen. The system was due to become less bureaucratic and this may address some of the challenges. 

In relation to the Annual Report of the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB), members were informed that the LSCB had a statutory responsibility under Section 14 of the Children’s Act 2004 to co-ordinate the safeguarding activity of agencies within the local area and to ensure the effectiveness of this activity for the purposes of promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Working Together 2015 required that LSCB’s publish an annual report which provided an assessment of the performance and effectiveness of local services in their safeguarding activity.

Members were informed that the current focus  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

The Board gave consideration to a report of the Principal Policy Officer with regards to the draft Strategy that responded to a motion to the Council on single-use plastics.

At its meeting on 28^th March 2018, the Council had received a motion in relation to the elimination of single-use plastic materials to achieve a significant reduction in plastic waste. The Council had resolved to ask the Cabinet to:

·         Develop a robust strategy to make Oldham a ‘single-use plastic-free’ authority by the end of 2018 and encourage the Borough’s institutions, businesses and citizens to adopt similar measures;

·         End the sale and provision of single use plastic products such as bottles, cups, cutlery and drinking straws in council buildings, or council supported venues, wherever possible; promoting the use of non-plastic recyclable alternatives e.g.paper straws to ensure our venues remain accessible to those with additional needs.

·         Encourage traders across the Borough to sell re-usable containers and invite customers to bring their own.

·         Consider the merits and practicalities of introducing a ‘window sticker’ scheme to accredit local businesses that are committed to reducing plastic waste through, for example, offering free water bottle refills.

·         Investigate the possibility of requiring pop-up food and drink vendors at council supported events to avoid single use plastics as a condition of their contract; with a view to phasing out all single use plastics at markets and events in the Borough by the end of 2018.

·         Work with tenants in commercial properties owned by Oldham Council to encourage them to phase out single use plastic cups, bottles, cutlery and straws.

The report set out the draft strategy and supporting action plan to address the Council motion.

Four objectives had been identified:-

a)            Reduce Council use of single use plastics

b)            Engage strategic partners and businesses

c)            Engage schools and community groups

d)            Engage residents

The Action Plan had actions for each of these objectives, including specific actions on communications for each objective, which formed an overall communications plan.

Members noted that the strategy highlighted the existence of replacement products for those that would cease to be available from 2020. It was recognised that these may be more expensive initially and there would be a need to keep up to date with new products as they came on the market.

The Board was informed that the suggested window sticker scheme had been considered and would not be pursued further. The Council was instead looking into the promotion of compostable bags, possibly decorated with the Manchester bee emblem. Schools and community groups were also being engaged.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·         The introduction of compostable bags was much preferred to the window sticker scheme

·         Could an online tool be developed to signpost towards alternative products – the Council was not able to recommend particular suppliers or products and could provide general advice. It was acknowledged that the market in such products was rapidly evolving.

The Board was informed that the Strategy would be considered by the Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

Consideration was given to a report of the Strategic Director of Reform which updated the Board on the work being undertaken around Thriving Communities and Place Based Integration.

Members were informed that Oldham was a place that had enormous assets in terms of its people and community and these strengths could be built on to help meet the challenges to improve the health and wellbeing of residents, with a focus on;

·         Loneliness, social exclusion and loss of confidence/purpose

·         Physical and mental health

·         Reacting to place issues in a joined-up way

The Board noted that Thriving Communities and Place Based Integration were about igniting whole-system change and putting early intervention and prevention at heart of everything the Council did, using the strengths and ingredients for change that were already within communities and wider systems, and linking people in with the right kind of support far earlier in the care pathway. The work was highly innovative and had received positive press nationally and interest from other councils as best practice.

Members were informed that the Thriving Communities Hub was having a positive impact. Social Action, the main focus, was developing social prescribing to improve health and wellbeing. It enable people to connect to groups and activities. Fast Grants provided small amounts of money to fund local initiatives. The Social Action Fund was available for a small number of larger projects.

Members were informed that different ways of working had been tested as part of Place Based Working. Real outcomes had been achieved and a framework was in development and progressing

Members noted that Oldham was leading on Place Based Working within Greater Manchester and was one of three areas invited to speak at a conference.   

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·         What had been learned that could be used in future – learning had been both positive and negative, and had been applied elsewhere. An example was given of enabling staff in a community team to work outside their usual roles. Sharing information about cases and places had been very useful. There had also been a major impact on staff morale as staff could see the value of what they were doing and know they were making a difference.

·         Would it be a framework or definitive model – there would be a definitive set of principles to be applied in a common way. These may be delivered differently in each area to meet the needs of each place.

·         Would the teams have a standard make up – there had not been a common make up as skills and knowledge were geared to each population. Where there was particular issue, work could be concentrated in a small area for a short term. Sustainability would be built in to enable progress to continue when that work ended.

·         Ways of District working – this was subject to an ongoing review. District Teams currently worked routinely in an integrated way with partners.

·         Exit strategy – this would be dealt with on a case  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

Consideration was given to a report of the Senior Planning Officer which provided Members with information on Oldham’s Monitoring report.

The Board was informed that, under Regulation 34 and 35 of The Town and Country (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012, local planning authorities were obliged to make monitoring information available for inspection as soon as possible after that information became available. The Monitoring Report covered the previous financial year, 1^st April 2017 to 31^st March 2018. In terms of housing land supply, the Monitoring Report presented the position as at 1 April 2018. The housing target was likely to increase substantially and the Housing Strategy would be coming to the meeting of the Board in January 2019.

Members noted that the Monitoring Report provided details on whether the Council was meeting the milestones set out in the Local Development Scheme (LDS) for preparing the various Local Plan documents. Performance was monitored against the LDS that was in place at the start of the monitoring period. The Monitoring Report also monitored a range of planning indicators, such as housing, employment and biodiversity, which sought to assess the effectiveness of the Council’s land-use planning policies, and whether they were achieving their objectives and delivering sustainable development. This was the fourteenth Monitoring Report.

Members were informed that the new Greater Manchester Spatial Framework was subject to consultation. The Leaders of the Greater Manchester Authorities were due to meet in December and January to set out the timetable and the targets set in the final document would have to be met. They would not be optional. The aim for Oldham was to make the housing sustainable and in a place where people wanted to live.

Members sought and received clarification/commented on the

following points:

·       Brownfield sites – the Council would make the maximum number available, but the sites would have to be suitable and achievable. The Council owned brownfield sites and had powers that meant it could acquire others. Bids had been submitted for funding as the main difficulty was in cleaning up sites with an industrial heritage. National policies did not assist Oldham as it was not an area of high-cost housing and could not bid for the majority of the funding. Council-owned sites were not sufficient to meet housing need and it was a very long process to make brownfield sites available.

·       The list in the report of what was no longer monitored – these were older policies that data was no longer collected on. Data on some specific matters was no longer available and other policies eg air quality would be subject to new Plans. The new Local Plan would need to take into account the social and environmental need, as well as economic need.

RESOLVED that the findings of the Monitoring Report 2017/18 be noted.

The Board is requested to note that there were no decisions taken under Rule 16 or 17 since the last meeting.

There were no General Exception or Urgent Decisions to be

noted.

The Board is requested to comment on and note the Overview and Scrutiny

Board Work Programme for the 2018/19 Municipal Year.

The Board gave consideration to the Overview and Scrutiny

work programme for 2018/19.

An update was provided with regards to the Land Value Taxation workshop.

RESOLVED that the Overview and Scrutiny Board work

programme for 2018/19 be noted.

The Board is requested to note the latest Key Decision Document.

The Board gave consideration to the Key Decision Document which listed the key decisions to be taken from 1^st December 2018.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Key Decision Document be noted.

The date and time of the next Overview and Scrutiny Board meeting will be

Tuesday, 22^nd January 2019 at 6.00 p.m.

RESOLVED that the date and time of the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, to be held on Tuesday 22^nd January 2019 at 6pm, be noted.