Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 6 June 2022 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 Standards Committee.

Councillor Rowan Ree introduced the report seeking to approve the proposed procurement strategy to allow the Council to award contract for the supply and installation of decarbonisation measures at H&F non-domestic sites. It was a response to the Council’s commitment to become a net-zero borough by 2030.

The Leader added that the current heatwave was seeing temperatures reaching 40 degrees around the country, which was evidence that climate change was an undeniable reality.

Councillor Wesley Harcourt stated that this report was about the procurement strategy for the Council’s application to the Government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) for future projects. It was one of the phases of the process of decarbonisation of buildings to become a net-zero borough by 2030. Further phases would be subject to consultation with the resident-led Climate Strategy Implementation Group, schools, and voluntary sectors.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

That Cabinet approves the proposed procurement strategy to access the REFIT framework via a mini-competition which would allow the Council to award contract for the supply and installation of decarbonisation measures at H&F non-domestic sites (in the region of 39 proprieties) for a contract value of up to £8m.

The Leader stated that it was the Council’s intention to transform the borough into a global economic hotspot in science, engineering, mathematics, technology, medicine, media and arts. The Council was in a fortunate position not only because of its location but also due to its Industrial Strategy with Imperial College London. In 2017 this partnership launched the White City Innovation District, which was growing rapidly and attracting new businesses.

Councillor Andrew Jones stated that this report provided an overview of the approach for the three-year economic development programme to facilitate and deliver inclusive growth in the borough. It focuses on three areas: delivering the Industrial Strategy and economic growth for everyone; supporting business and enterprise; and improving employment & skills. 

Councillor Andrew Dinsmore, Opposition Deputy Leader, asked the reason for the high employment in the borough when the country was experiencing a national labour shortage, and how the Council’s unemployment figures compared to other boroughs.

The Leader replied that the borough’s unemployment level was concurrent to other boroughs but not as high as other boroughs in West London. The closure of Heathrow Airport during the pandemic generated high unemployment levels in large parts of West London in the food processing business, travel industry, airlines, airport staff, etc, with a mixture of high and low skilled job losses. Despite that, Hammersmith & Fulham had more economic growth than the rest of West London, which was a tribute to the Industrial Strategy that had created 6,500 highly skilled jobs since it was launched. However, he was concerned about the lower skilled jobs in the retail, hospitality, and other sectors as people out of work were struggling to find a new job. Therefore the Council was setting up mechanisms to deal with that.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

That Cabinet notes the overall approach for the three-year economic development programme to facilitate and deliver inclusive growth in the borough.

This report has four appendices which contain information exempt within the meaning of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and are not for publication. The appendices have therefore been circulated to Cabinet Members only.

Any discussions on the contents of an exempt appendix will require Cabinet to pass the proposed resolution identified at the end of the agenda to exclude members of the public and the press the proceedings for that discussion.

Councillor Andrew Jones introduce the report seeking approval for project budgets for four sites to develop new affordable homes in the borough. The four projects combined could deliver 80 new homes, of which 61% would be affordable, prioritised for local residents. This was the initial stage of the development programme to deliver 1,800 new homes over the coming years in the borough. Later stages of the project would come back to Cabinet for approval.

Councillor Andrew Dinsmore asked the reason for the Council not using a Housing Association for the proposed development.

Councillor Andrew Jones replied that at this stage they would use a contractor to undertake the development and at a later stage they would look at partnership with Housing Associations and landlords, depending on the final proposals.

AGREED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE CABINET MEMBERS:

That Cabinet:

1.     Approves that appendices 1-4 are not for publication on the basis that they contain information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) as set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

2.     Approves a project development budget of £900,878 for progression and delivery of LBHF’s development Gateway 2 – Planning (RIBA Stages 2+3) & Gateway 3 - Procurement (RIBA Stage 4) for Barclay Close, funded from new Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing.

3.     Approves a project development budget of £1,677,922 for progression and delivery of LBHF’s development Gateway 2 – Planning (RIBA Stages 2+3) & Gateway 3 – Procurement (RIBA Stage 4) for Becklow Gardens, funded from new HRA borrowing.

4.     Approves a project development budget of £1,732,504 for progression and delivery of LBHF’s development Gateway 2 – Planning (RIBA Stages 2+3) & Gateway 3 – Procurement (RIBA Stage 4) for land behind the Grange, funded from new HRA borrowing.

5.     Approves a project development budget of £3,200,724 for progression and delivery of LBHF’s development Gateway 2 – Planning (RIBA Stages 2+3) & Gateway 3 – Procurement (RIBA Stage 4) for Jepson House, funded from new HRA borrowing.

6.     Delegates authority to the Strategic Director for Economy in consultation with the Assistant Director Legal Services and the Director of Finance to approve procurement strategies and appointments of the consultant teams for RIBA stages 2-4 and to take all necessary steps to facilitate the decisions in recommendations 2 - 6 including the completion of any associated legal agreements.

The Key Decision List was noted.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 - ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Proposed resolution:

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 3 of Schedule 12A of the said Act, and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption currently outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.       

There was no discussion of exempt elements.