Agenda and minutes

All Members were present.

For agenda item 5, 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 referenced in the report but not relating to the decision in question. Councillor Corthorne left the room for the discussion and decision on the item.

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

It was agreed to consider the items of business on the agenda as they had been set out in public and private.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet

A.   Northwood Town Centre, Green Lane Conservation Area Appraisal

1) Approves for consultation, the draft Appraisal for The Northwood Town   Centre, Green Lane Conservation Area as attached in Appendix 1, and;

2) Authorises officers to undertake public consultation, for 6 weeks, with all     local residents, businesses, Ward Councillors and amenity societies in the area concerned.

B.   14 New Entries to Local List of Buildings of Architectural of Historic Importance

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

4) Authorises officers to undertake public consultation, for 6 weeks, with all     the owners/occupiers of the buildings included in the list.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet noted that Northwood Town Centre and the Green Lane Conservation Area had come under increasing pressure from new development. To protect its character and appearance, Cabinet agreed to update the special historic and architectural character of the area, progressing a draft conservation area appraisal and local list for a period of public consultation before adoption.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to approve the necessary documents for consultation or instead it could have amended proposals within them.

Officers to action:

Mark Butler & James Rodger - Resident 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 February 2019 (Month 11) as outlined in Table 1.

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

3.    Continue the delegated authority up until the next 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 14^th March to 18^th April Cabinet meetings, detailed at Appendix F.

4.    Approves re-phasing of 2018/19 HRA Works to Stock capital expenditure and associated financing budgets totalling £50k into later years of the capital programme.

5.    Accept the £130k of grant funding from the Environment Agency, Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, to undertake a project in Elephant Park within the Borough to reduce flood risk. Furthermore, that Cabinet delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Residents Services, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Business Services, to appoint contractors from the grant monies accepted above.

6.    Approve the release of an estimated £203k of the £440k 2019/20 Ward Budget Growth to top-up each Ward Budget to £15k at 1 April 2019.

7.    Approve the allocation of £135k Voluntary Sector grant to Harlington Hospice for the continuation of respite services for Hillingdon residents previously delivered by Cancer Trust Thames.

8.    Approve the release of funding of £6,555 from the Unallocated Priority Growth to support the provision of coffee mornings for Domestic Abuse victims.

9.    Agree to the appropriation of land at Belmore Allotments and Melrose Close car park with an estimated value of £6,107k from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account to be developed as mixed tenure general needs and shared ownership housing.

10.Agree to the appropriation of the former Woodside Day Centre site, 401 Uxbridge Road, Hayes with an estimated value of £1,870k from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account to be developed as shared ownership housing.

11.Agree to the appropriation of the former Maple and Poplar Day Centres, 401 Uxbridge Road, Hayes with an estimated value of £2,528k from the General Fund to the Housing Revenue Account to be developed as mixed tenure general needs and shared ownership housing.

12.Ratify the four special urgency decisions taken on the 18th and 29th of March 2019 as set out in Appendix G on the following matters: 

a.     ICT transformation and pathway to Cloud services contracts

b.    Social Care Case Management System contract

c.     Provision of care and support in extra care services

d.    Urgent building and associated fire safety works at Packet Boat House, Cowley

13.Approve acceptance of £53k Parks Improvement Funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

14.Approve acceptance of £113k of Homelessness Prevention Top Up Grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

15.Note the award of £70k Alcohol Treatment Capital Fund 2019/20 to ARCH from Public Health England.

16.Approve acceptance of the £295k Rough Sleeping Initiative Grant for 2019-20 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

17.Approve acceptance £53k High Street Community Clean Up funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Future High Streets Fund.

18.Approve acceptance of £9k grant funding for H-CLIC legacy cases transfer and new burdens fund from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

19.Approve acceptance of £45k of grant funding from the Department for Education and Department for Work and Pensions, for Senior Leadership Support and Practitioner Training.

20.Approve acceptance of £136k EU exit funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in respect of the Council’s status as a port authority.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet was informed of the latest Month 11 forecast revenue, capital and treasury position for the current year 2018/19 to ensure the Council achieved its budgetary and service objectives. Additionally, Cabinet accepted grant funding from HM Government and its agencies towards rough sleeping, alcohol treatment, homelessness, parks improvement and the mitigation of flooding in Elephant Park, Hillingdon.

Cabinet released funds towards the popular Ward Budget Initiative, support to Domestic Abuse victims and Harlington Hospice. The re-appropriation of land on a number of sites was approved to allocate them for future housing development.

Cabinet also ratified a number of previously taken urgency decisions on key ICT systems, extra care contracts and urgent works at Packet Boat House in Cowley.

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

Reasons for decision

Cabinet received an update on the Council’s major school expansion programme and also the school condition programme, improving the fabric of local schools. The Deputy Leader of the Council informed Members on the latest school pupil places forecasts and Hillingdon’s positive results on National Offer Day for Secondary School Places, along with welcoming the additional Government capital funding for improving SEND provision locally.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Bobby Finch, 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 agree to extend the current contract with Quality Heating Services Ltd to deliver the works for Servicing, Gas Safety Checks and Maintenance of the Council’s Domestic (individual units), and District Heating Systems for one year from June 2019.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to extend a contract to enable it to discharge the Council’s statutory responsibilities for the safety of gas installations to 10,000 individual homes and also 25 estates where heating is provided through a gas district heating system.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

Officer to action:

Gary Penticost, 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

Cabinet agreed the grant of a new licence of the storage buildings and kiosk at Fassnidge Park, Rockingham Parade, Uxbridge to Recycle-a-Bike Uxbridge Ltd. Cabinet’s decision enabled the organisation concerned to benefit from heavily discounted rent as part of 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:

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.

No additional items were considered by the Cabinet.

The meeting closed at 7.19pm.

*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, Monday 29 April 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.