Agenda and minutes

An apology for lateness was received from Councillor Simpson.

There were no declarations.

There were no deputations.

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

Webcasting of the Meeting

At the beginning of the meeting, Councillor Hayward reminded everyone present that the meeting was being broadcast to the internet and that anyone who did not wish to appear on the webcast should take a seat in one of the galleries.

On occasions part of a Cabinet meeting will be held in private and not open to the public, if an item is being considered which 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, members of the public can make representations about why that part of the meeting should be open to the public.

No such representations were received in respect of items on this agenda.

No such representations were received in respect of items on this agenda.

There was no notification.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th February 2015.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 25^th February 2015 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 references from Scrutiny Committees.

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 Adult Social Care and Health

Cabinet agreed the Council’s approach to the Better Care Fund and a draft plan in January 2014. The Better Care Fund requires the Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group to pool existing budgets into one budget from April 2015 to pay for integrated community based services with the aim of providing better outcomes for people who use health and social care services. Allocations were set by Department of Health and NHS England. The total allocated pooled budget for Camden in the Better Care Fund is £19.314m.The Better Care Fund is underpinned by a Better Care plan.

Approximately £5.3m of the total fund is performance related linked for a reduction in emergency avoidable hospital admissions.

The Better Care plan for Camden reflects the Camden Plan by improving value for money by integrating services to get it right first time; developing new services with partners to reduce inequalities and investing in sustainable neighbourhoods to deliver a personalised approach to health and social care.

The Better Care Fund plan was submitted to Health and Wellbeing Board in April before submission to NHS England and Department of Health. Plans were nationally required to be resubmitted, and signed off by ministers in November 2014.

A requirement for the transfer of the Better Care Fund (BCF) into a joint pooled budget hosted by the Council, the Council and Clinical Commissioning Group is to establish and sign up to a legal contract for the management of the budget and the Better Care plan in the form of a Section 75 agreement, for sign off by the end of April 2015.

The Council has a number of other Section 75 agreements in place which cover services jointly commissioned with the NHS.

This reports sets out the provisions to be agreed with the Clinical Commissioning Group and the implications for the Council. This report is coming to the Cabinet for decision because a Section 75 agreement is a legal agreement for pool funding between the council and the CCG. Cabinet is required to formally agree this.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT authority be delegated to the Director of Housing and Adult Social Care to negotiate and thereafter enter into a Section 75 agreement as described in the report and to enter into any other necessary legal agreements to give effect to these arrangements; and

(ii)          THAT authority be delegated to the Health and Wellbeing Board to monitor the Better Care Plan and the Batter Care Fund through receipt of six monthly updates.

ACTION BY:             Director of Housing and Adult Social Care

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Children

This report provides Cabinet with an overview of the recommendations of the review of early years services, led by the Cabinet Member for Children.

The review (Appendix A) sets an ambitious vision for transformation, proposing a ‘Camden Sure Start’ approach to early years services in order to achieve the Camden Plan outcome of ensuring the best start in life for Camden’s children. It focusses investment on those in most need and as far as possible protects front line services.

In order to build on the recommendations presented in the review this paper sets out plans for a period of engagement and statutory consultation. Cabinet is asked to accept the recommendations of the review and to begin a period of engagement and consultation on proposed changes to the Council’s early education and childcare offer and children’s centre configuration.

Following consultation, Cabinet will be asked to make a final decision on changes to early education and childcare in July 2015 and to the configuration of children’s centres later in the year.

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

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT it be agreed to take steps to transform Camden’s early years services into a new ‘Camden Sure Start’ model, as set out in Appendix A of the report;

(ii)          THAT the commencement of the statutory consultation on proposed changes to the early education and childcare offer, and on the configuration of Children’s Centres, be approved; and

(iii)         THAT the engagement and development work on a Camden Sure Start model be agreed, for a final decision by the Cabinet later in 2015.

ACTION BY:             Director of Children, Schools and Families

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing

The Community Investment Programme (CIP) is a long-term programme bringing together a range of work focussed on ensuring best use of the Council’s assets to improve, shape and transform key places and services within Camden, whilst simultaneously addressing a critical capital funding gap. The programme is making and will continue to make an important contribution to the delivery of objectives within the Camden Plan, particularly harnessing the benefits of economic growth, tackling inequality, investing in our communities to ensure sustainable neighbourhoods and delivering value for money.

This particular report proposes an alternative approach to the funding of the three housing regeneration CIP schemes at the Maitland Park, Kiln Place and Barrington & Lamble estates.

This report has an appendix which contains information exempt within the meaning of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and is not for publication. The appendix has therefore been circulated to Cabinet Members only.

If the Cabinet wishes to discuss the contents of a closed exempt appendix it may pass the proposed resolution identified at the end of the document to exclude members of the public and the press from the proceedings for that discussion. 

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

It was noted that there was a confidential appendix to this report containing confidential information relating to this item, which Cabinet Members had read and would take into account when making the decision.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the alternative funding strategy for delivering the regeneration projects at Maitland Park, Kiln Place and Barrington & Lamble estate be agreed as set out in Section 2 of the report; and

(ii)          THAT the powers as set out in paragraphs 5.1 to 5.4 of the report to assess options and enter into any agreements required to secure delivery of new homes in the Grafton Road sites at the Barrington and Lamble estate be delegated to the Director of Housing and Adult Social Care in consultation with the Director of Culture and Environment, the Director of Finance, the Borough Solicitor and the Cabinet Member for Housing.

ACTION BY:             Director of Housing and Adult Social Care

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Housing

In February 2014 the Cabinet approved the procurement strategy for a new consultancy framework to support delivery of the Better Homes programme and other building works. Tenders were invited and this report summarises progress to date. The framework covers the full range of building consultancy services and will be available for use by all Council departments. The framework will provide services such as condition surveys, design of heating systems and production of specifications for building works. The report is coming to the Cabinet as it is responsible for contract award where the aggregate value of the proposed contracts exceeds £5m.

Stage two leasehold consultation is due to close early April 2015 and therefore this report proposes that the final decision to award contracts is delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing. This will mean that a decision to award contracts can be taken before tender prices expire in May 2015.

With regards Camden Plan objectives, the Better Homes programme improves the Council’s housing stock and the quality of life for residents and the wider community; it therefore directly contributes to the objective of Investing in Our Communities. The framework included a “Small Commissions Lot” to attract SMEs and a number of smaller companies have progressed through the evaluation process. In addition, all suppliers will be encouraged to utilise local SMEs when additional resources are required. There is potential, therefore, for the framework to contribute to the objective of Economic Growth.

This report does not cover the procurement of a framework for the delivery of Better Homes works, this being subject to a separate procurement process.

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

It was noted that the Leader of the Council was required to consider and agree recommendation (ii), rather than the Cabinet.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the progress made to date with regards to procurement of the consultancy framework be noted; and

(ii)          THAT, as agreed by the Leader of the Council, authority be delegated to the Cabinet Member for Housing to award the contracts once the leaseholder consultation has concluded.

ACTION BY:             Director of Housing and Adult Social Care

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health

This report seeks approval for a joint procurement with Islington Council for the delivery of an Adult Lifestyle Health Improvement Programme (ALHIP).

Lifestyle factors such as smoking, lack of physical activity and obesity substantially contribute to inequalities in ill health and early death in Camden.  Encouraging and supporting people to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles continues to be a key component in delivering the Camden Plan outcome of reducing health inequalities and maintaining a focus on prevention and early intervention.

The report proposes a significant remodelling of these services to establish joint contracts delivered across both boroughs.  This will include a new single point of access to simplify entry into and progress through the different services.  The redesign will also create new opportunities for the local voluntary sector to complement the new service model.  This approach will build resilience within the population to stay healthy and thus reduce potential demand and escalation of need for health and social care.

The new services will be delivered through eight contracts for initial periods of three years. The total annual cost of all contracts will be £1.3 million funded from the Public Health Grant.  The procurement will deliver the savings required through Public Health’s Adult Health Improvement Transformation Programme (£746,000) as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy, as well as supporting delivery of wider public health savings.

This report is coming to be Cabinet because Cabinet must agree the contract award strategy for all proposed revenue contracts in excess of £2 million.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the joint procurement strategy with Islington Council be agreed as set out in the report; and

(ii)          THAT the contract award be delegated to the Joint Director of Public Health in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health.

ACTION BY:             Joint Director of Public Health

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

The next meeting of the Cabinet will take place on 10^th June 2015.

It was noted that the next meeting of the Cabinet would take place on 10^th June 2015.

There was no urgent business.

Proposed resolution:

THAT the press and public be excluded from the proceedings of the Cabinet on 8^th April 2015 during consideration of the respective item on the agenda on the grounds that it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that were members of the public to be present, there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

Specifically -

Publicity in respect of item x  would be likely to lead to the disclosure of information relating to financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information) and not required to be registered under various statutes by virtue of Category 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.