Agenda and minutes

None received from Members of Cabinet.

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 7 December 2015. 

Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk  

No person may submit more than one question].

Public and Councillor questions accepted were responded to and any recording placed on the Council’s website.  Public Questioners 3 and 5 were not present at the meeting and they would be sent written responses which would be placed on the Council’s website.  Councillor questions 8 to 14 were not reached at Cabinet and the Councillors would be provided with written responses which would be placed on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED:  That the Key Decision Schedule be noted.

For consideration.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Report of the Divisional Director of Housing.

Having considered the confidential appendix, it was

Resolved to RECOMEND:  (to Council)

That a new Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Budget totalling £3.5m to finance the development of homes for private sale, two of these homes being in Masefield Avenue and the remainder on other sites identified in Appendix 1 to the report, the proceeds from which would be recycled to support the development of affordable homes included within the approved Homes for Harrow HRA infill development programme, be approved.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the contract to build two homes for private sale in Masefield Avenue be awarded to Company C, Indecon Building Ltd.;

(2)          the Divisional Director for Housing and the Director of Finance, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Housing and Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to accept tenders and enter into contract for any matters referred to in the report.

Reason for Decision:  To maximise under used HRA assets to generate cross subsidy to support building new affordable homes within mixed and balanced communities.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

[Call-in does not apply to decisions that are reserved to Council.]

Report of the Director of Finance.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That, in respect of Capital Expenditure incurred before 1 April 2008,  the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy be revised to read:

For capital expenditure incurred before 1 April 2008 or which in the future would be Supported Capital Expenditure, the Minimum Revenue Provision Policy be the equal annual reduction of 2% of the outstanding debt at 1 April 2015 for the subsequent 50 years.

Reason for Decision:  To make the Council’s Minimum Revenue Provision Policy more prudent and to create further capacity in the General Fund.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

[Call-in does not apply to decisions that are reserved to Council.]

Report of the Director of Finance.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council) 

That

(1)          an addition to the Capital Programme of £20m in order to proceed with the acquisition of the investment property portfolio be approved;

(2)          the treasury management Counterparty Policy be amended in respect of investment in a property portfolio from an upper limit of £10m to £20m.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Investment Property Strategy, as set out in in Appendix I to the report, be approved;

(2)          the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial be authorised to establish the most appropriate method of holding the proposed portfolio;

(3)          the Corporate Director of Community and the Director of Finance, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Finance and Major Contracts and Business, Planning and Regeneration,  be authorised to acquire an investment property portfolio at a total cost not exceeding £20m with no single purchase to exceed £5m;

(4)          the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial be authorised to enter into an Inter Authority Agreement with Luton Borough Council for the provision of property investment advisory services.

Reason for Decision:  To progress the Council’s Investment Property Strategy in accordance with the requirements of the “Commercialisation Strategy 2015?2018.”

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

[Call-in does not apply to decisions that are reserved to Council.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

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

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

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

[Call-in does not apply to items that have been noted.]

Report of the Divisional Director of Housing.

Having considered the confidential appendices, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the proposed scheme for giving equity loans to resident owners living on Grange Farm where they were unable to afford suitable alternative accommodation with the sale proceeds from their existing home be approved and the Divisional Director of Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be delegated the power to use discretion in the exercise of the equity loan scheme to increase the Council’s loan where owners faced additional difficulty in securing comparable property;

(2)          the potential to include land currently occupied by the Northolt Road Community Centre and adjacent flat block 29 in the negotiations with bidding developers be approved, including the negotiation and conclusion of any necessary agreements with existing occupiers, the taking of all other necessary steps, in order to secure vacant possession of the site, be also approved;

(3)          the negotiation and conclusion of an agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the acquisition of the land used by Air Cadets at Northolt Road, as outlined in the report, be approved;

(4)          authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Major Contracts and the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to agree any final terms relating to the above resolutions and to enter into necessary contracts.

Reason for Decision:  In order to facilitate the acquisition of leasehold flats prior to the demolition of the Grange Farm Estate.  To support resident owners in acquiring new homes.  The potential to incorporate the activities taking place at the Northolt Road Community Centre into the new Grange Farm Community Centre allowed for consideration of the development potential of the site which could be used to make the development of Grange Farm more affordable.  The acquisition of the land owned by the MoD would enhance the entrance to the new estate from Northolt Road.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Divisional Director of Commissioning Services.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Highway Adoption Policy, set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved;

(2)          the Divisional Director of Commissioning Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Crime and Community Safety, be authorised to make any minor amendments required to the Policy before it was published.

Reason for Decision:  A written policy was required to ensure a consistent approach in considering requests for highway adoption and stopping up.  The Highway Adoption and Stopping-up Policy would help the Council discharge its duties in respect of highway adoption and stopping-up.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Public Health.

Following a correction to ‘Sub Regions proposed’, the table on page 132 of the agenda refers, in that Harrow was participating in the Outer North West (NWL) sub-region procurement rather than the Inner NWL project as stated in the report and that the inner boroughs were ‘Hammersmith and Fulham (H&F), Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (K&C), Westminster’ and the outer boroughs were ‘Brent, Harrow, Ealing’ it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Council’s participation in a pan-London procurement for a web-based system to include a ‘front-end’ portal, joined up partner notification and home/self-sampling, be approved;

(2)          the Council’s participation in North West London (NWL) outer sub-regional arrangements with Brent and Ealing Councils for the procurement of Genitourinary Medicine (GUM) and Contraception and Sexual Health Service (CaSH) Services and other local authority commissioned sexual health services, such as primary care sexual health services, outreach and prevention including HIV, be approved;

(3)          authority to award contracts, as set out in the resolutions 1 and 2 above, be delegated to the Director of Public Health or appropriate Director, following consultation with the Corporate Director of People, Director of Finance and the Portfolio Holders for Finance and Major Contracts and Public Health, Equality and Wellbeing or appropriate alternatives;

(4)          the Director of Public Health be authorised to approve the Council’s participation in pan-London agreements on cross charging and lead commissioning and enter into any associated legal agreements;

(5)          the progress made in developing options for the future commissioning and procurement of GUM services and the named inclusion of the Harrow and Barnet Council onto the Prior Indicative Notice (PIN) and in the Official Journal of European Union (OJEU) be noted.

Reason for Decision:  GUM and CaSH are statutory services and the contracts would be funded wholly from the Public Health budget allocation.  To procure a new service and to enter into any collaborative arrangements with other London Councils.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance.

Following an amendment to Recommendation 1 in the report, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the draft budget for 2016/17 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2016/17 to 2018/19 be approved for general consultation as set out in Appendices 1A, 1B, 1C and 2 to the report, subject to reference to PH_13 ‘Health Visiting – full review of service provision’ under savings for Public Health, page 328 of the agenda refers, being deleted;

(2)          the balanced budget position for 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, paragraph 1.9 of the report refers, be noted;

(3)          the proposal to increase Council Tax by 1.99% in 2016/17, paragraph 1.12 of the report refers, be noted;

(4)          the structure of the Schools Funding Formula for 2016-17, un-changed from the 2015/16 formula agreed last year, as set out in Appendix 3 to the report, be approved;

(5)          the draft Public Health Budget for 2016/17, as set out in Appendix 4 to the report, be approved;

(6)          the sum of £245,298 as Harrow’s contribution to the London Grant Scheme in 2016/17, paragraph 1.28 of the report refers, be agreed;

(7)          it be noted that final approval would be sought from Cabinet and Council in February 2016.

Reason for Decision:  To publish a draft budget for 2016/17 and MTFS to 2018/19.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Joint Report of the Director of Finance and Divisional Director of Housing.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the draft Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget be approved for consultation;

(2)          the proposed average rent of £113.85 per week for 2016-17, representing a decrease of 1% in average rent from the 2015-16 figure in line with the proposed Welfare Reform and Work Bill be noted;

(3)          an average tenant service charge of  £2.94 per week, an increase of 1%, as set out in appendix 2 to the report, be approved for consultation;

(4)          the proposed increases in facility and water charges, set out at appendices 4 and 5, and Community Centre charges set out at appendix 6 to the report, be approved for consultation;

(5)          the draft four year Capital Programme be approved for consultation;

(6)          the appropriation of a General Fund property into the HRA to help alleviate the homeless pressures and replace it by appropriating a Community Hall from the HRA be approved;

(7)          it be noted that final approval of the budget and MTFS would be sought from Cabinet and Council in February 2016 following consultation.

Reason for Decision:  To publish the draft HRA budget and Capital Programme for consultation. To undertake a property rationalisation exercise to appropriate a dwelling from the General Fund that could be used by housing to help the homeless situation and to appropriate a Community Hall to the General Fund to replace it. 

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the revenue and capital forecast positions detailed in the report as at Quarter 2 2015/16 be noted;

(2)          additions to the Capital Programme of externally funded spend in paragraphs 154 and 155 of the report in respect of an addition to the Transport for London (TfL) funded Local Implementation Plan (LIP) and an increase in the budget for Grants to Move be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To report the 2015/16 forecast financial position as at 30 September 2015.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the draft Capital Programme, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, be approved for consultation;

(2)          it be noted that the final version of the Capital Programme setting out the results of the consultation would be brought back to Cabinet in February 2016 with final approval being by Council in February 2016.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Council to have an approved Capital Programme for 2016/17 to 2019/20 and to enable preparation work to be undertaken for future years.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

Following an amendment to Recommendation 3 of the report requiring a report back on the revised figures, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the non domestic rates estimates and calculations be calculated in accordance with the regulations, as follows:

(2)          the above information be provided to the Secretary of State and the Greater London Authority (GLA) by 31 January 2016;

(3)          the Council's Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 officer), following  consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to submit revised figures from those above to the Secretary of State and GLA by 31 January 2016, if further clarification was received from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on the financial impact of the proposed changes to the authority and how this was to be calculated, and the revised figures submitted be reported back to Cabinet.

Reason for Decision:  To fulfil the Council’s statutory obligation to provide estimates and calculations in relation to NDR for 2016-2017.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.

Report of the Director of Finance.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          an overall net estimated surplus of £2.679m on the Collection Fund, which included a surplus of £5.304m on Council Tax (Harrow share £4.281m) and deficit of £2.625m on Business Rates (Harrow share £0.787m) as at 31 March 2016, be noted; 

(2)          Harrow’s share of £3.5m be agreed and this be transferred to the General Fund in 2016-17.

Reason for Decision:  To adhere to the Council’s statutory obligation to estimate the surplus or deficit on the Collection Fund for the year end and as a major part of the annual budget review process.

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

Conflict of Interest relating to the matter declared by Cabinet Member/Dispensation Granted:  None.