Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Scott Seaman-Digby.

No interests were declared at the meeting.

Subject to the correction of an erratum in minute 830.3 where the cumulative consultancy value for AOC Archaeology should have read £74,860, the minutes and decisions of the last Cabinet meeting were agreed and confirmed as a correct record.

This was confirmed.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:-

1. Notes the work to date on Part 2 of the Hillingdon Local Plan, including the results of initial consultations held in April-May 2013.
2. Agrees that the Draft Proposed Site Allocations and Site Designations attached as Appendix 2 to this report should be included in the ‘Proposed Submission Draft’ of Part 2 of the Hillingdon Local Plan, which is to be published for consultation later this Winter, subject to the addition of the St Andrew’s Park – Annington Homes Site.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet gave its appreciation to the work of Officers in preparing the documentation and fully considered the consultations that took place required during April and May 2013 in order to prepare a Proposed Submission version of Part 2 of the Hillingdon Local Plan. 

Cabinet gave its approval for officers to undertake public consultation later in the year on the Draft Proposed Site Allocations and Designations, to enable the Council to make meaningful progress on the Local Plan, in order to meet the requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have varied the site options available for the Draft Proposed Site Allocations and Site Designations document, to be released for public consultation later in the year.

Officer to action:

Jales Tippell, Residents Services

RESOLVED

That Cabinet notes the successes to date and continued progress to deliver the Older People’s Action Plan during 2013/14 to improve the quality of life, health and wellbeing of Older People in Hillingdon.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet welcomed the progress on the Older People’s Plan 2013-2014 and the commitment by the Council and its partners to the continued development and improvement of services designed to create a better quality of life for older people in Hillingdon. Cabinet noted a number of initiatives, showing Hillingdon Council leading the way in its support for Older People.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Dan Kennedy, Administration Directorate

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet notes the progress made on the delivery of the 2013/14 Disabled People’s Plan to date.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet welcomed the progress on the delivery of the Disabled People’s Plan 2013-14 and the commitment by the Council and its partners to the continued development and improvement of services designed to create a better quality of life for disabled people in Hillingdon.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Daniel Kennedy, Administration Directorate

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1. Authorises officers to give public notice of the Council’s intention to appropriate the land from highways purposes to public open space;

2. Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services and the Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling to:

(a)   Consider any objections to the proposed appropriation; and

(b)   Decide whether the land should be appropriated for public open space.

3. Agrees that Officers be authorised to proceed with seeking planning consent and take any necessary decision to stop up the area of highway in question.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted that this land was currently designated as public highway and agreed to progress, via the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, the appropriation of the land to Green Spaces for use as a park in Charville Ward to improve local amenity space for residents.

Alternative options considered and rejected.

Cabinet could have decided not to appropriate any land.

Officer to action:

M Henington, Residents Services

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.      Note the forecast budget position for revenue and capital as at Month 5.

2.      Note the treasury management update for Month 5 at Appendix E.

3.      Continue the delegated authority up until the 21 November 2013 Cabinet meeting to the Chief Executive to approve any consultancy and agency assignments over £50k, with final sign-off of any assignments made by the Leader of the Council. Cabinet are also asked to note those consultancy and agency assignments over £50k approved under delegated authority between the 26 September and 24 October 2013 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix F.

4.      Allocate £500k from Priority Growth to fund environmental and recreational initiatives.

5.      Approves funding of £632k in respect of 2 Year Olds Entitlement Grant to be added to the Primary Schools Capital Programme.

6.      Approves funding of £347k in respect of Capital Maintenance Grant to be added to the Schools Conditions budget.

7.      Approve the award of a £25k per annum for the years 2013/14 and 2014/15 from the Voluntary Sector Grants budget to the Citizens Advice Bureau.

8.      Approve the introduction of an Ordinary Watercourse Land Drainage Consent fee of £50 with effect from 4 November 2013.

9.      Ratify an Emergency Contract Decision taken by the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council on 15 October 2013 to award a Block Contract to Nestor Primecare Services Ltd (trading as Allied Healthcare) for the provision of domiciliary care for a period of one year at a cost of £416.7k.

10.Endorses the Council’s bid to Sport England's Community Sports Activation Fund and to support it, agrees £353,793 in Council match funding from the 2013/14 Public Health budget for new and extended physical activity initiatives. If successful, Cabinet agrees to accept the Sport England grant awarded.   

Reasons for decision

Cabinet was informed of the latest forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2013/14 to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives. Cabinet made a wide range of further decisions to agree funding priorities, fees and charges and ratify recent financial and contractual decisions made. Additionally, Cabinet agreed to throw its full support, including matched-funding, behind a Council bid to the Sport England's Community Sports Activation Fund.

The Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services clarified the Council’s position in respect of school redundancy costs and the Clinical Psychology Service.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Paul Whaymand, Finance Directorate

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1. Note the progress made with Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Primary School Expansion Programme.

2. Approve the inclusion of Grange Park drainage works to the School Condition Works Programme.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet received an update on the primary school capital programme and good maintenance of the school estate.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to include Grange Park drainage works to the School Condition Works Programme.

Officer to action:

David Murnaghan – Residents Services

RESOLVED:

Cabinet noted the information detailed within the report and appendix.

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet approves the award of a 4 year contract from 1st April 2014 using the current Card Services provider Allpay for the provision of Payment Card Services for Housing Rent & Council Tax payments via the Northern Housing Consortium Framework Agreement.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to award a contract for payment cards to facilitate the receipt of housing rents and Council Tax for residents and tenants that did not have access to modern payment methods such as on line banking or direct debit.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have requested that the Council undertakes its own tender exercise instead procuring through a consortium framework or alternatively decided to utilise the upcoming GPS Card Services Framework for Card Services.

Officers to action:

Dan Tilbury, Huw Thomas & Rob Smith – Finance Directorate

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1. Approves the tender submitted by Staffordshire Scientific Services and Scientific Analysis Laboratories Ltd to undertake pesticide residue testing for the London Borough of Hillingdon, for a period of three years, as required by European and Domestic legislation.

2. Approves the reduction in the current 24 hour test charge to importers from £227.50 to £150.00 from 1 December 2013 and the abolition of the current 48 hour test charge to importers of £165.00 from 1 December 2013.

Reasons for decision

Following a procurement process, Cabinet agreed to award the most economically advantageous contract for the sampling of imported food at London Heathrow Airport in respect of pesticide residue testing. Cabinet noted that this was required under UK and European legislation and agreed the relevant charge for using this service by importers that would recover the cost of the contract to the Council.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to cease testing imported food consignments for the presence of pesticide residues; however, the Council would then not meet its statutory obligations as a Designated Point of Entry into the UK.

Officer to action:

Shabeg Nagra, Nicholas Green – Residents Services

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agrees that, pending further personalisation and a tendering of the services:

1. Yarrow be given a one year extension of their contract for a care and support service at Hyde House and Herne House from the 1st  April 2014 for a maximum sum of £ 387.0K;

2. Mencap be given a one year extension of their contract for a care and support service at Yeading Lane from the 1st  April 2014 for a maximum sum of £149.0K;

3. Dimensions be given a one year extension of their contract for a care and support service at Horton Road from the 1st  April 2014 for a maximum sum of £179.9K.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed one year extensions of the contracts with Yarrow, Mencap and Dimensions for the provision of care and support services at four supported housing schemes for people with a learning disability.  Cabinet noted that the Council was in the process of working with the providers to modernise and personalise the service model within the schemes.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to go out to competitive tender sooner than planned, which would not have allowed a review to be completed in order to modernise the services.

Officers to action:

Tony Zaman, Adult Social Care Services

Gary Collier, Finance Directorate

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1. Appropriate the land and garages from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to the General Fund (GF);
2. Declare the land and garages surplus to requirements and;
3. Accept the offer as set out in the report.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to declare the land and garages adjacent to 15 Orchard Waye, Uxbridge, surplus to requirements and to dispose of them via an offer for the sites.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet had previously considered other options in respect of the sites.

Officer to action:

Marcia Gillings, Residents Services

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and the public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet agrees to transfer the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) non-dwelling assets identified in Appendix A with a net book value of £9 million to the General Fund from the 1^st November 2013.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet approved to transfer a large number of non-dwelling commercial garage assets from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to the General Fund. It was noted that this was in line with operational reviews of Property and Housing services and would assist the HRA in developing Affordable Housing Units by increasing the amount of available borrowing within the overall limit established as part of the self financing regime.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to transfer the non-dwelling garage assets and therefore there would not be any benefits for the wider community.

Officers to action:

David Murnaghan – Residents Services

Andy Evans – Finance Directorate

Exempt Information

This report was included in Part II as it contained information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the Authority holding that information) and information that would be likely to reveal the identify of an individual. The public interest in withholding the information outweighed the public interest in disclosing it (exempt information under paragraphs 2 & 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

Special Urgency Provisions

This report had been circulated less than 5 working days before the Cabinet meeting and was agreed by the Chairman to be considered as urgent.

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7.30pm

* IMPORTANT INFORMATION

DECISION AUTHORITY

Meeting after Cabinet, the Executive Scrutiny Committee did not call-in any of the Cabinet’s decisions.

The decisions of the Cabinet will therefore come into effect from 5pm, Friday 1 November 2013.