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.

None declared.

Agreed.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning the Community Strategy which sets out a new vision for the Barking and Dagenham Local Strategic Partnership - Working together for a better borough and 6 new Community Priorities comprising: Safe; Clean; Fair and Respectful; Healthy; Prosperous; Inspired and Successful.

The Community Strategy is a 10 year plan bringing all partnership activity into one place.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities to recommend the Community Plan to the Assembly for adoption.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning the Council Plan which is an update on a previous report agreed by Minute 88 2008/09, setting out the Council’s vision, values and priorities, and links in with the Community Strategy.  The Council Plan runs from 2008-2010, and incorporates the MTFS which sets out the financial strategy for delivering the Council’s Priorities.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve all of its Community Priorities to recommend the Council Plan Update and MTFS to the Assembly for adoption.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning proposals for the comprehensive regeneration of the Gascoigne Estate. This includes broad development principles and an over-arching phasing strategy that will guide the future regeneration of the estate together with a programme for the master planning of phase 1 and the production of detailed proposals for Phase 1a and the Kingsbridge site, in addition to serving of Initial and Final Demolition notices to secure tenants in Phase 1 and 2.

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 approve, subject to funding:

  (i)  The overarching Phasing Strategy for the Gascoigne Estate and the detailed Phasing Strategy for Phase 1;

  (ii)  The outline programme for the master planning of Phase 1 and the detailed design stages for Phase 1A and the Kingsbridge site;

  (iii)  Commencement of decant and buybacks for Phase 1A and buy-backs in Phase 1B; 

  (iv)  The serving of Initial Demolition Notices on all secure tenants within Phases 1 and 2 in order to suspend the requirement for the Council to complete right to buy applications for as long as the Notices remain in force;

  (v)  Authority to serve Final Demolition Notices on all secure tenants within Phase 1 and 2 once the proposed demolition dates are known, in order to render all existing right to buy applications ineffective and prevent any further right to buy applications being made;

  (vi)  The demolition of properties in Phase 1A and the Kingsbridge site once vacant possession has been secured; and

  (vii)  The Gascoigne Estate Consultation and Engagement Strategy;

Thanked the Head of Regeneration and Economic Development and his staff for their work in bringing about a long held ambition for residents.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services concerning proposals to establish a new primary school at Barking Riverside.

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

  (i)  working with the Diocese of Chelmsford to make an application to the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to establish a first school at Barking Riverside to be a voluntary controlled school, subject to a consultation process;

  (ii)  the procurement route in conjunction with Barking Riverside Ltd (BRL) on the terms set out in paragraph (15.1-15.3) of the report  and authorise the Corporate Director of Children’s Services on the advice of the Legal Partner to enter into an agreement with BRL as set out in paragraph 15.4 of the report;

  (iii)  set aside £10.5m from the grant secured from the DCSF to pay the Council’s contribution for the design and construction of the primary school; and

  (iv)  consider naming the new school ‘George Carey School’ subject to the agreement of the Diocese of Chelmsford and George Carey.

In response to Member and public concerns regarding works carried out at the Dagenham Heathway shopping parade, received a report from the Corporate Director’s of Resources and Customer Services proposing improvement work to enhance the area.

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

  (i)  The range of works for improvement to the Heathway as described in section 3 of the report;

  (ii)  funding of the agreed works from the Highways Investment Programme 2009/10 to the value of £200,000 as set out in Section 4 of the report;

  (iii)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resources, in consultation with the Lead Member for Regeneration, to approve the final selection of materials; and

  (iv)  delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Customer Services to review the consultation arrangements as set out in the report.

Thanked the Head of Environmental and Enforcement Services and his staff for all their hard work.

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 January of the 2008/09 financial year.

The position for revenue expenditure indicates that current budget pressures amount to £2.5million. The largest pressure continues to remain within the Children’s Services department (£3million) and Regeneration Services (87k) which are offset by projected under spends in Resources (400k) and Customer Services (£242k).

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 January 2009;

  (ii)  note that where pressures and targets exist, Directors continue 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)  note the position and projected out-turn for the Housing Revenue account; and

  (iv)  the re-profiling of individual capital schemes as identified in Appendix D of the report.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services recommending the appropriate level of charges for traders pitches 2009/10.

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

  (i)  Charges in four ‘bands’, the rates in £ per foot of frontage reducing with distance from the ‘East Street’ market area. As shown in the plan attached to the report.

  (ii)   Zone A  B  C  D

Tues/ Thurs.  3.05  2.50  2.00  1.50

Saturday  4.12  3.00  2.50  2.00

Where Zone ‘A’ rates are the same as the existing rates in neighbouring East Street.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning proposals to enter into a new contract for Professional Property Services.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Regenerating the Local Economy’ and ‘Raising General Pride in the Borough’ to the appointment of Lambert Smith Hampton contractors for the provision of Professional Property Services.

(# The Appendix to this report was contained in the private section of the agenda by virtue of paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.)

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Children’s Services regarding proposals to submit a full bid to run a pilot to make free school meals available to all primary school pupils within the borough.

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

  (i)  To submit the full bid on the 27 March. The Chief Executive of the Primary Care Trust and the Corporate Director of Children’s Services are required to sign-off the bid before submission;

  (ii)  In principle to fund up to a maximum 2009/10 requirement of £500k from corporate balances/reserves;

  (iii)  That if the bid is successful to include the relevant revenue support into the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy for 2010/11 and 2011/12; and

  (iv)  to note that to fund £300k for the Youth Access card from capital will be met from within the current ICT provision in the capital programme.

(* 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 in order to prevent the delay of the bid.)