Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Agreed to recommend the Assembly that:

1. The Urgent Action provisions in paragraph 17.1 of Article 1 (Member Meetings General) of the Council’s Constitution be amended, as set out in the appendix to the report, and

2. The Call-In procedure in Article 5C of the Constitution be amended accordingly.

Received a report on the recent discussions with Barking and Dagenham Age Concern Trustees on ways that the Council can support the organisation in achieving its long term aims, bearing in mind the previous decision by the Council with regard to future funding.

Agreed, in order to clarify the further work required to explore the options for securing the Active Age service, to:

1.  Staff continuing to work with Age Concern to identify premises including community halls where Active Age Centres can continue to be provided in the long term;

2.  Where community associations have indicated that they may not have the capacity to take out leases themselves, staff working with Age Concern to progress the leasing of community halls in partnership with the relevant community associations and ward councillors with the aim of avoiding closure of the centres and ensuring that community association activities continue;

3.  A further report, including costings, being submitted in September setting out options for the future of the Active Age Service; and

4.  Staff clarifying for Age Concern the likely future position for each of the premises they currently use in the light of the review of community halls.

Noted a report showing statistical information on the Council staff who received training under the Staff Development Programme for 2003 – 2004.

Agreed to the increased charges for Planning Post Search enquiries and Consultancy Fees for 2004/05 as set out in the report.

(Councillor Bramley declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in this item as he is a Board Member on the Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust)

Received the report of the above Scrutiny Panel, which will now be submitted to the Assembly on 25 August 2004, and a presentation by Councillor Mrs Rush, Lead Member of the Panel, on the key issues and findings from the scrutiny.  The report will now be submitted to the Assembly for approval and the Barking and Dagenham Primary Care Trust (PCT) and the North East London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) will then be asked to respond to the recommendations by 30 September 2004.

Agreed to request the Health Scrutiny Panel to report back to the Executive on the responses from the PCT and SHA to the recommendations.

Noted the inaugural progress report on the implementation of the Regeneration Best Value Review Improvement Plan, which included the achievements to date against the twenty targets identified by the review.

Received a report on options for naming the new building in Bevan Avenue which will provide shared office accommodation for the Primary Care Trust and Council staff.

Agreed to the new building at Bevan Avenue being named “John Smith House” after the former Labour Party leader, subject to confirmation by the statutory consultees.

Received a report on the current performance in respect of the re-letting of void Council properties and the proposed future actions which will enable the Council to meet the Public Sector Agreement target of 25 days by March 2006.

Agreed to the implementation of the Void Performance Action Plan as appended to the report.

Received a report on the strategic proposal for the development of children’s centres throughout the Borough in 2004 – 2006 (Phase 1).

Agreed to:

1.  The strategic proposal for the first phase of the development of children’s centres throughout the Borough in 2004-2006, as set out in the appendix to the report;

2.  The Children Strategy Group giving detailed consideration to the services and facilities to be provided at the children’s centres and the mechanisms that will be put in place to measure performance, and to report back to the Executive accordingly; and

3.    The allocation of a further sum of £97,600 from the earmarked allocation for wrap-around childcare within the 2005/2006 Capital Programme to allow the current planned neighbourhood nursery at John Perry Primary School to gain full children’s centre status, noting that £800,000 was already provided in the wrap-around childcare budget. 

Received a tabled report on a proposed business ‘awayday’ by the Council’s Management Team (TMT) on 23 and 24 August 2004 at The Manor Hotel, Rainham.  The two-day event will enable TMT to focus on driving forward the Council’s programme of improvements in a concentrated team environment, away from daily operational distractions.

Agreed to the arrangements for a TMT business ‘awayday’ at a cost of £1,450.

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

The Chair advised that Steve Foster, Team Leader, Democratic and Electoral Services, is shortly to be leaving the Council to take up a position at Restormel Borough Council.  The Chair made particular reference to the work that Steve had undertaken as part of the Council’s wide-ranging modernisation programme.

The Chair placed on record the Council’s sincere appreciation to Steve for all his work and wished him every happiness and success in the future.

* Items considered as a matter of urgency with the consent of the Chair under Section 100 (4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.