Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Withdrawn

Withdrawn.

A copy of the Asset Management Plan is available in the Members Rooms.  A copy will also be made available on the Internet / Intranet.

The Council is required to submit a Corporate Asset Management Plan (AMP) to the Government Office for London by 31 July 2003.  The Corporate AMP reflects the Council’s operational and investment properties, excluding schools and the housing stock.

Agreed the Corporate Asset Management Plan 2003, in order to support the Council in delivering the Community Priorities - “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care, “Regenerating the Local Economy”, and “Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer”.

Received a report seeking approval to accelerate the Community Halls Strategy which aims to pass the management and cost of running community halls to Community Associations with consequent savings of £240,000 per annum by 2005/06.

Agreed, in order to achieve a £350,000 reduction in the Community Halls budget as part of the approved financial savings package for the next three years, that:

1. The programme of transferring community halls to full local management and the granting of 21 year leases be accelerated;

2. A one-off sum of £60,000 be made available for the legal work on leases and external support for self management, to be funded by the savings;

3. In the event that a Community Association cannot, or is unwilling to manage a hall and meet its running costs, the hall be taken over by the Council and run on a break-even basis, or closed down and disposed of; and

4. To investigate, where appropriate, alternative management arrangements that would contribute to the savings target.

It was noted that the savings in the report would be reduced to reflect the phasing in over 18 months, but £350,000 is the required saving over three years.

It was requested that Community Matters, a national organisation for the development of Community Halls/ Community Associations who could help the process by providing support and training to Community Associations, make a presentation to Members at the Assembly.

Further to Minute 227 (26 November 2002), received a report seeking approval of funding to facilitate the re-shaping of frail elders’ day services as previously agreed by the Executive.

From 1 April 2003 Age Concern have provided five frail elders’ centres, which have been funded through Social Services.  A further eight active elderly centres run by Age Concern are to move to a self-funding basis by the end of 2004/05.  The Council had agreed to support the rental costs of the centres for two years.  No budget was identified for this in November 2002, or in the 2003/04 budget setting process.

Agreed, in order to assist Age Concern with the development of self-funding active elderly centres, that given these particular circumstances:

1. £83,060 be provided from reserves for two years to fund the rental for eight active elderly centres (total £166,120);

2. A further £24,000 be provided from reserves to part fund a development worker for two years to support the delivery of self-funding; and

3. Leases be negotiated with Age Concern for Galleon Hall, Alice Martin Centre, East Barking Centre, the Park Centre and the White House.

Further to Minute 363, 18 March 2003, received a report outlining progress on the delivery arrangements for the Barking Town Centre Action Plan.

Agreed, in order to ensure adequate funding, and effective and efficient delivery of the Barking Town Centre Action Plan, that:

1.  Barking Town Centre be included in the East London UDC, subject to the Barking Town Centre Strategy being used as the basis for implementation and that a strong relationship be established between the UDC team and the Council's Barking Town Centre team; and

2.  The Leader and Lead Member for Regeneration be nominated to represent the Council on the UDC Board.

Agreed to exclude the public and press for the remainder of the meeting, as the business was confidential.