Agenda and minutes

Of the Cabinet meeting held on 14 December 2006 to be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 December 2006, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

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

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

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following agenda items be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:-

(2) all business be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following item for the reason set out below:-

(3)  it be noted that agenda item 9 – Organisation Review had been withdrawn.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors.

Councillor Eric Silver presented a petition containing 65 signatures in relation to a development at 37 Norwood Drive (planning ref: P/1973/04/DFU).  He read the terms of the petition to the meeting, which were as follows:-

"We, the residents of Norwood Drive, North Harrow, hereby sign this petition in protest at the development of No.37 into 7 self-contained flats.  Original planning application was for a 5-bedroom house ref: P/1973/04/DFU."

RESOLVED: That the petition be noted and referred to the Development Management Committee.

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

(Note:  Paragraph 16 of the Executive Procedure Rules stipulates that questions will be asked in the order notice of them was received and that there be a time limit of 15 minutes.)

RESOLVED:  To note that the following public question had been received:

1.

[Note:  An oral answer was provided to the above question and, under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 16.4, the questioner asked a supplementary question which was additionally answered].

Fifteen minutes will be allowed for Members of the Council to ask a Portfolio Holder a question on any matter in relation to which the Executive has powers or duties.

RESOLVED:  To note the following Councillor Questions had been received:

1.

2.

[Note:  Oral answers were provided to the above questions and, in accordance with the Councillor Question Time Rules, each questioner asked a supplemental question that was additionally answered].

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the Forward Plan for the period 1 January – 30 April 2007.

(if any).

Cabinet received the report, which provided information on the work of the Children’s Scrutiny Panel, the views of young people and officers regarding the Green Paper on Children Looked After and summarised Harrow’s position on these matters.

The Portfolio Holder for People First – Children’s Services indicated her gratitude to the Scrutiny Sub-Committee and officers for their comprehensive report.  The Chairman commented that the report presented a good example of Scrutiny and the Executive working together.

The Portfolio Holder for People First – Children’s Services proposed an amendment to recommendation 1 on page 20 of the report in order to provide greater clarity and it was

RESOLVED:  That (1) the proposals of the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Sub?Committee, as set out in Appendix C to the officer report, be approved, subject to Recommendation 4 being amended to “…encourage every Member of the Council…”;

(2)  the Portfolio Holder for People First – Children’s Services be authorised to respond to the Green Paper in line with the scrutiny and consultation responses.

Reason for Decision:  To improve the life chances and outcomes for Children Looked After.

Report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy

The Director of Financial and Business Strategy introduced the report, which advised that the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended by the Local Government Act 2003, required the Authority to formally calculate its Council Tax Taxbase for 2007?2008 and to pass this information to precepting authorities by 31 January 2007.

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Business Matters indicated that Harrow had one of the highest Council Tax collection rates in London.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the Band D equivalent number of taxable properties be calculated, as set out in the appendix to the report of the Director of Financial and Business Strategy, in accordance with the Government regulations;

(2)  the provision for uncollectable amounts of Council Tax for 2007?2008 be agreed at 1.5% producing an expected collection rate of 98.5%;

(3)  subject to (1) and (2) above, the Council Tax Taxbase for 2007-2008 of 84,926 Band D equivalent properties (being 86,219 x 98.5%) be approved, allowing for payment in lieu of Ministry of Defence properties.

Reason for Decision:  To fulfil the Council's statutory obligation to set the Council Tax Taxbase for 2007?2008.

Report of the Director of Adult Community Care Services

The Portfolio Holder for Adult Community Care Services and Issues facing People with Special Needs introduced the report, which set out the public response to the statutory consultations on the proposed changes to the Meals on Wheels service.

RESOLVED:  (1)  To retain a hot meals service only for those service users who were assessed as being unable to reheat a meal themselves;

(2)  to offer a frozen meals service or the option for service users to use Direct Payments to purchase their own meals from a supplier of their choice;

(3)  to apply a common subsidy of 44% of the total cost of production to both hot and frozen meals resulting in a charge of £2.78 for frozen meals and £4.25 for hot meals, and for these charges to be reviewed annually;

(4)  that, following implementation of resolutions (1), (2) and (3) above, a review of the Hot Asian Meals production kitchen be undertaken and the outcome of the review be reported back to Cabinet as soon as possible.

Reason for Decision:  To determine proposals concerning the future delivery of the service.

Report of the Director of Strategic Services

The Acting Chief Executive introduced the report, which set out a proposed new framework for monitoring and maintaining oversight of the LIFT/PFI project to replace the HOST Panel.

RESOLVED:  That (1) an informal Member Steering Group be established, comprising the Deputy Leader, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Community Care Services and Issues Facing People with Special Needs and an Opposition Member, to maintain a general overview of the project;

(2)  the responsibility for more formal periodic monitoring of the project remain with the Scrutiny Sub?Committee for Adult Health and Social Care and, with the agreement of the Chairman of the Sub?Committee, a report be made to the Sub?Committee following agreement of the Stage 2 process by Cabinet.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure that Members were kept fully briefed about progress with the project.

Report of the Director of Children’s Services

The Portfolio Holder for People First – Children’s Services introduced the report, which proposed the establishment of a Corporate Parenting Panel to enable the Council to fulfil its duties as Corporate Parent to Children Looked After by the Council.

The Portfolio Holder for People First – Children’s Services advised that the use of Education Champions by Barnet Council had resulted in definite improvements in children’s achievements, and proposed that the first meeting of the Corporate Parenting Panel consider ways in which Harrow could develop Barnet’s ideas with a ‘Harrow flavour’.

Nominations for membership of the Panel were tabled and it was

RESOLVED:  To (1) establish a Corporate Parenting Panel as an Advisory Panel to Cabinet to meet on a quarterly basis;

(2)  establish the Panel as a proportionate body comprising six Elected Members and Reserves (as shown at Appendix 1 to these minutes) and that Councillor Janet Mote be appointed Chairman for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2006/07;

(3)  agree the Terms of Reference for the Panel attached as Appendix 2 to these minutes.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Council to fulfil its responsibility as a Corporate Parent.

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living)

The Executive Director (Urban Living) introduced the report, which set out details of the vacant former allotments site and proposed disposal of the site for best consideration.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the Executive Director (Urban Living) be authorised to negotiate the best possible purchase price for the sale of the site;

(2)  authority be delegated to the Executive Director (Urban Living) to consider and arbitrate on any objections received following advertisement of the proposed disposal.

Reason for Decision:  To enable a redundant site to be sold raising a capital receipt for the Council at best consideration.  The proposal was consistent with the Council’s Corporate Priority of tackling waste and giving real value for money.

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living)

The Cabinet received a report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) which proposed that Harrow participate in a London?wide “Scores on the Doors” pilot scheme in partnership with the Food Standards Agency.  The scheme aimed to publish food hygiene inspection information on the internet.

In response to a question from a Member, officers advised that the anticipated implementation date for the scheme was mid?summer 2007.

RESOLVED: To agree that Harrow Council participate in a London-wide “Scores on the Doors” pilot scheme, as outlined in the body of the report of the Executive Director (Urban Living).

Reason for Decision:  To improve consumer access to public information in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Environmental Information legislation in a cost effective and efficient way.

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living)

The Cabinet received a report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) which provided information on a proposal to reorganise the Trading Standards Service.

An additional recommendation was proposed and it was

RESOLVED:  To (1) endorse the reorganisation of the Brent and Harrow Trading Standards Service as outlined in the body of the report of the Executive Director (Urban Living);

(2) undertake a strategic service review of the reorganised Trading Standards service in 2007/8 to inform the 2008/9 budget decision making process.

Reason for Decision:  Comparisons between this Service and neighbouring and CIPFA “family” authorities had shown that the cost of the Service per 1000 population was high.  A study of the management structure identified that it appeared “top heavy” and should be targeted to reduce costs to provide Gershon and direct savings.

Report of the Executive Director (Urban Living)

The Cabinet received a confidential report of the Executive Director (Urban Living) in this regard.

RESOLVED:  To (1) authorise submission of the Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport, for their approval;

(2)  authorise proceeding to full PFI procurement, conditional upon Department for Transport approval;

(3)  delegate authority to the Executive Director (Urban Living), in liaison with the Portfolio Holder for Urban Living (Community Safety and Public Realm) to approve any necessary amendments to the OBC post-Cabinet but prior to submission to the Department for Transport.

Reason for Decision:  To comply with the Department for Transport’s deadline for submission of Harrow’s OBC by 31 March 2007.

The Chairman proposed a number of changes to the memberships of the Cabinet Advisory Panels.

RESOLVED:  That the schedule attached at Appendix 3 to these minutes be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To revise the memberships of a number of Cabinet bodies.

The Chairman expressed his appreciation for John Robinson’s outstanding service to the Council.