Agenda and minutes

The Leader of the Council announced the death of Councillor Bob Currie on 14 January 2016 and a minute’s silence was observed in his memory.

None received.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 9  - VCS Funding Arrangements

Councillor Sue Anderson, a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was a  member of a number of organisations, including the National Autistic Society, Friends of HAD, Welldon Activity Group, Centre for HDAD and Autism Support.  She added that a number of organisations, such as Harrow Mencap, Mind in Harrow, Harrow Shop Mobility, Radiate, and DAWN were based in Greenhill Ward which she represented.  She would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered and voted upon.

Councillor Richard Almond, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a Council appointee on the CAB.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

Councillor Norman Stevenson, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a Council appointee on the HAD.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

Councillors Chris and Janet Mote, who were not members of Cabinet, declared non-pecuniary interests in that a member of their family received support from Harrow Carers.  They would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

Agenda Items 9/11 - VCS Funding Arrangements/Information, Advice and Advocacy Strategy

Councillor Adam Swersky, a member of Cabinet, declared interests in that, in his employment he was doing some work with the National Association of Citizens’ Advice.  He added that whilst he did not consider the interests to be pecuniary, he would treat these as such and leave the room whilst the matters were considered and voted upon.

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was an employee of the Citizens’ Advice, a national Charity.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussions relating to the items.  However, should the interests become pecuniary, during discussions, he would leave the room.

Agendas Item 8/18 – Regeneration Finance

Councillor Paul Osborn, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a pecuniary interest in that he lived next to one of the sites identified in the confidential appendices at agenda 18.  He would leave the room during  discussions relating to this matter.

Agenda Items 4/9 – Public Questions/VCS Funding Arrangements

Councillor Jean Lammiman, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she was as a trustee of Harrow Association of Disabled people.  She would remain in the room to listen to the response given to public question 1 and to the discussions relating to agenda item 9.

(1)          Petition – Voluntary Sector Cuts

Councillor Susan Hall presented a petition signed by 30 people - Councillors and residents – with the following terms of reference:

 “We, the undersigned, wish to support Harrow’s much respected and vital voluntary sector.  We do not consider that the Labour administration sufficiently values the voluntary sector's massive contribution to Harrow's community.  The suggested ill-conceived cuts in Labour's draft budget will not only cause hardship to some of our most vulnerable residents; the cuts will also hurt the Council’s finances.  At a time of reducing central government grant, it is an utter false economy for Harrow’s Labour administration to be cutting so much of the local voluntary sector’s funding, thereby reducing its ability to do preventative work, to the obvious detriment of local residents and the Council’s budget position.  We call on the Labour administration to reconsider the cuts to the voluntary sector and really listen to the organisations, users and the Opposition who have highlighted why the cuts should be reversed”.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and considered with the report on ‘VCS Funding Arrangements’ at item 9 (Minute 491 refers) on the agenda and be submitted to the Director of Adult Social Services and the Divisional Director of Strategic Commissioning, the Portfolio Holders for Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and Adults and Older People.

(2)          Petition – Regeneration

Councillor Susan Hall presented a petition signed by 30 people - Councillors and residents – with the following terms of reference:

“We, the undersigned, wish to inform the Labour administration of Harrow Council that we are extremely concerned about the lack of proposed infrastructure that is running alongside their over-zealous regeneration plans.  Schools and GP surgeries are already at capacity, not to mention our local hospital Northwick Park that is more than creaking at the seams – and not rebuilt despite the 2005 promise by one of our local MPs that “a £305m brand new hospital would be built by 2010”.  Despite the Labour administration’s anti-car attitudes, we are likely to see an increase in cars as part of the regeneration schemes; an increase in demand for parking that will be compounded by Labour’s reduction in public car parks.  That reduction in car parks, along with little or no planned investment in our already often log-jammed streets, will put at risk the revitalisation, job creation and expansion of our local businesses that the Council says forms part of its ill-thought through regeneration plans.  With an estimated extra 20,000 people to be housed in the centre of Harrow, our public services and infrastructure will be way over full capacity – a disaster for residents and businesses”.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and submitted to the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning and the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration for consideration.

(3)          Petition – Cabinet Meeting on 8 December 2016

Councillor Barry Macleod-Cullinane presented a petition signed by 30 people - Councillors and residents – with the following terms of reference:

“We,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 486.

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 16 January 2017. 

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

No person may submit more than one question].

RESOLVED:  Public and Councillor questions accepted were responded to and any recording placed on the Council’s website.  Public Questioner 3 was not present at the meeting when agenda item 4 ‘Public Questions’ was considered and it was noted that a written response would be sent to him and published on the Council’s website.  Councillor Questions 7 to 89 were not reached at Cabinet and the Councillors would be provided with written responses which would be published on the Council’s website.

RESOLVED:  That the Key Decision Schedule be noted.

For consideration.

RESOLVED:  That the progress on Scrutiny Projects be noted.

Report of the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning.

Having considered the confidential appendices, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the overall budget for the Regeneration Programme, as set out in the Financial Implications section of the report, be approved;

(2)          the increase in size of one of the key projects, as set out in appendix 2 to the report, be agreed;

(3)          the changes to the Regeneration Programme, including re-allocation of the budgets and revised profile of spend, as set out in appendix 1 to the report, be agreed;

(4)          the Chief Executive, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration and the Directors of Finance and Legal and Governance, be authorised to enter into agreements for the delivery of the works subject to a total construction contract value as set out in appendix 3 to the report.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the delivery of the Regeneration Programme to continue.

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 Strategic Commissioning and Director of Adult Social Services.

The Leader of the Council referred to the petition submitted at the meeting (Minute 486(1) refers) and the Equality Impact Assessment set out in the report which required consideration with the report.  It was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the three year funding proposal for 2017/18 – 2019/20 for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) that would fund the Information, Advice and Advocacy Strategy and an infrastructure organisation based on

a)     a reduction in funding to the VCS from the Community Grants budget

b)     a reduction in funding to the VCS from the Adult Social Care budget

c)      a reduction in the Emergency Relief Scheme budget

be approved;

(2)          the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community, Culture and Resident Engagement, be authorised to re-procure an infrastructure organisation for the VCS in 2017 and to award the contract;

(3)          the funding of £55,000 for 2017-18 and 2018-19 from the Transformation and Priority Initiatives Fund (TPIF) to support the two projects identified in paragraph 7.i. of the report be agreed.

Reason for Decision:  To approve funding changes to the Voluntary Sector from the Adults Service Level Agreements (SLAs), Discretionary Grants Programme and Emergency Relief Scheme that were feasible within the financial envelope of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) of the Council.

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.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the revised Hardship Fund Policy be agreed and adopted;

(2)          it be agreed that the scheme to deliver the Hardship Fund Policy be delivered in two parts, a recurring emergency relief fund for food, fuel, clothing and emergency travel, which would be administered by the Council or through the new Generalist Information and Advice Service, as set out in resolution 4 below, and a fund for 2017/18 only for white goods and furniture, which would be administered by the Council;

(3)          the savings as set out in the Financial Implications section of the report be agreed;

(4)          the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Community, Culture and Resident Engagement and Finance and Commercialisation, be authorised to make the decision on whether to include the “emergency needs” part of the Hardship Scheme as part of the Generalist Information and Advice Service or for it to remain within the Council; in effect deciding to apply the hybrid model or to simply deliver the service via the in-house team.

Reason for Decision:  To support the 2017/18 budget process and protect those requiring very specific support of last resort.

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 Strategic Commissioning.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Information, Advice and Advocacy Strategy 2017-2021 be approved;

(2)          the procurement of a General Information and Advice Service be commenced;

(3)          the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community, Culture and Resident Engagement, be authorised to award the contract for a General Information and Advice Service;

(4)          the administration of the tapered fund be delegated to the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) infrastructure organisation – Harrow Community Action (HCA) – to allocate to the VCS according to the aims and objectives of the Information and Advice Strategy;

(5)          the Director of Adult Social Care, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Adults and Older People, be authorised to:

a)     extend the three Care Act contracts for 1 year until March 2018;

b)     re-commission the above contracts for a 1 April 2018 start date.

Reason for Decision:  To ensure continued and more effective provision of Information, Advice and Advocacy services to the residents of the borough.

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 fees and charges be implemented from April 2017, appendices 2-5 of the report refer, except those fees and charges included for noting/information only; 

(2)          the Director of Finance and relevant Corporate Directors, following consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holders, be authorised to amend fees and charges in year and agree new fees and charges.

Reason for Decision:  To set fees and charges for 2017/18. 

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.

RESOLVED:  That, having considered the information in the report,

(1)          the approach and assumptions for the calculation of the Council’s business rates yield, as set out in the report, be approved;

(2)          in accordance with the Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Harrow as its business rates yield for the year 2017-2018 be £14.446m, as shown in the table below;

(3)          the Council's Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) be authorised to submit the notification of the calculation of the estimated Non-Domestic Rates income to the Secretary of State and the Greater London Authority (GLA) by 31 January 2017 or other date as may be prescribed;

(4)          the Council's Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer), following  consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Commercialisation, be authorised to submit revised figures from those above to the Secretary of State and the GLA, if further clarification was received from Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) on the financial impact of the proposed changes to the authority and how this was to be calculated.

Reason for Decision:  To fulfil the Council’s statutory obligation to provide estimates and calculations in relation to Non-Domestic Rating (NDR) for 2017-2018.

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 a waiver of Call-in has been received from the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the following reasons:

The Authority has to formally calculate the Business Rates retention amount for 2017-2018 and pass this information to precepting authorities by 31  January 2017.  The Business Rates income must be calculated between 1 December 2016 and 31 January 2017.

It was not possible to prepare a report to a prior Cabinet due to the many variables that had not been clarified by the DCLG at an earlier stage.  The report also used the latest outcome of the national revaluation of all commercial property, a second draft list having only been issued on 14 December 2016 and which was key for local authorities to use to calculate their rate retention amounts.

As it was not possible to accurately calculate the rate retention amount in early January 2017, it was not possible to meet a Cabinet date earlier than 19 January 2017.  As it was necessary to declare the Business Rates income retention amounts by the end of January 2017, the Call-in process would seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests as the Call-in period would finish at 5.00 pm on 27 January 2017 and the GLA would therefore need to be formally notified of the formal amounts calculated no later than 5.00 pm on 31 January 2017 (the last working day of January 2017).  As a result, the decision was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 495.

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

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

Reason for Decision:  To be availed of 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 as the report was noted.]

Report of the Director of Legal and Governance Services.

RESOLVED:  That the Calendar of Meetings for the Municipal Year 2017/18 be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To facilitate the planning and forward commitments of both Members and officers.  To allow the room booking arrangements to be put in place at the earliest opportunity.

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.

Note:

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution (Executive Procedure Rule 16.5.1.2 – is defamatory, frivolous or offensive), the audio recording relating to public supplemental question 2 has not been published.