Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Received a report setting out the Council’s expected position at July 2005 in meeting e-government targets set out by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) as ‘Priority Outcomes’.

Agreed, in order to meet e-government requirements, to:

1.  The submission of the Implementing E-Government (IEG) Statement (4.5) as appended to the report to the ODPM by 18 July 2005, subject to any necessary amendments agreed by the Director of Finance; and

2.  Note the current corporate position in achieving 100% of providing services electronically (BVPI 157) as being defined as 72% currently.

Received and noted a report on the Anglo German Medical Society Medical conference that took place on 30 July - 1 August 2004.  The report also included proposals for Council representation at this year’s event which takes place on 15 - 17 July 2005.

Agreed to appropriate Council officers’ attendance and involvement in the 2005 conference, with any costs to be met from existing estimates.

Received a report on the Council’s allocation of Planning Delivery Grant for 2005/06 from the ODPM.

Agreed, in order to assist in achieving the Community Priorities of “Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer”, “Raising General Pride in the Borough”, and “Regenerating the Local Economy”, to the spending of the 2005/06 Planning Delivery Grant as detailed in paragraph 5 of the report.

Received a report on proposals to enhance the public realm of the Borough via an ambitious programme of investment in service provision.  Noted that the proposals, which respond to residents’ priorities and Members’ aspirations, will assist in achieving a co-ordinated, cross-departmental approach to service improvements.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priorities of “Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer” and “Raising General Pride in the Borough”, to:

1.  Adopt the strategy for measures that will further clean up the Borough as detailed in the report;

2.  Approve net revenue budget one-off growth in 2005/06 of £518,000 to be funded from the projected 2004/05 underspend across the Council;

3.  Note the inclusion of an ongoing growth bid of £1,010,000 for 2006/07 onwards as part of the 2006/07 budget setting process;

4.  Note the potential of termination costs if ongoing funding is not identified;

5.  Approve, subject to the Capital Programme Management Office (CPMO) process and other necessary consents:-

a.  Capital expenditure of £1.5m in 2005/06; to be funded from £1m provision for the Accommodation Strategy project in 2005/06 and £0.5m from other projects to be identified by the Director of Regeneration and Environment and the Director of Finance;

b.  the replenishment of these virements from the potential Local Public Service Agreement Performance Reward Grant;

6.  Approve £200,000 additional spend on Cleaner, Greener, Safer proposals, subject to the necessary approval for a roll-forward from 2004/05;

7.  Approve, subject to the projects (up to £1.5m) achieving “Four Greens” through the CPMO process, the arrangements for the rapid implementation of these schemes via the Cleaner, Greener & Safer Board, as set out in paragraph 5.2.4 of the report;

8.  Appropriate reports being presented to the Resource Monitoring Group on progress on these Capital projects;

9.  Note that further co-ordinated actions will be brought forward for our consideration in due course on proposals for a long-term strategy of improvement in subsequent years;

10.Note that a detailed publicity campaign will be rolled out once the new proposals begin to take effect.  In this respect, it was agreed that the publicity should include reference to any issues of poor service provision and the steps taken to remedy the situation; and

11.Officers providing a written response to Councillor Mrs Twomey, copied to all Executive Members, on the specific issues raised at the meeting.

Further to Minute 133 (28 September 2004), received a report on the first phase development of master plans for the London Road / North Street and The Lintons / Station Quarter areas, which included options to extend beyond the initial regeneration areas.  Noted that the proposals accord with the recently agreed Barking Town Centre Housing Strategy (Minute 41, 21 June 2005) and also discussed the need for adequate car parking to serve The Broadway.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priority of “Regenerating the Local Economy”, to:

1.  Officers undertaking further work to develop the schemes on land outside the Council’s current ownership;

2.  Officers undertaking further public consultation with stakeholders, businesses and residents; and

3.  Note that developing proposals for the wider London Road site would encompass the Council owned asset of 9 to 29 London Road.

Further to Minute 226 (16 December 2003), received a report proposing a change to the level of the Council’s involvement in LIFTCo, the company established to deliver Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) projects in the area.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priority of “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care”, that the Council moves to Level 3 involvement in the LIFTCo Board but does not become a shareholder.

Appendix 4 – The Supporting People Strategy will be circulated to all Executive Members.  The Strategy will also be available in the Members’ Rooms, via the Internet and in public Libraries

Further to Minute 340 (15 March 2005), received a report on the Council’s Supporting People Five Year Strategy 2005 / 2010, which also included details of the progress achieved since the Audit Commission’s inspection of the Supporting People Programme.

Agreed, in order to meet statutory requirements and to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priority of “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care”, to:

1.  Approve the Council’s Supporting People Strategy 2005 / 2010 as attached at Appendix 4 to the report;

2.  An annual report being presented to the Executive on implementation of the Strategy; and

3.  Note progress made in delivery of the Supporting People Programme.

Received a report on a proposed Sustainable Energy Strategy for the Borough, which also included details of the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) proposal to nominate Barking Town Centre as one of only five ‘Energy Action Areas’ in London.

Agreed to:

1.  Consider the proposed Strategy and Implementation Plan at our meeting on 12 July 2005; and

2.  Endorse Barking Town Centre as an ‘Energy Action Area’ to be taken forward in partnership with the GLA.

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

The Chair placed on record the Council’s thanks and best wishes to Julia Ross who is retiring from the Council on 30 June 2005 after seven years service.

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