Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9^th January 2012 be confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings, and that the outstanding actions be noted.

There were no apologies for absence received.

If a Councillor has any prejudicial or personal interest in a particular report he/she should declare the existence and nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of the item or as soon as it becomes apparent.

At meetings where members of the public are allowed to be in attendance and speak, any Councillor with a prejudicial interest may also make representations, give evidence or answer questions about the matter. The Councillor must then withdraw immediately from the meeting before the matter is discussed and any vote taken, unless a dispensation has been obtained from the Standards Committee.

Where members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance, then the Councillor with a prejudicial interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration, unless the disability has been removed by the Standards Committee.

There were no declarations of interest.

1.      That the Council Tax reduction of 3.75% for the Hammersmith & Fulham element for 2012/13 be noted.  For planning purposes, there will be a freeze on council tax for 2013/14 and 2014/15.

2.      The Council Tax be set for 2012/13 for each category of dwelling, as calculated in accordance with Sections 73 to 79 of the Localism Act 2011, as outlined below and in full in Appendix A:

(a)         The element of Council Tax charged for Hammersmith & Fulham Council will be £781.34 per Band D property in 2012/13.

(b)         The element of Council Tax charged by the Greater London Authority will be confirmed on the 14^th February and is expected to be £309.82per Band D property in 2012/13.

(c)         The overall Council Tax to be set will be £1091.16 per Band D property in 2012/13.

3.   The Council’s own total net expenditure budget for 2012/13 is set at £177.496m be approved.

4.   That fees and charges as set out in paragraph 4.2 of the report be approved.

5.   That the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governances’ budget projections to 2014/15 be noted.

6.   That the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governances’ statements under Section 25 of the Local Government Act 2003 regarding the adequacy of reserves and robustness of estimates be noted (section 13).

7.   That the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance be authorised to collect and recover National Non-Domestic Rate and Council Tax in accordance with the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (as amended), the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and the Council Schemes of Delegation.

8.   That all Chief Officers be required to report monthly on their projected financial position compared to their revenue estimates (as part of the Corporate Monitoring Report).

9.   That all Chief Officers be authorised to implement their service spending plans for 2012/13 in accordance with the recommendations within this report and the Council's Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and relevant Schemes of Delegation.

10.Members attention is drawn to Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 which requires any Member who is two months or more in arrears on their Council Tax to declare their position and not to vote on any issue that could affect the calculation of the budget or Council Tax.

1.  That the future borrowing and investment strategies be approved and authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in 2012/13.

2.  In relation to the Council’s overall borrowing for the financial year 2012/13, the Prudential Indicators as set out in Section 3 of the report be approved.

3.  That the changes to the Treasury Management Policy Statement and the Treasury Management Practices as explained in section 1 of the report and reproduced in Appendices A and B be approved.

4.  That the Council move to a separate HRA and General Fund debt pool with effect from 1^st April 2012 be approved.

5.  That approved be given to pay the HRA investment income on unapplied  HRA receipts and other HRA cash balances calculated at the average rate of  interest earned on temporary investments with effect from 1^st April 2012.

1. That the General Fund Capital Programme budget at £72.722m for 2012/13 be approved .

2. That a Debt Reduction target of £44.1m by 2016/17 which will reduce underlying debt - as measured by the Capital Financing Requirement - to £77.7m be approved.

3. That 25% of receipts generated for the decent neighbourhoods programme continue to be used to support general capital investment in 2012/13 be approved.

4. That the following initiatives within the capital programme (Table 4):
   • The continuation of the rolling programmes for repairs to Carriageways and Footways £2.1m, Corporate Planned Maintenance £2.5m, Private Sector Housing Grants £0.45m, Parks Improvements £0.5m, contributions to the Invest to Save Fund £0.75m and the Re-provision of Services from Sands End Community Centre £0.22m which totals £6.520m be approved.

5. That the level of resource forecast (Table 2) and indicative expenditure budget 2012/13 of £13.043m for the Decent Neighbourhoods programme as detailed in Appendix 1; and 2012/13 contribution to fund works to the HRA stock of £8.820m from the Decent Neighbourhoods Pot (schemes under consideration) and approved.

6. That the 2012/13 HRA capital programme of £37.420m as set out in Table 6 be noted.

7. That the following annual Minimum Revenue Provision (Appendix 5) be approved:-

1. That the prudential indicators as set out in Appendix 6 of the report be approved.

1.         That the 2012/2013 Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme and scheme budgets (Appendices A and B) be approved, subject to any amendments as agreed for operational reasons by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Assistant Director  Building and Property Management.

2.         That the Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme be monitored, incorporating operational changes made by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Assistant Director Building and Property Management via progress reports to the Deputy Leader.

That approval be given to draw down funds for the Full Business Case and first phase of implementation of Stage D (SmartWorking HRD and the Paper-less Office) at a cost of £212,660, £144,309 of which is from the Efficiency Projects Reserve and £68,351 from Housing Revenue Account.

1.   That approval be given for an order to be placed under the Measured Term Contract for Non-Housing Projects 2011/2015, at an estimated cost of £310,000 (inc contingency of £30,000) to which fees of £46,500 will be added, making a total cost of £356,500 as set out in section 3 of the report.

2.   That the funding for this project be met from the Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme 2011/2012 as approved by Cabinet on 7 February 2011 and the agreed protocol for variation as delegated to the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Assistant Director Building and Property Management.

3.   That the contract is programmed to start on 20 February 2012 for a period of 12 working weeks be noted.

1.         That the list of carriageway and footway maintenance schemes as set out in Appendix A be approved.

2.         That authority be delegated to the Deputy Leader (+Environment and Asset Management), in conjunction with the Executive Director of Transport and Technical Services and the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance, to make amendments to the programme as agreed for operational and cost effective reasons in order to make the optimum use of resources allowing virements to contain expenditure within the approved resources and not subject to the normal virement rules.

3.         That officers report and update programme amendments (additions and removals) to the approved scheme list to the Deputy Leader (+ Environment and Asset Management).

1.         That £1.62m of capital expenditure for Hurlingham & Chelsea School jointly funded by the proceeds from the disposal of Sands End Community Centre (£1.3m) & funds provided by Hurlingham & Chelsea School (£320,000) be approved.

2.         That the relocation arrangements from Sands End Community Centre be approved.

3.         That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Finance & Corporate Governance to ensure implementation of management arrangements for the above.

1. That the business case referred to in the report (noting the general approach previously approved by the Cabinet on 18^th April 2011), for the purposes of section 95 of the Local Government Act 2003, and the commencement of trading activities on the part of H&F Development Limited (HFD) and H&F Housing Limited (HFH) in accordance with the provisions of Section 95 of the Local Government Act 2003 be approved.

2. Subject to satisfactory outcome of consultation and equalities assessments that approval is given to develop new affordable housing on the sites specified in section 4 of the report, and to transfer on long leases at nil consideration the relevant sites to HFD and enter into agreement with HFD regarding the use of the land; where relevant, disposal being subject to the Secretary of State’s approval, or where the Secretary of State’s approval is not required, where the Cabinet is satisfied that the purpose of the disposal is likely to contribute to the promotion or improvement of economic, social or environmental well-being in respect of the whole or part of the Council’s area or of any people in the area, having regard to the Council’s community strategy.

3. That approval is given for expenditure of £2.7 million for the purposes of undertaking development of new affordable housing on the sites specified in section 4 of the report from the Decent Neighbourhoods Fund; and that approved funds be expended directly by the Council and as a loan to HFD at a commercial interest rate (loan amount to be determined based on detailed appraisal of the development sites to the maximum amount of £2.7 million), provided that:

(a) where such funding is pursuant to the Council’s powers under  section 2 of the Local Government Act 2000, the Cabinet is satisfied that the new build housing to be developed by HDF will assist in improving or promoting the environmental, social or economic well-being of the area, considering the objects and priorities contained in the Council’s community strategy and how the proposed  outcomes for the project fit in with that strategy, and

(b) where such funding is pursuant to section 24 of the Local Government Act 1988, the Secretary of State’s consent is obtained.

The loan is to be drawn down by HFD based on the approval of development appraisals for each site by the Executive Director of Housing and Regeneration and by the Deputy Director of Finance as part of the project governance structure.

4.That approval is given for £37k per annum funding for a half time development finance officer to be employed by the Council and recharged to HFD.

5.That approval is given to appoint solicitors Browne Jacobson and accountants Grant Thornton at a total cost of up to £30,000 for the Council to seek legal and tax advice in relation to disposal of the sites which will be funded from the Decent Neighbourhoods Fund.

6. That authority be delegated to the Cabinet  ...  view the full minutes text for item 169.

1.      That the HRA financial strategy as set out in section 7 of the report be endorsed.

2.   That the Housing Revenue Account Budget as set out in Appendix 1 of the report be approved.

3.   That a rent increase of 7.65% based on application of the rent restructuring formula be approved.

4.   That approval be given for an increase in garage rents of 7.65% and water rate charges of 5.8%, to ensure full recovery of water rates,and to leave the heating charge unchanged as set out in section 15 of the report.

1.         That approval is given to accept the most economically advantageous tender submitted by PDERS  Ltd (A division of Otis Ltd) in the notional annual  sum of £92,665  plus fees of £13,900 making a total notional sum of £106,565.

2.         That the contract is expected to start on 13^th March 2012 for a period of 4 years, with an optional extension of a further three years, be noted.

The Forward Plan was noted.

The summary was noted.

The summary was noted.

The Cabinet is invited to resolve, under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, that the public and press be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business, on the grounds that they contain the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraph 3of Schedule 12A of the said Act, and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

That under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the remaining items of business on the grounds that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of a person (including the authority as defined in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

[The following is a public summary of the exempt information under S.100C (2) of the Local Government Act 1972.  Exempt minutes exist as a separate document.]

That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 9^th January 2012 be confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings, and that the outstanding actions be noted.

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

That the recommendations contained within the exempt report be approved.

The summary was noted.

The summary was noted.