Agenda and decisions

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Knight (Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness & Renters Security)

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.

There were no declarations of interest made at the meeting.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 30 May 2022 as a correct record.

Cabinet RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 30 May 2022 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 reference reports from any of the Council’s two Scrutiny Committees.

There were no references from either scrutiny committee submitted for consideration at the meeting.

To receive a report from the Head of Paid Service detailing proposals for a Senior Management Reorganisation.

Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the content of the report and delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Deputy Leader of the Council, to make any further changes required within the structure following the assimilation and job interview processes.

The purpose of this report is to provide an overview of progress made on the Climate and Ecological Emergency programme in 2021-22 alongside the proposed new Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy 2022-24 Delivery Plan.  Approval is also being sought to the allocation of grants from the council’s Carbon Offset Fund as part of the CO₂GO Participatory Budgeting Process, which concluded in January 2022.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)     To agree the new 2022-2024 Delivery Plan for the Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy attached as Appendix A to the report.

(2)     To approve the pilot of a place-based Sustainable Neighbourhood approach in the areas set out in Appendices B, C, and D of the report and for officers to begin a phased engagement and co-production process with communities in the selected areas.

(3)     To approve the criteria set by the Resident Planning Group (as outlined in section 8 of the report) for the current phase of the Brent Carbon Offset Fund (CO₂GO).

(4)     To approve the proposed allocations for funding in Pot 1 and Pot 2 of the Brent Carbon Offset Fund as set out in Appendix E of the report,ratifying the public vote made on applications during the ‘You Decide’ Participatory Budgeting Decision Day on 29 January 2022.

(5)     To delegate authority to the Assistant Chief Executive to award and make grants from the Brent Carbon Offset Fund up to the value of £100k (in line with the powers provided to the Assistant Chief Executive for award of grants at this level for the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy).

(6)     To note the progress made in the year one (2021-2022) Delivery Plan as detailed within Appendix F of the report.

This report seeks permission to negotiate and thereafter purchase a mix of affordable units in Blocks D and E and market units in Block A forming part of a development of Euro House, Fulton Road Wembley HA9 0TF.

Cabinet RESOLVED to delegate authority to the Director of Finance in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance Resources and Reform and the Operational Director of Property and Assets to negotiate a unit mix of social and market units that deliver a financially viable scheme and the terms and thereafter enter into an underlease for up to 60 years (to be made between L.B. Brent and Asset SPV) in respect of the affordable homes and market units within the Fulton Road Development subject to:

(a)     clean and marketable title;

(b)     financial and legal due diligence;

(c)     all commercial terms having been agreed between the parties; and

(d)     vacant possession, with a target completion date as soon as possible after the grant of the long lease of 999 years (the headlease).

This report sets out a proposal for a CCTV camera enforcement protocol for the Brent Active Travel programme and associated exemptions. It details how locations for CCTV cameras for Brent school streets, current and future schemes will be prioritised.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)     To note the outcome of the exemptions review and approve the officer recommendations in respect of exemptions for school streets enforcement contained within Appendix A of the report.

(2)     To note and approve the suggested approach to identify priority CCTV locations for school street schemes and CCTV camera enforcement protocol for implementation.

This report seeks approval to tender for the purchase and management of future bike hangars and transfer of the management and maintenance of current bike hangars.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)     To note the content of the report and the current bike hangar provision in the borough and the S106 funding that was currently available to provide additional hangars.

(2)     To note the continued delivery of the bike hangar programme under the Waltham Forest Framework, with a negotiated reduction in rental charges.

(3)     To approve the tendering for a contract to purchase further bike hangars and the management and maintenance of all the boroughs bike hangars, for a period of 3 years with an option to extend for 2 years.

Following on from a call-in relating to the original contract award, this report requests approval to invite tenders by way of a direct award under the Network Homes Contractor Framework and approve the pre tender considerations as required by Contract Standing Orders 88 and 89.

Cabinet RESOLVED

(1)     To approve the inviting of a tender using a direct award process under the Network Homes Contractor Framework agreement on the basis of the pre-tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report.

(2)     To delegate authority to award the contract for the Morland Gardens Redevelopment Design and Build Contract following the successful outcome of the tender exercise to the Strategic Director, Regeneration and Environment, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Reform.

This report provides an update to Cabinet on the action the Council is taking to mitigate the impact of the Cost of Living crisis on Brent residents and businesses. Furthermore, it updates on future planned activity to support residents and to monitor the ongoing impact of the Cost of Living crisis on people in Brent through the implementation of a local framework and an Outcome Based Review.  Approval is also being sought for additional funding to top up the Brent Resident Support Fund in response to an expected increase in demand for financial support due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

Cabinet RESOLVED

(1)     To note the proposed approach to implementing the Cost of Living Outcome Based Review (OBR) as outlined in section 5 of the report and the emerging Framework as outlined in section 6 of the report.

(2)     To approve the allocation of an addition £3 million of Council funds for this financial year (2022/23) to the Resident Support Fund for the reasons outlined in section 4 of the report, and agree to discussions to allocate additional funds in future financial years (2023/24, 2024/25).

(3)     To delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Customer and Digital Services in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy and Citizen Experience to amend the eligibility criteria for the Brent Resident Support Fund throughout the lifetime of the scheme as required.

This report seeks approval for a proposed revision to the policy relating to the award of discretionary rate relief in respect of National Non-Domestic Rate (NNDR) liability along with approval of a policy statement and application(s) relating to hardship relief for charities or non-profitmaking bodies regarding NNDR liability.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)     To approve the revised discretionary rate relief policy in respect of national non-domestic rate liability as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)     To approve the application for discretionary rate relief in respect of national non-domestic rate liability as set out and detailed in Appendix 2 to the report.

(3)     To approve the Council’s policy relating to hardship relief in respect of national non-domestic rate liability as set out in paragraph 3.6 of the report and in compliance with section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

(4)     To delegate authority to make decisions in respect of future applications for discretionary rate relief in relation to non-domestic rate liability in accordance with the revised Discretionary Rate Relief Policy and criteria to the Head of Revenue and Debt in consultation with the Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy & Citizen Experience.

(5)     To delegate authority to the Strategic Director of Customer and Digital Services in consultation with the Director of Finance and Cabinet Member for Jobs, Economy & Citizen Experience to make decisions relating to applications for hardship relief in respect of national non-domestic rates for awards up to £100,000 per annum

(6)     To authorise the submission of a report to Cabinet on an annual basis after the end of each financial year providing details of the awards of discretionary rate relief and the details of the awards of hardship relief in respect of national non-domestic rates for awards up to £100,000 per annum that have been granted.

In accordance with Financial Regulations, this report details write-offs over £20,000 agreed by the Director of Finance, which are required to be reported to Cabinet. The write-offs in this report cover the financial year 2021/22 and relate to Adult Social Care client contributions, overpaid Housing Benefit and Business Rates.

Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)     To note the debt-written off as described within the report.

(2)     To note a total of write-off of £414,823.82 of debt as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

This report seeks approval to the award of the design and build contract for Watling Gardens following additional tenure changes to ensure viability of the development.

Cabinet RESOLVED, having noted the confirmation provided at the meeting that the total number of homes to be converted to Shared Ownership under the proposal was 24 and waiver of call-in obtained relating to the decision on the grounds of urgency, to approve (as amended at the meeting):

(1)     The tenure changes of 24 homes (19 x 1 bedroom homes and 5 x 2 bedroom) from London Affordable Rent to Shared Ownership, subject to the approval of the Local Planning Authority.

(2)     To approve the award of the design and build contract for Watling Gardens to Hill Partnerships Ltd in the sum of £38,535,634, conditional on the approval of the Local Planning Authority to tenure changes and subject to such additional sums to reflect the tenure changes and Planning consent amendment referred to under (1) above, to a limit of £480,000.00 allowed for in the total scheme costs as detailed within Appendix 1 (classified as containing exempt information) of the 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 9:         Purchase of Blocks at Housing Units at Fulton Road Development – Appendix 1 (Draft Heads of Terms)

This appendix is 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 15:       Uncollectable Debt Write-Off – Appendix 2 (Write-offs undertaken during 2021/22 over £20,000.00 including list of debtors)

This appendix is 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 16:       Authority to Award Watling Gardens Design and Build Contract – Appendix 1 (Additional Financial Implications), Appendix 2 (Additional Legal Implications) and Appendix 3 (Tenderer Names)

Appendices 1 and 3 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)”

Appendix 2 is classified as exempt under Paragraph 5 of Part 1 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, namely: “Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings information."

(This section was updated to reflect the inclusion of Agenda Item 16 as part of the agenda republished on 17 June 2022)

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.

None.