Decisions

·       Authorise the re-procurement of a Young People’s Substance Misuse Service.

·       Delegate authority to award a contract for a Young People’s Substance Misuse Service to the Director of Public Health, following consultation with the Corporate Director of People’s Service, Chief Financial Officer and the Portfolio Holders for Adults & Public Health and Finance & Major Contracts.

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.

This report recommends the council enters into a long (45 year) lease for new homes, funded by a lease rental payment, for use either as temporary accommodation or for discharge of homelessness duty.  It will secure additional housing to assist in meeting the council’s statutory homelessness obligations and provide a rental income stream.  Cabinet is requested to delegate authority to the Corporate Director Community following consultation with the Director of Finance and S151 Officer, the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources and the Portfolio Holder for Housing to finalise and enter into the Legal Agreements.

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.

To seek approval from Cabinet to enter into grant contracts with the GLA, acquire 9 x 1 bedroom flats to house rough sleepers under a Housing First model, commission a new support service to commence in December 2021 and delegate authority to the Director for Community to award the contract, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing.

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.

Approve the addition of 15 parks and gardens in Harrow to the local list of historic parks and gardens.

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 12^th 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.

1.     To Note the Revenue and Capital forecast position at Q1

2.     To approve amendments to the Capital Programme if applicable.

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.

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

2.     Seeking delegated authority to 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, to finalise the procurement and award of the contract(s) and operationally by the Interim Divisional Director for Environmental Services.

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.

Cabinet is requested to:

1.     Grant approval to procure liability and property insurance for the Council.

2.     Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resources, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, to award the contract(s) for liability and property insurance for the Council.

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.