Decisions

Approval to proceed to award of contract(s)

RESOLVED:  That the following be approved:

(1)               the appointment of Linbrook Services Ltd and Slade (London) Ltd as contractors to the framework for the provision of Responsive Repairs Services for Housing:;

(2)               the retender of the Corporate Works for responsive repairs for up to two years pending a full OJEU procurement exercise;

(3)               the relevant Corporate Director, in consultation with the relevant Portfolio Holder,be authorised to take all necessary steps to enter into an interim responsive repairs contract for corporate works on such terms as s/he shall determine.

Reason for Decision:  The evaluation of the tenders received was conducted to arrive at the most economically advantageous bids.  The Framework structure was designed to maintain a degree of competitiveness and resilience throughout the 4-year framework period.  However, the lack of competitive responses for the Corporate Works meant that no clear value for money result could be demonstrated.  To enable the Corporate Director to put in place the necessary interim arrangements commencing on 1 July 2012.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               Cabinet notes the petition signed by over 2000 residents which indicates the need for a proper integrated health and social care service to cope with the needs of the elderly and frail people and their carers, in particular, those with dementia;

(2)               Cabinet further notes that the Harrow Strategic Partnership has adopted a borough-wide joint Dementia Strategy and supports this joint work; the Department of Health has allocated dedicated funding to provide advice and support for memory services; the new reablement services help identify dementia sufferers earlier; Harrow is one of the top performing Councils for providing support for carers;

(3)               notwithstanding this Cabinet believes proper care of the elderly can only be solved at national level;

(4)               Cabinet therefore instructs the Chief Executive to write to Harrow’s three MPs and the GLA Member for Brent and Harrow (i) informing them of the above and (ii) drawing their attention for the need for a comprehensive National Care Service and asks that they lobby for a positive outcome arising from the government’s consideration of the Dilnot report in the forthcoming Social Care White Paper.

[Call-in does not apply]

RESOLVED:  That the Motion be referred to the Corporate Director Place Shaping and the Portfolio Holder for Property and Major Contracts.

[Call-in does not apply.]

RESOLVED:  That the Motion be referred to the Corporate Director Place Shaping and the Portfolio Holder for Property and Major Contracts.

[Call-in does not apply.]

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted.

Reason for Decision: To allow the appendix to be considered in conjunction with the main report at agenda item 15.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               Portfolio Holders continue working with officers to achieve improvement against identified key challenges;

(2)               the report be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To note performance against key measures and to identify and assign corrective action where necessary.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               £74,000 be ring-fenced from the Main Grants budget to fund the commissioning of an infrastructure support service for the Third Sector;

(2)               37 grant applications be awarded grant funding at the levels outlined in paragraph 2.2.1 of the report, subject to:

(a)               receipt of satisfactory references and supporting documents from applicants two weeks after notification of the grant funding decision;

(b)               completion of the appeals procedure and any changes to the amounts awarded necessitated by decisions on appeals.

(3)               applications with a score below the threshold agreed for grant funding be placed on a reserve list.

(4)               authority be delegated to the Corporate Director Community, Health and Well-Being, in conjunction with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services, to:

(i)                 withdraw grant offers where organisations do not comply with the conditions of grant funding as detailed in (2) above;

(ii)               award available funds to organisations on the reserve list in order of highest scores achieved if sufficient funds become available (where scores are tied, funding will only be distributed when sufficient funding is available to fund all projects with the same score);

(iii)             vary the threshold and percentage award as appropriate in light of new information.

(5)               authority be delegated to the Portfolio Holder for Community and Cultural Services and the  Divisional Director of Community and Culture to consider and determine appeals, in consultation with an Independent Adviser appointed to advise the Portfolio Holder and Director on those appeals and in the presence of an independent observer nominated from the Harrow Voluntary and Community sector; and the delegation of authority to the Divisional Director of Community and Culture, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Community and Culture to vary both the percentage of the grant awarded and the scoring range within which grants are allocated, in the light of decisions on appeals.

Reason for Decision:  To award funding from the Main Grants Programme to Third Sector organisations to support them in delivering their services in 2012/13.

RESOLVED:  That the responses recommended by officers be endorsed and that a further progress report be submitted in three months’ time.

Reason for Decision:  To provide an appropriate response to the Scrutiny recommendations and to improve the effectiveness of the handling of exceptional cases.

RESOLVED:  That the response to the recommendations from the Standing Scrutiny Review on the Reablement Service be noted.

Reason for Decision:  To provide an appropriate response to the Scrutiny recommendations.

[Call-in does not apply.]

RESOLVED:  That the “Yes” Vote for changing the Locata (Housing Services) Company Memorandum and Articles be approved.

Reason for Decision:  To allow for distribution of profits amongst the members, appointment of specialist directors to add relevant skills to the Company’s Board and simplify Director voting rights.

RESOLVED:  That, having re-considered the decision of the Cabinet meeting held on 9 February 2012, as set out at Appendix 3 to the report, in relation to the Transformation Programme and Mobile and Flexible Working, as a result of the decision of the Call-in Sub-Committee, the original Cabinet decision of 9 February 2012 be confirmed.

Reason for Decision:  In accordance with Committee Procedure Rule 46.8.3, to reconsider the decision within 10 clear working days of a referral by the Call-In Sub-Committee.

[Call-in does not apply.]

To enter into a Funding Agreement with the Mayor of London in respect of Round Two of the Outer London Fund for Harrow Town Centre. To enter into an agreement with the GLA to deliver the Round Two Programme for Harrow Town Centre.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               Harrow Council enter into a funding agreement with the Greater London Authority (GLA) in respect of Round Two of the Outer London Fund, in order to deliver the programme of improvements for Harrow Town Centre;

(2)               the Corporate Director Place Shaping, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Development and Enterprise, be authorised to enter into the funding agreement with the GLA.

Reason for Decision: By entering into a funding agreement with the GLA, Harrow Council will receive a sum up to £1,758,750 for Harrow Town Centre, which will be matched by £300,000 from the Council’s Capital Programme. The funds provide a means to deliver the Corporate Priority of “Supporting our Town Centre, our local shopping centres and businesses”, and to take forward the Core Strategy and emerging Area Action Plan for the Heart of Harrow.

Approval of the final version of the Local Development Order North Harrow for submission to the Secretary of State. Subject to no subsequent direction by the Secretary of State, that the LDO be adopted.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)               the Local Development Order (LDO), annexed at Appendix A to the report, be submitted to the Secretary of State for consideration;

(2)               subject to no adverse comments being received from the Secretary of State, the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Development and Enterprise be authorised to adopt the LDO for a period of three years;

(3)               it be noted that there would be monitoring and review of the Order at the end of 12 months.

Reason for Decision:  To enable the implementation of the Local Development Order in North Harrow District Shopping Centre to support the regeneration of this important District Shopping Centre in line with the Corporate Priorities of supporting our town centres and businesses.

RESOLVED:  That in addition to the freehold disposal of the development site at Wood Farm, previously authorised by Cabinet, the Corporate Director Place Shaping, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Property and Major Contracts be authorised:

(1)               to consider and determine any objection to the disposals, arising from the Statutory Open   Space Advertising;

(2)               subject to (1) above, dispose of the Council’s freehold interest in Pear Wood Cottages; and

(3)               subject to (1) above, enter into a 35 year fixed term lease of approximately 7.3 acres of Ten Acre Field, as shown on the plan attached to the addendum tabled at the meeting;

in each case for the best consideration reasonably obtainable.

Reason for Decision:  To secure public access to a significant area of Green Belt land to be incorporated into an enlarged Stanmore Country Park and receive a substantial capital receipt budgeted within the Medium Term Finance Strategy (MTFS) for 2011/2012.

[Call-in does not apply.]