Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Sheri Odoffin 020 8359 3104 Email: sheri.odoffin@barnet.gov.uk 

Note: Public comments and questions must be submitted by 10am on the third working day before the meeting. The deadline for this meeting is 10am Wednesday 23 November 2016. 

Items
No. Item

1.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 85 KB

2.

ABSENCE OF MEMBERS

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Councillor Richard Cornelius who was substituted by Councillor Caroline Stock.

3.

DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTERESTS AND NON-PECUNIARY INTERESTS

Minutes:

None.

4.

REPORT OF THE MONITORING OFFICER (IF ANY)

Minutes:

None.

5.

PUBLIC QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS (IF ANY)

Minutes:

None.

6.

MEMBERS' ITEMS (IF ANY)

Minutes:

None.

7.

Business Planning 2017/18 to 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 391 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman introduced the Business Planning report and referred Members to appendix A which outlined where ARG Committee’s savings were planned over the next three financial years across three opportunity areas as follows:-

 

1.    Efficiency Savings through the Accommodation Strategy - £500,000 in 2018/19 and £1,500,000 in 2019/20 – a total of £2m

 

2.    Growth and Income saving through an Increase in Council Tax Base – £4,610,000 in 2017/18, £4,495,000 in 2018/19 and £437,000 in 2019/20 – a total of £9,542,000.

 

3.    Growth and Income saving through Rental Opportunity - £366,000 in 2017/18 and £151,000 in 2019/20 – a total of £517,000.

 

The Chairman then invited Committee Members to discuss the report and officers to assist with responses.

 

Councillor Narenthira said she disagrees that there will be no adverse impact on customer satisfaction  in relation to Colindale Library and that there would be savings made from the rental opportunity in Colindale library. She said she has received complaints that there is and will be insufficient space.

 

Councillor Cohen wanted to know more about how the income was arrived at in Appendix A and how the savings relate to replacing council staff. In response, officers clarified that the Locality Strategy is part of the Accommodation Strategy with a range of solutions that achieve savings and efficiencies.  For example a large part of the savings relate to under occupation of NLBP and an assessment of space requirements for the new Colindale office. This, along with smarter working such as working from home, reducing travel time to and from the head office, using locality spaces instead, and using new systems to facilitate room bookings, access to printers and other resources, collectively contribute to savings.

 

Councillor Cohen commented that it was still not clear how savings would be made and that he would like to see a minimum guarantee on income made by the locality strategy.  The Chairman confirmed that the Locality Strategy was still being developed and that a report will come back to ARG Committee with more detail. 

 

Councillor Zinkin asked for a schedule of libraries by existing floorspace figures so that comparisons can be made with baseline data as the locality strategy develops. The Chairman agreed that this should be produced.

 

Councillor Coakley-Webb asked how many employees use disabled parking bays at NLBP and whether the provision at the new Colindale Office was sufficient.  Officers responded that currently it was thought demand currently is low and in the new office parking can be revised to suit staffing needs.   Councillor Coakley-Webb reminded officers that there needs to be provision for visitors as this will fluctuate.

 

Councillor Narenthira objected to the decision not to undertake an equalities impact assessment with regards to the rental opportunity at Colindale library and felt that ruling this out ignored the fact that Colindale is a growth area with an increasing population with high demands for housing and services.

 

Councillor Rosenberg felt that NLBP is in a location that is not accessible by car, not close  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT THE CHAIRMAN DECIDES ARE URGENT

9.

MOTION TO EXCLUDE THE PRESS AND PUBLIC (if applicable)

10.

ANY OTHER EXEMPT ITEM(S) THAT THE CHAIRMAN DECIDES ARE URGENT