Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Keith Burrows.

No interests were declared by Members present.

The decisions and minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 20 June 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

This was confirmed.

Councillor Richard Mills, Chairman of the Corporate Services, Commerce & Communities Policy Overview Committee, presented the Committee’s review to Cabinet, which was warmly endorsed.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1. Welcomes the Committee’s findings from the Committee’s review into Community Safety and New Policing Structures in Hillingdon, particularly noting the success of the Council’s new state-of-the art CCTV system; and,

2. Agrees the recommendations from the Committee for implementation by officers, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Community, Commerce and Regeneration and Leader of the Council as required:

Policy Overview Committee Findings and Recommendations

1.     That the Council recognised the significant improvement in performance by the Community Safety Team over the past year, and ensured that the department remained adequately resourced to continue to carry out its work.

2.     That Hillingdon’s Community Safety Team continued to share best practice and remained in constant communication with the other boroughs that made up the West London Basic Command Unit (BCU).

3.     That regular and improved communication took place between the Anti-Social Behaviour Team and the Community Safety Team with Housing Associations, in order to pro-actively share video evidence of anti-social or criminal behaviour that might be carried out on housing estates.

4.     That the current CCTV upgrade programme be considered a success to date, and that the ongoing roll-out be continued, as planned, with confirmation provided to the Committee upon completion. Upon conclusion of the roll-out, officers be requested to return to the Committee, in a sensible timeframe, to provide quantitative analysis to show the impact the CCTV Programme had had on Hillingdon.

5.     That Council officers be congratulated on their impressive upgrade of the CCTV Control Room, and that the Council continued to work in partnership with the Police, and allow access to Members of the Police Force who might not be able to operate in active duty.

6.     That consideration be given to extending the hours of operation when the Control Room was manned, in order to achieve the maximum possible results of identifying crime and anti-social behaviour when it was happening.

7.     That the Out-of-Hours Team, rather than being based at a desk during night shifts, be located in the CCTV Control Room to alert operators to any issues that were being reported.

8.     That Cabinet be requested to agree officers undertake a study into the use of facial recognition CCTV software to enhance community safety, including action to find missing children and vulnerable adults, and to ensure compliance with Data Protection requirements, reporting back to the Cabinet Member for Communities, Commerce and Regeneration on the way forward, and thereafter, the Committee for information.

9.     Where possible, Hillingdon Council continued to fund additional officers who formed the Borough’s Tasking Teams, who received instruction from the Community Safety Team on where to target, and focussed efforts based on local knowledge and priorities; and

10.  That the Cabinet Member for Community, Commerce and Regeneration be requested to submit the Council’s comments to the Mayor of London and MOPAC’s review of the possible withdrawal of match funding previously given to Tasking Teams, supporting the continuation of this scheme to provide additional officers for our Borough.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet considered the Committee’s review and endorsed the recommendations from it, noting that the recommendations would maintain and improve the already successful partnership with the Metropolitan Police and, in turn, ensure the safety of local residents across the Borough.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to reject some, or all, of the Committee’s recommendations.

Officers to action:

Luke Taylor, Democratic Services (Monitoring)

Dan Kennedy, Residents Services (Implementation)

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Notes the budget position as at May 2019 (Month 2) as outlined in Table 1 of the report.

2.    Notes the Treasury Management update as at May 2019 at Appendix E of the report.

3.    Continues the delegated authority up until the September 2019 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 noted those consultancy and agency assignments over £50k approved under delegated authority between the 20 June 2019 and 25 July 2019 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix K of the report.

4.    Accepts funding of £645k from High Speed Two (HS2) Limited in respect of the HS2 Road Safety Fund.

5.    Approves the following grants from the Special Provision Capital Fund to Uxbridge College (£40k) and Moorcroft School (£250k) and the associated total capital release of £290k.

6.    Accepts £9k grant funding from Transport for London for the Borough Officer Training Programme.

7.    Accepts the £45.9k National Children's Bureau (NCB) funding for SENDIASS.

8.    Agrees, with regard to card payments for Business Rates, that the Council remove the facility to pay by credit card and accept only debit cards.

9.    As set out in Appendix G of the report, approves a public consultation exercise on the following potential amendments to the Council’s local Council Tax Reduction Scheme with a view to reforming the scheme with effect from April 2020:

a.    Introduction of a Banding Scheme for Working Age Claimants, including a simplification of non-dependent deductions;

b.    Reducing the capital limit for the scheme from £16k to £6k in line with Universal Credit; and;

c.    Establishing a £1 minimum weekly award.

10.Approves acceptance of gift funding in relation to a Planning Performance Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003 for:

a.    Former Nestle Factory Site £50k

b.    Airport Bowl, Bath Road £43k

c.    Master Brewer Site, Hillingdon Circus £43k

11.Approves a new charging structure for the installation of vehicle crossovers as set out in Appendix H of the report.

12.Endorses the development of the commercial waste service and approves the revised fee structure as set out in Appendix I of the report;

13.Approves a new charge of £50 for Change of Name Deeds for the Registration Service, with additional copies at time of issue £10, at a later date £20.

14.Ratifies the special urgency contract decision taken on 2 July 2019 as set out in Appendix J of the report.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet was informed of the latest Month 2 forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2019/20 to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives.

Cabinet made a number of other financial related decisions, including the acceptance of grants from the Special Provision Capital Fund, together with the accepted funding from High Speed Two (HS2) Limited in respect of the HS2 Road Safety Fund, from the National Children’s Bureau for SENDIASS, from Transport for London in respect of the Borough Officer Training Programme, and gift funding in relation to Planning Performance Agreements at various sites across the Borough.

Cabinet approved changes to card payments for business rates, a new charging structure for vehicle crossovers, and new charges for Change of Name Deeds.

Cabinet approved a public consultation exercise on potential amendments to the Council’s local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and endorsed the development of the commercial waste service together with a revised fee structure.

Furthermore, a decision previously taken under delegated authority to appoint a Works Contractor for new build and refurbishment at 1, 3, 5, & 7 Lundy Drive, was ratified.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Paul Whaymand, Finance

Classification: Public

The report and any background papers relating to this decision by the Cabinet are available to view on the Council's website or by visiting the Civic Centre, Uxbridge.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Accepts the tender from Collier Contracts Ltd for the provision of Construction Services to the London Borough of Hillingdon for the Redevelopment of Nelson Road Former Garage Site and at the value of £1,805k.

2.    Agrees the appointment of Faithful + Gould Limited for professional, technical and construction services, to take the project through to final RIBA Stage 6 at a value of £120k.

3.    Delegates all future decisions regarding the project to the Leader of the 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 decisions

Cabinet noted that the proposed development would generate rental income for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and potential general fund savings through the reduction in the number of B&B households.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet considered the disposal of the site, but this was rejected in favour of the proposed scheme, which would benefit local residents through the provision of larger rented homes.

Officer to action:

Carmel Hynes, 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)    Accepts the tender from Quattro (UK) Ltd for the collection and processing of highways arisings and street sweepings (lots 1 & 2)on behalf of the London Borough of Hillingdon for a three year period from 24 August 2019 to 23 August 2022, including the provision to extend the contract for a two year period (five years in total), subject to the approval of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services. Estimated value of £255,574 over the total five years.

2)    Accepts the tender from Powerday PLC for the collection and processing of bulky items and street cleansing material (lots 3 & 4) on behalf of the London Borough of Hillingdon for a three year period from 24 August 2019 to 23 August 2022, including the provision to extend the contract for a two year period (five years in total), subject to the approval of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services. Estimated value of £3,108,463 over the total five years.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet noted the tendering exercise carried out and approved the recommendation to agree a dual contract award to ensure best value for the Council’s waste handling services.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet could have agreed to extend the current contract, use waste disposal contracts via its partner waste disposal authority (West London Waste Authority), or mandate that various departments make their own arrangements for the handling of different waste streams. These options were rejected on the basis that these would not account for recent operational changes and would incur higher costs.

Officers to action:

Nicola Herbert, Residents Services

Allison Mayo, 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 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.    Accepts the tender from Red Squirrel Tree Surgery Ltd. for the provision of Tree Maintenance Services to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a three year period from 4 September 2019 to 3 September 2022 and at the value of £1,168,770 (annual cost £389,590).

2.    Furthermore, that this include the provision to extend the contract by a two year period (5 years in total), subject to the approval of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services, in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet noted the tender exercise undertaken, and approved the appointment of Red Squirrel Tree Surgery Ltd to ensure a high quality and cost effective service.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet could have chosen not to appoint the recommended provider, though this would not have allowed for cost efficiencies or robust contact and supplier relationship management.

Officers to action:

Stuart Hunt, Residents Services

James Patterson, 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 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 accept the Single Tender from Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) for the provision of a Children Adolescence Multi Agency Psychological Service and an early intervention psychologist for the period 1 April 2019 - 31 March 2021, at a total cost of £698,008 over the two year period (equivalent to £349,004 per annum).

Reasons for decision

Cabinet approved the award of the Single Tender to ensure the continuation of care and support services for children and young people and their parents/carers with Mental Health Needs.

Alternatives considered and rejected

None, as the Council remains under a duty to provide mental health services to residents and it would be unlikely that there would be any effective or genuine competition for a contract of less than two years duration.

Officer to action:

Zafer Yilkan, Social Care

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 accept the tender from Isuzu Truck Ltd for the provision of 27 caged tipper vehicles to the London Borough of Hillingdon and the proposal to award the contract for the value of £721,710.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet approved the award of contract to ensure reduced costs to the Street Cleansing and Green Spaces services.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet could have continued to use hired vehicles.  However, this would result in higher costs.

Officers to action:

Stephen Gunter, Residents Services

James Patterson, 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 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 award of a four-year contract to Sanctuary Ltd. for the provision of interim / temporary qualified social workers and the sourcing of candidates for permanent qualified social worker recruitment.

2. Agrees the direct award of this contract via the Eastern Shires Procurement Organisation (ESPO) 3S Strategic HR Services.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet approved the contact to ensure greater efficiencies and cost savings when sourcing and recruiting social workers.

Alternatives considered and rejected

Cabinet could have maintained the current managed service provision or entered into a full open tender process; however, this would forego the improved efficiencies and cost savings available through the new contract.

Officer to action:

Mike Talbot, Human Resources

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)    Accepts the tender from Ability Housing Association for the provision of a care and wellbeing service for people with mental health needs to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a four year period from 1 December 2019 until 30 November 2023 at a contract price of £5,825,364 (£1,456,341 per annum).

2)    Furthermore, that this includes the provision to extend the contract for up to two further years, subject to the approval of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Services, Housing, Health and Wellbeing, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Social Care.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet approved the recommendations to ensure that the needs of residents living in accommodation-based services were met.

Alternatives considered and rejected

None, as a competitive tender service was undertaken in accordance with public contract regulations.

Officer to action:

Kate Kelly-Talbot, Social Care

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 agrees the rent set out in the report, which is subject to negotiation with the voluntary sector organisations detailed in the report and instructs the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services to then commission the Borough Solicitor to complete the appropriate legal documentation.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed lease renewals to the Northwood Rifle and Pistol Club, Haste Hill Northwood and the Cavendish Cricket Club. Cabinet’s decision enabled the organisations concerned to benefit from the Council's Voluntary Sector Leasing Policy and wider commitment to a vibrant local voluntary sector.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Michele Wilcox, 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.

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7.25pm.

*Internal Use only - implementation of decisions

When the Cabinet’s decisions come into effect

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

All decisions of the Cabinet can, therefore, be implemented by officers upon the expiry of the scrutiny call-in period which is:

From 5pm, Friday 2 August 2019

Officers to action the decisions are indicated in the minutes.

The minutes are the official notice for any subsequent internal process approvals required by officers to action the Cabinet’s decisions.

If you would like further information about the decisions of the Cabinet, please contact the Council below:

democratic@hillingdon.gov.uk

Democratic Services: 01895 250636

Media enquiries: 01895 250403

To find out more about how the Cabinet works to put residents first, visit here.