Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Hodgins.

In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Members are requested to declare any interests orally at the start of the meeting and again immediately before consideration of the matter. Members are reminded to specify the agenda item number to which it refers and whether the interest is of a personal or prejudicial nature.

Members are also reminded of the requirements of Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 that they should declare and not vote on specified matters if they are two months or more in arrears with their Council Tax payments.

There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To consider and approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2012.

Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2012 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

There were no representations by members of the public on this occasion.

There were no matters raised by Executive Members.

There were no matters raised by Non-Executive Members.

There were no matters referred to the Executive for reconsideration.

None

There were no reports from Overview and Scrutiny Committees on this occasion.

To seek Cabinet’s approval to extend the delegation of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance to approve the release of funds to meet redundancy costs associated with the current restructuring of Council services.

Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources seeking approval for an extension to the delegation previously approved to meet redundancy costs associated with the current restructuring of Council Services.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1.  Approve the additional delegation to release up to a further £1.5million from Invest to Save Funds to meet costs associated with staff reductions.

To agree a draft scheme for the enhancement of the public realm in Twickenham Town Centre for public consultation.

Cabinet considered a report of the Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, Parks and Highways which sought approval of a draft scheme for the enhancement of the public realm in Twickenham Town Centre for public consultation.   This matter was of particular importance to the Administration as it had made a commitment to revive the centre of Twickenham.  Cabinet noted with approval that after nearly thirty years of closure, the Twickenham Riverside site would be opened to the pubic again on 23 June 2012.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Agree that the public is consulted on a draft scheme to enhance the public realm within Twickenham Town Centre as outlined in the report.

2. Agree that the consultation material is agreed by the Director of Environment, following consultation with the Leader of the Council, Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, Parks and Highways, the Cabinet Member for Highways and Streetscene and the Cabinet Member for Community Development.

To present performance results for the year-end and fourth quarter 2011/12 and to provide a review of progress against the Corporate Plan 2011/12. 

Cabinet considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Performance which presented the performance results for the year-end and fourth quarter 2011/12 and provided a review of progress against the Corporate Plan 2011/12.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Note the progress in the delivery of Corporate Priorities through the monitoring of key performance indicators and projects / programmes with exceptions highlighted in Appendix 1.
2. Agrees that the actions taken to address underperformance as detailed in Appendix 1 are adequate.

      3.   Notes the progress reported in the delivery of the Corporate Plan commitments for 2011/12 in Appendix 11.

To advise the Cabinet of the overall outturn position for both revenue and capital expenditure for the financial year ended 31^st March

2012, of requests to carry forward unspent budgets and of the impact of 2011-12 spending on the Council’s reserves.

Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources which included the overall outturn position for both revenue and capital expenditure for the financial year ended 31 March 2012, detail of requests to carry forward unspent budget and of the impact of the 2011-12 spending on the Council’s reserves.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Note the outturn position and its impact on the forward financial strategy of the Council.
2. Approve the carry forward requests as set out in paragraph 3.2

      3. Approve the changes in relation to the Council’s reserves as set out in paragraph 3.4.2, 3.4.3 and Appendix B.

Cabinet to consider the Interim Housing Strategy and Intermediate Housing Policy Statement.

Cabinet considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing which sought approval of an interim Tenancy Strategy and a policy statement in relation to setting the priorities for the allocation of shared ownership properties.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Approve the Interim Tenancy Strategy set out in Appendix A

      2.   Approve the Intermediate Housing Policy set out in Appendix B

This report seeks approval to make investments in the ICT infrastructure amounting to £740k in order to enable the modernisation

of a number of key systems and to ensure an appropriate degree of resilience is in place to safeguard operational efficiency.

Cabinet considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Performance which sought approval to make investments in the Council’s ICT infrastructure of £740k to enable the modernisation of a number of key systems and to ensure an appropriate degree of resilience is in place to safeguard operational efficiency.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Agree in principle to the investments in critical ICT infrastructure as outlined in paragraph 3.4

2.  Delegate authority to the Cabinet Member for Performance, following consultation with the Director of Finance and Corporate Services to finalise the specification   and solution for each of the investments as outlined.

To consider providing a payment of £250 pro rata to be paid to all non-school based staff in the Council earning under £21,000,

effective for this financial year.

Cabinet considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Performance which sought approval to pay £250 to staff earning under £21,000.  The Leader of the Council commented that he was pleased to see this report and praised the dedication of the local government workers in this group.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Approve Option B as outlined – that a one off non consolidated retrospective payment of £250 pro rata be paid to all non-school based Council employees earning under £21,000 who are employed on 31 March 2013.

Provide an update on the progress of the delivery of the Uplift Strategy and to confirm priority areas and associated priority

activities for the next period of delivery of the Uplift programmes.

Cabinet considered a report of the Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, Parks and Highways which provided an update on the Uplift Strategy and confirmed priority areas and associated priority activities for the next period of delivery of Uplift programmes.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Note progress of the delivery of the Uplift programmes and the proposed programme activity for the Uplift areas as described in paragraphs 3.3 and 3.4 of the report.
2. Support the inclusion of an additional Phase Two of Uplift activity, specifically for Heathfield and Hounslow Heath as described within paragraphs 3.12 to 3.14 of the report.
3. Delegate authority to the Strategic Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning, Parks and Highways to approve the final programmes of activity related to Uplift programmes and associated resources, subject to appropriate consultation and as detailed within paragraphs 3.6 to 3.11 of the report.

4.   Receive a further report on the progress of the Uplift Programmes at such time as further decisions are required.

Cabinet to award contracts for the provision of transport for Vulnerable Adults and Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

Cabinet considered a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing which sought approval to award contracts for the provision of transport for vulnerable adults and children with special educational needs (SEN.).  The Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Housing informed Cabinet that paragraph 3.6 of the report should be amended so that the provider, “Edward Neale” was removed and the provider, “Wheel get you there” added.

Resolved: That Cabinet:

1. Agree that the contracts for SEN Schools Transport be awarded to the firms as listed in paragraph 3.6. The Contract will be for 24 months commencing September 2012 plus an option to extend for 12 months and a further option to extend by a further 12 months.

       2. Agree that the contract for older people’s day centre transport; ad hoc transport for older people and the shopping bus service not be let at this stage.