Decisions

To vary the original agreement and extend the dates to March 2027.

That the Lead Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Property:

i)               Approves the variation to the HIF Funding Agreement to allow for an extension to the HIF Funding Longstop date to 31 March 2026 (from 31 March 2025), with the Infrastructure delivery Backstop date extended to March 2027.

ii)              Notes the variations to the terms and pre-conditions of the agreement set out in paragraph 3.12 of the report.

To confirm the allocation and distribution of the Household Support Fund extension.

That the Corporate Director Residents and Housing Services, in consultation with the then Cabinet Member for Housing and Resident Support:

i)               Approves the proposed allocation of Household Support Fund funding, as follows:

a.    Resident Support Fund Proposals for 2025-26

                                               i.     That food vouchers for residents with children on free school meals continue up to and including 31 October 2025 based on £15 per child per week.

                                              ii.     The allocation of food vouchers will be reviewed in advance of the Christmas Holidays (before 30 September 2025)

                                            iii.     It is proposed that at least £1,565,482 of the grant is allocated to the Council’s Resident Support Fund for residents in crisis to proactively apply for support with food, energy and water, or wider essentials. Existing mechanisms and eligibility criteria will be used to distribute the funds. A further sum may be available, but this is dependent on the decision on continuing food vouchers beyond October half term.

b.    New Horizons Centre

                                               i.     The total 2025-25 expected costs for ‘annual operational costs for New Horizons includes the contract fee for the Community Wellbeing Service with Sufra, the centre manager post, as well as centre maintenance, utilities and security presence. With the centre expanding to a 5-day per week service and services including Families’ Homelessness Service moving in, 2025-26 expected costs are higher as additional security presence is required than initially costed. £400k is the direct cost of the service contract with Sufra.

c.     Employment Skills

                                               i.     It is proposed that £20,000 of fund is allocated to the Grand Union Employment and Skills Hub with London’s Community Kitchen to enhance employment chances for residents.

d.    Debt Advice

                                               i.     It is proposed £95,000 is allocated to support Citizens Advice to support residents with debt advice, and £25,000 to the Sheriff Centre for debt advice.

e.    Immigration Advice

                                               i.     This will continue to be provided by Northwest London Law Centres at a cost of £50,000.

f.      Additional Food Initiatives

                                               i.     It is considered prudent to set aside £10,000 for additional food initiatives and or emergency requirements

g.    Credit Union Support Proposal

                                               i.     £100,000 of the grant will be allocated to the Credit Union to support households with multiple debts with interest free loans, on the basis that they meet the affordability criteria. Since August 2020 to 31 March 2024, 442 households have been supported with £1,513,972 financial support with interest free loans. Of this, £533,400.32 has been repaid in instalments by households.

h.    Well and Warm

                                               i.     The Well and Warm Scheme supports older residents adversely affected by the pressures caused by ongoing high utility charges. The scheme supports vulnerable residents in keeping their homes warm particularly during the winter period. Brent partners with Green Doctors to offer residents a free consultation and advice from energy experts. The cost for this is £136,000.

i.      Future Funding – Establishing if reserve

                                               i.     Notes that the 2024 assumption for the Council’s budget to support this work as agreed by Cabinet on 5 February 2024 for 2025-26 at £1,490,000 is no longer valid. The requirement is reduced following the Household Support Fund award and this budget is set aside, alongside unused funding from 2025-26 as a reserve.

To request authority to extend a contract in respect of Advocacy Services – Care Act Advocacy, Mental Health Act Advocacy (IMHA), Independent Mental Capacity Act Advocacy (IMCA) and Relevant Person’s Paid Representative (RPPR) with POhWER.

That the Corporate Director of Service Reform and Strategy:

i)               Approves the extension of the contract for the provision of Advocacy Services – Care Act Advocacy, Mental Health Act Advocacy (IMHA), Independent Mental Capacity Act Advocacy (IMCA) and Relevant Person’s Paid Representative (RPPR) with POhWER for a period of 12 months.

To invite tenders in respect of appointing Charging Point Operator(s) to supply, install, operate and maintain electric vehicle charge points on behalf of Brent in relation to the Local Electic Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Funding and delegate authority to the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement, to award a fifteen year contract(s).

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)       Approve the commencement of the tender process in respect of appointing the Charging Point Operator (s) to supply, install, operate and maintain electric vehicle charge points in Brent in accordance with the new Procurement Legislation.

(2)       Approve the pre-tender considerations pursuant to Standing Order 89 of Part 3 of the Council’s Constitution, as detailed within the report.

(3)       Delegate authority to the Corporate Director for Neighbourhoods and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Enforcement, to award a fifteen-year contract(s).

(4)       Approve entering into the Partnership 6 Inter-Authority agreement.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

To consider the outcome of formal consultation on amalgamation of Malorees Infant School (Community) and Maloree Junior School (Foundation).

Prior to considering the report, Cabinet noted the comments made by Angus Hislop (as Vice Chair of Malorees School Federation) who had requested to speak in support of the proposals to amalgamate Malorees Infant and Junior Schools.  In addressing Cabinet, Mr Hislop advised he was also Chair of the Federations Finance. Personnel, Property and Staffing Committee.  Outlining the Federations support for the proposed amalgamation he advised this was shared by the whole School Board with the Federation, following its formation in 2017, having identified a clear vision to achieve amalgamation, which had been delayed as a result of the process in seeking to manage the financial deficit within their budgets.  During this time, however, both schools had sought to achieve as much as possible in seeking to combine and deliver the benefits associated in working more closely together with them effectively operating as one and the key benefit now identified, in terms of formalising the process of amalgamation, being the ability to access the DfE School Building Programme in order to deliver a rebuild of the school.

Whilst recognising the potential financial impact on the school budget arising from the amalgamation, the Governing Body remained confident this could be offset against the reduction in maintenance costs association with the existing facilities linked to the new build programme and ability the new facilities would have in attracting additional pupils.  Having outlined what were felt to the substantial benefits associated with the proposals, the risks identified were also acknowledged, particularly in terms of any significant delay in the new build programme progressing.  Having considered and assessed the risk identified, however, the Board had felt this remained manageable and that the unique opportunity for refurbishment of the school was worth pursing given the wider benefits for both current and future pupils and educational provision on the site.

In response, Councillor Grahl (as Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools) thanked Mr Hislop for his support of the proposals. She also advised Cabinet of two further written representations received from local parents Aidan Reilly and Venera Itibaeva expressing concern, given the outcome of the consultation process, at the potential impact of the proposals in relation to the financial risks identified and uncertainty around the school rebuild programme.  As a result, assurance had been sought that any funding gaps identified in relation to the school budget would not impact on staff or lead to reductions in educational provision.

Having noted the representations received and assurance provided at the meeting regarding the retention of transferred land on the site for educational use and that the amalgamation would not involve any proposed redundancies or changes in the terms and conditions of Malorees staff, Cabinet RESOLVED:

(1)       To approve the amalgamation of Malorees Infant School and Malorees Junior School, to be achieved through the:

(a)       The Closure of Malorees Junior School.

(b)       Expansion of the age range of Malorees Infant School to admit children aged between 3 – 11.

(c)        Change of the name of Malorees Infant School to ‘Malorees Primary School’.

(2)       To commit to retaining the Junior School land that would transfer to the Local Authority for the educational use of Malorees Primary School.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

In considering the report Cabinet noted the comments made by Andrew Hudson (as Chair of the i4b & First Wave Housing Boards) thanking the outgoing Board members for their valued contributions and commitment during their term of office and in support of the proposed appointment of the new Directors & non-executive Directors outlined in the report, given the combination of experience and expertise it was felt they would continue to provide in the ongoing management of both Boards.

Having noted the recruitment process undertaken, Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)       Approve the appointment of Waqar Ahmed and Mannie Ketley as non-executive, independent Directors of i4B and FWH for a period of three years from 1 September 2025.

(2)       Approve the appointment of Sadie East and Serita Kwofie as senior council officer Directors of i4B and FWH for a period of three years from 4 August 2025 and Nicole Jarrett-Francis as a senior council officer Director of i4B and FWH for a period of three years from 1 October 2025.

(3)       Note that Peter Gadsdon had stepped down as a Director of i4B and FWH as of 31 March 2025 following his retirement from the council, that Melanie Smith would step down as a Director on 30 September 2025 when she retired from the council, and that Akintoye Doruwoju would step down as a Director from 1 September 2025, following the end of his term of appointment.

(4)       Note the increase in number of Directors of i4B and FWH from five to seven to reflect the growth of the companies.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

Cabinet RESOLVED to

(1)       Note the overall financial position and the actions being taken to manage the issues arising, as detailed within the report.

(2)       Note the savings delivery tracker in Appendix A of the report.

(3)       Note the prudential indicators for treasury management in Appendix B of the report.

(4)       To approve the virements set out in section 9.18 of the report.

(5)       To note the debt written off as set out in section 9.22 of the report.

(6)       To approve an uplift to the Capital Programme Budget of £851k following the successful grant award of UK Shared Prosperity Funding as set out in section 12.2 of the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

There were no items of urgent business.

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

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

There were no petitions presented at the meeting.

None identified.

Cabinet RESOLVED that the minutes of the previous meeting held on Monday 16 June 2025 be approved as a correct record of the meeting.

No declarations of interest were made during the meeting.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mili Patel, Kim Wright (Chief Executive) and Minesh Patel (Corporate Director Finance & Resources) with Ravinder Jassar (Deputy Director Corporate & Financial Planning) attending as his representative.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)       Note the contents of the report and the potential financial impact on the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy.

(2)       Note the summary of the Spending Review and Local Government Funding reform consultations, as set out in section five of the report.

(3)       Agree the budget setting process for 2026/27, including the approach to consultation and scrutiny, as set out in section seven of the report.

(4)       Note and agree the proposed 2024/25 capital budget carry forwards and capital virements for 2025/26 as set out in section eight of the report.

(5)       Note the financial position with regards to the Housing Revenue Account, as set out in section nine of this report; and

(6)       Note the financial position with regards to Schools and the Dedicated Schools Grant, as set out in section ten of the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

Cabinet RESOLVED to note the overall financial Outturn position for 2024-25, as detailed within the report.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 24

To agree to pause delivery of social rent schemes due to the financial viability of these projects. In addition, to delegate authority to the Corporate Director Neighbourhoods and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning and Property, to enter into a Deed of Variation for the GLA Affordable Housing Programme 2021,26 and agree pre-tender considerations and subsequent contract award for construction contracts relating to the delivery of the Edgware Road Scheme.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

(1)       Note the update on the schemes currently on site and expected delivery dates.

(2)       Acknowledge the current viability challenges on the council’s plans for self-delivering of new-build social rent schemes and that officers were exploring alternative approaches for addressing Brent’s housing needs.

(3)       Delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Neighbourhoods and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property to enter into a Deed of Variation for the GLA Affordable Housing Programme 21-26 including any delegated authority that may be required for future variations to enable further affordable homes to be provided.

(4)       Agree to proceed with the onsite delivery of the Edgware Road scheme to deliver 120 new-build homes for use as temporary accommodation with ground floor commercial space.

(5)       Delegate authority to the Corporate Director, Neighbourhoods and Regeneration, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Planning & Property to agree the necessary pre-tender considerations, use of the commercial space including consideration of tax status and subsequent contract awards.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

To agree the sum of up to £9,396,000 of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funding for 3 projects: highways, parks and CCTV.

Cabinet RESOLVED to allocate up to £14,533,000 of SCIL funding to support much needed infrastructure improvement in relation to highways, parks, and CCTV.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

To request authority to award the contract for a Managed Service for Temporary Agency Staff.

Cabinet RESOLVED to approve the award of the contract for a Managed Service for Temporary Agency Staff Services to Reed Specialist Recruitment Ltd for five years in the sum of three years plus an optional two-year extension.

Eligible for call-in: Yes

Deadline for submission of call-in: 6pm on Monday 4 August 25

That the Corporate Director Residents and Housing Services:

i)             Approves the award of the contract for the procurement and management of Temporary Accommodation in support of the Council’s Housing Association Leasing Scheme (HALS) to Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association in the sum of £6.6m over 5 years, based on 500 properties at £51 nomination fee per property per week, for an acquisition and management term of 3 years, with an option to extend for up to 2 years, and a further management term of 3 years following expiry of the acquisition and management term.