Agenda, decisions and minutes

None.

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

None.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2017.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 22 June 2017 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.

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.

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

RESOLVED that the following decision is noted.

RESOLVED that:

A     Acknowledges the outturn position set out in section three of Appendix A to this report for the year ending 31 March 2017 (1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017), subject to recommendations in paragraphs 18 and 20, as follows:

             i)        An under-spend on controllable service budgets of £508,000 or -0.81 percent of the gross General Fund budget after adjusting for carry forwards requests.

            ii)        A total general fund underspend of £1,570,000 (-2.51 percent of the gross General Fund Budget) after including the impact of windfall income, non-controllable items.

           iii)        A General Fund balance of £4.714 million after adjustments for the recommended transfers to reserves, carry forward requests and other one off proposals as set out in this report.

B    Recognises the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

C    Approves:

             i)        The carry forward of £219,300 of budgets from 2016/17 to 2017/18 as set out in paragraph 19 of the report.

            ii)        The transfer to reserves of £140,000 as set out in paragraph 21 of the report.

           iii)        The allocation of up to £200,000 from the 2016/17 underspend to help support additional community safety resources in 2017/18 neighbourhood improvements, as reported elsewhere on the cabinet agenda.

           iv)        An additional allocation of £25,000 to recognise the excellent uptake of Harlow’s 70^th birthday celebrations funding.

            v)        The transfer of £300,000 to the Planning LDF Reserve to support the ongoing delivery of the Local Plan.

The Cabinet received a report that summarised the Council’s financial andoperational performance as at year-end 2016/17 and proposed carryovers into 2017/18 and contributions to reserves.

Proposed by Councillor Jon Clempner (seconded by Councillor Mike Danvers) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     Acknowledges the outturn position set out in section three of Appendix A to this report for the year ending 31 March 2017 (1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017), subject to recommendations in paragraphs 18 and 20, as follows:

                             i)        An under-spend on controllable service budgets of £508,000 or -0.81 percent of the gross General Fund budget after adjusting for carry forwards requests.

                            ii)        A total general fund underspend of £1,570,000 (-2.51 percent of the gross General Fund Budget) after including the impact of windfall income, non-controllable items.

                           iii)        A General Fund balance of £4.714 million after adjustments for the recommended transfers to reserves, carry forward requests and other one off proposals as set out in this report.

B    Recognises the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

C    Approves:

                             i)        The carry forward of £219,300 of budgets from 2016/17 to 2017/18 as set out in paragraph 19 of the report.

                            ii)        The transfer to reserves of £140,000 as set out in paragraph 21 of the report.

                           iii)        The allocation of up to £200,000 from the 2016/17 underspend to help support additional community safety resources in 2017/18 neighbourhood improvements, as reported elsewhere on the cabinet agenda.

                           iv)        An additional allocation of £25,000 to recognise the excellent uptake of Harlow’s 70^th birthday celebrations funding.

                            v)        The transfer of £300,000 to the Planning LDF Reserve to support the ongoing delivery of the Local Plan.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledges the HRA outturn for 2016/17 as set out in the report as follows:

             i)        A favourable variation against the original budget adjusted for carryovers on operational/controllable budgets of £1,173,000 representing 2.09 percent of the gross Housing Revenue (HRA) budget.

            ii)        A total projected underspend of £6,784,000 representing 12.08 percent of the gross HRA budget.

B    The balances at 31 March 2017 of £12,975,000 in respect of the Housing Revenue Account and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve are noted.

C    Approve carryovers of £671,000 as detailed in paragraph 32 to meet commitments from 2016/17.

D    Recognises the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

The Cabinet received a report that summarised the year-end 2016/17 position of the Housing Revenue Account and proposed some carryovers into 2017/18.

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

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Acknowledges the HRA outturn for 2016/17 as set out in the report as follows:

                             i)        A favourable variation against the original budget adjusted for carryovers on operational/controllable budgets of £1,173,000 representing 2.09 percent of the gross Housing Revenue (HRA) budget.

                            ii)        A total projected underspend of £6,784,000 representing 12.08 percent of the gross HRA budget.

B    The balances at 31 March 2017 of £12,975,000 in respect of the Housing Revenue Account and nil in respect of the Major Repairs Reserve are noted.

C    Approve carryovers of £671,000 as detailed in paragraph 32 to meet commitments from 2016/17.

D    Recognises the operational performance that has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Notes the outturn of the Council’s Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes as at 31 March 2017 detailed as follows:

             i)        Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £18,734,000 against an approved revised budget of £21,366,000.

            ii)        Non-Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £4,874,000 against an approved revised budget of £7,043,000.

B    Approves the carryover of Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2017/18 of £2,855,000 to meet capital commitments.

C    Approves the carryover of Non-Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2017/18 of £2,058,000. The carryover includes grant or other funding to support these commitments of £426,000.

D    Recognises the operational performance which has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

E     That an additional £100,000 be allocated from the Non Housing Capital underspend in 2016/17 to be carried forward to fund the completion of the demolition of the Hummingbird Public House.

The Cabinet received a report that summarised the year-end 2016/17position of the Housing and Non Housing Capital Programmes and proposed some carryovers into 2017/18.

In addition to the recommendations to the report, Councillor Danvers proposed that £100,000 of funding was allocated from the underspend of the Non-Housing Capital Programme to enable the demolition of Hummingbird House to continue. This followed the identification of asbestos on the site.

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

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A     Notes the outturn of the Council’s Housing and Non-Housing Capital Programmes as at 31 March 2017 detailed as follows:

                             i)        Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £18,734,000 against an approved revised budget of £21,366,000.

                            ii)        Non-Housing Capital Programme expenditure of £4,874,000 against an approved revised budget of £7,043,000.

B    Approves the carryover of Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2017/18 of £2,855,000 to meet capital commitments.

C    Approves the carryover of Non-Housing Capital Programme schemes to 2017/18 of £2,058,000. The carryover includes grant or other funding to support these commitments of £426,000.

D    Recognises the operational performance which has been achieved across all Council services during 2016/17.

E     That an additional £100,000 be allocated from the Non-Housing Capital underspend in 2016/17 to be carried forward to fund the completion of the demolition of the Hummingbird Public House.

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet agreed to switch from the Council’s existing gas and electricity procurement framework to the Procurement for Housing Flexible Collective Framework agreement from April 2018 to April 2021.

B    A review is undertaken in year three (2020/21) to assess whether the framework has provided best value for money and determine whether the two year contract extension should be triggered.

Cabinet received a report which sought approval for changing the Council’s energy procurement framework for a three year period up until April 2021. There would be a review in 2020/21 to determine whether the contract should be extended.

Proposed by Councillor Danny Purton (seconded by Councillor Jon Clempner) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     Cabinet agreed to switch from the Council’s existing gas and electricity procurement framework to the Procurement for Housing Flexible Collective Framework agreement from April 2018 to April 2021.

B    A review is undertaken in year three (2020/21) to assess whether the framework has provided best value for money and determine whether the two year contract extension should be triggered.

RESOLVED that:

A     The following Business Cases are awarded to HTS (Property and Environment) Limited subject to terms and conditions, and that separate contracts are entered into for each activity not exceeding the values set out below:

a)    Windows and Doors   - £1,300,000

b)    Disabled Adaptations - £   900,000

c)    Compliance                - £   700,000

TOTAL                               £2,900,000

Cabinet considered a report to award three Business Cases to HTS (Property and Environment) Limited.

Proposed by Councillor Mark Wilkinson (seconded by Councillor Jon Clempner) it was:

RESOLVED that:

A     The following Business Cases are awarded to HTS (Property and Environment) Limited subject to terms and conditions, and that separate contracts are entered into for each activity not exceeding the values set below:

RESOLVED that Cabinet approved an additional resource of £200,000 for the financial year 2017/2018 to be invested into the Community Safety Team and for public realm improvements at the Stow and Bush Fair, enabling the Council to provide a package of initiatives to reduce antisocial behaviour and develop additional community safety initiatives in Harlow.

Cabinet received a report to approve £200,000 of additional funding for the Council’s Community Safety Team to help enable public realm improvements and assist with efforts to reduce ant-social behaviour.

Proposed by Councillor Emma Toal (seconded by Councillor Tony Durcan) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet approved an additional resource of £200,000 for the financial year 2017/2018 to be invested into the Community Safety Team and for public realm improvements at the Stow and Bush Fair, enabling the Council to provide a package of initiatives to reduce antisocial behaviour and develop additional community safety initiatives in Harlow.

The Annual Governance Statement for 2016/17 (as amended by the Audit & Standards Committee) is recommended to the Cabinet for approval.

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the Annual Governance Statement for 2016-17 (attached as Appendix A to the report).

Cabinet considered a referral from the Audit and Standards Committee to approve the Annual Governance Statement 2016/17.

Proposed by Councillor Mike Danvers (seconded by Councillor Jon Clempner) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves the Annual Governance Statement for 2016-17 (attached as Appendix A to the report).

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.

The Chairman will move that the following items 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 - Informationrelatingto thefinancialor businessaffairs of any particular person(includingtheauthorityholdingthat information).

RESOLVED 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 - Informationrelatingto thefinancialor businessaffairs of any particular person(includingtheauthorityholdingthat information).

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves:

A     The development of the building by commissioning the final stages of design and then to give delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service, or the Managing Director if in post at the appropriate time, in consultation with Portfolio Holders for Regeneration & Enterprise and Resources, to agree to the procuring of its construction once that design is complete and there is a final detailed cost plan.

B    Option B, as set out in paragraph 11 of the report, for the ongoing management of the building in its operational phase. A report will be presented to a future Cabinet meeting for a decision to be made on the final sub-option to be selected once different options have been explored and costed.

Cabinet received a report on the development of a Council funded building.

Proposed by Councillor Tony Durcan (seconded by Councillor Mike Danvers) it was:

RESOLVED that Cabinet approves:

A     The development of the building by commissioning the final stages of design and then to give delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service, or the Managing Director if in post at the appropriate time, in consultation with Portfolio Holders for Regeneration & Enterprise and Resources, to agree to the procuring of its construction once that design is complete and there is a final detailed cost plan.

B    Option B, as set in paragraph 11 of the report, for the ongoing management of the building in its operational phase. A report will be presented to a future Cabinet meeting for a decision to be made on the final sub-option to be selected once different options have been explored and costed.