Agenda and minutes

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. 

There were no declarations of interest.

1.1             That approval be given to the future borrowing and investment strategies as outlined in this report and that the Executive Director of Finance and Corporate Governance be authorised to arrange the Council’s cashflow, borrowing and investments in 2014/15.

1.2             In relation to the Council’s overall borrowing for the financial year, to note the comments and the Prudential Indicators as set out in this report.

1.3             That approval 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 April 2014.

1.1.           That approval be given for a contract extension for the period from 1 April 2014 to 30 June 2015 at an expected cost of £364,000 to make this contract co-terminus with the RBKC contract.

1.2.           That approval is given to delegate responsibility for any further extension on this contract to the Leader as cabinet member for finance up to the maximum contract limit of 31 March 2016.

1.1.            That the subscription to the Local Government Association for 2014/15 of £26,577, be approved.

1.2.            That the contribution of £194,822 (net £177,505 after a £17,317 rebate) to the London Boroughs Grant Scheme, be approved.

1.3.            That the subscription of £162,427 for 2014/15 to London Councils, be approved.  

1.1.            That approval be given to the budget virements of £0.178m for the General Fund.

1.2.            That approval be given to the write off of £0.126m of bad debt.

1.3.            That payment of £0.92m as set out in paragraph 4.4 of the report to Central London Community Healthcare for the Public Health contract, as negotiated by the Public Health team, be approved.

1.1.               That the report be noted.

1.1.            That the targeted on-going annual revenue savings of £4 million per annum by 2014/15 identified in the HRA Transformation Programme approved by Cabinet on 21st May 2012 have been achieved, and that during the course of the 2013/14 Financial Year £9.582m of HRA debt was repaid, be noted.

1.2.            That the HRA financial strategy as set out in section 8 of this report be endorsed.

1.3.            That approval be given to the HRA 2014/15 budget as set out in Appendix 1 of the report.

1.4.            That approval be given to a rent increase for 2014/15, based on application of the Government’s rent restructuring formulae for dwellings up to 3 bedrooms of 5.69%, and the Council rent policy (introduced in 2013/14) for dwellings of 4 bedrooms and above, of 7.11%, which is equivalent to an average increase of 5.79%.

1.5.            That approval be given to a rent increase of 5.29% based on application of the Government’s rent restructuring formulae for properties under licence and hostels as referred to in paragraph 10.6. of the report.

1.6.            That an increase in tenant service charges for 2014/15 of 3.7% as set out in section 11 of the report be approved.

1.7.            That in order to recover the cost of water rates and metered water costs, approval be given to an average increase in water charges of 0.1%, equating to an average rise of less than one penny per week, noting that some households may see a reduction of £2.97 and other an increase of £2.23 per week, as set out in section 15 of the report.

1.8.            That a freeze in the communal heating charge at 2013/14 rates as set out in section 15 of the report be approved.

1.9.            That a freeze in garage and parking charges as set out in section 15 of the report be approved.

1.10.        That in line with the strategic financial objective of repaying debt as it becomes due, £2.414 million of HRA debt is repaid in 2014/15.

1.11.        That the risks outlined in section 12 and in Appendix 5 of the report be noted.

1.1.            That incentive payments to under-occupying tenants downsizing be increased to £2,000 per room as set out in paragraph 10.11 of the report, be approved.

To note that the report on the exempt part of the agenda sets out recommendations in relation to selection of the Private Sector Partner; terms for establishment of the Joint Venture; update on site specific issues; and terms for sale of the first two Opportunity Sites to the Joint Venture.

1.1.            That approval be given to the Council entering into a partnership agreement with Groundwork London to progress environmental improvements on three housing estates using EU funding allocated through the EU Life+ programme.

1.2.            That approval be given to HRA revenue expenditure of about £359,000 (noting possible variation due to currency fluctuation between pound sterling and the euro during the life of the project) phased over 3 years, which in turn will attract match funding of approximately £957,000 from Groundwork and EU Life+ grant.  

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 recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

That the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.

That the recommendations in the exempt report be agreed.