Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Webbe.

None.

Noted.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting on 23 November 2017 be confirmed as a correct record and the Chair be authorised to sign them.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

This item was bought forward due to the number of interested members of the public present.

In response to a number of questions from members of the public Councillor Ward advised that using the council’s powers as a planning authority was the most effective way to ensure that we achieved the most possible affordable housing on development sites that are not owned by the council.   Councillor Watts added that the SPD is being agreed now to ensure that possible buyers of the site are aware of these requirements and take them into consideration when assessing the value of the site.

RESOLVED:

2.1       That the Consultation Statement for the Holloway Prison Site Supplementary
            Planning Document (SPD) which provides the Council’s response to issues
            raised during consultation on the draft SPD, attached as Appendix 2 to the
            report, be noted.

2.2       That it was agreed that the Holloway Prison Site Supplementary Planning
            Document attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be adopted.

Reason for decision –. To support the council’s objectives for the Holloway Prison site; the SPD will be a material consideration in the determination of a future planning applications and provide guidance to inform future buyers of the site.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

2.1       That the amendment of the council’s housing allocation scheme to provide an
            award of 40 points to homeless applicants (where the council has accepted a
            housing duty) who need to move due to financial hardship or where it is in the
            council’s wider strategic interests or it helps the council manage temporary
            accommodation more effectively, be agreed.

2.2       That a number of other minor changes to be made to the scheme listed at
            point 3.4 of the report be agreed.

2.3       That the Corporate Director of Housing and Adult Social Services be
            authorised to carry out a consultation with the private registered providers of
            social housing and registered social landlords the council has nomination
            arrangements with and its secure tenants, be agreed.

Reason for decision – To update the council’s Housing Allocation scheme in the light of case law.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report. 

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

Councillor Hull advised that the policy includes some changes following the Grenfell Tower fire but is otherwise largely unchanged from previous years.

George Sharkey, GMB Branch Secretary, expressed concern about the reference to ‘Non-trade union representatives for safety’ in paragraph 3.9.2 of the policy.  Councillor Watts advised this had been in the policy for a number of years but agreed that it will be reviewed for future versions.

RESOLVED:

That the Council’s Corporate Health and Safety Policy attached as Appendix 1 to the report be agreed.

Reason for decision – to meet the council’s duty to maintain an up to date healthandwelfareatwork policy.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

Councillor Hull advised that the budget was being set in an extremely difficult context; since 2010 the government has cut the Council’s budget by 70%, forcing the Council to make £194M of savings, with a further £32M savings required in the coming year.   

RESOLVED:

The General Fund Budget 2018-19 and MTFS (Section 3)

2.1       That the 2018-19 net Council cash limits as set out in Table 1 (paragraph 3.1.4 of the report) and the MTFS at Appendix A of the report, which include the revenue savings at Appendix B of the report, be agreed.

2.2       That the fees and charges policy be noted and the 2018-19 fees and charges schedule (paragraphs 3.2.3-3.2.4 of the report and Appendices C1-C3 of the report), be agreed

2.3       That the Council’s policy on the level of General Fund balances and the estimated use of the Council’s earmarked reserves (paragraphs 3.2.5-3.2.7 of the report and Table 2 of the report) be agreed.

              The HRA Budget and MTFS (Section 4)

2.4         That the balanced HRA 2018-19 budget within the HRA MTFS at Appendix D1 of the report be agreed.

2.5         That the 2018-19 HRA rents and other fees and charges (Tables 4-7 and Appendix D2 of the report) be agreed.

              The Capital Programme 2018-21 (Section 5)

2.6         That the 2018-19 capital programme (paragraph 5.1, Table 8 and Appendix E of the report) be agreed and the provisional programme for 2019-21 be noted.

2.7         That the Corporate Director Resources applies capital resources to fund the capital programme in the most cost-effective way (paragraph 5.2) of the report, be agreed.

Treasury Management Strategy (Section 6)

2.8         That the Treasury Management Strategy will initially be considered by Audit Committee on 23^rd January 2018 and then included for agreement within the final budget report to Executive on 1^st February 2018 and Council on 22^nd February 2018 be noted.

Council Tax and Retained Business Rates (Section 7)

2.9       That a new class of council tax charge payer known as foster carer and implement a new Foster Carer Relief scheme from 1^st April 2018 to reduce the full council tax liability to nil of every Islington household for the period where the household includes an approved foster carer (including foster carers living in Islington who are registered with other local authorities or approved agencies) (paragraphs 7.1-7.3 of the report) be agreed.

2.10       That Shared Lives carers living in Islington be included within the new Foster Carer Relief Scheme (paragraph 7.4 of the report) be agreed.

2.11       That amending the existing council tax relief scheme for care leavers to cover the full council tax liability from 1^st April 2018 (paragraph 7.6 of the report) be agreed.

2.12       That the detailed, statutory council tax calculations and the recommendations for the final 2018-19 council tax level, including the Greater London Authority (GLA) and social care precepts, will be included in the budget report to Executive on 1^st February 2018 and Council on 22^nd February 2018 (paragraph 7.7 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 475.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

            That the forecast revenue outturn for the General Fund (Table 1 of the report) of a gross overspend of £6.2m, including corporate items (paragraph 3.1 of the report) be noted. 

2.2         That the actions to reduce the forecast gross General Fund overspend, and that any remaining overspend at year-end will be covered by drawing down from corporate contingency budgets in the first instance (Section 4, paragraph 3.3 of the report) be noted.

2.3         That the breakdown of the forecast General Fund outturn by individual variance at Appendix 1 of the report and by service area at Appendix 2 of the report, be noted.

2.4         That the HRA forecast is a break-even position (Section 5, Table 1 of the report) be noted.

2.5         That the latest capital position with forecast capital expenditure of £105.1m in 2017-18 be noted and the re-profiling of schemes from 2017-18 to 2018-19 (Section 6, Table 2, paragraphs 6.3-6.4 of the report and Appendix 3 of the report) be agreed.

Reason for decision – to allow Councillors to monitor the budget.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Healthand SafetyPerformanceReport attached atAppendix1 of the report be agreed.

Reason for decision – to allow Councillors to fulfil their duty to monitor health and safety at work.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

2.1         That the responses to the recommendations made by the Housing Scrutiny Committee set out in section 4 of this report be agreed and progress to date be noted.

2.2         That officers report back on progress the Housing Scrutiny Committee in 12 months’ time be agreed.

Reason for decision – to respond to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

That the actions being taken forward to address the recommendations of the Health and Care Scrutiny Committee’s review of the effectiveness of IAPT services be agreed.

Reason for decision – to respond to the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

Jane Doolan, Unison Branch Secretary, presented a letter on the proposals to the Executive, expressing members concerns about the future of the Shared Digital Service, the TUPE transfer and communication with staff that staff.  George Sharkey, GMB Branch Secretary, supported the comments made. 

Councillor Hull accepted that communication with staff should have been better and said that he would work with the Unions to ensure it is improved in future and to respond to their specific concerns.  Councillor Hull also stressed that the council will retain robust governance over the service. 

RESOLVED:

2.1         That it be noted that the following decisions will, in summary for all three Councils, achieve the following:

1. Transfer the ICT function of both Haringey and Islington to Camden including staff who will TUPE on 1 April 2018.

2. Transfer the decision making for the ICT functions for Haringey, Islington and Camden to either a new and reconstituted lean Joint Committee or via Camden’s usual delegation arrangement to the Executive Director Corporate Services to be undertaken by the Chief Digital and Information Officer.

3. Approve the underlying consultative management arrangements noting that these will develop as the service itself develops.

4. Delegate authority to allow the necessary further supporting documentation to be completed in support of the arrangements

2.2            That the options set out in the detailed ‘Shared Digital Governance Model Options’ report at Appendix 1 of the report prepared by Activist Group following extensive work since March 2017 with Councillors and senior officers be noted.

2.3            That the adoption of the governance model for Shared Digital set out as Option 1 (a ‘lean’ Joint Committee model in paragraphs 5.4 to 5.13 of this report and paragraphs 4.5 – 4.9 of Appendix 1 of this report) based on the outcomes framework at Table 2.4, paragraph 2.26 of Appendix 1 of this report with a commencement date of 1 April 2018 (throughout this report ‘the Commencement Date’ means 1 April 2018) be agreed.

2.4         That, pursuant to Regulations 9 and 11 of the Local Authorities (Arrangements for the Discharge of Functions) (England) Regulations 2012 (‘the Regulations’) the following be agreed effective from the Commencement Date of 1 April 2018:

(i)               those parts of Islington’s ICT service and function (including the procurement of ICT related services, equipment and software) specified in paragraphs 6 to 16 of the attached terms of reference set out at Appendix 4 of the report be jointly exercised with the London Boroughs of Islington, Haringey and Camden by a Joint Committee

(ii)              the current Joint Committee be reconstituted with the terms of reference at Appendix 4 of the report with effect from the Commencement Date

(iii)             the Joint Committee will consist of two elected Executive/ Cabinet Members from each Council, normally for an annual term, with the term and appointment to be decided by the Leader.

2.5         That, pursuant to Regulation 5 of the Regulations, those parts of the Executive function of Islington’s ICT not transferred to the Joint arrangements specified in paragraph 2.4(  ...  view the full minutes text for item 480.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

That the procurement strategy for the construction of 2 new build residential apartment blocks at Beaumont Rise. N19 as outlined in this report be agreed.

Reason for decision – to help deliver the Council’s priority to build new affordable homes.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

AGREED RECOMMENDATIONS

Reason for decision – as specified in the report.

Other options considered - none.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

RESOLVED:

That the contract award for the Communal heating fully inclusive maintenance contract to Mitie Property Services (UK) LTD for an initial period of five (5) years with an option to extend for two further periods of 3 years and 2 years respectively, accounting for a total maximum period of 10 years, be agreed.

Reason for decision – to award the contract to the most economically advantageous tender based on the highest combined quality and cost score.

Other options considered – none other than as specified in the report.

Conflicts of interest/dispensations granted - none.

Noted.

That the information in the exempt appendix to agenda item F14 be noted (see Minute 482 for details).