Agenda and minutes

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

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

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

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no declarations of interests made by Members in relation to the business transacted at this meeting.

To consider whether any item on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded because it contains confidential information as defined in the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:  That (1) in accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, the following item be admitted late to the agenda by virtue of the special circumstances and grounds for urgency detailed below:

(2)  That all items be considered with the press and public present with the exception of the following item for the reasons set out below:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2008 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 March 2008, be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 15 (Part 4D of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions had been received.

To receive questions (if any) under the provisions of Executive Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4D of the Constitution).

(Note:  Paragraph 16 of the Executive Procedure Rules stipulates that questions will be asked in the order notice of them was received and that there be a time limit of 15 minutes).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16.

In accordance with the provisions contained in Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 23 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  That no matters had been referred to the Executive Member for reconsideration in accordance with the provisions contained in the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rule 22 (Part 4F of the Constitution).

(if any)

RESOLVED:  To note that no reports had been received.

Report of the Corporate Director of Community and Environment Services.

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985: In accordance with the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, this meeting is being

called with less than 5 clear working days’ notice by virtue of the special

circumstances and ground for urgency stated below:-

Special Circumstances/Ground for Urgency: Under Access to Information

Procedure Rule 5.2, where a meeting is convened at shorter notice than set

out in Rule 4, copies of the agenda and reports shall be open to inspection

from the time the meeting is convened.

The approval contained in this report is required in order to enable Harrow’s revised Outline Business Case for a Street Lighting PFI to be submitted to DfT.  The report is urgent in order to comply with DfT’s timetable for submission to the Treasury Programme Review Group (PRG) in September 2008.  Delay would result in increased costs to the Council in respect of procurement costs in respect of external advisors and also the annual Affordability Gap that the Council must meet.  It may also jeopardise the approval of the scheme.

The report has been excluded from public inspection on the grounds that it

contains information that is considered exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 as

specified in schedule 12a (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 in

that it relates to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any

particular person (including the authority holding that information).

The submission of the Street Lighting PFI Outline Business Case to the Department of Transport had been discussed by Cabinet at its meetings in January 2007, March 2008 and May 2008.  Since the May Cabinet, further discussions had taken place with the Department for Transport, 4Ps and EDF and these had given rise to the need to make further changes to the Outline Business Case.

An officer introduced the confidential report which detailed the reasons for the changes and the advice from the Council’s financial advisers.

RESOLVED:  That (1) the revised bid to the Department of Transport for PFI credits be approved as set out in the report;

(2)  that a further addition to the procurement budget of £400k, making £1.3m in total, be approved; and

(3)  that the funding of the revised base Affordability Gap for the duration of the contract term and as set out within the Council’s Outline Business Case be approved.

Reason for Decision:  Following discussions with the Department for Transport, 4Ps and EDF it had become apparent that further amendments were necessary to Harrow’s PFI proposal before a revised Outline Business Case could be submitted.

(This item was included in Part II as it was considered exempt by virtue of paragraph 3 as specified in Schedule 12a (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 in that it related to information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).