Agenda and minutes

Having declared the meeting open, the Leader wished to make an announcement relating to the following short-term changes to the Cabinet set up:

·         Councillor Varsha Parmar, Portfolio Holder for Environment, to assume responsibility for the Council’s corporate equalities agenda

·         Councillor Krishna Suresh, Portfolio Holder for Community Cohesion and Crime, to assume responsibility for the community directorate’s enforcement activities.

The proposed changes would be reported to the next Full Council meeting on 26th November 2020

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

None received.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)          all Members of the Committee, Sub-Committee or Panel;

(b)          all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that

(1)           the declaration of interests, which had been published on the Council website, be taken as read;

(2)          Councillor Richard Almond, who was not a member of Cabinet but was present at the meeting, declared a non-pecuniary interest in relation to question 7 to item 5 – Councillor Questions in that he was a Governor of St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School.  He would remain in the virtual meeting whilst the matter was considered.

To receive any petitions submitted by members of the public or Councillors.

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions had been received.

To receive any public questions received in accordance with paragraph 16 of the Executive Procedure Rules.

Questions will be asked in the order in which they were received.  There will be a time limit of 15 minutes for the asking and answering of public questions.

[The deadline for receipt of public questions is 3.00 pm, 5 October 2020.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

RESOLVED:  To note that one public question had been received and responded to and the recording had been placed on the website.

Verbal update by the Chief Executive.

Having  varied the order of business, Cabinet received a presentation from the Chief Executive which provided an update on the latest Covid-19 situation, focusing on the Council’s immediate and strategic response as well as the  implications of balancing competing demands against advancing Council priorities.  Acknowledging the challenging circumstances faced by the Council and expressing their gratitude to officers for their work and commitment, Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That the verbal update and accompanying presentation be noted.

To receive any Councillor questions received in accordance with paragraph 17 of the Executive Procedure Rules.

Questions will be asked in the order agreed with the relevant Group Leader by the deadline for submission and there be a time limit of 15 minutes.

[The deadline for receipt of Councillor questions is 3.00 pm, 5 October 2020].

RESOLVED:  That the Councillor Questions were responded to and the recording placed on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the updated Key Decision Schedule for the period October – December 2020.

For consideration

RESOLVED:  To receive and note the current progress of the scrutiny reports.

Report of the Divisional Director, Housing.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan update 2020, which would set the framework for the draft HRA Budget 2021-22 & Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2022-23 to 2023-24 and Capital Programme, due to be submitted to Cabinet on 3 December 2020, be approved;

(2)          the work being conducted on alternative delivery models, the costs and procurement route of which would be the subject of a future report to Cabinet and for which the HRA Business Plan would be updated, be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To have in place an updated 30-year HRA Business Plan required for construction projects within the HRA which would have significant impacts on the Community and Businesses within the Borough by providing much needed accommodation and infrastructure.  Given the nature and scale of the approved new developments, together with the impact of Covid 19 and Brexit, regular and rigorous reviews of the HRA Business Plan were warranted together with consideration of alternative delivery models to achieve new housing supply and contribute to the Council’s wider regeneration aspirations.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  As set out in the report.

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the estimated financial impact of Covid-19 on the Council in 2020/21 as reported to Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government  (Table 1 of the report), be noted;

(2)          the Council’s strategy to tightly manage the 2020/21 revenue budget to protect reserve balances for future years (paragraph 3.5 & 3.6 of the report), be noted;

(3)          the actions the Council was taking to reduce pressures against the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) prior to announcements around the indicative funding settlement from central government (paragraphs 3.10 to 3.13 of the report), be noted;

(4)          the estimated range of the budget gap for 2021/22 from £22.6m to £18.8m, dependent upon a number of scenarios, and the uncertainties upon which this was based (Table 2 and paragraph 3.26 of the report), be noted;

(5)          the choices the Council faced in the setting of the draft 2021/22 budget in light of the lack of clarity around the indicative funding settlement from central government (paragraph 3.27 of the report), be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure Cabinet were updated on the estimated impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Council’s already challenging financial position over the medium term.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  As set out in the report.

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

[Call- in did not apply for the decision above as it was  a noting report]