Decisions

to request authority to award contracts for suppliers of enforcement agent and debt collection agency services.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)     Approve the award of the concession contracts for the provision of the Debt Resolution Services to the following three Enforcement Agent companies for a period of four (4) years:

                                   i.         Newlyn PLC

                                  ii.          Marston (Holdings) Ltd

                                 iii.         CDER Group Ltd

(2)     Approve an exemption pursuant to Contract Standing Order 84(a) of the requirement to tender a contract for Debt Resolution Services with Newham LBC’s oneSource service for the reasons set out in paragraphs 3.10 - 3.12 of the report.

(3)     Approve the award of a concession contract for the provision of Debt Resolution Services with Newham LBC’s oneSource service for a period of four (4) years.

None.

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

Cabinet NOTED the comments made by Councillor Ketan Sheth (as Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee and Social Prescribing Task Group) in introducing the report and recommendations made by the Scrutiny Task Group to review social prescribing in Brent.

In outlining the background to social prescribing, Councillor Ketan Sheth explained that the 2019 NHS long-term plan had incorporated social prescribing into its comprehensive model of personalised care. Cabinet was informed that social prescribing aimed to tackle health inequalities, which had recently been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, through the referral of patients to a range of local, non-medical services in the community. These non-medical services sought to address the patient’s wider issues that could be contributing to their poor overall health, such as welfare issues or poor-quality housing.

Councillor Ketan Sheth summarised the Task Group’s work, which had commenced in September 2022and included evidence gathered from a range of key partners.  As a result of the evidence gathered the Task Group had been able to identify a range of opportunities to widen the scope of social prescribing from NHS primary care settings, culminating in the Task Group producing five recommendations. The Task Group’s recommendations, set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, were supported by Sir Michael Marmot, professor at University College London and James Sanderson, the National Clinical Director for social prescribing at NHS England.

In commending the Task Group report and recommendations to Cabinet, Councillor Ketan Sheth advised that he had been encouraged by the Executive response provided by the Brent Integrated Care Partnership (ICP), giving him confidence that the Council’s ambitions were shared across Brent’s healthcare landscape.

In responding to the Task Group report, Councillor Nerva thanked Councillor Ketan Sheth (as Chair) and the Task Group for their work on the review. In welcoming the Executive response provided by the ICP he felt this served to highlight not only the opportunities for the Council to improve the scope for the development and delivery of social prescribing arrangements across the borough, working in partnership with the ICP and key health providers, but also the challenges particularly in relation to the transparency and equity of funding available through Primary Care Networks. As part of the process in taking forward the recommendations, members welcomed the specific establishment of a Social Prescribing Working Group as a means of co-ordinating work across partners and seeking to share best practice, with the benefits of a joined up approach between public health and culture also highlighted.

Having welcomed the report and Executive response provided and thanked all members, officers, and stakeholders who had contributed to the scrutiny review, Cabinet RESOLVED to endorse the Task Group’s recommendations, as set out in paragraph 3.3 of the report, and the response to them provided by the Brent Integrated Care Partnership, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

There were no petitions submitted for consideration at the meeting.

None.

Cabinet RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 17 April 2023 be approved as an accurate record of the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made at the meeting.

An apology for absence was received from Minesh Patel (Corporate Director, Finance & Resources) with Ravinder Jassar (Deputy Director, Finance) attending as their representative.

Approval of the outline project business case. Approves the delegation of authority to approve the final capital project budget, project objectives and proposed savings to the Corporate Director Children and Young People in consultation with the Corporate Director Finance and Resources and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Schools.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)    Approve the Brent Residential Children’s Care Home outline project business case.

(2)    Approve the delegation of authority to approve the final capital project budget, project objectives and proposed savings and the operation of the care home to the Corporate Director, Children and Young People in consultation with the Corporate Director, Finance and Resources and the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools.

To agree to issue the tender for the design, build, operation and maintenance contract for the South Kilburn Heat Network.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)     Approve inviting tenders to Design, Build, Operate and Maintain the South Kilburn Heat Network on the basis of the pr -tender considerations set out in paragraph 3.11 of the report.

(2)    Approve officers evaluating the tenders referred to in (1) above on the basis of the evaluation criteria set out in paragraph 3.11 of the report.

(3)     Note the award of a grant of £4.7m from the Green Heat Network Fund is to be applied towards the costs of constructing the district heat network and £0.45m towards the council’s costs to procure the network.

(4)    Note that the project utilises S106 funds specifically allocated as set out in paragraph 5.4 of the report.

(5)    Approve the allocation of an estimated £5.3m from prudential borrowing to fund the remainder of the scheme.

Authority to enter into a lease with Brent Community Land Trust subject to planning permission being achieved and a viable scheme designed for the Brentfield Road site.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)    Agree to ring-fence the Brentfield Road site, set out in Appendix 1 of the report, for Brent Community Land Trust for the purpose of Community Led Housing and commit to issuing a letter of intent confirming this arrangement.

(2)    Agree to the principal of the Council entering into a lease agreement for nil value for the land at the Brentfield Road Site, outlined in Appendix 1 of the report, subject to the following criteria being met;

a.          That Brent Community Land Trust have been granted planning permission for the proposed development on the site.

b.          That Brent Community Land Trust have secured funding for the proposed development.

c.          That Brent Community Land Trust can evidence the scheme’s financial viability.

d.          That Brent Community Land Trust produce and deliver a plan for Co-production with residents living on the existing estate and ensure residents are represented throughout their decision making process, including presence on their Board.

(3)    Agree the Brentfield Road Site will be ring-fenced for 12-months only from the date of the letter of intent being issued to allow the Brent Community Land Trust to seek planning and carry out a viability assessment, and if the criteria in (2) above have not been achieved, a follow up report will be bought to Cabinet to determine whether the site will continue to be ringfenced for CLH with Brent Community Land Trust.

To approve the final Church End Growth Area Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document.

Cabinet RESOLVED to having considered the consultation feedback, officer consideration and recommended changes to Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document to approve the Church End Growth Area Masterplan Supplementary Planning Document for adoption.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)     Approve the development of the Welsh Harp Centre for a Post-16 Skills Centre as detailed in this report, on the basis of the funding model to meet the Welsh Harp Centre revenue costs as detailed in Section 4 of the report, recognising the invest to save benefits of the proposal.

(2)     Agree that £3m capital cost for the Welsh Harp project is funded from the High Needs Capital Grant.

(3)     Agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Children and Young People, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools to approve the Capital Project Business Case.

(4)     Agree in principle to the proposal to develop the Airco Close site for both special school provision and the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre. This is subject to discussions with the Compass Learning Partnership and the London Regional Director for Education regarding satellite special school provision on the Airco Close site.

(5)     Note that officers will return to Cabinet with a detailed business case for the Airco Close development proposal based on the outcome of feasibility work for the Post-16 Skills Resource Centre and special school provision.

This report concerns the award of tender for a local Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service for Brent residents.

To approve the award of a contract for the provision of an Independent Health Complaints Advocacy Service to POhWER. The contract term will be for an initial period of two years with the option to extend for up to two years on a 2+1+1 basis. The contract value is capped at £60k per year for up to 4 years.

That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Reform, having consulted with the Leader:

i)             Approves the variation of the contract for automated call distribution with Voicenet Solutions (trading as 8X8 UK Limited) to include provision to extend.

ii)            Approves the extension of the contract with Voicenet Solutions (trading as 8X8 UK Limited) for a period of 23 months from 1 June 2023.

That the Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Reform, having consulted with the Leader:

i)             Approves the variation of the contract for Telephony with Voicenet Solutions (trading as 8X8 UK Limited) to include provision to extend.

ii)            Approves the extension of the contract for Telephony with Voicenet Solutions (trading as 8X8 UK Limited).

NOTED the announcement from the Mayor in relation to the death of former Councillor Eddie Baker.  In addition, tributes were also paid to former Councillor Bob Lacey OBE following the announcement of his death by Councillor Kansagra (Leader of the Conservative Group).

Council RESOLVED

(1)       To approve the dates for Full Council and other meetings to take place during the 2023-24 Municipal Year, as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

(2)    That the Head of Executive & Member Services be authorised to make any alterations deemed necessary to the Municipal Calendar during the course of the year having consulted with the Leader of the Council, Leaders of the Opposition Group(s) and Chair of the affected meeting.

Council RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve the appointments of members, co-opted members and substitutes to Council Committees and Outside Bodies for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year, as detailed within Appendix 1 of the report, subject to the following correction identified at the meeting:

·            Councillor Georgiou to be listed in place of Councillor Lorber as the Liberal Democrats member on the Resources & Public Realm Scrutiny Committee

(2)    To approve the appointments of Chairs and Vice Chairs to Council Committees for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year, as detailed within Appendix 1 of the report.

Having been put to the vote, an amendment moved by Councillor Georgiou at the meeting seeking to split the current wards covered by the Wembley Brent Connect Forum enabling the establishment an additional Brent Connect Forum and to appoint a Liberal Democrat Group member as chair of the new Forum along with a Conservative Group member as Chair of Kingsbury & Kenton Brent Connect Forum was declared LOST.

(3)    To approve:

(a)    the reappointment (as detailed within section 3.4 of the report) of David Ewart as Independent Chair of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee and Pension Board for a two-year term of office ending on 31^st July 2025.

(b)    the appointment of Rachael Tiffen (as detailed within section 3.5 of the report) as an Independent co-opted member of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee for a four-year term of office, ending at the Council’s Annual Meeting in May 2027 (subject to confirmation of the ongoing appointment at the Annual Council meeting each year).

(c)    the continuing appointment (as detailed within section 3.6 of the report) of the following three Independent Persons for the remainder of their four-year terms of office (subject to confirmation at the Annual Council meeting each year):

(1)       William Goh & Keir Hopley - to the Annual Council meeting in 2025; and

(2)       Julie Byrom – to the Annual Council meeting in 2026.

(d)    in relation to the co-opted membership on the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee (detailed within section 3.7 of the report):

(i)     the re-appointment of Alloysius Frederick (as a voting co-opted member representing the Roman Catholic Diocese) & Sayed Jaffar (as a non-voting co-opted member representing Muslim Faith Schools) for a further three-year term of office to expire at the Annual Council meeting 2026 (subject to confirmation of the ongoing appointments at the Annual Council meeting each year); and

(ii)    the appointment of Jane Noy (as a voting co-opted Parent Governor representative) and Rachelle Goldberg (as a non-voting co-opted member representing Jewish Faith Schools) for a three-year term of office to expire at the Annual Council meeting 2026 (subject to confirmation of the ongoing appointments at the Annual Council meeting each year).

(4)    To note the appointments:

(a)       of the Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and Joint Executive Committees and their respective Chairs and Vice Chairs for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year, as detailed in Appendix 2 of the report.

(b)       to be confirmed by the General Purposes Committee for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year, as detailed in Appendix 3 of the report.

(c)    to be confirmed by Licensing Committee for the 2023-2024 Municipal Year, as detailed in Appendix 4 of the report.

Council RESOLVED

(1)    To agree the size of each Committee, as detailed within the report.

(2)    To approve the allocation of seats on Committees to each of the Council’s political groups (where the rules of political balance applied) as set out within the report and to make appointments to those committees (under agenda item 10 on the agenda) giving effect to the wishes of the political group allocated the seats.

(3)    To note that the political balance on Council Sub-Committees would be reviewed at the first meeting of the General Purposes Committee and Licensing Committee to be held following the Annual Council Meeting

Council RESOLVED:

(1)    To agree the amendments to the Constitution as set out in Appendix 1 of the report updating the current allocation of roles and Cabinet portfolios, the delegated powers for officers and allocation of functions in respect of plans and strategies in the Policy Framework; Terms of Reference for the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee and updating of the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

Having been put to the vote, a proposed amendment to the Constitution relating to the chairing arrangements, structure and procedural rules applying to scrutiny moved by Councillor Georgiou at the meeting was declared LOST.

(2)    To note that, to the extent the changes agreed under (1) above related to executive functions of the Council, they had been approved by the Leader.

(3)    To authorise the Corporate Director of Governance to amend the Constitution accordingly, including making any necessary incidental or consequential changes.

NOTED

(1)       the vote of thanks to the co-opted and independent members serving on the Council’s committees.

(2)      the vote of thanks and tributes paid to the outgoing Mayor.

Councillor Tariq Dar MBE was appointed to serve as Deputy Mayor of the London Borough of Brent for the 2023 - 24 Municipal Year.

Councillor Orleen Hylton was elected to serve as Mayor of the London Borough of Brent for the 2023 - 24 Municipal Year.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mitchell, J.Patel, Shah and Southwood.

None.

There were no interests declared by Members at the meeting.

AGREED the minutes from the Council meeting held on Thursday 23 February 2023 as a correct record.

To request approval to use a framework to procure a contractor for design and build contract for the Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) at Mount Stewart School and Preston Park Primary School.

That the Director Property and Assets:

i)             Approves Brent Council’s participation in a tendering procedure using the Crown Commercial Service Construction Works and Associated Services Framework RM6088 Lot 2.2 in respect of a design and build contract for the Additional Resource Provisions (ARP) at Mount Stewart School and Preston Park Primary School.

ii)            Confirms that there is sufficient budgetary provision for the proposed contract.

iii)           Approves inviting bids under the Framework on the basis of the pre – tender considerations.

iv)           Approves Officers evaluating bids on the basis of the evaluation criteria.

To approve submission of an application up to the value of £408,744 capital funding, for a project to run from September 2023 – March 2025 aimed to support improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects that are operating sub-optimally and resulting in poor outcomes for customers and operators.

That the Corporate Director Resident Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters Security:

i)             Approves the submission of an application for grant funding up to the value of £408,744 capital funding from the Heat Network Efficiency Fund for a project that aims to support improvements to existing district heating or communal heating projects that are operating sub-optimally and resulting in poor outcomes for customers and operators.

To request approval to enter into a short term agreement pursuant to S75 National Health Service Act 2006 with North West London Integrated Care Partnership to secure the provision of community equipment services for service users of Brent until 31 July 2023.

That the Corporate Director Adult Social Care and Health:

i)             Approves the Council entering into an agreement pursuant to S75 National Health Service Act 2006 with North West London Integrated Care Partnership to collaborate in the provision of the Brent integrated community equipment service until 31 July 2023.