Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

Agreed.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Regeneration on the Joint Waste Development Plan Document being developed by the four East London Waste Authority (ELWA) boroughs (Newham, Havering, Redbridge and Barking and Dagenham), which will assist the  Borough in meeting its own sustainable waste management as set out in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Waste Strategy.

Noted that, of the six preferred locations identified for the additional future management facilities, one is situated within the Borough at Dagenham Dock.  No additional facilities were planned for recycling at the current time as the existing amenities were considered adequate.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council in achieving its Community Priority ‘Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer’; contribute to the outcome of ‘improved environmental sustainability, especially in relation to energy efficient design, waste management and emissions’;  and exceed the key target of recycling 25% of all waste, to:

(i)  Approve the Joint Waste Development Plan Document Preferred Options Report for consultation as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;  and

(ii)  Authorise the Corporate Director of Regeneration to make any appropriate and necessary non-material changes to the document prior to consultation.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 1.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources in relation to the revenue budget, setting of the Council Tax for 2008/09, and the Council’s three-year financial strategy.

Agreed, to recommend the Assembly to approve:

(i)  The revenue budget for 2008/09, as set out at Appendices A to G to the report;

(ii)  A Council Tax increase of 3.75% (split London Borough of Barking and Dagenham 4.31% and the Greater London Authority precept of 1.96% including the Olympic and Paralympic games levy), following the final levy announcement for the GLA;

(iii)  The three year financial planning figures arising from this budget proposal indicated at Annex 5 within the Medium Term Financial Strategy;

(iv)  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;

(v)  The position on reserves as set out in the report;

(vi)  To note the continuing need to identify relevant efficiency gains throughout the organisation over a three-year period to meet the required Government targets;  and

(vii)  Delegate to the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance the responsibility to allocate initial savings targets across all services for the 2009/2010 budget process to commence in April 2008.

The Leader and Corporate Director of Resources placed on record their appreciation to the Divisional Director of Finance and his staff for their hard work in presenting the financial report.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 2.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources recommending the appropriate level of fees and charges for 2008/09 for those traditional services where the Council has an obligation to set fee levels.

In addition to those traditional income services, the Council also has the power under the Local Government Act 2003 to charge for other discretionary services that it may already or may wish to provide for in the future. 

By Minute 108 (22 January 2008), it was agreed that the overall inflation uplift for 2008/09 for fees and charges should be at least 2.5% and applied to all 2008/09 income base budgets, which had been reflected in the 2008/09 budget strategy, base budget position  and savings proposals.

Agreed, as a matter of good financial practice, to the fees and charges for 2008/09 as set out in Appendix A to the report, to be effective from 1 April 2008.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 2.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources setting out the current position with regard to the Capital Programme and proposals for allocating resources for the financial years 2008/09 to 2011/12.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities, to:

(i)  Recommend the Assembly to approve 12 new bids for 2008/09 totalling £247m to be met from £53m borrowing, an expected £186m external funding and £7m from land sales, as detailed in Appendix C of the report.  These bids will be subject to Enterprise Programme Office (EPO) appraisal and receipt of external funding;

(ii)  Recommend the Assembly to approve the Prudential Indicators for the Authority as set out in Appendix E to the report;

(iii)  Recommend the Assembly to approve the Capital Strategy as set out in Appendix F to the report;

(iv)  Note the position of the 2007/08 Capital Programme as detailed in Appendix A to the report;

(v)  Note the existing approved capital programme for 2008/09 to 2011/12 as detailed in Appendix B of the report;

(vi)  Note the position of the overall Council’s capital programme for 2008/09 to 2011/12 as a result of recommendation 3 and as detailed in Appendix D to the report;

(vii)  Note the forecasted capital receipt position for 2008/09 to 2011/12 as detailed in the report; and

(viii)  Note the current capital arrangements and prudential capital guidelines as detailed in the report.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 2.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources setting out the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, Investment Strategy and Borrowing Strategy 2008/09, in compliance with section 15(a) of the Local Government Act 2003.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities, to recommend that the Assembly approve:

(i)  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2008/09;

(ii)  The Borrowing Strategy for 2008/09 as detailed in the report;

(iii)  The authorised borrowing limit of £150 million for 2008/09, which will be the statutory limit determined under section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 2003;

(iv)  The Annual Investment Strategy for 2008/09, which states the investments that the Council may use for the prudent management of its investment balances;  and

(v)  The Treasury Management Prudential Indicators for 2008/09 as detailed in Appendix A to the report.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 2.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources providing an update on the Council’s revenue and capital position for 2007/08 as at the end of December 2007.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities, to:

(i)  Note the current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget as at 31 December 2007, as detailed in Appendices A and C to the report;

(ii)  Note the position and projected out-turn for the Housing Revenue Account, as detailed in Appendix B to the report;

(iii)  Note the action plans being undertaken to alleviate the budget pressures to ensure that the necessary balanced budget for the Council is achieved by the end of the financial year;

(iv)  Agree the re-profiling of individual capital schemes, as detailed in Appendix D to the report;

(v)  Note the Prudential Indicators for April to December 2007, as detailed in Appendix E to the report; and

(vi)  Note the financial Health indicators as detailed in Appendix F to the report.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 2.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services on debts written off for Quarter 3 of 2007/08 in relation to monies collectable by the Council’s Income and Collection and Rents and Benefits sections.  The report also set out proposals relating to the publication of certain details of individuals whose debts have been written off.

Agreed, as a matter of good financial practice and debt management reporting, to:

(i)  Note the report, in particular the list of debts written off for 2007/08 to date and the list containing the top ten debtors along with their individual details;  and

(ii)  In accordance with Minute 69 (6 November 2007) to publicise individual details  of certain debtors in appropriate circumstances.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) estimates and review of rents and other charges for 2008/09 with particular focus on delivering a balanced Housing budget for 2008/09 and the impact on tenants through the Government’s Rent Restructuring framework.

It was reported that a delegation on behalf of the Council and tenants, led by Councillor Liam Smith, Portfolio holder for Housing, handed in a petition at Number Ten Downing Street, following the Council’s ‘Tax on Tenants’ campaign to change funding rules for the benefit of tenants.

Discussed issues relating to the steep rise in charges for the provision of centralised heating, which arose because of the unforeseen rise in energy expenditure in recent years and the need to investigate innovative ways of supplying energy at lower cost.  Arising from these discussions it was confirmed that the rise in charges will be publicised and additional Housing Benefit Officer support will be available to tenants prior to the implementation of charges.

Further noted that Customer Service and Regeneration Departments are working together to explore innovative ways to supply energy at reduced rates.

Agreed, in order to meet the Council’s statutory duty to annually review rents and other charges, to ensure rent levels conform with the Government’s rent restructuring proposals, to produce a balanced Housing Revenue Account and assist in achieving the Community Priority of ‘Improving Health, Housing and Social Care’, to:

(i)  The HRA estimates for 2008-09 as set out in Appendix A to the report;

(ii)  Rent increases being calculated in accordance with the rent restructuring formula as detailed in the report, which represents an average weekly rent increase of £4.32 per dwelling (6.2%);

(iii)  The implementation of Phase Three of the depooling of rents in respect of the caretaking service and upkeep of amenity greens, television aerials and security;

(iv)  The Increase the communal heating charges by 32.3%;

(v)  The increasing garage rents for traditional garages by 10%;  and

(vi)  The above changes taking effect from 7 April 2008.

Agreed to exclude the public and press for the remainder of the meeting by reason of the nature of the business to be discussed which included information exempt from publication by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

Concerns a contractual matter (paragraph 3)

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, setting out proposals to outsource childcare services to ensure that the childcare provision is financially viable and sustainable.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Improving Health, Housing and Social Care’ and ‘Better Education and Learning for All’, to:

(i)  The implementation of Option 3 for the future delivery of full day childcare services, which will involve the commissioning of an external provider to run three of the existing Council-run nurseries;

(ii)  A one-off subsidy of £100,000 per nursery (ie up to £300,000 in total to support 3 nurseries) in the first year of operation by the external contractor(s), to be funded from the existing Sure Start grant; and

(iii)  The full funding and Human Resources (HR) implications of Transfer of Undertakings Regulations (TUPE) and potential redeployment of staff be fully addressed and agreed with relevant officers before entering into any formal agreement.