Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – That the minutes of the meeting held on 5 October 2016 be agreed as a correct record.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Paul Edwards who was substituted for by Councillor Geof Cooke.

The following interests were declared:

There was none.

Details of the questions asked and the published answers were provided with the agenda papers for the meeting. Verbal responses were given to supplementary questions at the meeting.

Public comments were received from Ms Wendy Kravetz (on agenda item 7) and Ms Mary O’Connor (on agenda item 7). A written comment from Ms Maria Banaghan was also provided with the agenda papers for the meeting.

There were none.

Councillor Arjun Mittra spoke on this item, having provided notice to the Chairman in advance of the meeting.

The Committee considered the report.

A separate vote was taken on recommendations one to five, and recommendation six.

On recommendations one to five being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

On recommendation six being put to the vote, the Committee voted:

Immediately following the vote Councillor Richard Cornelius moved to refer the item to the next practicable meeting of Full Council. The reason given for the request to refer the item was a recognition of significance of the issue and the public interest in the item in the context of a petition submitted to Council on 28 November 2016 with over 9,000 signatures, due to be considered at 13 December 2016 Council meeting.  The motion was seconded by Councillor Anthony Finn and was unanimously supported by all Members.

The Committee requested that officers provide additional information on the financial implications and on the analysis of options as set out in the Diving Feasibility Study, to be included in the cover report to Full Council. 

RESOLVED –

1.    That the item be referred to Full Council.

2.    That additional information on the financial implications and on the analysis of options be included in the cover report to Full Council.

The Committee considered the report.

Councillor Rawlings moved that an additional recommendation be included to specify that throughout the process of developing the SPD there is full consultation with all stakeholders in the area including ward councillors, traders, landlords and residents. This was seconded by Councillor Ross Houston and unanimously agreed.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows:

RESOLVED –

1.    That the committee authorise the Commissioning Director, Growth and Development, to prepare a draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) for North Finchley Town Centre Area Framework, to come back to Policy and Resources Committee for approval for consultation and (if considered appropriate) subsequent adoption.

2.    That the development of the SPD include full consultation with all stakeholders in the area including ward councillors, traders, landlords and residents.

3.    That the committee agree the draft Heads of Terms substantially as shown in Appendix 2, and delegate authority to the Commissioning Director, Growth and Development to finalise the detail of the draft Heads of Terms, sign the Heads of Terms and then negotiate and enter into the Preliminary Agreement envisaged by the draft Heads of Terms, in consultation with the Chairman of the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee.

4.    That the committee note that the draft Heads of Terms and then the Preliminary Agreement will include exclusivity periods (not to enter into any other agreement or arrangement with a third party) in relation to the sale or disposal of the Council's land at North Finchley High Street (exclusivity period 4 months after signing Heads of Terms, and then 2 years from signing the Preliminary Agreement, capable of extension in pre-agreed circumstances,  subject to an overall longstop date to be agreed by the Commissioning Director, Growth and Development, in consultation with the Chairman of the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee).

The Committee considered the report.

The Director of Resources noted an addendum to Appendix C to the report on Capital programme additions and changes had been tabled. This was duly noted and agreed by the Committee.  The Director of Resources agreed to provide more detail on the Town Hall hire rates and whether charges are applied per hour.

A separate vote was taken on recommendation four in the report.

On recommendation four being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

On recommendations 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

RESOLVED – That the Committee

1.    Notes the updated Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to 2020 as set out at appendix A and the assumptions underpinning this in section 1.3;

2.    Agrees, subject to consultation, to apply a 2% Social Care Precept, to help fund care for the elderly as set out in section 1.3.3 in 2017/18;

3.    Agrees to consult on whether or not a general Council Tax increase of 1.99% as set out in section 1.4.3 should be applied for 2017/18;

4.    Agrees that the savings proposals as set out in appendix B, subject to consultation and equalities impact assessment ahead of setting the final budget for 2017/18, come back to Policy and Resources Committee in February 2017 and Full Council for final approval of the 2017/18 budget in March 2017;

5.    Approve the revised fees for events at Hendon Town Hall and weddings and civil partnerships with immediate effect, as set out in section 1.12 and appendix D;

6.    Agrees the additions and changes to the Capital Programme as set out in section 1.11 and appendix C;

7.    Agrees the process for consultation as set out in section 5.7; and

8.    Agrees the movements in budget in 2016/17 as set out in section 1.10.3

The Committee considered the report.

Officers agreed to clarify the meaning of the contract name “goods and services to support WLA Transformation Programme” and provide this to Committee members.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

RESOLVED – That approval be given to officers to proceed with procurement activity as presented in the Annual Procurement Forward Plan [APFP] 2017/2018 and where known for 2018/19.

The Committee considered the report.

Cllr Rawlings moved that the recommendation be amended to extend the contract to 30 June 2017 to allow adequate leeway for a decision to be made on the new model. This was duly seconded and unanimously agreed by all members.

On the recommendations in the report, as amended by the committee, being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

RESOLVED – That Policy and Resources Committee approve the extension of The Barnet Group Management oversight for Streetscene until 30 June 2017.

The Committee considered the report.

The Commissioning Director Environment agreed to provide the committee with information on the proportion of consultation respondents who were blue badge holders.

Committee members commended officers for their work on the review.

On the recommendations in the report being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

RESOLVED – That the Committee

1.    Considers the results of the consultation on the Disabled Persons Freedom Pass

2.    Approves the revised criteria for Disabled Persons Freedom Passes Applications.

3.    Agrees the additional process improvements outlined in section 4 of this report for the rollout of the new  improved process

During consideration of this item Councillor Sachin Rajput declared a non-pecuniary interest in this item, as his mother lives on Bunns Lane.

The Committee considered the report.

Officers agreed to amend the wording of paragraph 7.8 of the Planning Brief to remove the word “Lastly” from the first sentence and amend the second sentence to delete the words “By ensuring appropriate built form (height and massing),” and insert “or built form” after the words “artificial light”.

Officers agreed to amend the first bullet point under paragraph 1.2 of the Brief to include the words “homes including” prior to “affordable homes”.

With regard to the issues identified by the Environment Agency outlined in paragraph 4.12 of the Brief, the Committee noted that developers would have responsibility to consider these issues and address them in the construction method statement at the application stage. 

The Committee sought assurance from the Monitoring Officer that approval of the Planning Brief would not expose the Council to undue risk. This assurance was duly given, and the Monitoring Officer agreed to provide the Committee members with further specific legal advice on this matter following the meeting.

Officers suggested that an additional recommendation could be added to instruct the Commissioning Director for Growth and Development, in consultation with the Leader, to agree amendments to the wording of paragraphs 6.16 and/ or 6.17, to further emphasise that the proposed densities and design proposals for the site should respect surrounding suburban housing typologies, including that of the properties opposite the site along the A1/A41 Watford Way. This was duly agreed by the Committee.

On the recommendations in the report and the additional recommendation noted above being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows:

RESOLVED –

1.    That the Committee note the responses and agree the Council responses in the Consultation Report attached at Appendix 2.

2.    That the Committee instruct the Commissioning Director for Growth and Development, in consultation with the Leader, to agree amendments to the wording of paragraphs 6.16 and/ or 6.17, to further emphasise that the proposed densities and design proposals for the site should respect surrounding suburban housing typologies, including that of the properties opposite the site along the A1/A41 Watford Way.

3.    That the Committee adopt the Pentavia Planning Brief attached at Appendix 1.

The Committee considered the report.

Councillor Helena Hart made a representation to the Committee.

Following consideration the Committee agreed with the comments made at the Health and Wellbeing Board (appendix 1, section 2.3 of the report) particularly the lack of both political and resident involvement in the formulation of the Plan. The Committee agreed that a report should be presented to Council in the name of the Leader, seeking Council’s endorsement for the Leader to write to the relevant authorities to express Council’s view on this matter.

On the recommendation noted above being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows.

RESOLVED –

1.    That a report should be presented to Council in the name of the Leader, seeking Council’s endorsement for the Leader to write to the relevant authorities to express Council’s view on the development of the Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

Councillor Arjun Mittra made a representation to the Committee.

The Committee considered the report, following which it unanimously:

RESOLVED – That the Committee

1.    Ask the Leader of the Council and the Leader of the Opposition to jointly write to the Secretary of State for Defence, setting out the Council’s position that we wish to see the UK Parliament approve a final census questionnaire in 2019, which includes questions concerning our Armed Forces community, for use in the 2021 Census.

2.    Ask the interim Chief Executive to write to the Borough’s three Members of Parliament, and the Assembly Member for Barnet & Camden, asking them to also make representations on this matter to the Secretary of State for Defence.

The Committee noted the work programme.

There were none.