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 regarding details of an urgent action decision taken by the Chief Executive (paragraph 17, Article 1, Part B of the Constitution) which involved increasing charges for room lettings for the teachers’ accommodation at Butler Court by 15% from 1 September 2009, pending a subsequent business case review for the hospitality accommodation, to be considered as part of the 2010/11 budget strategy.

The need for urgency is due to the requirement to inform all relevant teaching staff at the earliest opportunity and to enable the provision to be self financing which could not be delayed till the next Executive meeting.

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 increase in charges for room lettings for the teachers’ accommodation at Butler Court by 15% from 1 September 2009, pending a subsequent business case review for the hospitality accommodation, to be considered as part of the 2010/11 budget strategy.

Received a report from the Corporate Director of Resources providing an update on the Council’s revenue and capital position for the first three months of the 2009/10 financial year.

The current forecast for revenue expenditure indicates that current budget pressures exist across three departments amounting to £2.5million (Children’s Services £0.9 million, Customer Services £1.1 million and Resources £0.5 million). The largest pressures are within the Customer Services department, where expenditure within the Barking and Dagenham Direct division is currently at a higher level than originally anticipated. Also within the Children’s Services department where pressures are arising due to providing transport services for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and from Looked after Children Placements and in meeting the Council’s Leaving Care responsibilities. 

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:

  (i)  Note the current position of the Council’s revenue and capital budget as at 30 June 2009;

  (ii)  Note the position for the Housing Revenue Account; and

  (iii)  Note 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; and

  (iv)  Virements with the Schools Budget for 2009/10 that allocate or defer £4.647 million of currently unallocated funding in the following ways

a)  Allocating £2.1 million to all schools on the basis of age-weighted pupil units;

b)  Deferring a decision about £0.4 million of funding for schools until Executive has made a final decision about whether it wishes to pursue an initiative for expanding free school meals or introducing a breakfast scheme;

c)  Allocating an extra £0.5 million for schools, which will be allocated to Warren on the basis of a pre-existing agreement to provide them with such funding during 2009/10;

d)  Earmark £0.135 million for the Extended Schools Initiative, in accordance with plans for the service made during 2008/09;

e)  Allocating £0.09 million to the school specific contingency budget; and

f)  Deferring £1.422 million of funding to 2010/11 financial year, so as not to count in the Central Expenditure Limit calculation for 2009/10
(section 3.3.4 of the report);

(V)  Note the prudential indicators for April to June 2009; and

(Vi)  Note the first quarter financial health indicators.

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 the first quarter of the 2009/10 financial year (April to June 2009).

Arising from the discussions, asked that officers consider selling on the outstanding debts to debt recovery organisations to pursue subject to care considerations being taken into account before publicising any debt arising from the provision of social care services.

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

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 financial and contractual matter (paragraph 3)

Received a report from the Chief Executive regarding proposals to integrate Thames View Estate and Barking Riverside by building a new primary school as part of the Neighbourhood Centre and improving the cycle and walking links between the two communities.

The new primary school will be of great benefit to the residents of Thames View while residents of Barking Riverside will also benefit from existing facilities in Thames View.

The project will require the acquisition of a small amount of industrial land and buildings to the south of Thames View either through negotiation or Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) powers, using the funds provided by the Homes and Community Agency (HCA) and implemented by Barking Riverside Ltd (BRL).

Agreed, in order to assist the Council to achieve its Community Priorities of ‘Safe’ ‘Healthy’ ‘Fair and Respectful’ and ‘Prosperous’ to

  (i)  Note the current planning status of the Barking Riverside Development, the progress being made towards the start of construction of the Stage 1 and Stage 2 areas, and the planned interrelationship between the Thames View and Barking Riverside communities;

  (ii)  Note the initial negotiations with the relevant landowners and occupants of the land and buildings required to provide a continuous cycle and pedestrian link between Thames View and the Stage 1 area of Barking Riverside;

  (iii)   the funds to be provided by the Homes and Communities Agency can be used by the Council to acquire the necessary land and properties through negotiation and agreement to provide a continuous cycle and pedestrian link between Thames View and the Stage 1 area of Barking Riverside;

  (iv)  delegate to the Head of Regeneration and Economic Development the authority to agree the acquisition terms and price up to a total limit of £875,000 for the acquisition of land and properties;

  (v)  that if acquisition through negotiation and agreement is not possible then the Head of Regeneration and Economic Development to be delegated authority to proceed with the use of CPO. The appropriate CPO powers are identified below under ‘implementation options’ in the options analysis section of this report. The use of CPO should be pursued as a last option due to associated costs which will likely exceed available funding totalling £875,000 and time delays in making CPO and getting confirmation of the Order. The time taken to administer CPO will likely take us past the 31 March 2010 deadline to spend the funding provided by HCA. It is unlikely that the HCA will roll-forward this funding. Therefore, it is recommended that a CPO is only investigated as the final option for this project;

  (vi)  that once acquisition has taken place the land required for the link will initially be retained by LBBD with the existing occupiers remaining in place under a licence, with an agreed vacation date, until the beginning of the site preparation and construction phase;

  (vii)  that at the commencement of the construction phase the acquired land and buildings to the south of Thames View be transferred to Barking Riverside Limited at  ...  view the full minutes text for item 52.