Agenda and minutes

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.

The Chair referred Members present to agenda Item 1 as shown on the agenda in respect of filming at this meeting, and Members noted the information contained therein’.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Hearn.

The Chair will consider the admission 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 as noted below).

None.

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.

None.

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

The Panel received two deputations.

The first deputation related to a community allotment space that was on the roof of a car garage. The land was managed by Homes for Haringey and refurbishment works had recently taken place which prevented the group from being able to access their allotment site. The deputation was submitted on behalf of the Helston Growers and the deputation party was made up of Matthew Walsham, Andrew Graves Shirley Russell and Lorna Topping. Matthew Walsham introduced the deputation, which is summarised below:

• The deputation party advised they were speaking to the panel to raise concerns around the recent decision of Homes for Haringey to carry out repairs to a garage, off Russell Road, without any adequate consultation. As a result of this the group were being excluded from their long-standing (20 years+) community allotment.
• The allotment was in the middle of the estate in a previously neglected space, above what was derelict car park, and was transformed through many years of collective hard work. Members of the group include people who use the allotment for their stroke rehabilitation, those who had no other access to outdoor space, and many with young children.
• Homes for Haringey recently began renting the space below the garden out to a Volvo car showroom and subsequently decided that repairs were needed as the roof was leaking.
• The deputation party raised concerns that, having being told they would be consulted on the plans, they received very little information about the plans at any stage. The group also raised concerns that they had been advised that works would begin on 6th December but that works began on 1st December, and much of the allotment had already been bulldozed. I and other members Communications were only received only received about this on 4^th December and were advised that all their equipment must be removed by 7am on Monday 6^th December.
• The group were especially concerned that there was no guarantee that they would be allowed back in once the work was finished, nor any commitments as to how they would repair the damage caused.
• The space was a highly valued community asset that had been supported by the Council in the past. It occupied a space where there have been significant issues with anti-social behaviour.
• It was also contended that demolishing a community allotment where members grew local food to allow for garage space to park cars was entirely the wrong kind of action needed in the middle of a climate crisis.
• The Panel were asked to seek a firm commitment from HfH, on behalf of the group, of when they would be allowed back onto the site and how they would support them to fix the damage caused by the works.

The following arose as part of the discussion following the deputation:

a.    The Panel enquired about the management of the site and whether it was managed as a council allotment through the Parks service or whether there were any formal  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting on 4^th November.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the previous meeting on 4^th November were agreed as a correct record.

The Panel considered and commented on the Council’s 2022/23 Draft Budget / 5-year Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2022/23 – 2026/27 proposals relating to the Economy priority of the Borough Plan. The papers were introduced by Kaycee Ikegwu – Head of Finance & Principal Accountant as set out in the agenda pack at pages 11-84 of the agenda pack. Along with a cover report the budget papers included the following appendices:

• Appendix A – Key lines of enquiry for budget setting
• Appendix B – 2022/23 Draft Budget & 2021/26 Medium Term Financial Strategy Report (presented to Cabinet 8^th December 2020)
• Appendix C – 2022/23 New Revenue Budget Proposals
• Appendix D - 2022/23 New Capital Budget Proposals
• Appendix E – Proposed 2022/23-2026/27 Capital Programme
• Appendix F – Previously agreed MTFS savings. 

The following arose as part of the discussion of the Draft Budget & 2021/26 Medium Term Financial Strategy:

1. The Panel sought clarification around the relationship between Appendix D and Appendix E and whether the items in Appendix D were in Appendix E. In response, officers advised that Appendix D contained new proposals to add to the Capital Programme for 2022/23, whilst Appendix E contained the entire 5 year capital programme.
2. The Chair sought clarification around the capital bid for the Civic Centre annex and how this scheme would be self-financing as set out in the papers, particularly given the impact of borrowing costs on the revenue budget from the scheme, which were estimated by the Chair to be around £1.5m per year.  Officers advised that the revenue costs were broadly as the Chair outlined them. There was a report going to Cabinet in January on the Civic Centre that would validate the financial assumptions used in the MTFS. Officers advised that through the investment in the Civic Centre annex they were seeking to transform the existing office accommodation estate, which required significant financial investment. The proposal would be self-financing through a combination of removing existing buildings from the revenue budget and new buildings generating an income. The new build Civic Centre would also contribute to the Council’s carbon reduction targets, whereas refurbishing existing stock would not.
3. The Panel sought further clarification around the make-up of the Station Road estate and how long it would take to recoup the costs attributed to the Civic Centre. In response officers advised that the option to refurbish existing stock contained within the accommodation strategy, related to all of the buildings along Station Road, including Alex House, 40 Cumberland Road and 40 Station Road but excluded River Park House.  Officers also set out that when the Council borrowed money it did not do so for individual schemes, but rather for the whole of its external borrowing needs. Similarly, the debt repayment costs to the revenue budget were calculated as a combined cost that was calculated using the Minimum Revenue Position.
4. In response to a question, officers advised that there were two lines within the capital budget relating to the Civic Centre. The first was the refurbishment of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

RESOLVED

The Panel noted the work programme and any updates contained therein.

To consider any items admitted at item 3 above.

N/A

26^th February 2022

26^th February 2022