Agenda and minutes

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

Media

Items
No. Item

117.

Apologies for Absence

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

None received.

118.

Declarations of Interest

To receive declarations of disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from all Members present.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that no interests were declared.

119.

Petitions

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions had been received.

120.

Public Questions

To note any public questions received.

 

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, 13 March 2023.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions had been received.

121.

Councillor Questions pdf icon PDF 82 KB

To receive any Councillor questions.

 

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, 13 March 2023].

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the Councillor Questions were responded to and the recording would be available on the Council’s website.

122.

Progress on Scrutiny Projects pdf icon PDF 100 KB

For consideration

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

Recommended Items

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123.

Cabinet and Member Engagement in the Commissioning and Procurement Programme pdf icon PDF 643 KB

Report of the Director of Finance.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Resolved to RECOMMEND:  (to Council) 

 

That

 

(1)            the amendments to the Contract Procedure Rules as set out in Appendix 1 to the officer report be agreed.

 

[Call-in does not apply to the decision above as it is reserved to full Council.]

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

(2)            the on-going updating of the annual procurement programme be delegated to the Director of Finance and Assurance following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Human Resources, noting that a procurement programme would be reported to Cabinet annually;

 

(3)            the procurement programme for all procurement with an aggregate value of over £100,000 for the period April 2023 to March 2024 as set out in Appendix 2 to the officer report, be noted;

 

(4)            all the contracts over £100,000 awarded during the period January 2022 to the end of December 2022 as set out in Appendix 3 to the officer report, be noted;

 

(5)            it be noted that the annual review of low value procurement activity up to £100,000 would be undertaken by the Head of Procurement following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Human Resources.

 

Reason for Recommendation:  To provide full oversight of the delivery of the procurement programme for the period January 2022 to end of December 2022; to provide Cabinet with an opportunity to see the planned procurement programme over £100,000 for the period April 2023 to March 2024 and to allow for early engagement of respective Portfolio Holders in each of the procurements under the programme over £500,000; and to offer assurance to Cabinet that robust local authority governance and probity was in place in all procurement under £100,000.

Resolved Items

Additional documents:

124.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund - Harrow's Direct Allocation Proposed Spend pdf icon PDF 227 KB

Report of the Corporate Director of Place and the Director of Inclusive Economy, Leisure & Culture.

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Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            a Grant Agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA) be entered into and £1.4m direct funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) secured to deliver projects to improve Harrow as a place, and support residents and businesses; and

 

(2)            the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Portfolio Holders for Business, Employment and Property, Community and Culture, Environment and Community Safety and Finance and Human Resources, be authorised to sign the agreement.

 

Reason for Decision:  As the Lead Authority to manage UKSPF in London, the GLA required each London Borough to sign a funding agreement to receive the Borough’s direct allocation of UKSPF funding.

125.

Home Improvement Agency - Extension of existing contract and procurement of Aids & Adaptations and Handy person service pdf icon PDF 167 KB

Report of the Corporate Director of Place and the Director of Housing.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            a 5-month extension to all providers on Lot 1 and Lot 2 from 20 May 2023 until 19 October 2023 be approved;

 

(2)            the commencement of the re-procurement of a framework agreement for the following two Lots for four years be approved:

 

o   Lot 1 – Standard and Nonstandard Aids and Adaptations

o   Lot 2 – Handyperson Service

 

(3)            the total framework value over the four years of £10,749,680, be noted; and

 

(4)            the Corporate Director of Place, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, be authorised to award and appoint contractors to the Framework and to call-off and arrange the execution of contracts with the successful tenderers.

 

Reason for Decision:  To comply with the Council’s Contract Procedure Rules and Financial Regulations, due to the aggregate estimated value of the potential call-off contracts under the Framework Agreement.

126.

Review of the Social Housing Allocation Scheme pdf icon PDF 167 KB

Report of the Corporate Director of Place and Director of Housing.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That

 

(1)            the amendment to section 4.5 of the Housing Allocation Scheme by inserting a new paragraph 4.5(i) as set out below, be approved:

 

“As of 1 April 2023, the Council will remove the 5-year residency requirement fornon-UK nationals with refugee status in the UK who would qualify for inclusion on the housing register but are unable to demonstrate at least 5 years' residence in Harrow or another place in the UK.”

 

Reason for Decision:  To ensure Harrow Council’s Housing Allocation Scheme’s qualification criteria for joining the housing register was in compliance with the law and that it did not directly or indirectly discriminate any particular group of housing applicants seeking to join the housing register.

127.

Authority to Implement and administer Extra Support Schemes for Residents in 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Report of the Director of Finance.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That

 

(1)            a new one-off Council Tax Reduction for Pensioners and Working Age claimants in receipt of Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) as of 1 April 2023 be introduced, noting that pensioner and working age LCTS recipients would be eligible for a one-off grant as per Tables 1 & 2 in the officer report;

 

(2)             the Director of Finance and Assurance be authorised to administer awards under the provisions of Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (as amended by the Local Government Finance Act 2012), in respect of the Council Tax reduction for Pensioners & Working Age claimants; and

 

(3)            the need to award the Alternative Fuel Support Payments to all qualifying households be noted and the administration of the scheme on behalf of Government be agreed.

 

Reason for Decision:  To fulfil the Council’s obligations under the relevant guidance’s issued.

 

[No conflict of interests were declared or dispensations granted in relation to the above items.]