Agenda and minutes

1.1  Following the nomination and seconding of Cllr Coban as Chair.  Cllr Coban was duly elected Chair of the Working in Hackney Scrutiny Commission.

1.2  Following the nomination and seconding of Cllr Lufkin as Vice-Chair.  Cllr Lufkin was duly elected Vice-Chair of the Working in Hackney Scrutiny Commission.

2.1 Apologies for absence from Cllr Lufkin and Cllr Etti.

3.1 There was no urgent items and the discussion was as set out in the agenda.

4.1  There was no declarations of interest.

5.1  The minutes of the previous meeting held on 5^th February 2018 was agreed.

6.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Paul Horobin, Head of Corporate Programmes from London Borough of Hackney.

6.2  The Head of Corporate Programmes presented information about the Economic and Community Development Board established in November 2016.  The main points of the presentation were:

·  Approximately 2 years ago the Council recognised that its existing approach to economic development was not sufficiently addressing the issue of local residents and businesses feeling “left behind” by the economic growth happening in the Borough.

·  It recognised that the Council needed to be both better aligned and more inclusive in its approach to economic development and that it needed to be using a wider range of levers to shape and influence economic development.

·  Economic development should have the community at the heart of the approach.  So the Council has adopted an “economic and community development” approach which has the needs of the community at its core.

·  It identified three core strands of its work that, whilst inter-related, would be the key areas of focus - ensuring access for residents to employment and opportunities, improving business relationships and supporting business success, and ensuring that economic development is place-based.

·  The ECD Board is chaired by the Mayor and involves the relevant Cabinet Members.

·  The work outlined for each strand reflects the starting point now.

6.3  Employment and opportunities

·  The Council has co-ordinated its response to the apprenticeship levy and digital account with schools.

·  A Hackney Apprenticeship Network is being established to support local opportunities.

·  Hackney 100 has been launched to schools and colleges and local businesses, with 120 young people completing the programme and about 2000 engaged with it.

·  The Council now employs around 100 apprentices.  The Council is evaluating a pilot pre-apprenticeship scheme and developing its own supported employment scheme.

·  Ways into Work has been re-branded as Hackney Works, its digital service is now operational including the Employer Engagement Team and the new Supported Employment Service, and it has embedded a new set of metrics that focus on quality and journey tracking.

·  A Benefit Cap Adviser has been appointed across Benefits and Employment and Skills.

·  Preparations are being made across careers advice and adult learning for the implementation of skills devolution in 2020.

·  The growth of precarious and poor quality work is being assessed prior to designing responses.  Trying to reach groups and consider how those in precarious work can be supported.

6.4  Business

·  The Council has recognised they have not made it easy for businesses to interact with them.  The Council is improving how businesses can interact with them online (the “Landing Pad”) - by surveying local businesses and developing a prototype landing page on its business domain with linked sub-pages - it is now implementing the improved online information offer.

·  The Council has not had a full offer of support to local businesses and they are in the process of developing this.  The Council wants to support local businesses to start up and grow and is scoping the most effective offer for businesses (the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Suzanne Johnson, Head of Economic Regeneration from London Borough of Hackney.

7.2  The Head of Economic Regeneration presented information about the work her service area covers.  The Head of Regeneration outlined the following substantive points:

7.2.1  Successful regeneration

·  Successful economic regeneration represents people and places.

·  Captures and maximises the benefits of growth and development from a really early stage to deliver improvements for people and places. E.g. public realm improvements.

·  Having sustainable regeneration and inclusive growth.  This means one size does not fit all as each area may have a different need.

·  Having an agreed vision for a place – focused on that area - and delivering on that using various channels and delivery routes.

·  Taking opportunities – the council does not own all the land so they have to be ready when planning application come in to cease the opportunity to align it with the vision for that place.

·  Place management, new and high quality jobs, training and learning opportunities, new businesses and workspace, transport and infrastructure improvements, more attractive town centres, improved green spaces, arts and culture.

·  Building relationships and collaborating in long term partnerships to deliver change.  Working across the council with other service areas as well as partners outside.

7.2.2  We also heard about some of the areas the economic regeneration team are working on:

·  Working with TfL at a strategic level for transport improvements.

·  Thinking about how to bring shops and shopping areas back in use for the local community.

·  Using Section 106 to help secure public spaces

·  Working to bring back in use underutilised buildings as affordable work space e.g. Hackney Baths.

7.2.3  The officer highlighted the work the economic regeneration service area covers:

·  New focus on area regeneration and the team has been renamed the Economic Regeneration Team.

·  Responsible for setting the strategic direction and objectives for the delivery of regeneration across the borough

·  To inform the delivery of place shaping and regeneration

·  Lead partnership working from teams across the Council

·  Incorporating the work and make sure it links to: Community Strategy, Local Plan, A Place for Everyone (among others)

·  Three regeneration areas and officer steering groups – A10 (Stoke Newington), Upper Lee Valley (Clapton, Stamford Hill to Hackney Wick), Middle Hackney (Dalston).  There are 3 area regeneration managers who are responsible co-ordinating all the work and knowing about all that is happening in that area.

·  Co-ordinating delivery across service areas and with partners and stakeholders.

7.2.4  Current areas of work

·  Gathering economics and physical area characteristics and profiles

·  Establishing the Governance and programme –holding quarterly steering groups

·  Collating a list of projects by area so they can identify what is missing

·  Looking at what the council is tracking. 

·  Looking at the outputs and outcomes, setting up a clear vision of what they want to see and achieve and the results they wish to see

·  Delivery on existing projects and affordable workspace.

7.2.5  Next steps

·  Establishing a clear vision and associated delivery plan for different  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.1  The Chair welcomed to the meetingAndrew Munk, Head of Employment and Skills from London Borough of Hackney.

8.2  The Head of Employment and Skills commenced the presentation and outlined the following key points:

·  In Hackney the trend is the same as nationally that unemployment is reducing.  The reduction in unemployment applies to people on job seekers allowance and does not count inactive residents.  This trend does not mean people have been moving into high paid roles.

·  Since 2010 the number of residents in Hackney earning below the London Living Wage (LLW) has almost doubled.

·  People are moving into entry level entry jobs they are not moving into graduate jobs. 

·  The number of people on health related benefits has flat lined over the last 10 years despite various government interventions.

8.3  Key areas of work

8.3.1  High quality employment opportunities

·  Focus on high quality employment opportunities with personalised employment support and job quality.  Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) does not provide this type of support.

·  Relevant training, volunteering, work placements and apprenticeships are key stepping stones. 

·  There is also the need for the council to build quality relationships with businesses.

·  London Living Wage and future career progression are important measures. 

8.3.2  Supporting residents with health conditions and disabilities

·  Established a new outcomes focused supported employment service. 

·  The public sector leading by example in creating opportunities. 

·  The generic approach to employment support does not work with this cohort.

·  Integrated working between Council/NHS/VCS is required to deliver on this agenda.  This will need strong partnership working with other public sector partners to assist in this area of work.

8.3.3  Addressing underemployment

·  Promoting service to wider cohort including graduates and low wage employees. 

·  Most people in poverty are those in work but underpaid.  Previously the service focused on getting people into work.  The service is opening up to people in work.

·  Thinking about how this links to skills and devolution of skills

·  Building relationships with key employers to broker a range of opportunities

·  Strengthening the relationship with Adult Learning to upskill residents. 

8.4  Hackney’s employment and skills service covers 4 areas.

8.4.1  Hackney Works - This service is delivered from 3 hubs across the borough.  They are strategically placed in locations across the borough in areas of high deprivation with high levels of opportunity:  Hoxton, Woodberry Downs and temporarily located in Lee House but this hub will be moving to Gascoyne Estate.  The service offer includes:

·  Access to a personal advisor and action planning support

·  CV development

·  Training

·  Help with job search/job applications

·  Apprenticeships, pre-screen events & ring fenced opportunities

·  Work placements & links to volunteering opportunities

·  Information about benefits & tax credits

·  Signposting to wider support

·  In Work Support.

Hackney Works is not a statutory service.  The Council does not have the powers to sanction people so the service is different from DWP.  Intentionally it is located away from the council’s statutory services.

8.4.2  Supported employment - The supported employment services has specialised personal advisors who are trained to work with people with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.1  The Chair introduced this items and explained the report provides information about the legal background to overview and scrutiny and role of the Working in Hackney Scrutiny Commission. 

9.2  The remit of the scrutiny commission is outlined in the report on pages 21-25 including the Commission’s work in 2017/18. 

9.3  The Chair pointed out in its first year the WiH Commission focused on business and employment and conducted a review looking at the future world of work and skills in Hackney.  The reports is currently going through the sign-off process.  The report will be presented to the Commission for final sign off in September 2018.

9.4  The Chair presented 2 proposals for agreement.

9.5  The Chair proposed a name change for the Commission from Working in Hackney to Skills, Economy and Growth.  The Chair explained the name change better reflected the remit of the commission. 

9.6  The Chair proposed changes to the remit of the Commission.  The proposed change is to move full responsibility for planning and licensing from LiH to WiH.  The Chair explained currently the Commission has strategic responsibility for planning and licensing related to businesses and the economy.  The change will mean WiH will have full responsibility for licensing and planning from the following prospective:

·  Residents

·  Businesses and;

·  Economy.

9.7  The Chair asked the Commission to agree the proposed changes?

Members agreed.

9.8  The Chair informed the Commission the name change would be presented to Full Council on 18^th July 2018 for approval.

10.1  The Chair introduced this item and referred Members to the list of proposed topics and the work programme decision making criteria in the agenda on pages 27-37.

10.2  The Chair proposed the Commission conducts a scrutiny review looking at how Hackney’s communities can harness the growth opportunities of new industries on their door step.  The Chair proposed the 2 suggestion below are merged to make one scrutiny review.

·  A detailed analysis – both quantitative and qualitative – of barriers facing residents from various equalities groups (age, gender, class, disabilities) to access opportunities in Tech City

·  An exploration of best practice from elsewhere – in London and nationally/internationally – around how best to connect areas of high economic growth and new emerging job sectors, with areas of high deprivation.

10.2.1  The Chair highlighted the review will explore best practice from elsewhere in London, nationally and internationally with a focus on understanding the barriers that equality groups have in accessing economic growth opportunities.

10.2.2  The aim of the review is to identify at how to connect areas of high deprivation with economic growth and emerging job sectors with the local community. 

10.2.3  The review will include 1 or 2 case studies looking at specific growth sectors and the local area e.g. Tech City and Hoxton.

10.3  Members discussed the suggestions from the work programme list, proposal for a review and standing items.  Members agreed the following:

10.3.1  To include the standing items in the work programme.

10.3.2  Members agreed the scrutiny review topic subject to a refined remit following desktop research.

10.3.3  Members agreed to include the transport related discussion items and hold a transport themed session e.g. transport and connectivity.

10.3.4  Members agreed to do a Brexit themed session.  Although the suggestion is framed as employment and skills Members suggested broadening the session to look at workforce shortages and work place rights including the following:

·  The cost of living and ability to fill key public sector roles post Brexit. 

·  How the uncertainty of Brexit can be used to encourage businesses to invest more in local adult training and education for Hackney’s young residents, to overcome the concerned about the loss of European workforce.

·  The opportunities to encourage larger businesses to do more in terms of training and development with underrepresented communities.

·  How people will be protected in the work place post Brexit - employment rights and how people can be supported.

·  Linked to workers’ rights and speak to employers and trade unions covering precarious work and self-employment.

Members agreed to hold this session post the Brexit withdrawal Bill. 

10.3.5  Members agreed to include the Gambling Policy Consultation. 

10.3.6  Member agreed to refer the sustainable procurement discussion item to the Scrutiny Panel for their work programme discussion.  Members agreed to ask the SP to consider include in this discussion sustainable community wealth and ethical procurement.  Members suggested as part of this discussion the SP looks at the Preston procurement model and inequalities.

11.1  None.