Agenda and minutes

Venue: Hendon Town Hall, The Burroughs, London NW4 4BQ

Contact: Maria Lugangira 020 8359 2761 Email: maria.lugangira@barnet.gov.uk 

Note: Public questions or a request to make a public comment must be submitted by 10am on Wednesday, 12 June 2019 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of last meeting pdf icon PDF 113 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting dated 20 February 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

 

2.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

None.

3.

Declaration of Members' Disclosable Pecuniary interests and Non Pecuniary interests (If any)

Minutes:

Councillor Arjun Mittra declared a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Item 8 – Business Planning 2020-24 and Budget Management 2019/20, as he is an employee of the GLA.

4.

Report of the Monitoring Officer (if any)

Minutes:

None.

5.

Public Questions and Comments (if any) pdf icon PDF 100 KB

Minutes:

Details of the questions asked and the answers provided were published and circulated at the meeting. Verbal responses were given to supplementary questions at the meeting.

 

Public comments were made by the following:

Ø  Holly Kal-Weiss – Item 7, Review of Capita Contracts

Ø  TirzaWaiselItem 7, Review of Capita Contracts

6.

Members' Items (if any)

Minutes:

None.

7.

Review of Capita Contracts pdf icon PDF 227 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the report which provided the Committee with further updated on the review of council’s contract with Capita. It further set out the outcome of the public and best value consultation exercise undertaken between 19th December and 15th February 2019. Following consideration of the consultation outcomes the Finance and Strategic HR Services were successfully transferred back to the Council on 1st April 2019.

 

The report set out the proposal and business case for the following to be returned to the council subject to completion of the necessary financial due diligence;

·         Director of Place

·         Skill, Employment and Economic Development (SEED) team – within Regeneration Service

·         Safety, health and Wellbeing (SHaW) Service

Included was a further business case for strengthening the management arrangement for the Highways service.

 

With regards to issues relating to the Pensions Administration Service the Committee noted the proposed approach set out in the report. The aim, to ensure that in future the service is delivered to the required standard.

 

With regards to the review of the remaining services the proposals set out that this takes place along the year 6 (CSG) and year 7 (RE) contract reviews.

 

Councillor Barry Rawlings, duly seconded by Councillor Alison Moore moved the following amendment;

 

‘The Policy and Resources Committees deletes recommendations 3 – 11 and replaces them with;

 

3.         Agrees to terminate both contracts with Capita.

 

4.         Authorises the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, to make the necessary arrangements for service of the termination notice on both Capita contracts;

 

5.         Agrees all services covered by both Capita contracts are brought back in-house by the end of the notice period so that they are then fully subject to Barnet Council Committee decision-making and under direct management control of senior council officers;

 

6.         Authorises the Chief Executive, after consultation with the Leader of the Council, to undertake and conclude all negotiations with Capita that are necessary to give effect to the decision to terminate the contracts.

 

7.         Instructs the HR Director to establish consultative arrangements including with staff and trade unions to support the successful implementation and transfer of services back to the council;

 

Upon being put to the vote the amended recommendations proposed by Councillor Barry Rawlings were declared lost. The vote was recorded as follows;

 

For

5

Against

7

Abstain

0

 

With regards to recommendation 11, the Committee agreed to the remove the reference to Year 6 and Year 7

 

Councillor Rawlings requested that a separate vote is taken on recommendations 6 and 7. The vote was recorded as follows: 

 

For

7

Against

5

Abstain

0

 

Upon being put the vote the remaining recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee;

 

1.    Notes the outcome of public and best value consultation and updated Equality Impact Assessments.

 

2.    Notes the successful return of Finance and Strategic HR services to the council.

 

3.    Agrees that the Director of Place role and the Skills, Employment and Economic Development team  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Business Planning 2020-24 and Budget Management 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 279 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which provided an overview of the council’s outturn for the 2018/19 financial year including the impact on reserves and balances.

 

Further set out in the report was the context for the Business Planning process for the years 2020-24 and operational decisions required in line with the financial management of the council’s budgets.

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee

 

1.         Notes the overview of the council’s 2018/19 revenue outturn, as detailed in Section 1;

 

2.         Notes the impact of outturn on the council’s reserves, as detailed in section 2;

 

3.         Notes the 2019/20 – 2023/24 savings position, as detailed in Section 3.1

9.

Cross Council Assurance Service (CCAS) Procurement pdf icon PDF 195 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report with sought authorisation to commence a procurement activity, led by Barnet to secure a provider or providers to continue the Cross-Council Assurance Service for the provision of audit, assurance, and advisory services from April 2020, after the end of the current contract.

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee authorises officers to commence and lead on collaborative procurement activity with identified contracting authorities to establish a framework agreement for a provider of audit, assurance, and advisory services from April 2020, for four (4) years until March 2024, accessible by London councils and other public sector bodies, with the option to extend this term to be explored.

 

10.

Annual Equalities Report 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 127 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which sought approval of the council’s Annual Equalities Report for the financial year 2018-19. The report demonstrates how the council complies with the Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 and publication of the Annual Equalities Report (AER) forms part of that process.

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee

 

1.    That the Committee approve the Annual Equalities Report 2018/19 for publication on the council website.

 

2.    That the Committee approve Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan implementation for 2019/20.

 

11.

End of Year (EOY) 2018/19 Strategic Performance Report pdf icon PDF 692 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which provided an annual strategic overview of performance for 2018/19 focusing on budget outturns (revenue and capital) and performance on activities and key indicators, as well as risk information related to the corporate priorities in the Corporate Plan 2018/19 Addendum.

 

With regards to sanction detection rates of Domestic Abuse set out on page  246 of the report, Item 11, Councillor Barry Rawlings requested if he could be sent a report detailing the sanction Figures [ACTION Community Safety Manager]

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee;

 

1.    Notes the revenue and capital outturn for 2018/19.

 

2.    Notes the savings delivered in 2018/19.

 

3.    Scrutinise the performance and risk information related to the corporate priorities in the Corporate Plan 2018/19 Addendum, including the strategic and high level (scoring 15+) service/joint risks that form the corporate risk register at Appendix A.

12.

London Counter Fraud Hub (LCFH) pdf icon PDF 968 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered report which provided summary of the London Counter Fraud Hub’s proposed operations and purpose. The hub is supplied by CIPFA, in partnership with BAE Systems. The original contract was based on payment by results but has now evolved into a subscription-based model. Testing was carried out by 4 pilot authorities, Camden, Ealing, Islington, and Croydon. The results suggest that if all 33 boroughs were to sign up, in the first year of operation London would save a net £15m (worst case) to £30m (best case) and recover circa. 1,500 council homes that are currently illegally sub-let.

 

The Committee further noted the additional information set out in the exempt report.

 

Subject to further legal advice, upon to being put to the vote the recommendations as set out in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee

 

1.    Note the content of the report;

 

2.    Approves, in principle, decision to join London Counter Fraud Hub;

 

3.    Delegates authority to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Chairman of P&R, to enter into the contract.

13.

Energy Contract Review and Authorisation for the Procurement of Energy Supplies & Ancillary Services pdf icon PDF 193 KB

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report which provided a summary of the Energy Contract Review (Appendix 1) undertaken. The purpose of the review, to inform options for future procurement of energy (gas/electricity) for the Council’s civic estate and schools who opt to be part of the corporate energy contract arrangement.

 

Upon being put to the vote the recommendation as set in the report were agreed.

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee

 

1.    Approves as part of the Councils participation in the Pan-LEP Procurement & Category Management Programme the use of the Pan-LEP Frameworks for the flexible procurement of electricity and natural gas and the award of call off contracts for supply under it; and endorse that LEP should manage supplier performance & service development to deliver service in line with LEP authorities’ collective business requirements post award to maximise benefit.

 

2.    Approves the LASER Pan-LEP Energy Framework for the flexible procurement of natural gas and electricity for the supply period 1st October 2020 to 31st March 2023 (30-months) and for a further two years under a rolling forward buying commitment arrangement until 31st March 2025 unless terminated by the Council. The estimated total expenditure of the supply to be called off under the framework as noted in section 5.2.3 is £25M

 

3.    Re-affirms use of LASER’s Fully Managed Service under this rolling arrangement for the same period(s), unless terminated by the Council; and to review procurement approaches and the Fully Managed Service during this period.

 

14.

Committee Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Minutes:

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.

 

15.

Any item(s) the Chairman decides are urgent

Minutes:

None.

16.

Motion to Exclude the Press and Public

17.

London Counter Fraud Hub (LCFH) [EXEMPT]

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Committee note the information set out in the exempt report. 

18.

Energy Contract Review and Authorisation for the Procurement of Energy Supplies & Ancillary Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the Committee note the information set out in the exempt report. 

19.

Any other exempt item(s) the Chairman decides are urgent

Minutes:

None.