Agenda and minutes

All Members were present.

No interests were declared by Members present.

The minutes and decisions of the Cabinet meeting held on 21 May 2015 were agreed as a correct record.

This was confirmed.

Before the start of Cabinet business, the Leader of the Council led congratulations, on behalf of the Council, to Councillor David Simmonds who had been awarded a CBE for services to local government, families and children.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.      Note the outturn budget position for revenue and capital as at March 2015.

2.      Note the treasury management update as at 31 March 2015 at Appendix E.

3.      Continue the delegated authority up until the 23 July 2015 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 23 April 2015 and 21 May 2015 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix F.

4.      Approves the release of £24,240k 2014/15 contingency budgets to fund service pressures within Directorate Operating Budgets as set out in table 5.

5.      Approves the rephasing of £12,263k General Fund capital and £6,091k HRA capital budgets as outlined in Appendix D to this report.

6.      Approve the acceptance of the following grants and external contributions, for inclusion in the Council's 2015/16 Budgets:

a)      £31k Department for Education SEND Preparation for Employment Grant to Adult Social Care Budgets;

b)     £40k Department for Communities and Local Government / Department of Health Helping People Home Grant to Adult Social Care Budgets;

c)      £100k Transport for London Bridge Assessment and Strengthening Programme funding to Residents Services Budgets.

7.      Ratifies the decisions made by the Corporate Director of Finance, in full consultation with the Leader of the Council, as set out in Appendix G, which were taken since the 23 April Cabinet meeting under interim delegated authority.

8.      Awards £25,000 to Uxbridge College, from the Small Grants element of the Voluntary Sector Grants budget, to assist in the provision of a new small business support service.

9.      Notes Community Safety grants authorised by the Cabinet Member for Community, Commerce and Regeneration to the Hillingdon Metropolitan Police Service for a variety of activities to strengthen community safety in the Borough as detailed in Appendix H.

Reason for decision

Cabinet welcomed the Council’s 2014/15 revenue & capital outturn position demonstrating how the Council had managed its resources well during the last financial year. Cabinet agreed to re-phase capital resources to planned expenditure in cases where agreed and where planned expenditure had fallen within different financial years.

Additional decisions were made by Cabinet, including the acceptance from, and issuing of grants to, outside organisations. The Leader of the Council noted how other local authorities had closed services during the year, whilst Hillingdon had invested more in them. Furthermore, the Deputy Leader of the Council gave remarks about the substantial investment the Council had made to increase capacity in the operation of children's services to continue to put children and families first, and which ultimately had been achieved due to the strong financial position of the Council.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Paul Whaymand, Finance Directorate

Classification: Public

The report relating to this decision by the Cabinet is available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet notes the updated financial information.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted the report which detailed the financial planning obligations held by the Council and what progress had, and was, being made.

Alternative options considered and rejected

To not report to Cabinet. However, Cabinet believed it was an example of good practice to monitor income and expenditure against specific planning agreements.

Officer to action:

Nicola Wyatt, Residents Services

Classification: Public

The report relating to this decision by the Cabinet is available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.      Note the progress made with primary and secondary school expansions, the school condition programme and other school capital projects.

2.      Delegate to the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services, in consultation with Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, the authority to award a contract for specialist kitchen design and installation and construction works at Harefield Infant School, Frithwood Primary School and Harlyn Primary School.

3.      Accept additional grant funding of £715k from the Education Funding Agency towards the implementation of the Universal Infant Free School Meals initiative at schools across the Borough.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet received its monthly update, tracking progress on London’s largest school building programme which would invest over £300m in new local education facilities by 2020. This would ensure that every child in the London Borough of Hillingdon would have a quality place at a local school. Cabinet approved the necessary delegated authority to progress some building works in relation to school kitchens following the receipt of grant funding.

The Cabinet Member for Community, Commerce and Regeneration broke to Members present the historical context to education provision in Uxbridge and the wider Borough.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Bobby Finch, Residents Services

Classification: Public

The report relating to this decision by the Cabinet is available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet authorises the grant of a 5 year lease to Riverside Truck Rental Limited for a workshop and yard with the right to locate a portacabin in the yard at Harlington Road Depot with an option to terminate concurrently with the Commercial Contract as detailed in this report and instructs Legal Services to complete the appropriate lease documentation.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed a lease with Riverside Truck Rental Limited to provide vehicle and plant inspection, servicing, maintenance and repair to the Council's fleet of vehicles in allocated accommodation at Harlington Road Depot.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Susan Williams-Joseph, Residents Services

Classification: Private

Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and 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 extension of the contract for the provision of Environmental Enforcement Service with NSL Limited for one year with effect from 13th August 2015 and;

2.      Agrees to withdraw the exempt nature of relevant parts of the report as determined by the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, solely for the Council to use to provide public information about this initiative and related purposes.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to extend the current contract for a further one year period. It was noted that NSL provided patrols to areas of the Borough identified in conjunction with the Council, which are prone to the various types of anti-social behaviour, issuing fixed penalty notices and providing a service which helps keep the Borough clean and safe.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to extend the contract or go out to tender. It was noted, however, that the current service had been well received by residents.

Officer to action:

Nigel Dicker, Residents Services

Ed Shaylor, Residents Services

Classification: Private

Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and 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:

The Cabinet awards a contract to Churchill Contract Services Limited to deliver the cleaning and portering provision at the Council's Civic Centre and other corporate properties for 3 years with the possibility to extend by a further 2 years.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet accepted the most economically advantageous tender and awarded a contract for the cleaning provision at the Council's Civic Centre and other corporate properties.

It was welcomed that the contract would provide savings to the taxpayer and Cabinet noted that this service would include full cleaning and porterage across a wide range of facilities, including Adult Learning Centres, Early Years Centres, Day Centres and libraries, the Borough's Arts venues and some residential properties.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet could have chosen an alternative supplier or instructed officers to re-tender.

Officers to action:

Perry Scott, Finance / Residents Services

Michael Breen, Finance

Classification: Private

Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and contained information relating to individuals, information that could reveal the identity of individuals and 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 paragraphs 1,2 & 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985 as amended.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet

1.      Appoint specialist cost consultant Philip Pank Partnership, and specialist design consultants Hunters for professional, technical and construction services, for the fees as set out in this report, in order to carry out the tasks necessary to prepare full proposals and deliver Grassy Meadow and Dementia Resource Centre (Option 5), and Parkview (Option 1) extra care housing schemes to completion.

2.      Approve the estimated budget for these two schemes within the Supported Housing  programme and the General Fund Capital Programme for the Dementia Centre, to take into account the recommended number and size of flats, and project costs as set out in the report.

3.      Delegate all future decisions regarding these projects to the Leader of Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services, in conjunction with the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to progress the re-development of the former Grassy Meadow Day Centre in Hayes & the former Parkview Day Centre in Yiewsley as new sites for Extra Care Supported Housing. Cabinet particularly welcomed the plans for a new Dementia Resource Centre at Grassy Meadow.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet had considered other options including general housing or disposal either privately or to a Registered Provider. However, these were discounted because Cabinet was of the view that supported housing offered the best value solution for these two particular sites.

Officers to action:

Perry Scott, Residents Services

Michael Naughton, Resident Services

Classification: Private

Whilst the Cabinet's decisions above are always made public, the officer report relating to this matter is not because it was considered in the private part of the meeting and 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.

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7:26pm

* IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Implementation of the decisions (for officers only)

Meeting after Cabinet, the Executive Scrutiny Committee did not call-in any of the Cabinet's decisions. These can therefore be implemented from 5pm, Friday 26 June 2015. Officers to action the decisions are indicated in the minutes.