Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 10 December 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.

If a Councillor has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a particular item, whether or not it is entered in the Authority’s register of interests, or any other significant interest which they consider should be declared in the public interest, they should declare the existence and, unless it is a sensitive interest as defined in the Member Code of Conduct, the nature of the interest at the commencement of the consideration of that 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 disclosable pecuniary interest or other significant 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.

Where Members of the public are not allowed to be in attendance and speak, then the Councillor with a disclosable pecuniary interest should withdraw from the meeting whilst the matter is under consideration. Councillors who have declared other significant interests should also withdraw from the meeting if they consider their continued participation in the matter would not be reasonable in the circumstances and may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.

Councillors are not obliged to withdraw from the meeting where a dispensation to that effect has been obtained from the Audit, Pensions and Standards Committee. 

Councillor Helen Binmore declared a non pecuniary interest in Item 12 Schools Organisation Strategy 2012/13 as a Governor of Burlington Dames Academy.

That the Cabinet recommends to Council for the financial year 2013/14:

1.      That the estimated numbers of properties for each Valuation Band as set out in the report, be approved.

2.      That an estimated Collection rate of 97.5%, be approved.

3.      That the Council Tax Base of 67,895 Band “D” equivalent properties, be approved.

That Cabinet recommends to Council for the financial year 2013/14 and subsequent years until revoked to:

a)      Reduce the council tax discount on second homes from 10% to 0%.

b)      Determine that the council tax discount on empty and unfurnished dwellings be 0%.

c)      Determine that the council tax discount on empty and unfurnished dwellings undergoing major repair be 0%.

That the Council continues to award a Council Tax discount as though the current regulations were still in place, as published in the DCLG’s “default scheme”, meaning  that no one currently in receipt of Council Tax benefit will be worse off, be approved.

1.      That the Tri- Borough solution for the administration of a new Local Support scheme for the provision of discretionary emergency payments, be approved.

2.      That the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) administer the service for Westminster City Council (WCC) and London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham utilising an agreed eligibility criteria for each borough, be approved.

That the publication of the Corporate Plan on the Council’s website, be approved.

1.         That the 2013/2014 Corporate Planned Maintenance Programme and scheme budgets (Appendices A and B), subject to any amendments as agreed for operational reasons by the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance and the Director of Building and Property Management, be approved

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

1.      That the implementation of a new service model for a 2 year pilot period to reduce re-offending incidents by adult prisoners sentenced to fewer than 12 months in custody, be approved.

2.      That the release of funds from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and from Public Health grant to support the 2 year pilot programme, subject to sufficient funds being allocated to the Tri-borough, be approved.

3.      That the decommissioning of the current approach to the delivery of the Drug Interventions Programme across the Tri-borough, be approved.  

4.      That the new governance arrangements to oversee the implementation of the two year pilot of a Tri-borough Re-offending Board attended by senior officers and partner agencies which will report into all three separate community safety partnerships to ensure robust performance management and accountability across the Tri-Borough, be approved.

5.      That Westminster City Council act as the lead commissioner for the implementation of the Reducing Re-offending Service as set out in the report, be approved.

That the report to be noted.

That the schemes listed below to support the development of the place planning element of the School Organisation Strategy as set out in the report agreed by Cabinet on 5 March 2012, be approved:

Community and Voluntary Aided Schools

1.     That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, in conjunction with the Executive Director of Children’s Services, to agree disbursement of resources, as required by design  development, to progress the following schemes to expand provision in line with the additional feasibility work approved by Cabinet on 5 March 2012 up to the cash limits below:

         1.1          Pope John Primary: £4.5 million;

1.2          St. Stephen’s Primary; £3.7 million

1.3          St Stephens additional land purchase £1.7 million

2.     That £50,000 be allocated to William Morris Sixth Form College to fund a feasibility study to inform decisions on further funding allocation  in relation to increasing capacity;

Academy, Trust and Free Schools:

3.     That £50,000 be allocated to Sacred Heart High School to fund a feasibility study to inform decisions on further funding allocation in relation to the possibilities of expansion by 1 form of entry;

4.     That up to £6 million, pending tender returns, be allocated to Lady Margaret Secondary School to fund 1 form of entry expansion proposals;

5.    That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, in conjunction with the Executive Director of Children’s Services, to agree disbursement of resources, as required by design development, up to a cash limit of £4.5 million, to progress the Burlington Danes creation of primary aged provision as set out in this report.

Proposed New Schools of Choice Schemes:

6.     That in order to ensure that provision is both sufficient and of the highest possible quality, following the recent bidding process and in compliance with Schools of Choice priorities articulated in the report to Cabinet on 5 March 2012, approval be given to:

Community and Aided Schools:

6.1   An allocation of £77,500 to Addison School to improve reception class free flow arrangements and upgrade toilet provision;

6.2.  An allocation of £40,000 to Brackenbury Primary School to upgrade ICT teaching and learning provision;

6.3.  An allocation of £50,000 to The Bridge Academy to fund a feasibility study concerning possible new accommodation;

6.4.  An allocation of £176,000 to Fulham Primary School to improve the teaching and learning environment in some classrooms and in the halls and to upgrade toilets;

6.5.  An allocation of £440,000 to Jack Tizard School to develop food technology and  sensory areas and upgrade specialist lift provision;

6.6.  An allocation of £100,000 to St John’s, Walham Green, Church of England  Primary School to improve the outdoor learning environment;

6.7.  An allocation of £223,000 to St. Peter’s Church of England Primary School for works to include a feasibility study to inform decisions on further funding allocation  to rationalise accommodation;

6.8.  An allocation of £328,000 to The Good Shepherd Primary School to support remodelling to enable effective and appropriate movement of pupils around the school;

6.9.  An  ...  view the full minutes text for item 140.

1.      That the London Boroughs Grants Scheme budget for 2013-14, be approved.

2.      That the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham contribution of £200,095 in 2013-14, be approved.

1.      That officers proceed to the next stage of the procurement process which will be to invite tenders for the provision of the services outlined in the report on a tri-borough basis, be approved.

2.      That the recommended Tri-borough Passenger Transport Operating Model set out in the report so The Invitation to Tender (ITT) can be developed on a tri-borough basis, be approved.

1.      That the consultation process undertaken to seek all tenants’ views on the changes proposed to their current Tenancy Agreement, be noted.

2.      That the Tenancy Agreement and to its implementation following service of a Notice of Variation in early February 2013, be approved.

3.      That authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing, in conjunction with the Executive Director of Housing and Regeneration, to make such minor changes to the documents annexed to this report as they consider necessary, be approved.

The Forward Plan was noted.