Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Whyte (for whom Cllr Wilson substituted).  Apologies for lateness were received from Cllr Kober.

The Chair will consider the admission of any of any late items of urgent business. (Late items will be considered under the agenda item where they appear. New items will be dealt with at item 11 below).

The Chair agreed to admit the report ‘Order Designating Public Places as Controlled Areas for Drinking in Public’ as urgent business.

A member with a personal interest in a matter who attends a meeting of the authority at which the matter is considered must disclose to that meeting the existence and nature of that interest at the commencement of that consideration, or when the interest becomes apparent.

A member with a personal interest in a matter also has a prejudicial interest in that matter if the interest is one which a member of the public with knowledge of the relevant facts would reasonably regard as so significant that it is likely to prejudice the member's judgment of the public interest and if this interest affects their financial position or the financial position of a person or body as described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct and/or if it relates to the determining of any approval, consent, licence, permission or registration in relation to them or any person or body described in paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct.

Cllr Khan declared a personal interest in respect of item 7, Statement of Accounts

To consider any requests received in accordance with Part 4, Section B, paragraph 29 of the Council’s constitution.

There were no such requests.

To confirm and sign the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on March 11^th 2008.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the auditors name in the minute GPCO60 be ammended to read ‘Grant Thornton’.

2.  That the minutes of the meeting held on 11^th March 2008 be confirmed and signed, subject to the above ammendment.

To note the minutes of sub-bodies of the General Purposes Committee:

Council & Employee Joint Consultative Committee

            - 28 January 2008

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the Council & Employee Joint Consutlative Committee held on 28^th January 2008 be noted.

(Report of the Chief Financial Officer)  To set out the Council’s financial statements for approval. These statements have been prepared with the aim of giving clear and concise information about the financial affairs of the Authority to Members of the Council, the public and other stakeholders.

Members noted that the correct title of this report was ‘Statement of Accounts’.

The committee received the Council’s financial statements for approval.  These had been prepared with the aim of giving clear and concise information about the financial affairs of the Authority to members of the Council, the public and other stakeholders.

It was noted that the Pensions accounts were approved at the meeting of the Pensions Committee held on 23^rd June 2008.  The committee also noted that the accounts relating to Alexandra Palace & Park were included as an appendix for information only, being the responsibility of the Alexandra Palace Board to approve.  Officers agreed to add a note to the accounts, stating that those relating to Alexandra Palace were subject to formal audit in accordance with Charity Commission regulations.

Members enquired as to the status of the accounts for the Bernie Grant  Centre Partnership.  They were informed that these were not included, the Centre being a separate organisation responsible for their own accounts.  Council oversight was provided by way of the Chief Executive sitting on the Bernie Grant Centre’s board.

Members enquired as to the large increase in the value of fixed assets against the figure given for the previous municipal year.  Officers informed the committee that this reflected significant movement in the property market with regards the Council’s housing stock (which was re-evaluated every year) and its other stock (which was re-evaluated over a rolling five year programme).

Members enquired as to the make-up of the Council’s non-Service Revenue Account.  Members were informed by Officers that the account contained a number of ‘below the line’ services, and was regarded as part of the Council’s overall budget, and included contingency and capital financing.

RESOLVED:

1.          That information on small trust funds to be provided to Cllr Khan and committee

2.          That Members to be provided with an updated version of report the figures required in section three (pp. 6-7).

3.          That the accounts are approved subject to an expansion of the note in the Council’s accounts in respect of Alexandra Palace.  The additional wording will be that the figure in the Council’s accounts in respect of funding the Alexandra Palace deficit is draft at this stage as the AP accounts are still subject to formal audit in accordance with the Charity Commission regulations.

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment)  To brief Members about the arrangements for recruiting to the post of Assistant Director – Planning, Regeneration and Economy, and to receive the nominations of Members who will be able to take part in the recruitment process. 

The committee received this report to approve the recruiting arrangements for the post of A.D. – Planning, Regeneration and Economy.

The committee noted that this post was currently out for recruitment, and agreed the composition of the panel as stated below.

RESOLVED:

That a panel be convened with 5 Members, 3 from the majority party and 2 from the minority party, with Cllr Khan the representative of the General Purposes Committee.

(Report of the A.C.E. – People & O.D.)  To provide information on actions to reduce consultancy usage and manage long term agency temps in the Council.

The committee was provided with information on actions taken to reduce consultancy usage and to manage long term agency temps in the Council.  The committee noted the actions taken and improvements in these areas. 

Use of agency staff had reduced from 2,200 at its peak to 580 in April 2008, with consultants reduced to 56 from a position of 44 in January 2007.  Actions were ongoing in this areas which Officers believed would lead to further improvement.  It was noted that the majority of temporary staff in the Council were now those required to fill short-term gaps.

Further updates on the position with regards consultants and agency staff would be available in the annual Employment Profile, a report which was due to be brought before the General Purposes Committee in due course.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted, with further information to be provided as part of the Employment Profile report in due course.

(Report of the Assistant Chief Executive: People and Organisational Development)  To set out the Council’s People Strategy 2008-16 for member information.

The committee received a report setting out the Council’s People Strategy 2008-16 for information.

Progress on the strategy was noted by Members. 250 managers and staff had been consulted on it thus far, and the Committee was pleased to note that a more detailed action plan on delivering the key themes identified thus far would come before the Committee at its September meeting.

Members noted that the Council was in the process of reviewing its ‘whistle blowing’ policy, together with revising its policy on harassment and bullying.  The committee noted that regular meetings were held between the Head of HR and Homes for Haringey.  Although the organisation was responsible for their own HR services, they were being kept updated on Haringey’s policies in this area.

RESOLVED:

1. That the committee note the report.

2. That the full strategy and detailed action plan be reviewed at the September GP committee

Order Designating Public Places as Controlled Areas for Drinking in Public                      

(Report of the Director of Urban Environment)  To Members’ agreement to delegate to the Director, in consultation with the Chair, the decision to authorise a proposed extension of street drinking controls for the Police in two new controlled areas. Delegation to the Director is recommended as necessary in order to protect local residents by bringing into force these controls as rapidly as possible.

Order Designating Public Places as Controlled Areas for Drinking in Public

The Chair agreed to the admission of this item as urgent business.  The item was urgent as the Police had provided evidence that there was extensive street drinking issues at the locations stated within the report, which was particularly a problem during the summer months.  The issues were causing large scale nuisance and anti-social behaviour to local residents.

The report requested that the committee make an order subject to no objections arising during the formal consultation process.  The committee was requested to delegate authority to the Director of Urban Environment to analyse the findings of the formal consultation and approve the order if appropriate in consultation with the Chair of General Purposes Committee.  It was noted that the Cabinet Member for Community Safety fully supported the request.

The report concerned itself with two new areas which were brought to Officers attention in the aftermath of the original report which was approved by the Committee at the meeting of March 11^th 2008.   These areas were around the Willan Road area in West Green ward, and the St Loys Road area in the Bruce Grove ward.  Members were provided with maps of the proposed control zones.

Members raised concerns with regards the extent of the ban in the East of the borough, concerns over displacement and queries as to why existing anti-social behaviour powers were not adequate to confront the problems.  Officers assured Members that the proposals had strong support amongst residents, ward Councillors and the Police, and that the powers would only be used when necessary specifically to combat nuisance, disorder or anti-social behaviour.

Members agreed to support the proposals with the caveat that a full review of their implementation being reported back to the committee.  The committee also requested that their unease at being asked to approve prior to consultation being noted.

Cllr Aitken requested that his dissent to the affirmative vote be noted.

RESOLVED:

That the report be agreed, subject to a full review being provided to the committee as part of a wider analysis of street drinking at the autumn meeting of the General Purposes Committee.

The following items are likely to be the subject of a motion to exclude the press and public from the meeting as they contain information classified as exempt under the Local Government Act 1985 in that they contain information relating to a particular employee.

The following item was subject to a motion to exclude the press and public.

To note minutes of the following Member-level appeals:

-          18 January 2008

-          27 May 2008

RESOLVED:

1.       That the minutes of the Member-Level Appeal of 18^th January 2009 be noted.

2.       That the minutes of the Member-Level Appeal of 27^th May 2008 be redrafted with accurate panel Membership information, and submitted to the next meeting of the committee.

There was no such business.