Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence (if any).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mina Parmar.

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

RESOLVED:  To note that the following interests were declared:

Agenda Item 9 - Harrow Strategic Development Partnership (HSDP) - Updated Overarching Business Plan, Phase Business Plans for Poets

Corner (All phases) and Byron Quarter Phase 1

Councillor Stephen Greek declared a pecuniary interest in that he was a Council appointee on the Harrow Strategic Development Partnership.  Due to a dispensation, he would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered but would not vote on the item.

Councillor Kanti Rabadia, a Non-Executive member, declared a pecuniary interest in that he was a Council appointee on the Harrow Strategic Development Partnership.  Due to a dispensation, he would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered.

Agenda Item 5 - Councillor Questions

Councillor Simon Brown,who was not a member of Cabinet, declared a non-pecuniary interest in that he was a Governor at Pinner Park Primary School.  He would remain in the room whilst the matter was considered.

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

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

(1)            Cllr David Perry presented a petition containing in relation to St Kilda’s Road within Marlborough Ward, in particular over excessive amount of vehicles parked along the road which had caused a hinderance and for a resolution to be sought.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be referred to the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy and Portfolio Holder for Highways and Finance.

(2)            Cllr Natasha Proctor presented a petition containing 22 signatures in relation to Parkfield Crecent, in particular for the pavements to be resurfaced.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be referred to the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy and Portfolio Holder for Highways and Finance.

(3)            Cllr Krishna Suresh presented a petition containing 15 signatures in relation to Lynwood Close in Rayners Lane, in particular for the road and pavement to be resurfaced.

RESOLVED:  That the petition be referred to the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy and Portfolio Holder for Highways and Finance.

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, Monday 10 March 2025.  Questions should be sent to publicquestions@harrow.gov.uk

No person may submit more than one question].

To note that 3 public questions had been received and responded to and the recording had been placed on the Council’s website.

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, Monday 10 March 2025.

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

RESOLVED:  To note the contents of the Key Decision Schedule for the period March to May 2025.

For consideration

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

Report of the Acting Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration and Chief Planning Officer.

RESOLVED:  That

  (1)          the outcomes of the latest consultation on the draft New Harrow Local Plan 2021-2041 (‘Regulation 19’ consultation) be noted;

  (2)          the subsequent decision by the Chief Planning Officer under delegated authority from Council to submit the draft Plan for examination on 26 February 2025 be noted.

Reason for Decision:  The Harrow Local Plan was one of the key documents in the Council’s policy framework.  The report to Cabinet on 15 October 2024 indicated that the outcomes of the consultation held during November-December 2024 would be reported back to Cabinet.  The new plan was being prepared in the context of Government deadlines and delegated authority to the Chief Planning Officer was agreed by Council to allow the process to continue in a timely manner; this report updated Cabinet on that decision.

[Note:  The reference from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was noted]

[Call-in did not apply to the resolutions above as it was a noting report]

Report of the Acting Strategic Director of Housing & Regeneration

RESOLVED:  That

in relation to the HSDP generally:

  (1)          the progress on the core sites against the January 2024 approved Business Plan and forward looking activities set out in the new Overarching Business Plan (at appendix 1 of the officer’s report) be noted;

  (2)          the Overarching Business Plan of the HSDP (as set out in appendix 1 and exempt appendix 1a of the officer’s report) be approved;

  (3)          the Acting Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration be authorised, following consultation with the Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, to enter into any appropriate contract and take necessary actions to enable the delivery of the activities set out in the Overarching and Phase Business Plans over the next 12 months (as set out in appendices 1, 2 and 3 and exempt appendices 1a, 2a, 3a and 3b of the officer’s report);

  (4)          the Acting Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration be authorised, following consultation with the Strategic Director of Finance, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways, to appropriate such parts or the whole of the Byron Quarter and Poets Corner sites for planning purposes, including the power, if necessary, to do so multiple times for each site, with the effect of overriding third party rights and covenants and to authorise compensation for any rights and covenants overridden (as set out in paragraph 2.25 and appendix 4 of the officer’s report);

  (5)          the Strategic Director of Finance be authorised to approve the rollover of any underspent funds from the business plans for Byron Quarter and Poets Corner as approved in this report, ensuring that each site’s underspend was carried forward for use in its respective planned activities in the following financial year (subject to compliance with the council’s financial regulations) as set out in paragraphs 2.31 and 2.45 of the officer’s report;

  (6)          the Strategic Director of Finance be authorised, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways, to approve and enter into any of the financial agreements and instruments required by the Members Agreement to facilitate the new Overarching Business Plans and subsequent above mentioned Phase Business Plans in resolutions 4 and 8;

  (7)          the Strategic Director of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer) be authorised, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, to take any action necessary to ensure that the Council’s continued participation in the HSDP was at all times compliant with applicable subsidy control laws and any potential tax liability.

In relation to Byron Quarter:

  (8)          the updated HSDP Phase Business Plan for Byron Quarter (phase 1) for the 12-month period starting 1 April 2025 be approved, and the HSDP budget forecast of £5.0m (50% being the Council’s liability) be noted, which included the HSDP entering into a Pre-construction services agreement with Wates (as set out in paragraph 2.24,appendix 2 and exempt appendix 2a of the officer’s report) and the Council’s allocation of spend of £2.5m to support this work as set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 425.

Report of the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy

RESOLVED:  That

  (1)          the new Household Recycling and Waste Planning Guidance for New Developments and Conversions appended at Appendix 1 to the officer report, be approved;

  (2)          the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy be authorised, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Performance, Communications and Customer Experience, to make minor amendments to the Household Recycling and Waste Planning Guidance for New Developments and Conversions.

Reason for Decision:  The new guidance set out requirements for developers in relation to the methods of waste storage and general waste and recycling requirements for different types of residential properties.  It sat under the Council’s wider Waste Strategy and would enable the Council to meet its statutory requirements, including the changes to be introduced under the ‘Simpler Recycling in England’ policy.

(1.1)       As a response to the current housing shortage, an increasing number of new properties were to be built in Harrow, often as communal developments.  They needed to have appropriate provisions for waste storage and collection.

(1.2)       Additionally, office blocks were being converted into residential accommodation and individual houses into Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMOs).  Developers were taking advantage of ‘change of use permitted development rights’ that allowed building works to be carried out without going through a planning application process.  This was leading to conversions that did not take into account the London Borough of Harrow’s requirements for waste management provision.

(1.3)       The Council’s Waste Team had encountered blocks of flats and HMOs where insufficient space had been allowed for rubbish and recycling containers.  This had limited the ability to capture recycling and in some cases necessitated more frequent collections, which added to collection costs. 

The purpose of the Household Recycling and Waste Planning guidance was to present some good practice approaches that could reduce the number of new and converted buildings with inadequate provision for effective waste management.

Report of the Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy

RESOLVED:  That

  (1)          the commencement of the procurement for a cashless payment provider via the Crown Commercial Service G-Cloud 14 Framework be approved;

  (2)          Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy be authorised, following consultation with the Strategic Director of Finance (S151 Officer) and the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways to make all decisions associated with this procurement, including designing the specification and entering into a call-off contract with the successful bidder.

Reason for Decision:  Approval of the recommendation would enable the Council to ensure best value for money and customer experience for residents when using the Council’s cashless parking services.

Report of the Managing Director

RESOLVED:  That

  (1)          Portfolio Holders continue to work with officers to achieve improvement against identified key challenges as set out in Appendix 1 to the officer’s report;

  (2)          the report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To enable Cabinet to be informed of performance against key measures and to identify and assign corrective action where necessary.