Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Apologies were received from Councillor Pritesh Patel.

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Item 10 Re-procurement of the Repairs and Voids Contract, Electrical Services and Water Hygiene

Councillor David Perry declared a pecuniary interest in that he works within the construction industry.  He would leave the room when this item was discussed and voted upon.

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

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions had been received.

To note any public questions received.

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, Monday 23 October 2023.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

RESOLVED: To note that two public questions had been received and responded to and the recording would be available on the website.

To receive any Councillor questions.

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, Monday 23 October 2023.]

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

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the Key Decision Schedule for the period November 2023 – January 2024.

For consideration

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

RESOLVED:  That the reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in relation to the customer experience scrutiny review report be noted and that a report be presented to the next meeting of Cabinet.

Report of the Corporate Director of Place

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            a third term for the Harrow Town Centre Business Improvement District be approved for a further five years;

(2)            the casting of the vote be delegated to Councillor Paul Osborn, Leader of the Council and Strategy Portfolio Holder;

(3)            the Operating Agreement between The London Borough of Harrow and the BID company would be authorised and signed under officer delegated powers.

Reason for Decision:  The HA1BID provided a vehicle to raise additional funds to invest in Harrow Metropolitan Town Centre and to provide a voice for businesses within the BID boundaries.

Report of the Corporate Director of Place and Director Housing.

Having agreed to note the confidential appendix to the officer report, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            the re-procurement of the Repairs and Voids Contract including PAP properties be approved, noting that the contract would commence on 1 July 2024 and expire on 30 June 2028 with the option to extend for a further 4 years in periods of 2 years.

[The 4 year and 8-year revenue budget value are £17.96m and £35.92m respectively.  Approval of capital expenditure of 7m, £1m per year within existing capital programme, from year 2 of contract.  Total revenue and capital budget total £43m].

(2)            the re-procurement of the Electrical Services and Water Hygiene Services Contract to all HRA stock and PAP properties, to be procured compliantly via a Framework in March 2024 for a period of 5 years with the option to extend for 2, be approved.

[Contract commencing on 1 July 2024 and will expire on 30 June 2029 with the option to extend for a further 2 years.  The 7-year revenue budget value is £3.51m].

(3)            authority be delegated to award contracts to the successful contractors for the above procurements to the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Housing and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Human Resources;

(4)            authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to make any changes required to the procurement documents following approval.

Reason for Decision:  The new contracts could offer the chance to review how the service could be improved to provide better service, satisfaction, value and care to Harrow’s tenants.  There were also many technical innovations that needed to be considered, to provide a streamlined process to Harrow’s residents, as well as ensuring that work towards creating value for money continued which was an essential consideration for a contract of this size.

Report of the Managing Director

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            the contents of the report be agreed and the recommendations of the Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Review team (as set out in Appendix A), be accepted;

(2)            the contents of the action plan prepared in response to those recommendations (Appendix B) be agreed and that implementation of the actions be delegated to the Managing Director, who would report progress to Cabinet or appropriate committee;

(3)            there would be a follow-up visit from members of the Peer Team, in early 2024, to review progress against the action plan (currently set for 8 January 2024).

Reason for Decision:  To respond to recommendations arising from LGA Corporate Peer Challenge 2023.

Report of the Managing Director

Having agreed to note the confidential appendix to the officer report, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            the commencement of a competitive procurement for the domestic abuse service for a contract term of three years to run from the 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2027, be approved;

(2)            splitting the provision of the Domestic Abuse service into two procurement Lots be approved:

·       Lot 1: Domestic Abuse Support Service: Strategic coordination and direct support to domestic abuse victims/survivors.

·       Lot 2: Safe Accommodation: Refuge Support and Management and Floating Support;

(3)            following the tender process, authority be delegated to the Interim Assistant Director Strategy and Partnerships (as the Acting Corporate Director of Resources post was vacant) following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Environment and Community Safety and Finance and Human Resources to award the contract(s) for both procurement lots in the new domestic abuse services; 

(4)            authority be delegated to the Interim Assistant Director of Strategy and Partnerships (as the Acting Corporate Director of Resources post was vacant)in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment & Community Safety Finance and Human Resources to allow any changes ahead of the final publication of the Invitation to Tender (ITT).

Reason for Decision:  The combined value of the two contracts to deliver the service was in excess of £500,000.  Therefore, Cabinet approval was required to re-procure the service.

Report of the Managing Director

RESOLVED:  That

(1)           Portfolio Holders continue to work with officers to achieve improvement against identified key challenges (Appendix 1 of the officer report);

(2)           the report be noted and confirmed that no changes had been identified.

Reason for Decision:  To enable Cabinet to be informed of performance against key measures and to identify and assign corrective action where necessary.