Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Received a report setting out the recommendations of the Independent Review Panel into Members Allowances. The report also reminded Members of the need to produce a mandatory annual report concerning their activities, responsibilities and time input to carry out their duties as Councillors.

Agreed to recommend the Assembly to agree the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2005 / 2006, as set out in Appendix A to the report, with effect from 19 May 2005, in accordance with the recommendations of the Independent Review Panel, subject to replacing the current basic allowances with the proposed basic allowance.

Received a report seeking to disaffiliate from the Local Government Information Unit and affiliate to the New Local Government Network.

Agreed to:

1. Give 6 months notice to the Local Government Information Unit in order to disaffiliate; and

2. Affiliate to the New Local Government Network as the research being undertaken will be more appropriate to the future direction of the Council.

Received a report recommending the Assembly to adopt schedule 4, of section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to allow authorised officers to seize abandoned trolleys and charge owners a fee for the collection, storage and return of the trolleys that are seized.

Agreed, in order to allow Council operatives to remove abandoned trolleys and set charges and fees for the collection, storage and return of those trolleys seized and in order to assist the Council in meeting its Community Priority of ‘Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer’, to recommend the Assembly to:

1. Adopt Schedule 4, of section 99, of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 throughout Barking and Dagenham;

2. Apply the proposed fees (set out in paragraph 3.2 of the report) for the collection, storage and return of trolleys to their owners; and

3. Delegate authority to the Director of Housing and Health to agree any proposed voluntary scheme of trolley collection submitted by local businesses, with a review to take place three months after implementation.

Received a report setting out options for on street and off-street parking charges for the financial year 2005 / 2006.

Agreed, in accordance with the principles of the Charging Policy Commission and to achieve a general 5% increase in income, to increase Parking Charges by the following amounts:

• An overall increase in Off-Street Parking Charges of 12.5%;

• An overall increase for On-Street Parking Charges of approximately 4.0%; and

• The introduction of a sixty minute charge in off-street car parks.

Further to Minute 304 (22 February 2005), received a report seeking the establishment of the post of E-Government and ICT Manager.

Agreed the establishment of the E-Government and ICT Strategy Manager (Temporary) in the Information, Management and Technology Division, for a period of 18 months, funded from existing budgets at LSMR grade (spinal point 57).  The post holder will help drive forward the e-government agenda across the Council to enable the transformation of services to customers.

Received a report seeking the allocation of £200,000 from the ‘Invest to Save’ reserve of £4m to the Efficiency Board to fund projects which aim to realise at least £12m gains over the next three years.

Agreed, in order to facilitate the implementation of the Efficiency Programme, to:

1. Allocate £200,000 of the ‘Invest to Save’ reserve to the ‘Efficiency Board’; and

2. Delegate decisions on spending this budget to the Director of Corporate Strategy and the Director of Finance.

Received a report seeking approval for a Stage 1 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for the Barking Park Restoration and Improvement Project. 

Agreed, in order to secure external funding to support the restoration and improvement of Barking Park and assist the Council in achieving its Community Priorities of “Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer”, “Raising General Pride in the Borough” and “Regenerating the Local Economy”, to:

1. A £3.5 Million Stage 1 grant application to the HLF, as set out in paragraph 4.2 and 5.1 of the report;

2. Give consideration to submitting a new capital bid for £2,123,550, for the financial year 2006 / 2007, as part of the Council’s match funding contribution and subject to the project receiving a  positive appraisal through the Capital Programme Management Office; This bid is to be considered in the context of the full review of the Capital Programme;

3. Create a four year grant aided Project Manager Post for Barking Park from 2006 at a match funding cost of £28,000 from 2006 / 2007, subject to the growth bidding process;

4. Note the projected revenue increase of £172,000 from 2007 / 2008 subject to a further detailed report to the Executive on how this revenue is to be funded, as a part of the revenue budget process for 2007 / 2008 and any revisions to the Medium Term Financial Strategy;

5. Allow officers to investigate a preferred management structure for Barking Park post completion, subject to a further detailed report to the Executive as to how this will be funded; and

6. Authorise the Director of Regeneration and Environment to submit the application and to ensure that any subsequent requirements of the HeritageLottery Fund are met.

Received a report regarding appointments to the Council's political structure for the municipal year 2005 / 2006.

1. Membership of main Council bodies

The Assembly is recommended to agree the membership set out in Appendix A.

2. Chairs and Deputy Chairs of main Council bodies

The Assembly is recommended to agree the appointment of Chairs and Deputy Chairs as set out in Appendix B.

3. Co-opted Members

The Assembly is recommended to agree that the following persons be re-appointed as Co-opted Members on the Scrutiny Management Board (SMB) for such times as education matters are considered:

Reverend R Gayler (representing the Church of England)

Mrs G Spencer (representing the Roman Catholic Church)

Mr P Carter and Mr B Phillips are already elected for a four-year period as Parent Governor representatives for primary and secondary schools respectively and, as such, will be similarly co-opted to the SMB.

4. Best Value Reviews

Noted arrangements for Best Value Reviews in 2005 / 2006.

5. Representatives on various external and internal bodies

The Assembly is recommended to agree that representation be as set out in Appendix C, which will be subject to further updates once outstanding appointments have been made.

6. Appointment of Trustees to Local Charities

The Assembly is recommended to agree:

·  Dagenham United Charity

That Councillor Davis be reappointed for a four year term.  Councillors Wainwright and Justice remain as trustees until the end of their current terms.  There remains one vacancy.

·  Barking General Charity

That Councillors Mrs Bruce and Porter be reappointed as trustees for 2005 / 2006.

·  Barking and Ilford Charities

That Councillors Mrs Bradley and Mrs Flint be reappointed as trustees for 2005 / 2006.

·  King George V Silver Jubilee Trust Fund

That this continues to be administered by the Mayor and the Director of Social Services.

·  The Eva Tyne Trust Fund

That Councillors Mrs Bruce, Davis and Mrs Twomey be reappointed as trustees for a three year term from 2005 to 2008.  Councillor Jones also serves as an ex-officio member of the Trust.

·  The Brocklebank Lodge Trust Fund

That Councillors H Collins and Jones be reappointed as trustees for 2005 / 2006.

7. Member Representation on School governing Bodies

The Assembly is recommended to agree that representation be as set out in Appendix D.

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

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