Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Received from Councillor Glen Hearnden, Portfolio Holder for Housing.

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.

The following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 8 – Relocation of Harrow Pupil Referral Unit

Councillor Sue Anderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that her son had made use of the services provided at Cedars Hall.  She would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

Agenda Item 11 – Review of the Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme

Councillors Chris Mote and Janet Mote declared non-pecuniary interests in that their relative was affected by the Scheme.  They would remain in the room to listen to the debate on this matter.

That the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 10 April 2014 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

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 petitions were received and referred to the Corporate Director of Environment and Enterprise and, where appropriate, to the Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel:

1.                  Street Cleaning – Councillor Chris Mote submitted a petition signed by seven residents with the following terms of reference:  “We regret to inform that the street (slip road) in front of the houses stretching from house no: 180 to house number: 168 is not being cleaned.  Various things thrown by passers by are found littered on the street.  Weeds have overgrown by the edge of the footpath.  At times, a resident (details supplied) had phoned the department concerned to look into the matter but nothing was done.  May we expect that the department concerned will look into the matter to redress our grievances.”

2.                  Wyvenhoe Road – Councillor Jerry Miles submitted a petition signed by 36 residents with the following terms of reference:  “We the residents of Wyvenhoe Road, South Harrow, are petitioning for a CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) for Wyvenhoe Road, South Harrow, HA2.”

3.                  Scarsdale Road – Councillor Jerry Miles submitted a petition signed by 18 residents with the following terms of reference:  “We the undersigned sign this petition in support of the application to make Scarsdale Road a permit holders’ only road.  This would mean that no person will be allowed to park on this road unless they have a valid parking permit to park.  The restricted parking will be for 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.”

4.                  Kingsley Road – Councillor Jerry Miles submitted a petition signed by 11 residents in support of the application to make Kingsley Road a permit holders’ only road.  This would mean that no person will be allowed to park on this road unless they have a valid parking permit to park.  The restricted parking will be for 24 hours a day 7 days a week.”

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 23 June 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 would be placed on the Council’s website.  Councillor question 6 was brought forward and asked after Councillor question 2.  Those questions not reached at Cabinet would be responded to in writing and placed on the website.

The Leader of the Council reported that a key decision at agenda item 8 ‘Relocation of the Harrow Pupil Referral Unit’ had been added to the June Cabinet agenda since the publication of the Key Decision Schedule.

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

Joint report of the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Families, Corporate Director of Environment and Enterprise and Director of Finance and Assurance.

Following a minor change to the wording of recommendation 3, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) be relocated to the former Bentley Centre site;

(2)               the financial implications of the relocation to the Children’s Capital Programme and the Council’s Budget be noted;

(3)               authority be delegated to the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Families, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Children, Schools and Young People and Finance and Major Contracts, to appoint a contractor for the works to the former Bentley Centre site and to take all other necessary actions to give effect to the PRU re-location.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Local Authority to fulfil its statutory duties to provide sufficient school places in its area and secure provision for vulnerable and permanently excluded pupils.

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

[Call-in does not apply.]

Report of the Interim Corporate Director of Children and Families.

RESOLVED:  That the statutory proposals to create additional special educational need places in addition to the published admission number at the following mainstream schools from September 2015 be agreed:

·                     12 places at Earlsmead Primary School

·                     18 places at West Lodge Primary School.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Local Authority to fulfil its statutory duties to provide sufficient school places in its area.

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

Report of the Corporate Director of Environment and Enterprise.

RESOLVED:  That the officer responses to the queries raised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 March 2014 be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure continued progress in delivery of the Council’s Climate Change Strategy and the target to reduce carbon emissions.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               having considered and agreed that the local scheme be reviewed, it be agreed that, due to the requirement to make savings to the scheme, there was a need to change the Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme based on the options set out in paragraph 2.16 of the report;

(2)               the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to consult with the Greater London Authority (GLA), finalise the details and publish a draft scheme and consult with interested parties as set out in the report;

(3)               a report be submitted to the Cabinet in the autumn with a proposed scheme to enable Cabinet to make a recommendation to full Council to agree a scheme before 31 January 2015.

Reason for Decision:  The localised Council Tax Support (CTS) Scheme was determined by full Council and implemented on the 1 April 2013 after extensive consultation designed to ensure that residents within Harrow were given the opportunity to comment and help shape the final Scheme provisions. 

The Scheme design and consultation process were based upon retaining the provisions, including pre-defined changes, for two consecutive financial years, 2013/14 and 2014/15, so long as key conditions remained unchanged.  On the 21 November 2013, Cabinet considered whether a review was appropriate for the financial year 2014/15.  At that time it was agreed that no review should take place and the original two year scheme remained in place.

However, since that time there has been significant change to the Council’s funding streams; specifically government grants have reduced.  The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), agreed by Council in February 2014, showed a budget gap of £24.7m and £20.7m for 2015/16 and 2016/17 respectively.

This significant change in income from grants, together with growth pressures on certain key services that the Council must deliver, means that there are significant savings to be made across Council services, which require the Council to consider reviewing or replacing the scheme as determined by full Council.

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

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the revenue and capital outturn position for 2013/14 be noted;

(2)               the contributions to reserves outlined in paragraphs 21 to 27 of the report be approved;

(3)               the revenue carry forwards, outlined at paragraph 20 and detailed in Appendix 2 of the report, be approved;

(4)               the debt write off, outlined in paragraphs 29 and 30 of the report, be approved;

(5)               the net remaining revenue underspend of £1.354m be transferred to General Reserves;

(6)               the changes in quarter 4 to the Capital Programme, outlined in paragraph 33 of the report, be noted;

(7)               the carry forwards on the Capital Programme, outlined in table 2 (paragraph 31) and set out at Appendix 3 of the report, that have been approved under delegated authority by the Director of Finance and Assurance be noted;

(8)                the timetable for accounts completion and external audit review, as outlined in paragraph 39 of the report, be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To consider the financial position as at 31 March 2014.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

RESOLVED:  That the outturn position for treasury management activities for 2013/14 be noted, and the report be referred to the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee for review.

Reason for Decision:  To promote effective financial management and comply with the Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting) Regulations 2003 and other relevant guidance.  To be informed of treasury management activities and performance.

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

[Call-in does not apply.]

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the timetable for the preparation and consideration of the statutory Plans and Strategies, including the non-statutory plan and strategies, set out at Appendices A and B respectively, be approved;

(2)               variation to the timetable be reserved to the Leader of the Council;

(3)               other than the Corporate Plan, set out at Appendix B, the Corporate Equality Objectives be also submitted to Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet and Council.

Reason for Decision:  To comply with the requirements of paragraph 3 of the Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules set out in Section 4C of the Council’s Constitution.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.