Agenda, decisions and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2016, and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2016 were agreed as a correct record and were signed by the Chairman.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 September 2016 were agreed as a correct record and were signed by the Chairman.

Cabinet:

1.            Noted the original and currently projected budget gap and the assumptions upon which these had been based, and the risks associated with them.

2.            Noted the draft Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), covering the period from 2017/18 to 2019/20, set out in the report.

3.            Noted that there was a range of risks and assumptions made as part of the development of the strategy and that updates would be provided to Cabinet should these vary, in the build-up to Council Tax setting.

4.            Noted that any alternative proposals from Overview & Scrutiny or opposition groups, that would need to be subject to consultation, would need to be subject to a robust review before they could be considered for inclusion in the Council’s budget and therefore had to be submitted by 10^th November prior to the next meeting of Cabinet on 14^th December in order to be considered as part of the consultation process.

5.            Noted that a range of corporate strategies might be impacted by the budget strategy and these would need to be updated and approved accordingly.

6.            Reviewed the initial proposal to maintain a core capital programme of around £4.9m a year subject to a detailed review of available receipts and to a further review of borrowing costs.

7.            Agreed to receive a further report in December to consider progress to date in delivering the 2016/17 budget, developing further proposals for 2017/18 and beyond and providing an update on the prospects for the financial settlement following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement.

8.            Noted the advice of the Section 151 Officer in setting a robust budget.

Councillor Roger Ramsey, Leader of the Council, introduced the report

Cabinet was informed that the report set out the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy to manage the implications of funding reductions and cost pressures over the next three years.

The report set out the process for bridging the funding gap  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

Cabinet:

1.            Noted the findings of the review of older persons’ future housing needs in Havering.

2.            Noted the outcome of the consultations carried out at the sheltered housing schemes across Havering

3.            Agreed the final recommendations for the provision of housing for older persons in Havering, and specifically agreed the recommendations for each scheme as detailed in Section 3 of the report.

4.            Agreed to delegate authority to the Director of Housing Services, after consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, to make variations to or substitutions for disposal or alternative use of any of the schemes already in the Housing Development Programme subject to financial viability, full resident consultation and there being no need for additional capital investment beyond the existing programme budget.

Councillor Damian White, Cabinet member for Housing, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded that the report followed the initial report considered by Members at an Executive Briefing held on the 6 June and reviewed on the 26 September at a further Executive Briefing. 

In essence it embraced a thorough review  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.

Cabinet:

1.            Noted the outcome of the consultations carried out.

2.         Noted the progress made regarding the procurement of preferred partners.

3.         Agreed the prioritisation of estates as identified in Section 5 of the report.

4.         Agreed that the Director of Housing had the authority to arrange for the service of demolition notices at the appropriate time in relation to all affected properties on the estates and schemes in the programme.

Councillor Damian White, Cabinet member for Housing, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded that at its meeting on 15 June it was agreed that officers would commence consultation with local residents and initiate procurement of a preferred partner for the delivery of 12 key regeneration sites for the provision of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

This item contains an EXEMPT appendix

Cabinet:

1.         Agreed that Phase 3 and 4 of the school expansion programme should continue to be developed  based on the following approach in line with consultation responses:

                          i.          To have a preference for expanding existing popular and high-performing schools and inclusion of nursery provision and Additional Resource Provisions (ARPs) where appropriate and practicable.

                         ii.          To consider the expansion of existing schools, but only to a maximum size of 4 Forms of Entry (FE) in the primary phase, ensuring at all times that high standards of education was paramount; to consider the possible establishment of primary phase provision on secondary school sites as “all through” provision and the encouragement of Free Schools where needed and where they provided best value. 

2.         Delegated the power to take further decisions regarding the approval of which settings/schools included within the report should be expanded or supported financially (subject to the appropriate statutory processes) for Phase 4 of the Expansion Programme to the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning.

3.         Delegated the power to take further decisions regarding expansion or financial support for Academies - not included within the report - in urgent and exceptional circumstances, (subject to the appropriate statutory processes and within the agreed capital programme) for Phase 4 of the Expansion Programme, to the Cabinet Member for Children & Learning after consultation with the Leader.

4.         Delegated to the Director of Asset Management authority to submit planning applications after consultation with planning officers, commission all associated surveys/investigations (including transport assessment, soils survey, environmental check etc.) and commence tender processes as required to support the development of options appraisals to deliver Phases 3 and 4 expansions required and noted that tender awards would remain the subject of separate Executive Decision(s).

5.         Noted the updated Commissioning Plan for Education Provision 2015/16 – 2019/20 and School Planning Data Pack appended to the report.

In respect of increasing Primary places:

6.         Agreed the following Phase 4 proposals for Permanent  expansion, to be subject to consultationand statutory processes, including planning:

Harold Hill Planning area: 

Expansion of Pyrgo Priory Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Broadford Primary School from 3FE to 4FE for 2018/19.

Romford Planning area:

Expansion of Hylands Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Gidea Park Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2019/20.

Rainham and South Hornchurch Planning area:

Expansion of Rainham Village Primary School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Whybridge Infant and Junior School from 2FE to 3FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Brady Primary School from 1FE to 2FE for 2017/18.

Expansion of Parsonage Farm Primary School from 3FE to 4FE for 2018/19.

Expansion of Newtons Primary School from 2FE to 3FE in 2019/20.

7.         Agreed to support proposals for a new 3FE Primary Free School in the Rainham and South Hornchurch Planning area on the Beam Park development site.

In respect of increasing Secondary places:

8.         Agreed the Permanent expansion through the rationalisation of Published Admission Numbers of the following  ...  view the full decision text for item 75.

Councillor Robert Benham, Cabinet member for Children & Learning, introduced the report

Cabinet was informed that Havering had seen an increase of over 45% in the number of births between 2002 and 2015.  The Office for National Statistics (ONS) live birth data for 2013 showed that most London boroughs had experienced  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.