Agenda and minutes

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

 

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

 

(i)            to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)          where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)         the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)         if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note the attendance at this meeting of the following duly appointed Reserve Members:

 

Ordinary Member	Reserve Member
Councillor Vipin Mithani	Councillor Kuha Kumaran
Councillor Samir Sumaria	Councillor Matthew Goodman-Freeman
Councillor Eden Kulig	Councillor Jerry Miles
Councillor Dan Anderson	Councillor Antonio Weiss

 

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;

(b)          all other Members present.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations made by Members.

The Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive gave a presentation to the committee with the following highlights:

 

Achievements to Date included the following:

 

·                 One hour free on street parking

·                 One hour off street free parking in January

·                 Decisions on bulky waste collection for up to 4 items

·                 Two visits per day to HWRC

·                 Tall buildings SPD

·                 Reintroduction of performance reporting in the council

·                 The appointed a new CEO

 

Finance Overview included the following:

 

·                 The year overspend projection of £6million

·                 Inflation

·                 Likely pay settlement

·                 High cost placements

·                 MTFS Gap

·                 £16 million next year

·                 Further gaps beyond

 

He informed the committee that challenges were compounded by the need to restore and retain reserves, anticipated rises in inflation and forecast rise in demand

 

New Priorities included schemes to Restore Pride in Harrow and the following priorities:

 

·                 Priority 1 – A Council that puts residents first

·                 Priority 2 – A Borough that is safe and clean

·                 Priority 3 – A Place where those in need are supported

 

Accommodation Update included the following:

 

·                 Harrow Hub became operational in April 2022 and is currently being assessed to determine occupancy levels.

·                 The Civic Building would be closed by December 2022 and ready for handover to HSDP by March 2023

·                 Providing safe and suitable customer facing facilities such as in person interactions at Greenhill Library and the new location of the Registrar’s Office and the location of Citizens’ Advice Harrow at the adjacent unit in Sheldon House

 

Regeneration Sites Update included:

 

Greenhill Way

·                 New Town Hall

·                 Min 200 units of accommodation

·                 Possible other uses

·                 Feasibility studies

 

Poets Corner

·                 Reduced height

·                 Additional family homes

 

Grange Farm

·                 Additional affordable homes and more family houses

·                 Positive land value

·                 November Cabinet proposes approval of Business plan and incorporation to HSDP

  

Byron Quarter

·                 Increased family housing

·                 Height reduction opposite neighbouring houses/ Belmont Trail

·                 Discussions re viability challenges and affordable housing

 

Peel Road

·                 Planning feasibility

·                 Replace HNC with additional residential

·                 Maintain height in opportunity area

 

Milton Road

·                 Reduction of one storey in height

·                 Improved scheme opposite residents and Mosque

·                 Ongoing cost discussions

 

Next Steps included the following:

 

HSDP Update and Grange Farm Business Plan

·                 Overview and Scrutiny: 8th November

·                 Cabinet: 17 November

 

Business Plans

·                 Byron: January Cabinet

·                 Peel: January Cabinet

·                 Poets: possibly January Cabinet

 

Greenhill Way/ town hall feasibility and costs

·                 November discussions

·                 NB Market and economy

·                 Viability challenges ongoing

 

The Chair thanked the Leader and the Chief Executive for their presentation and invited Members to ask questions.

 

A Member asked if there was any limitation put on the size of items?  How would that affect the feasibility of the service.

 

The Leader of the Council explained that apart from the introduction of a free first collection, size and meterage requirements remained the same as the former scheme.  A slight increase in demand for the service was expected and a decline in income was predicted because of the one-hour free parking scheme.  Both schemes were under review and there was a lot of scope in the budget to provide for either increasing  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.