Agenda and minutes

At the start of the meeting, the Committee Chair, Councillor Rowenna Davis announced that she would be standing down from the role with immediate effect. As per paragraph 5.1 of the Scrutiny & Overview Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution, the Committee was required to appoint a new Chair as their first item of business.

In accordance with paragraph 5.2 of the Scrutiny & Overview Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution, in the absence of a Chair, the Deputy Chair, Councillor Leila Ben Hassel, chaired the election of the new Chair.

It was noted that Conservative Members on the Committee abstained from the vote, to allow the opposition Members to elect the Chair, in keeping with the Mayor’s manifesto pledge to ensure that Scrutiny is chaired by the Opposition.

Resolved: That Councillor Leila Ben Hassel is appointed as Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee for the remained of the 2024-25 council year.

With Councillor Ben Hassel being appointed as the Scrutiny & Overview Committee Chair, a vacancy for Deputy Chair was created, which the Committee needed to fill.

It was agreed that Councillor Rowenna Davis would be appointed as Deputy Chair for an interim period until a change in the Committee’s membership could be agreed upon at the next full Council meeting on 9 October 2024. The Committee would then be required to appoint a Deputy Chair for the remainder of the 2024-25 Council year at its next meeting.

Resolved: That Councillor Rowenna Davis is appointed as Deputy-Chair of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2024 as an accurate record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2024 were agreed as an accurate record.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests (DPIs) and other registrable and non-registrable interests they may have in relation to any item(s) of business on today’s agenda.

There were no disclosures of interest made at the meeting.

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair advised the Committee that in light of her becoming Chair of the Scrutiny & Overview Committee, she would be standing down as the Chair of the Homes Sub-Committee with immediate effect, although she would remain a member of the sub-committee. As set out within the Scrutiny & Overview Procedure Rules, it is the responsibility of the Committee to confirm changes to the membership of the Scrutiny Sub-Committees, including appointing Chairs and Vice-Chairs.

Councillor Ellily Ponnuthurai was nominated as the replacement for Councillor Leila Ben Hassel as Chair of the Homes Sub-Committee.

Resolved: That Councillor Ellily Ponnuthurai is appointed as Chair of the Homes Sub-Committee for the remainder of the 2024-25 Council year.

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is presented with a draft version of the Libraries Review report, due to be considered by the Cabinet on 25 September 2024. The Committee is asked to: -

1. Review the information provided on the Libraries Review as set out in the draft Cabinet report, and
2. Consider its conclusions on the proposals outlined in the report
3. Consider whether there are any recommendations to bring to the attention of the Mayor.

The Committee considered a report outlined on pages 21 to 192 of the agenda and in the agenda supplement, which presented a draft report setting out the findings of the Libraries Review and recommendations for the consideration of the Cabinet at their meeting on 25 September 2024. This report was included on the agenda to give the Scrutiny & Overview Committee to review and provide comment upon the proposals, for the consideration the Cabinet when making their decision.

In attendance for this item were the following: -

• Executive Mayor Jason Perry
• Councillor Jason Cummings – Cabinet Member for Finance
• Councillor Andy Stranack – Cabinet Member for Communities & Culture
• Jane West – Corporate Director for Resources and Section 151 Officer
• Nick Hibberd – Corporate Director for Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery
• Kristian Aspinall – Director of Culture & Community Safety
• Stephanie Wilson – Head of Culture, Leisure & Libraries
• Eric Bohl – Activist Group

During the introduction to the report by the Executive Mayor, the following points were noted: -

• The Libraries Review report presented the results of extensive public consultation, engagement, independent research, and analysis, which aimed to deliver a better library service for residents across the borough.
• There were difficult decisions outlined in the report, but once delivered, they would provide a library service that was available for more hours, offering greater access to study spaces, books, and IT facilities. It would also provide space for community events and programmes.
• It was highlighted that the library service had been struggling since previous budget cuts in 2019-2020, which saw an £800,000 reduction. This had led to a service operating reduced hours, which was unsustainable, was not meeting the requirements of residents, and was not meeting the Council’s best value duty. At present, less than 10% of the population in the borough were using the library service.
• Under the current model, the Council operated 13 libraries, many of which were only open two days per week. The proposal set out in the Cabinet report recommended closing four libraries, namely Bradmore Green, Broad Green, Sanderstead, and Shirley. This would enable resources to be reprioritised towards the remaining nine libraries, which would be open at least five days a week, including Saturdays. Alongside this, there were plans to introduce a new outreach model, which would bring services to easily accessible community venues.
• It was emphasised that the driver for the decision was not about freeing up Council assets for sale or redevelopment. In fact, Shirley Library had recently been accepted as an asset of community value. The report included an engagement plan to outline how it would engage with local communities to support them in running the four libraries identified for closure as community bases.
• Thanks were given to the officers who had delivered the libraries review, particularly for the extensive consultation process across the borough.

Following the introduction, the Chair extended the Committee’s thanks to the community representatives supporting the four libraries at risk of closure, for taking the time to meet with them and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60/24

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is presented for its information with draft versions of the Period 2 & 3 Financial Performance reports, due to be considered by the Cabinet on 25 September 2024. The Committee is asked to: -

1.  Review the information provided in the draft 2024-25 Period 2 & 3 Financial Performance Reports, and

2.  Consider its conclusions on the latest budget position for 2024-25

3.  Consider whether there are any recommendations to bring to the attention of the Mayor.

The Committee considered a report on pages 193 to 276 of the agenda that provided an overview of the latest budget position for 2024-25 covering Period 2 (April 2024) and Period 3 (May 2024). This report was included on the agenda as part of the Committee’s ongoing scrutiny of the delivery of 2024-25 budget.

In attendance for this item were the following: -

• Executive Mayor Jason Perry
• Councillor Jason Cummings – Cabinet Member for Finance
• Jane West – Corporate Director for Resources and Section 151 Officer
• Nick Hibberd – Corporate Director for Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery
• Beatrice Cingtho-Taylor – Director of Housing, Homelessness Prevention & Accomodation
• Mary Larbie – Director of Housing Management

During the introduction to the report by the Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Jason Cummings, the Committee was informed that the projected overspend of £23.9m, after the budgeted utilisation of £38m capitalisation directions requested from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), utilisation of the £5.0m risk contingency budget and utilisation of £13.0m corporate earmarked reserves, was both disappointing and worrying.

The overspend could principally be broken down into three main areas of the Council. Firstly, the cost of placements within the Children, Young People and Education directorate. Secondly, within the Housing directorate which had been impacted by the rising demand for and cost of temporary accommodation. Finally, within the Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery directorate there was an overspend for delivering Special Educational Needs (SEN) transport. It was confirmed that the risk of overspends, to the level currently being projected, within the three services had not been identified during the process to set the 2024-25 budget, earlier in the year.

It was highlighted that an unforeseen increase in demand for these three services was not unique to Croydon, with other local authorities in London experiencing a similar escalation in demand for these services. However, it did not change the fact that it needed to be dealt with locally and as such it was the primary focus of the leadership of the Council. Given the scale of challenge and the fact that much of the projected overspend could be attributed to meeting demand for statutory services, it was essential that a whole council approach was taken to mitigating the overspend, with each directorate targeted with finding savings of £3m.

Following the introduction of the report, the Committee highlighted that the overspend had been identified in the Period 2 report, which covered up until the end of May 2024. As it was now the middle of September, concern was raised about why the Committee was only now learning about the overspend, over three months since the end of Period 2. In light of these concerns, the Cabinet Member gave a commitment to keep the Scrutiny and Overview Committee informed as soon as possible, before the formal publication of financial monitoring reports, if there was any further significant adverse shift in the budget position. In response to a follow-up request that all Members be notified at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 61/24

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is provided with a draft version of the Scrutiny Annual Report 2023-24 for its review. The Committee is asked to: -

1.            Approve the draft version of the Annual Scrutiny Report for submission to Council on 9 October 2024.

2.            To note that any amendments made as a result of the comments of the Committee will be agreed by the Scrutiny Chairs, to meet the timeline for delivery to the Council meeting.

The Committee considered a report set out on pages 277 to 306 of the agenda which presented a draft version of the Scrutiny Annual Report 2023-24 for comment, prior to a final version being submitted to the next Full Council meeting on 9 October 2024 for noting.

It was agreed that concerns raised about comments of a political nature that were included in the introduction to the Annual Report would be picked up by the Chair and Vice-Chair, when agreeing the final version for submission to the full Council meeting.

Resolved: The Scrutiny & Overview Committee agreed to: -

1.  Approve the draft version of the Annual Scrutiny Report for submission to Council on 9 October 2024.

2.  To note that any amendments made as a result of the comments of the Committee will be agreed by the Scrutiny Chairs, to meet the timeline for delivery to the Council meeting.

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is asked to

1.    Approve the recommendations made by its Sub-Committee’s for submission to the Executive Mayor for his consideration.

2.    Review the response provided by Mayor to recommendations made by the Scrutiny & Overview Committee.

The Committee considered a report set out on pages 307 to 316 of the agenda which presented the response of the Mayor to previous recommendations submitted by the Scrutiny & Overview Committee for his consideration.

Resolved: The Scrutiny & Overview Committee agreed to: -

1. Approve the recommendations made by its Sub-Committee’s for submission to the Executive Mayor for his consideration.
2. Note the response provided by Mayor to recommendations made by the Scrutiny & Overview Committee.

The Scrutiny & Overview Committee is asked to: -

1.    Note the most recent version of the Scrutiny Work Programme presented in the report.

2.    Consider whether there are any other items that should be provisionally added to the work programme as a result of the discussions held during the meeting.

The Committee considered a report set out on pages 317 to 342 of the agenda which presented the most recent version of the work programme for the Scrutiny & Overview Committee and its Sub-Committees.

Resolved: The Scrutiny & Overview Committee agreed to note the most recent version of the Scrutiny Work Programme 2024-25

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

This motion was not required.