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.

The following personal interests were declared in respect of Agenda Item 7 – Draft Budget 2024/25 and 2025/26 (with regard to the budget saving proposals):

·             Councillor Nerva – as one of the Council’s appointed representatives on the North West London Integrated Care Partnership and Integrated Care Board.

·             Councillor Donnelly-Jackson – as Chair of the Brent Disability Forum

No other interests were declared at the meeting.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 16 October 2023 as a correct record.

Cabinet RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 16 October 2023 be approved as a correct record of the meeting.

Eligible for Call-In: No

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

None

To discuss any petitions from members of the public for which notice has been provided, in accordance with Standing Order 66.

There were no petitions submitted for presentation at the meeting.

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

There were no items referred from either the Community Wellbeing or Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committees.

This report sets out the Council’s budget proposals for 2024/25 and 2025/26. It also provides a general update on the Council’s overall financial position, including an overview of the current economic outlook.

Cabinet NOTED the following comments made by Rajas Falker, as a local resident, who had requested to speak at the meeting on the report.  In addressing Cabinet, Mrs Falker advised she was attending the meeting in order to express concerns about the budget saving proposal identified for 2025-26 relating to the potential closure of the New Millennium Day Centre, given the impact it was felt this would have on service users and carers using the Centre.  In outlining the detrimental impact it was felt the proposal would have on the health and wellbeing of existing service users and their carers, the opportunity was also taken to advise members of the much valued level of care and social interaction being provided for vulnerable adults through the Centre which it was felt had enabled them to thrive and flourish in a safe and supportive environment.  Referring to the closure of other surrounding day care centres, Mrs Falker felt it was also important to recognise the importance locally of the service being provided by the New Millennium Day Centre.  Whilst aware of the financial pressures faced by the Council, Mrs Falker ended by urging members to reconsider the saving proposal and to keep the New Millennium Day Centre open to ensure those vulnerable adults and their carers who relied on the service being provided were not adversely impacted and could continue to benefit from the support available through the Centre.

In response, Councillor Nerva (as Cabinet Member for Public Health & Adult Social Care) whilst recognising the concerns highlighted felt it important to begin by outlining the challenging context in which the budget proposals presented for consideration had needed to be developed.  This had included the impact arising from austerity and the cumulative funding cuts which had been imposed on local authorities by the current Conservative Government along with their failure to deliver reform of the social care system.  These challenges had been compounded, particularly in relation to adult social care providers across all sectors, by the wider economic and inflationary cost pressures currently being experienced alongside an increase in demand for services.  Faced with the pressures identified the Council had needed to consider ways in which Adult Social Care services could continue to be delivered as effectively and sustainably as possible working in partnership across a range of sectors whilst also seeking to support and maximise, as part of a wider transformation process, the independence of service users.

In terms of the specific proposal identified, Mrs Falker and Cabinet were assured that the decision due to be taken at this stage was to commence a wider community and service user consultation and engagement process on the budget proposals identified.  As part of the consultation process outlined, Councillor Nerva and Councillor Tatler (as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform) confirmed that this would include users of the New Millennium Day Centre and would involve a full assessment of options and alternative provision prior to any final decision being  ...  view the full decision text for item 7.

This report advises Cabinet of the representations received following consultation on the Sudbury Town Residents’ Association’s application to be the Neighbourhood Forum for the Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Area and seeks a decision on the application.

Cabinet RESOLVED, having considered the representations received following consultation on Sudbury Town Residents’ Association’s (STRA) application to be the Neighbourhood Forum for the Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Area, as set out in Appendix F of the report:

(1)    To confirm that the Council refused STRA’s application to be the Neighbourhood Forum for the Sudbury Town Neighbourhood Area as set out in the refusal statement in Appendix G of the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Thursday 23 November 23

This report seeks comments on the Council’s Statement of Gambling Principles which sets out the policy for dealing with applications and regulating gambling premises within their borough in advance of its referral to Full Council on 20 November 2023 for formal approval and adoption.

Cabinet RESOLVED to note and approve (without any amendment) the draft revised Statement of Gambling Principles (31 January 2022 – 31 January 2025) at set out within Appendix 1 of the report, for recommendation to Full Council on 20 November 2023 in order to confirm its formal adoption and fulfill the necessary legal requirements.

Eligible for call-in: No (Recommendation to Full Council)

This report sets out proposed amendments to the Admission Arrangements for Brent Community Schools for 2025/26 and seeks Cabinet’s view on whether Brent Council should carry out a formal consultation to be completed by 31 January 2024.

Cabinet RESOLVED to approve consultation being undertaken on the following amendments to existing admission arrangements (having noted that the proposals were not inter-dependent and could be agreed individually):

(1)    The reduction of the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Mitchell Brook Primary School from 90 to 60.

(2)    The reduction of the Published Admission Number (PAN) for Fryent Primary School from 120 to 90.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Thursday 23 November 23

No items have been identified in advance of the meeting that will require the exclusion of the press or public.

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 Chief Executive and Member Services or their representative before the meeting in accordance with Standing Order 60.

There were no items of urgent business.

In closing the meeting Councillor Muhammed Butt (as Leader of Council) took the opportunity to formally thank Zahur Khan for his support to the Cabinet and in the delivery of services to residents across the borough during his time at Brent.  Noting this would be his final Cabinet meeting in advance of leaving the Council to return to a new role at Lewisham, Members took the opportunity to wish him well.