Agenda and decisions

The Chair will read out the following statement:

“This meeting is being webcast live to our website (https://harlow.public-i.tv/core/portal/home) and will be available for repeated viewing after the meeting has ended.

By continuing to attend this meeting, you are consenting to being filmed and to appearing in the webcast.

I would like to remind all those participating in the meeting to use their microphones when they speak, and to turn them off once they have finished talking.”

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

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2024.

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.

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

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

To note recent Portfolio Holder decisions taken under delegated powers, as attached:

https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1022

https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=1033

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Noted the performance of key performance indicators for January which demonstrate strong performance on all indicators.

B    Noted the financial performance and position as of January (period 10) of 2024/25 financial year which demonstrate strong financial performance across the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Capital Programmes.

C    Approved the Period 10 reprofiling into 2025/26 within the Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes included within Appendices D and E to the report.

D    Noted the current strategic risks for the council’s operations in Appendix F to the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Noted the update on Local Government Reorganisation for Greater Essex and the formal invitation, as set out in Appendix A to the report.

B    Endorsed the Essex-wide submission and contents of the Interim Plan, as set out in Appendix B to the report.

C    Delegated authority to the Leader of the Council to approve any minor amendments to the Interim Plan, as agreed by all signatories, prior to its final submission.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Approved the separate Civil Penalties Policy under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and the Electrical Safety Standards in The Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 as set out in Appendix A to the report.

B    Approved the amendment to the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2023 (attached as Appendix B to the report) to remove Appendix A (the current Civil Penalties Policy) and any references to the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.

C    Adopted and implemented the Civil Penalties Policy.

RESOLVED that:

A    Delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director - Corporate Services and Improvement, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing, to award an in-budget contract following the completion of a lawful procurement process to avoid any such delay in the provision of service.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director Corporate Services and Improvement, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Wellbeing, to extend the contract beyond the initial period, in line with contract provision for an extension of up to one year.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approved the year 4 UKSPF programme as set out in the report.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Permitted an in-principle approval to the implementation of a DfT e-scooter trial in Harlow in line with the safety mitigations as set out within the report.

B    Delegated authority to the Portfolio Holder for Garden Town and Planning, in conjunction with the Assistant Director for Planning and Garden Town, through a formal Portfolio Holder decision to agree satisfactory implementation and operational details of the e-scooter trial in Harlow with Essex County Council as the Local Highway Authority and their appointed e-scooter operator.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Approved the irrecoverable Non-Domestic Rates write offs as set out within the report.

B    Noted the intention to revise the debt write off process as part of the work to update the council’s constitution as set out within the report.

RESOLVED that:

A    Cabinet approved the final version of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy as shown in Appendix A, to take effect from the 1 April 2025, along with the Tenancy Strategy and note the summary of the completed public consultation.

B    Delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director – Housing Operations (People), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to make minor amendments to the strategy as required.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A    Noted the responses received to the consultation (as set out in Appendix B to the original report) and agrees the consequential amendments made to the Climate Change Strategy.

B    Adopted the Climate Change Strategy (as set out in Appendix A to the original report) and delegates authority to the Assistant Director – Planning and Garden Town in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability to make and agree any minor or inconsequential amendments to the Strategy arising from any matters discussed and agreed at Cabinet.

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

Such other business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be received as a matter of urgency by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the minutes.

The Chair will move that the following item be taken in private session on the grounds that it is likely to involve the disclosure of exempt information as specified under Paragraph 3 of Part One of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, if and so long as in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

RESOLVED that delegation authority be given to the Assistant Director – Housing Operations (People), in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Housing, to dispose of garage Nos. 1 to 15 and Nos. 30 to 46 Purford Green to a private management company who own and operate other garage sites across the town in order for improvements to be undertaken at no cost to the council and for the capital receipt set out in paragraph 6 of the report, (excluding fees and associated conveyancing costs) to be received in order to fund other housing priorities.