Agenda and minutes

At the meeting, Cabinet congratulated Councillor David Simmonds CBE on his recent election as Member of Parliament for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner. Councillor Simmonds announced his intention to step down after 17 years as Deputy Leader of the Council. Cabinet thanked him for his steadfast service to the Borough.

Apologies were received from Councillor Susan O’Brien.

Councillor Peter Curling, present in the room, declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Trustee of HART on Agenda Item 7 and left the room during discussion on the matter.

The decisions and minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 14 November 2019 were agreed as a correct record.

It was confirmed that all business would be in public.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1.    Note the budget position as at October 2019 (Month 7) as outlined in Table 1.

2.    Note the Treasury Management update as at October 2019 at Appendix E.

3.    Continue the delegated authority up until the January 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 14 November 2019 and 12 December 2019 Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix F.

4.    Approves to charge a London Affordable Rent for Meadowfield House, West End Road, Ruislip & Otterfield Road, West Drayton.

5.    Subject to the bid being successful, approve the acceptance of £74,502 grant funding from the Mayor of London’s Small Projects and Equipment Fund to finance investment in Adult and Community Learning service ICT equipment, which will include £74,502 match funding from the Council.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet was informed of the latest forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2019/20 to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives. Additionally, Cabinet approved to charge a London Affordable rent for new build flats in the Borough along with provisional acceptance of grant funding for ICT equipment in adult education centres.

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)    Approve the draft General Fund and Housing Revenue Account budgets and capital programme proposals for 2020/21 and beyond as the basis for consultation with Policy Overview Committees and other stakeholders.

2)    Approve the proposed amendments to Fees and Charges, included at Appendix 8, as the basis for consultation with Policy Overview Committees and other stakeholders.

3)    Request the comments of individual Policy Overview Committees on the draft budget proposals relating to their areas of responsibility, to be collated into a single report back to Cabinet from the Corporate Services, Commerce & Communities Policy Overview Committee.

4)    Note that confirmation of the Local Government Finance Settlement is awaited from HM Government and this will be taken into consideration in the final budget proposal considered by Cabinet in February 2020.

5)    Authorise the Corporate Director of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to respond on behalf of the Council to the consultation on the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and to the Mayor of London’s budget consultation.

6)    Having due regard to the Equalities Impact Assessment at Appendix 11a, approve for recommendation to full Council the following 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 simplification of non-dependent deductions and earnings disregards;

b)   Reducing the capital limit for the scheme from £16k to £6k in line with Universal Credit,

c)    Establishing a £1 minimum weekly award, and;

d)   Maintaining current protections for those households in receipt of higher levels of support within the current scheme due to having more than two children prior to 31 March 2018.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet put forward for consultation its budget proposals. This included the Council’s Medium Term Financial Forecast, the draft General Fund revenue budget for 2020/21 along with indicative projections for future years, the Housing Revenue Account, fees and charges proposals and the draft capital programme for 2020/21 and beyond.

Cabinet noted that the budget proposals for 2020/21 had been developed to maintain front-line service provision through a 3.8% increase in the headline rate of Council Tax which comprised a core Council Tax increase of 1.8% alongside a 2% increase relating to the Adult Social Care Precept. The Leader of the Council noted that this would equate to 83 pence a week for a Band D property.

Cabinet welcomed that the proposals included protection for the over 65’s through the continuation of the Older Person’s Council Tax Discount for the fourteenth successive year.

Cabinet considered the background of funding pressures and set out further service transformational objectives to maintain quality services to residents. Cabinet noted that the proposals for fees and charges would remain competitive with neighbouring boroughs.

The wider capital programme presented showed a commitment to invest in priority local infrastructure projects, including the offer to purchase Uxbridge Police Station, sports club refurbishments, pollution measures near schools and additional funding for local road improvements.

The Leader of the Council drew Cabinet’s attention to the funding set aside regarding any Heathrow Airport Development Consent Order.

In recommending the budget proposals, which had been carefully developed to put residents first, Cabinet agreed for them to go out for public and business sector consultation, including the Council’s Policy Overview Committees, before being re-considered in February 2020.

Alternative options considered and rejected

The Cabinet could have chosen to vary the proposals in its budget before consultation. However, to comply with the Budget and Policy Framework, the Cabinet was required to publish a draft budget for consultation at the meeting. 

Officers 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 agrees:

1.    The overall allocation of grants to Voluntary Sector of up to £1,979,605 for the provision of core grant funding for the 2020/21 financial year with specific awards as set out in the schedule - Appendix A.

2.    Notes its previous decision (13 December 2018) to award a 3 year dining centre grants to Voluntary Sector of up to £169,700for the provision of dining centres grant funding for three years : 2019/20, 2020/21 to 2021/22 with specific awards as set out in the paper.    

3.    Grants totalling £46,675 to organisations to enable the provision of transport as set out in Appendix D.

4.    The Council’s contribution of £228,172to the London Councils’ Grants scheme for 2020/21 (subject to London Council’s Leader’s Committee meeting on 3rd December 2019).

Reasons for decision

Cabinet highlighted the importance of the local voluntary organisations and agreed to continue its strong financial commitment to this sector during 2020/21.

After considering the merits of the individual grant applications received, Cabinet agreed grant funding for a variety of local groups which sought to maximise the benefits from the Council’s investment.

Cabinet agreed the provision of specific dining centre grants and transport grants to benefit priority groups of residents. The Cabinet Member for Commerce, Community and Regeneration indicated that this would amount to around £2m of funding overall to the sector.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have made changes to the proposed level of grants.

Officers to action:

Kevin Byrne – 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.    Note the content of the Local Plan Part 2 Inspector’s Report and Main Modifications

2.    Recommend to Full Council the adoption of the Local Plan Part 2 as subsequently amended by the main and minor modifications, and the post examination corrections.

3.    Recommend to Full Council the adoption of the revised Local Plan Policies map as subsequently amended by the main and minor modifications.

4.    Note the accompanying Local Plan adoption statement.

5.    Note the list of Saved UDP and Supplementary Planning Documents/ Guidance policies being withdrawn.

6.    Note the Council’s commitment to an early Local Plan Review during the Examination in Public.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet considered the Inspector’s Report which had examined the Local Plan Part 2 and had concluded that the plan was sound, subject to a number of Main Modifications. Cabinet agreed to progress the adoption of the Local Plan Part 2 with the Inspector’s Main Modifications and the Council’s Minor Modifications.

Cabinet noted that formal adoption by Full Council would be the final stage in the process of producing the Local Plan Part 2 and, subject to its adoption, would mean that the Council had a complete Local Plan in place. Cabinet thanked Council officers for their hard work over the years and welcomed the carefully prepared planning documents, which would provide the spatial planning framework for the sustainable growth of the Borough to 2026 along with all future development proposals to be assessed against them.

Given the long time-frame for local councils to adopt their planning policies, Cabinet expressed its support for the Government to look at simplifying the process.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have declined to progress the adoption of the Local Plan Part 2 but discounted this in order for the updated policies and allocations to be given full weight in determining applications and appeal decisions and to avoid unplanned development across the Borough.

Officers to action:

James Rodgers / Julia Johnson, 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)    Consider the outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken in relation to the Council’s Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeping Review and Strategy and has full regard to it in deciding whether to make changes to the strategy;

2)    Approve the revised Homelessness Prevention and Rough Sleeper Review and Strategy as appended to the report;

3)    Agree that the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Social Care, Housing, Health and Wellbeing approve an updated action plan for the strategy on an annual basis.

Reason for decisions

Cabinet noted the Council’s statutory duty to carry out a review of homelessness and to publish a homelessness strategy at least once every five years.

Following a period of public consultation, including seeking the important views of partner organisations and the relevant Policy Overview Committee, Cabinet agreed the Council’s updated policies which sought to better understand, identify, prevent and tackle homelessness across the Borough.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None, as this was a statutory requirement.

Officers to action:

Daniel Kennedy / Debbie Weller, 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.

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.

Decisions that take immediate effect:

1.    Cabinet’s decisions on next year’s budget took immediate effect to enable the statutory consultation with residents, Policy Overview Committees and the business sector to commence.

2.    Cabinet’s decisions on the Local Plan Part 2 also took immediate effect and are referred to Full Council on 16 January 2020 for consideration.

All other decisions:

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

from 5pm, Tuesday 24 December 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.