Agenda item

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 to an underground station, and dependent on bus access. Colindale is served by an underground station and close to a populated area which will benefit from services close-by.

Councillor Zinkin applauded the fact that the regeneration strategy was working already, evidenced in the savings being made. Councillors Cohen and Coakley-Webb felt that a huge reduction in the quantity of social rented accommodation did not represent successful regeneration as properties have become no longer affordable for existing communities who are having to move out to make way for people who can afford new properties. Councillor Rosenberg said that he supports the building of new homes on difficult sites and people want new homes, regardless of who is building them. 

Following the debate, the Chairman asked the Committee to vote on the report recommendations.

It was resolved:

1.    That the Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee agreed to the savings programme set out in Appendix A for recommendation to Policy and Resources Committee.

2.    That the ARG Committee agrees to the public consultation on the priorities and revised savings proposals contained within this report commencing immediately following the Policy and Resources Committee on the 1^st December 2016, before the Policy and Resources Committee are asked to approve the final priorities and savings proposals on 23rd February 2017.

Votes were as follows: