Agenda and minutes

1.1  No apologies for absence.

2.1  There was a change to the order of business.  Item 8 was taken first followed by the remaining discussion items as per the agenda.

3.1  There was no declarations of interest.

4.1  The minutes of the previous meeting held on 3^rd September 2018were approved.

4.2  The minutes of the previous meeting held on 22^nd October 2018 were approved.

4.3  Actions update from meeting on 3^rd September 2018

4.3.1  Action – page 9

The Licensing Team Leader to confirm if the Gambling Commission collates information on the amount spent in gambling establishments in Hackney borough.

Response

The Licensing Team Leader advised he was unable to identify information specific to the borough.  However research in 2015 by NatCen for Social Research carried out on behalf of the Gambling Commission, provides information on gambling participation in various regions across the Country. The link below provided the figure for London but there is no further breakdown beyond that. 

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/survey-data/Gambling-behaviour-in-Great-Britain-2015.pdf

The Licensing Team Leader also highlighted that the most recent statistics by the Gambling Commission gives the Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) figure which is essentially the amount raised by the gaming industry after winnings are paid out.  The headline statistics can be found using the link below.

https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news-action-and-statistics/Statistics-and-research/Statistics/Industry-statistics.aspx

4.3.2  Action– page 16

The Head of Economic Regeneration and the Head of Corporate Programmes to provide a formal response to the Commission in response to the SEG Commission’s BAME summary report.

Response

This update was provided under item 8

4.3.3  Action – page 16

The Head of Economic Regeneration to circulate the dates of Business Forums to the Commission.

Response

An email providing a link to this information was circulated to members of the commission.

Members pointed out the Stamford Hill Business Forum was due to meet before Christmas.  Members enquired if a date was set for this business forum. 

One Member advised she had signed up to Dalston Business Forum because it is relevant to her Ward and suggested the other Commission Members sign up to the business forums to monitor their progress.

The Head of Economic Regeneration advised she would confirm and get date circulated once agreed.

4.3.4  Action – page 17

The Overview and Scrutiny Officer to circulate the previous Cabinet Question Time session topics and minutes of the session previous session to Members of the Commission.

Response

This was circulated.

4.3.5  Action – page 17

The Chair and Overview and Scrutiny Officer to draft the Terms of Reference for the Commission.

Response

This is currently going through the Commission’s sign-off process.

5.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor Guy Nicholson, Cabinet Member for Planning, Business and Investment from London Borough of Hackney.

5.2  The Chair asked the Cabinet Member to start the session by providing a response to the questions submitted in advance of the meeting.  They were related to regulatory services, the Community Infrastructure Levy and the economy.

5.3  The main points from the response are outlined below.

5.3.1  In response to Members questions about the measures to ensure landlords are compliant and the action taken to discourage multiple occupancy.

5.3.2  The Cabinet Member explained in terms of planning services the first step is to define a Housing of Multiple Occupancy (HMO).  In planning terms if 6 people live in a dwelling but it’s not converted this is not classified as a HMO.  If a home has additional baths, sinks and toilets and divided up for unrelated people this is a HMO.

5.3.3  Planning Services can take enforcement action and demand for a planning application to be completed if the HMO is illegal.  This becomes a retrospective application.  In regards to the number of unauthorised HMOs.  There were 25 cases in 2017 of alleged unauthorised HMOs.  There were 3 refusals for HMO applications last year and 2 of those were retrospective applications.  This shows that a retrospective planning application may not get approved following enforcement action.  Illegal HMOs can be identified by members of the public or a planning officer. 

5.3.4  In response to Members questions about the Community infrastructure levy.  The Cabinet Member explained attached to the community infrastructure levy is the Regulation 123 list.  This list is a legal document that sets out the infrastructure needs for the borough.  This list is compiled from all the different service areas operating and delivering services within the borough.  It covers services such as GP surgeries, the council’s plans around school places and planning for future places, community centres, libraries, leisure centres, it picks up on transport infrastructure - highways, parks and open spaces. 

5.3.5  The list was last updated in 2015 and identified about £1 billion worth of investment required to deliver the infrastructure needs in the borough over the next 10 years.

5.3.6  The Council is about to commence a review of the Regulation 123 list.  This process starts with all service areas outlining their infrastructure needs and this starts to curate and direct the spending for the levy.

5.3.7  The Community Infrastructure Levy commenced in 2015 and since then approximately £30 million has been pulled together.  This levy is not the same at the Section 106 funding.  As new developments are agreed it adds to the funding stream. 

5.3.8  The Community Infrastructure Levy does not focus on new homes this comes under Section 106 contributions.

5.3.9  The Community Infrastructure Levy has 2 elements the Neighbourhood CIL and Hackney community infrastructure CIL (a main fund and neighbourhood fund).  In the coming months there will be discussion about where the neighbourhood CIL should be spent.  There are suggestions  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Councillor Carole Williams, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources.  Also in attendance for this item was Stephen Haynes, Director Strategy, Policy and Economic Development and Andrew Munk, Head of Employment and Skills from London Borough of Hackney

6.2  The Chair asked the Cabinet Member to start the session by providing a response to the questions submitted in advance of the meeting.  They were related to employment and skills, equalities and the Council’s relationship with local employers.

6.3  The main points from the response are detailed below.

6.3.1  In response to questions about employment and skills and the council’s plans for the future growth of industries where businesses are relocating to Hackney.  The Cabinet Members for Employment, Skills and HR advised her portfolio crosses over with Cllr Nicholson and where this happens they take opportunities to collaborate.  Where it is not just employment being discussed they connect and collaborate as with this case.  An example of this is a meeting with Stanstead Airport.  In that meeting they did not just talk about the vacancies coming through. 

6.3.2  A key priority for the council is to ensure Hackney residents benefit from the growth in the borough, London and across the UK.  It is acknowledged that resident will not just work in Hackney, especially if they develop the skills identified for growth industries like the digital and creative sector.  It is recognised these skill sets can take you anywhere in the world not just in the UK.

6.3.3  The Council also recognises that businesses want softer skills too.  Through the employment pathways team and the employment and skills services they are working to develop and deliver this training.  The council is also doing some work on providing experience such as insight days and work experience for Hackney’s young people.

6.3.4  The Cabinet Member reminded members of the commission the council still has a STEM commitment and they are working with education providers and businesses to close that skills gap.  This is being delivered in partnership with Cllr Bramble, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, young people and children’s social care.

6.3.5  In response to question 2 about the Commission’s last review report and a recommendation related to setting up a union to support self-employed workers.  The Cabinet Member explained she was in conversation with relevant cabinet colleagues about this and the officers are exploring the possibility of Hackney becoming a location for a self-employed union.  The borough does have approximately 24,000 people registered as self-employed.

6.3.6  In response to question 3 about how to support young people who leave alternative provision and PRUs to transition to adult learning.  The councils does the following:

• Promotes its apprenticeship scheme and the Hackney 100 programme to schools colleges and other organisations working with young people.  The Hackney 100 programme is a paid work experience programme which seeks to ensure 50% of participants are from disadvantaged groups.
• Through the carers collaboration use their mailing list to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Stephen Haynes, Director Strategy, Policy and Economic Development from London Borough of Hackney.

7.2  The Director Strategy, Policy and Economic Development updated the Commission the Council’s work on inclusive growth.  The main points from the presentation were:

7.2.1  The Council’s economic community development framework was developed approximately 18 months – 2 years ago.  This initial work looked at the growth and development in Hackney to consider how it could be more joined up and impactful for local residents who were feeling left behind.

7.2.2  To lead the work under the economic community development framework a Member and officer board was established.  Under pinning this work was 3 strands:

• Access to Employment opportunities
• Place based economic development
• Business relationships.

7.2.3  Under the work of this framework a number of service areas within the council were reconfigured to deliver this work.  The Economic Regeneration Team was reconfigure to make it more about area and place and not just regeneration.  The Employment and Skills service had its remit broadened to focus on pathways and not just outputs to reflect the change in environment.

7.2.4  The debate about inclusive growth has been gaining traction in the last 18 months.  The Council’s initial work on the ECDB framework fits with the vision for inclusive growth.  This debate has given the council the opportunity to reset its work in this area and align it with the inclusive growth agenda.

7.2.5  The new work area has also given the council the opportunity to reset its governance arrangements for this work area.  The Council no longer has a Member and Officer Board with oversight of this work. But it does have an officer groups driving the work.  The council is currently in the process of developing Member involvement.  The strategy for this work still focuses on the same three strands of work (employment, place and business) as the key drivers of change.

7.2.6  The officer explained this work was important because from an economic prospective poverty is bad for growth and the fiscal costs of poverty are significant.  There are also clear socioeconomic argument for pushing this agenda forward. 

7.2.7  The current plan is to present a draft strategy to Cabinet in June 2019.  The Council would like to have a dialogue with the Commission as the strategy is being developed.

7.2.8  The Director acknowledged the independence of scrutiny but urged the Commission to dovetail its work with the Council Executive’s work on the strategy to avoid duplication.  Highlighting there were areas they could work together such as community engagement, metrics etc. 

7.2.9  For new Members of the commission the Director of Strategy, Policy and Economic Development outlined the service areas he covered:

• Employment and Skills
• Business Intelligence and Members Services
• Mayor’s Office
• Corporate Programmes
• Policy and Partnership (which includes overview and scrutiny).

7.2.10  In reference to Members questions earlier about sustainability.  The officer pointed out section 9 of the draft London plan covers sustainability infrastructure which makes reference to air  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.1  The Chair welcomed to the meeting Stephen Haynes, Director Strategy, Policy and Economic Development and Suzanne Johnson,Head of Economic Regeneration from London Borough of Hackney.

8.2  The Chair imitated the discussion by informing that the Commission would be commencing a review looking at inclusive growth. 

8.3  Following on from the Hackney a Place for Everyone (HAPPE) consultation the Commission wishes to explore the views expressed by residents that the opportunities being created were not for them.  This review would focus on the residents’ prospective. 

8.4  The review will commence evidence sessions in February 2019.  Currently the terms of reference for the review are being drafted and going through the sign-off process. 

8.5  The review will have 2 case study areas and the Commission will hold engagement session with residents in Hoxton/Shoreditch and Hackney Wick.  The review will commence with a session with academics and think tanks to understand the metrics for inclusive growth and the work to date in this topic area.  There will also be a business engagement session.

8.6  On 12th July 2018 the Skills, Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission held a business engagement event with Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) business owners.

8.7  A report summarising the key points from the event was submitted to the Council Executive for a response. 

8.8  The formal response from the executive has been provided in the report on pages 47-56 of the agenda.

8.9  The officer advised the Executive response circulated was formatted using the themes from the SEG Commission’s summary report.  The key points highlighted from the report were:

8.9.1  The introduction sets out the council’s approach to business engagement and how this is being carried out in reference to Hackney’s Community strategy, the Sustainable Procurement strategy and the new Local Plan.

8.9.2  The first theme about engaging with the council and improving access to business support and services.  The report outlines the council’s business engagement methods, the programmes run and where they advertise the events.  It was pointed out the events are all free.  The economic regeneration team recognise there is more they can do to raise awareness about their work and the support available.  This is an action they will undertake to raise the profile of what they do and the engagement activities available.

8.9.3  The report also covers the web based work they have been doing.  This is mainly associated with the Hackney Council website which will bring council service together and make clearer how businesses can access services.  There are plans to carry out an audit of council services to address the issue of quality and consistency in relation to the interaction of council departments with businesses.  This will set out what is done already and what improvements could be made.

8.9.4  Theme 2 was about working with the council.  This covers a range of headings: finding business space and accessing new business premises, affordable business premises, procurement and selling to the council and quality of the environment.

8.9.5  In reference  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.1  The Chair commenced the discussion by advising the draft terms of reference was circulated to Members on email for discussion about the scope, evidence session and key stakeholders for the review.  There are 2 evidence sessions scheduled on 12^th February and 13^th March 2019.

9.2  The February meeting will be with academics and think tanks to hear about the work and theories related to inclusive growth.  Members advised they were keen to investigate barriers to inclusive growth during the review.

9.3  The March meeting will be a public conference and a round table discussion with businesses, unions, senior council officers and other relevant stakeholders to try and find solutions to some of the barriers that we have identified through the café events.  In the afternoon hosting a Brexit panel to discuss with businesses the impact on the local economy.  The Chair expressed concern about this second session given the current uncertainty with the Government and Brexit.  The Chair suggested alternatively they could have a panel on inclusive growth.  Members suggested keeping the afternoon session broad and focused on the future economy looking at inclusive and sustainable growth.

9.4  During Feb - March 2019 the Commission will be hosting two democracy café style consultation events with residents in Hoxton/Shoreditch and Hackney Wick to gain a better understanding of what inclusive growth means from a residents perspective.

9.5  Members agreed to review the March session this early in the New Year.

10.1  None.