Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lanie Shears.

Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any items on the agenda.

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2018.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 19 July 2018 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

Any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

To receive any questions from members of the public in accordance with Rule 10 of the Council Procedure Rules.

The question, together with the answer, is appended to the minutes.

To receive any questions from Councillors in accordance with Rule 11 of the Council Procedure Rules.

To consider any petitions that have been referred to the Cabinet under the Council’s Petition Scheme.

To note the Forward Plan, which lists all upcoming Cabinet decisions and provides notice of key decisions and those expected to be taken in private session.

RESOLVED that the Forward Plan is noted.

There have not been any decisions taken by Portfolio Holders under delegated powers since the last meeting of the Cabinet.

None.

RESOLVED that Cabinet recommends to Full Council that:

A     The Harlow Local Development Plan Pre-Submission Publication (2018) be formally approved for Submission to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

B    The updated Local Development Scheme (attached as Appendix G to the report) be approved.

C    Delegated authority be given to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Environment, to make and approve any minor and inconsequential amendments to the documents to be submitted in support of the Harlow Local Development Plan Pre-Submission Publication (2018) arising from the completion of the ensuing technical studies prior to the Public Examination.

Cabinet received a report which recommended that Full Council that the Local Plan is approved for submission to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

Proposed by Councillor Danny Purton (seconded by Councillor Mark Ingall) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet recommends to Full Council that:

A     The Harlow Local Development Plan Pre-Submission Publication (2018) be formally approved for Submission to the Secretary of State in accordance with Regulation 22 of the Town and Country Planning (Local Development) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended).

B    The updated Local Development Scheme (attached as Appendix G to the report) be approved.

C    Delegated authority be given to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Environment, to make and approve any minor and inconsequential amendments to the documents to be submitted in support of the Harlow Local Development Plan Pre-Submission Publication (2018) arising from the completion of the ensuing technical studies prior to the Public Examination.

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet acknowledged the projected outturn position set out in sections three and four of Appendix A to the report for the first quarter (April – June) of 2018/19 as follows:

             i)        An adverse variation on controllable budgets of £109,000 representing 0.18 percent of the gross General Fund Budget.

            ii)        A total projected underspend of £429,000 representing -0.71 percent of the gross General Fund Budget.

           iii)        The Council performed on or above target for 47 out of 48 (98 percent) of its quarterly performance indicators.

Cabinet received a report which set out both the Council’s financial performance, along with its performance against its own performance indicators for the first quarter of 2018/19.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Ingall) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet acknowledged the projected outturn position set out in sections three and four of Appendix A to the report for the first quarter (April – June) of 2018/19 as follows:

                             i)        An adverse variation on controllable budgets of £109,000 representing 0.18 percent of the gross General Fund Budget.

                            ii)        A total projected underspend of £429,000 representing -0.71 percent of the gross General Fund Budget.

                           iii)        The Council performed on or above target for 47 out of 48 (98 percent) of its quarterly performance indicators.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted:

             i)        An unfavourable variation against the approved Housing Revenue Account (HRA) operational/controllable budget of £956,000 representing 1.8 percent of the gross HRA budget.

            ii)        An unfavourable non-operational variance of £4,104,000 representing   7.72 percent of gross HRA budget which includes adjustments to capital programme financing as a result of the carryovers from 2017/18 and other adjustments.

B    Noted the forecast balances at 31 March 2019, of £5,304,000in respect of the HRA and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve (MRR).

Cabinet received a report which provided an update on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for the first quarter of 2018/19 and asked that Cabinet variances in the HRA budget and the forecast of the HRA and Major Repairs Reserve.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Wilkinson) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted:

                             i)        An unfavourable variation against the approved Housing Revenue Account (HRA) operational/controllable budget of £956,000 representing 1.8 percent of the gross HRA budget.

                            ii)        An unfavourable non-operational variance of £4,104,000 representing   7.72 percent of gross HRA budget which includes adjustments to capital programme financing as a result of the carryovers from 2017/18 and other adjustments.

B    Noted the forecast balances at 31 March 2019, of £5,304,000in respect of the HRA and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve (MRR).

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the progress on the delivery of the Council’s Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes as at Quarter 1 (1 July 2018) as follows:

             i)        Housing Capital Programme –forecast outturn of £24,551,000 (original estimate £18,804,000).

            ii)        Non-Housing Capital Programme – forecast outturn of £14,727,000 (original estimate £15,250,000).

B    Approved:

             i)        Additional expenditure of £11,000, from the Non-Housing Capital Programme, within the Town Park Inclusive Play scheme (approved in 2018/19) for a new footpath and footpath improvements. The additional expenditure is fully grant funded by the County Council.

            ii)        A business case for the installation of new boilers and system controls at Abercrombie Playbarn, £25,000, funded from the approved Non-Housing Capital Contingency Budget. 

           iii)        A change to the business case to upgrade council websites (approved in February 2017). It is recognised that £40,000 of urgent works are required to upgrade the main Council website, to be funded in part from the approved budget of £20,000.

           iv)        An additional £10,000 from the Contingency budget to support the installation of new boilers and system controls at 2 and 2A Wych Elm. The current approved budget in the capital programme for this work is £15,000.

            v)        A revised current budget in the Non-Housing Capital Programme of £14,727,000 in line with the carryovers, adjustments and additional funding detailed in Table 4 of the report.

Cabinet received a report which provided an update on the Council’s Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes, to approve a revised Housing Capital Programme for 2018/19, and to approve five business cases.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Wilkinson) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the progress on the delivery of the Council’s Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes as at Quarter 1 (1 July 2018) as follows:

                             i)        Housing Capital Programme –forecast outturn of £24,551,000 (original estimate £18,804,000).

                            ii)        Non-Housing Capital Programme – forecast outturn of £14,727,000 (original estimate £15,250,000).

B    Approved:

                             i)        Additional expenditure of £11,000, from the Non-Housing Capital Programme, within the Town Park Inclusive Play scheme (approved in 2018/19) for a new footpath and footpath improvements. The additional expenditure is fully grant funded by the County Council.

                            ii)        A business case for the installation of new boilers and system controls at Abercrombie Playbarn, £25,000, funded from the approved Non-Housing Capital Contingency Budget. 

                           iii)        A change to the business case to upgrade council websites (approved in February 2017). It is recognised that £40,000 of urgent works are required to upgrade the main Council website, to be funded in part from the approved budget of £20,000.

                           iv)        An additional £10,000 from the Contingency budget to support the installation of new boilers and system controls at 2 and 2A Wych Elm. The current approved budget in the capital programme for this work is £15,000.

                            v)        A revised current budget in the Non-Housing Capital Programme of £14,727,000 in line with the carryovers, adjustments and additional funding detailed in Table 4 of the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the annual Treasury Management Report for 2017/18 (attached as Appendix A to the report), including that the Council operated within the Treasury Management Strategy Statement during 2017/18, and that the report is recommended to Full Council for approval.

B    Noted the issues that the outcome of the EU Referendum is creating and their impact on the Council’s treasury management activities.

Cabinet received a report in the Council’s treasury management functions in 2017/18.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Ingall) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the annual Treasury Management Report for 2017/18 (attached as Appendix A to the report), including that the Council operated within the Treasury Management Strategy Statement during 2017/18, and that the report is recommended to Full Council for approval.

B    Noted the issues that the outcome of the EU Referendum is creating and their impact on the Council’s treasury management activities.

Appendix B of this report is confidential so any discussion of which will be held in private session.

RESOLVED that:

A     The most economically advantageous tender for the contract for the Provision of Domestic Waste and Recycling Collection and Allied Services submitted by Bidder A be accepted, subject to formal contract.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make the necessary contractual arrangements.

Cabinet received a report to award a contract for domestic waste and recycling collection services following the expiration of the current contract at the end of March 2019.

Proposed by Councillor Mark Ingall (seconded by Councillor Danny Purton) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     The most economically advantageous tender for the contract for the Provision of Domestic Waste and Recycling Collection and Allied Services submitted by Bidder A be accepted, subject to formal contract.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Managing Director, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make the necessary contractual arrangements.

RESOLVED that:

A     Contractor A be awarded the contract for delivery of Advice Services for a period of three years from 1 October 2018 at £90,000 per annum subject to paragraph 7 of the report.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Head of Community Wellbeing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing, to make the necessary contractual arrangements.

Cabinet received a report recommending the award of contract to provide Advice Services for three years from 1 October 2018.

Proposed by Councillor Eugenie Harvey (seconded by Councillor Emma Toal) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     Contractor A be awarded the contract for delivery of Advice Services for a period of three years from 1 October 2018 at £90,000 per annum subject to paragraph 7 of the report.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Head of Community Wellbeing, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing, to make the necessary contractual arrangements.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the content of the report and its potential implications for the forthcoming budget setting for 2019/20.

B    Granted delegated authority to the Head of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Resources, to give notice formally of the Council’s intention to accept or to decline to opt into the 75 percent BRR Pilot Programme with the other constituent Essex local councils as deemed most favourable to the Council.

Cabinet received a report to grant delegated authority to the Head of Finance in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Resources, to give notice formally of the Council’s intention to accept or to decline to opt into the 75 percent BRR Pilot Programme if it was deemed financially favourable.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Mark Ingall) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the content of the report and its potential implications for the forthcoming budget setting for 2019/20.

B    Granted delegated authority to the Head of Finance, in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Portfolio Holder for Resources, to give notice formally of the Council’s intention to accept or to decline to opt into the 75 percent BRR Pilot Programme with the other constituent Essex local councils as deemed most favourable to the Council.

RESOLVEDthat:

A     Cabinet supports the events and activities with a theme of Civic Pride, as set out in paragraphs 10 to 13 of the original report attached as Appendix 1.

Cabinet received a referral from the Scrutiny Committee which recommended additional funding to support events and activities with a theme of Civic Pride.

Proposed by Councillor Eugenie Harvey (seconded by Councillor Waida Forman) it was:

RESOLVEDthat:

A     Cabinet supports the events and activities with a theme of Civic Pride, as set out in paragraphs 10 to 13 of the original report attached as Appendix 1.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the continued operational issues that the transition to Universal Credit is having for the Council and its services during the first 12 months of the live scheme in Harlow and in particular:

             i)        Delays in payments being made to housing providers.

            ii)        The increased level of rent arrears.

Cabinet received a referral from the Scrutiny Committee which asked it to note some specific ongoing transitional issues arising from the implementation of Universal Credit.

Proposed by Councillor Mark Ingall (seconded by Councillor Emma Toal) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Noted the continued operational issues that the transition to Universal Credit is having for the Council and its services during the first 12 months of the live scheme in Harlow and in particular:

                             i)        Delays in payments being made to housing providers.

                            ii)        The increased level of rent arrears.

To note the following draft minutes of Cabinet appointed bodies. Minutes remain draft until approved by the relevant body.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the following meetings are noted.

To deal with any matters of an urgent nature.

None.