Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday 22 June 2020, 6:30pm

Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Monday, 22nd June 2020 at 6:30pm

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I am OK fine David

OK getting weapons meant to be a scattered to meeting I'm Councillor James King out a chance meeting

please note this meeting is being live-streamed on the council's webcast service and also recorded to be available to view via the Council's website tomorrow morning

thank you for participating this meeting under these loose-knit circumstances supported these formal scrutiny meetings resume as the Council's continue to demonstrate transparency and openness in its decision making and close scrutiny as part parts of the Council operations for and on behalf of residents and hamlets so following advice to avoid all but essential travel and practice socialist and seems to be a virtual meeting so if during the meeting to Clara occurs with the transmission which cannot be resolved within a reasonable period then the meeting will be closed and remaining business will be deferred to a subsequent meeting of the Committee on a date to be determined and that about fydd by way of the publication of the agenda on the Council's website everyone will dissipate participating or listening in including committee members officers Reg to speak as an applicant's half meeting from remote locations so pleated are we sure that mobile phones are switched off for a silent mode including me are do that as well members and officers will be speaking at various points during the meeting the now speaking would switch their cameras on at that point

I would ask with the exception of myself Chair at all times you keep your cameras and microphones switched off

this will help to minimise any background noise and interference and to ensure the connection remains staple as possible

so if any Members and officers wish to raise a point or question they should use the meeting chat facility access by the team's top are signified by the conversation I Khan simply types speak saw country in the order received requests please do not use your microphone tonight to say no so please ask that the members and guests introduce themselves when they speak for the first time of the meeting

I will now go on to the agenda

firstly apologies for absence item 1 so Mr. David Nike just please advise committee with an apologies have been been received

David

and yet I've received in the either and ambitions of the next item on agenda and to disc declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests so remember to clear with any disclosable pecuniary interests it's getting the item number title of report of which the interest relates say whether they're interested of a personal prejudicial nature so as anyone got any interested where

I think before move-on it'd be worth saying that one of our committee or Kathleen McQuillan as been is now a member of the cabinet as of a few weeks ago we congratulate her on the appointment and wish her the best of luck I've she doesn't forget our friends in scrutiny when making decisions and as such as actually is no longer a member of the Committee second thing to note a councillors fear alarm has been offered role as mayor of wiser sickly looking into youth youth issues new services it hasn't been agreed as might stand as been agreed a start date and that I'm so and Councillor Alon will be continuing on this this cool and with this meeting however if we do go on to any particular issues that

might go on that might cut back her Bill Fellows mere adviser my flag there and nothing on the agenda that would speak to suggest that we can to do so so I just thought to be worth declaring and having having out there on public record so next item agenda is item 3 unrestricted minutes so the minutes of the last meeting had been circulated can we confirm this as a true and accurate record

I've had a look at the figures businessman small change based on feedback from the last meeting

Kolker firm as a train as a true and accurate record

however query yet

Councillor process so we had a discussion after the last meeting and I think the change that years saying about relates to that and the discussion about the One O'Clock Club so this now says on pace that thin the terminal and it was resolved that on the basis of the information and advice received the change to the decision was warranted

I don't know

what what change as far as I'm aware there never was a change

I don't really understand that point

let me just put on

PH 13 is at the top

I'm going up there on patient care

there's a couple of Pat's different packs floating around so I'm says the minute this money 400 yet goodness may point 3 year yet

so it currently ranges off on the basis of the information and advice received the change to a key decision was warranted I don't correct there should be resolved on the basis of information advice for safe listed this decision was not a key decision

yeah cause us forward we are looking at I think that was a change for me to be a key decision or not it was really just asked Sub-Committee to judge was this a key decision or not we received advice from the director of McPherson says and discussed unite thresholds and things like that

yeah we're going to the advice that he added was not acoustician setting this the minutes just need to

to reflect that are removed the movement until change OK apart from the minute located to be a great

ever

what exactly

as you said that it's not that we agreed that it wasn't a key decision yeah I mean

is it isn't my view and at Iter now at at every callers have enough necessary coolest receiving the report the where the officer explained why she felt it was a key decision yeah yeah so there

with the

children and damage to discuss its loss on the referral from noticed when children scrutiny Sub-Committee was to receive guidance and make a judgement on whether this was a key whether this was a key decision or not I I whether one should have been a decision made in cabinet or by more and in conjunction with more more senior officers

and

I'm I'm quite clearly we decided to discuss that now is not clear this decision and then we also did discuss details about the decision itself where it would have been yeah while it would have been good to have been raised a higher and to have been available for more scrutiny didn't enrich threshold as well as we discussed our House of Committee referrals could and should be made going forward so that's my recollection regarding within what else was to PPI poverty the recollection of the one meeting RCN aren't we getting to defer 4th cats yet Councillor for her per ward and tariff screen set me I echo what you just said that was my understanding a collection of it I've an they feed got a recording maybe of meeting that we can fall back to just to let you it's of being supported and are accurate infection

some of those are we agreed the minutes apart from this resolved item in that to be

changed up along the lines of suggested I removing just stating that the committed read that it was not a key decision and are happy to review that later based on the on watching the the video back but on yeah

quite clear on why I think it should say and that we reviewed and others keep Cision with solid was not

the move on now to Item 5

the main item of business for this meeting however invites Members more community and important organisation to provide insight help the committee to better understand the impact of the Council's response to COVID-19 on the community there now is done the body of work so far too scrutinised the Council's measures is put in place to tackle the pandemic or asking the Executive what can do tonight is are some of the councils and partners where there and community on the ground delivering for residents as well so the thing that will happen form the report that had been so why by the end of the new municipal year

before we move on to item is worth saying a few words on the report which allowed the Committee to produce umming following the overview and scrutiny sub-committee meetings in June and July the Committee well draft report which patch of our scrutiny and our assessment of how the Council's responded report covering the work of that a C and the subcommittees

and will assist consist of three broad sections assessment of how councillors howled response assessment of the recovery phase that were now in and what can challenges remain how the Council can improve at future pandemic plan which will be particularly important if there is a second or third wave and Pandey plans and social distancing and other measures will have to be put in place either later in the year or early next year so report be reported back to loafing screw the Committee September and it will ensure their opportunities everyone to feed into this report

as we go through to next item please think about what key messages you might want highlighted in the report SACRE for receiving of separated or feedback into four key areas housing business economy bestowing housing business me health and community and voluntary sector doesn't cover everything that those some some key topics will pull out there will be opportunities in the sub-committee meetings to look into further details so each each speaker has been asked to provide us with and hopefully will speak to an assessment of the Council's response from the point of view what the cop Council got right and what it might improve if it happens again I Community Insight how how they've interacted with the council and residents and what they're seen an feedback collected of its main site to that an understanding of what Shalish remaining in their sector offer them organised organisations like them going forward while the long term issues the council and residents or face

so every speaker for 5 minutes to feed back to the Committee and its some questions for about 15 20 minutes each for that I first of all and background is a share of the Tower Hamlets housing for him and Director of operations at how Hamas community housing to feed back your thoughts to the committee along those lines and then 0 happy to ask some questions of you so Pam if you'd like to put you go on and put your him her much all my clothes as well

thank you thank you Chair and thank you I think the option seated to speak here so as if that I chaired the top on its Housing Forum representing the whole piece in the borough

I think the key housing issues for residents in in our stock within the context of of COVID-19 have been open Earl are probably not new to any view that it has been harder for families that are living in overcrowded all multi-generational households and that's raise challenges for households where they needed to self isolate it's caused a challenges for home schooling thank strain on relationships are as the swell isolation loneliness as inevitably been an issue and Oppie's have focused a lot on do involve our calls Tom home for and and an elderly residents and we fully welcomed the support from the Council the work that the anti-poverty team that Kelly or or any Kershaw has lad around food distribution and a wheedling 10 with are with Ali she's come to our poorer meetings to share what the Councillor Durie and how we can work in partnership with that some Valkenberg Oby welcome the phone and that the Council set up for those in need we've been able to sign post residents to that are to access essential services if we were able to provide those ourselves I think that the situation has never to Burley put households under financial stress and and poverty and we see there is been that the grounds and and and and advice of the Council of fertile which has supplemented our our own advice as you so sessions we've all had to adjust our service offer a in this period and we on owls starting to to we start some of those core services that have been adapted or in in this period 0 we welcome the involvement in some of the committees and structures that have set up so through the pandemic Committee and some of the work stream sitting below that particularly are the community mobilisation work stream that's been really a useful to for us to to link into that and to have an understanding of what Councillor doing and how we can support and work in partnership so with welcome that we welcomed a very early meeting that we had a with the Mayor and Councillor Urry slam on on partnership working and we've had attenders at how monthly to hoof meetings are with with cancer victors attended proceed the colleagues in her team as well another project that was going to say that that has really made to this is the community's driving change project are and the hours that they been working in

in terms of future challenges I think fit as lockdown Ethiopia's and restrictions on social distancing lesson there is obviously far and nervousness around a second way and what that then means to households with the suffice early again and I think financial a precious will remain for households as well and pressures on schooling as well I'm

and the challenges that brings with the families around who perhaps don't have that laptops and digital devices for for their households or perhaps up as got that but but generally I think we welcome the support from the Council and working in partnership with those undertaking a joint approach

thank you

terms were on the two Departments the swimming me for housing and regeneration by looks I should Hammerson might find problems so well see pop

should be able to speak so do any Members have any questions for the PAN please indicate into their into the chat

Councillor backs Fianna kick us off

X Y and I'm a counsellor for lent me words and a Mercedes facing need for irony Kinsey's hope today and thank him for that year I was wondering whether any of your Members have can't with innovative projects that the Committee might need to hear about in terms of the response that and EMEC I know that my Ward and I'm aware of some projects around distributing devices to households that don't have them but also some training for households who needs not use those devices for schools I was just wondering if you share with us any other examples of innovations that have come out through the RPs in the borough's time is arranged things as you've said this the supports to to families with sort of activity packs some have sort of Our shared devices but also some I should said looked at their community and engagements I packed liberties a number of us how community centres obviously those of had to close and its around reinventing how these activities can work or online Poplar Hockering particular have done an awful lot of work and good practice around at that area that got very strong community development team and they had a lot of work around that area

backs on fit never follow up then I'm Councillor Terry calm

thank you Chair

item

minus Tariq Khan on from St Peter's water we have a lot of the TH practitioner in my ward arms a couple of questions on thinking you probably best placed answers up around sort alarm support for residents and them people I'm struggling to pay rent and the council tax her own then especially equal how have you to sort of them are putting together an initial 2 together to support them also an

has there been any cases of evictions and and stuff that to to to travel to do diverse so we

is the forum are we we put together a pledge quite early on and a key element of that pledge is to give support and advice to households you know we we know people individual circumstances at the moment and the key messages how can we support people to access C whatever benefits that might be available to them or people flops there that jobs all or furloughed there may be disable and benefits that they can claim so our job history to support people to do that for our welfare advice team for benefit support teams as well it I sort of agree sensible we payment plans with the people that that made before he into debt all in rent that the full so it's very much a tailored individual approach

in terms of evictions that the guidance the government had published is the when or able to to do evictions in this period so that we would want to do anyway but were not able to to do that and that timescale has been extended are it was originally into the end of June that the government have extended it so we have to look at what the government guidance is is as well and and those are those that have got commercial tenants in the same way as that is the Council or have a number of those or adopting the same approaches the Council in terms of a of deferment of the first quarter's commercial rent charges as as well

it's a lot of phone calls and conversations with people that's generally has been pressured into making run thank you

thanks Tareq anybody else can question

wish to write and the chance to have papers here

yeah Councillor Bexfield follow-up reworkings do them yet will be possible give me I should help this better be great to get list to your Members actually are because I am aware of some residents who have been sent quite threatening communications from RPs across in Tower Hamlets and you know about their arrears those reticently been caused by the COVID-19 crisis get to know who those Members are who have signed that pledge so that we can work out whether

basic behaving in that way of actually been violating approach they signs and would also be good to know which housing associations on included din what you've been booking about so I'm if we could get asset round sappy really helpful this concern that to to to David all whoever is the administrator of this group are all you can get it through the Partnership Liaison Team who have it's as well for either way we can make sure it goes round two and as this committee great thank you

more information about the timeless housing form on the Council's website including

different Leeds as well

I have a question

who else does as well

no recourse to public funds so the Cabinet last month there was discussion about how the council might be looking to support residents who usually would have no recourse to public funds it seems that the government's

guidance on this has been quite vague but this will has lifted the restrictions saw temporarily during lockdowns now questioned how if there are vulnerable people and I have identified a group of vulnerable people in the in in the Borough social wondering if that was if

the time is Housing Federation of Housing associations were talking to each other to share information about those who might have no recourse to public funds how they might be supported what preparation measures to support them might be if they are vulnerable so we Burt hastily earned with repeat who heads up the Housing options Team so are we have a common housing register Forum so people who perhaps otherwise might not have been eligible for for housing you know if they are able to to get support to to to pay their rent then there is no reason why they should be able to get an NC we've also discussed in that forum around of because some of our I'll members or supported housing organisations so that have surpassed accommodation that and that we all need to work together to enable now that we can start doing moves in lettings is that we start letting a permanent homes and particularly enable move on from the hostel's take place so that perhaps people who in who were the former rough sleepers dinner in the hotel's can then apply for for hostel accommodation as well so it is that's on a ship and joined up approach is what we're trying to Burton to do

that was the question

thanks as was the still question owing so question marks about how the Council might look occurred support this group of people about emotions as well the people were the were homeless over been supported into hostels and that has been as I understand it query from in partnership with the with the GLA who have helped fun fun that and when I sat so I wanted to see if he had any any comments on how that worked and how such measures might be supported and how people who have been helped into some sort of accommodation in the short term

that the North Works sickened see any of them perhaps in the long term commendations after thing

you wanted to come in on yeah I thought I think it's really important that support and Pen accommodation or all hostel accommodation ism is made available for those individuals that they don't enter on the streets and it Parsons in in in infighting the Dacian it's you know it's around where they go next and per many people it probably will be hostel accommodation will be the next step will be to release bed spaces within hostels to create those spaces and that's true that that partnership working or we do a preferred common housing register forum in or in terms of working together owes a lot of is do take those direct homeless nominations as as well

Young is fixed or border on a point about arm how coming hostel accommodation indeed supported accommodation Worthing speak report a question that we should not in spite of crime of ours bathing crime of virus pandemic initiative of shall not a light on these when his Bill vulnerabilities lie Councillor Sophie alarm your question

feel free to come up on the screen and amuse of any yet police of my cameras not liking some of this will have to do I guess crushes arrived a Tory think again

or from rent and the Council has you know if they've some increase take that trainees are most from its out as one what you're approach has been to this and he for any if you've had any issues around that are impression of a rise around that

sorry I didn't quite get the beginning before using it

and so on in terms of exemptions

can continue even heavier than Hockey getting cut off yet yet and so we know that the council exempted tarries and mosques from rent so immolation to that what has approached been in terms of any so questions around our anything any issues arising around that this is one commercial that's I think not all housing organisations have got a commercial Our tenants but but those that have I know that many of them or adopting the same approaches as the Council which is the rents of ferment so that if people are able to pay for because the year that the business is has not been able to open in this period many have have remained open so everybody has different types of commercial tenants Bowes that hadn't been able to open in this in this period or have suffered a loss of trade is those discussions with them around you know maybe not to pay the first quarter all paid less but to make it OK through the for the remainder of the year each each are people take a different approach based on there are commercial tenants but I do know that many of us have decided to take the same punishes the council OK thank you

that's good to hear a course was welcome the in a commercial incident on holiday during this period I mean it doesn't mean

Council

patients are in receipt from a shred of now to punish black hole to fill I'm so that was a challenge that would have to look up

from the Council point of view and in the future and is deeper there I'm going to further questions but are now deport once her

as our scrutiny later don't ask none

9 she's not in the waiting room feed this that some connected chose

chair constantly subsequently if she wants to

I can economic this is what what we do is as I said we're writing reports in the next few but be drafted the sexual be definite draft in next few weeks hopefully ready in the next few months and was happy to run by you and if there's any more evidence so filled we need there will definitely get in touch so fortunate tables neighbour to ask questions but thank you very much nonetheless your for incisor in your time and hit thank you very much OK for Chairs

OK then so next we have Ian parks if you want to come on the Commons scream and yourself in is the Chief Executive spin some of the current scrutiny meetings before I as the chief executive of the Eastlands of business Alliance also Charlton Athletic season-ticket holders are known

and

been so any once give us an overview of them what you feel this gone right what could be better in that what challenges local businesses and business 6 or face in the future and wipe out of questions and answers thank you

I thank the Chair and I sent a note to ever hit the deadline not so that may have not reached Prague I wrote talk about the economy and business but ever arrange a bit and committing educations were if I may for those that don't know how BA is a charity which connect the business community to the committee in east London and are we use the expertise time

occasionally the funding people power of those businesses to help issues any Slindon our initial response in tariffs has been to focus on food supporting her food banks loneliness was lushly people stuck at home you have lost their jobs helping what pleasure schools and started small businesses and also helping to organisations starting to attack to Cove it tend to what do we think went well hum and a member of the Partnership Executive Group and so I've been involved in the Partnership Executive discussions around covert of absorbing often several groups communications and the recently as a set up sort of group on an economy in recovery and from my perspective there that the partnership approach break particularly row with the Council of her get feel that everyone was working well together and the Council's leadership but I do think that was because we spent quite a bit of time in the previous three or four years building up the the relationship between the different partners think that went very well for me connotations point of view within the Council's communications were prance they gotta OK quickly and they been had been good transmitting government information but also passing on a local information I would say that my experience of the cancer communications was via I'm e-mails coming into my Ingles so I have no site about whether that works well for people don't have access to digital communications and what might be something that people other people might want to comment on and in terms of the but recovered his honour interaction we we work very well with a yen with all the different parts of the Council has been very good we re-erect initially around for distribution to our contribution became rather small for what the Council's need referee Gavras Darfur distribution into the smaller local organisations and food banks terms of feedback from businesses for enough and with businesses re-read through Eastland and business place we've had no notifications of any bitterness closures are insolvencies so far and in the early days of the locked down we didn't have many businesses taking up the the government loans at re initially an offer but once the bounce-back loans came on offer they were taken up quite readily and lots of business have taken those up and has been a lot of take-up of the furlough support

you

the figures for further numbers of residents in Tower Hamlets were published last recur of 37 thousand people on Thurlow in Tower Hamlets and of course a concern has got to be how many of those were go back to work and Henry then will end up being made redundant from the feedback that we have it's no surprise to hear that the sectors which has struggled most upping small retailers and hospitality restaurants and food businesses we have had some fantastic stories of businesses being out a switch so restaurants of church to take away or some caters who prenup restriction to supplying food packs to the Council's her fruit distribution house and we found some examples of where transport companies our taxi companies Iran up switching to come sporting patients to and from hospital but on the whole the feedback that we have from hospitality and restaurant business as is they thought they could Kang on for three months very few of them had lit a much reserves and when they reopen for some of them depends with a 2 metre 1 metre rule stays

the issue will be around where they're actually by opening and started to incur costs straight away where they will have enough revenue to cover those costs so immersed recovery situation reckon re crisis it's the period after the immediate crisis reaches the killer for small businesses and it's a cash cashflow which will be the real problem

in terms of challenges going forward and we are I see for six or seven key Council run through the very quickly can community organisations back on their feet working with the Tower Hamlets has CVs and others and keeping them strong and supporting the leaders of those grassroots organisations secondly helping those who lost their jobs arisings and we are waiting to hear from DW Payne Steve Hensher the profiled the Tower Hamlets profile of age people have lost their jobs in of claims unemployment benefits and the previous occupation and particularly their ethnicity and will waiting for that Adobe coal dust when it comes in then we'll be able to start planning a proper spells thirdly continue to upskill those Horing loadings jobs and precarious jobs fourthly lost generation of sculpture room who been upskill for long time and come September be a big drop for everybody to cut them back into habits of learning

they were particularly concerned about new education leavers so people leave school apprenticeships college or university this summer and next summer

the first phase of the jobs market and the lies with the court they would have done and they will have a prolonged period of unemployment rather doing jobs such a long appeared when employment and reaping thinking about how we could give them useful and worth Rolfing to do to keep our confidence going up varied much were be I'm supporting our can spacing community infrastructure I'm many councillors will now write their support we cut from Chris's volunteers for Victoria Park and Mile End Park those 13 spaces of prove their worth haven't been in the not down and so need a bit of a campaign run them to get them back into

top condition for next spring and summer sporting Kinsey wellbeing and mental health and reducing isolation tackling in court as a structural problems like the digital divide which has been thrown up by

locked iron and of possessing mentioned her helping small companies so I'll stop there and happy to take any questions

that was the there was great he in so has a question integrate in the chance ongoing indications were turn on the for Andrew would my when it's ask question particularly about Cathal cartons needs right

yeah I'll protocol separately about Council Comms and ensure this is the right place but but I will not question about cash flow as a former accountant I agree with you how important it is is is anything you think the Council the going forward in future months either themselves or through through central government could help with with cash flow and was already been done I think the bounce-back loans are very important around very advantageous terms and I hope the government will kick the window for applying for those open for quite a while and I think I'm in the server group with Rikki Clarke leading that I'm weeping looking at whether this scarecrow sort of a local committee Finance Initiative which would have this an access for different kinds of France and that would be particularly attractive to micro businesses

unfortunately for the days when you could gather the local bank manager together and say look we've got a ever forgiving and approach here foes those of gun possession most more businesses are a council manage who knows where and so it's very difficult to cover the to to clip her travellers that banks but the to the degree which we can influence them locally that might have to be a nice London basis it's gonna be to get them to for birth from Clough arm from her closing in on overdrafts and loans and people from 2 thousand 8 remember a large part of the business price at that time was because the banks foreclosed on overdrafts to quickly or hurt me will of Lance and lessons from that

a key

OK if you don't have a lot then and Andrew then next on the list is Councillor Blake's White

thank you Chair and human and has anyone from the Council been in touch with you about travel planning going forwards and the needs of businesses to move their people around the borough and how they're going to do that given the public transport users constrained at the moment him for ham cum some item afraid I do know through the server group in the mouth that partnership conversations is that there had been taught me to Canary Wharf Group about that I'm hooked on a lot of planning but no no approaches to me

thank you

OK if you don't have a follow-up them back or something we can definitely are follow up on recommended the Council the look look into more detail got Councillor Sophie alarm next on the list for Christian thank you for that over the and I'm I guess my crushes in relation to education leavers and on into the night you mentioned quite rightly for a period of competition and appeared of yeah difficultly fully down people and to be able to get the sums on the job market and that you've got few ideas and a few and suggestions that you'd like to make a guess

a bit more insight into what those are and how the Council can also help support that and if you give us some suggestions UK ham

so a lot of people think of thought about this period of unemployment would be facing a bit that the period after 2 thousand 9 but my view is it's much more like period in 19 80 and apologies because most of you weren't know what that was like but I was actually when those young people so this is a cruel quirk coming from a lot of personal experience for me if you're unimpaired appeared of high employment low unemployment might be difficult be half the sense that you're eventually we'll get something

if you're unemployed in a period of very high unemployment your confidence drains away very very quickly and it can become a period of six weeks or 2 minutes which she normal circumstances not a particularly long time for job search but when you are one of three million people unemployed and Urum amongst a group of young people were unemployed Matthias House 20 25 percent then and mother that we need to be intervening as soon as we get those figures through from 32 BP we see which young people are being affected and commission other programme which looks at maintain their competence giving them useful for filling things to do in terms of working a community volunteering which gives them summing him her in encounters with arts and culture but also is giving them contact with business be that work experience placements internships work shuddering whatever we could find which keeps them in touch with what other career they want to pursue and so I think we all are definitely will need the help of the Council Sino-US term work path are already thinking about issues around this college is already thinking about this ourselves DWP to a range of organisations to put together a bit of a programme which gives those young people confidence and hope so really early stages and the biggest thing of course will be money but in terms of commitment from business and the businesses that retorted so far don't be any problem in terms of people wanted help with mentoring and networking and employability skills the problems were be because of their own constraints actually jobs but nevertheless I think is still useful programmer activity we can put together

thank you thanks for next Councillor Mark Francis

I Khattab and muffled from a very soared thank you further and that presentation that's really helpful and especially helpful to know there can affirm or to be reminded of the impacts of local potential long term impact his work I will it's just as something that's really quite specific and it's about the once and that have been made available so I think most cancers a puppet insisting representations of market traders and 10 31 to follow up on that so obviously that was the business rates will are also those the a grant by a business rate for those people and only pay business rates and then there's this separate local authority and discretionary grants package and so timeless gets about 3 point 7 million pounds of that

so it market traders have put it to last that the amount they'll get which is 10 percent of that figure between all of them which was after the according to the Council's website 720 pounds before 10 traders and 360 pounds a part time traded I just wondered I'm a fan if you've got any views on the kind of the the the value of that package to sustain that when it is it's going forward

I haven't been directly involved in this politically my experience emerged my view is a thumb a small business person herself

and everyone can see is the amount of money that each individual treasure were get will not keep them going for very long at all and and and I I don't know if that we contribute anything to the Council or whether it's just a pause to the money Richard come from central government I dunno refer to serve recruitment representations have been made but I have not been directly in receipt of those but time Mike my

mark my interpretation is that an amount of money which is hundreds of pounds is not going to keep any business going for very long at all Corexit muscle follow up on where to get very so that I think one of the reasons is obviously the the amount of money that's been made available and and I don't have it to hand but I think they serve you know it's a fraction of what's been paves other businesses in the operating in the Borough kind of small and medium-sized businesses that are kind of of business rates and but it is getting this split that it's 10 percent go towards market traders and 90 percent towards all other small local businesses I'm was there

the Council invite kind of views about the about that split about the appropriateness of that's flip which said the same to I'm happy to be a bit harsh from on market traders

I can't I can't make a comment on that Councillor favourite I was not I was not consulted and I was not aware of any the consultant but that doesn't mean to the rink consultations are just Kelvinside learners OK to I'd like to combat the end when we wrap up with us away

at the end of our presentations yam

yes

I have one regret should fit in and it's just embrace interested to hear that he have not heard or seen any notice of business insolvencies technical question just to say how you receive that information is that information from government or Jaffa wait for businesses to tell you that their goat there can be solving or is of or is there a register I just want to see if there was a trend side to emerge how would we know that that is emerging and how quickly am when an attempted data irrigate data from arena and I haven't seen late at update on that that might come up related to the feedback we get from businesses that we ring touch with who he spittle that this and and business place no course owes Dorrit of bitterness and may not contacted his let us know for level as the team there has been in regular contact and bringing ringing up people to see how they are how they were coping what help they needed and so far we haven't had a notifications and that group is it's never typical sample because they are a cursive reproved come forward

to take external help to help their businesses get better and generally researched on the years have shown that businesses that seek outside help and support are ones which are stronger and survive for longer so they may not be a typical sample but nevertheless I was surprised but we didn't have more distressed telephone calls in the first three months I thought we would have a lot of those saying among the edge can you help what we found is more a case of were hanging on but we don't know how long we can hang on for this more than small town

I think very much I mean I suppose now said most businesses of CIL three months of reserves so as are coming to the end of that passing on his lifting and people going back so yes I was now is a critical time thank you very much a unifying further questions and that's really useful we might get back in touch through for instance further evidence that there was nothing more input interesting emerging them please let us know how track can you just take it refers to hang on our Sherry Peel off it would appear off if you like to sit and listen to the next Our speakers you welcome

here again and exclude changed the order slightly got a request from a sister Christine and Moona pally fake a go next as us OK so sister Cristina Moona I run neighbours in pop louche the worth and Bishton well known

voluntary and community organisation the works in the while primarily in the south of the south of the borough no sister and men if you like to come on and give the sure your your views on the questions of Arsenal open up to it questions

good evening locally

I if required

8 together this isn't our normal way of working and everywhere you out says at four questions and the first one was the assessment of the Council's response and I have to say that as a relatively small local community organisation working mostly with older people and we didn't we seem to feel that the hunter response has not been very organised particularly in terms of the boxes even to families lots of the families we know didn't get one some of our older people are actually tripping over the boxes they have in their little foyers or an understaffed that they don't really what I know that sounds very ungrateful and they don't need to be ungrateful but it does seem that

we can't really work out who got one and who didn't the day we got a request from the family can we have some food we're struggling no-one has helped us so it's it's all sorts of reasons

we have appreciated very strongly the input from Tower Hamlets homes who very quickly came to us and asked if we could he burned I on their honourable elders residents so we rigged get something going for them and then that was followed by Poplar Harker though I think that was a really good and a good move and ensure that housing registers the budgets of the road after it's not a the council housing yearly Thomas homes that they cared about their residence and that was very important are

we would say that we've had over 300 referrals in the last three months and a huge number of those have come from social prescribers and had navigators which I didn't really expect and I have to say I didn't up to that point appreciate the work they did but they've obviously no residence they know the people young and old have come to them and they've sent them on to us all sorts of purposes that that has been really useful and immunity insides we have been absolutely overwhelmed with our volunteers and the fact that they stay with us we very early said that we we committed ourselves to for all responses one was that we would be bringing people over Eno the we'll keep up telephone befriending and catch up going and medication pick up shocking and grocery delivery and the finally probably the most as no one is a delivery the cooking and delivery of hot meals began with 30 meals at the end of March and it's now gone up to 145 three days a week and is entirely thanks to volunteers volunteers in the kitchen volunteers peeling or an tears delivering all over the bar because we do cover I want to 3 and 14 the majority 40 and the other

big

horribly really important

he's of information or what we have appreciated and learned is that so many of the people who come to us where either to unknown which tells us something about the we really know our people are not you really know who still need I know a lot of older people are very stubborn and very private and very have huge pride but so many have come to as one lady had her neighbour ring us she hadn't had a hot meal for eight weeks she's resident on the Isle of Dogs and she's not unique and our people are coming to us from but we were producing how education and regular meals so that that that's important sorry I'm going on

you asked our main worries and concerns for the future we sent out a piece of a questionnaire to have our folk asking them to tell us what were they most concerned about when this answer of town ends and Pogba they say to the Council I wouldn't like to tell you what some of the comments were they would say to the council but there may Nain concerns were hot meals

company and shopping and then added to that was a huge lack of somebody else has mentioned that I think Ian mentioned the lack of internet access and it's not only older people and the moon and I be talking today about schools are on local schools once cool 40 percent of the emily's don't have internet access in another school of I'm involved and 30 percent of the locates is in the shadow of Canary Wharf is it room so if the kids don't have it at home certainly the older people don't have us so internet access a greater awareness of the yeah the rolling out of internet access in order to alleviate loneliness and isolation

and the other one that has come to us and we've had some heart-rending stories about mental ill-health and the effects of this whole isolation on mental health a mental health hasn't been hasn't been an invented by covert is just been exposed by covert so we have a greater assessment a greater awareness of the impact of mental ill health on individuals and families across the borough so

those should be our name things provision of hot meals a rolling out of internet access a greater Wang as piece of the impact of mental ill health across the Borough are young and old and then the quality and cost of personal care for those to be honoured for name things for the future

you know thus find sister finishes M James thank you thank you think finish what

Carhartt Choudhry's text me while speaking and suggested that would declare Clough declare an interest and now I've been and by volunteering well occasionally and delivering hot meals in car has spoken Welsh speak they're done that just feel free to mention that we Diseworth transport transparency by thank you very much nonetheless for that insight as her organisation on the ground delivering in part of the Borough of the problems that that will find it dealing with the most vulnerable people no the work you've done some good in the Council's supported and run help tell the Council work with you better an organisation like you as well so a couple of questions in the comments

severe alarm first Councillor along thank you Chair thank you as his to Christine and no further one representation I guess in that case I declared the fact bar I've been trying to help out with neighbours and Poplar where I can and also the fact that neighbours apart does operate from Poplar ward and so that's an interest that needs to be noted please do I guess in in terms of what you've mentioned it to proceed in relation to internet and connection for winnable and young people and just the composite of things well and I think you know that's been one one of the main issues that have come up quite a few times especially or nurse in terms of how we communicating how young people unviable people able to communicate digitally and absolutely that needs to be addressed and mental health like he said is it is just you know this is exposed the extent and and the effect it had on people's mental health and absolutely any see a focus on that I guess in in terms of the challenges that remain I'm for yourself or your miming push so in relation to the financial implications it has anew as an organisation and in terms of the financial implications do you have any plans to take to mitigate those financial implications

we try to do something

we've got to

no yet feel free to answer OK says Surrey

help not only financial support from the Council

many of the free exchange financial support has come from eastern Community Foundation from donations so if the Council has some money to give us will be grateful

plans I mean on major plan for the future is to set up a campaign earth that linking young people who of course are all wizards as the internet etc linking them up with older people and with families and finding the funding to get the tablets at the day equipment that is necessary bearing in mind older people might need different equipment from youngsters

we are major I think for the future is to cut the isolation and look nearly so many people feel well to rethink the mental lack of mental tenacity because there is nothing challenging you so we need we need some help in that in order to in community rebuilding that those around a we are fundraising or or those sort of projects

so any of the council can give us would be much appreciated bearing in mind we write nice small community groups we don't have a regular funder fundraiser now I think a lot of people forget the smaller groups don't have fundraisers on hand and have

hank of resources that other large wimps have

thank you Dr Philip sphere I will my follow up set out as a pristine answered them before could even ask anyone's in relations in how can the Council support and certain areas of concerns and and like him you've system there there are and campaigns and patios you'd like happen the Council on so appreciate that feedback and hopefully

you know that something that the Council is looking to I guess apart from that all I can say which I should said in the beginning is thank you so much to you who neighbours in and Poplar Angels and new law as well for all the work done across the bar and which I can vouch for and myself so really appreciate their thank you thank you thank you Councillor Andrew would next Frankie and says a question for both sister Christine and Luna lack of access to the internet earlier how do you think members of the community without access to the internet over the last three months have learnt about what was going on and about how they find out about covert and and what to do in response

a word of mouth if they were able to get out and these anyone and otherwise a lot had not been aware that the way that maybe there are people around who could help them so it's been they've been dependent on their neighbours some people have been great neighbours there have been there have been great examples of people coming to each other's aid and and helping young and old across the at the different cultural face language groups there haven't been those divides and is being it's been marvellous certainly for us in Nixon Poplar if you were to come in and see their the a number of volunteers involved and then what they do when they go back to their own local communities

it doesn't really answer your question I'd I don't know how I mean I still miss East End Life and I think this would be a been billion time they've been putting out something written into everybody's home telling them what was available in all business about everything being on the internet he made a huge mistake there I think in the whole world not only on the internet huge of people are excluded because of it

OK that's kind of why I asked the questions to tease Nat King thank you

did you ever follow up them at no no OK them next on the list is Mark fronts all known yes were not fast next on the list thanks

thank you Chair thank you sister Christine thank you know as far for the presentation and especially for all of the work that you've been there including up here in Bow really appreciate it spoken to so many residents up here that I'm that you're volunteers have been helping out as billion I don't know what we would do without you which kind of is the point really really worried one of the things that you said about I'm people missing out on hot meals so as we know the council stopped it's own and meals on wheels service about nine months ago and require an

an abrupt process and decision making I am and I just wondered if you could say whether you and felt that that that the absence of a of the old councils old mills most service had any impact

and whether you felt that that there was something that could complement your own work I think it's fantastic that you're a been able to offer that three days a week of or see their other days as well then I think to be honest view that the prospect of you having to do that for further after is one that I find a little bit worrying and so I just wondered if you have a view about I guess the kind of the context that you've had to deliver that service with it

yeah I mean I think that's that tragedy and I know a lot of the older people when they were approached about the meals on wheels because of their pride and their independence they will have said to people or I'm OK love Levy I'm OK I know a lot of people who said that are not OK and we're coming into maybe

summary now when maybe it isn't quite so important to have a hot meal me I know I gaze important about me or we can't go into the winter and you the council cannot depend on a little group like neighbours and popular to provide meals on wheels across the Borough specially unfunded but even funded it's not it is something that the Borough has a statutory duty to do we have a statutory duty to look after your elders and I think it is really wrong to be depending on small voluntary goods to be doing that we haven't got the resources we have to get up to stop everything else we do and it's not right anyhow the council needs to know who their elders are who the vulnerable are they need to be more in touch with who are the people who worked in the Borough Alphonse there were 12 years old they deserve better than this

thank you I do you ever follow up them mark

no I can the points from paper I'd like to come back their lover outgoing recommendations as well yeah certainly and I think is well struck me is the way in which the the level of need has been identified to both the Council and groups like neighbours in Poplar and it just goes show always have to keep looking at how we saw measure these things so we know we're getting as many people's anyway next question is from Tariq Khan

My sister Cristina arm I have them hoped out that the neighbours and Poplar and was great under them especially when you talk about a young people when I was there though there were a little Johnny young people and then they made it very good video of of of of what they were doing him I think we need more of that to sort of on see again and get young people into the idea of volunteering and stuff

my question was around basically so we've all while I identify these of vulnerable people who need what should and as if the person sort of highlighted there are lots loads vicious do you think this this problem with thumb people wonderful people requiring further and basic sort of necessities is it just a problem with corridor is this is gonna carry on to throughout and one what support can we give this people

it's it's not covered culvert has unnerved the problem I could we kind of in a way need to thank covert for making us more aware of mental health of meals on wheels and the needs of older and vulnerable people and the lack of internet access I think in indirectly it has exposed the problem that's already there and and we've got to we gotta needs around the table and you something come up with some plans for the whole borough we're more than willing to do our bit the always have been we've been around for 50 years were not going to stop now but we can't do it all we can do our little bit and if everybody does a little bit and we work together it can be done yeah but like it is a you it is a big problem in it's not going to go away as older people are going to get they don't get younger Yankee I get older but older people don't get younger so their need is going to be greater

and you know yourself one floor and they're in hospital and then they come out less able and they're scared still going to hospital at the moment I know people in should be enough people and they won't go because they are afraid to come out they'll get over it if they go in at what they think

thank you

thank you cause just let me know that Tariq has asked his question

so skipping without

the to mention that even though he was a trustee of splash as well I'm which the connected organisation and as well as see if volunteering there half severe the have another quick question funding

yes

Chair just wanted to come back on the this you mentioned in relation to the campaign around getting some support in the young and elderly working with the iPads and providing iPads to them with internet I mean do would you agree that apart from the fact that there is the lack of access to internet some people there is an thought potentially a gap of understanding of how certain technology works I mean I appreciate there will be a lot of elderly people know how

use and iPads and technology but there might be some elderly people and and people in general might want a bit of support in in relation to how how they can for use that technology once it has been provided to them and you think that something that the Council should also looking to the side and from from we've already mentioned the council can help but Council needs to have in maybe getting big businesses to promote those sort of of partnerships because a of people sitting on floors was sitting at home now who the expertise

provide help us provide that the laptops in the tablets and the appropriate equipment and then bearing in mind that they I T internet experience and knowledge is changing every day when

he I don't understand their claim

but I have to keep up but I can keep up to a certain level but not not know where most of you Councillor sitting round the table are able to do the long people in here this afternoon it's not for us so imagine for older people living on their own but all the people living on their own beans at that connected with family in Australia wherever they may be immune for your chance as Councillors in this bar a lot of older people are now even more isolated because their families cannot afford to live with them they can't afford the cost

so they have moved out so that means families thickly families who haven't English for first as first language I feel really sad about them because a lot of those older people haven't got English and they're completely isolated they must feel so alone so so desolate we need to get our fingers out and do far more than we are utterly yeah just just one more question in relation to you mentioned the whole communications out of things in in terms of the Council knowing they are vulnerable residents knowing who they need to reach out to the support or you don't read got Covic but post covert that will be something that we need to learn how to run it thought tackle the issues around that what do you think has worked for yourselves on reducing would work for the Council as well in terms of tackling this issue around not being to properly identify the residents in reaching out to the residents who need the support and in in terms of what's going on at the moment

I think we we have learned as I said it's easy social prescribers and people like that it it so I think maybe the Council of the console over-bureaucratic your so far removed from us on the ground it's on the ground meeting people more pubs Idea store all those sorts of a square you meet people out of those of enclosed not the ideas of but a lot of these

federer those sorts of places where people meet you need to reopen those and get close to people yes we have have the health centres have been good OK OK thank you for that

I concur with much older sister Christine draw to close there that we could talk all night but we ever more I think just one last coming over to make based on that you said was about our volunteers have been coming in off the people have more time on their hands to volunteer but what really struck me at the beginning of the crisis was people setting up mutual aid groups in are you know neighbourhood groups of people have is each other and some me MySpace they were people who weren't usually goal with community activism so him and they've now devoted to something in my experience and been more formal now which is great on this we have to as we ease out across his make sure that those people been more involved in community activism and stay so and are working with existing and other community organisations Ascherson comment on it tonight the finally get a move on now to Dr Appleby and Dr Noreen Batty that general practitioners in Tower Hamlets before so but not in the Lunn London medical Council at the time it's brought their off so if you'd like to come on the screen now and for the presentation

right so far and for those who don't know a sun-dappled be on a GP in them on-site Stephens Road in the tradition practised in Bow and Chair of the Local medical Committee which feeds into the national general practitioners committee and not just to introduce yourself yes I am very Matthew NGP at the golf walk practised that in Tower Hamlets like Jackie for many years nice to see assist Christie and again and I'm Vice Chairs Jackie for the Local Committee on the Committee represents all that GPs and GP practices in Tower Hamlets thanks checking on the

the I'm going to start off I'm going to give a bit of an overview and the North is going to talk about care homes cause some that her Patterson a particular interesting care homes and she's got some really interesting things to say about what's happened there the question was the first part of the question we didn't really feel able to answer because I mean the council don't really provide health services such a part in public health but that is linked I will come on to that but so we we answered we sort of what we really are in our paper which I hope you've all got we such try to define the key issues for residents and then the challenges going forward and for covert so I think really we need to frame any discussion around coded 19 really health in Tower Hamlets and in terms of deprivation and in the be A B A and E community and targets is one of most deprived and there is in the country although its cheek by jowl with them Canary Wharf which skews it slightly but there's been data out this week which and has shown that Tim deprivation if the people who live in the most deprived areas of the UK are twice as likely to die or COVID-19 than people in the most affluent areas of the UK and then the the public Health England report we're not a couple of weeks ago and showed that he would be a n e origin are more likely to die of COVID-19 thermal and hello is there a funny noise and with that can you will hear me

yes

during a loss to reconcile my still that by not the meeting or am I still my you're still on it a bunny dolphin I'm just and fair that I just worry what Haney we can hear you personally find us videos of the issue butter OK packet in my BDO off that might be OK right

OK alright sorry about that OK so so in Tower Hamlets people have a double whammy really because the Bangladeshi community are also the most likely and of the BME community to die there twice as likely to die as the White and community so there's a real double whammy going on there and then there was an e-mail I think to all of us today from Councillor Wood which highlighted and Somalia shoes and from covert so it's really an bad news for this borough COVID-19 and and the virus is still out there and that's the of the worrying thing I mean that stats for and the most of the most up to date stats for the daily and new cases online hundred on 958 a day and those that nationwide but there are only the ones that we know about I mean they've been and well documented and problems with the testing this you know that this 958 FO are only the ones who've been tested they'll be whole swathes of people out there as well who be having minor symptoms who may be asymptomatic carriers who we won't know about their be far more than 958 cases a day so it's very worrying locked down his being eased without another or proper and robust systems for suppressing the virus and countries have done really well and heavies lockdown have had really good locally based and contact and protesting contact tracing isolating and support systems in place to really suppress the virus and places like New Zealand's have done really well actually even in the UK places have done really well so Ceredigion right in the west of Wales has managed to suppress the virus right down and have far fewer cases and deaths than across the country the rest of the country per per head of population so really I suppose we have

unlike in paper I have I've I've mentioned other the the health issues obviously the mental health issues which Christie sister Christine also alluded to and people just generally being anxious about it but also people having to isolate and being lonely that's that's the those those of those are big issues no I just but I'll go on to the challenges and I'm going to bring Doreen in because she's going to talk about and the decimation of people in care homes and you know people were discharged from care homes across the country in March 2 and unblocked in inverted comments of commas beds from the hospital so people were discharged to care homes without being tested and we know we all I don't need to remind people what happened in care homes there was decimation of care home population so I suppose key challenges for Councillor C where we do overlap massively and with with health is to mitigate the likely effects of the likely second wave we we really feel across the health community in Tower Hamlets that we have to have locally based test trace isolate and support systems so being really really important because people won't be able to isolate if there worrying about whether or not they can pay their rent

they also they need to be locally based because they need people to trust people when people ring them up to say you're you've been in contact with somebody who's got and got covert and you need to isolate it that's no good if that's coming from a call centre in in in Newcastle and so we need to have really in bed this in the community and we've been doing some work and this proposal and which I think also shared with you and to the council to the public health department across and or in partnership with the S T P to put on or to attempt to develop and a very robust locally based Tess tracked Wraith isolated support system and places like the East of the London with them Centre London citizens are all very can to get involved with this to help him better in the community and as a sister Christine was saying this mutual aid groups which have set up being set up and there are lots of people furloughed they're retired health workers who would be very willing to get involved with this and that we think that's really really important and it needs to be invested in if we're going to actually suppress this virus and you know that the issues about the national system which rely on people having smartphone the Liam or being computer literate Craster Christine's already talked about the digital poverty we have in Tower Hamlets let alone and the language difficulties and so on and the onion information dearth which was talked about and Council of see male people from BME communities possibly not even understanding what was what was coming so I'll stop there I mean we've sent out of presentations I hope you've all got those and I just like to bring Noreen into talk about care homes briefly that's OK

grey thank you thank you Jackie 30

I don't go through the whole care and storing nationally everyone's very aware that but I just think it's very powerful just to think about our situation Tomlinson used the example of the care home that my practice looks after that care home has capacity the 75 residents always runs pretty close to capacity and there are currently that five that means more than half the residents died and you multiply that across the whole time that sets a great loss over that time of course we would have lost these elderly people we may have lost two or three a month but in the first two months ago we we've lost 40 so you that's gone up to 20 20 month that's a devastating amount and either many of these people may die next year or two ear these are all people with families sets an impact on their families impact on the carers who in looking after them and yet the psychological impact of that I know the doctors and nurses and people in our practice of looked after them have been impacted by that as well

and you know it's fair to say that the care homes were low priority there wasn't any community testing and that put everyone in difficult situations very difficult to know when and how to some patients hospital was FTE Care colleagues were very supportive testing in the community and we are where we are testing the could mean gene would have allowed better isolation of high-risk infected patients and also allowed are separation you staff who are affected to self isolated etc and would have made a difference we can now make a difference are that this doesn't happen again and so I just want to back Jackie up that you know testing and national testing is just too unwieldly unwieldy pieces is just an example of where we absolutely need no core local testing in a proper testing system is that it can happen to answer any questions yes thank you very much to

to both of you I mean is a very

the health response and the response one's health practitioners is a big topic and a question to ask bigger than the other three the with folk some date because another's we do have a Health Scrutiny Sub-Committee next month and will be able to dig more deeply into particular issues as well I think supports have want to know that unlike other areas where by the County Council has a direct partnership with one group or group of organisations doing the same thing with health practitioners there are in this that in a chests and and CCG and the national government

as well so it's a big topic so far for can't go into all tonight but having an over your your insights into what has been going on to the onto the ground and the initial and issues have been as bad really useful so as having said that you have that to car Hart who was on the Health Scrutiny Lead Carhartt from come in

come on here

hello can you yet you now get definite can't get didn't everybody else and think very much and Noreen and Jackie for his wonderful presentation and for highlighting some of the concerns that are within our communities and people are very anxious about the prospect of the second wave up I just wanted to pick up on I had few questions and I'd be grateful if you could answer those so the first one is in relation to the locked and measures been relaxed and Jackie spoke about this so this is likely to have further implications for book bundle residents and we already are acutely aware of COVID-19 impacting disproportionately on been committed so RICS for this commute increases dramatically so I wanted to know what we could do further in view of a second way

in terms of I know you spoke about isolation trimmed but not so about risk assessments and also our people resume in some form of normality but also stay in sight given that there are has dropped and the measures had been relaxed and secondly I want to speak about and the 15 percent affected by overt 19 so do you expect the antibody testing will highlight a higher proportion of people affected

and do we have any measures or opposed measures to mitigate the further transmission and protect fundable roofs and whether additional Bizzle says are there available to scale up if there was a wave of COVID-19 cases and am presumably blame well be more than 15 percent if we before you come back this antibody test and also for arm this this came about during a conversation with one of our Councillor Collins and about schools so in order to

so scaling up their tests so about the frequency of the test so if if we had schools colleges and universities and students were being tested said monthly that would be a sure and give confidence to parents to send those kids back to no school college and university and also as would the knockdown been relaxed and the message from the government is there that the useless whisk how do you feel that competence metre away will impact adversely Karens and BME communities and again what more can be done and the ever

and what evaluation measures are in place to ensure that any local programme that we we have of this view there with the national one in combination with the national one of its effectiveness we live

thank you

he journey

like the OK thank how that's lots and lots of questions so I am if I get any just just shout

OK OK

the and you see what what what can we do to get under some form of Moreton normality and stay safe and I suppose equal what we can do an annual evaluation and unknown about sort of thing I suppose thing to say is this is a very new virus and so I'm we're still learning about it all the time but if you not other countries that have done well managed to return to some sort of normality and if you put New Zealand for example and Taiwan and South Korea places like that even places us in the BMJ this week is a really good article about countries have done well any clues includes places like Liberia because they are used to Ebola and what they have all done is locally based test trace isolated support system because if you and I can't find index case and then with local support systems they trust you to tell you when such with and because they know that those people are then going to get support it because it could be told to isolate the 14 days as a peak ask if you do that you get on top of it so that one used to eat you don't make it go away completely that you get on top of it you drive it right down to people can start more safely them going to school going to work and using public transport and so on the way it is at the moment and as soon as people start to mix again the sort of transmission rate the are number is is likely to go up again

you asked the testing that's beginning to be rolled out and that'd be read it will be helpful to see whose hadn't and how many people have had have had it without realising it had an early on in the pandemic they were studies which showed especially from Italy which showed that there were far more people have have it than we thought but actually as time's gone on and it's been getting the studies have been showed that actually not as many people as we thought had haven't had had to-date and so antibody testing will help us to determine that he asked to be done in a coordinated way it has to be done an across as in a proper set of them live in a proper coat of people who after be tested in a big enough cohorts is so we can say you know thousands really so you can say and whether or not Lapasset and then with the swab test and which is the anti-genocide as which is the test to say whether you actually got it now or not whether or not you're infectious this at 30 percent false negative rate for that so you could actually have it but you got a 30 percent chance of hes not a saint showing that your negative so all these things difficult so we have to carry on

I mean in general practice and and I know in social care and there's been issued public PPE and I put on protective equipment and I know that's not so much the council that's want more government supply and not producing enough etc but it's been an absolute disgrace and it's been shocking and I know in care homes people have been going to work with working really intimately with them with with with with with Reston 3 with very very basic and not an inadequate PPE social distancing is still important this to in Izik inside the transmission inside you rate your your chance of catching the virus goes up the longer you spend in an enclosed environment with somebody because every time you breathe a little bit of the virus will come out and if there's not properly ventilated and so on and so forth and yet the viral load builds up in the area being outside isn't isn't so much for problem but it still risks of social distancing is important handwashing is important wearing MOTs and so that you don't transmit the people around you it's a good thing and those things are also important evaluation the Sheffield I think of the Sheffield are linked to the Sheffield pilot in the we're document I sent that's well worth looking at a small group in Sheffield did a pilot based on general practice in general practice and we we said very small areas we know our patients really well so any contact tracing system that was based on general practice in a very small area would be with with with would be a good sort of the and I suppose and ground bass London landscape to do it in and they say they they showed up there a big the got problems and difficulties with it but it's a good it's a good and that's website going undercut evaluation and then Ceredigion it you can go and I think I put that on there as well but also independence sage I mean the the theatre scientists for independent Satan which is chaired by David King I mean they are all they are all saying it has to be locally based and contact tracing and the B and David King has said in the last few days of national things not fit for purpose Kurt Wagner remember yes just go though Debbie Coupar very quick things that are absolutely agreed the R and just don't actually antibody test Nick in we find out that 15 people have been infected because tell and it's a sad I rates or 20 percent or 30 percent it's not going to be higher than that it's not going not her herd immunity is not really going to replace the need for protecting vulnerable people and the only way you said how can we return to normality is to protect our vulnerable people and that is going to be through test and trace that we make sure that we restrict those who are most at risk of spreading it at that time so that we protect everyone you're not this through the test and trace programmes it's really important I think and one other thing you asked about was this risk-assessment of course the NHS has come up with a risk assessment tool and all are and interest off should by now had a BAME risk assessment to sit look at their own personal risk of COVID nothing that could be more widely rolled out by other employers as well that's all

the company is doing much better to move quickly on as would come to the end of the last it's on low Herbert gone along we started to light my fault and invite Lima is love next she has spoken so far in the meeting in their Kumtor her Councillor Wood and Castle alarm next but my few lights come on first I is Halima Islam on the curb Co-opted Member

my question is more around my support most of us know that there are some people in our community who are too scared to her to be going into hospital just in case they catch the COVID-19 what reassures so we given them or how do we get them back to come into hospital if they need to

Councillor Jackie and I would say first all talk to your GP because that's what we're therefore that's what you do please therefore and we can we ensure and talk and address their concerns which are very specific and unique to people you know themselves as easy to have that conversation will people start with your GP talk to us we we've got to earn telephone calls video cause any don't have to come into the GP surgery let's much less threatening environment if you like then a massive hospital so I'd I'd say start their Jackie would you add anything

I must have been severely rests a really good place to start and I also think having things in sort of you know what excessive accessible language forms from from the Council would also be helpful reassuring and patience that actually the hospitals they are there also work very very hard to keep keep themselves safe as well and you know that keeping clean and trying to keep coated free

thank you

I thank you very much earlier if you don't have her follow up an Andrew Wood mixed thank you very much so can I understand better about what happened in a care home the resulted in had such high death rates was it because patients arrived already infected in a care home or was it the case that people were infected in a care home from outsiders or from other people and can you should have elaborated and a bit more detail if you if it's possible about why people got infected as her that that that's a really good question we nice looks in more detail undoubtedly is all three of what you said there were discharges they into the care home without testing there was a definite lack lack of Kony testing them that people weren't isolated from each other and yet we know this is a highly infectious disease into a population which is all of us that have never seen this virus before where all high vulnerable to catching it and so the inability in not having can you testing and not being a separate people out

was a major mistake and then on top of that there was a lack of pupi and movement initially and then there was lack of training for care home staff on how to use p p so all of that would have contributed and some of that much that's being addressed Pepys much better the trainings getting better and you know now there is testing so people are able to isolate patients it's really important that you know we want people to be able to visit their families even got to have a really comprehensive listing system I think

we can't treat care home separately from the rest of the community they are part of the community are part of our community Anthony testing everywhere to protect our vulnerable patients not just as at home those in care homes as well sorry not have exact numbers but you know this needs to be looked at really carefully and Jackie may know best an idea of Kagan places are doing a proper evaluation of Nono's but I'm low that can be quite grain out find out exactly which of these causes contributed more but and her dance to question there

it does yes thank you

and Kai of no follow up and Sofia alarm next

Chris to confirm to my questions being asked for I did want to declare possible interest quite interest today and Dr B voice or my amazing Dr cleaver fees so I just need to declare that without their thank you

here's a pecuniary interest but useful full transparency none the less OK I'm if we have no further questions from the Committee as I said there will be a a health truly Sub-Committee more varied loads of stuff there

first it today to end some very strong messages there about the resilience of the Borough and as a whole on top of what the council might be able to to so thank you so much doctors filled time aid

be very busy so I'll keep in touch and if there's any foot more evidence or inside that you want to send over to us please please feel free

OK then so we've pulled together so that section of the main item on the agenda Councillor Frances did you have something you wanted to say now we've finished the Q and A presentation section of further meeting

so this is in terms of putting together something for the report that that's due to come to us in draft form next month is that right well yes

we weren't asked what we were working towards anticipate further open every certainly won the first section because there the cabinet in July will be looking at and again at the Council's resilience to convert the next steps are to be worth about doing it at that point then also have the results of the survey that it that it did as well so I think we could if we can do that that were working towards about in I saw all ins and work programming and stuff like that so I beside me anyway of gun attack so I think my first point would be to take something from what sister Christine and Mr. Ali said from neighbours Poplars experience about an people miss an hour on hot meals and about the value of bat and I think that I think we should be encouraging and the authority to think again about an whether it can't they couldn't reinstate some version of them and knows unwell service perhaps in conjunction with the voluntary sector approach and perhaps a patina of voluntary sector process supported by Councillors club

about Hotmail citing there's there's something there and I think there's something was said that the system and the saying about an that people's loneliness as well and I think that's important to recognise another there were this kind of work of benefit earners lots of good things that go on strike a deal with that in normal times but obviously that was a lot as she said there's a lot more people that have been revealed to have quiet and fragile social networks

can be I want to say is about an the the discretionary glance so the thing that I miss something that we got an e-mail about and I don't claim to be an expert about this at all but it did seem to be quite a small amount and that was being offered to market traders and that seems to stem from only 10 percent of the overall 3 point 7 million being allocated towards market traders so I've got no understanding about how that what the fatal 5 which that

was apportioned and I think we should ask them to think about that again I do understand that traders go to other places as well maybe they'll be looking to pick up a bronze in other places as well but the 360 I'm pounds for part-time trade didn't seem very much to me and also and I I guess I would ask myself and cut on the back of that conversation about and how many applications have been received and how many been approved and what the value that is for having the Committee might usefully do that too so those two things and then the other thing that that I think how I wanted to

flag up is about I'm homelessness so it didn't raise it with the representative from to her because it's not really our responsibility I do think there's there are issues with the quality of accommodation that's been used as temporary accommodation during this crisis in sent quite a lot of photos and videos of places that people have been for in some of those people are waiting for decisions had a council doesn't have a formal duty or listed or full duty right now but I think the quality of them that is really quite problematic especially families children essentially living in accommodation that with has shared facilities and amenities and I think as an issue and I think what's been done you mentioned it is up to about him getting rustlings off the streets is fantastic getting them into his house really really good hope somehow that can be continued by I think we need to have a long hard look about Woking facing people and in fact I think that this is an issue that's kind of been around before covert so it would be useful to look at those to be my three things sorry to know why I agree I think around the budget is something I was looking into as well and is I think that is

this work when we should be doing

beyond this into next year about the Hossa about the amount of accommodation that we have therefore for homeless people as well because it has a couple of years ago the choose quite dramatically yeah and one that was really struck me as well as to how digital inclusion was issued by Hall all speakers as well we know it's an issue at that we really highlighted how big an issue it is just that everybody sort mentioned it so so if in one out as a reflection or something they want to highlight then feel free to come up on the screen now

can I want in the future does arrive forgive me Trust

yeah sorry am I going on my perfect forgive me as a for instance if I'm repeating myself but just in relation to the small business grants I think of him any more focus into looking to what business is it locally all able to access those goals and and how soon and what are the things are so and I stopping them from being able to get hold of these gods because obviously know from experience

to small local businesses and residents and there is an issue around the communication between the Council and the as small business owners in in terms of being able to access about or even good of the whole process after applying for that once and what we can do more in relation to that and I think there needs to be quite be focused on it because you know this this started in March and we can begin to now June was July and a lot of businesses are actually relying on on these grants and are struggling at the moment and and have no kind of lost a lot of hoping and be able to receive them something that's one thing I wanted to mention on the back of what consequences said that's Councillor called for a bit of a to get boy worth asking what the way of pick up of the grass has been as workers

talk said it was a fairly slight begin with so mature and would be more assured by the Council with questions Ariana all the money we've got from the Governors on back out again so think finding out how that's happened to be useful or Councillor Wood

there are you just going to make a point about the importance of learning lessons from what happened in the early months of this because it's the thing that are going to have to do at some point as rewrites what we used to call the pandemic influenza Plan and they be Corsham reference in the future so that's why a lot of my questions the kind of historical because of thing that will also be an important lesson to learn and cases another coronavirus at some point in the future yet so mean is likely well so slightly off on one ex-partner Norbert as modelling about their the for for second wave later in the year so that's why this autumn times that's what we learn lessons quickly

and if you look good I think in east Asia saw as the Sars outbreak car and was that a couple of years ago I think they so at measures in place for three years so yet begun overtime okay if no one else has got into south and Castle cons and to sales and related but we'll take it under the next item on the agenda which is the pre-decision scrutiny questions so and thank you for the range of questions of import in no was one highlight any particular questions recommendations the Committee light to raise with Capita Councillor Khan yet and so quickly on the cabinet papers about the Greenwich Leisure limited G alone the wasn't are the papers have not been

a printed yet so obviously we don't know what he has been for a bit about it but them I income if if it is printed than we need to really put that in an and ask no questions about what's happening with JLL boo no formal forms of government of the letters that have been affected badly in terms of incumbent on all of that Burton the MOU need more information on the subject under if if if if he needs to be we have the power to call it in

well I mean yeah first of all I saw a pointed question about asking my wiser knocking publishers are be pulling it be outrageously for a decision was made without being choir and published for scrutiny by the council members lead on the Committee and indignity the public now I'm told that in a cabinet papers used to be up in Eastern for a longer time than they used to be a bigger longer and work programme but send yeah a big really

concerned if a Piper came forward at the last minute to Eaglesham but even if it was noted interface set-up persecutor for later decision are

their debut Warwick's would still say if it was just so information paper

we still want us all to dig into the information as ourselves sale has quite worrying and and yet ESC seal pay the setts and the how we move forward as well because in my I soon it be some sort commercial sensitivity as my also it might be might be that there

it might command the decision that can't be made him publicly and unfurl

I'm guessing it that might be the case but even then that even as has been indicated so yeah I think that's important to too hard and keep an eye on going forward because without one it's go

in a guessing too much water is a thing we can imagine with the leisure as you said Councillor car with the leisure sector suffering with covert yeah that'll be

very important and other big ask with as the Borough TA

try and deal with so it is vital that we have proper scrutiny on that

thank you

I then Chair can I ask like so does that mean I'm sorry I still the question after it meant of why wasn't published a week ago I didn't realise a man that why why isn't still not complacent

you asked me that no I'm sorry

you'd be raising that point on Wednesday yet he's gone is a breach unscrewing question

and I would certainly like to comment on it on Wednesday

but I was going to die but hopefully for Wednesday and gave guidance as to why hasn't been published whether it can be taken on Wednesday was at the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday award

and

yeah

enough good luck slipping on needed yeah I then is there any other business to discuss on Council of White I think you had some e-mailed over

becks

the German under any other business thank you care and yet it was just around the session the spotlight session I had which was originally going to been April and that obviously had to be cancelled or postponed and that's now looking likely tax in September that I wanted to get opinions from Members on the content of that session because originally it was going to be about behaviour change and we specifically looking at increasing recycling rates but that was chosen partly so that we could actually look her more broadly how does the Council use best practice in EU research to inform how it undertakes programmes aimed at changing resident behaviour and I guess yeah it just be helpful to know if

the Committee would like to look at

amending the scope of that for something that might feel more I suppose more appropriate given covert because of a say as a lot of resources going to go into the session itself I think topic is still relevant and I would like to do it at some point thoughts and yet it gets caught some now

songbook Sophia becoming so you go some comments on that were and thought that just to understand and Councillor Light sole army you said is in relation to the recycling side of things and the behaviour thing in and of as you want to make it relevant to what's going on at the moment I wonder if it would be good for us to look at the effect I mean behave behaviour change is obviously you know you look at the community and how people are doing their part in recycling but also how Kee a copy situation has affected how will the company the Council has been able to respond to that may be that something we need to learn or potentially look at to see what the Council has done to support that behaviour change and going forward what the Council might need to do more to support it pops covered

yeah I mean that was that's kind of the idea of the session really is looking at what all of the different parts of the Council has to try to increase recycling what's the actual evidence base behind those programmes because we all know that if you stick a sign nobly obeys the signed so you know just comms campaigns in of themselves don't change the world and but well informed ones can so I guess it is it is going to be looking at all of bat Nina and I guess resource as well in terms of access to resource to help that behaviour change US that'll only to so

so it just took a mark I'm going to go your hand up but just before we come in just to clarify backs it's about behaviour change around how people treat environment and dispose of their waste rather than transport here yet but cocoa OK so might be worth seeing

I mean they couldn't be transport essentially we've done so up my area covers two things which is community safety environment and we did a sessional Community Safety looking at there and neighbourhood ward panels but I'm so if if we felt that because I do think that the transport question around Co bid is really important and

we know that Tower Hamlets got particularly low allocation of their tier fell funding for the streets most programme so yet it could be that that's something more pressing that we need to be looking at grow do that in one of these meetings will next month we should be having

should be having I'm happy to be corrected a report on

the six-month review or or your local review and analysis from the offices of how the waste contract coming in house has gone what has this to Larsson to an

turned around that and on the back of their and indeed he had his little streets

item on the next chill on next month's agenda as well so that fine you don't look at transport that

OK Councillor Frances you'll come in we've got affair and I can see that offical Harcus would insist they might have something for held for hours Minister

yeah I've heard so thank you Chair I would just to clarify I think next month we've got the Liverpool streets programme and particularly how do we build on some of the clock climate change more Gascogne sofa that's on the discussion thing we were looking at because you wouldn't have been six months by next month of the in-sourcing of

and the waste contractor will look at that in either September October

Mark OK so that that this help and

I think so my recollection was that we said that we didn't want to wait for half a year to pass before we got had an update from officers about performance on the in house service I mean from my perspective I think it's going better in the services better but there are still some flows in it and I actually think that what I'm Councillor White's talking about and

the if we were if what this committee wants to do is to help him form policy than their first priority has been to stabilise the service has led in house and but actually what we all know is that they need to drive up recycling rates of though I think behaviour changes a really important part of that is not the only bit but it's really important so and I remember the council was hauled into a Minister just over 10 years ago because it's recycling make the 7 percent and that officers those some kind of interventions were made following that and there might be some value in looking at those again but then you know there's even should be looking at what I was has been done now in other places too but I think behaviour changes a really important part of it so I I would certainly be interesting come into the fish the aims are key partners strategy on that's done he was finished last year

about yet reduction in waste harm as well as

making sure it went down the right route as Augestad come any hostile up

it hands down

OK so look and see where there could be fit in armoured still waiting for confirmation about a formal confirmation about the end of the

the end of the municipal year

because of course that will then mean no I'm

New Committee would take place

I will be in place and then making a start work programming into the next municipal year's well but we still wet of confirmation from that have been pushing for that I then with no other business discuss called the meeting to a close next meeting will be on Monday the 27th of July K thank you very much

I can

or the

thanks

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Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday 22 June 2020, 6:30pm - Tower Hamlets Council webcasts

Overview & Scrutiny CommitteeMonday, 22nd June 2020 at 6:30pm

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Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Monday, 22nd June 2020 at 6:30pm