Agenda and minutes

To elect a Chair for the duration of the meeting.

Councillor Revah was elected chair for the meeting.

Apologies were received by Councillor Chung.

There were no declarations.

Requests to speak at the Committee on a matter within its terms of reference must be made in writing to the clerk named on the front of this agenda by 5pm two working days before the meeting.

There were no deputations.

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair to announce the following: ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

Any other announcements

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair announced the following, ‘In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record this meeting, I would like to remind everyone that this meeting is being broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and can be viewed on our website for twelve months after the meeting. After that time, webcasts are archived and can be made available upon request.

If you have asked to address the meeting, you are deemed to be consenting to having your contributions recorded and broadcast, including video when switched on, and to the use of those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.’

There was no notification of urgent business.

To note the terms of reference as set out below;

1.         To consider the Leader’s Annual Statement and any other relevant cross-cutting business of the Cabinet, or business deemed relevant by the advice of the Chief Executive;

2.         To consider, in particular, areas and a programme of joint working by the scrutiny committees (see Part 3 of the Constitution) with the power, for the purposes of individual projects, of agreeing to vary terms of reference between the committees (subject always to statutory provisions) to facilitate joint and cross-cutting scrutiny working; and

3.         To agree the allocation of scrutiny panels between scrutiny committees for the forthcoming year based on the Council’s agreed priorities within existing resources.

RESOLVED - 

THAT the terms of reference be noted.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 9^th March 2023.

RESOLVED - 

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 9 March 2023 be agreed as an accurate record.

To consider the Leader of the Council’s Annual Report. 

Consideration was given to the Leader of the Council’s Annual Statement. 

Councillor Gould, Leader of the Council, introduced the report, which covered the following areas: key achievements in the past year; an update on the We Make Camden work to bring citizens into decision making at every level; an update on the State of the Borough work; an update on each area of the Mission work (Youth, Food, Diversity, Estates); challenges of the We Make Camden work (Safety, Debt, Digital Inclusion, Social Isolation, Housing, Climate); and an update on the Camden Climate Investment.

The report also covered the following key areas of focus for the Council: Partnerships and Participation; We Make Camden Kit; One Kilburn; Bringing citizens close to decision-making; We Make Camden Summit; Supporting Refugees and the Borough of sanctuary; The Camden Pledge and Local Authority Housing Fund refugee housing development; Camden’s asks of central government; Rough Sleepers Charter and Homelessness Dashboard; Pan-London Work; Local Housing Allowance Rates; Pan-London Pension Credit Campaign; Camden's priorities for the coming year; Financial Resilience and Sustainability; Cost of Living Crisis;  Ensuring homes in Camden were safe, warm and secure, and investing in Camden estates and council street properties; Climate Emergency; Delivering for residents at Euston; Mission Delivery and ensuring our residents have a strong voice in decision making; and supporting community cohesion.

Councillor Gould was thanked for the report and asked questions by Committee Members. The following was discussed:

·       Councillor Atolagbe (Chair of the Housing Scrutiny Committee) asked for more information on the Camden Young Talent Guarantee and how it was being advertised to parents. In response, it was confirmed that the programme was a part of the Youth Mission work and aimed to connect every 16 to 24-year-old in Camden to the support needed to access employment opportunities. Everyone should be able to access secure employment and long-term security and the Youth Guarantee supported young people access training or enrol in an apprenticeship. Good Work Camden, another programme which supported residents into work, was delivered by coaches in youth centres and children’s centres providing bespoke support for a person’s journey into ‘good’ work. The Council also worked to encourage companies operating in the borough to provide opportunities for Camden residents, for example the Euston Construction Centre which now provided qualifications and 100s of apprenticeships. There was also a focus on providing opportunities for people who faced additional barriers into the workplace, such as care experienced people, those with additional needs or people known to the justice system.

·       Councillor Revah (Chair of the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee) asked what work the Health and Wellbeing Board (HWB) was focussing on and how Public Health was delivering for Camden residents.  In response, the Leader stated that in the past year she had temporarily stepped back as the Chair of the HWB, due to maternity leave, and Councillor Wright had taken on chairing duties. The HWB had many priorities, including the following: young children to be socially and emotionally developed to be school ready;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

There was no other urgent business.