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.

Councillor Liam Smith declared a personal interest in respect of ‘The Proposed Disposal of Land Adjacent to 51 Pasture Road’, (agenda item 15) as he is a friend of the owner of 51 Pasture Road.

Councillor Evelyn Carpenter declared a personal interest in respect of ‘The Establishment of a Skills Centre in Barking Town Centre’ (agenda item 9) she is a member of the Board of Barking College. 

In respect of the minutes of 17 February 2009, the Executive is asked to agree these subject to the following amendment (shown in bold) in relation to the Fees and Charges 2009/10 report (Minute 129):

“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 subject to the correction of the typographical error in line 414 of the schedule at Appendix A which should be £1.65 (and not £4.65), to be effective from 1 April 2009.”

Agreed, subject to the correction of Minute 129 (17 February 2009) (Fees and Charges 2009/10) to amend the typographical error in line 414 of the schedule at Appendix A to the report to £1.65 (and not £4.65).

Received a report from the Chief Executive concerning the requirement from December 2009 for the Council to report on its performance against the Building for Life Standard which is a national standard for well-designed homes and neighbourhoods.

Each completed housing development containing ten or more units will be assessed against four main categories which consist of environment and community, character, streets parking and pedestrianisation, design and construction. The aim is to help drive improvement in the design and layout of new housing schemes.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community, ‘Improving Health, Housing and Social Care’ and ‘Making Barking and Dagenham Cleaner, Greener and Safer’ to endorse the Building for Life Standard as a means of systematically assessing the quality of and drive improvements in the design and layout of new housing schemes.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources setting out the principles and proposals for the Calendar of Meetings for the forthcoming Municipal Year 2009/10.

Arising from the discussions, asked that officers amend the basis of the draft Calendar with a view to re-scheduling Executive meetings fortnightly and Community Housing Partnership meetings quarterly and reporting back to us at a future date.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources regarding details of an urgent action decision taken by the Chief Executive (paragraph 17, Article 1, Part B of the Constitution) which involved the entering into of a 25 year lease with the Barking and Dagenham Council for Voluntary Service in respect of Ripple Hall in order to facilitate the renovation of the building and the creation of a voluntary sector resource centre.

Agreed, in order to comply with the requirements of the Constitution to note the action taken by the Chief Executive under the urgency procedures contained within paragraph 17 of Article 1, Part B of the Council’s Constitution in respect of the following:

  (i)  The entering into of a 25 year lease with the Barking and Dagenham Council for Voluntary Service in respect of the building known as Ripple Hall, in order to facilitate the renovation of the building and the creation of a voluntary sector resource centre;

  (ii)  The entering into of an agreement for a lease for the said building; and

  (iii)  The entering into of a Tripartite Deed of Dedication with the Big Lottery Fund and Barking and Dagenham CVS concerning the said building.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning a review of Scrutiny arrangements.

Agreed in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community’ to recommend option 2 – (Standing Panels based on a Select Committee Model as detailed in appendix 1 of the report) to the Assembly for adoption.

Received a report from the General Practitioner (GP) Services Scrutiny Panel which included a review of the progress made in implementing the recommendations arising from the 2004 scrutiny review of GP services provision.

The Panel considered evidence, reports and presentations from a number of health professionals, reviewed best practice nationally and in other local Primary Care Trusts and considered the impact of the ‘Healthcare for London’ plan on local GP services.

Arising from the discussions, asked that the Primary Care Trust explain why a different quality of service is provided to patients based on where they reside in the borough.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council achieve its Community Priority of ‘Improving Health Housing and Social Care’, to recommend the report to the Assembly for adoption.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services concerning proposals to establish a Skills Centre in Barking Town Centre.

Agreed in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Better Education and Learning For All’ to

  (i)  The proposed location on the London Road/North Street site as part of the first phase of that development;

  (ii)  The Partnership arrangements with Barking College as the main delivery partner in the project;

  (iii)  The proposed funding arrangements for the capital element of the Centre, subject to a further report to the Executive if the bid applications are unsuccessful;

  (iv)  Authorise the Corporate Director of Resources, on the advice of the Legal Partner, to conclude the legal agreements with the relevant parties that are required to establish the Skills Centre; and

  (v)  authorise the Corporate Director of Resources to implement such governance arrangements as are appropriate to establish the Skills Centre.

Following the decision agreed by Minute 138 2008/09 to adopt the wheelie bin scheme throughout the borough, received a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services detailing the procurement options available to supply wheelie bins to the Council.

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

  (i)  to the procurement of wheelie bins via a public body consortium framework; and

  (ii)  that the final decision to award the supply contract is delegated to the Corporate Director of Customer Services together with the Divisional Director of Corporate Finance and on the advice of the Legal Partner.

Members are reminded that the provisions of paragraph 12.4 of Article 1, Part B in relation to Council house rent arrears apply to this item.

Following recent announcements from the Housing Minister regarding reduction in the subsidy payable by Councils to Central Government, received a report from the Corporate Directors of Customer Services and Resources proposing a way forward.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Developing Rights and Responsibilities with the Local Community’ to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Customer Services, in consultation with the Corporate Director of Resources and the Lead Members for Housing and Resources, to implement the Housing Minister’s proposal to reduce Council tenants’ rents for 2009/10.

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 Resources setting out the various options available to the Council to manage risks and potentially increase value for money in the procurement of energy.

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

  (i)  appointment of LASER to continue as the Council’s agent for the purchase of its energy supplies;

  (ii)  adoption of a “fully flexible purchasing with variable price” for all of its gas and electricity energy requirements for the next four years (option 3 in paragraph 3.1), subject to officers agreeing a risk management strategy and service level agreement with the Professional Buying Organisation; and

  (iii)  delegation of authority to LASER to make day to day energy buying decisions on the Council’s behalf in line with the agreed risk management strategy referred to above.

Concerns land disposal matters (paragraph 3)

Following an initial decision to dispose of the site of former Jo Richardson School, and recent subsequent demographic changes in the borough,  received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources requesting a review of the decision and proposing to build a 3 Form Primary School on the site.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Better Education and Learning For All’ and ‘Regenerating the Local Economy’ to the removal of site of the former Jo Richardson School, Cannington Road from the Council’s disposal programme and for it to be re-allocated to Children’s Services for the provision of a new Primary School.

Concerns land disposal matters (paragraph 3)

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning proposals to dispose of the freehold interest in the land adjacent to 51 Pasture Road Dagenham.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Regenerating the Local Economy’ to authorise:

  (i)  accepting surrender of part of the plot from EDF Energy and a sale of this land to the owner(s) of 51 Pasture Road at £11,890 which represents the open market value following formal valuation obtained; and

  (ii)  the Corporate Director of Resources on the advice of the Legal Partner to approve the terms once they have been finalised between all parties.

Concerns a labour relations matter (paragraph 4)

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning proposed changes to the Car User Allowance Scheme approved by Minute 123 2008/09.

Agreed, in order to progress the revised scheme to

  (i)  The terms of the proposed collective agreement with the recognised trade unions as set out in Appendix 1of the report and incorporating the following changes;

a)  All posts that are not eligible to receive an essential use car allowance will be entitled to claim the casual user rate;

b)  The provision to withdraw the lump sum element of the essential user car allowance from staff who are absent from work due to maternity leave or long term  sickness has been removed;

c)  Once the new scheme is in place, the amount of notice to be given to an employee that their essential user car allowance is being withdrawn is changed from “1 month” to “1 month or one week for every completed year of service up to a maximum of 12 weeks, whichever is the greater”;

d)  The cycle allowance has been changed from 20.5p to 20p, which is the Inland Revenue tax threshold; and

  (ii)  Authorise the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Executive portfolio holder for Human Resources, to agree any further changes to the Car User Allowance Scheme as part of a collective agreement with the recognised trade unions.

Concerns a contractual matter (paragraph 3)

Received a report from the Corporate Directors of Resources and Children’s Services requesting additional funds to place a contract with Borras Construction Limited to provide and fit out a job shop at Dagenham Heathway.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Regenerating the Local Economy’ and ‘Raising General Pride in the Borough’:

(i)  That officers should explore further options in respect of the Job Shop, including the relevant costs and overall funding availability prior to the entering into of any contracts; and

(ii)  Subject to (i) above, to the inclusion of £144,387 of additional capital funds in the Capital Programme and the award of the contract to provide and fit out a job shop at 228 Heathway to Borras Construction Limited in the sum of £510,742.

(* 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.)