Agenda and minutes

Venue: George Meehan House, 294 High Road, Wood Green, N22 8JZ

Contact: Ayshe Simsek, Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager / Felicity Foley, Committees Manager  Email: ayshe.simsek@haringey.gov.uk / Email: felicity.foley@haringey.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Filming at Meetings

Please note that this meeting may be filmed or recorded by the Council for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site or by anyone attending the meeting using any communication method. Although we ask members of the public recording, filming or reporting on the meeting not to include the public seating areas, members of the public attending the meeting should be aware that we cannot guarantee that they will not be filmed or recorded by others attending the meeting. Members of the public participating in the meeting (e.g. making deputations, asking questions, making oral protests) should be aware that they are likely to be filmed, recorded or reported on. 

 

By entering the meeting room and using the public seating area, you are consenting to being filmed and to the possible use of those images and sound recordings.

 

The chair of the meeting has the discretion to terminate or suspend filming or recording, if in his or her opinion continuation of the filming, recording or reporting would disrupt or prejudice the proceedings, infringe the rights of any individual or may lead to the breach of a legal obligation by the Council.

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the notice of filming at meetings and attendees noted this information.

2.

Apologies

To receive any apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Das Neves, Davies and Williams.

3.

Urgent Business

The Chair will consider the admission of any late items of Urgent Business. (Late items of Urgent Business will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items of Urgent Business will be dealt with under Item 25. New items of exempt business will be dealt with at Item 29).

Minutes:

None.

4.

Declarations of Interest

A Member with a disclosable pecuniary interest or a prejudicial interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered:

 

(i) must disclose the interest at the start of the meeting or when the interest becomes apparent, and

(ii) may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must withdraw from the meeting room.

 

A Member who discloses at a meeting a disclosable pecuniary interest which is not registered in the Register of Members’ Interests or the subject of a pending notification must notify the Monitoring Officer of the interest within 28 days of the disclosure.

 

Disclosable pecuniary interests, personal interests and prejudicial interests are defined at Paragraphs 5-7 and Appendix A of the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

None.

5.

Notice of Intention to Conduct Business in Private, any Representations Received and the Response to any such Representations

On occasions part of the Cabinet meeting will be held in private and will not be open to the public if an item is being considered that is likely to lead to the disclosure of exempt or confidential information. In accordance with the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 (the “Regulations”), members of the public can make representations about why that part of the meeting should be open to the public.

 

This agenda contains exempt items as set out at Item 26: Exclusion of the Press and Public. No representations with regard to these have been received.

 

This is the formal five clear day notice under the Regulations to confirm that this Cabinet meeting will be partly held in private for the reasons set out in this Agenda.

Minutes:

None.

6.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 266 KB

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023 as a correct record.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023 as a correct record.

7.

Deputations/Petitions/Questions

To consider any requests received in accordance with Standing Orders.

Minutes:

None.

8.

Matters Referred to Cabinet by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee

For Cabinet to note (if any).

Minutes:

None.

9.

Wood Green Voices Vision pdf icon PDF 544 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development introduced the report which introduced a new vision for Wood Green which set out an overarching vision for the area and articulated six main themes to guide change.  The report sought approval for the Shaping Wood Green document as set out in Appendix 2 of the report.

 

In response to Councillor Hakata, it was noted that the ethos of the Haringey Deal were included within the whole vision for Wood Green, for example, having discussions with local residents, the way in which plans were communicated, and ensuring documents were translated into different languages.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       Many local interest groups had been consulted, and there would be further sessions to feed back on the vision as plans develop and were put into action to ensure that it was on the right track.

-       In relation to the comment on street sweeping, Cllr Chandwani confirmed that the Head of Waste had attended every Wood Green voices meeting to take on any concerns raised and added that Wood Green had the highest number of street sweepers in the borough, which would help to improve the cleanliness of the main roads.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            to consider the successes and learning from Wood Green Voices, set out in section 6, which will inform work to continue to embed the Haringey Deal; and the proposed approach to ongoing resident participation at the heart of Shaping Wood Green. 

 

2.            to note the actions already taken by the council following the feedback from residents during the Wood Green Voices project contained in section 6. 

 

3.            to approve the Shaping Wood Green document attached in Appendix 2, which sets out a vision, six themes for improvement, and five placemaking areas in Wood Green.

 

Reasons for decision

The vision and themes within Shaping Wood Green have been carefully developed from the extensive Wood Green Voices engagement programme that took place in November 2022, and therefore is rooted in recent conversations with a wide range of residents and stakeholders.

 

The strategic spatial proposals in the five placemaking areas bring together recent public engagement with the potential opportunities created by the Council’s consolidation of its corporate estate on to the Civic Centre (cabinet – January 2022), and the chance to strategically consider how the Council delivers its front-facing services.

 

Shaping Wood Green is a high-level document, that will guide more detailed conversations with residents, businesses, external partners, and internal council teams, on how to best to respond to the vision and placemaking areas. This process will continue to serve as a test bed for other projects adopting the Haringey Deal approach.

 

Alternative options considered

 

            DO NOT APPROVE ‘SHAPING WOOD GREEN’ DOCUMENT

From the Wood Green Voices engagement the council has developed a deeper understanding of some of the issues raised by local people about Wood Green. Council responses to improving Wood Green could be taken forward based on the information of this report and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Strategic Asset Management and Property Improvement Plan (SAMPIP) pdf icon PDF 253 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development introduced the report which set out the Strategic Asset Management Plan and Property Improvement Plan (SAMPIP) 2023-28, and sought approval for the implementation of the plan as set out at Appendix A of the report.  The SAMPIP would serve as a toolkit to allow services to become more data driven when taking asset and property related decisions, and ensure that all decisions were assessed objectively.

 

In response to Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       Current staffing level was around 85 members of staff, with 120 in the overall structure chart.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    To agree the Strategic Asset Management and Property Improvement Plan 2020-2028 (“SAMPIP”), attached at Appendix A of this report.

 

2.    To agree that progress on this SAMPIP will be brought back to Cabinet for annual review in March 2024.

 

Reasons for decision

The Council’s Asset Management Plan 2020-25 was adopted by Cabinet in February 2020, with an update taken to cabinet in February 2021. At the time Cabinet was advised that it would be updated as there would be significant progress and change over the course of time.  That AMP has provided a solid foundation and many policies, which are still valid.

 

Officers are recommending a new Strategic Asset Management and Property Improvement Plan (SAMPIP) 2023-2028 is adopted, which builds upon this solid foundation a to reflect the current direction of travel of Haringey Council. This involves.

-       Addressing the challenges as we come out of the Covid Pandemic and enter a cost-of-living crisis.

-       Meeting the objectives of the Haringey Deal and recently adopted Corporate Delivery Plan (CDP).

-       Aligning with time frames of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).

-       An expanded and refreshed set of strategic Objectives, from the previously adopted Asset Management Plan, to reflect the council’s priorities.

-       The development of 10 action plans, within the SAMPIP, to show what, by when and the outcome of improvements we will be making to our management of assets and property.  There may be a very small number of properties in the HRA, which will be included in the review of the commercial and community properties, such as shop units.

-       Adoption of a decision-making toolkit to underpin all decision making, relating to property and assets.

 

Alternative Options

The Council’s Asset Management Plan lasts for five years and can be refreshed annually. If this does not happen, the plan will not reflect the most recent changes and the plan will not be as helpful in development the Council’s budget strategy.

11.

External Property Review pdf icon PDF 364 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Leader of the Council.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Leader of the Council introduced the report which set out an Independent External Property review, and sought approval for the External Property Review Action Plan which set out how the twelve recommendations from the Independent Property Review would be addressed.

 

The Cabinet welcomed the report, and noted the importance of including all aspects of the report in the public domain.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       It was impossible to change decisions that had been made in the past, however there were now processes and procedures in place to ensure that any future decisions would be robust and not a repeat of past incidents.

-       Scrutiny was an important function of the Council and the Cabinet took the function very seriously.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To accept and agree with all recommendations from the Independent External Property review contained in Appendix A

 

2.            To approve the External Property Review Action Plan, in appendix B, to address the twelve recommendations arising from the Independent External Property Review.

 

Reasons for decision

The Independent External Property review (“The Review”) was commissioned so that lessons could be learnt from previous property transactions.  The Review was commissioned by the Leader and the Chief Executive.  The Terms of reference were agreed with the Leader of the Opposition who also had the opportunity meet with the Independent reviewer when the report was completed.  

 

A full review of the current governance, policy and processes had taken place prior to this review, as reflected in the body of The Review.  The council are carrying out further improvements within all areas of property and Asset Management, which will brought to the next cabinet meeting in April 2023, as part of our Strategic Asset Management and Property strategy update. 

 

The recommendations will be completed within the next 12 months, as per the action plan in appendix B.  The combined implementation of the 12 recommendations and the ongoing wider council work around our strategic management of property; ensures that the council are continuing to move in the right direction and have robust processes in place, with regards to its management of property.

 

Alternative options considered

Rejecting or accepting in part the recommendations of this Independent External Property review.  - This alternative option was rejected, as it would not be in keeping with the original intent of this Independent External Property review, would not instil confidence going forward in relation to property transactions, by learning lessons from the past and would not reflect the direction and cultural change the council is embarking upon.

12.

Housing Services Improvement Plan and Compliance Assurance Statement pdf icon PDF 531 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning introduced the report which set out the Council’s plans to deliver a high quality and resident focussed landlord service for tenants and leaseholders.  The Council brought its housing management services back in-house in June 2022.  In June 2022, the Council commissioned an external consultant to produce an internal report on the status of the landlord function at the point of insourcing, which provided a high level analysis of the state of the Landlord service, and recommended an improvement plan to address service specific issues.  In December 2022, the Council commissioned a Property Compliance Health Check to assess the approach to managing six compliance areas.  As a result of this health check, the Council self-referred to the Regulator for Social Housing.  In response to these reviews, the Council has developed an Improvement Plan to address the issues raised.  This plan was a live document which would be reviewed regularly to ensure that priority areas were being addressed, and the Housing Improvement Board would be monitoring specific areas.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       One of the main reasons to bring the services back into the Council was to improve services.  The decision to carry out the independent report was to ensure all services were looked at and the extent of any problems identified.

-       Residents would be contacted during all improvement works to ascertain satisfaction levels and room for improvement.  It was hoped that the improvement plan would help to improve resident satisfaction levels with the service.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the attached Improvement Plan as set out in Appendix 1;

 

2.            As this is a live document, delegate any subsequent changes required to the Director of Placemaking & Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning, and the Director of Finance

 

3.            To approve the virement of up to £2m additional funding for the improvement programme, to be vired from the HRA Reserve, and to delegate the finalisation of that amount to the Director of Finance, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Local Investment

 

4.            To note proposals for tenant and leaseholder engagement and involvement in the housing improvement process – as part of our wider commitments to work in partnership with our residents under the Haringey Deal. 

 

5.            To note the Council’s performance in relation to the six areas of property compliance; and subsequent self-referral to the Regulator for Social housing (RSH) where we identified a potential failure to meet statutory health and safety requirements

 

6.            To approve the Compliance Assurance Statement in section 8 and note that subsequent assurance statement updates will be provided to Cabinet on an annual basis.

Reasons for decision

It is essential that as a landlord the Council provides a good service to tenants and leaseholders, and as a minimum complies with all regulatory and statutory duties. Residents need to be assured that the Council is committed to improving its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Damp and Mould Policy pdf icon PDF 215 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Housing Services, Private Renters and Planning introduced the report which sought approval of the Damp and Mould Policy for Haringey’s Council housing stock.  The policy would set out how Haringey would address issues of damp, mould and condensation within the Council’s tenanted and leasehold housing stock, and how the Council intends to comply with its legal responsibilities and with the Housing Ombudsman’s recommendations in ‘The Spotlight on Damp and Mould’ report.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       Tenants provided with dehumidifiers would also be provided with funding / financial support to use them.

-       A written response would be provided in relation to how Haringey would be responding to the 26 recommendations within the Ombudsman’s report.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the Damp and Mould Policy for Haringey’s Council housing stock. (Appendix A).

 

Reasons for decision

As a social housing landlord, the Council has a duty to ensure that its housing stock is maintained at least in accordance with the Decent Homes Standard, which includes taking steps to assess properties for damp and mould problems and, where appropriate, take steps to avoid or minimise the recurrence of damp and mould.

 

We know that residents living in homes with damp and mould are more likely to suffer from respiratory problems, and other conditions that impact the immune system.

 

The cost-of-living crisis and the impact of fuel poverty is leading to an increased number of residents not being able to either heat or ventilate their homes adequately, which can potentially exacerbate the problem.

 

In 2021, the Housing Ombudsman published its ‘Spotlight on damp and mould’, which was both an indictment on the failures of social landlords in dealing with this issue, as well as road map for improving how cases are dealt with. Following the coroner’s report into the death of Awaab Ishak in late 2022, this issue has become ever more prominent, and it is essential that we, as a social landlord, have a policy in place, to assure our tenants that we are giving damp and mould the focus they need.

 

Alternative options considered

The Council could treat all damp and mould cases via its existing repairs process, and decide not to design and implement a damp and mould policy. We rejected this option since there is an expectation, from government and our residents that the Council, as a social housing landlord, will have a policy in place which sets out our approach to dealing with issues relating to damp and mould.

14.

Civic Centre Project Update pdf icon PDF 755 KB

Report of the Director of Placemaking and Housing.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Council Housebuilding, Placemaking and Development introduced the report which provided an update on the progress made on the Civic Centre project, and sought approval to proceed through to the appointment of the main contractor, which would be brought back to Cabinet for approval at a future meeting.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       There was a cross-party working group involved in the project, as well as consultation with local schools and residents to see how they would like the building to work.  Information relating to public involvement would be provided in writing.

-       River Park House would be considered as part of other plans, and would be included in a future report to Cabinet.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.           To agree to continue to proceed with the restoration and refurbishment of the existing Civic Centre, and its expansion through the addition of an Annex building, up to the conclusion of the procurement process to appoint a main contractor.

 

2.           To note that a further report will be brought to Cabinet to approve the main construction contract for the Civic Centre project, anticipated to be Q4 2023.

 

Reasons for decision

The Council office accommodation business case agreed by cabinet in January 2022 demonstrated that the best option to meet the Council’s core office accommodation needs was to restore and refurbish the Civic Centre along with the addition of an annex building.

 

The decision allowed the Council to continue to work to deliver this scheme, with the objectives of restoring the iconic Civic Centre building for civic and democratic functions, and with providing high-quality, accessible, and sustainable office accommodation in the heart of the borough.

 

The January 2022 decision agreed that the scheme would be developed through until the planning application stage, which has now been reached and thus this report seeks authorisation to proceed with the scheme up to the conclusion of the procurement process to appoint the main contractor, at which point the final contract award recommendation will be presented to Cabinet, currently anticipated to be during Q4 2023.

 

The January 2022 report also agreed the award of a preparatory works contract, which removed all redundant building services and asbestos in the Civic Centre building to prepare for the main construction contract and expose any hidden issues. The preparatory works contract has been successful in exposing previously unidentified condition issues and has allowed the project team to complete additional survey work and gain a better understanding of the condition of the existing structure, which has allowed for more detailed design proposals to be prepared.

 

Additionally, the January 2022 report also identified the risk that the construction industry was in a volatile state due to the impacts of Brexit and the Covid pandemic. The situation has worsened over the course of 2022 due the impact of the Ukraine crisis on the supply of materials and labour. The economic impact on these issues has led to the BCIS Tender Price Index projections increasing significantly.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

To approve the Haringey Early Years Strategy 2023-26 pdf icon PDF 224 KB

Report of the Director of Children’s Services.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families introduced the report which sought approval of Haringey’s Early Years Strategy 2023-26.

 

Councillor Hakata congratulated Children’s Services for receiving a ‘good’ Ofsted rating and commended the hard work of the team and the Cabinet Member.

 

In response to Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       Where funding was available, the service would always look to access this.  £1.2m of funding had recently been received for family hubs.

 

RESOLVED

 

That Cabinet approve the publication of Haringey’s Early Years Strategy 2023-2026.

 

Reasons for decision

Our Early Years strategy reflects our ambition for an integrated and better co-ordinated approach across all services for young children, their families and carers. Through this strategy, our vision is that we develop an improved early years offer which ensures families can access the services they need to enable young children to have the best start in life and long-term foundations to thrive.

 

Following the Early Years review stakeholders felt that the lack of a dedicated Early Years Strategy led to inconsistency of approach and a reduced focus on the importance of intervening in the early years.

 

The strategy will give a clear focus on early years and provide a distinction between Early Years and Early Help. The strategy lays out clear objectives and outcomes for children and young people in the borough, and how we can work co-productively and in partnership to arrive at these outcomes.

 

The Early Years strategy would ensure that there is more focus on the developmental benefits of prevention and universal support in the early years.

 

Alternative options considered

The alternative was to continue without a strategy, however a strategy was deemed necessary to provide a clear pathway to improving outcomes for the youngest children in the early years and facilitating co-production and partnership working across the early years sector. The strategy will enable us to implement a robust monitoring process, tracking our progress in working towards the agreed aims and priorities.

 

Funding for early years provision could be at risk without the outcomes, priorities and benefits being clearly structured through a strategy.

16.

Footway Parking Review Policy pdf icon PDF 387 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval for the adoption of a new Footway Parking Policy, which would support the Council’s aims to provide safe and accessible footways across the borough.  There were currently 102 roads with pavement parking – some would be easy to change, but others would require more planning to move the parking to the carriageway.

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the Footway Parking Policy, attached as Appendix A.

 

2.            To give authority to the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required public engagement in accordance with the new Parking Schemes - Resident Engagement Policy (Appendix C to this report) and to make any necessary traffic orders, having had due regard to any prior engagement, to give effect to those schemes; and

 

3.            To give authority to the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations on footway parking schemes and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services if there are significant or substantial objections raised.

 

Reasons for decisions

The Council has a responsibility to provide safe roads and footways. Parking on footways is banned in London unless permitted through the Council’s traffic management orders. Footway parking impedes access for pedestrians, and undermines active travel, where residents do not feel safe or comfortable navigating through footways shared with cars.

 

This policy provides the framework for reviewing all existing footway parking. It also clarifies that footway parking will not be implemented in the future where Government guidelines cannot be met.

 

Alternative options considered.

Retaining current permitted footway parking arrangements was considered. However, as set out in paragraph 4.1, in many areas this parking presents safety concerns, impedes access and movement. It therefore requires review.

17.

Flood Water Management Investment Plan pdf icon PDF 355 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval of the Flood Water Management Investment Plan for 2023/24. 

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-               Thames Water were working with an old, Victorian system, suffering from years of neglect.  The pressure on the system was huge.  In order to help fast track responses, the Council had begun to carry out investigations to find the source of any flooding and refer this to Thames Water for repair.

-               Work was underway on the Queenswood scheme, and was expected to be completed within this financial year.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the Flood Water Management Investment Plan for the 2023/24 financial year as set out in the attached Appendix 1 of the report.

 

2.            To delegate decisions relating to flood water management scheme design and implementation to the Head of Highways and Parking, subject to decisions being reported to Cabinet where a key decision is required.

 

3.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required consultation in accordance with Appendix 2 of the report and to make any necessary traffic orders, having had due regard to any prior consultation, to give effect to those schemes, subject to consultation representations regarding key decisions being considered by Cabinet.

 

4.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Inequality and Resident Services if there are significant or substantial objections or concerns raised about a scheme not covering two or more wards.

 

Reasons for Decision

The FWMIP sets out the Council’s flood water management and highways drainage resilience projects for the coming financial year and how they align with the Council’s strategic objectives.

 

This report provides detail of the funding arrangements and seeks authority to proceed with the development and delivery of these projects.

 

Alternative options considered

 

The Council has a statutory duty to maintain the public highway network and reduce the risk of flooding in the borough. The 2023/24 Flood Water Management Investment Plan has been informed by data from actual flooding events, as well the Council’s Transport and Local Flood Risk Management Strategies, our Surface Water Management Plan, and the developing Highways Asset Management Strategy.

 

The schemes proposed in this programme are those identified as high priority to reduce the risk of future flooding in the borough. Therefore, no alternative options are considered at this point.

18.

Parking Investment Plan pdf icon PDF 791 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval of the Parking Investment Plan for 2023/24.

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To agree the Parking Investment Plan for 2023/24 financial year as set out in Appendix 1 subject to the statutory consultations not raising any significant or substantial objections and Cabinet agreeing the carry forward of resources: and

a)     Delegates where appropriate authority to the Head of Highways and Parking:

·           To make decisions relating to scheme design and implementation.

·           To carry out consultations in accordance with Appendix 2 attached to this report and report any significant or substantial objections to the statutory consultation to the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Service; and

b)     Having followed the legal process, to make traffic management orders, to give effect to those schemes.

 

Reasons for decisions

This report seeks approval for the 2023/24 Parking Investment Plan which sets out the priorities and funding levels for the coming year. The Council has a statutory obligation to manage its road network, and parking plays a key role in congestion reduction and improving road safety. It can also encourage healthier travel options, while making best use of limited kerb space.

 

Alternative options considered.

The proposed programme was developed taking account of the Council’s policies, resident feedback, and new traffic problems identified. It also includes approved schemes carried over from last year. No other options are considered.

19.

The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and Investigatory Powers Act 2016: Use of powers by the Council in 2021 and 2022 pdf icon PDF 230 KB

Report of the Head of Legal and Governance (Monitoring Officer).  To be introduced by the Leader of the Council.

Minutes:

The Leader introduced the report which informed Cabinet about issues relevant to the use of investigatory powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) 2000. 

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To note the use of RIPA by the Council;

 

2.            To delegates authority for the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) to make inconsequential updates to the policies. This is for amendments which will not affect the Council’s principals and approach to surveillance. Should anything in relation to overall process and policy change, it should still go to Cabinet for approval.

 

Reasons for decision

The RIPA codes of practice state that members should review the Council’s use of investigatory powers at least annually. Therefore, although the powers under RIPA have been used sparsely in recent years, it is nevertheless important for members to be aware of the extent of usage.

 

Currently, any change to the policies would have to go before Cabinet for approval. This proposal will provide flexibility and enable trivial and minor changes to the policies quickly and easily to ensure that the policies are up to date and accurately reflect the Council structure and job titles.

 

Alternative options considered

In relation to bringing information on usage of the powers, if the Council’s use of investigatory powers was not noted, the Council would not be complying with the codes of practice and so this alternative has not been considered.

 

Continue to take policies to Cabinet for approval, but it is not the preferred option as policies are then not always update in a timely manner and they need to be slotted in to the hard-pressed Cabinet schedule.

 

20.

Road Danger Reduction Investment Plan for 2023-24 pdf icon PDF 613 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval of the Road Danger Reduction Investment Plan for 2023/24 and to note the progress on the Road Danger Reduction Action Plan as approved by Cabinet on 8 March 2022.

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

In response to questions from Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       The investment plan was ambitious and the Council did not have funding to complete all aspects of the plan.  However, where funding was made available, the service would access this.

-       There were logistical and financial challenges to provide segregated cycle lanes on all roads, but the aim was to provide as much protection for cyclists as possible.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To note the progress on the Road Danger Reduction Action Plan approved by Cabinet on 8th March 2022, as set out in Appendix A;

 

2.            To approve the Road Danger Reduction Investment Plan for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix B;

 

3.            To delegate decisions relating to scheme design and implementation to the Head of Highways and Parking subject to decisions being to Cabinet where a key decision;

 

4.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required consultation in accordance with Appendix 3 and to make any necessary traffic orders, having had due regard to any prior consultation, to give effect to those schemes, subject to consultation representations regarding key decisions being considered by Cabinet; and

 

5.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations on road danger reduction schemes and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services if there are significant or substantial objections or concerns raised not covering two or more wards.

 

Reasons for decision

The Council has a statutory duty under section 39 of the 1988 Road Traffic Act to prepare and carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety including “taking measures to prevent accidents”. It must also prepare and carry out a programme of measures designed to promote road safety.

 

This report recommends the investment for 2023/24, as well as setting out the Council’s progress against the March 2022 Action Plan.

 

Alternative options considered.

None. The authority has a statutory duty as set out in paragraph 4.1.

21.

Highways and Street Lighting Investment Plan pdf icon PDF 567 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval of the Highways and Street Lighting Investment Plan for 2023/24.  The report set out recommendations for investment in highway infrastructure in 2023/24 and particularly covers footways, carriageways and street lighting assets.

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the Highways and Street Lighting Investment Plan which includes investment of £8.974m in highway assets for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 1 of this report.

 

2.            To approve the Highways and Street Lighting Investment Plan which includes investment of £1.5m in lighting assets for 2023/24, as set out in Appendix 2 of this report.

 

3.            To vire £0.355m from the Borough Roads budget to the Flood Water Management budget.

 

4.            To delegate decisions relating to highways infrastructure asset maintenance schemes design and implementation to the Head of Highways and Parking, subject to decisions being reported to Cabinet where a key decision applies.

 

5.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to carry out any required consultation in accordance with Appendix 3 and to make any necessary traffic management orders, having had due regard to any prior consultation to give effect to those schemes, subject to consultation representations regarding key decisions being considered by Cabinet.

 

6.            To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to consider any objections and representations on highways maintenance improvement schemes and to report back to the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services if there are significant, or substantial objections or concerns raised about a scheme not covering two or more wards.

 

Reasons for Decision

This report sets out the 2023/24 investment in the Council’s local highways infrastructure. It provides detail of the funding arrangements and seeks authority to proceed with the development and delivery of these projects, subject to appropriate consultation.

 

Alternative options considered.

No other options were considered, because the Council has a statutory duty to maintain the public highway network.

22.

Parking Schemes - Resident Engagement Policy pdf icon PDF 471 KB

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience.  To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Tackling Inequality and Resident Services introduced the report which sought approval of the revised Parkings Schemes – Resident Engagement Policy.

 

Councillor Hakata endorsed the report and recommendations.

 

In response to Councillor Barnes, the following was noted:

-       The Council had a statutory responsibility for maintaining traffic flow throughout the borough.  There may be some instances where the Council needs to make a decision contrary to what residents want, for example, matchday restrictions may need to be implemented in areas where residents did not necessarily want a CPZ.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.            To approve the revised Parking Schemes – Resident Engagement Policy, attached as Appendix 1.

 

Reasons for decisions

Managed on-street parking not only improves road safety by removing dangerous parking and improving sight lines - it also prioritises local need and protects parking spaces for residents, whilst enabling communities and individuals to be better connected, have greater access to opportunities and live in a cleaner, greener, and less congested environment. It helps tackle health inequalities, by encouraging active travel and improving air quality and enables deliveries to take place throughout the borough.

 

Additionally, controlled parking zones and managed parking schemes lead to fewer abandoned and dangerous vehicles on the streets whilst increasing the regular visible presence of uniformed enforcement officers across neighbourhoods.

 

This policy is intended to provide clear guidance on how residents and businesses can request to have parking in their streets managed and protected. It provides a framework for how the schemes can be co-produced to ensure they are fit for the local communities that benefit from them.

 

Alternative options considered.

Consideration was given to retaining the policy adopted in 2020. Whilst this set out an overarching framework for CPZ implementation, it lacked clarity of process and decision-making and that, in the main, parking controls are a choice for communities – a tool that they can use to improve their environment. It is therefore appropriate to replace the Controlled Parking Zone Policy with a new, broader Parking Schemes – Resident Engagement Policy.

23.

Minutes of Other Bodies pdf icon PDF 200 KB

To note the minutes of the following:

 

Cabinet Member Signings

 

8 March 2023

9 March 2023

13 March 2023

14 March 2023

20 March 2023

22 March 2023

23 March 2023

23 March 2023

27 March 2023

28 March 2023

28 March 2023

30 March 2023

5 April 2023

 

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

To note the minutes of other bodies.

24.

Significant and Delegated Actions pdf icon PDF 27 KB

To note the delegated decisions taken by Directors.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

To note the significant and delegated actions.

25.

New Items of Urgent Business

Minutes:

None.

26.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

Note from the Democratic Services and Scrutiny Manager

 

Items 27, 28 and 29 allow for consideration of exempt information in relation to items 3, 6 and 14.

 

TO RESOLVE

 

That the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting as items 27, 28 and 29 contain exempt information as defined under paragraphs 3 and 5, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972:

 

Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

 

Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the consideration of agenda items 27, 28 and 29 as they contain exempt information as defined under paragraphs 3 and 5, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972: Paragraph 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information); and Paragraph 5 - Information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings.

 

27.

EXEMPT - Civic Centre Project Update

Minutes:

The exempt information was noted.

28.

EXEMPT - Minutes

To confirm and sign the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023 as a correct record.

Minutes:

RESOLVED

 

To confirm and sign the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2023 as a correct record.

29.

New Items of Exempt Urgent Business

Minutes:

None.