Agenda, decisions and minutes

Received from Councillors Santiago Bell-Bradford, Una O’Halloran, Michelline Safi-Ngongo and John Woolf.

None.

Confirmed

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 23 May 2024 be confirmed as an accurate record of proceedings and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. To note the breakdown of the provisional General Fund (GF) outturn by variance at Appendix 1 and service area at Appendix 2.

2. To note the provisional outturn 2023/24 GF position.

3. To note, and where necessary agree, the virements of budgets between directorates.

4. To note the Collection Fund outturn position for council tax and National Non-Domestic Rates.

5. To note progress on delivering the 2023/24 agreed budget savings.

6. To agree in relation to Earmarked Reserves:

 • The creation of a new Budget Risk Reserve and an Insurance Risk Reserve from the previous Budget Risk and Insurance Reserve.

• The re-naming of the Budget Strategy Reserve to the Corporate Projects and Systems Reserve.

• The transfers to/from reserves, the movements between reserves and the provisional GF and HRA reserves balances.

• Specifically, for the Executive to approve all reserves transfers above £0.5m.

 • To delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer to agree any further movements to/from reserves related to finalising the 2023/24 Statement of Accounts

 • To approve the transfer of £10.000m from earmarked reserves to the provisional outturn position. The residual position is applied to the GF Balance, resulting in a net increase in the GF Balance of -£9.939m.

• To agree the in-year implementation costs of up to £3.151m from earmarked reserves for replacing the financial system, as set out in the Procurement Strategy for the Replacement of the Current Financial System agreed by the Executive on 8 February 2024.

7. To note the HRA provisional outturn. 

8. To note the capital outturn at Q4 for 2023/24 and the revised multi-year capital programme and how it will be financed.

9. To agree capital reprofiling with future financial years and budget adjustments, and to note that there is a risk of further reprofiling over the remainder of the financial year.

10. To agree that the fees and charges schedule is amended in respect of new leisure fees and charges relating to the Active Play and Active Zone.

DECISIONS:

1. AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

2. Noted that the Chief Executive had undertaken to provide information to

Cllr Hamdache as to whether numbers of complaints had reduced/risen since March 2024

Reasons for the decision – as detailed in the report

Other options considered – as detailed in the report

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

RESOLVED:

1. To note the breakdown of the provisional General Fund (GF) outturn by variance at Appendix 1 and service area at Appendix 2 of the report of the Executive Member for Finance and Performance.

2. To note the provisional outturn 2023/24 GF position.

3. To note, and where necessary agree, the virements of budgets between directorates.

4. To note the Collection Fund outturn position for council tax and National Non-Domestic Rates.

5. To note progress on delivering the 2023/24 agreed budget savings.

6. To agree in relation to Earmarked Reserves:

 • The creation of a new Budget Risk Reserve and an Insurance Risk Reserve from the previous Budget Risk and Insurance Reserve.

• The re-naming of the Budget Strategy Reserve to the Corporate Projects and Systems Reserve.

• The transfers to/from reserves, the movements between reserves and the provisional GF and HRA reserves balances.

• Specifically, for the Executive to approve all reserves transfers above £0.5m.

·       To delegate authority to the Section 151 Officer to agree any further

movements to/from reserves related to finalising the 2023/24 Statement of Accounts

 • To approve the transfer of £10.000m from earmarked reserves to the provisional outturn position. The residual position is applied to the GF Balance, resulting in a net increase in the GF Balance of -£9.939m.

• To agree the in-year implementation costs of up to £3.151m from earmarked reserves for replacing the financial system, as set out in the Procurement Strategy for the Replacement of the Current Financial System agreed by the Executive on 8 February 2024.

7. To note the HRA provisional outturn. 

8. To note the capital outturn at Q4 for 2023/24 and the revised multi-year capital programme and how it will be financed.

9. To agree capital reprofiling with future financial years and budget adjustments, and to note that there is a risk of further reprofiling over the remainder of the financial year.

10. To agree that the fees and charges schedule is amended in respect of new leisure fees and charges relating to the Active Play and Active Zone.

11. To note that the Chief Executive had undertaken to provide information to

Cllr Hamdache as to whether numbers of complaints had reduced/risen since March 2024

Reason for the decisions - to enable members to monitor the Council’s budget.

Other options considered – all as detailed in the report of the Executive Member for Finance and Performance.

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.To approve the strategy for the Young People’s Supported Accommodation

Pathway (16-25 years old) to establish a flexible framework agreement with call off options, as outlined in this report, for a period of six years with an estimated cost of up to £19m.

2.To delegate authority to award all call-off contracts pursuant of the flexible

framework agreement to the Director of Adult Social Care, following consultation with

both the Executive Member for Health and Social Care and the Executive Member

for Children, Young People and Families.

DECISIONS

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reasons for the decision – as detailed in the report

Other options considered – a total of four options were considered

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

In the absence of Councillor Safi-Ngongo, the report was introduced by Councillor Comer-Schwartz.

RESOLVED:

1.To approve the strategy for the Young People’s Supported Accommodation

Pathway (16-25 years old) to establish a flexible framework agreement with call off options, as outlined in the report of the Executive Members for Health and So cial Care and Children,Young People and Families, for a period of six years, at an estimated cost of up to £19m.

2.To delegate authority to award all call-off contracts pursuant to the flexible

framework agreement to the Director of Adult Social Care, following consultation with

both the Executive Member for Health and Social Care and the Executive Member

for Children, Young People and Families.

Reasons for the decision – a flexible framework agreement would provide adaptability to secure additional units or services from framework providers as and when appropriate opportunities arose, responding promptly to evolving needs.

Other options considered – Four options in total were considered.

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

The report was amended on submission as follows:

Paragraph 3.1 – line 2 - replace the word “employees” with “employs”

Line 4 – delete the words “and has a”

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.That the attached policy for Housing Repairs and Maintenance for Council tenants be agreed and published.

2.That the current Housing Repairs guide is continued to be published and revised to ensure it aligns with our policy.

DECISIONS:

1. AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

2. Noted that the Acting Corporate Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods had undertaken to investigate Councillor Hamdache’s suggestions of (a)  the incorporation in the Policy of a provision to ensure no tenants would be disconnected during annual gas safety checks and not have to pay reconnection fees and (b) preventative repair work through ongoing inspections of roofs and gutters.

Reasons for the decision – as detailed in the report

Other options considered – as detailed in the report

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none

In the absence of Councillor O’Halloran, the report was introduced by Councillor Ward.

The report was amended on submission as follows:

Paragraph 3.1 – line 2 - replace the word “employees” with “employs”

Line 4 – delete the words “and has a”

RESOLVED:

1.That the policy for Housing Repairs and Maintenance for Council tenants, appended to the report of the Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, be approved and published.

2.That the current Housing Repairs guide be continued to be published and revised to ensure it aligned with the Council’s policy.

3. To note that the Acting Corporate Director of Housing and Neighbourhoods had undertaken to investigate Councillor Hamdache’s suggestions of (a)  the incorporation in the Policy of a provision to ensure no tenants would be disconnected during annual gas safety checks and not have to pay reconnection fees and (b) preventative repair work through ongoing inspections of roofs and gutters.

Reasons for the decision - A formalised Repairs and Maintenance Policy for Council tenants would allow the Council to be more transparent to tenants about the responsibilities of the Repairs Service and to also prevent any challenges on the basis that the Council’s policy was not clear or consistent.

Other options considered – all as detailed in the report of the Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods.

Conflicts of interest / dispensations granted – none