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 paragraphs 12.3 and 12.4 of Article 1, Part B in relation to Council Tax arrears and Council house rent arrears respectively apply to the agenda items 7 to 10.

Councillor Graham Bramley declared a prejudicial interest as a shareholder of Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club (agenda item 11). Councillor Bramley left the room while this item was discussed not taking part in the decision relating to this item.

Agreed.

Received and noted a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services of the value and type of debts written off from the Income, Collection, Rents and Benefits Service areas as uncollectible for quarter 3 of the 2008/09 financial year (October to December 2008).

Further noted that a number of these debts will be publicised in accordance with the policy agreed by Minute 69 2007/08.

Arising from the discussions, asked that support for businesses facing difficulties as a result of National Non Domestic Rate charge increases be reviewed as part  of the Council’s Recession Task Force remit.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources setting out the Treasury Management Annual Investment Strategy Statement, Prudential Indicators, Annual Investment Strategy and Borrowing Strategy, 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 and as a matter of good financial practice, to recommend the Assembly to approve:

  (i)  The Treasury Management Strategy Statement for 2009/10;

  (ii)  The authorised borrowing limit of £200 million for 2009/10, which will be the statutory limit determined under section 3(1) of the Local Government Act 2003;

  (iii)  The Borrowing Strategy for 2009/10;

  (iv)  The Minimum Revenue Policy Statement for 2009/10 which sets out the Council’s policy on repayment of debt;

  (v)  The Annual Investment Strategy for 2009/10, which outlines the investments that the Council may use for the prudent management of its investment balances. It also includes details of benchmarks set for external managers which will be updated for the Assembly meeting. The power is delegated to the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance to change these benchmarks as required;

  (vi)  The Treasury Management Prudential Indicators for 2009/10;

  (vii)  The Treasury Management Principles for 2009/10, and

  (viii)  Change the counterparty limits from 30% to 20%. (Relating to the Investment Strategy).

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 December of the 2008/09 financial year.

The position for revenue expenditure indicates that current budget pressures exist across two departments amounting to £2.5million which are offset by projected under spends in two other departments. Overall this reflects a £400k reduction from the position reported in November. 

Arising from the discussions, asked that a list should be produced indicating the Capital Projects and improvements resulting from the expenditure of £90 million.

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 December 2008;

  (ii)  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.

  (iii)  The necessary budget adjustments from the contingency budget as set out in the report.

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

  (v)  note the prudential indicators for April to December 2008 and

  (vi)  note the third quarter financial health indicators.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources recommending the appropriate level of fees and charges for 2009/10 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.  In keeping with most other Local Authorities, the Council has not taken any significant advantage of these new powers.

At the Executive meeting held on 20 January 2009 (Minute 120), it was agreed that the overall inflation uplift for 2009/10 for fees and charges should be at least 3% and applied to all 2009/10 income base budgets, which had been reflected in the 2009/10 budget strategy, base budget position and savings proposals.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities and as a matter of good financial practice, to the fees and charges for 2009/10 as set out in the report, to be effective from 1 April 2009.

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 1.

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 2009/10 along with planned reductions in expenditure to achieve a prudent working balance.

Agreed, in order to meet the Council’s statutory duty to annually review rents and other charges and assist in achieving the Community Priority of ‘Improving Health, Housing and Social Care’, to:

  (i)  The HRA estimates for 2009/2010, as set out in the report;

  (ii)  Rent increases, calculated in accordance with the Governments rent restructuring policy, which represents an average weekly rent increase of 6.78% or £5.19;

  (iii)  The completion of the phased de-pooling of tenant service charges in respect of caretaking, grounds maintenance, cleansing, television aerials and security, in order to minimise the Council’s liability for Rent Rebate Subsidy limitation;

  (iv)  Increasing the communal heating charges by 10.00%;

  (v)  Increasing rents for garages by 6.78%;

  (vi)  Prudential borrowing of £500,000 per annum to fund capital programme works; and

  (vii)  the above changes taking effect from 6 April 2009. 

This report has been circulated separately as Supplementary Agenda 1.

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 2009/10 to 2012/13.

Noted that the name ‘River Gate’ Primary School referred to in Appendices

C(i) and D should be removed from the report, the official name to be decided on after consultation with stakeholders. 

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities via a prudent and affordable Capital Programme, to:

  (i)  Recommend the Assembly to approve:

a)  the overall Council’s capital programme for 2009/10 to 2012/13 as a result of recommendation (d) and as set out in Appendix D of the report;

b)  the Prudential Indicators for the Authority as set out in Appendix E of the report;

c)  the Capital Strategy as set out in Appendix F of the report; and

d)  agree that the new bids as detailed in Appendix C and C (i) of the report be added to the programme, totalling £87m in value. They require borrowing of £17m to be undertaken with the balance to be met from external funding of £70m. Should the external funding not materialise, these schemes will not be able to progress, as the Council’s available revenue budget for borrowing has already been allocated;

  (ii)  Note the position of the 2008/09 Capital Programme as set out in paragraph 5.2 and Appendix A of the report;

  (iii)  Note the existing approved capital programme for 2009/10 to 2012/13 as set out in paragraph 6.1 and Appendix B of the report;

  (iv)  Note the forecasted capital receipt position for 2009/10 to 2012/13 as set out in section 7, which is significantly reduced as a result of the economic downturn;

  (v)  Note the current capital arrangements and prudential capital guidelines as set out in section 3 of the report.

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 Council Tax for 2009/10 and the Council’s three-year financial strategy.

Noted that social inclusion and diversity issues were considered during the preparation of the budget proposals and, as a consequence, the budget takes into account the impact that any savings packages put forward would have on the vulnerable and disadvantage groups of the community.

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

  (i)  Recommend the Assembly to approve:

(a)  The revenue budget for 2009/10, as set out at Appendices A to G of the report;

(b)  A Council Tax freeze for 2009/10 as set out at Appendix H, subject to the final precept announcement for the Greater London Authority;

(c)  The three year financial planning figures arising from this budget proposal indicated at Appendix I of the report;

(d)  The indicative savings proposals for 2010/11 and 2011/12 indicated at Appendix J of the report;

(e)  The position on reserves as set out in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

  (ii)  Note the continuing need to identify relevant efficiency gains throughout the organisation over a three year period to meet required Government targets;

  (iii)  Note that the Council’s three-year Medium Term Financial Strategy will now be combined into the Council Plan, which will be presented to the Executive in March 2009; and

  (iv)  Delegate authority to the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance to allocate initial savings targets across all services for the 2010/2011 budget process to commence in April 2009.

Thanked the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance and his staff for their work on the budget.

Received a report from the Corporate Directors of Resources and Adult and Community Services in respect of proposals to contribute to the funding for the development of the stadium at Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club in order for the Club to comply with Football League regulations.  Noted that as part of the arrangement the Club will support a package of additional facilities and activities aimed at the local community. 

Agreed, in order to support the community benefit to the Borough, to recommend the Assembly to include the sum of £450,000 in the Council’s Capital Programme for 2009/10 in order for a capital grant of £250,000 and a loan of £200,000 to be made to Dagenham and Redbridge Football Club as a contribution towards the projected £1.36m cost of the stadium development project.

(Prior to consideration of this report there was brief adjournment of the meeting).

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

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning the outcome of the Scrutiny Management Board’s (SMB) Call-In of the Executive decision of 20 January 2009 relating to the roll out of the wheelie bin system borough wide.

SMB asked the Executive to consider deferring the implementation of the scheme in order to give all Members of their respective parties the opportunity to receive a presentation, thus allowing them to ask questions on how the roll out of the scheme will affect constituents before a final decision is made.

Agreed in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community’ that a

  (i)  presentation be made to all Members at the Pre Assembly  meeting on 25 February 2009, and a

  (ii)  special meeting of the Executive be convened immediately after the Assembly meeting to consider the wheelie bins issue and make a final decision.

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 Customer Services concerning proposals to implement the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System.

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

  (i)  that the existing Northgate CRM be replaced with a new CRM system:

  (ii)  to proceed with the selection of a Microsoft CRM implementation partner to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM and associated interfaces;

  (iii)  to procure support for the CRM implementation and One B&D programme to maximise the transformational benefits of CRM and associated systems needed for the delivery of the One B&D vision and value for money;

  (iv)  that the Lead Member for Customer Services be involved in the procurement process and in the CRM implementation.