Agenda and minutes

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

Contact: Kirstin Lambert; 02083592177 Email: kirstin.lambert@barnet.gov.uk 

Note: Public questions and comments must be received by the third working day before this meeting. The deadline for this meeting is 10am on Monday 20 February 2017 

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of last meeting pdf icon PDF 56 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2017 be agreed as a correct record.

 

2.

Absence of Members

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Paul Edwards who was substituted for by Councillor Arjun Mittra. Apologies for lateness were received from Councillor Sachin Rajput.

3.

Declaration of Members' Disclosable Pecuniary interests and Non Pecuniary interests

Minutes:

The following interests were declared:

 

Councillor

Agenda Item

Interest declared

Councillor Arjun Mittra

Item 8 – Golders Green Station Draft Planning Brief

Non pecuniary interest as Cllr Mittra is an employee of the GLA. Cllr Mittra noted he would leave the room for consideration and voting on this item.

Councillor Arjun Mittra

Item 10 – Business Planning 2017-20

Non pecuniary interest with respect to Early Years Funding as Cllr Mittra’s mother runs a nursery in the borough.

Councillor Ross Houston

Item 10 – Business Planning 2017-20

Non pecuniary interest as Cllr Houston is a Council appointed representative on the Barnet Group Board.

Councillor Alon Or-Bach

Item 9 – Implementation of IT strategy

Non pecuniary interest as he works for Samsung which produces a wide variety of products which might be purchased by the Council.

Councillor Alison Moore

Item 10 – Business Planning 2017-20

Non pecuniary interest as she is a governor of a school in the borough.

 

It was noted that many of the Councillors were governors of schools and a non-pecuniary interest was declared for those members relating to Item 10 – Business Planning 2017-20.

4.

Report of the Monitoring Officer

Minutes:

There was none.

 

 

The Chairman proposed to vary the order of the agenda to allow for consideration of Item 7 – Referral from Full Council 31 January 2017 – Opposition Motion in the name of Councillor Phil Cohen, to be considered before public questions.  This was duly agreed.

 

5.

Referral from Full Council 31 January 2017 - Opposition Motion in the name of Cllr Phil Cohen pdf icon PDF 235 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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

 

The Committee considered the report and discussed the issues raised. It was noted that the issues raised were of significant political interest and warranted further consideration by all Members as part of a collective discussion, but not necessarily in a full council meeting. It was noted that a meeting could be convened via an informal meeting of Members, a special meeting of Policy and Resources Committee, or another option.  The Committee agreed that officers should liaise with Members following the meeting to agree a meeting format and time to further consider these matters, and that it may be appropriate to hold the meeting when more is known about the Sustainability and Transformation Plan. It was noted that the discussion could lead to formal recommendations and that there was a need to consider the possible outcome of the meeting to ensure that decisions can be made and implemented.

 

RESOLVED that officers liaise with Members to agree a meeting for further consideration of the matters raised in the motion.

 

6.

Public Questions and Comments (if any) pdf icon PDF 82 KB

Minutes:

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.

7.

Members' Items (if any)

Minutes:

There were none.

8.

Golders Green Station Draft Planning Brief pdf icon PDF 267 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Arjun Mittra left the room for consideration and voting on this item.

 

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

 

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

 

For

11

Against

0

Abstain

0

Absent

1

 

RESOLVED –

 

1.         That the Committee approve the draft Golders Green Station Planning Brief for public consultation.

 

2.         That the proposed final Planning Brief is reported back to the Committee for adoption after taking into account comments made as part of the consultation.

 

9.

Implementation of IT Strategy: Full business case for implementation of Microsoft Smarter Working tools and a pilot of Electronic Document Management technology pdf icon PDF 413 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report.

 

The Chairman noted that officers had advised that not all Members in the working group were agreed on the findings.

 

The Head of Information Management agreed to clarify whether electronic documents are acceptable admissions in tribunals.

 

The Leader moved a motion, seconded by Councillor Daniel Thomas, that amendments be made to recommendation 1.6 to reflect that the decision will be made in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee, and to include reference to ensure that Disaster Recovery Plans are aligned as part of this decision making.

 

On the motion being put to the vote, the votes were declared as follows

 

For

7

Against

0

Abstain

5

Absent

0

 

The motion was passed.

 

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

 

For

7

Against

0

Abstain

5

Absent

0

 

The recommendations were passed.

 

RESOLVED that the Committee approves:

 

1.         The implementation of Microsoft Smarter Working technology at a capital cost of £1,373,725 and yearly revenue costs of £423,282. This is a maximum cost that may reduce following the technical assurance of the proposal.

 

2.         The implementation of a pilot of an Electronic Document Management System at a capital cost of £250,000. This is a maximum cost that may reduce following the technical assurance of the proposal.

 

3.         The investigation and implementation of a ‘Choose your Own Device’ approach to accessing the network at an initial capital cost of £50,000, along with the purchase of IT Peripherals at an initial capital cost of £90,000.

4.    That the Committee approves commissioning CSG, as part of their managed service provision to the Council, to investigate and undertake any required strengthening work on the Council IT network to ensure fast and efficient access to Smarter Working and EDM tools.

 

5.    That the Committee notes the intention to commission Leidos, the council’s contracted IT technical assurance partner, to scrutinise the technical proposals before funding is released or contracts are signed.

 

6.    That the Committee delegates authority to the Director of Resources, in consultation with the Chairman of Policy and Resources Committee, to enter into contracts and take all other necessary actions to implement the recommendations of this report and to ensure that Disaster Recovery Plans take full account of these changes.

10.

Business Planning 2017-20 pdf icon PDF 560 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report.

 

Councillor Ross Houston noted the overall target for new homes of 2,313 for 2017-18 as set out in Appendix N, page 687 of the agenda report pack, and queried whether the affordable homes target of 122 represented 4% of that. The Commissioning Director Growth and Development clarified that the figures represented a phasing of big schemes rather than an overall representation.

 

Councillor Barry Rawlings requested that the Regeneration and Investment in Infrastructure targets set out in the Corporate Plan also include a target for 2018-19. The Commissioning Director Growth and Development agreed to develop a range figure for the 2018-19 year, noting this would be indicative.

 

The Director of Resources noted that amendments to recommendations 1.16 and 1.19 had been made to update the figures in recommendation 1.16a and 1.16b and to reference additional housing fees and charges in 1.19. The committee noted the updates which had been tabled.

 

The Director of Resources provided an update on which reserves were deleted to balance the MTFS as follows:

 

·         Risk Reserve;

·         London Borough Grants Scheme underspend;

·         Business Rates Deficit Reserve, as this is now being funded from CF surplus;

·         Welfare Reserve, as this will now be funded through an on-going budget rather that a reserve;

·         Grahame Park Reserve; being held to fund library which is no longer needed;

·         Area Committee – Non-CIL; corporate grants programme in place to partly mitigate impact;

·         Benefit Subsidy Error Mitigation Reserve; and

·         Underspend on other smaller specific reserves

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

 

For

7

Against

0

Abstain

5

Absent

0

 

RESOLVED – That the Committee

 

1.1      Consider the issues that have emerged from the consultation when making their decisions. That the committee are also mindful of the equalities impact assessments, including the cumulative equalities impact assessments, when making the decision below;

 

1.2      Recommend to Council for approval the MTFS attached as Appendix A and the detailed revenue budgets in Appendices B1 and B2. The MTFS sets out all of the budget changes over the period 2017-20, including assumptions around inflation, changes to levies, pressures, savings and grant funding. It is the model around which the council’s financial strategy is based. Taking the consultation responses and the equality impact assessments into consideration;

 

1.3      Recommend to Council that the budget for 2017/18 is prepared on the basis of no increase to council tax in 2017/18, other than for the increase set out below in 1.4;

 

1.4      Recommend to Council applying a social care precept at 3% in 2017/18 – to help fund care for the elderly;

 

1.5      Note that the Chief Finance Officer, under their delegated powers in accordance with para 4.3.2 of the Financial Regulations, has calculated 139,049 (band D equivalents) as the amount for the Council Tax base for the year 2017/18 [item T in the formula in Section 31B (1) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “Act”)];

 

1.6      Recommend to Council for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Any other item(s) the Chairman decides are urgent

Minutes:

The Committee agreed to vary the order of the agenda to allow for consideration of Item 13 – Any other items the Chairman decides are urgent, as it was noted that an urgent item had been requested by Councillor Barry Rawlings, and that the remaining agenda item 15 (Decision taken under delegated powers – Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) – Agreement of short extension of existing service for safe transition to new single provider contract framework) involved exempt papers.

 

Councillor Barry Rawlings introduced the item, citing the recent DWP proposals to close Finchley and Edgware Job Centres and deliver these services instead at Barnet and Hendon respectively. It was noted that building leases are up for renewal shortly, and the Government are trying to save money by merging with a closing date of 28 February. The Committee noted that the consultation had been launched on 30 January with a closing date of 28 February.

 

The Commissioning Director Growth and Development provided the committee with an update on the issue. Following consideration it was noted that a response to the consultation was being drafted which addressed many of the concerns raised. The Committee requested that the draft consultation response be circulated to the Committee for their comment which was duly agreed.

 

RESOLVED that officers circulate the draft consultation response to Policy and Resources Committee members for their comment.

 

12.

Decision taken under delegated powers - Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES)- Agreement of short extension of existing service for safe transition to new single provider contract framework pdf icon PDF 248 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the report.  The Chairman invited Members to indicate whether they had any questions regarding the information contained in the exempt report, which would require the Committee to go into private session. There were none.

 

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

 

For

12

Against

0

Abstain

0

Absent

0

 

RESOLVED  - That the Policy and Resources Committee notes the decision taken by Adults and Health Commissioning Director through emergency waiver of Contract Procedure Rule (CPRs), under the Council’s Constitution.

 

13.

Decision taken under delegated powers - Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES)- Agreement of short extension of existing service for safe transition to new single provider contract framework (exempt)

Minutes:

The Committee;

 

RESOLVED that the information contained in the exempt report be noted.

 

14.

Committee Forward Work Programme pdf icon PDF 98 KB

Minutes:

The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.

 

The Committee noted that the Draft Green Infrastructure Supplementary Planning Document and the Draft Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document scheduled for 21 March 2017 meeting may need to be moved due to co-dependencies with other on-going work. The Commissioning Director Growth and Development agreed to provide the Committee with an update on the timing of these items.

 

The Chief Operating Officer noted that an additional item would be added to 16 May 2017 meeting to update the Committee on the Customer Transformation Programme.