Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Muhammed Butt conveyed apologies received from Carolyn Downs, the Council’s Chief Executive.

Councillor Muhammed Butt conveyed apologies received from Carolyn Downs, the Council’s Chief Executive.

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

There were no declarations of interest.

There were no declarations of interest.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 July 2018 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:-

that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 July 2018 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

RESOLVED:-

that the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 July 2018 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting.

Referencing the Performance Report Q4 (January – March) 2017/18 presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 16 July 2018, Members noted reference to the issue raised by Councillor Southwood on library borrowing numbers and agreed that an outline of the key discussion points raised under future performance update reports should be included within the minutes to ensure continuous scrutiny and service performance monitoring.

Cabinet 16 July 2018: Performance Report Q4 (January – March 2017/18)

Members noted reference to the issue raised under this item by Councillor Southwood on library borrowing numbers and agreed that an outline of the key discussion points raised under future performance update reports should be included within the minutes to ensure continuous service performance monitoring.

To discuss any petitions from members of the public, in accordance with Standing Order 66.

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To consider any reference reports from any of the Council’s three Scrutiny Committees.

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The purpose of this report is to update Cabinet on two Housing Infrastructure Fund bids which have passed the first stage of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) approval process for funding and are now going through a due diligence process.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed to receive grant funding and enter into grant agreements with the Greater London Authority for two Housing Infrastructure Fund bids relating to South Kilburn and Northwick Park regeneration Programmes

    ii.        Cabinet delegated to the Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Lead Member for Regeneration, Highways and Planning authority to agree the detail of the grant agreements for the bid relating to South Kilburn

   iii.        Cabinet delegated to the Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Deputy Leader (as Lead Member for Resources)authority to agree the detail of the grant agreements for the bid relating to Northwick Park

Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of the Council, welcomed Ms Elizabeth Lloyd, a Northwick Park resident, to the meeting. In accordance with Standing Order 13 Cabinet heard a public question from Ms Lloyd on the matter of the housing infrastructure bid relating to the Northwick Park Regeneration Programme as set out in the report.

Ms Lloyd stated that Northwick Park was a much loved and well used local facility, highlighting, at the same time, that it had been recognised Brent was deficient in all types of open space and recreation grounds. She felt that the Council therefore had an obligation to protect these areas from inappropriate development, with the report not clearly demonstrating the extent of the regeneration area which would be affected by the project, or seeming to take into account any planning protection designations.

Ms Lloyd felt that there had been insufficient public consultation on the programme to date and noted that there was a growing concern amongst local residents on the likely impact of any proposed development in Northwick Park. As a result she asked for clarification on the following issues:

(a)       the boundaries of the regeneration area subject to the grant application, requesting publication of a plan;

(b)       for clarification on the evidence in support of the criteria met under the terms of the grant application; and

(c)        an indication of the alternative routes being considered for any access road to the regeneration area.

In response, Councillor Shama Tatler, Lead Member for Regeneration, Planning and Highways thanked Ms Lloyd for her contribution at the meeting. She stated that the report was part of a wider project seeking to unlock more housing opportunities and improve the local infrastructure. She acknowledged the importance of protecting open spaces in Brent, as set out by the Greater London Authority and reassured Ms Lloyd that no action would be taken without appropriate public consultation.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed to receive grant funding and enter into grant agreements with the Greater London Authority for two Housing Infrastructure Fund bids relating to South Kilburn and Northwick Park regeneration Programmes

    ii.        Cabinet delegated to the Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Lead Member for Regeneration, Highways and Planning authority to agree the detail of the grant agreements for the bid relating to South Kilburn

   iii.        Cabinet delegated to the Strategic Director Regeneration and Environment in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Deputy Leader (as Lead Member for Resources)authority to agree the detail of the grant agreements for the bid relating to Northwick Park

The purpose of this report is to provide a strategic overview of the function and priorities of the Community Safety Partnership Strategy for the next 3 years. It also highlights key areas of concern identified across the community and the shared response of the community partners in tackling the issues identified, with the view to creating a stronger safer Brent.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed to refer the detailed Partnership Strategy on to Council for formal approval, having noted and approved the proposed actions and operations made in response to the priority issues of the partnership.

    ii.        Cabinet noted the information provided in the report and the Community Partnership Strategy 2018-2019 and agreed to consider this in their discussions on the Council’s wider operational developments aligned to existing challenges and progress.

Councillor Tom Miller, Lead Member for Community Safety, introduced the report setting out the strategic overview of the statutory functions and priorities of the Community Safety Partnership Strategy for the next three years.

He stated that a key element of the report was the shift towards further prevention and an even stronger, localised focus on the individual. In noting the increased concern in relation to knife crime Councillor Miller drew Cabinet’s attention to the growing need for an innovative and collaborative approach in order to tackle not only crime offending and victimisation but also the underlying issues of health and social injustice. It was stated that further to utilising additional police resources and predictive modelling systems, the strategy would also benefit from £2.3m in capital funding in deploying concentrated efforts towards reducing knife crime in the borough. Cabinet heard that alongside the Community Safety Strategy, the Council would also be consulting on a Community Cohesion Strategy – “Stronger Brent” and would be followed by an appropriate consultation and communications campaign.

In the subsequent discussion, Cabinet members welcomed the strategy and extended offers of support and cooperation. Cabinet noted the                   importance of detecting, reporting and preventing crime on all levels, highlighting in particular the need for a holistic, targeted and integrated approach as set out by the strategy.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed to refer the detailed Partnership Strategy on to Council for formal approval, having noted and approved the proposed actions and operations made in response to the priority issues of the partnership.

    ii.        Cabinet noted the information provided in the report and the Community Partnership Strategy 2018-2019 and agreed to consider this in their discussions on the Council’s wider operational developments aligned to existing challenges and progress.

The report seeks Cabinet agreement to an exemption from the procurement requirements of the Council’s Contract Standing Orders and approval to award contracts for the placement of children and young people in additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) provided by academies and the Choice, Advice and Fair Access Interview Service and related specialist English as an Additional Language provisions provided by academies. 

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed an exemption from the procurement requirements of the Council Standing Order No 96 in respect of contracts for the provision of:

·         Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for the academic years 2018/19 to 2020/21

·         The Choice, Advice and Fair Access Interview Service (CAFAI) and specialist English as an Additional Language (EAL) provisions for the academic years 2018/19 to 2020/21

    ii.        Cabinet approved the award of the contracts referred to above for the academic year 2018/19 to the schools listed in Tables 1 and 2 of the report.

   iii.        Cabinet noted the costs of the proposed contracts referred to above would be fully met from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)

Councillor Amer Agha, Lead Member for Schools, Employment and Skills, introduced the report setting out the procurement of contracts with academies for the placement of young people in Additionally Resourced Provision and the Choice, Advice and Fair Access Service and related specialised English as additional language provisions provided by academies. In noting the procurement complexity relating to the above services, Councillor Agha stated that the report recommended that, subject to Cabinet’s approval, the contracts be awarded for a period of 3 years.

Referencing the outlined funding streams as set out in the report, Cabinet noted that the contracts would be fully subsidised by funding from the Designated School Grant (DSG), which would also incorporate a top up from the inclusion service.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet agreed an exemption from the procurement requirements of the Council Standing Order No 96 in respect of contracts for the provision of:

·         Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for the academic years 2018/19 to 2020/21

·         The Choice, Advice and Fair Access Interview Service (CAFAI) and specialist English as an Additional Language (EAL) provisions for the academic years 2018/19 to 2020/21

    ii.        Cabinet approved the award of the contracts referred to above for the academic year 2018/19 to the schools listed in Tables 1 and 2 of the report.

   iii.        Cabinet noted the costs of the proposed contracts referred to above would be fully met from the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)

This report requests authority to award contracts as required by Contract Standing Order 88. It summarises the process undertaken in tendering this contract and following the completion of the evaluation of the tenders, recommends to whom the contract should be awarded.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet approved the award of contracts for Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5 of the Council’s insurance services contracts to Zurich Municipal for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1^st October 2018.

    ii.        Cabinet approved the award of contract for Lot 6 of the Council insurance services contract to Charles Taylor for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1^st October 2018.

   iii.        Cabinet delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Resources in consultation with the Deputy Leader (as Lead Member for Resources) to award the contract for Leaseholder insurance for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1 November 2018 for the reasons detailed in the report.

Councillor Margaret McLennan, Deputy Leader introduced the report setting out the background, tendering and evaluation processes in procuring the contract for covering all insurance services provided to the Council. Referencing the report, she stated that it was recommended that Lots 1,2,3,4 & 5 be awarded to Zurich Municipal and Lot 6 to Charles Taylor respectively, each for a period of three years, as per the reasons detailed in the report.

Councillor McLennan stated that the overall aim of the contracts was to ensure the provision of an improved and more cost effective services to the Council. In particular, Cabinet’s attention was drawn to the innovative nature of both insurance contracts with an attached potential saving expected to yield over £290k per year.

RESOLVED:-

      i.        Cabinet approved the award of contracts for Lots 1,2,3,4 and 5 of the Council’s insurance services contracts to Zurich Municipal for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1^st October 2018.

    ii.        Cabinet approved the award of contract for Lot 6 of the Council insurance services contract to Charles Taylor for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1^st October 2018.

   iii.        Cabinet delegated authority to the Strategic Director of Resources in consultation with the Deputy Leader (as Lead Member for Resources) to award the contract for Leaseholder insurance for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for a period of 2 years from 1 November 2018 for the reasons detailed in the report.

The following items are not for publication as they relate to the following category of exempt information as specified under Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, namely: Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)" (Paragraph 3).

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Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or his representative before the meeting. Any decisions taken urgently under this heading must comply with the provisions outlined in paragraph’s 12 and 39 of the Council’s Access to Information Rules (part 2 of the Constitution).

None.

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