Agenda and minutes

The Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services and Community Safety introduced the report, which had been agreed by the Safer Harrow Management Group (SHMG) on 17 June 2008 and considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 29 July 2008. She detailed the priorities set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report.

The Divisional Director of Environmental Services advised that the Plan would assist the Council in maintaining Harrow as one of the safest boroughs in London and in tackling the fear of crime. The Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services added that there had been a notable reduction in youth offending during the summer period which could be attributed to the range of activities that had been made available.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That the draft Community Safety Partnership Plan Priorities for 2008-2011, attached as an appendix to the report of the Divisional Director of Environmental Services, be approved.

Reason for Recommendation:  It was a statutory requirement for the Community Safety Partnership Plan and Priorities to be refreshed and published annually.

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

(a)               all Members of the Cabinet; and

(b)               all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that no interests were declared by Members present in relation to the business to be transacted at the meeting.

Of the Cabinet meeting held on 17 July 2008 to be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 July 2008, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

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

The Chairman drew attention to the tabled supplemental agenda which contained item 12, Changes in Panel and Advisory Committee Memberships.

RESOLVED:  That all business be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following item for the reasons set out below:-

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 notice of them was received and there be a time limit of 15 minutes.

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions had been received.

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

Questions will be asked in the order notice of them was received and there be a time limit of 15 minutes.

RESOLVED:  To note that no Councillor Questions had been received.

The Chairman advised that he had requested that a plan, similar in format to the forward plan, be prepared to detail forthcoming items to Council.

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the Forward Plan for the period 1 September – 31 December 2008.

For consideration

RESOLVED:  To receive and note the current progress on Scrutiny Reviews.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Portfolio Holder for Performance, Communication and Corporate Services introduced the report, which summarised Council and service performance against key measures and drew attention to areas requiring action.  He advised that the report was in a new format in line with the Council’s corporate priorities.

RESOLVED:  That (1) Portfolio Holders continue to work with officers to achieve improvement against identified key challenges;

(2)  the report be noted.

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

Report of the Divisional Director of Human Resources and Development

The Portfolio Holder for Performance, Communication and Corporate Services introduced the report, which set out the process followed in developing the recommended council values.   The Divisional Director for Human Resources and Development advised that the next stage of the process was to embed the values to ensure that they were ‘lived’.

RESOLVED:  That the recommended council values be agreed.

Reason for Decision:  In order to achieve the Council’s ambitions for 2012, consultation had taken place with elected members, senior and middle managers and staff to identify a set of council values that were recognised by all and that established the foundation for cultural change.

Report of the Assistant Chief Executive

The Portfolio Holder for Performance, Communication and Corporate Services introduced the report, which set out the proposed Year Ahead Statement that should be used to drive the direction of Corporate and Service Improvement Planning for 2009/10.  The Residents’ Panel would be consulted on this document.

The Portfolio Holder advised that the priorities for 2009/10 were

·                     Better streets

·                     To improve support for vulnerable people; and

·                     To build stronger communities.

RESOLVED:  That the proposed Year Ahead Statement and Corporate Priorities be agreed for consultation with residents through the Residents’ Panel.

Reason for Decision:  The Year Ahead Statement was adopted to drive the Corporate and Service Planning process for 2009/10.  This would result in the agreement of a Corporate Plan and Service Improvement Plans at Cabinet February 2009, alongside the budget.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services

The Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Partnership and Finance introduced the report, which proposed changes in the membership of various panels of Cabinet.

RESOLVED:  That the following changes in memberships be agreed:-

Reason for Decision:  To ensure the efficient running of Cabinet appointed bodies and that these reflected the wishes of the Conservative Group.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance

The Corporate Director of Finance introduced the report, which set out the current position with regard to risk management within Harrow Council and made a number of recommendations. She advised Members of the reasons for the recommendations.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the current position be noted;

(2)  the following items be agreed:

-          Risk Management Strategy/Policy for 2008;

-          Recommencement of the Corporate Risk Management Steering Group;

-          Support the principle of an e-based risk register system;

-          Confirmation of the process for reviewing the strategic risk register.

Reason for Decision:  To formally adopt the revised proposals for managing risks across the Council and to support the Council’s improvement programme.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance

The Corporate Director of Finance introduced the report, which set out the Council’s revenue and capital forecast position for 2008-2009 at the end of June 2008.  She proposed an amendment to the recommendations as there was a need to have an explicit decision in relation to the Street Lighting Private Finance Initiative (PFI) in order to meet regulatory requirements.

The Corporate Director of Finance reported that an under spend of £600,000 was currently forecast, the reasons for which were set out in paragraph 5 of her report.  The forecast in relation to General Fund balances was £4.6m when the revenue forecast position was taken into account.  This indicated that good progress had been made.  However, in the current economic climate, there was considerable uncertainty.

The Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Partnership and Finance drew Members attention to the special projects fund and indicated that he hoped his fellow portfolio holders would support the allocations detailed in paragraph 10 of the Corporate Director’s report.  In terms of the current economic climate, the Portfolio Holder reported that the Council deposited its funds with triple A entities and not one financial institution alone.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the revenue and capital forecast outturn position for 2008-2009 and the management actions to manage the pressures be noted;

(2)  the virements requested for the revenue budget and the allocation of £200,000 to the Street Lighting PFI be approved;

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (3)  the additions to the Capital Programme, as set out in appendix 3 of the Corporate Director of Finance’s report, be approved;

(4)  £3.6m of capital funding to achieve the Council’s ambition for decent homes be rephased from 2009/10 into 2008/09;

(5)  the allocation of the special projects fund, as set out at paragraph 10 of the Corporate Director of Finance’s report, be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To confirm the forecast financial position as at 30 June 2008.

Report of the Corporate Director of Finance

The Corporate Director of Finance introduced the report, which updated Cabinet on the current arrangements for external funding in the Council, the amount of external funding known to have been achieved by the Council in 2007/08 and 2008/09 to date and key issues relating to external funding.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  The report provided Cabinet with an update on current arrangements and successes on external funding from May 2007 to July 2008.

Report of the Director of Schools and Children’s Development

The Portfolio Holder for Schools and Children’s Development introduced the report, which set out the outcome of the statutory consultation about the future organisation of Belmont First School and Belmont Middle School and the recommendations of the governing bodies that the two schools amalgamate in September 2009.  She advised that there had been no objections to the amalgamation during the consultation.

RESOLVED:  That Statutory Notices be published which would have the effect of combining Belmont First and Middle Schools if implemented.

Reason for Decision:  For Cabinet to consider the outcome of the statutory consultation, to exercise the local authority’s statutory responsibility in relation to school organisation and consider whether to publish statutory notices to effect the change.

Report of the Divisional Director, Environmental Services

(See Recommendation I).

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment

The Portfolio Holder for Planning, Development and Enterprise introduced the report which identified the need to amend the existing local development scheme (LDS) to reflect the new timing for producing key development plan documents (DPDs) and supplementary planning documents (SPDs).  Additionally, the report identified the impact recent changes to planning legislation made by the Government had on the Council’s local development framework process and the necessary work required to ensure the core strategy evidence base was robust.  A Harrow Town Centre Supplementary Planning Document was proposed as one measure to help mitigate the impact of national policy changes on the delivery of the Local Development Framework (LDF) core strategy. 

The Portfolio Holder drew attention to the recommendations of the Local Development Framework Panel and, in particular, that the Government’s intention to simplify the process had, in reality, placed extra demands on local authorities which had proven to be problematic.  She added that the recommendations from the Panel had received cross party support.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the Local Development Scheme (LDS) be revised;

(a)                 to reflect the new timeline;

(b)                to better reflect the time needed to prepare and update the evidence base for the Core Strategy.

(2)  a Harrow Town Supplementary Planning Document be prepared to help manage the development pressure in the town centre;

(3)  the revised LDS be submitted to the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Government Office for London (GOL) for approval.

Reasons for Decision:  To (1) ensure the Council stood the best possible chance of the LDF core strategy being found sound by the planning inspectorate at an examination in public and avoid unnecessary delays in the adoption of the core strategy by allowing more time to prepare a robust evidence base;

(2)  ensure interim controls were developed to help manage development pressure on Harrow Town Centre, whilst the LDF core strategy was being prepared for submission to the Secretary of State;

(3)  ensure the Council received the maximum possible amount of funds from the Government through the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant for the plan-making, by having an up?to?date local development scheme.

(4)  forward the revised LDS to both GOL and GLA for final approval to replace the existing LDS (2007), prior to the Council implementing the revised LDS.

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment

Members considered a confidential report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment, which set out the conclusions of a study undertaken by PriceWaterhouseCooper into the viability of redeveloping the Civic Centre site, to include a new Corporate Headquarters

RESOLVED:  That (1) the contents of the report be noted;

(2)  in relation to the Civic Centre site,

(i)                   a project be commenced to enable the development of the Civic Centre site, the establishment of a new Civic Centre and Corporate Headquarters (on that site or elsewhere) together with a capital surplus, noting that this would include marketing of the existing Civic Centre site, and the completion of a comprehensive Options Appraisal to determine the Council’s accommodation requirements;

(ii)                 a capital budget of up to £150,000 in 2008/09 be approved and sourced from the existing capital programme, to provide for project management and professional fees;

(3)  in relation to the College Site

(i)                   the purchase of the Harrow College Lowlands Road Campus be approved for the sum set out in report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment, together with an additional sum, also detailed in the report, to cover stamp duty and fees; 

(ii)                 an amendment to the 2008-09 capital programme be approved to add £150,000 for the deposit and costs, to be funded from within the existing programme;

(iii)                the new capital programme for 2009-10 to 2011-12 (to be presented to Cabinet in draft December and for final approval in February 2009) include the remainder of the purchase price and costs in 2011-12.

(iv)               on exchange of contracts in respect of the Harrow College Lowlands Road campus, it be agreed that the property agreement with Harrow College, signed in July 2007, be amended to remove the obligation on Harrow College to pay the ‘public transport infrastructure contribution’, the amount of which was detailed in  Corporate Director of Community and Environment’s report.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the development of the existing Civic Centre site, the establishment of a new Civic Centre and Corporate Headquarters, and the realisation of additional capital receipts, and the facilitation of the Harrow College development.

(See also Minute 472).