Agenda and minutes

The Leader of the Council welcomed Councillor Mrs Christine Robson to her first Cabinet meeting in her capacity as Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Young People.

The Leader also welcomed Councillor David Perry in his new role as Non-Executive Cabinet Member.

Received from Councillor Adam Swersky, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Commercialisation.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Items 4 and 11 – Public Questions and Regeneration Programme 2016-2020

Councillor Susan Hall, who was not a Member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she owned a business in Wealdstone.  She would remain in the room to listen to the responses to the questions at agenda item 4 and listen to the discussion and decision making in relation to agenda item 11 but indicated that she would leave the room if the responses and discussion became pecuniary.

Agenda Items 8 and 12 – Grange Farm Estate Land Issues, including Compulsory Purchase and Early Years Strategy and Childcare Sufficiency Assessment

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a Ward Councillor in which Grange Farm Estate, agenda item 8 referred, was situated.  In relation to agenda item 12, he declared that he had a young child.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion and decision making in relation to these items.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following petition was received and referred to the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Crime and Community Safety and the Corporate Director of Community for consideration:

Suffolk Road Petition

Councillor Janet Mote presented a petition signed by 17 people with the following terms of reference:

“We the undersigned:

·                     Are concerned by the parking and flow of traffic on Suffolk Road over the last two years and fear a severe accident will occur as it is the main route by the Fire Brigade, Ambulances, Police and Bus Route.

·                     We ask the Portfolio Holder to request a review of the situation in order to apply a ‘No Waiting Order’ between 10-11a.m. Monday to Friday.”

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, Thursday 19 May 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.

Having considered the confidential appendices, it was

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That the additional capital budgets for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20 be approved and added to the Capital Programme.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          expenditure against the 2016/17 regeneration capital budget of £16.655m, approved by Council in February 2016, in line with the breakdown set out in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved;

(2)          the capital budgets for the Regeneration Programme in years 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20, as set out in summary form in the report and broken down in Appendix 1 to the report in detail be approved and Council be recommended accordingly;

(3)          the decision to enter into agreements for the provision of quantity surveying services, contractual advice and administration services and clerk of works services at a combined value of no more than £6m be delegated to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Business, Planning and Regeneration and Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Commercialisation;

(4)          the decision to purchase land, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report, be delegated to the Chief Executive following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Business, Planning and Regeneration, Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and Finance and Commercialisation;

(5)          the decision to appropriate the sites in the Regeneration Programme for planning purposes be delegated to the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Business, Planning and Regeneration, Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and Finance and Commercialisation.

Reason for Decision:  To allow the Regeneration Programme to proceed in accordance with Council Strategy.

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

Report of the Divisional Director of Strategic Commissioning.

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

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council)

That the Community Safety Strategy 2016-2019 be endorsed and adopted.

RESOLVED:  That  the Portfolio Holder for Environment, Crime and Community Safety be authorised to make minor amendments to the draft report, in conjunction with Harrow Community Safety Partnership, Safer Harrow, for presentation to the Council meeting in September 2016.

Reason for Decision:  To endorse the Partnership’s Community Safety Strategy 2016?2019 and adopt it as Harrow Council’s Community Safety Plan. 

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

Report of the Corporate Director of Community.

Having considered the confidential appendix, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the making up of Compulsory Purchase Order, pursuant to the statutory powers contained in Section 226(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended), Section 13 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 and Section 17 of the Housing Act 1985, for the acquisition as necessary of the land outlined in red on the map at Appendix 1 to the report be authorised in order to enable the redevelopment of the Grange Farm Estate;

(2)          the Director of Legal and Governance Services, following consultation with relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to make and seal the Compulsory Purchase Orders notices and certificates in connection with making of the order and submit the Orders for confirmation by the Secretary of State to confirm the Compulsory Purchase Order in the event that no objections were received, or to request modifications to the Orders if this was considered expedient to the confirmation of the Orders;

(3)          the Director of Legal andGovernance Services, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to make all necessary applications or requests, as the case may be, for a “stopping up order” to be made pursuant to Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or under Section 116 of the Highways Act 1980 or any other relevant enabling power for the stopping up or diversion of any existing highways within or around in the land subject to the compulsory purchase order, to enable the regeneration proposals to go ahead;

(4)          the Director of Legal and Governance Services, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to sign all Notices and certificates in connection with the Compulsory Purchase Orders and, if objections were received, to make arrangements for public inquiries and to take all actions in connection with such inquiries including the appointment of Counsel;

(5)          the Director of Legal and Governance Services, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to make one or more General Vesting Declarations under the Compulsory Purchase (Vesting Declarations) Act 1981 in the event of the Compulsory Purchase Orders being confirmed and/or serve notices to treat and notices of entry and to take all other requisite steps pursuant to the compulsory acquisition procedures to obtain possession of properties if it was considered appropriate to do so, and to deal with any compensation issues, if necessary, by way of reference to the Lands Tribunal;

(6)          the Director of Legal and Governance Services or the Corporate Director ofCommunity, as appropriate, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to take any further actions required to make and implement the respective Compulsory Purchase Order and to acquire the relevant properties;

(7)          the Corporate Director of Community or another officer delegated by him, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder(s), be authorised to serve demolition notices to suspend or end the Right to Buy on properties due for demolition (as required by the regeneration scheme) pursuant  ...  view the full minutes text for item 383.

Report of the Corporate Director of Community.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Housing and Employment, Finance and Commercialisation, Business, Planning and Regeneration and Adults and Older People, be authorised to undertake further and more detailed consultation with residents, family members and carers, including the service of statutory proposal notices, and consultation with other interested parties, on the identified housing options for Watkins House;

(2)          a full business case for Watkins House, taking account of the consultation responses, be submitted to a future meeting of Cabinet for consideration;

(3)          the current interim management arrangements in the care services for Watkins House be continued, as detailed in the report. 

Reason for Decision:  The accommodation at Watkins House was outdated and did not contain communal facilities that were reflective of modern design principles for accommodation of this nature and it was considered timely to consider a stock options agenda for the housing scheme.  The views of the current secure tenants - the residents - of Watkins House were vital to understand the potential implications of any stock option.  To extend that consultation to nominated family members and carers due to the vulnerable position of some residents through Age, Disability, and Health factors. Independent advocacy for residents, family members and carers would be a feature of the consultation process.  As part of this process, Adult Services would support officers in identifying any mental health capacity issues and ensure that care needs were identified.  The views of residents, family members and carers would be taken into consideration in agreeing the preferred option for Watkins House at a later date.

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.

RESOLVED:  That the outcomes of the Childcare Sufficiency Assessment 2016 be noted and the Harrow’s Early Years Strategy 2016-19 be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the Local Authority to fulfil its statutory duty to secure sufficient childcare to enable parents to work, or to undertake education and training leading to work.

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 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 strategy, set out at appendices A and B to the report, be approved;

(2)          the Monitoring Officer, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, be authorised to vary the timetable.

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.

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