Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED – that the minutes of the meeting on 16 May 2017 be agreed as a correct record

None.

Councillor Ross Houston declared a non-pecuniary interest in item in item 7 – The Barnet Group Business Plan, as he is a member of the Barnet Group Board.

None.

None.

None.

The Committee considered the report.

The Committee requested officers provide an update at a future meeting on progress to lobby central government to recover funding allocated from the HRA towards fire safety work.

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

RESOLVED – that the Committee approve the Business Plan attached as appendix A.

The Committee then agreed to vary the order of business to consider Business Planning 2017-20 as the last agenda item, as it had an exempt Appendix.

The Committee considered the report on Business Rates – Revaluation Support, a new discretionary rate relief scheme. The Chairman noted officers had recommended amendments to the wording of the recommendations in the report as follows:

1.    That the draft policy is approved for consultation.

2.    That the Committee agree that the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to make further amendments and to implement the policy in conjunction with the chairman of the committee having regard to the consultation and any further guidance from central government.

The amendments were duly agreed.

The Committee requested to receive a progress report at an appropriate time (e.g. September – December 2017), to provide an update on the impact of the rate relief scheme and where it has been most effective.

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

RESOLVED –

1.    That the draft policy is approved for consultation.

2.    That the Committee agree that the Deputy Chief Executive be authorised to make further amendments and to implement the policy in conjunction with the chairman of the committee, having regard to the consultation and any further central government guidance.

The Committee considered the report.

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

RESOLVED –

1.    That the Committee notes the contents of the draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) attached at Appendix A.

2.    That the Committee approves the draft SPD as the basis for public consultation.

The Committee considered the report.

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

Following discussion the Leader moved that recommendation 3 be amended to add the words “and affordable” following “effective” and add “or joint” after “stand alone”, with the revised recommendation to read:

“Grants delegated authority to the Strategic Director for Adults, Communities and Health to liaise with Harrow and approve a new structure for Barnet’s public health team, in order to create a stable, effective and affordable stand-alone or joint public health service for Barnet.”

This was duly seconded and agreed by the Committee.

On the recommendations 1, 2 and 4 in the report and amended recommendation 3 being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

RESOLVED – That the Committee

1.    Notes the progress report on the closure of the shared public health service with the London Borough of Harrow; the implementation of a stand-alone public health service and the financial implications of this; and continuing discussions with potential partner organisations within the North Central London region footprint.

2.    Approves the proposed approach to closing down the shared public health service with the London Borough of Harrow and Barnet offering roles to the staff within the teams where appropriate, and implementing a stand-alone public health service.

3.    Grants delegated authority to the Strategic Director for Adults, Communities and Health to liaise with Harrow and approve a new structure for Barnet’s public health team, in order to create a stable, effective and affordable stand-alone or joint public health service for Barnet.

4.    Agrees to end the delegation of the public health function to Harrow when the contract expires.

The Committee considered the report.

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

RESOLVED – that the Committee notes the results of the progress made on the Disabled Persons Freedom Pass.

The Committee considered the report.

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

RESOLVED – that the Committee approve the Annual Equalities Report 2016/17 for publication on the council website.

The Committee considered the report.

Councillor Barry Rawlings and Councillor Alison Moore noted it would be useful to include information from local strategic partners in Health for the future in order to understand the impact on the Health and Care sector.

Councillor Tom Davey moved that the committee receive reports on the Impact of Brexit on an annual basis rather than six monthly, unless there should be anything material to report. This was seconded by Councillor Daniel Thomas.

On the motion of Councillor Tom Davey being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

The motion was declared carried.

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

RESOLVED – That the committee

1.    Note the performance of the indicators set out in this report. 

1.    Receive reports on the Impact of Brexit on an annual basis, unless there should be anything material to report.

The Committee noted that the following amendments would be made to the programme:

·         An update report at an appropriate time on progress with lobbying central government to recover funding allocated from the HRA towards fire safety work.

·         A progress report on the Business rates discretionary rate relief scheme at an appropriate time (e.g. September – December 2017), to provide an update on the impact of the rate relief scheme and where it has been most effective.

·         Schedule reports on the Impact of Brexit to an annual basis.

The Committee considered the report and supplemental report. 

The Director of Finance noted that there was a typographical error in paragraph 1.6.4 of the report, and that the figure of (1,415) be applied to contingency funds and not to Street Scene. The Director of Finance also noted that Appendix C and the capital programme had been amended following the decision of the Housing Committee on 26 June 2017 to add £10m from the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) business plan towards fire safety enhancement work.

Councillor Richard Cornelius moved that recommendation six be amended to clarify that savings from the Re management fee prepayment funds be allocated to the Children Education Libraries and Safeguarding Committee and the Environment Committee, with the decision to be made by the relevant chief officer in consultation with the relevant Chairman and reported retrospectively to the relevant committee. This was duly seconded and agreed.

A separate vote was taken on recommendations 1, 2 and 3, recommendations 4 and 5, and recommendation 6.

On recommendations 1, 2 and 3 being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

On recommendations 4 and 5 being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

On recommendation 6 as amended being put to the vote the votes were declared as follows:

RESOLVED – That the Committee

1.    Notes the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) to 2020, as approved in February 2017, set out at appendix A and the assumptions underpinning this in para 1.3.3;

2.    Notes the distribution of savings across Theme Committees for the period 2017-20, which have previously been agreed, and the process to confirm delivery and achievement of these savings during the autumn, ahead of a draft budget report being presented to Policy and Resources Committee in December 2017, as set out in section 1.4;

3.    Notes the process to begin to plan further ahead, through to 2025, with further reports to Committee in December 2017 and June 2018, as shown in section 1.5;

4.    Approves the budget amendments in respect of 2017/18 as shown in section 1.6;

5.    Approves the amendments to the current capital programme as shown in section 1.7;

6.    Accepts the Re management fee prepayment proposal as set out in sections 1.6.11-16, with funding to be allocated to the Children Education Libraries and Safeguarding Committee and the Environment Committee, with the decision to be made by the relevant Chief Officer in consultation with the relevant Chairman and reported retrospectively to the relevant committee

There were none.

The Chairman informed the Committee and the public gallery that the meeting would now be held in private to hear exempt papers.  The room was subsequently cleared.

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

There were none.