Agenda item

Report of the Executive Director, Community and Children’s Services.

The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Community and Children’s Services in respect of Member engagement on the City Corporation’s Housing Estates. 

The Chair and Deputy Chair suggested, and Members agreed, that Members of the Sub Committee should act as Allocated Members for the  various Boroughs, rather than the individual Estates.  Members noted that officers would be working on job descriptions; defining the distinction between the roles of Members and Officers in this process and would update the Guidance Notes.    Members also noted the importance of robust communications between the Officers and Allocated Members.

The Chair was confident that this would work well and Members noted the following:

Mary Durcan had volunteered for the London Borough of Islington.

Ceri Wilkins and John Fletcher agreed to continue with the City Estates (Middlesex Street and Golden Lane).  John Fletcher also agreed to continue with Tower Hamlets ( Dron House).

Whilst the Chair and Deputy Chair would not take on a full Allocated Member role; they would step in the event of a Borough generating a high work load.

Members welcomed the regular update reports from Allocated Members to the Grand Committee, noting their value in the scrutiny process.  Whilst the reported tended to contain a lot of technical detail,  it was anticipated that this would reduce as improvements are made. The Chair would like to move to a position where update reports are drafted by officers, in consultation with Members.  

In concluding, Members commended a helpful report and the New Assistant Director and Head of Service agreed to incorporate the above comments.

RESOLVED, that – the report and comments set out above be noted.