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.  Members are reminded that the provisions of paragraph 12.3 of Article 1, Part B in relation to Council Tax arrears apply to the “Calculation and Setting of the Council Tax Base 2009/10” report (item 13).

None declared.

Agreed.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services which reviews past joint working arrangements with the Primary Care Trust (PCT), considers the current need for closer integration and proposes a way forward.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of “Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer”, to:

(i)  Develop a health and wellbeing strategy jointly with NHS Barking and Dagenham;

(ii)  Develop for the borough a shared vision for integration with NHS Barking and Dagenham;

(iii)  Establish a top level steering group comprised of the Leader, Lead Members for Adults, Children’s Services and Resources. In addition the steering group will include Non-Executive Directors and their senior officers to oversee and shape the development of the strategy and vision;

(iv)  In principle, establish a joint Programme Director post to take the agenda forward.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources providing an update on the Council’s revenue and capital position for the period April to October of the 2008/09 financial year.

The position for revenue expenditure indicates that current budget pressures exist across three departments amounting to £3.6million which are offset by projected underspends in two other departments. Overall this reflects a £900k reduction from the position reported in September. 

However the largest pressure continues to remain within the Children’s Services department where significant budget pressures continue to arise from Looked after Children Placements and in meeting the Councils’ Leaving Care responsibilities. In order to achieve a balanced budget by the year end, all departments are now addressing both their own pressures and the approved action plan agreed by Minute 68 2008/09.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities and as a matter of good financial practice, to:

(i)  note the current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget as at 31 October 2008;

(ii)  the virements and budget transfers identified in the report ;

(iii)  note the position and projected out-turn for the Housing Revenue account; and

(iv)  note that where pressures and targets exist, Directors are required to identify and implement the necessary action plans to alleviate these budget pressures to ensure that the necessary balanced budget for the Council is achieved by year end.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services concerning the retendering of the housing related support services contract which is due to expire on 31 March 2009.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care” and “ Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer”, to

(i)  The procurement strategy of the current model of domestic violence related support services for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further period of up to two years dependent upon availability of funding and satisfactory performance, on the terms detailed in the report;

(ii)  The decision on the award of the contract being made by the Executive.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Regeneration concerning re-tendering of the contract for cleaning and janitorial supplies which expires on 31 May 2009. The proposals are for a consortium arrangement led by Barking and Dagenham, let on behalf of the London Contracts and Supplies Group (LCSG), and for a four year term contract with no option to extend.

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

(i)  grant authority to seek tenders for a new framework agreement for the supply of cleaning and janitorial supplies over a four year term as outlined in the report; and

(ii)  the decision on the award of the contract being made by the Executive.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Regeneration concerning proposals for the production of a masterplan for the Marks Gate Regeneration Scheme. The masterplan will involve significant levels of public consultation and aims to pull all the social, economic and environmental threads together maximising the regeneration opportunities from new housing. 

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of “Regenerating the Local Economy”, “Raising General Pride in the Borough”, “Better Education and Learning for All” and “Improving Health, Housing and Social Care”, to authorise the Director of Regeneration to carry out a tendering procedure for a consultancy team to produce the Marks Gate masterplan, subject to funds being secured from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services concerning procurement for the management and operation of Castle Green Children’s Centre.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of “Better Education and Learning for All” and “ Promoting Equal Opportunities and Celebrating Diversity”, to:

(i)  approve the procurement strategy outlined in the report for the award of a contract to manage and operate Castle Green Children’s Centre for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further two years, dependent upon satisfactory performance; and

(ii)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Lead Member for Children’s Services and on the advice of Legal Services, to award the contract following the agreed procurement process.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services concerning procurement of Wellgate Children’s Centre Day Nursery.

Agreed in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of “Better Education and Learning for All” and “ Promoting Equal Opportunities and Celebrating Diversity” to

(i)  approve the appointment of a provider of nursery services for the Wellgate Children’s Centre Day Nursery following a competitive procurement exercise on the terms detailed in this report.  Such a contract will be for a period of three years, with an option to extend for a further one year dependent upon satisfactory performance; and

(ii)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Children’s Services, in consultation with the Lead Member for Children’s Services and on the advice of Legal Services, to award the contract following the agreed procurement process.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services concerning a one year extension of the contract period for Bailiff Services to March 2010.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities, to the continuation of the current arrangements for the provision of Bailiff Services up to 31 March 2010 as detailed in the report.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services on proposals for supporting local voluntary and community sector organisations in 2009 / 2010 through grants and commissions.  Also noted details of an additional recommendation to the report in relation to the creation of a Black and Minority Ethnic Groups Forum.

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

(i)  The programme of voluntary sector grants and commissions set out in the report;

(ii)  That grants being paid to four organisations as set out in the report be extended by four months; and

(iii)  Delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services, in consultation with the Lead Member for Safer Neighbourhoods and Communities, to re-tender and award the commission for the creation of a Black and Minority Ethnic Groups Forum as originally agreed in December 2007.

Received a report from the Corporate Directors of Customer Services and Resources setting out the calculation of the Council Tax Base for 2009/10 and providing information on powers available to the Council to reduce discounts for second homes and long term empty properties, and to award locally determined discounts. 

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

(i)  in accordance with the Local Authorities (Calculation of Tax Base) Regulations 1992, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council as its Tax Base for the year 2009/10 shall be 51,527.5 Band ‘D’ properties;

(ii)  the discount for short and long term empty properties and second homes continues to be set at 10%;

(iii)  no locally determined discounts based on categories of property or occupier be awarded for 2009/10 onwards; and

(iv)  the award of reductions for prompt payment be reconsidered for possible implementation for 2010/11.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Regeneration regarding the Local Authorities (England) (Charges for Property Searches) Regulations 2008 which require all local authorities to set the level of fees which they levy for personal searches on a cost recovery basis and to enact the regulations within 7 days of being passed into law.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities, to delegate authority to set all applicable fees for Land Charges activities to the Corporate Director of Regeneration in consultation with the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance.

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).

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Regeneration concerning the establishment of a Prospect Centre in Barking and Dagenham.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council achieve its Community Priorities of “Regenerating the Local Economy” and “Better Education and Learning For All”, to:

(i)  Grant funding of £750,000 as the Council’s contribution to the costs of setting up a Prospect Centre, subject to the conclusion of a satisfactory grant agreement; and

(ii)  delegate approval of the grant agreement to the Corporate Director of Regeneration and the Divisional Director of Legal Services.

(*The Chair agreed that these items could be considered as a matter of urgency under the provisions of Section 100B(4)(b) of the Local Government Act 1972.)