Agenda and minutes

The Chair welcomed Tracie Evans, recently appointed Interim Divisional Director of Corporate Finance, to her first Executive meeting.

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 Gill declared a personal interest as a member of ‘Refuge’ one of the organisations competing for the contract for the Provision of Housing Related Support Services to Women Fleeing Domestic Violence (agenda item 8). Councillor Gill did not take part in the discussion or the decision relating to this item.

Agreed.

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 July 2009/10 financial year.

The current forecast for revenue expenditure indicates that current budget pressures exist across all departments amounting to £3.4million (Adults and Community Services £1m, Children’s Services £0.9 million, Customer Services £0.7 million and Resources £0.8 million). The most significant areas of pressures relate to expenditure on transition arrangements within Adult Services Learning Disability, transport services for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), Looked after Children Placements and in meeting the Council’s Leaving Care responsibilities, the Barking and Dagenham Direct division and various income generation.

Where pressures do exist, all departments will need to address these as part of their own, and the Council’s, ongoing budget monitoring process. The outcomes and progress of any action plans will be monitored and reported to both the Resources Monitoring Panels and Executive through the regular budget monitoring meetings and reports. 

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

  (i)  Current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget as at 31 July 2009;

  (ii)  Position for the Housing Revenue Account; and

  (iii)  That where potential pressures have been highlighted, Corporate Directors are required to identify and implement the necessary action plans to mitigate these budget pressures to ensure that the necessary balanced budget for the Council is achieved by year end.

Received a report from the Chief Executive regarding the outcome of final consultation on the Barking Town Centre Area Action Plan prior to the Assembly’s approval for submission to the Secretary of State.

The Barking Town Centre Area Action Plan defines the Council’s vision for how the town centre will function and look in 2025 and sets out the policies and site allocations that will stimulate the economic and commercial regeneration of the town centre whilst at the same time, protecting and enhancing the quality of the environment and improving the quality of life and the life chances of the local community.

The Action Plan has gone through extensive community and stakeholder consultation at various stages culminating in the final consultation stage which resulted in 124 separate representations of which the most significant issues raised for the Inspector’s consideration are

·  The proposed traffic management measures along Abbey Road and St Paul’s Road

·  The need for the proposed new bridges across the River Roding

·  The affordable housing target

·  The need for a new school to be provided on the Abbey Road Retail Park site

·  The proposed approach to tall buildings

Agreed, in order to comply with statutory requirements and to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Safe’ ‘Clean’ ‘Healthy’ ‘Fair and Respectful’ and ‘Prosperous’ to recommend the Assembly to approve the submission of the Barking Town Centre Area Action Plan to the Secretary of State.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Customer Services concerning proposals to accelerate the Highways Investment Programme of work to three years rather than the previously agreed four years with £2m of extra investment.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Clean’ and ‘Prosperous’, that:

(i)  the Highways Investment Programme is shortened to three years with the capital allocation for 2009/10 increased to £10 million, and the allocation for 2010/11 increased to £3.5 million; and 

(ii)  £1million of additional investment is made in 2009/10 and a further £1million in 2010/11; found through prudential borrowing supported by reduced spend on emergency highways repairs. 

The Executive expressed its pleasure with the work carried out to date.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources concerning proposals for public consultation on the new executive arrangements which the Council is required to adopt by 31 December 2009, in accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (LGPIH 2007).

Agreed in order to comply with legislative requirements and to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priority of ‘Fair and Respectful’ to

(i)  Reaffirm the previous decision taken at the Annual Assembly in May 2007 to retain the existing Executive arrangements on the basis of continuing to use the prescribed Leader and Cabinet model;

(ii)  Consider applying to the preferred option the additional provision of the power to remove the Leader during his/her term of office through a vote of no confidence taken at the Assembly;

(iii)  The proposals for public consultation on the preferred and other option as detailed in section 5 of the report; and

(iv)  Note that in line with legislative requirements, a report will be presented to a specially convened meeting of the Assembly on 9 December 2009 seeking a resolution to formally adopt the new arrangements which will become effective immediately after the May 2010 municipal elections.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services regarding the outcome of the tendering exercise for the Provision of Housing Related Support Services for Women Fleeing Domestic Violence contract.

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of “Safe” and “Fair and Respectful”, to award the Provision of Housing Related Support Services to Women Fleeing Domestic Violence contract to Refuge for a period of three years with an option to extend up to a maximum of five years. The annual cost will be approximately £237,000 with a planned commencement date of 1 November 2009.

(# 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).