Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Richard Watts expressed the Council’s sadness at the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire and that the family and friends of the victims, and the whole community, are in our thoughts today.

Apologies were received from Cllr Hull.

None.

Noted.

RESOLVED:

That the Minutes of the meeting on 19 April 2018 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.

RESOLVED:

a)    That Councillor Richard Watts be appointed as Chair, Councillors Kaya Comer-Schwartz and Diarmaid Ward be appointed as members and Councillors Burgess, Caluori, Hull, Shaikh and Webbe be appointed as substitutes of the Voluntary and Community Sector Committee, for the municipal year 2018/2019, or until successors are appointed, be agreed.

b)    That Councillors Anjna Khurana, Michelline Safi Ngongo and Mouna Hamitouche be appointed as observers of the Voluntary and Community Sector Committee, for the municipal year 2018/2019, or until successors are appointed.

c)    That Councillors Andy Hull and Claudia Webbe be appointed as members of the Shared Digital Joint Committee, and Councillor Asima Shaikh as a substitute, for the municipal year 2018/2019, or until successors are appointed.

d)    That Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz be appointed to the Associated Joint Committee – London Councils’ Grants Committee and Councillors Burgess, Hull, Shaikh and Ward be appointed as deputies, for the municipal year 2018/2019, or until successors are appointed.

e)    That Councillor Diarmaid Ward and Councillor Angela Picknell be appointed as members of the LHC (London Housing Consortium) for a four-year term, until the election in 2020, or until successors are appointed.

f)     That Councillor Mick O’Sullivan be appointed as the Council’s representative on the London Council’s Pensions CIV Sectoral Joint Committee and Councillor Andy Hull be appointed as substitute, for the municipal year 2018/2019, or until successors are appointed.

Reason for decision – to enable the Council’s representatives to participate in meetings.

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 decision taken on 13 April 2018 to award a contract to Insight Direct (UK) Ltd for the purchase of Microsoft licences be noted.

Reason for decision – to enable the Executive to monitor key decisions taken using urgency procedures and meet the requirements detailed in the Constitution.

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 Watts noted his thanks all the officers who worked very hard to ensure that the final out-turn was significantly improved on the £10M overspend forecast earlier in the year.

RESOLVED:

2.1      That the provisional revenue outturn for the General Fund (Table 1 of the report) of a gross overspend of £3.9m and a net break-even position after using £3.9m of contingency funding (£2.0m ongoing contingency budget and £1.9m of one-off contingency reserve) be noted. 

2.2      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.

2.3      That the 2017-18 revenue outturn carry forwards and transfers to reserves detailed at Appendix 3 of the report be agreed.

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

2.5      That the Council delivered £89.8m of capital investment in 2017-18 and how this was financed and related earmarked reserves transfers be noted and the slippage of unspent capital budgets to future years (Section 6, Table 2, and Appendix 4 of the report) be agreed.

2.6      That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources to agree any final required adjustments for the final position reflected in the 2017-18 Statement of Accounts be agreed.

Reason for decision – to allow members 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.

Councillor Rowena Champion, Chair of the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, introduced the report, advising that the review became increasingly broad as it developed and that the committee encountered a lot of enthusiasm to be involved in encouraging recycling across a number of services and thought there were opportunities to support these services to encourage and help facilitate recycling. 

Councillor Webbe welcomed the report and Councillor Watts thanked Councillor Champion and the committee for all their work on a very thorough review.

RESOLVED:

2.1       That the report of the Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee be
            received.

2.2       That the Executive Member’s response be reported to a future meeting of the
            Executive, including having due regard to any relevant implications of the
            Environment & Regeneration Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations.

Reason for decision – to receive the recommendations of the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee.

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 a temporary accommodation acquisitions programme that enables the council to increase the supply of council owned temporary accommodation and maximise the spend of excess RTB receipts starting in the 18/19 financial year and continuing in subsequent years, subject to funding, be agreed. 

2.2     That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Resources to purchase individual properties that are considered to be affordable and value for money, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Housing and Adult Social Services and the Executive Member for Housing and Development, be agreed.

2.3     That the additional resources required to deliver the programme efficiently and effectively, as outline in Point 3.4.2 of this report, be agreed.

Reason for decision – to reduce costs, maximise use of excess RTB receipts and improve the standard of temporary accommodation.

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 a contribution up to a £7.0m from the RTB receipts be made to the CoLC contributing towards the cost of the housing element of the development, be agreed. It was also agreed that this would secure the council entitlement to:

·       Nominate in perpetuity to 50% of the total number of homes in the development (33 out of 66 homes as set out in the Head of Terms agreement).

·       Receive a 50% share of the income from the office space provided in the new development. Commercial revenue.

2.2     That the Director of Housing and Adult Social Services be authorised to negotiate and agree the terms of the grant agreement, for the contribution from RTB receipts, with the CoLC, in consultation with the Director of Law and Governance and Corporate Director of Resources.

2.3     That, subject to the approval of the GLA, it be noted that the CoLC will be required to use the GLA grant of £3.96m previously allocated to the housing element of the development, to fund a new social housing scheme(s) within Islington. to which the council will have a minimum of 50% of nomination rights based on habitable rooms.

2.4     That the proposal to provide a license to the CoLC to enable asbestos removal, soft strip and demolition of the existing buildings on the site be agreed.

Reason for decision – to provide additional, good quality homes for social rent and the good quality school places to meet basic need.

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 procurement strategy for Islington’s New Build and Construction Frameworkas outlined at paragraph 3.1 of the report be approved.

2.2     That authority be delegated to the appropriate Corporate Directors to award contracts under the new framework agreement without limitation as to value.

Reason for decision – to provide high quality new homes in terms of design,in-use performance, long-term sustainability and energy efficiency creating places thatare genuinely affordable places to live for residents in housing need and helping them tackle thecost of living.

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 procurement strategy for Lift Maintenance in Housing and Public
            Buildings as outlined in this report be agreed. 

2.2       That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director of Housing and Adult
            Social Services to award the contract, in consultation with the Executive
            Member for Housing and Development.

Reason for decision – to meet the duty to provide lift repairs for both the housing estates and public buildings to keep them in safe working order.

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 procurement strategy for a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
            Service Framework Agreement for People with Learning Disabilities as
            outlined in this report be agreed. 

2.2       That authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Housing and Adult
            Social Services, to award any subsequent contract award for a call-off from
            the framework agreement, in consultation with the Executive Member for
            Health and Social Care.

Reason for decision – to meet the increasing need for supported living accommodation for people with a learning disability who display complex and challenging behaviour.

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 D8 be noted (see Minute 523 for details).