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.

Councillor McCarthy declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 9 (May and Baker Sports Ground) as he was a trustee of the May and Baker Eastbrook Community Club.

The minutes of the meeting held on 23 July 2013 were confirmed as correct.

The Chief Finance Officer introduced the report on the Council’s capital and revenue position for the 2013/14 financial year as at 31 July 2013.

The General Fund position showed a projected end of year surplus of £7.0m against the total approved budget of £178.3m, which would result in the General Fund balance increasing to £24.4m.  The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) showed a projected break-even position.

The Chief Finance Officer also referred to a number of proposed amendments, additions and deletions to the Capital Programme and to the proposed introduction of scrap metal licence charges from 1 October 2013 in view of the Council’s new responsibilities under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To note the projected outturn position for 2013/14 of the Council’s revenue budget at 31 July 2013, as detailed in paragraphs 2.3 to 2.9 and Appendix A of the report;

(ii)  To note the progress against the 2013/14 savings targets at 31 July 2013, as detailed in paragraph 2.10 and Appendix B of the report;

(iii)  To approve the following charges for Scrap Metal licences, as referred to in paragraph 2.11 of the report;

Three Year Site License

Three Year Collector’s License

(iv)  To note the position of the Housing Revenue Account at 31 July 2013, as detailed in paragraph 2.12 and Appendix C of the report;

(v)  To note the projected outturn position for 2013/14 of the Council’s Capital Programme at 31 July 2013, as detailed in paragraph 2.13 and Appendix D of the report;

(vi)  To approve the reprofiled Capital Programme as detailed in paragraph 2.13 and Appendix D; and

(vii)  To approve the use of £0.288m of the centrally held contingency for essential highways safety works as detailed in paragraph 2.13 (c) of the report.

The Leader introduced the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To note the corporate priority performance information for quarter 1 of 2013/14; and

(ii)  That the corporate target for responding to complaints within deadline at all stages be raised from 80% to 100% from quarter 4 (January 2014) to allow communication to officers and changes to reporting systems.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration introduced a report which set out details of the proposed funding applications to Transport for London in respect of the Borough’s plans to enhance its transport and cycling networks for the period up to 2016/17.

Cabinet resolved to recommend the Assembly:

(i)  To approve the 2014/15 - 2016/17 LIP Delivery and Monitoring Plan submission to Transport for London, as set out at Appendix 1 to the report; and

(ii)  To approve the 2013/14 - 2016/17 Borough Cycling Programme application to Transport for London, as set out at Appendix 2 to the report.

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration introduced a report on proposals for the Council to adopt a Local Development Order (LDO) in relation to all designated employment areas in the Borough except for the Sanofi site and Ford Stamping Plant.

The proposed LDO would remove the need to obtain planning permission for certain kinds of development in the areas covered by the LDO.  The Cabinet Member commented that the proposal would enhance the Council’s reputation as ‘the business friendly borough’ and, in that respect, he placed on record his congratulations for the Council’s recent success in being chosen as “Best All Round Small Business Friendly Borough” at the Small Business Friendly Borough Awards 2013 organised by the Federation of Small Businesses and London Councils.

Cabinet resolved to approve the draft Barking and Dagenham Employment Areas Local Development Order, as attached at Appendix 1 to the report, for public consultation.

Further to Minute 51 of the Assembly on 5 December 2012, the Leader introduced a report on the successful outcome of discussions between local residents, Ward councillors and officers regarding the proposal for the local Community Association to assume full responsibility for the Scrattons Community Centre.

The Leader placed on record his appreciation to all those involved in progressing the proposals.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Chief Finance Officer, to grant a 30-year lease for the Scrattons Community Centre to the Scrattons Community Association, subject to satisfactory negotiation of the lease and associated requirements; and

(ii)  In the event that it was not possible to enter into a lease agreement with the Scrattons Community Association, to authorise officers to enter into a lease on the same terms with another suitable organisation.

The Leader introduced a report on the proposal to enter into a long-term lease with the May and Baker Eastbrook Community Club in respect of the May and Baker Sports Ground, which would transfer to the Council’s ownership via a Section 106 Planning Agreement when the current land owner, Sanofi, vacated the site later in the year.

The Leader placed on record his appreciation to all those involved in progressing the proposals.

Cabinet resolved to authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services and Chief Finance Officer, to grant a 25-year lease for the May and Baker Sports Ground, as shown edged red on the plan at Appendix 1 to the report, to the May and Baker Eastbrook Community Club, subject to satisfactory negotiation of the lease and associated requirements relating to the land transfer of the sports ground from Sanofi to the Council.

The Cabinet Member for Crime, Justice and Communities presented the report.

Cabinet resolved:

(i)  To delegate the Council’s enforcement functions in respect of Part III of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to Birmingham City Council together with powers of prosecution for any matter associated with or discovered during an investigation by Birmingham City Council’s Illegal Money Lending Team, pursuant to Section 101 of the Local Government Act 1972, Regulation 7 of the Local Authority (Arrangements for Discharge of Functions) (England) Regulations 2000 and Section 13 (7) of the Local Government Act 2000; and

(ii)  To approve the Protocol for Illegal Money Lending Team Investigations as set out at Appendix A to the report, and to authorise the Corporate Director of Housing and Environment, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, to enter into the agreement with Birmingham City Council for its Illegal Money Lending Team to undertake the work in the Borough.

The Chief Finance Officer introduced the quarterly performance report for the period 1 April to 30 June 2013 in respect of the debt management function carried out by the Revenues and Benefits Service within Elevate East London, together with details of the debts written-off as uncollectable during the period. 

The Chief Finance Officer advised that performance against income collection targets was higher in four of the five main areas and that steps had been agreed which would result in improvements in the underperforming area of National Non-Domestic Rate (NNDR) collection.

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 first quarter of 2013/14 and that a number of the debts would be publicised in accordance with the policy agreed by Cabinet (Minute 52, 18 October 2011).