Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Asha Mattu.

There were no declarations of interest.

[To approve the minutes of the previous meetings as correct records.]

Resolved:      That the minutes of the previous meeting be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

[To receive a presentation from Sarah Middleton, Chief Executive, Black Country Consortium Ltd]

The Chair welcomed Sarah Middleton, Chief Executive, Black Country Consortium Ltd and Professor Delma Dwight, Director of Black Country Economic Intelligence Unit, Black Country Consortium Ltd & Director of Midlands Engine Observatory, to the meeting.

An overview was provided in relation to:

·       the evidence led vision and economic intelligence

·       the approach being taken

·       an economic overview of Wolverhampton and the Black Country

·       developing a Green Infrastructure

·       developing a tree strategy

·       Black Country Canal Strategy

·       Black Country partnership support

·       capital investments

·       Black Country partnership support - Active Black Country

·       Commonwealth Games

Scrutiny Board received a presentation regarding the above areas.

The Annual Economic Review Report set out the key measures of success in the Black Country Performance Management Framework.  There were 12 strategic programmes covering the three themes of People, Place and Business and six priority areas for proposition development:

·       High Value Manufacturing City;

·       Black Country Business Competitiveness;

·       Economic Capital;

·       Black Country as Garden City;

·       Skills for Business, Skills for Life;

·       Connected Black Country

There was a spatial approach which included an in-depth analysis of pipeline opportunities in 11 identified spatial zones. There was also a detailed programme of dashboards including:

·       Overall Priority Pipeline

·       Growth Funds

·       Land Remediation Fund (WMCA)

·       Broadband

Priorities for the Black Country Consortium Economic Intelligence Unit included providing rigorous, best in class, economic analysis and place based compelling narrative; In-depth Labour Market Intelligence; Business Competitiveness – Growing our Business Base and Green transformation. Key achievements to date were a skills deep dive, sector action plans Geopark support, an iTree eco study and a canal strategy.

Comparative statistical information was provided in relation to economic performance in Wolverhampton in comparison with the Black Country.  Sector risks relating to Covid-19 and Brexit were considered by the Board.

Board understood that the recovery plan included:

·       Backing Black Country Businesses

·       Delivering Skills for Today and the Future

·       Nurturing Green Growth

·       Creating Vibrant, Safe and Healthy Places

·       Mobilising Devolution and Public Service Reform

The Chair thanked the officers for the presentation and noted that there were some good figures where Wolverhampton appeared to be bucking the trend in some areas but that there were still some clear challenges remaining.

Board considered the Black Country Canal Strategy and the tender exercise that had been carried out and the proposals and plan.  It was noted there had been a tender for some consultative support funded through the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Canal and River Trust and that an appointment had now been made. The project was now starting to get underway with a series of workshops to ensure that, from a grassroots point of view the different opportunities that the strategy would be able to provide were understood.

One of the approaches being advocated was to ensure that the heritage infrastructure was clearly recognised, and that consideration was given to the economic and health benefits that could be achieved. There was a young steering group in place, with health partners, local authorities, the Consortium and the Canal and River Trust. Board considered that there  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

[To receive an update from Sarah Campbell, Customer Engagement Manager]

The Customer Engagement Manager provided an overview of the Quarter Two Social Care, Public Health and Corporate Complaints report for the following areas:

·       Corporate

·       Children’s and Education

·       Adults and Public Health

·       Ombudsman enquiries

In relation to Corporate Stage One Complaints, there had been 262 informal complaints, Board noted that service request enquiries were logged with the customer feedback team. This was in comparison to 287 received during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020. The Council had received 32 stage onecorporate complaints compared to 73 received during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020; a decrease of 41 cases. Out of the 32 cases logged and investigated, 15 cases were upheld (at fault) and 17 not upheld (not at fault).

The highest figure of 13 complaints referred to Waste Management, followed jointly by Planning and Revenues and Benefits both receiving four cases.

Learning from complaints was outlined in Appendix 4 and it was confirmed that the Complaints Team worked closely with services to improve complaint handling and to ensure appropriate remedies were put in place to achieve the best outcomes for customers.

If a customer remained dissatisfied, they could escalate to stage two of the complaints procedure. During this period the council had received fivestage two corporate complaints compared to six cases for 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020, which was a decrease of one case. Out of the five cases received, two cases were upheld (at fault) and three cases not upheld (not at fault).

In relation to Children’s and Education Stage One Complaints, 25 informal complaints had been received during 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021, which compared to nine informal complaints received during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020; an increase of 16 cases. The Council had received 11 stage one Children’s and Education Services complaints compared to eight during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020, an increase of three cases. Out of the 11 cases received, Children and Young People in Care received the highest number of four cases, followed jointly by SEND and Fostering Team. In some cases, this had followed extensive but unsuccessful attempts to resolve some of those complaints informally. 

No statutory stage two complaints were received during this period; which was in comparison to no complaint cases received during 1 April 2020 to 30 June 2020. The Council received five children’s and education stage two complaints which were dealt with in accordance with the corporate complaints policy and procedure.  This was in comparison to no cases received during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020. Out of the five cases received two cases were upheld and three cases were not upheld. During 1 July 2021 to 30 September 2021 no complaints escalated to a stage three panel during this period; this was in comparison to no stage three cases during 1 July 2020 to 30 September 2020.

No complaints were received for Public Health; which was in comparison to one complaint received during 1 July  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

[To receive an update from Lynda Eyton, Client Relationship Manager – Housing Managing Agents] Report will be send to follow.

A report was submitted requesting Board to consider and provide comment and feedback in relation to the Council’s Housing Strategy Landlord Services Team in relation to the progress made against the Consumer Standards set by the Regulator of Social Housing.

The report provided an oversight of the monitoring arrangements of the management of the Council's housing stock carried out by the Managing Agents, Wolverhampton Homes and three Tenant Management Organisations, and outlined the steps being taken by the Landlord Services Team to ensure the Council was able to respond to increasing regulation and was prepared for inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing.

The management of the majority of the Council’s housing stock was transferred to its newly formed Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO), Wolverhampton Homes (WH) in 2005 for the delivery of the Decent Homes programme.  The rest of the stock was managed by Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs). The management functions carried out by the managing agents was governed by the management agreements (Modular Management Agreements in the case of the TMOs) that existed between the Council and each managing agent. The next break clause in the management agreement between the Council and Wolverhampton Homes, who managed the majority of the Council’s housing stock was in 2023 and the TMOs were reviewed annually.

Board considered that it was important to increase tenant involvement in the decision making processes. Board understood that there wereHMOs that managed the properties but that they didn’t actually get the money to manage the community and that it might be beneficial to hand over more resource to so the HMOs could have some additional autonomy.  Board considered that actions did appear to be going in the right direction and that it would be useful to have an update on progress to a future meeting.  It was confirmed that a new a new tenant scrutiny committee had been appointed and was due to start work at the beginning of April.  Board welcomed this but emphasised the need to involve the tenants that were living in the properties. 

Board considered that some of the issues were due to isolated houses and properties and issues like fencing disputes and noise issues. Board considered that it would be worthwhile knowing which properties did and did not fall under a specific organisation so that appropriate action could be taken.

Board queried why the report and actions had taken so long to come before councillors. It was stated that the report was completed in May 2021 and that the findings had been presented to the Council in July 2021. A Housing report had been considered by the scrutiny in September 2021 and since then the team had been working through the actions and working with Wolverhampton Homes to look improvements.

Board raised some concerns in relation to section 4.2 of the report:

The panel are also recommended to note the responsibilities of Councillors with regard to the Consumer Standards, in particular the requirements to:

· Maintain an oversight of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

[To consider the Annual Scrutiny Review 2020-2021]

The Scrutiny and Systems Manager presented the Annual Scrutiny Review to the Board. The Review highlighted some of the key achievements of the Scrutiny function over the 2020-2021 municipal year including details of the progress and outcomes from a selection of panel meetings.

Board considered that moving forward it would be beneficial to have more engagement with residents throughout the scrutiny function.

Resolved:    1.       That Scrutiny Board endorse the Annual Scrutiny Review 2020-2021

2. Recommend the Annual Scrutiny Review 2020-2021 be received at Full Council on 6 April 2022.

[To consider items for the scrutiny work programme.]

Board considered the Work Programme.

Resolved:    That the Work Programme be noted.