Decisions

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1)    Note the budget monitoring position and treasury management update as at January 2024 (Month 10), noting the actions proposed by officers as outlined in Part A of this report.

2)    Approve the financial recommendations set out in Part B of this report.

a)    Accepts a grant of £145k from the North West London Integrated Care Board to fund initiatives to support children and young people waiting for an autism assessment and diagnosis.

b)   Accepts a grant of £200k from the North West London Integrated Care Board to fund the Serious Youth Violence Pilot.

c)    Accepts a grant of £50k from the North West London Foundation Trust to fund early intervention and prevention projects to support young people with eating disorders.

d)   Accepts a grant of £281k from the Department of Health and Social Care to fund investment in enhancing local authority commissioned stop smoking services and support.

e)    Approve the proposal to introduce a Green Car Employee Leasing scheme (Electric and Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles) with effect from 1 May 2024.  Furthermore, authorises a direct contract award with Tuskerdirect Ltd under a continuous contract arrangement and delegates authority to the Head of Human Resources to undertake the detailed implementation of the scheme.

f)     Accepts a grant of £1,440k from the Department for Education (DfE) for costs associated with implementing the Staying Close programme.

Reasons for decision

The Cabinet Member for Finance presented the Council's projections for the current financial year and noted the small underspend in the General Fund. He  highlighted recent encouraging economic data, including a reduction in the consumer price index and stable interest rates. The Cabinet Member acknowledged additional cost pressures due to resident demand and inflation, particularly in areas like homelessness, children’s care, and adult social care.

Despite these pressures, the Cabinet Member reported these would be offset against earmarked reserves, leaving a balance of £10.4 million at year-end. The Cabinet Member welcomed a surplus of £3.8 million on the Collection Fund and unallocated General Balances of just under £27 million, leading to projected year-end reserves of £37 million.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that the savings position was unchanged and that it would achieve its target of £22.8 million. The Cabinet Member reported an underspend of £33.3 million in the General  Fund Capital Programme, which would likely be rephased into the next financial year. He concluded that the overall financial position of the Council was robust and sound, putting it in a strong position for the new financial year.

The Cabinet Member also highlighted a number of financially oriented recommendations to Cabinet primarily on the acceptance of grants for approval and drew attention to the proposal for a new Green Car employee leasing scheme. The Leader of the Council welcomed the new car leasing scheme.

Alternative options considered and rejected

None.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1)    Note the delivery of the 2023/24 HRA Works to Stock Programme set out in the report which has provided essential upgrades to the Council’s housing stock, along with higher energy efficiency standards, whilst improving the quality of life of tenants.

2)    Agree the HRA Works to Stock Programme for the 2024/25 financial year, as set out in the report.

3)    Delegate to the Director of Operational Assets, the authority to:

a)    Utilise existing internal or external framework agreements or develop new LBH framework agreements for Cabinet approval, to enable the effective delivery of appropriate works, tenders and contracts.

b)   Approve project specific works completed using an approved LBH Framework or Term contract.

c)    Release capital funds for the specific works, as set out in the programme and strictly within approved budgets;

d)   Agree minor variations to specific projects within the programme, subject to agreement from the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport;

e)    Make any other operational decisions required to implement the works agreed by the Cabinet.

4)    Agree that relevant portfolio Cabinet Members receive quarterly summary updates, on progress delivering the programme providing capital releases and also capital spend to-date for monitoring purposes. Furthermore, any contracts entered into by the Director, via framework agreement, exceeding £500k be reported to Cabinet for information as part of the budget monitoring report.

5)    Agree, that any variations to the overall programme or approved programme budget be reported to Cabinet for approval in the first instance.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed the programme of works to the housing stock for 2024/25 and provided delegated authority to officers for the efficient delivery of the works.

The Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services discussed the substantial expenditure associated with the capital programme and the Green Homes Initiative. He highlighted the decarbonisation work done over the last year, which had included cavity wall installations and window replacements for 158 properties, contributing to energy efficiency and reduced energy bills. The Cabinet Member also mentioned the replacement of 566 kitchens and 575 bathrooms, window replacements, roofing works and fire safety improvements. For the 24/25 financial year programme, the Cabinet Member outlined plans for more roofing works, window replacements, bathroom renovations and boiler replacements. He also mentioned the submission of further applications to the social housing decarbonisation fund.

The Leader of the Council expressed satisfaction with the prioritisation of works and was pleased that the expenditure profile reflected this. He also welcomed the simplification of the administration of works to expedite delivery.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to amend the specific works programme as set out in the report.

RESOLVED:

That the Cabinet:

1.    Authorise Regulation 18 consultation for the Hillingdon Local Plan using the draft document (Appendix 1) as the basis for the consultation and consulting on the Integrated Impacts Assessment Scoping Report (Appendix 2);

2.    Delegates authority to the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, to make any necessary editorial amendments and minor changes to the appendices prior to consultation;

3.    Notes that completed documents forming part of the evidence base will be published alongside the two appendices;

4.    Endorse and recommend the revised draft Local Development Scheme (Appendix 3) for adoption by Full Council;

5.    Delegates authority to the Director of Planning, Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Residents' Services, to make any necessary editorial amendments and minor changes to the Local Development Scheme prior to agreement by Full Council; and

6.    Authorise post consultation Local Plan work, including preparing a consultation report outlining responses to the Regulation 18 consultation and a subsequent Regulation 19 consultation with draft Local Plan policies, that will be brought back to Cabinet for approval.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed to progress the review of the Council’s Local Plan and planning policies, authorising consultation under the required regulations.

The Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services reported that this would start with a public consultation on the local plan in accordance with Regulation 18 of the Town and Country Planning Act. He explained the importance of having an up-to-date Local Plan, noting that the Council’s current plan was adopted in two parts in 2012 and 2020, and was due for a five-year review. The Cabinet Member announced that this process would ultimately bring about a new consolidated Local Plan.

The Leader of the Council urged the public and businesses to participate in the consultation, emphasising it as an opportunity to shape the future of their Borough.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided not to update the Local Plan, but noted the risks of not doing so, which included outdated local planning policies, lack of mechanisms to create new policies, and the potential for inappropriate development. Cabinet also noted that the Council would be at a higher risk of losing planning appeals.

The Chair of the Property, Highways and Transport Select Committee, Councillor Burrows, presented the Committee’s report into Attaining Best Practice and Value for the Council’s Highways Resurfacing Activities, which was warmly received by the Cabinet. Councillor Burrows explained how the Committee’s review was focussed on value, upholding best practice and quality in highways works. He set out how the Committee had engaged in evidence gathering sessions with senior Council officers, external partners, contractors, and the Cabinet Member, and that two themes had emerged around engagement and communication, and promoting green initiatives and cost-effectiveness, which had provided practical recommendations to Cabinet. The Chair expressed gratitude to those who contributed their time and expertise and acknowledged the shared commitment to invest in the Borough’s highways and footways. 

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet:

1)    Welcomes the Select Committee’s report and its insights and findings, which seek to support and enhance the delivery of Highways resurfacing and maintenance across the Borough, taking a broad assessment of existing procedures, new technologies, methods, materials and scheduling possibilities to obtain best value and service for residents.

2)    Agrees to delegate decisions on taking forward the implementation of the Committee’s specific recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport, in conjunction with officers.

SELECT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS:

Engagement and Communication

1)    To develop a standardised Highways Resurfacing response template for Members Enquiries, to include the reasoning behind the response, the scheduling of works and estimated timescales, or reasons why a timescale cannot be given.

2)    To endorse the principle of feedback from residents and Ward Councillors contributing to the process by which the Council assesses the condition of footways and roadways and their priority for repair.

3)    To ensure that information regarding planned major resurfacing works is transparent and available to the Ward Councillors and the public where possible.

4)    To seek to enhance communication with relevant authorities that manage prominent highways in the Borough (National Highways and Transport for London) regarding any deterioration of their network impacting Hillingdon’s residents.

5)    That the Council’s Highways, and Green Spaces Teams consult each other formally and frequently to ensure the issue of tree root protrusion on footways and roadways is mitigated effectively.

Promoting Green Initiatives and Cost Efficiencies

6)    That where possible, adopt and promote less energy intensive resurfacing techniques such as the recycling of materials and expanding trials using Warm Mixed Asphalt.

7)    Endorse the use of new resurfacing technologies and techniques including the new machine purchased for the delivery of reactive highways maintenance work.

8)    Support cost effective methods of repaving footways such as the move to tarmac where appropriate, rather than replacing all footways ‘like for like’.

9)    Encourage the early ordering of works and volume of works discounts offered by the Council’s Resurfacing Contractor.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet endorsed the report of the Committee which sought to support the Council’s highways resurfacing and maintenance across the Borough. The Cabinet Member for Property, Highways and Transport expressed his gratitude to the Committee for their diligent work and depth of review. He announced that the Council would be spending more on the maintenance and upkeep of the road network this year, acknowledging the vast area covered and to be maintained. The Cabinet Member noted the cyclical nature of the work, with winter and early spring negatively impacting the roads, and the rest of the year spent catching up. He emphasised the importance of getting good value and keeping a close eye on expenditure and welcomed the Committee’s report, particularly regarding the works and decisions around pavements, which were more expensive to fix than roadways. The Cabinet Member explained how he had found the report helpful and valued the Committee’s recommendations.

The Leader of the Council thanked the Committee and acknowledged their role in representing residents. He mentioned that Hillingdon took pride in its roads and pavements and viewed the report as a catalyst for continuous improvement and deriving value from the Council’s expenditure on this.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to reject some, or all, of the Committee’s recommendations or pursue alternative routes by which to progress the objectives of the review.

The Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Councillor Denys, presented the Committee’s report into the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) referral pathway, which was warmly received by the Cabinet. Councillor Denys remarked that the Committee’s report addressed the growing issue of children’s mental health in England, noting a substantial rise in mental disorders in recent years. The report emphasised the importance of early intervention, as half of all mental health problems become apparent before the age of 15. He explained how the report focused on three areas for improvement:

·         Early Support: The report recommended a ‘no wrong door’ policy and better information sharing between practitioners to help families access support earlier.

·         Communication: The report suggested improving communication about timelines and processes to help families manage expectations. It also recommended avoiding over-clinical language that can be confusing or distressing for families.

·         Accountability: The report proposed creating a Parent and Young People’s Board to hold the health service accountable, incorporating the voice of the child into all aspects of the service.

Councillor Denys hoped the recommendations would make a positive difference in addressing children’s mental health issues.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet welcomes the review by the Health and Social Care Select Committee and acknowledges, appreciates and recognises the work that is already being undertaken across the Borough to improve services in Hillingdon to support children’s mental health.  Furthermore, Cabinet agrees the recommendations made by the Select Committee set out below to be referred to the relevant body:

SELECT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.    That Cabinet ask the North West London Integrated Care Board (NWL ICB) to:

a)    provide a comprehensive action plan by 28 March 2024 detailing how and when the Thrive mapping strategy will be completed;

b)   complete and implement the Thrive mapping strategy by the end of January 2025;

c)    provide Hillingdon's Health and Social Care Select Committee with 6-monthly updates on the progress being made on implementing this action plan;

d)   initiate a “No Wrong Door” policy for parents / children and young people who seek support;

e)    ensure that all children and young people's services in Hillingdon are asked to adopt the Thrive philosophy/model to ensure there is "No Wrong Door" for children, young people and their families to access mental health and emotional wellbeing support, and that support is provided based on children and young people’s needs and preferences; and

f)     consider how parents can be offered early support on how to navigate the system including the provision of information about where to get this support to schools and GPs (as they are often the first place parents go to).

2.    That Cabinet ask that the Health and Wellbeing Board ensure that all commissioners of CYP mental health services are asked to include requirements in their service provider contracts that:

a)    parents be given a realistic description of the assessment / treatment process, including estimated timelines and information on where they can direct their feedback if the expectations set are not met; and

b)   all communications sent to parents be reviewed to make sure that the information and tone is sensitive to their situation, not overly medicalised and contains accurate information on other places they can look for support.

3.    That the Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care asks CAMHS to develop a service-user involvement strategy that provides opportunities for scrutiny and coproduction of services and includes the formation of a parents/Young People Board so that they can hold the organisation to account for the communications and service they provide.

Reasons for decision

Cabinet agreed the recommendations from the Committee’s review for sending to the relevant bodies.

The Cabinet Member for Children, Families & Education thanked Councillor Denys and clarified that while the portfolio under discussion technically fell under Councillor Palmer’s purview, it significantly overlapped with her own due to its focus on children and young people. The Cabinet Member stated how the report highlighted the alarming increase in the number referred to mental health services and was pleased that the Select Committee had bravely undertaken a review of the Referral Pathway, despite it not being directly within their domain. The Cabinet Member acknowledged that while the Council was not the provider of mental health services, it could still influence change through collaboration with partners. It was appreciated the Committee’s recommendations included a ‘no wrong door’ policy to ensure children and families in Hillingdon could have better access to mental health services.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care expressed her gratitude to the Committee for their diligent work on the report and acknowledged the report’s excellence and bravery, emphasising the need for clear pathways to expedite mental health support for families and children. It was noted that the Committee voiced concern over the lengthy wait times of 12 to 18 weeks for people to receive help and that the report’s recommendations should assist in providing a clearer understanding for residents of their expectations from the service. The Cabinet Member indicated, as a member of the Health and Well-being Board and the local Integrated Care Board, she would ensure the implementation of these recommendations going forward.

The Leader of the Council thanked the Select Committee for their work, highlighting the value of the Council’s select committees and their role as critical friends to partners and their collective effort in delivering public service outcomes.

Alternative options considered and rejected

Cabinet could have decided to reject some, or all, of the Select Committee’s recommendations or pursued alternative routes by which to progress the objectives of the review.