Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Keith Ferry.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 3 – Petitions – South Parade, Mollison Way

Councillor Nitin Parekh, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was the relevant ward councillor.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

Agenda Item 5 – Public Questions

Councillor Sue Anderson declared, during the course of the meeting, a non-pecuniary interest in that a family member was in receipt of a personal budget from the mental health service.  She would remain in the room whilst this matter was considered.

Agenda Item 9 – Local Transport Fund Schemes Programme 2017/18 and Parking Management Schemes Programme 2017/18 – TARSAP Meeting 9 February 2017 – Changes to Recommendation by Portfolio Holder and Agenda Item 13 – Strategic Performance Report – Quarter 3, 2016/17

Councillor Susan Hall, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that she owned a business in Wealdstone.  If the interest became pecuniary during the meeting she would leave the room to listen to the discussion relating to these items. Further, the Strategic Performance report also referred to an award from the London Fire Brigade and she was a member of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

Agenda Item 14 – Community Grants Scheme 2015/16 - Reference

Councillor Richard Almond, who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a Council appointed representative on Harrow Citizens’ Advice Bureau.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

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 Bureau.  He would remain in the room to listen to the discussion relating to this item.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following petitions had been received:

(1)          Petition – South Parade, Mollison Way, Back Lane

Raj Jessa, a representative of residents and businesses of South Parade, presented a petition signed by 117 people with the following terms of reference:

“The access road parallel to and to the rear of South Parade is in a foul and filthy state and requires to be cleaned up and resurfaced.  It is a blight on the area and all resident and business owners who use it.  The road is used as a fly tipping site.  There is human rubbish such as food, broken bottles, household furniture and abandoned vehicles strewn all over the road.  The state is a health hazard to children who play and live in the area.  It is environmentally massive hazard and nuisance to residents and business owners.  The road needs to be brought into the present century”.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and referred to the relevant Corporate Director for consideration.

(2)          Petition – One Site Solution for Pinner Wood School

Jenny McCann, a representative of the parents of Pinner Wood School presented a petition signed by 2,050 people with the following terms of reference:

“On behalf of the parents of Pinner Wood School, I'm presenting our petition which has received over 2000 signatures for a one site solution in Pinner for Pinner Wood and for our existing site to be fixed.  The closure of Pinner Wood School on 23 March meant that 600 Pinner children were without an education until after Easter.  For the summer term, our children, some just 4 years old, are being bussed to the other side of Harrow where our outstanding school is split between two other school sites.  None of these sites are local to us.

We accept this is the best short term solution that you have been able to secure for us and thank you for that and for the coaches.  However, we as parents want a local one site solution from September.  We are at an outstanding school that sits in the middle of a vibrant, thriving community.  More than that, we are an exceptional environment for children to flourish.  A place where children of all races, nationalities and beliefs work side by side in an atmosphere of respect, kindness, understanding and tolerance.

The impact that this closure will have on our children, our staff and our lives is immense.  Not only from an educational perspective, this closure will impact our community that we all live in, affect our livelihoods and our wellbeing.  The impact on families, working parents, local businesses, local infrastructure and Pinner as a whole is incalculable.  So, we the parents of Pinner Wood want two things: from September we want a one site local solution for our outstanding school; the second thing we want is for Harrow Council to commit to fixing our existing site as quickly as possible, so our exceptional school can continue to serve the local community.  There is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 520.

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, 24 April 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.  Councillor Questions 6?74were not reached at Cabinet.

RESOLVED:  That the Key Decision Schedule be noted.

For consideration.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Report of the Corporate Director of Community.

Having considered the confidential appendices, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the proposals for the redevelopment of the Central Depot be approved;

(2)          the commercial opportunities that would be facilitated by the development be noted;

(3)          the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Environment, Crime and Community Safety and Business, Planning and Regeneration, be authorised to:

(a)    take all necessary steps to finalise all matters relating to the development;

(b)    progress all commercial proposals arising from the redevelopment;

(c)    liaise with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Commercialisation before authorising substantive expenditure on the development work;

(d)    consider whether to appropriate to planning purposes the Council-owned land required for the development which was currently held by the Council for other purposes and, if he considered it appropriate to do so, to effect the appropriation of such land to planning purposes subject to complying with the statutory procedures for such appropriation.

Reason for Decision:  To adhere to the requirements of the Financial Regulations which state that for all schemes in the Capital Programme over £5m, Cabinet approval was required to commence the schemes.  The redevelopment to the value of £24.5m, provided all the benefits and key objectives and maximised the use of the site.

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 Community.

RESOLVED:  That the amendments to the Local Transport Fund Schemes Programme and Parking Management Schemes Programme for 2017/18, as set out in Appendix A to the report, be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To confirm the Local Transport Fund Schemes Programme and Parking Management Schemes Programme 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.

Joint report of the Director of Adult Social Services and Divisional Director of Commissioning and Commercial Services.

Having considered the confidential appendices, it was

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the proposals for changes to the service delivery model at Sancroft Hall be approved;

(2)          the funding of the implementation costs of £120,000 from the Transformation Priorities and Initiative Fund be approved;

(3)          the Corporate Directors of People and Community, following  consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Adults and Older People and Environment, Crime and Community Safety, be authorised to:

(a)    take all necessary steps to finalise all matters relating to the purchase of the site and the proposals in the report;

(b)    consult all key stakeholders as appropriate;

(c)    negotiate the required exit from the Public Finance Initiative (PFI) contract and purchase the building;

(d)    progress all relevant and appropriate commercial proposals including the establishment of a trading entity to run the services at Sancroft Hall.

Reason for Decision:  To adhere to the requirements of the Financial Regulations that capital expenditure over £5m and changes in service delivery models were progressed on Cabinet approval. Purchasing the site provided opportunity to reconfigure service delivery and meet objectives relating to maintaining service provision and quality and to also meet MTFS targets.

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 report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To be availed of the performance and standards in state-funded schools in Harrow - Local Authority maintained, Academies and Free Schools, and the impact of key changes to the way in which schools were now inspected.

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 was noted.]

Report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial.

Having considered the confidential appendix, it was

RESOLVED:  That Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial, following consultation with the Leader of the Council in his capacity as  Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Partnerships and Devolution with the Communications remit, be authorised to work directly with Lambeth Council in order to bring the Council’s Communications Service back into the Council with a target date of 1 July 2017.

Reason for Decision:  To take the opportunity to bring the Communications Service back in-house following mutual agreement with Lambeth Council, who currently ran the service.  To deliver improvements to the service and further increase in commercial income as an in-house service.

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 the report be noted and 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 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.]

Reference from Performance and Finance Scrutiny Sub-Committee.

RESOLVED:  That the reference be noted and it be also noted that available staffing capacity for the monitoring of the grants process to ensure that the grants expenditure was properly managed would be considered in the next budget round.

Reason for Decision:  To address the concerns set out in the reference.

Alternative Options Considered and Rejected:  None.

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

Appendices 1 – 3 to the Report of the Corporate Director of Community at item 8.

Please refer to Minute 524.

Appendices 1 – 3 to the Joint report of the Director of Adult Social Services and Divisional Director of Commissioning and Commercial Services at item 10.

Please refer to Minute 526.

Appendix 1 to the report of the Corporate Director of Resources and Commercial at item 12.

Please refer to Minute 528.

The Leader expressed his gratitude to Councillor David Perry for all his work and support as he had decided not to continue in his non-executive role on Cabinet.  This was endorsed by Cabinet.