Agenda and minutes

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, Members are asked to declare any interest they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting.

There were no declarations of interest.

The minutes of the meeting held on 21 May 2013 were confirmed as correct.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To note the final outturn position for 2012/13 of the Council’s revenue budget as detailed in paragraphs 2.3 to 2.10 and Appendix A of the report;

(ii)  To note the final outturn position for the Housing Revenue Account as detailed in paragraph 2.7 and Appendix B of the report;

(iii)  To note the final outturn position for 2012/13 of the Council’s capital budget as detailed in paragraph 2.12 of the report;

(iv)  To approve the revised capital budget roll forward requests detailed in Appendix C to the report; and

(v)  To note the increased contribution to capital expenditure of £0.6m in the agreed Central Expenses figure as detailed in paragraph 2.10 of the report.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved to recommend the Assembly:

(i)  To note the Treasury Management Annual Report for 2012/13;

(ii)  To note that the Council complied with all 2012/13 treasury management indicators;

(iii)  To note that the Council did not borrow to finance its capital programme in 2012/13 but utilised internal cash in line with its strategy;

(iv)  To note the amendment in the 2013/14 Treasury Management Strategy Statement to the wording for the counterparty limit for Lloyds TSB, as outlined in section 6.3 of the report; and

(v)  To approve the actual Prudential and Treasury Indicators for 2012/13 as set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To note the corporate performance information for the final quarter of the 2012/13 financial year; and

(ii)  To approve the new set of corporate priority performance indicators for 2013/14 as set out at Appendix E to the report.

Further to Minute 81 (22 January 2013), the Cabinet Member for Customer Services introduced the proposed ICT Strategy covering the period 2013 to 2017.

The Cabinet Member confirmed that the financial and other issues raised at the meeting in January had been reviewed and the Strategy updated accordingly.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To approve the ICT Strategy for 2013-2017 attached at Appendix 1 to the report;

(ii)  To endorse the business case approval process set out in the report; and

(iii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Financial Officer, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, to allocate the remaining ICT capital fund.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved to approve the implementation of Phase 2 of the Cashiers Modernisation Strategy, namely the withdrawal of face-to-face cashiering services at the Civic Centre and the internal cash-van collections / deliveries, for completion by the end of September 2013.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To approve the allocation of £10,850,000 to the projects detailed in paragraphs 2.2 to 2.7 of the report, to ensure that the projects were progressed to conclusion;

(ii)  That the sum of £17,255,818 be retained at the present time pending the outcome of the funding bids submitted to the Department for Education / Education Funding Agency and further detailed work in respect of the Gascoigne Primary (Abbey Depot) site; and

(iii)  To approve the transfer of Arden House, 198 Longbridge Road, Barking, to Children’s Services with effect from 1 October 2013 to facilitate the development of early education places with a particular focus on the statutory two year old offer.

The Cabinet Member for Children’s Services introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved to approve the formal expansion of John Perry Primary School and Godwin Primary School from two to three forms of entry from 1 September 2013.

The Cabinet Member for Housing introduced the report and advised that the feedback that he had received from local residents on the proposals had been very positive.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Adult and Community Services to establish a partnership with the Disablement Association of Barking and Dagenham (DABD) to set up a furniture bank in the Borough; and

(ii)  To delegate authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Divisional Director of Finance and the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to agree terms and legal and contractual arrangements for:

(a)  Woodward Road Library to be used for a furniture bank; and

(b)  Rectory Library to be used as a Territorial Army Centre.

Further to Minute 131 (16 April 2013), the Leader introduced the report and advised that negotiations had taken place with the preferred bidder in respect of a restrictive covenant against the future development of the site.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To approve the disposal of the site at 89 Axe Street, Barking, as shown hatched on the plan at Appendix 1 to the report, to Elim Trust Corporation in the sum of £275,000 on the terms set out in the report; and

(ii)  To agree that the property be sold with the Council having the benefit of an in perpetuity restrictive covenant against future development.

The Leader advised that the report had been withdrawn and the matter deferred to the next meeting of Cabinet to enable officers to carry out a further assessment of the options for the future provision of highway maintenance services.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved to note the report.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To note the performance of the debt management function carried out by the Revenues and Benefits service operated by Elevate East London, including the performance of bailiffs; and

(ii)  To note the debt write-offs for the fourth quarter of 2012/13 and that a number of the debts would be publicised in accordance with the policy agreed by Cabinet (Minute 52, 18 October 2011).