Agenda and minutes

Agreed.

Received a report concerning the Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Expression of Interest (EOI).  PFI option is a major initiative aimed at making 20 high rise blocks decent by 2010 and beyond.  The PFI initiative will allocate resources that can be used to meet the criteria.

The report sought approval for officers to submit an Expression of Interest for the PFI proposal, which comprises 20 tower blocks and 1435 dwellings as detailed the report. 

Agreed, in order to help deliver the Government’s Decent Homes standard by 2010, to:

1.  The approach set out in the report detailing the Council’s response to Decent Homes Standards, the outcome of which would be announced by June 2006;

2.  Delegate to the Director of Housing and Health, in consultation with the Chief Executive and the Monitoring Officer, authority to finalise the EOI within the parameters detailed in the report and submit the EOI to the ODPM by 31 March 2006;

3.  The broad framework for “The Expression of Interest for making 20 high rise blocks decent” due to be submitted to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister by 31 March 2006;

4.  Note that ward specific proposals will be subject to discussion with ward members prior to submission to Community Housing Partnership meetings, and

5.  Ward members being appointed to the PFI Project Board.

This item was withdrawn.

Noted the attendance of the Head of Information Management and the Technology Services Manager at the Society of Information Management and Technology Annual Conference 2005 and the benefits to the Council of their attendance.

Received a report providing an overview of the Planning and Performance Management Framework and the impact on Performance Monitoring, together with an update on the 3rd Quarter performance data and end of year projections for 2005/06.

It was noted that the Executive had always considered cost and performance. The remodelled charts now incorporated an explicit link between value for money and performance.

Agreed, in order to ensure that the Council’s performance continues to improve in order for Barking and Dagenham to become a ‘Good’ Council by 2006 and ‘Excellent’ by 2008, a number of further actions that needed to be taken.

Received a report detailing the proposed charges for the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Service, Leisure Activities, Cemeteries and Community Halls for the 2006-07 financial year, and outlining the rationale as to how the proposed charges have been arrived at.

Agreed, in order to set the fees and charges for the Authority’s leisure activities, park sports, cemeteries and other cultural services for the forthcoming year 2006-07 in accordance with the principles of the Charging Policy Commission, and to assist the Council in meeting its Community Priority of “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care” and “Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community”, to:

1.  Approve the Authority’s Cultural Services fees and charges for the financial year 2006-07 as detailed in the report, and

2.  Approve free parking for blue badge holders at the Dagenham Town Show.

Received a report concerning a proposal to designate 3 further sites in the Borough as Local Nature Reserves.

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.  Approve the declaration of Dagenham Parish Churchyard at St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Ripple Nature Reserve, and Scrattons Ecopark & Extension, as Local Nature Reserves (LNR’s); and

2.  Authorise Officers to issue the necessary Notices and enter into the legal arrangements to enable the Declarations to take place.

Received a report updating Members on progress regarding the London-Wide arrangement for a Local Authority Home Computer Initiative (HCI), and seeking approval to enter into a contract to enable the introduction of an HCI scheme.

Agreed, in order to help staff in the introduction of IT skills or to improve their skills.and to assist the Council in its Community Leadership role, to:

1.  Waive the tender process in accordance with paragraph 4.1 (e) of Part D of the Council’s constitution to enable the single provider;

2.  The Council signing a Memorandum of Understanding with London Connects limiting the Council to a single HCI provider for one year; and

3.  Enter into a contract with the Bull Consortium for providing and implementing an HCI scheme in Barking and Dagenham.

Received a report providing an update on the Council’s revenue and capital position from the beginning of April to the end of December 2005.

Agreed, that as a matter of good financial practise, to:

1.  Note the current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget;

2.  Note that the Regeneration and Environment Management Board is continuously reviewing their budgets to ensure a balanced position by the year end and that the Department of Regeneration and Environment is continuing to address the position through a detailed action plan;

3.  Note the position and projected out-turn for the Housing Revenue Account;

4.  The reprofiling of capital programme schemes as identified in Appendix D of the report; and

5.  Note the prudential indicators for the 3^rd quarter 2005/06.

Received a report setting out the Treasury Management Annual Investment Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators and Annual Investment Strategy in respect of the Council’s Treasury Management functions.

Agreed to recommend that the Assembly agrees;

1.  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2006/07;

2.  The authorised borrowing limit of £20 million for 2006/07, which will be the statutory limit determined under section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 2003;

3  The Annual Investment Strategy for 2006/07, which states the investments that the Council may use for the prudent management of its investment balances; and

4.  The Treasury Management Prudential Indicators for 2006/07

Received a report setting out the current position with regards to the Capital Programme and proposals for allocating resources for 2006/2007 to 2009/2010, prior to submission to the Assembly on 1 March 2006.

Agreed to:

1.   Note the position of the 2005/06 capital programme as set out in paragraph 5.2 and Appendix A of the report;

2.  Note the existing approved capital programme for 2006/07 to 2009/10 as set out in paragraph 6.1 and Appendix B of the report;

3.  Recommend the Assembly to approve a programme of six new schemes for 2006/07 to 2009/10 totalling £7.5m to be met from a mixture of both internal and external funding as set out in paragraph 6.4 and Appendix C of the report;

4.  Recommend the Assembly to approve the inclusion/addition of 26 schemes for 2006/07 to 2009/10 totalling £30.7m to be met from a mixture of both internal and external funding set out in paragraph 6.5 and Appendix D of the report. These schemes will be subject to a review by CPMO and the Resource Monitoring Panel through a detailed business case to support the need for investment, and then brought to the Executive for approval prior to being included in the programme;

5.  Recommend the Assembly to approve the overall Council’s capital programme for 2006/07 to 2009/10 as a result of recommendations 2 and 3 and as set out in Appendix E of the report;

6.  Note the forecasted capital receipt position for 2005/06 to 2008/09 as set out in section 7 of the report;

7.  Note the current capital arrangements and prudential capital guidelines as set out in section 3 of the report;

8.  Recommend the Assembly to approve the Prudential Indicators for the Authority as set out in Appendix F of the report; and

9.  Recommend the Assembly to approve the Capital Strategy as set out in Appendix G of the report.

Received a report, in accordance with the Council’s Constitution, seeking approval for the Revenue Budget and setting of Council Tax, prior to submission to the Assembly for its consideration.

Agreed, to recommend the Assembly to agree:

1.  The budget, as set out at Appendices A to H of the report;

2.  A Council Tax increase of 5.67% (split London Borough of Barking and Dagenham 3.49% and the Greater London Authority precept including the Olympic and Paralympic games levy of 13.35%), as set out at Appendix I of the report;

3.  The three year planning figures arising from this budget proposal indicated at Annex D of the report within the Medium Term Financial Strategy;

4.  The Medium Term Financial Strategy to assist the Council in future decision making on the budget and that it is continued to be reviewed on an annual basis;

5.  The position on reserves as set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report;

6.  To note the continuing need to identify relevant efficiency gains throughout the organisation of up to £12.3m over a 3 year period to meet the required Government targets and produce an Annual Efficiency Statement (paragraph 8 of the report); and

7.  Delegate to the Chief Executive the responsibility to allocate initial savings targets across all services for the 2007/08 budget process to commence in April 2006.