Agenda and minutes

Received from Councillor Anne Whitehead, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Older People.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 9 – Project Infinity – Award of Contract

Councillor Sue Anderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in that a family member was in receipt of a personal budget from the Council.  She would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

Agenda Item 10 – Corporate Parenting Strategy Update

Councillor Simon Brown declared a non-pecuniary interest in that his daughter worked for CNWL in Harrow which had been mentioned in the report.  He would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

To note that the following petition had been received:

Petition:  Save ‘The Bridge’, in Harrow from closure by the Council

Meena and Naresh submitted a petition signed by 1,600 people with the following terms of reference:

“Please continue the funding for ‘The Bridge’ next to the Harrow Leisure Centre, Christchurch Avenue, Harrow.  We believe this service is a lifeline to many mentally ill people in Harrow.  If it closes, the effects will be devastating.

Why is this important?  The Bridge is a purpose built centre for mentally ill people.  It’s an activity drop in centre with a café.  It helps people to develop coping strategies, breaks isolation and provides an essential ongoing support for vulnerable people.”

The petitioners also referred to an online petition signed by 300 people. Additionally, the above petition also contained three pages of an earlier petition with the following terms of reference:  “We, the undersigned, hereby petition Harrow Council and ask that the decision to close The Bridge should be reconsidered as the impact of the closure on service users, their carers, families and the wider community has not been thought through”.

RESOLVED:  That the petition(s) be referred to the Corporate Director of People and the Portfolio Holder for Adults and Older People for consideration.

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 18 April 2016].

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.

RESOLVED:  That the Key Decision Schedule be noted.

For consideration.

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Report of the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning.

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council) 

That the following new projects be funded through the London Regeneration Fund and other external funding in 2016/17 to 2019/20 Capital Programme:

·                     Artisan Workspace £0.66m;

·                     Creation of a public Town Square in Wealdstone £1.165m.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning, and Regeneration, be authorised to enter into a £1.5m London Regeneration Fund Grant Agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA);

(2)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration, be authorised to begin a procurement process to select and appoint a contractor to deliver the Project Objectives set out in the Grant Funding Agreement and to enter into contract with the selected contractor to deliver the Project Objectives.

Reason for Decision:  To secure the LRF Grant to fund activities, which would promote job creation, business growth, and regeneration in Wealdstone, one of Harrow’s most deprived Wards.  To support the Corporate Priorities ‘To Make a Difference for Business’ and ‘To make a Difference for Communities’ and the Vision of Building a Better Harrow.  To help deliver the agreed activities in the Grant Agreement.

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 the Recommendation, as the decision is reserved to Council.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

Having considered and noted the tabled reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council) 

That the ‘Vision’ for Equalities be endorsed and the revised Corporate Equality Objectives and the Action Plan to support these, Appendix 1 to the report refers, be agreed.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure equalities were key to service development and decision making, the Council’s services were fair and equitable, improved the Council’s services, increased customer satisfaction and complied with the Council’s obligations under the equalities legislation and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

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 the Recommendation, as the decision is reserved to Council.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Community.

Having deleted reference to Appendix 1 at paragraph 9.4 of the report and agreed to the inclusion of an additional recommendation (resolution 3 below refers), it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          from September 2016, Harrow enter into a Shared Service arrangement for the provision of Special Needs Transport to the London Borough of Brent;

(2)          Harrow lead on the necessary procurement of Special Needs Transport labour supply and taxi contracts to meet the needs of the Shared Service;

(3)          the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder of Environment, Crime and Community Safety, be authorised to negotiate and agree the terms of the Inter Authority Agreement.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure that the Council met its obligations regarding Special Needs Transport.

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 Commercial, Contracts and Procurement.

RESOLVED:  That the Corporate Director of People, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Adults and Older People and Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to award the contract.

Reason for Decision:  To generate income which would enable savings proposals included in the Medium Term Financial Strategy to be delivered. 

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 People.

Having considered the tabled recommendation from the Corporate Parenting Panel, it was

RESOLVED:  That the Strategy update and progress made be noted, including the recommendation from the Corporate Parenting Panel.

Reason for Decision:  To be aware of how Corporate Parenting responsibilities were being carried out.

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 as the decision has been noted.]

Report of the Chief Executive.

RESOLVED:  That the development of proposals for the regeneration of the wider site adjacent to Byron Park partly occupied by Harrow Leisure Centre and other facilities through the procurement strategy of master planning, urban design and planning services be approved and the award of contract(s)  be delegated, as follows:

(1)          procurement for the appointment of one or more specialist consultants or contractors to provide any services (including multi-disciplinary services) required under RIBA Stages 0-4 for the design and development of the site adjacent to Byron Park containing Harrow Leisure Centre, car park and other sports/leisure facilities, Appendix A refers, be commenced;

(2)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Business, Planning and Regeneration, Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to appoint one or more consultants or contractors to provide any services, including multi-disciplinary services, required under RIBA Stages 0-4 for the wider site adjacent to Byron Park;

(3)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration and the Directors of Finance and Legal and Governance Services, be authorised to enter into discussions and any agreement/s with existing leaseholders for the Council owned sites that form part of the site, as set out in section 2.3 to the report;

(4)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration and the Directors of Finance and Legal and Governance Services, be authorised to enter into any other agreements and take any other necessary actions, acting within approved capital budgets, to give effect to the regeneration programme outlined in the report;

(5)          £1m  of the 2016/17 regeneration capital budget be released and used for the first phase of this project, as set out in the financial implications section of the report;

(6)          it be noted that any masterplanning exercise would enable residents and other stakeholders to be involved and feed into the site regeneration journey from beginning to end through a detailed engagement process;

(7)          it be noted that the programme supported the commercialisation agenda through the delivery of Private Rented Sector housing on Council-owned sites, creating an on-going source of revenue for the Council;

(8)          it be noted that officers would bring a borough-wide Leisure Facilities Strategy for Cabinet’s consideration later in 2016 as part of and to help inform the masterplanning exercise.

Reason for Decision:  To proceed with the procurement of master-planning, urban design and planning services for the wider Harrow Leisure Centre site and first phase detailed design to RIBA Stages 0-4, as one of Harrow’s key regeneration sites in the Build a Better Harrow Programme.  To note that the masterplan would also identify opportunities to refurbish or rebuild Harrow Leisure Centre as the key hub for the site and that there would be a detailed engagement process with residents and stakeholders to inform the masterplan.

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.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 368.

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

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

Reason for Decision:  To be informed of performance against key measures and to 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 as the decision has been noted.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          it be noted that CTS Scheme met the Council’s statutory duties and that no changes were proposed;

(2)          having considered whether to review the local scheme, it be agreed that there was no need to review it and that the existing CTS  Scheme, as previously adopted by full Council, be continued with for the financial year 2017/18.

Reason for Decision:  The current CTS Scheme was based upon retaining the initial provisions for two consecutive financial years, 2013/14 and 2014/15, so long as key conditions remained unchanged, thereafter, the Scheme was to be reviewed annually.

The Scheme had been reviewed annually since 2014, and to date had not been changed.  There had been no significant fundamental changes, either in caseload, demographics or the economy, which required the Council to consider reviewing or replacing the Scheme as determined by full Council.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  To review the Scheme.

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

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

Having considered the confidential appendix, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the analysis and evaluation findings, set out at Appendix 1 to the report, be noted;

(2)          a contractor regarding LOT 2, the general administration of the concessionary travel service, not be appointed;

(3)          the appointment of Access Independent Limited to deliver LOT 1, namely the provision of mobility assessments / clinical assessments regarding non-automatic applications for Blue Badges, Taxi Cards and Freedom Passes, be approved;

(4)          the appointment for an initial term starting on 1 June 2016 and ending on 31 May 2020, therefore representing a period of four years of service provision, and enable contract documentation to be finalised expeditiously to ensure operational commencement from 1 June 2016 be approved;

(5)          Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Major Contracts, be authorised to finalise any outstanding contractual matters; 

(6)          the Director of Legal and Governance Services seal the contract on the Council’s behalf when the contract documentation had been prepared.

Reason for Decision:  Cabinet approved the procurement of a contractor to support the assessment of applications for the concessionary travel assessment service, which included Blue Badges, Freedom Passes and Taxi Cards on 17 September 2015 with a view to establishing an operational commencement date of 1June 2016.  Following the completion of the tender process, an analysis and evaluation of each bidder’s tender was undertaken and a decision made to proceed.

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 Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning and Divisional Director of  Housing.

Cabinet considered a confidential report and it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the procurement route set out in the report be approved;

(2)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration and the Directors of Finance and Legal and Governance Services, be authorised to enter into agreements for the delivery of the works, subject to a total construction value not exceeding the amount stated in recommendation 2 of the confidential report.

Reason for Decision:  To allow the Haslam House project to proceed, which was the pilot for the regeneration programme agreed by Cabinet in September 2015.  Successful completion of the project would result in 9 units of market rent Private Rented Sector (PRS) Housing, 2 units of sub-market PRS housing and 4 units of affordable housing. Chichester Court Phase 1 would generate 11 units of affordable housing.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  Not proceeding with the project.

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

Councillor David Perry, Leader of the Council, stated that he would be standing down as Leader in May 2016 and that this was his last Cabinet meeting as Leader.  He thanked residents and opposition Councillors for their participation at Cabinet meetings and in holding Cabinet to account.

The Leader also thanked his Cabinet colleagues for their work and support, including officers for their professionalism and full and frank discussions with him in what were difficult and challenging times for Councils.

Michael Lockwood, Chief Executive, stated that it had been a pleasure working with the Leader who had provided the Council with a strong vision and leadership during difficult times.  He added that Councillor Perry’s honest and hard working approach had earned him respect and wished him well.

Councillor Keith Ferry, Deputy Leader, paid a tribute to the outgoing Leader of the Council and referred to Councillor Perry’s introduction to a political career in local government initially in 2005.  He referred to Councillor Perry’s rise to the position of Leader since being first elected to the Council in May 2006 and added that, since the local election in Harrow in May 2014, Councillor Perry had brought respect to the Council and set a challenging agenda.  He added that it had been his privilege to serve as Councillor Perry’s Deputy.