Agenda and minutes

To agree the procedures for the operation of hybrid meetings.

RESOLVED –

THAT the guidance on hybrid meetings be agreed.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Callaghan.

There were no declarations of interest.

Webcasting of the Meeting

The Chair to announce the following: “In addition to the rights by law that the public and press have to record and film public meetings, I would like to remind everyone present that this meeting will be broadcast live by the Council to the Internet and will be capable of repeated viewing and copies of the recording could be made available to those that request them.

If you are seated in the chamber it is likely that the Council’s cameras will capture your image and you are deemed to be consenting to being filmed and to the use of those images and sound recordings for webcasting and/or training purposes.  If you are addressing the Committee your contribution will be recorded and broadcast unless you have already indicated that you do not wish this to happen.

If you wish to avoid appearing on the Council’s webcast you should move to one of the galleries.”

Any Other Announcements

The Chair reminded those present that the meeting was being broadcast live by the Council to the internet and could be viewed for twelve months thereafter and then archived and made available on request.  Anyone who had asked to address the meeting was deemed to be consenting to having their contribution recorded and broadcast and to the use of the sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.

The Chair also spoke of the shooting incident in Euston over the weekend, and expressed the Council’s sympathies to the victims and their families.  She thanked the emergency services and urged anyone with information to contact the Police via 101 or Crimestoppers.

Requests to address the Cabinet on a matter on its agenda must be made in writing to the clerk named on the front of this agenda by 5pm two working days before the meeting.

There were no deputations.

There was no notification.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th December 2022.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 14^th December 2022 be approved and signed as a correct record.

At this point in the meeting items referred from a Council Scrutiny Committee requiring urgent consideration will be taken.

There were no matters referred.

Please note that there were no alternative options considered or rejected by the Cabinet for the following items, unless indicated, although Cabinet Members duly considered, where applicable, options listed within the reports.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living

Continued reduction in Government funding for the Council, coupled with rising inflation and cost pressures on our services means that the Council is projecting a budget deficit of approximately £40m by 2025/26. This report presents an overview of the Council’s financial position and our plan for providing financial stability and resilience for the local authority in a volatile wider environment.

This report sets out our assumptions and our understanding of how Government policy will impact our funding and spending over the coming years including updates from the Autumn / Winter 2022 spending review and the Local Government Finance Settlement that allocates funding to each local authority.  The recent draft financial settlement for 2023/24 provided an increase in ‘Core Spending Power’ (funding available for local authority services, which is predicated on a combination of government grants and increasing Council Tax and locally retained Business Rates) of 9.2% across England.  In Camden approximately 28% of the increase in ‘Core Spending Power’ relates to an assumed increase in Council Tax of 4.99%. Camden’s specific core spending allocation was lower than the national average and the fourth lowest in London at 8.2%.  This is against general inflation of 10.1% and ongoing demographic pressures in a number of services especially adult and children’s social care.

The report sets out our proposals for how we will change our organisation and our services to operate within our expected budgets in the medium term. These proposals incorporate outcomes-focused change, a focus on long-term change for improvement for the Council, and a continuing drive for the best and most efficient services. These proposals are detailed at Appendix 1.

This report also sets out how we will invest our resources and direct our services to support our ambitions for Camden set out in We Make Camden – our community vision for Camden as a fairer, more equal, more just and more sustainable Borough. This includes how we are investing resources to support families and households through the cost of living crisis, to address the harm of poverty and to support families to have economic security. It shows how we are continuing to play our part in climate justice and supporting Camden’s transition to be a low-carbon community. It shows how we are continuing to invest to give children and families the best start, and how we are investing to provide person-centred care for people with health and complex needs – and how we are working in our neighbourhoods to keep people healthy and well.

Some of our proposals for achieving financial stability will have an impact on staff, on residents and on the way that services are delivered. All proposals have been considered individually for their potential impact on residents as part of our commitment to equity. There is an overarching equalities impact assessment for this financial strategy included in this report. For those proposals that require consultation and/or equality impact assessments to be considered, whilst the associated budget  ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living.

In response to comments, the Cabinet Member remarked that there had been a rigorous process of questioning and assessment for each of the proposals to ensure that they were achievable and Camden had a strong record of delivering Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings, having achieved 98% of the savings set out in the last MTFS.  However, some of the proposals would need to be reviewed once the level of funding for years 2 and 3 was known.  Fees and charges were rising at less that the rate of inflation, and had to be based on the cost of providing the services.  Private operators would of course be facing inflationary pressures too.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the continued challenging and uncertain funding outlook for the Council set out in section two of the report be noted;

(ii)          THAT, in relation to the proposals (with associated budget reductions) set out in section 2.47 to 2.49 and Appendix A of the report:

                    i.    Authority be delegated to the relevant Director(s) to immediately implement proposals listed as Decision Category A.

                   ii.    The proposals listed as Decision Category B be agreed in principle, and authority be delegated to the relevant Director(s), in consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member(s), to decide whether and how to implement the savings identified within each proposal, having had due regard to the Council’s general equality duties, any other applicable legal duties and the results of any consultation undertaken in respect of the proposal; undertake any necessary consultation; and make any necessary redundancies, including for any proposals involving more than 20 redundancies.

                  iii.    Proposals listed as Decision Category C be explored further and reported back to Cabinet (and if necessary, Council) for consideration at a later date.

(iii)         THAT, in relation to fees and charges discussed in section 2.55 and Appendix B of the report:

                   i.        Authority be delegated to the relevant Director to decide increases to existing fees and charges up to a maximum of 7%, in consultation with the relevant portfolio holders.

                  ii.        The particular content in Appendix B setting out supporting information for the new fees and charges and the fees and charges where the proposed increase is over 7% be noted.

                 iii.        The new fees and charges, and the increase in fees and charges where the proposed increase is over 7%, as shown in Appendix B of the report, be agreed and authority be delegated to the relevant Executive Director to introduce those changes.

                iv.        The Equality Impact Assessments and consultation findings in Appendix D of the report be noted.

(iv)         THAT the recommended additions to the Capital Programme at paragraphs 2.62 to 2.65 of the report be agreed.

(v)          THAT the Council’s planned use of reserves summarised in Appendix C of the report be agreed.

(vi)         THAT the risks outlined in section four of the report be noted.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes

This report sets out how the Council intends to continue to invest in its housing stock and services despite the increasingly challenging financial climate that the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is operating in. It sets out a balanced budget and proposed levels of rent and service charges for 2023/24, which includes savings as part of the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)

The report is coming to the Cabinet because the Council is required to set a balanced HRA budget for each year and set levels of rent and charges for the HRA. To balance the budget, a level of savings is required so this paper should be considered in conjunction with the Medium-Term Financial Strategy paper (CS/2022/20) also being discussed at January Cabinet 2023.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes, and to an addendum to the report published on the supplementary agenda.

In introducing the report, the Cabinet Member summed up the feedback from the District Management Committee and added that he had received further feedback from the Holly Lodge Tenants’ and Residents’ Association, asking that a decision on heating pool charges be deferred pending another look at the possibility of reducing the increase to between 25% and 75%.  He remarked that the only way to further mitigate the increase in heating pool charges would be to dispose of Housing Revenue Account assets and that was not an option he was prepared to contemplate.  Nothwithstanding this, Camden’s heating charges were historically at least one-third lower than those of other providers.

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member commented that some of the difficulties that tenants were facing might lead to an increase in rent arrears.  He urged people to take advantage of the help and advice that was available and not to suffer in silence.

RESOLVED -

THAT, having considered the views of the District Management Committees (Appendix E of the report), the Housing Scrutiny Committee and the results of the Equalities Impact Assessment (Appendix D of the report), and having due regard to the obligations set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010:

(i)           The Housing Revenue Account budget for 2023/24 (Appendix A) of the report be approved to ensure a balanced HRA budget for 2023/24;

(ii)          It be agreed to increase council rents by 7% (new rent cap for 2023/2024) from April 2023 (paragraph 3.3 of the report);

(iii)         The revised tenant service charges for Caretaking, CCTV, Communal Lighting, Communal Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance, Grounds Maintenance and Responsive Housing Patrol (paragraph 3.6-3.8 of the report) be agreed;

(iv)         The revised service charges in the HRA hostels and supported housing (paragraph 3.9 of the report) be agreed;

(v)          It be agreed to increase the heating pool scales by 175%, to defer repayment of the 2022/23 heating pool deficit into future years and apply credits to bring the net increase down to 125% and to agree an in-year review of charges during 2023, rather than January 2024;

(vi)         It be agreed to increase Temporary accommodation property purchase 2 scheme (TAPP2) rents by 10.1% at Affordable levels within the existing benefit system in line with the associated Greater London Authority funding agreement (paragraph 3.5 of the report);

(vii)       It be agreed to increase resident garage rents from £12/week to £14/week from 2023/24 and to increase £2/week each year for the following 2 years in line with the Medium Term Financial Strategy savings strategy (paragraph 3.22 of the report);

(viii)      The Medium Term Financial Strategy savings plan as set out in paragraphs 3.19 – 3.21 and Appendix B of the report be agreed;

(ix)         Decisions (i-viii) above be exempted from call in, subject to the agreement of the Chair of Housing Scrutiny Committee, in order to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living

This report seeks approval of the resource bases for council tax and business rates. The council tax base shows how much tax could be raised for each £1 of council tax at band D in the borough. The council tax base is also used by the Greater London Authority and the Garden Square Committees to work out their precept on the council tax. The business rates base shows how much in business rates is likely to raised when rates are charged at the levels set by Central Government.

The report is coming to the Cabinet and then to Council because the Constitution requires the Council to approve the council tax base every year and because the business rates yield forms an important part of the budget and tax setting report due to come to Cabinet in February.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living.

RESOLVED -

THAT the following be recommended to Council:

1.            That the calculation of the Council's tax base for the year 2023/2024 as set out in appendix 1 of the report be approved.

2.            That in accordance with Local Authorities (Calculation of Council Tax Base) (England) Regulations 2012, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Camden as its council tax base for the year 2023/2024 shall be 92,555 shown in appendix 1 of the report.

3.            That the tax base for the three Garden Squares as shown in appendix 2 of the report shall be as follows:

                      Gordon Square                    23.95

                      Fitzroy Square                     53.19   

                      Mecklenburgh Square        94.09

4.            That the approach and assumptions for the calculation of the Council’s business rates yield as set out in appendix 3 of the report be approved.

5.            That, in accordance with the Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013, the amount calculated by the London Borough of Camden as its business rates yield for the year 2023-2024 shall be £629.2 million as shown in line 17 of Appendix 3 of the report.

6.            That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Corporate Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living, to make any adjustments to the calculation of the estimated business rates yield for year 2023-24. This is to reflect any technical amendments to the calculations or late regulatory changes made by the Treasury or in respect of the former London Pilot Pool.

7.            That authority be delegated to the Executive Director Corporate Services to submit the notification of the calculation of the estimated Non-Domestic Rates income to the Secretary of State and the Greater London Authority.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities

This report sets out a refreshed vision for the Council in tackling domestic violence and abuse (DVA), following the Camden Women’s Forum inquiry and report into domestic abuse in the borough. Cabinet endorsed the Women’s Forum findings in December 2021 and approved £400,000 per year of additional funding to implement these recommendations.

The refreshed vision builds on the direction of travel of the Council and its achievements in delivering the Domestic Abuse Action Plan that was presented to Cabinet in March 2021.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, which was introduced in her absence by the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the progress made in tackling and responding to domestic abuse since the last Cabinet report was presented in December 2021 be noted;

(ii)          THAT the refreshed vision, ambitions and outcomes framework for Camden’s Domestic Violence and Abuse programme, as set out in paragraph 2.1 of the report, be approved and endorsed; and

(iii)         THAT the distributed leadership model for tackling domestic abuse, recognising that it requires a whole council response to deliver the refreshed vision, be endorsed.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion

This report covers the development of the Community Spaces: Rents and Leases Policy since the Cabinet report of Feb 2020. Over this period the Policy along with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) Social Value Discount Framework, Heads of Terms (HoTs) and Equalities Impact Assessment have been developed with input from engaging tenants from the Voluntary and Community Sector.

This policy sets out a new framework for managing rents and leases in premises let to the VCS. The principal driver of the policy is fairness; to introduce a comprehensive and consistent framework for charitable tenants giving greater clarity and improved terms to the sector. While as explained the policy describes a process which needs to be completed we do not anticipate any significant increase or decrease in current £1.26m annually billed to the sector. As stated the aim of the policy change is to bring fairness and an equality of treatment and not to raise additional funds for the Council. This will be achieved through the introduction of a new VCS lease and rent setting process, where discounts will be applied in recognition of the ‘social value’ delivered by qualifying VCS organisations. Where changes may have an impact on VCS organisations, extensive mitigations will be put in place to successfully migrate charities on to the new framework.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Voluntary Sector, Equalities and Cohesion.

In response to questions, the Cabinet Member remarked that there had been challenges from the sector but overall it was understood that the new approach was fairer, more transparent and more sustainable.

The Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care remarked that during her involvement in her previous Cabinet role there had been many detailed and well attended sessions with representatives of the sector, who had become unhappy about being repeatedly required to demonstrate their worth.  This feedback had led to a change in emphasis to one that assumed social value and to a light touch assessment to quantify this value.  This was one example of the productive and careful process that had been undertaken in collaboration with the sector to draw up this policy.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT, having considered the results of the consultation and the results of the equalities impact assessment, and having due regard to the obligations set out in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the following be agreed:-

(a)  Voluntary and Community Sector Community Spaces: Voluntary and Community Sector Rents and Leases Policy, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

(b)  The list of Voluntary and Community Sector premises that the policy applies to, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report;

(c)  The Voluntary and Community Sector Heads of Terms, as set out in Appendix 3 of the report; and

(d)  The Social Value Discount Framework, as set out in Appendix 4 of the report.

(ii)          THAT the financial and budgetary implications of the proposals be noted.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment

The lives of residents living in Cartmel, Coniston and Langdale on Regents Park Estate have historically been and continue to be disrupted by High Speed 2 (HS2) construction works, to the extent that the homes of residents living in these blocks have been made ‘virtually uninhabitable’.

After several years of campaigning and action by the Council, a funding deal has now been secured with HS2 to cover the full costs of decant to Coniston, Cartmel and Langdale, for both secure tenants and leaseholders. HS2 and the Department for Transport (DfT) have approved this funding deal through their own governance processes and have confirmed to the Council that it had agreed a deal in principle.

The funding would be paid to the council in instalments, dependent on the number of homes vacated up to a cap of £29.2m. In return, the Council will commit to assume the obligations of HS2 under the E23 Scheme and Prolonged Disturbance Compensation Scheme (PDCS), and to discharge these obligations by using its reasonable endeavours to move residents from the three affected blocks.

The Council has negotiated the final terms of the Settlement and Indemnity Agreement (“the Agreement”) that will allow the council to receive the funding and enable all residents to be rehoused.  A consultation with residents has been completed, which shows that 70% of residents would accept the housing deal.

This report is coming to Cabinet to approve the terms of the Agreement and the re-housing offer to residents. It will seek to amend the local lettings plan and the voluntary re-housing scheme to allow Council tenants to be prioritised for homes within the Regent’s Park Ward and request approval to develop a bespoke share equity offer for resident leaseholders. In addition, it will also seek approval to bring forward an options appraisal to examine the future of the blocks, for both the medium and long term, as they will be largely vacant for the next 10 years whilst HS2 construction works are ongoing.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the consultation report at Appendix 5 of the report and having had due regards to the equality impact assessment in Appendix 6 of the report and the needs set out in Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010:

(i)            The finalising and entering into the ‘Settlement and Indemnity Agreement with HS2 Ltd for Re-housing’ section of the report, as summarised in Section 2, paragraphs 2.1 to 2.7, be approved;

(ii)          The Re-housing Scheme, as summarised in Appendix 2 of the report, be approved;

(iii)         The proposal to develop a Shared Equity offer for resident leaseholders be approved;

(iv)         An Options Appraisal be carried out to explore medium and long term strategies with respect to Cartmel, Coniston and Langdale as summarised in section 2.15 to 2.18 of the report; and

(v)          Authority be delegated to the Executive Director Corporate Services, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for New Homes, Jobs and Community Investment, to take all decisions reasonably required to implement the ‘Settlement and Indemnity Agreement with HS2 Ltd’, the ‘Re-housing Scheme’, the ‘Shared Equity Scheme’ and the Options Appraisal, as set out in Section 2 and Appendix 2 of the report.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden

This report sets out the proposed approach to the procurement of Taxi and Attendant Services for the London Borough of Camden in collaboration with the London Borough of Islington and City of London.

Taxi and Attendant Services including ambulance transportation and ad hoc services are necessary for passengers who have complex needs and who require individual travel arrangements. Those arrangements may include passenger attendants that travel with them to ensure that their needs are fully met, and that levels of safety and security are maintained during each journey. There is also a requirement for journeys in and outside of London where public transport is not considered to be a suitable option.  

Taxi and Attendant Services are currently provided through a Framework Agreement which was created in collaboration with London Borough of Islington and City of London in 2019. This existing Framework Agreement is due to expire on 31st August 2023 and for the reasons set out in this report, it is proposed that the service will be re-commissioned as a new Framework Agreement open for use by all three participating boroughs for a four (4) year period. The proposed new contract would commence on 1st September 2023.

The Framework Agreement will complement Camden’s in-house bus service and is utilised where there are specific passenger needs that cannot be met via in-house provision or where it provides the most cost-effective method of transport.

The Council will be leading on the procurement on behalf of all three Boroughs.

The report is being presented to Cabinet on 18 January 2023 for approval in line with Contract Standing Orders. 

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the equalities impact assessment at Appendix 2 of the report, and having due regard to the obligations set out in Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010:-

(i)            The procurement strategy for the provision of Taxi and Attendant Services including ambulance transportation and ad hoc services, which includes a price/quality split of 65/35 for Lots 1-6 ad 70/30 for Lot 7, for a contract term of four years for an estimated aggregate total value of £30,500,000 (of which £18,000,000 will be contributed by Camden £12,000,000 by Islington and £500,000 by the City of London) be approved; and

(ii)          Authority be delegated to the Executive Director Supporting Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden, to take the final decision on the award of the contract.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

There was no urgent business.