Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor David Simmonds CBE, Councillor Richard Lewis and Councillor Susan O’Brien.

For the agenda item on Northwood Conservation Area and Local List, Councillor Philip Corthorne declared a non-pecuniary interest due to the fact that his employer was engaged on a project in the locale. Councillor Corthorne left the room for the discussion and decision on the item.

The decisions and minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 25 July 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

This was confirmed.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Notes the contents of the report.

2.    Endorses the Council's response dated 13 September 2019 to Heathrow Airport Limited's June 2019 Airport Expansion Statutory Consultation.

3.    Reaffirms the Council's commitment, working either alone, or in conjunction with partner authorities and others, to take all necessary action, including pursuing appeals to the appellate courts in relation to the current legal challenge, and commencing further separate legal challenges, if appropriate, to oppose the Government's proposals to expand Heathrow Airport and it confirms that the existing delegated authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and the Corporate Director of Residents Services and the Borough Solicitor to formally implement any actions directed by the Leader of the Council is to remain in place.

Reasons for recommendation

Cabinet welcomed the Council’s comprehensive response to Heathrow Airport Limited’s June 2019 Airport Expansion Statutory Consultation. Cabinet re-iterated its long-standing view that Heathrow expansion would have a devastating impact on the Borough and its local communities.

Cabinet noted the Council’s robust response had revealed significant flaws in their statutory consultation and the Council’s response would evidence this in the Courts, should it prove necessary to do so in the event that a future legal challenge is pursued by the Council in relation to the Development Consent Order process.   

The Leader of the Council informed Cabinet that the Council now had in place a contingency fund standing at £897,000 to fight Heathrow expansion. Describing the consultation, the Leader stated that Heathrow Airport Limited had comprehensivelyfailed to set out an expansion project that could even remotely be described asustainable development, citing that there was no clear strategy on surface access, along with air quality and noise issuesentirely understated and vital information absent or not disclosed, such as on health impacts. Thanks were given to the Council officers involved in preparing the detailed consultation response for the Council.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to respond to this consultation. However, this was considered to not to be a feasible option due to the highly unsatisfactory nature of the consultation and also the very significant adverse impacts the proposals would have on the Borough and its residents.

Officer to action:

Raj Alagh, Chief Executive’s Office

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 the Cabinet:

1)        Considers the responses to the draft Appraisal for The Northwood Town Centre, Green Lane Conservation Area, as attached in Appendix 3 following the public consultation;

2)        Formally adopts the Northwood Town Centre, Green Lane Conservation Area Appraisal as attached in Appendix 1 and;

3)        Approves the addition of the 14 new entries to the Local List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Importance as attached in Appendix 2, following the positive response to the public consultation.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted that the Northwood Town Centre, Green Lane Conservation Area had come under increasing pressure from new development which had the potential to cause harm to its character and appearance. Following a six week public consultation on an updated draft Conservation Appraisal and Local List for the area, Cabinet approved the documents for formal adoption following due consideration of the responses received and the subsequent amendments recommended by officers.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decide not amend or approve the Conservation Area Appraisal or Local List, which would have left buildings worthy of local designation unrecognised and vulnerable to insensitive development, and the concerns of residents unaddressed.

Officer to action:

James Rodger / Mark Butler, Residents Services

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 the Cabinet:  

1.      Approves the application for a licensed deficit of £118k from Bishop Winnington-Ingram CE Primary School for 2019/20.

2.      Approves the application for a licensed deficit of £41k from Holy Trinity CE Primary School for 2019/20.

3.      Approves the application for a licensed deficit of £4,145k from Oak Wood School for 2019/20.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet gave its approval for Oak Wood School and Holy Trinity CE Primary and Bishop Winnington-Ingram CE Primary Schools to hold a licensed deficit.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to write-off the deficit, which would have required agreement from the Schools Forum, or alternatively withdrawn the governors delegated powers over their budgets.

Officers to action:

Dan Kennedy - Residents Services

Peter Malewicz – 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 the Cabinet:

1.    Agrees the principles of the Council’s Local Implementation Plan Three 2020/21 Annual Spending Submission to Transport for London, set out in the report;

2.    Delegates authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Planning, Transportation and Recycling, to agree the final Annual Spending Submission before submission to Transport for London; and

3.    Notes that the subsequent progression of any individual scheme or programme in the Plan and funded by Transport for London budgets will also be subject to the Council’s democratic capital release procedures requiring final sign-off by the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business services.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed the basis of the Council’s proposed Local Implementation Plan and Spending Submission, which was used by London boroughs to locally deliver the Mayor's Transport Strategy through Transport for London funding. Cabinet noted the projects and programmes included that covered healthy streets, transport interchanges, north-south links, school and road safety, mobility and accessibility and parking management schemes benefiting residents.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to submit the Plans, but this would have put at risk a significant amount of funding that Transport for London had made available for the Council to invest on transport projects and programmes locally.

Officer to action:

Alan Tilly, Residents Services

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.    Note the budget position as at July 2019 (Month 4) as outlined in Table 1.

2.    Note the Treasury Management update as at July 2019 at Appendix F.

3.    Continue the delegated authority up until the October 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 are also asked to note those consultancy and agency assignments over £50k approved under delegated authority between the 25 July 2019 and 26 September 2019 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix G.

4.    Accept an award of £48k from Transport for London in respect of the Bridge Assessment and Strengthening Programme.

5.    Approve the release of funding of £52k from the Heathrow/HS2 Contingency Earmarked Reserve to support the activities of the Stop Heathrow Expansion Group.

6.    Approve an uplift on the existing charge levied for parking bay suspensions from £15 per bay per day, to £31.

7.    Approve the introduction of two new charges in relation to parking bay suspensions, i) £30 cancellation fee, and ii) £30 amendment fee, when a request to cancel or amend a suspension is received at, or less than, 7 days prior to a suspension coming into force.

8.    Approve to charge an affordable rent of £219.39 per week in 2019/20 (inclusive of a meals service charge of £30 per week based on one tenant) for each of the 57 one bed-roomed flats at the HRA new build Park View Court, and approve to charge a meals service charge of £30 per week for each additional tenant in the property as detailed in Appendix E.

9.    Approve to charge an affordable rent of £263.01 per week in 2019/20 (inclusive of a meals service charge of £30 per week based on one tenant) for each of the 3 two bed-roomed flats at the HRA new build Park View Court, and approve to charge a meals service charge of £30 per week for each additional tenant in the property as detailed in Appendix E.

10.Approve 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.    Unit 7B, Hayes Bridge Retail Park £20k.

11.Approve an allocation of £26,800 from unallocated priority growth to fund improvements to South Ruislip station railway bridges.

12.Approve the grant payment of £69,660 to Addictions Recovery Community Hillingdon (ARCH) and the associated capital release, in respect of the Public Health England Alcohol Capital Fund partnership bid.

13.Welcome the motion approved by Council on 12 September which resolved "that [this Council's] offer to purchase Uxbridge Police Station for £5M, to enable continued use by local officers, made in the 2018 budget should be remade to The Mayor of London as soon as possible." and agrees to provide for this, should the Mayor of London accept, by virement from the projected underspend in the 2019/20 capital programme resulting from rephasing of project expenditure or by addition to the 2020/21 capital budget.

14.Ratify two contract special urgency decisions taken on the 26 July 2019 and 3 September

2019, as set out in Appendix H on the following matters: 

a. Managed Service for the Supply and Distribution of Materials for the In-House

Repairs Team and;

b. Appointment of Contractor for the Refurbishment of Council Libraries.

15. Agree to award the 2019/20 Community Safety Grant of £81,000 to the Metropolitan Police Service for activities aligned to local community safety priorities for Hillingdon residents.

Reasons for decisions

Cabinet was informed of the latest Month 4 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 release of funding for the Stop Heathrow Expansion Group, updated parking bay suspension charges and affordable rent levels for the new Park View Court Supported Living development.

Cabinet welcomed the Council motion approved on 12 September 2019 which re-iterated the Council’s offer to the Mayor of London to purchase Uxbridge Police Station to enabled continued use by local officers. Cabinet agreed, subject to the Mayor’s decision, the funding strategy to enable this.

Cabinet also ratified two urgent contractual decisions taken during the summer relating to the supply of materials for the Council’s repairs service and the refurbishment of the Council’s libraries.

An addendum to the report was tabled in order for the Cabinet to formally award a community safety grant to the Police to align to local priorities. The Cabinet Member for Community, Commerce and Regeneration also updated Members on concerns over match funding by the Mayor of London for the local Police Tasking Team.

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 the Cabinet:  

1.    Approves the installation of new Pay & Display parking payment equipment across the Borough which incorporates the HillingdonFirst card system, in order that residents receive preferential parking charges, and accepts coins and payment cards.

2.    Accept the tender from METRIC GROUP LTD for the Provision of the Supply, Installation and Maintenance of Pay & Display parking payment equipment to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a FIVE YEAR period from OCTOBER 2019 and at the value of £1,175,565.00.

3.    Furthermore, agrees that this includes the provision to extend the contract for a further FIVE YEAR period (TEN 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 & Corporate Director of Resident Services.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted that the Council’s 260 pay and display machines operating in the car parks and on-street had now come to the end of their serviceable life and were not able to accommodate modern payment features. This improvement had been identified in a review considered by Cabinet in May 2019 from the Residents, Education and Environmental Services Policy Overview Committee.

Cabinet accepted the most economically advantageous tender for new Pay & Display parking terminals, which would enable continued use of the HillingdonFirst Card for preferential resident discounts, but also allow for credit/debit card and contactless payments, along with cash. Cabinet welcomed that the terminals were to be solar powered, further contributing towards Council’s green credentials.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None, given that the current machines only accepted cash and would soon be out the end of their serviceable and contract life.

Officer to action:

Roy Clark, 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.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Accept the Tender 1 (Lot 1) from The Royal Bank of Scotland Plc for the provision of Banking Services to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a five (5) year period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025;

2.    Accept the Tender 1 (Lot 2) from Lloyds Bank Plc for the provision of Banking Service - Client Money Manager Account to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a five (5) year period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025;

3.    Accept the Tender 2 from Global Payments UK Ltd for the provision of Merchant Services to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a five (5) year period from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025 and;

4.    Furthermore, agree that this includes the provisions to extend all the above contracts for a two (2) year period and a further two (2) year period, subject to the approval of the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property & Business Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Finance.

Reasons for decision

Following competitive tender exercises conducted for the provision of banking and merchant services in accordance with the Procurement and Contract Standing Orders, Cabinet accepted the most economically advantageous tenders for key financial services to the Council.

Alternative options considered and rejected.

None, as the Council would be unable to make or receive payments. 

Officers to action:

Annette Reeves - Finance

Lisa Sharp - 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:  

1.    Accepts the tender from Certas Energy UK Ltd for the supply and delivery of ULSD for a period of 2 years with no provision to extend and;

2.    Accepts the tender from New Era Fuels Ltd for the supply and delivery of ULS Gas Oil (Red Diesel) for a period of 2 years with no provision to extend.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet accepted the most economically advantageous tenders carried out via a Crown Commercial Service Framework for Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel and ULS gas oil (Red Diesel) for the continued service provision and operation the Council’s fleet.

Alternative options considered or rejected

None, as the previous contract will expire.

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.    Agree to exercise the contract option to extend the current contract with POhWER Limited for the provision of Integrated Advocacy Service to the London Borough of Hillingdon for a three year period from 1st October 2019 to 30th September 2022 and an estimated cost of £717k for the period.

2.    Requests that the Chairman of the Executive Scrutiny Committee considers waive the scrutiny call-in period on this matter in light of the imminent contract start date and for continuity of service.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed the contract extension to ensure that the Council continued to meet its statutory obligations to deliver an effective integrated advocacy service, encompassing Independent Mental Capacity and Health Advocacy and

Care Act Advocacy.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have considered a tendering of the contract; however, soft market testing did not support this approach.

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 the Cabinet:  

1.    Declare the property surplus to requirements;

2.    Authorise the disposal of the freehold of the property using a local estate agent and;

3.    Delegate authority to the Leader of the Council and the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services in consultation with the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services for all subsequent decisions regarding the sale of the site.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted that the current property was vacant and surplus to requirements. Therefore, it approved disposal of the property in order to optimise use of the Council’s property assets and provide a Capital Receipt for reinvestment in the Borough.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet had limited options, as it noted that the adjacent School’s Academy Trust did not wish to rent or acquire the property.

Officer to action:

Mike Paterson; 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 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

Following a review, Cabinet agreed the rent for the Eastcote Horticultural Society for continued use of a building at Southbourne Gardens, Ruislip. Cabinet’s decision enabled the organisation 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.

*denotes urgent item not on the Forward Plan

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7.37pm.

*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.

Cabinet’s decision on the Integrated Advocacy Contract took immediate effect, following the waiver of the scrutiny call-in period by the Chairman of the Executive Scrutiny Committee, for the reasons set out in the report.

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

From 5pm, Friday 4 October 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.