Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11 September 2019 were confirmed as correct.

The Assembly paid tribute to former Councillor Mohammed Fani who passed away on 13 September 2019.

The Assembly noted that Mr Fani was first elected to the Council in 1989 representing the Abbey ward, which he continued to represent until his retirement in 2010.  During his time on the Council he served as Deputy Chair on both the Planning Committee between 2001 and 2007 and the former Safer and Stronger Community Select Committee between 2009 and 2010.

The Assembly paid tributes to Mr Fani, recalling fond memories of their colleague.

The Assembly stood and observed a minute’s silence in memory of Mr Fani.

The Labour Group Secretary will announce any nominations to fill vacant positions on Council committees or other bodies.

There were none.

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration presented a report on the mid-year review of Treasury Management 2019/20.

The Cabinet Member highlighted the Council’s continued outperformance with a return of 1.61% against an average of 0.98% for London Local Authorities and 0.90% for the total comparable population of 168 authorities, recognising the Investment Fund team’s hard work in achieving this.

The Assembly noted that although the HM Treasury had announced that they would increase the interest rates offered on new Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) loans by 1.0%, this would not affect the Councils borrowing rates as borrowing for 2019/20 had been completed.

The Assembly resolved to:

(i)  Approve the revised 2019/20 Minimum Revenue Provision at Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)  Note the Treasury Management Strategy Statement Mid-Year Review 2019/20;

(iii)  Note that in the first half of the 2019/20 financial year the Council complied with all 2019/20 treasury management indicators;

(iv)  Note the value of the treasury investments as at 30 September 2019 totalled £330.7m;

(v)  Note the value of the commercial and residential loans lent by the Council as at 31 March 2019 totalled £76.6m;

(vi)  Note the value of long term borrowing as at 30 September 2019 totalled £785.3m.  This is split with £275.9m of Housing Revenue Account (HRA) borrowing and £509.4m of General Fund borrowing. This comprised market, Public Works Loan Board (PWLB), Local Authority and European Investment Bank (EIB) loans;

(vii)  Note the value of short term borrowing as at 30 September 2019 totalled £130.0m; and

(vi)   Note the increase in the interest rates offered on new PWLB loans by 1.0% on top of existing loans terms of 0.8%, which equates to a margin of 1.8% above the relevant gilt yield.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Social Housing introduced a report on proposed updates to the Council’s Sex Establishment Policy.

The Cabinet Member advised that the current policy had been subject to a detailed review to ensure that it was fully reflective of local authority best practice and incorporated the latest legal powers.  A significant new addition to the policy was the adoption of legal provisions to regulate sex entertainment venues, covering lap dancing and striptease venues.

The Cabinet Member advised that the draft policy took the position that there should be a general policy presumption against permitting further licensed sex related activities either adjacent to or in the vicinity of premises in defined areas.  This would include schools, places of worship, hospitals and residential accommodation.

Members welcomed the policy and in particular, the emphasis on the protection of young people.  It was noted that 91% of those who responded to the consultation were in favour of the policy, however the Leader expressed dismay as to how the draft policy was reported upon negatively in the local press.

The Assembly resolved to:

(i)  Adopt the provisions contained in Section 27 of the Policy and Crime Act 2009 extending the local sex establishments licensing regime to also include sex entertainment venues; and

(ii)  Adopt the Sex Establishment Licensing Policy 2019 as set out at Appendix 2 to the report, including the associated Standard Licensing Terms, Conditions and Restrictions for Sex Establishments as set out at Appendix 3 to the report.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care Integration presented a report on the Barking and Dagenham Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2018/19.

The Annual Report described the work and priorities of the Barking and Dagenham Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) from April 2018 to March 2019.  It set out how the Board had worked to improve the protection of vulnerable adults across Barking and Dagenham along with its achievements in 2018/19 and key priorities for the future.

The Annual Report was agreed by the Safeguarding Adults Board at its meeting on 10 July 2019 and was presented and discussed at the Health & Wellbeing Board on 10 September 2010.

In response a question, the Cabinet Member advised that self-neglect was an issue for some adults, where there was no family network and the behaviour of the individual could lead to isolation.  It was noted that these residents were not always known to the Council and the Cabinet Member called upon residents to look out for their neighbours and relatives.

The Assembly resolved to note the contents of the Annual Report of the Safeguarding Adults Board for 2018/19.

No motions were received

There were none.

There were none.