Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 3^rd November 2014 be confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings, and that the outstanding actions be noted.

There were no apologies for absence.

The Executive Director outlined proposals for a new Enhanced Policing Model in the borough, in line with the Administration’s Manifesto Commitments, to increase the size of the current team from 36 to 44 officers, a 22% increase in resourcing.  The additional officers will boost the ward level policing, tackle social exclusion and promote social inclusion within the Borough.

Councillor Cartwright was pleased that the Administration had found £4 million through section 106 funds to finance this initiative.  This was a key achievement for the Administration within its 1st 6 months in office.  There had been a lot of positive comments on the Internet about the new policy.

In response to a question, the Leader stated that the Crime Prevention Design Officer post would be retained.  He noted that the Administration was committed to reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough through a new, expanded model of Enhanced Policing.  This will put additional police resources into ward level policing across Hammersmith and Fulham.

Councillor Fennimore noted that the Town Centre teams would still be in place while additional resources will target exclusion caused by homelessness, involvement in anti-social behaviour or youth violence. 

1.1.        That the current contract between H&F and  MOPAC for the purchase of additional policing resources (36 officers) be extended until 31March 2015.  (The budget for 2014/15 was set on the assumption that the existing contract would be extended to March 2015, and s106 funds have been identified as sources. The £642,000 cost of the extension will therefore be met from existing approved budgets, subject to formal allocation of S106 funds.)

1.2.        That approval be given to a new three year Enhanced Policing Model for the borough, which increases the Council funded police resources by 22%, from 36 to 44 officers (from 1st April 2015 to 31st March 2018), at a cost of £4,735k for the three year contract.  (A three year period is to suit MOPAC planning. No details are available yet for costs for 2018/9 but the Cabinet is recommended to note the possible requirement for an additional £1,630k if the contract were extended for a fourth year).

1.3.        To note the possible requirement for an additional £1,630k of funding if the contract were extended for a fourth year. 

1.4.        To note that it is probable that all costs can be met from S106 agreements, but where s106 funds are being relied upon which are not yet in the possession of the Council they will initially be funded from Council Reserves, creating a reserve specifically for policing, which will be reimbursed if and when those s106 funds are received.

1.5.        That approval be given to a new model of local policing whereby the local authority supplements the Local Policing Model by increasing the number of named ward officers and introduces a social inclusion role for them.

To note the General Fund and HRA month 6 revenue outturn forecast.

That the proposed technical budget variations to the capital programme totalling £7.6m (summarised in Table 1 and detailed in Appendix 2), be approved.

1.1      To note and agree the business case, subject to required staff consultation.

1.2      That the Chief Information Officer be authorised to start staff consultation and implement the proposed target operating model for the shared ICT service, specifically:

That the following posts be deleted with effect from 1 April 2015:

·         Chief Information Officer (WCC) – 1 FTE

·         Director for Procurement and IT Strategy (H&F) – 1 FTE

·         Head of Information Systems Division (RBKC) – 1 FTE

·         Head of Business Technology (H&F) – 1 FTE

·         Head of IS Strategy (WCC) – 1 FTE

·         vacant posts within the structures as needed to fund the establishment of the new posts set out in recommendations 2.4 and 2.5 (any remaining vacant posts will be reviewed as part of phase 2 of the proposed restructure)

1.3      That the following new posts making up the shared ICT service divisional leadership team (ICT DLT) be created with effect from 1 April 2015:

·         Head of Business Partnering – 1 FTE

·         Head of Digital Services – 1 FTE

·         Head of Information Management – 1 FTE

·         Head of Operations – 1 FTE

·         Head of ICT Portfolio Management – 1 FTE

·         Head of Strategy and Enterprise Architecture – 1 FTE

(It is proposed that each Council will have a lead Head of Service to act as a key point of liaison for senior stakeholders).

1.4      That the following posts be created with effect from 1 April 2015:

·         Strategic Relationship Manager – 4 FTE

·         Problem Manager – 1 FTE

1.5      That the secondments in place for the Strategic Relationship Managers and Problem Manager be extended up to 31 March 2015 to allow the consultation process and any resulting recruitment to be completed successfully.

1.6      That the Interim Chief Executive Hammersmith & Fulham (on behalf of H&F) and the Town Clerk and Chief Executive Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (on behalf of RBKC) and the Chief Executive Westminster City Council (on behalf of WCC) be authorised to enter into a section 113 agreement in respect of the shared ICT service.

1.7      That the Interim Chief Executive Hammersmith & Fulham in consultation with the Leader of the Council for H&F and the Town Clerk and Chief Executive Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea in consultation with the Leader of the Council for RBKC and the Chief Executive Westminster City Council in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Customer Services for WCC be authorised to approve hosting arrangements for the shared ICT service (and as part of that to determine the employing borough for new roles in the ICT division) and to make any ancillary decisions to enable the services to operate effectively.

1.8      That a review of the reporting line of the WCC business intelligence function and team be considered in early 2015.

1.1       To note and agree the business case and thereby create an integrated Legal Services across the three Boroughs, subject to staff consultation.

1.1.1   That the following posts are deleted with effect from 31 January 2015:

- Bi-borough Director of Law (H&F and RBKC) – 1 FTE

- Head of Legal and Democratic Services (WCC) – 1 FTE

1.1.2   That a new post (1 FTE) of “Director of Law” is created from 31 January 2015.

1.1.3   To continue to review and optimise the mix of in-house and outsourced service delivery within Legal Services as well as explore options for sharing and selling our services beyond the three boroughs, to realise the vision of becoming a leading public sector legal services business.

2.2       That the Chief Executive of Westminster City Council for WCC, the Town Clerk for RBKC and the Interim Chief Executive of Hammersmith & Fulham, be authorised to enter into the s113 Agreement in respect of Legal Services on the terms set out in Appendix 2 or such other broadly similar terms as they, in consultation with the relevant Director of Law, considers appropriate. 

2.3       That the Chief Executive of Westminster City Council in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Customer Services in WCC, the Town Clerk in consultation with the Leader of the Council for RBKC and Interim Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council for LBHF, be authorised to approve hosting arrangements for legal services and make any ancillary decisions to enable the services to operate effectively as a shared services.

Councillor Schmid expressed his disappointment that local firms were unable to access the framework.  However, on a positive note, local businesses were pleased that this contract would result in a more professional and efficient service provision.  There will also be better returns on the portfolio.

The Leader supported Councillor Ivimy’ s call for broader social responsibility and benefits.  The Council does not want to see betting and payday loan shops springing up across the borough. The contract would ensure a mixed economy and vibrant community.

1.1.        That the Business Case document appended to the report and the case put forward for outsourcing the Council’s Commercial Property Management Function to GVA Grimley Ltd, be noted.

1.2.        That approval be given to the proposal to outsource the Council’s Commercial Property Management Function and authorise officers to proceed to call off a contract from the Council’s Property Framework with GVA Grimley Ltd, the named contractor on the Framework for providing commercial property management services.

1.1.        That approval be given to the termination, by mutual agreement with the supplier, of the Capita pension administration service call-off contract for H&F and RBKC on 31 March 2015, to be achieved by means of a Deed of Termination to be approved by the Bi-Borough Director of Law and signed by all parties to the call-off contract.

1.2.        That approval be given to Aquila Heywood (“Heywood”) as the supplier of the pension administration software, for a period of five (5) years, to be administered by Surrey County Council, to be achieved by entering in to a specific/call-off contract from a framework arrangement established by NCC in May 2014, and in accordance with EU procurement requirements.

1.3.        That Surrey County Council be approved as the new provider of pension administration services and payroll services for pensioners for H&F and RBKC from 1 April 2015, for an initial period of five (5) years.

1.4.        That approval be given to one-off transition costs to the respective pension funds of £258,000 for H&F and £226,000 for RBKC for moving the new service to an alternative provider, and the estimated annual ongoing costs of £267,000 for H&F and £208,000 for RBKC.  (These estimated costs reflect scheme membership numbers and other membership movement activity in each borough where relevant, and also include estimated costs for the Heywood Altair software.)

1.5.        To note the requirement to seek full Council approval at the full Council meetings of RBKC (on 3 December 2014) and H&F (on 28 January 2015) to approve and make arrangements for the discharge of its functions under section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972 and to delegate the H&F and RBKC pension administration service and pensioner payroll service to SCC from 1 April 2015, for an initial period of five (5) years.  (An agreement will be drafted with SCC to formalise the arrangements between the parties. It is anticipated that the agreement will contain a minimum four (4) month termination clause).

Both Councillors Ivimy and Jones endorsed the recommendations of the Task Group.

1.1       That approval be given to the proposed Executive Response to the recommendations made to the Council.

1.2       That a report including the full cost implications for recommendations that would change existing Council policy be submitted to the Economic Regeneration, Housing & the Arts Policy and Advisory Committee.

1.3       That the Economic Regeneration, Housing & the Arts Policy and Advisory Committee be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Task Group’s recommendations.

Councillor Jones highlighted a number of proposed policy changes and noted that the consultation document would be circulated widely.  In response to a question about tall buildings, the Leader noted that residents have a higher influence on planning issues under the current administration.  Residents will have their say in setting local criteria to control the type of tall building in their area.  Ongoing discussions are taking place with local residents and the developer on the Town Hall development proposal. On Charing Cross, The Leader noted that the electorate had given them the mandate to oppose the closure of the Accident and Emergency department.

1.1           That approval be given to the consultation draft Local Plan (see Appendix 1) and the Proposals Map changes (see Appendix 2), with a view that the documents and other associated material such as the Sustainability Appraisal are made available for public consultation.

1.2           That the Executive Director of Transport and Technical Services, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport & Residents Services, be authorised to approve any technical and other minor amendments to the consultation draft Local Plan.

1.3           That approval be given to commence consultation in January 2015 for a minimum of 6 weeks.

Councillro Jones congratulated officers in securing the funding.

1.1.      That Westminster City Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration, Business & Economic Developmentagrees the use of the Transformation Challenge Award as set out in this report.

1.2.       That the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Property and Regeneration agrees the use of the Transformation Challenge Award as set out in this report.

1.3.       That the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham undertake further detailed work to identify how the funding can be best used to support local priorities to tackle long-term worklessness, and that incurring this expenditure be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration.

That the grants currently being held in corporate finance accounts be made available to the Children’s Services department to support the additional expenditure that will be incurred by the Education Directorate while enacting the SEN reforms over the next two years.

1.1         That approval be granted to procure a joint Bi-Borough contract for printing of statutory documents, the scanning of incoming correspondence and processing of payments.

1.2         To note that for the purposes of the Public Contracts Regulations 2006 (as amended) the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham will be acting as the Contracting Authority.

Councillor Homan noted that the report sets out proposals for giving housing residents ownership and management of their homes.  This was consistent with the tenets underpinning the Big Society and the Administration’s commitment to devovle more power to the Community.  Councillor Ginn expressed concern about the structure of the transfer which could led to less democratice accountability.  The Leader pointed out that a residents’ commission with independent advice would be set up.  In addition, there wil be a free ballot to determine the future of the housing stock.  He noted that the Administration had engaged with a lot of residents through the Policy and Advisory Committees.  It will continue to engage with the public on policy development.

1.1.        That approval be given to proceeding with and producing a Strategic Housing Stock Options Appraisal (SHSOA) for the future financing, ownership and management of the Council’s housing stock, as set out in section 5 of this report.

1.2.        That approval be given to carrying out an initial residents engagement programme to ascertain residents initial views on the possible options open to the council with regards to its Housing Stock, set out in Appendix 1, as the first stage of any strategic housing stock options programme.

1.3.        That approval be given to the budget of £1.5 million funded from the General Fund Reserves for the preparation and submission of the Strategic Housing Stock Options Appraisal business case and report to Cabinet. The contribution from the HRA to these costs will be calculated after the procurement of services in line with DCLG regulations. Approval of this contribution is delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing. 

1.4.        That approval be given to the establishment of a ‘Residents Commission on Council Housing’, for strategic oversight of the Stock Options Appraisal comprising of approximately a dozen residents supported by the programme manager.

1.5.        That in accordance with the provisions of Contract Standing Orders paragraph 11.4, framework agreements operated by either the Crown Commercial Service and/or the Homes & Communities Agency be used to procure the necessary specialist advice.

1.6.        That the requirements contained in Contract Standing Order 12.3 for the Cabinet to make contract awards be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing, in order to progress the related procurement processes for: -

a)      external Independent Tenants Advisor, including Contract Award on the basis that extension options are included to allow for further advice, should stock transfer be recommended.

b)      external legal advice including Contract Award on the basis that extension options are included to allow for further advice, should stock transfer be recommended;

c)      consultancy to conduct a comprehensive refresh of stock condition information to a warrantable standard including Contract Award on the basis that extension options are included to allow for further advice, periodic updates throughout the programme as required, rights to the data and analysis be available/assigned to any new organisation(s) and their advisors, should stock transfer be recommended;

d)      external property and surveying advice including Contract Award on the basis that extension options are  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

That approval be given to continue collecting recyclables in commingled form, i.e. make no changes to the current system of collection.

The Key Decision List was noted.

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 3rd November 2014 be confirmed and signed as an accurate record of the proceedings, and that the outstanding actions be noted.

That the report be noted.

That the recommendations in the exempt report be approved.

That the report be noted.

That the exempt appendices be noted.