Agenda and minutes

Moved from 9 September 2021, Cabinet - Thursday 23 September 2021 6.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Harrow Civic Centre, Station Road, Harrow, HA1 2XY. View directions

Contact: Nikoleta Nikolova Senior Democratic & Electoral Services Officer  Tel: 07761 405898 E-mail:  nikoleta.nikolova@harrow.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

511.

Welcome

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having declared the September Cabinet meeting open, the Leader of the Council made the following clarifications in relation to the conduct of the meeting:

 

·                 The meeting was being held in the Council Chamber at Harrow Civic Centre with Councillors Natasha Proctor, Varsha Parmar, Krishna Suresh and himself as the Leader present in the room.

 

·                 The other members of Cabinet(Councillors Sue Anderson, Simon Brown, Keith Ferry, Christine Robson, Antonio Weiss and John Higgins (voluntary sector representative)) had joined the meeting virtually.

 

·                 Councillors Marilyn Ashton, Anjana Patel and Norman Stevenson (for item 5 – Councillor questions) had also joined the meeting virtually.

512.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Phillip O’Dell, Portfolio Holder for Housing.

513.

Declarations of Interest pdf icon PDF 104 KB

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

 

(a)          all Members of the Committee, Sub-Committee or Panel;

(b)          all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that the declaration of interests had been published on the Council website and that:

 

(1)            Councillor Varsha Parmar had declared a pecuniary interest in item 4 – Public Questions and item 5 – Councillor Questions in that her husband worked for London Underground.  She would remain in the meeting by virtue of her dispensation.

514.

Petitions

To receive any petitions submitted by members of the public or Councillors.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

(1)            Councillor Natasha Proctor presented a petition on behalf Harrow residents, containing 29 signatures and requesting the Council to review the parking zone restrictions in Spencer Road, HA3 7AP (for houses 1-45 and 2-40).

 

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

 

515.

Public Questions pdf icon PDF 317 KB

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, 20 September 2021.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that two public questions had been received and responded to and the recording would be available on the website.

516.

Councillor Questions pdf icon PDF 320 KB

To receive any Councillor questions received in accordance with paragraph 17 of the Executive Procedure Rules.

 

Questions will be asked in the order agreed with the relevant Group Leader by the deadline for submission and there be a time limit of 15 minutes.

 

[The deadline for receipt of Councillor questions is 3.00 pm, 20 September 2021.]

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that five Councillor questions had been received and responded to and the recording would be available on the website.

517.

Key Decision Schedule September - November 2021 pdf icon PDF 305 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having noted that the report on “Maintained Schools Fire Door Upgrade Programme” had been deferred to the October Cabinet and the report on “Grange Farm Regeneration – Phases 2 &3” had been withdrawn, Cabinet

 

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the updated Key Decision Schedule for the period September to November 2021.

518.

Progress on Scrutiny Projects pdf icon PDF 219 KB

For consideration

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To receive and note the current progress of the scrutiny reports.

519.

Covid-19 Update pdf icon PDF 424 KB

Verbal update from the Chief Executive.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having agreed to vary the order of business, Cabinet received a presentation from the Chief Executive, which provided Members with a regular strategic update on Covid-19 cases across the borough, the Covid-19 Winter Plan, testing and vaccination progress and plans for future recovery. Acknowledging the increasing pressures on Council services and the ongoing impact on organisational capacity and staff resilience throughout this challenging period, it was

 

RESOLVED: That

 

(1)   the verbal update and accompanying presentation from the Chief Executive, be noted;

 

(2)  a further 3-month extension to the contract with Number8 Events for the continued provision of Community Testing in line with the extension of the Community Testing programme until the end of December 2021, be endorsed.

 

(3)  the estimated cost of extending Harrow’s Community Testing Programme until the end of December 2021, which included staffing, contractors, consumables, waste and communications for the value of £247k (which was under the rate card cap), be noted

 

(4)  the costs of the Community Testing programme were reimbursed by Government on a monthly basis up to a rate card maximum and any costs above the cap funded through the Contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF) grant, be noted.

 

 [Call-in did not apply to the decisions above as it was a presentation]

 

Resolved Items

Additional documents:

520.

Addition of fifteen parks and gardens to the Local List of Historic Parks and Gardens - approval to adopt pdf icon PDF 407 KB

Report of the Interim Chief Planning Officer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            the representations received in response to the consultation on the proposals and officers’ responses to these set out in the body of the report and Appendix 1, be noted;

 

(2)            the addition of 15 parks and gardens to the Harrow local list of historic parks and gardens (as shown in Appendix 2 to the officer report with their proposed local list descriptions), be approved.

 

Reasons for Decision:

 

1.              To comply with the National Planning Policy Framework requirement that planning authorities ensure that they made information about the significance of the historic environment gathered as part of plan-making or development management publicly accessible.

2.              Providing locally listed status to those heritage assets that have local merit would help protect Harrow’s local historic and architectural interest and assist the Council to meet its corporate priority that seeks to build stronger communities.

3.              To comply with the Harrow Core Strategy (adopted 12th February 2012) Strategic Objective 1 for ‘heritage assets – parks and gardens’ for an ‘up to date list of locally important historic parks and gardens’.

 

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.

 

521.

Long Lease Opportunities to provide newly built homes for use as temporary accommodation or discharge of homelessness duty pdf icon PDF 660 KB

Report of the Divisional Director, Housing Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having agreed to note the confidential appendices to the report, Cabinet

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            entering into a 45-year lease for the proposal for new homes set out in the officer report and exempt Appendices, be approved in principle;

 

(2)            the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, the Portfolio Holder for Strategy, Regeneration, Partnerships and Devolution and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, be authorised to finalise negotiations with the developer and enter into the Legal Agreements subject to the final terms being evidenced to represent the optimum deal for the council and value for money;

 

(3)            the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources and the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to determine the long-term council ownership model for the Lease;

 

(4)            the Corporate Director of Community, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to retain consultants to advise on the final negotiations and others as necessary to provide technical support to the council in delivery of the project, the costs to be contained within existing budgets.

 

Reason for Decision:  To secure additional housing to assist in meeting the council’s statutory homelessness obligations and to provide a rental income stream.

 

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.

 

522.

Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) pdf icon PDF 326 KB

Report of the Divisional Director, Housing Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having agreed to note the confidential appendix to the report, Cabinet

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            the Divisional Director of Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to enter into grant contracts with the Greater London Authority (GLA) for the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP) capital and revenue grants awarded to Harrow Council;

 

(2)            the Divisional Director of Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to acquire nine one-bedroom flats in Harrow to house rough sleepers under a Housing First model with a budget of £2,880,815 to include all costs associated with the acquisition and initial repairs as set out in the assumptions included in Appendix 1to the officer report, funded in part by the GLA RSAP capital grant;

 

(3)            the Divisional Director of Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to commission a new Housing First style support service to commence in December 2021 funded by GLA RSAP revenue grant;

 

(4)            the Director of Housing Services, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to award the support service contract.

 

Reason for Decision:  To meet the needs of rough sleepers in Harrow and local objectives in relation to homelessness and rough sleeping.

 

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.

 

 

523.

Harrow Young People's Substance Misuse Service pdf icon PDF 311 KB

Report of the Corporate Director, People.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            the re-procurement of a Young People’s Substance Misuse Service be agreed;

 

(2)            the Director of Public Health, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Equalities and Public Health, Finance and Resources and Education and Social Services for Children and Young People, Corporate Director of People Services and Chief Financial Officer, be authorised  to award a contract for a Young People’s Substance Misuse Service.

 

Reason for Decision:  The Public Health grant conditions (public health grant conditions) made it clear that “a local authority must, in using the grant: have regard to the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, its drug and alcohol misuse treatment services”.  The Young People’s Substance Misuse Service would be funded wholly from the Public Health budget allocation.

 

The contract in question had an individual contract value in excess of £500,000 and therefore Cabinet approval was required to procure a new 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.

 

 

524.

Authority to Procure Liability and Property Insurance for the Council pdf icon PDF 302 KB

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            approval to procure liability, property and terrorism insurance for the Council, be granted.

 

(2)            the Corporate Director of Resources, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, be authorised to award the contracts for liability, property and terrorism insurance.

 

Reason for Decision:  Harrow was committed to the procurement of its major external insurance contracts through the Insurance London Consortium under the terms of an agreement under section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972 (the ‘Section 101 Agreement’) signed by the Leader of the Council and effective since 2010.

 

The decision to insure was driven by the need to protect the financial position and stability of the authority by providing financial protection against catastrophic losses, which was achieved through insurance risk transfer.

 

The long-term agreement with the current insurers for the Council’s corporate property, liability and terrorism insurances expires on 31 March 2022, therefore it would be necessary to re-tender these contracts.

 

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.

 

 

525.

Re-Procurement of Fuel Card Services Contract pdf icon PDF 431 KB

Report of the Corporate Director, Community.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            approval to re-procure the contract for the provision of Fuel Card Services for a period of 5 years with the option to extend for a further 2 years, be granted;

 

(2)             the Corporate Director for Community, following consultation with the Director of Finance, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Climate Change and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, be authorised to finalise the procurement and award of the contract(s) operationally by the Interim Divisional Director for Environmental Services.

 

Reason for Decision:  To provide an efficient and compliant route for the award of a Fuel Card Services Contract to support the operation of essential ‘in house’ frontline services.

 

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.

 

 

526.

Q1 Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring pdf icon PDF 781 KB

Report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Having agreed to note the confidential appendices to the report, Cabinet

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            the revenue and capital forecast positions set out in paragraphs 1.2 and 1.3 in the officer report, be noted;

 

(2)            the proposed amendments to the Capital Programme as set out in paragraphs 3.30 to 3.33 and paragraphs 3.34 to 3.38 in the officer report, be approved;

 

(3)            the Council’s Trading Update as detailed in Appendix 6 to the officer report, be noted;

 

(4)            the refresh of Sancroft Community Care Limited’s Business Plan (2017-2023), as detailed in the exempt Appendix 7 to the officer report, be approved;

 

(5)            the Concillium Assets LLP’s Business Plan (2021/22 – 2027/28) as detailed in the exempt Appendix 8 to the officer report, be approved.

 

Reason for Decision:  To report the 2021/22 financial forecast position at Q1 and to update Cabinet on trading company performance.

 

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.

 

527.

Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme (RSAP)

Appendix 1 to the report of the Divisional Director, Housing Services.

Minutes:

See Minute 522.

528.

Q1 Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring

Appendices 7 and 8 to the report of the Director of Finance and Assurance.

Minutes:

See Minute 526.

529.

Long Lease Opportunities to provide newly built homes for use as temporary accommodation or discharge of homelessness duty

Appendices 1 and 2 to the report of the Divisional Director, Housing Services.

Minutes:

See Minute 521.