Agenda item

The Commissioning Director of Environment introduced the report, which concerned a review of Area Committee operations and delegated budgets.

Councillor Kath McGuirk moved a motion in respect to Recommendation 2 to request that the following additional wording be added to the recommendation:

-       The Commissioning Director of Environment is instructed to bring a report to the next meeting of the Committee clarifying how ward members should raise issues relating to highways, and how this route can then be communicated to members and residents.

The motion was duly seconded by Councillor Alon Or-bach. The Committee unanimously agreed the motion, therefore meaning that the motion was carried.

Councillor Graham Old moved a motion in respect to Recommendation 4 to request that the wording be amended to the following:

-       That the Committee approves the list attached at Appendix B as an accurate record of some outstanding historic issues raised as of 12 June 2015, and notes the estimated total cost of the works. The Committee notes that not all historical issues are reflected within the appended list.

The motion was duly seconded by Councillor Thompstone. The Committee unanimously agreed the motion, therefore meaning that the motion was carried.

Following discussion of the item, the Chairman moved to the vote for the recommendations. Votes were recorded as follows:

It was therefore RESOLVED:

1.    That the Committee notes the review’s findings and the recommendations to improve Area Committee and Residents’ Forum operations.

2.    That the Committee notes the proposed relationship with the Council’s Theme Committees – particularly the Environment Committee – and the implications for the Area Committees, including the need to coordinate with the deadlines for external funding cycles. The Commissioning Director of Environment is instructed to bring a report to the next meeting of the Committee clarifying how ward members should raise issues relating to highways, and how this route can then be communicated to members and residents.

3.    That the Committee notes and supports the proposals to delegate additional resources to Area Committees to meet need and resolve issues in their local areas, including a proportion of income from the Community Infrastructure Levy (if agreed by Policy & Resources Committee on 9 July 2015).

4.    That the Committee approves the list attached at Appendix B as an accurate record of some outstanding historic issues raised as of 12 June 2015, and notes the estimated total cost of the works. The Committee notes that not all historical issues are reflected within the appended list.

5.    That the Committee reviews and comments on the draft guidance produced in response to the instruction from Environment Committee and attached at Appendix D.

6.    That the Area Committee refers the backlog issues listed at Appendix B, for which outstanding costs are more than £25,000 and which are neither closed nor fully funded (i.e. excluding RE17, RE30, and RE43, whose costs are estimated at £25,000 or less), to Environment Committee to be considered for funding at their meeting on 15 July.

7.    That the Finchley and Golders Green Area Committee refers issues RE17, RE30 and RE43 onto their work programme for consideration at their October meeting – as these have estimated costs of £25,000 or less – when additional resources from CIL may be available to fund them (subject to agreement by Policy & Resources Committee on 9 July to allocate a proportion of CIL to Area Committees).

8.    That the Committee follows the approach set out in this report (in paragraphs 1.18-1.28) when considering other issues on its agenda, as well as any issues which are referred on to the Committee from the July 2 Residents’ Forum.

9.    That the Area Committee approves the transfer of £17,000 of its current budget for 2015/16 to the Corporate Grants programme budget, to be allocated through, and using, the existing and established Corporate Grants application process