Agenda and minutes

On behalf of the Cabinet, the Leader of the Council welcomed Paul Hewitt to his first Cabinet meeting as Interim Corporate Director of People.

Received from Councillors Keith Ferry, Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration, Varsha Parmar, Portfolio Holder for Public Health, Equality and Community Safety, and Adam Swersky, Portfolio Holder for Finance and Commercialisation.

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interest was declared:

Agenda Item 13 – Building a Better Harrow - Spring 2018 Report

Councillor Paul Osborn declared an interest in relation to Vaughan Road Car Park which was referenced in the report.  He stated that he lived next to the car park, and would leave the room should Cabinet discuss the car park during their deliberations on this item.  Otherwise, he would remain in the room to listen to the discussion on this item.

Petition for Action to Stop Fly-Tipping at the Junction of Headstone Lane and Broadfields – February/March 2018

Councillor Janet Mote presented a petition signed by 27 residents with the following terms of reference:

“Petition Summary and Background:  Following a recent survey carried out in the area by Headstone North Conservation Action Team a number of residents expressed concern about fly-tipping.

Action Petitioned for:  We, the undersigned, are residents of Broadfields, Randon Close and Headstone Lane and we are concerned about the regular rubbish which is being dumped on the grassed area at the junction of Broadfields and Headstone Lane.  We would like the area to be monitored if possible by CCTV cameras.  If this is not feasible we would at least like signs put up stating that the area is being monitored and fly-tippers will be prosecuted.  Taking these actions will hopefully act as a deterrent, and if not we want Harrow Council to prosecute those who dump rubbish in this location.”

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and referred to the Corporate Director of Community for a response.

Petition:  Time for the Harrow Card

A representative of Harrow Weald Liberal Democrats presented a petition signed by 35 residents with the following terms of reference:

“I [resident’s name] call on Harrow Council to look into issuing a card for Harrow residents to allow them access to Council Services (Libraries and Waste Centre and to receive discounts on parking and other business within Harrow.”

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and referred to the Corporate Director of Community for a response.

Petition for CCTV to catch fly tippers on Long Elmes

A representative of Harrow Weald Liberal Democrats presented a petition signed by 89 residents with the following terms of reference:

“I [resident’s name] call upon Harrow Council to clear away the rubbish on the services road on Long Elmes and to place CCTV cameras in the area to catch the people who are using it as a dumping ground.  I also call on the Council to fit CCTV to cover the junction of Long Elmes and Windsor and to prosecute those who are using the area to dump waste.”

RESOLVED:  That the petition be received and referred to the Corporate Director of Community for a response.

Petition for New Pavements in Yeading Avenue – February/March 2018

Mrs Rosalyn Neale presented a petition signed by 64 residents with the following terms of reference:

“Petition Summary and Background: Following a recent survey carried out in Yeading Avenue by the Rayners Lane Conservation Area Action Team a number of residents expressed concern about the state of their pavements.

Action Petitioned for:  We, the undersigned, are residents in Yeading Avenue and we are very concerned about the state of the pavements in our road.  The very uneven surface causes regular trip hazards for walkers of all ages and makes access difficult for those using push chairs and prams and also wheelchair users.  We ask Harrow Council to please resurface our pavements to improve  ...  view the full minutes text for item 692.

To receive any public questions received in accordance with paragraph 16 of the Executive Procedure Rules.

Questions will be asked in the order in which they were received.  There will be a time limit of 15 minutes for the asking and answering of public questions.

[The deadline for receipt of public questions is 3.00 pm, 12 March 2018.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk  

No person may submit more than one question].

Public and Councillor questions taken were responded to and any recording placed on the Council’s website.  Where appropriate, further written responses would be sent to the questioners and published on the website.

RESOLVED:  That the Key Decision Schedule be noted, including that:

(1)          the report relating to the item on the ‘Redevelopment of the Vernon Lodge Homeless Hostel’ was withdrawn;

(2)          the report on the ‘Life Chances Fun Adolescence Collaborative Multi-Channel’ was now an information only report and that a further report involving a Key decision would be submitted to a future Cabinet meeting.

For consideration.

RESOLVED: That the report be noted.

Reference from Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Having considered the confidential appendices and upon receipt of representations from the Chair and a Member of the Review Group in line with the Cabinet/Scrutiny Protocol, it was

RESOLVED:  That the Director of Finance and the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning be requested to submit a response report to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review Group to the May or June 2018 meeting of Cabinet.

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.]

Report of the Divisional Director of Housing.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)            the proposed amendments to the Council’s existing Homelessness Strategy be approved;

(2)            the amendments to and renaming of the incorporated policies, appendices 1 and 2 refer, be approved;

(3)            the introduction of a new Prevention or Relief Policy, appendix 3 refers, be approved.

Reason for Decision:  There was a statutory requirement to have a Homelessness Strategy, which had to be updated every 5 years.  The incorporated policies were considered necessary to meet the new duties under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 from 3 April 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.

Report of the Corporate Director of Community.

Withdrawn.

Report of the Interim Corporate Director of People.

RESOLVED:  That the progression of the Life Chances Fund to-date be noted, together with the key activities and deliverables and next steps which included, inter alia, soft marketing activities.

Reason for Decision:  To be availed of the success of the Life Chances Fund Bid and its purpose before any Key decision was made at a future Cabinet meeting.

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 as the decision was noted.]

Report of the Interim 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 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 Interim Corporate Director of People.

RESOLVED:  That, having considered the responses to the consultation,

(1)          the following statutory notices be published to:

(i)            change the age range at Roxeth Primary School to close the nursery class

(ii)          increase capacity at Hillview Nursery School by 16 full-time equivalent (FTE) places;

(2)          the interim Corporate Director of People, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Young People, be authorised to determine the notices for Roxeth Primary School and Hillview Nursery School;

(3)          the interim Corporate Director of People, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Young People, be authorised to publish the notices for Woodlands School following consideration of the consultation responses and, subject to such notices being published, to determine the notices.

Reason for Decision:  To implement changes in school organisation.

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 Regeneration and Planning.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the progress on the Building a Better Harrow programme be noted;

(2)          the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration, be authorised to:

(a)    enter into a funding agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA) to deliver the 4-year Good Growth Fund (GGF) Programme, (1 April 2018 – 31st March 2022), subject to Harrow Council being awarded the GGF grant, the decision on the outcome of the bid from the GLA was due week commencing 5 March 2018; 

(b)    begin a procurement process to select and appoint the contractors to deliver the Project Objectives set out in the Grant Funding Agreement and to enter into a contract with the selected contractors to deliver the Project Objectives;

(c)    enter into any additional agreements with third parties, including Origin Housing and future tenants of kiosks at St John’s Road / Lyon Road square, that were necessary to deliver the Project Objectives set out in the Grant Funding Agreement.

Reason for Decision:   To secure the GGF Grant to fund activities to promote business growth and regeneration in Harrow Town Centre, part of the Opportunity Area. To support the Council’s Corporate Priorities. To deliver on the 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.

Report of the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) at appendix 1 to the report be approved for publication and that the Scheme come into effect from 1 April 2018;

(2)          the draft updated Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) at appendix 2 to the report be consulted on, with the outcomes of the consultation being reported back to the Cabinet for consideration and adoption of the document, amended where appropriate in response to comments received during the consultation period;

(3)          the Divisional Director of Regeneration and Planning, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Business, Planning and Regeneration, be authorised to make any necessary formatting, typographical and factual amendments to the revised LDS and draft updated SCI prior to publishing the documents on the Council’s website.

Reason for Decision:  To adhere to the requirements of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (as amended), which places a statutory duty on the Council to maintain an up-to-date LDS.  The Localism Act 2011 stipulates that the LDS must be updated every three years.  The revised LDS (attached at Appendix 1 to the report) would fulfil that requirement.

The Government had recently amended the Local Plan Regulations and introduced a requirement that the Local Plan and the SCI should be updated at least every five years.  This new requirement would come into effect in April 2018. Harrow Council’s current SCI was adopted in March 2013 and the recommendation to consult on the draft updated SCI attached at Appendix 2 to the report (and subsequent adoption thereafter) would meet the new requirements.

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.

Appendix to the Reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at item 7b.

See Minute 695 above.

Appendix to the report of Corporate Director of Community at item 9.

See Minute 697 above.

The Leader of the Council stated that this was the current administration’s last Cabinet meeting and he thanked officers, opposition Councillors, Portfolio Holders and the Harrow Youth Parliament for their contributions to the work of the Committee.

He was particularly proud of the work carried out by Councillor Glen Hearnden, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Employment, who was not standing for re-election at the May 2018 local elections.