Tax avoidance, youth crime, damp homes and CCTV come under scrutiny

Islington Council’s scrutiny committees have agreed their work plans for the coming year – including reviews of tax avoidance, youth crime, damp homes, CCTV and alternative education provision.

The council’s five scrutiny committees allow councillors to carry out reviews of the council’s work; often receiving evidence from council officers, partner organisations, independent experts, and members of the public before making recommendations on how to improve local services.

Each committee meets in public and carries out one or two detailed reviews each year, and also considers a number of other reports relating to their area of focus.

The Policy and Performance Scrutiny Committee is reviewing possible tax avoidance by the council’s contractors and youth crime, including knife crime and mobile phone theft.

The Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee is reviewing ‘alternative provision’, education services for young people not attending schools, and will also consider educational attainment, safeguarding, and special educational needs provision.

The Health and Care Scrutiny Committee is reviewing the health implications of damp properties and regularly considers the performance of local NHS trusts.

The Housing Scrutiny Committee is reviewing the council’s capital works programming and will commence a review into responsive repairs in the new year. Housing associations operating in the borough are also regularly invited to present to the committee.

The Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee is reviewing the potential of new ‘smart cities’ technology, and the use of CCTV on housing estates.

Members of the public are welcome to observe and ask questions at meetings, which usually start at 7.30pm at Islington Town Hall. Further information and dates of meetings are available from the council’s website – http://democracy.islington.gov.uk – where meeting papers are published in advance.