Agenda and minutes

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 Cabinet; and

(b)               all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Entire Agenda

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane, as a resident of Harrow, declared a non-pecuniary interest in respect of all items on the agenda.  He would remain in the room to listen to the debate on the items.

Agenda Item 7 – School Expansion Programme

During consideration of this item, Councillor Sue Anderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that her husband was Chair of Governors at Kingsbury High School.  She would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

No conflict of interest/dispensation granted for Cabinet Members.

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

RESOLVED:  To note that the following petition was received and referred to the appropriate Corporate Director(s) and the relevant Portfolio Holder(s) for consideration:

Petition: Bentley Day Centre – A local resident presented a petition signed by 19 residents with the terms of reference set out at appendix A.

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.

[The deadline for receipt of public questions is 3.00 pm, Monday 14 July 2014.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk  

No person may submit more than one question].

Such public and Councillor questions as were received were responded to and any recording placed on the Council’s website.  Those questions not reached at Cabinet would be responded to in writing and placed on the Council’s website, together with the answer to a supplemental public question.

RESOLVED: To note the contents of the Key Decision Schedule.

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That the Corporate Plan 2014-15 be adopted.

RESOLVED:  That the Leader of the Council be authorised to make any minor amendments to the Corporate Plan 2014-15, as necessary, prior to the matter going to Council.

Reason for Decision:  To update the Council’s Policy Framework and set out the Council’s Direction of Travel for the remainder of the financial year.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None for reasons set out in the report.

[Call-in does not apply as the decision is reserved to Council.]

Report of the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Families.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the update on the implementation of the School Expansion Programme be noted;

(2)               the statutory proposals to expand permanently a third phase of primary schools be published;

(3)               the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Families, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Young People, be delegated authority in relation to the decision about:

a.                  the final list of schools that should be moved to the statutory process for permanent expansion;

b.                  submitting expressions of interest for any maintained schools for inclusion in the Priority School Building Programme 2, as well as any academy that wished to be included in the local authority’s submission;

(4)               the variation to the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract, to enable the building expansion at Kingsley, Woodlands and Camrose Schools and the increased unitary payment to the PFI provider, be agreed.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Local Authority to fulfil its statutory duties to provide sufficient school places in its area and vary the PFI contract to enable the physical expansion of the school buildings at Kingsley, Woodlands and Camrose Schools.

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

Joint Report of the Interim Head of Paid Service and Corporate Director of Community, Health and Wellbeing and Director of Finance and Assurance.

RESOLVED:  That the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan Update 2014 be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To put in place an agreed 30-year HRA Business Plan for the purposes of long term planning, subject to annual review, and to enable delivery of agreed key housing objectives.

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

Report of the Interim Head of Paid Service and Corporate Director of Community, Health and Wellbeing.

Having considered the confidential appendix to the report, it was

RESOLVED:  That 

(1)               officers work up detailed plans for the regeneration of the Grange Farm Estate and enter into discussions with any adjacent landowners and interested parties and appoint consultants to assist in progressing the plans;

(2)               the further work identified for the other estates, as set out in the report, be agreed;

(3)               the consultancy and staffing budgets to support the above work be approved;

(4)               officers start negotiating the repurchase of former Council housing properties within the Grange Farm Estate, and use these either as decants or as temporary accommodation;

(5)               the future permanent lettings of properties on the Grange Farm Estate be suspended to avoid creation of further Secure Tenancies and use them instead for decants or temporary housing use;

(6)               increased expenditure from Housing Revenue Account (HRA) reserves, HRA capital receipts and the Affordable Housing Fund of up to £8.5m to fund development of the first phase of the infill new homes programme be approved;

(7)               the Interim Head of Paid Service and Corporate Director of Community, Health and Wellbeing, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, together with Director of Finance and Assurance, following consultation with Portfolio Holder for Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to accept tenders and enter into contracts for any matters referred to in this report and to submit grant applications and bids for additional resources which may contribute towards the Council’s housing regeneration initiatives;

(8)               officers continue to develop proposals within the range of financial parameters set out in this report and report back to Cabinet if there are substantive changes;

(9)               the following be noted:

·           draft Resident Engagement Plan for discussions and agreement with residents;

·           officers to undertake a Housing Needs Survey on the Grange Farm Estate to understand the specific re-housing needs of residents so that they can begin to identify potential decant properties;

·           the approach to repairs and improvements to the existing homes on the Grange Farm Estate while regeneration plans are being progressed;

·           the bid made to the Local Growth Fund for additional borrowing to support the development of new homes on infill sites and the revised budget estimates for this programme.

Reason for Decision:  The initial consultation and feasibility reviews have highlighted the potential for development on key sites, in particular the need to address fundamental issues with the Grange Farm Estate.  In order to progress the schemes and identify the true costs and development delivery plan, further preparatory works need to be undertaken.

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

Report of the Corporate Director of Environment and Enterprise.

RESOLVED:  That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director for Environment and Enterprise, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration, to enter into a contract with the contractor selected through the procurement process to redevelop Lowlands Recreation Ground.

Reason for Decision:  To enter into a contract with the successful contractor and complete the capital works in accordance with Grant Agreement, Cabinet decision of March 2012, and the Council’s Capital Programme allocation.

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

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

RESOLVED:  That the Commercial and Procurement Strategy be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure that the work of the Commercial, Contracts and Procurement Division supports the Council’s Priorities. 

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the £75m estimated budget gap for the four year period 2015/16 to 2018/19, as set out in paragraph 1.9 of the report, be noted;

(2)               the £30m indicative savings target for 2015/16 and the potential implication for Council services if this were proportionately allocated across Directorates, as set out in paragraphs 1.13 and 1.14 of the report, be noted;

(3)               officers undertake a budget process that delivers options to the Executive to meet the £30m indicative savings target for 2015/16 and proposals that contribute towards the balance of the £75m estimated budget gap, as set out in paragraph 1.21 of the report;

(4)               savings of £1.601m for in-year, 2014/15, with the budget being vired into the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Implementation Reserve and the Transforming Priorities Initiatives Fund (TPIF) in equal measure, as set out in paragraph 1.18 and appendix 1 of the report, be approved;

(5)               from the savings transferred into the TPIF, the allocation of £200,000 for tackling domestic violence, with the detailed spending plan to be reported to Cabinet in September 2014 and £50,000 to boost resources to the sports network, as set out in paragraph 1.18 of the report, be approved;

(6)               the proposals set out in Appendix 2 of the report be preferred options to meet a further 2014/15 savings value of £151,000 and authority be delegated to the relevant Corporate Directors to consult on these and report back to Cabinet for a decision on which proposals should be agreed, as set out in paragraph 1.20 of the report;

(7)               authority be delegated to the relevant Corporate Directors, following consultation with the respective Portfolio Holders, the decision on the proposals to progress delivery of savings from 2015/16, to launch any service specific consultations that are required in order to inform future decisions and to report back to Cabinet for a decision on which proposals should be agreed subject to consultation;

(8)               a budget consultation process be launched in September 2014 to inform the decision-making process that will deliver savings towards the £75m target, the details of which be delegated to the relevant Corporate Directors in consultation with the respective Portfolio Holders, as set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

Reason for Decision:  To agree a robust process to deliver the indicative savings target of £30m for 2015/16 and that the budget planning process and subsequent decisions are informed by appropriate consultation and equality impact assessments. 

To ensure that in-year (2014/15) savings of £1.601m are approved for immediate effect and officers are delegated the authority to progress with further opportunities for in-year (2014/15) savings of £151,000 to be brought back to Cabinet for consideration once necessary consultation has been completed.    

To allocate £250,000 from the TPIF to tackle domestic violence (£200,000) and to boost resources to the sports network.

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

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

RESOLVED:  To note the progress on achieving the Medium Term Financial Savings (MTFS) as at P2, end of May 2014.

Reason for Decision:  To receive an update on the progress in achieving the MTFS savings agreed at February 2014 Council.

Alternative Option Considered and Rejected:  None.

[Call-in does not apply, as the decision has been noted only.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted and the Portfolio Holders continue working with officers to achieve improvements against identified key challenges.

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

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the appointment of the identified Portfolio Holder Assistants and their responsibilities be approved;

(2)               the payment of Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) to the Portfolio Holder Assistants with the implementation date of 17 July 2014 be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the support to Cabinet Members in terms of information provision and management to contribute to and ensure an effective decision-making framework as part of the democratic process.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Which cannot otherwise be dealt with.

President of Harrow United Deaf Club

The Leader of the Council congratulated Mr Asif Iqbal MBE, President of Harrow United Deaf Club, who was seated in the public gallery, for being ranked as one of the top most 10 influential disabled people in Public Services.  Those present at the meeting applauded Mr Iqbal on this achievement.