Agenda and decisions

None received.

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

Peter Gadsdon and Phil Porter declared personal interests in relation to Agenda Item 7 (i4B Business Plan 2023/24) and Agenda Item 8 (First Wave Housing Business Plan 2023/24) as Council appointed Directors on the Boards of i4B and FWH Ltd.

Councillor Grahl declared a personal interest in relation to Agenda Item 10 (Contract for Leaseholder Property Insurance) as a leaseholder in the borough.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 6 February 2023 as a correct record.

Cabinet RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 6 February 2023 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

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

None.

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

There were no petitions submitted for consideration at the meeting.

To consider any reports referred  by the Community & Wellbeing or Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committees.

There were no references from Scrutiny submitted for consideration at the meeting.

This report provides Cabinet with a final draft of the i4B Holdings Ltd (i4B) 2023/24 Business Plan for approval on behalf of the Shareholder.

Having noted the introductory comments by Martin Smith (as Chair of the i4B Ltd Board) relating to the current performance and strategic priorities of i4B, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To approve the i4B 2023/24 Business Plan.

(2)                    To approve the content and proposed strategic priorities of i4B’s 2023/24 Business Plan.

(3)                    To approve the updated financial model contained within the i4B 2023/24 Business Plan.

(4)                    To approve the Service Level Agreement for 2023-25 in Appendix 4 of the report.

(5)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources to approve the variation of the Service Level Agreement during 2023/24.

This report provides Cabinet with a final draft of the First Wave Housing Ltd (FWH) 2023/24 Business Plan for approval on behalf of the Guarantor.

Having noted the introductory comments from Martin Smith (as Chair of First Wave Housing (FWH) Ltd Board) relating to the current performance and strategic priorities of FWH, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To approve the FWH 2023/24 Business Plan.

(2)                    To approve the content and proposed strategic priorities of the FWH 2023/24 Business Plan.

(3)                    To approve the updated financial model contained within the FWH 2023/24 Business Plan.

(4)                    To approve the Service Level Agreement for 2023-25 in Appendix 4 of the report.

(5)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources to approve the variation of the Service Level Agreement during 2023/24.

This report seeks approval to invite tenders in relation to procurement of the Councils Insurance Service contracts.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To approve inviting tenders for Insurance Services on the basis of the pre-tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.4 of the report.

(2)                    To approve officers evaluating the tenders referred to in (1) above on the basis of the evaluation criteria set out in paragraph 3.4(vi) of the report.

(3)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Reform, to award the contract for Insurance Services for a term of three years with the option to extend for a further two years.

This report seeks approval to invite tenders in relation to procurement of the Leaseholder Property Insurance contract.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To approve inviting tenders for Leasehold Property Insurance on the basis of the pre-tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.5 of the report.

(2)                    To note that the Council would undertake consultation with leaseholders and Recognised Tenants Associations pursuant to Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended), as set out in paragraphs 7.1 to 7.7 of the report.

(3)                    To approve officers evaluating the tenders referred to in (1) above on the basis of the evaluation criteria set out in paragraph 3.5(vi) of the report.

(4)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness & Renters Security, to award the contract for Leasehold Property Insurance for a term of three years with the option to extend for a further two years.

This report seeks approval to commence procurement of the specialist mechanical and electrical (M&E) contractors that support the maintenance and repairs, planned maintenance and servicing requirements in relation to the Council housing stock.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To note the Mechanical & Electrical Services works (M&E) Contracts detailed in the table of paragraph 3.6 of the report were coming to an end but would be extended. The Council was aiming to procure the new Qualifying Long-Term Agreements within a maximum period of 12 months. The existing contracts would need to be extended to align with the re-procurement process, with the new contracts awarded commencing March 2024.

(2)                    To note that pursuant to delegated powers officers were procuring a suitably experienced Technical Consultancy that would manage the preparation of the specifications and support the procurement of the new M&E contracts.

(3)                    To approve inviting tenders for the M&E Contracts detailed in the table in paragraph 3.6 of the report.

(4)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security, to agree pre-tender considerations in respect of the M&E Contracts referred to in (3) above and thereafter evaluate tenders on the basis of the agreed evaluation criteria.

(5)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security, to award M&E Contracts referred in (3) above.

(6)                    To approve the allocation of £64 million exclusive of VAT over a period of 10 years from revenue and capital to fund the M&E Contracts referred to in (3) above, in accordance with the detail set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report.

(7)                    To note that the Council would undertake consultation with leaseholders and Recognised Tenants Associations pursuant to Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended), as set out in paragraph 7.4 of the report.

This report seeks approval to the discretionary Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Rate Relief Scheme for 2023/24 and a Supporting Small Business Relief scheme for small and medium properties, following guidance published by the Government in December 2022.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To approve the Council’s National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) Discretionary Scheme in relation to 2023/24 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Relief as set out in Appendix 1 of the report and pursuant to the Council’s powers under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

(2)                    To approve the Council’s National Non Domestic Rates (NNDR) Discretionary Scheme in relation to 2023 Supporting Small Businesses Relief scheme as set out in Appendix 2 of the report and pursuant to the Council’s powers under Section 47 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 as amended.

(3)                    To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resident Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources, to implement the discretionary schemes set out in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the report.

This report seeks approval to continue provision of the Business Rates Discount for London Living Wage (LLW) accredited employers from 1^st April 2023 to 31^st March 2026 along with a range of incentives and support for businesses who are (a) paying the LLW but not accredited and (b) moving toward Living Wage payment in support of the “Good Work Standard”.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)                    To agree to renew the business rates discount for Living Wage Accredited Employers for a further three years and approve the policy as set out in Appendix A of the report.

(2)                    To note the proposed dialogue with a broader range of businesses, bearing in mind the nature of Brent’s businesses base as set out in paragraphs 3.1 to 3.14 of the report. The Good Work Standard Group, which represented Brent’s diversity of businesses, would inform and drive the campaign to enable credible business to business communication.

(3)                    To note the proposed targeted communications campaign; the Council’s offer of support to small and micro business, as set out in paragraph 3.27 of the report; and the Council’s offer of priority spaces to businesses committed to joining Brent’s Good Work Standard Business Management/Network. The suite of incentives would be endorsed by the Good Work Standard Group and could be piloted through the network and the Council’s weekly newsletter, which currently reached over 13,500 businesses.

This report and performance scorecard set out the position on the Council’s performance in the third quarter of 2022/23. The content and format of the report and scorecard have been constructed to focus primarily on the Council’s Borough Plan: Building a Better Brent, and its priorities.

Cabinet RESOLVED to note the performance information contained in the performance report.

The following items are not for publication as they relate to the category of exempt information set out below, as specified under Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

Agenda Item 7:     i4B Business Plan 2022-23– Appendix 1 (Business Plan) Financial Appendices & Appendix 4 (SLA Schedule 2 – costs)

These appendices are classified as exempt under Paragraph 3 of 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)"

Agenda Item 8:     FWH Business Plan 2022-23 – Appendix 1 (Business Plan) Financial Appendices & Appendix 4 (SLA Schedule 2 - costs).

These appendices are classified as exempt under Paragraph 3 of 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)"

There were no items that required the exclusion of the press or public.

Notice of items to be raised under this heading must be given in writing to the Head of Executive and Member Services or her representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

In thanking members and colleagues for their support during her tenure as a Cabinet Member, Councillor Southwood formally announced her decision to resign as a member of the Cabinet.

In noting that Councillor Southwood would continue to serve as a member of the Council, Cabinet Members expressed their gratitude to Councillor Southwood for her dedication to Brent during her time as a Cabinet Member and praised her efforts in supporting the work undertaken to improve life for Brent’s residents.