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 Councillors Apak, Olszewski and Shah.

In relation to Item 10, Determination of Statutory Notice concerning St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, Councillor Boyland declared that he was Chair of Governors at Fleet Primary School, which was located close to St Dominic’s School.  He would not therefore take part in consideration of Item 5 Deputations or Item 10 and would leave the room for consideration of those items.

In relation to Item 10, Determination of Statutory Notice concerning St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, Councillor Callaghan declared that she had a close relation who was headteacher of a Camden primary school.  She would not therefore take part in consideration of Item 5 Deputations or Item 10 and would leave the room for consideration of those items.

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

Broadcast of the meeting

The Chair reminded those present that the meeting was being broadcast live 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 sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.

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.

A deputation was heard from Margaret Harvey, Chair of Governors of St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, in relation to Item 10 on the agenda.

There was no notification of urgent business.

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.

There was no information that was exempt from publication on the agenda.

To approve and sign the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd February 2023.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd February 2023 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 Best Start for Children and Families

All local authorities have a statutory duty to secure sufficient school places within their area, including promoting high standards of education, ensuring fair access, a diversity of school provision and considering the provision for children with special educational needs.

Following a significant and sustained reduction in pupil demand and an acute fall in the number of children on roll at St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School, the Governing Body has undertaken a public consultation on a proposal to close the school from August 2023.

The first stage of consultation took place between 12 October and 30 November 2022. This process included issuing consultation documentation and a number of parent and public meetings, that were well attended.

It is clear from the engagement with that process that St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School and its staff are highly regarded and play an important part in the community, offering vital links for children and families. There is genuine concern as to the future of the school, the potential impact that this could have on children and a sadness about the circumstances that have brought about the proposal for closure.

Following the end of this first stage consultation the Governing Body met to consider the responses received. Following careful consideration, the Governing Body agreed to the publication of Statutory Notices stating their recommendation to close the school from August 2023. A notice was published on 19 January 2023. The notice had a representation period lasting until 16 February 2023. The statutory notice was published in accordance with guidance for opening and closing maintained schools.

This report provides details of the responses received during the representation period. A copy of the statutory notice and statutory proposal is included in appendix 1.

In total, the Council has received 4 representations to the statutory notice. All representations are included within Appendix 2 of this report.

Officers have considered these responses and the recommendation of the School’s Governing Body. The Council and Diocese need to create a school system which can cope well with continued financial challenges, changing educational policy, and, above all, the needs of our children and young people in a difficult and uncertain world, ensuring we can continue to serve our community well with high quality education, care, and support into the future. If we are unable to actively manage the reduction in demand for primary age pupils, it will put at risk the pattern of education provision within Camden. As a result, Officers support the recommendation of the school’s Governing Body.

The Council is the statutory decision maker for closure proposals made by Governing Bodies of Voluntary Aided Schools. As a result, the report is coming to Cabinet so that Members can consider the representations made to the statutory notice. The Cabinet is asked to determine, in light of those responses and officer recommendations, whether it wishes to implement the proposal as laid out in the statutory notice.

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families, which was introduced by the Executive Director Supporting People.

In response to the deputation, the Leader of the Council remarked that the school was much loved in the community and its loss was very sad but, as the deputee had set out, the falling number of pupils meant that the school was no longer viable.  She acknowledged the importance of preserving the diversity of the educational offer in the borough and remarked that the Council was committed to preserving that diversity through deeper collaboration and partnership working.  The report did highlight the broader challenge in terms of school numbers in Camden, which had the lowest birth rate in country, and she highlighted some of the work taking place to make the borough more affordable and family friendly.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the representations made to the statutory notice, the equalities impact assessment (Appendix 3 of the report), and having due regard to the obligations in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 and relevant school organisation statutory guidance, the statutory proposal to close St Dominic’s Catholic Primary School from 31 August 2023 be approved.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities

The Leader and Cabinet of Camden Council have established Cabinet Adviser roles to provide evidence-based policy support and recommendations to the Council’s Cabinet. Councillor Cotton has been appointed Cabinet Adviser for Supporting Rough Sleepers this municipal year, and his work has focused particularly on exploring a public health approach to supporting rough sleepers, especially those with long-term and mental health conditions and those struggling with substance misuse.

This report reviews the 12 recommendations made by the Cabinet Adviser for supporting rough sleeping, as well as the considerations of the scrutiny committees that his report has been presented to. It provides an initial response and commentary on the priority and delivery of each in turn, as well as the work already ongoing to support those rough sleeping in Camden and to prevent homelessness in the borough.

Consideration was given to the report of the Cabinet Adviser for Rough Sleeping, which was introduced by Councillor Cotton, and the response from the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, which was introduced by Councillor Callaghan.

Members of the Cabinet thanked Councillor Cotton for a very thorough and valuable piece of work.  It was noted that the move to a population health approach to services was a timely and positive development which would assist in moving this work forward. 

In response to a question, Councillor Cotton emphasised the importance of making the public more aware of what they could do to assist rough sleepers, and he added that almost all the organisations he had spoken to during the course of his work had been very complimentary about Camden’s work in this area in comparison to that of other authorities.

RESOLVED –

(i)            THAT the recommendations made by the Cabinet Adviser for Rough Sleeping be noted;

(ii)          THAT the response of both the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee and the Housing Scrutiny Committee be noted;

(iii)         THAT the response from the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities to the recommendations made be noted;

(iv)         THAT all recommendations at points 2.2 to 2.9, 2.12 and 2.13 be endorsed;

(v)          THAT, in relation to the recommendation at 2.10, proposals to continue to work with voluntary and community sector partners to make use of the Routes Off the Streets (RTS) Hub be endorsed, because for the reasons set out in the paragraph a further hub is not necessary; and

(vi)         THAT, in relation to the recommendation at 2.11, the response set out in that paragraph be noted.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Safer Communities

This report seeks approval to award grant funding to Single Homeless Project (SHP) to provide Camden and Islington’s Navigator service, which is funded through the Department of Levelling Up, Communities and Housing (DLUCH) Rough Sleeping Initiative (RSI), for a period of 3 years from 1^st April 2022 until 31^st March 2025 at a total cost of £811,104.00.

The Navigator Service is a six-person team made up of a Team Leader and specialist workers. Each worker holds a case load of homeless people who have Multiple Disadvantage. As such they face challenges with at least two of the following: poor mental and/or physical health; contact with the criminal justice system; substance misuse; homelessness; community isolation; and gender-based violence. The team provides intensive and long-term trauma-informed person-centred support to clients of the service. The team take referrals from Camden’s rough sleeping outreach team Routes off The Streets and Islington’s outreach team St Mungo’s, of which each have an equal share of the team’s capacity.

This service has been delivered by SHP since Camden and Islington were first awarded RSI funding (2019), and Officers wants to continue with grant funding as SHP are uniquely equipped to deliver this service.

The report is being presented to Cabinet in accordance with section 14 of part 3 of the Council Constitution.

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

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member remarked that the service had not gone out to tender as this was a specialist area of work and the Single Homeless Project had extensive experience and was already embedded in the borough with existing relationships with clients.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the Equality Impact Assessment set out in Appendix 1 of the report, and having had due regard to the obligation set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the award of grant funding from the Rough Sleeping Initiative to Single Homeless Project (SHP) for a period of 36 months from 1^st April 2022 to 31^st March 2025 at the total value of £811,104.00 be approved.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden

The provision of electric vehicle charge points plays a key role in encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles.  In order to address the twin crises of climate change and poor air quality, a shift to electric vehicles where there is essential need for a car and to walking, cycling and public transport for other journeys is necessary. 

This report proposes a commissioning strategy for the electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs) that the Council has committed to deliver over the next three years under the updated EVCP Action Plan, agreed by Cabinet on 14 December 2022.  This includes  (a minimum of 9 rapid and 360 fast charge points).

The report is coming to the Cabinet in line with Contract Standing Orders which state that the Cabinet must agree procurement strategies for contracts with a value of £5million and over.

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

A Member remarked that it was unfortunate that there was a lack of ambition nationally in relation to providing a network of charge points.

In response to questions, the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden commented that the accessibility of the charging points was key and work was ongoing to ensure that the infrastructure was placed in appropriate locations.  the Transport and Travel Planning Team Manager added that accessibility guidance was being followed in order to ensure that all users could access the charge points, and most would be in dedicated charging bays.  In relation to the cost of charging, price was one of the elements considered during the procurement process in order to incentivise providers to provide their services at reasonable cost to users.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the equalities impact assessment at Appendix A of the report, and having had due regard to the needs set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the procurement strategy to conduct mini-competitions under the Crown Commercial Services Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Solutions Framework to award contracts commencing in 2023 to supply, install, operate, maintain and decommission: 280 fast charge points, for an estimated total value of £3.64 million for a period of 8-10 years; 9 rapid charge points, for an estimated total value of £990,000 for a period of up to 15 years; and dense numbers of charging points along single/clusters of streets (with a minimum of 120 fast charge points across those locations) that also result in the electrification of a minimum of 15 car club bays, for an estimated total value of £1.2m, for a period of 8-10 years, be approved.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden

This report seeks approval from Cabinet to amend parking provision on the London Borough of Camden’s housing estates by applying a Traffic Management Order, with a view to improving parking management on estates and in the borough generally by aligning them with the public highway’s parking layouts and enforcement. Implementation of which to be undertaken in phases, prioritising estates to an agreed system of assessment.

The report is coming to the Cabinet because under the Constitution formulation of the Council's overall policy objectives and priorities in respect of significant groups of residents is reserved for collective Cabinet decision.

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

Members welcomed the report and the work that had gone into responding to residents’ concerns about uncontrolled parking. 

In response to questions, the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden confirmed that there were no proposals within the report to take away parking permits from residents, and added that the situation on Maiden Lane would be revisited to ensure that those who had permits and blue badges were able to park on their estate.

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the consultation set out at appendix A of the report and having had due regard to the duties set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, and subject to compliance with all further statutory requirements:

(i)         Subject to (iii) below, the phased introduction of new parking controls to Camden’s estates using a Traffic Management Order (TMO), replacing the current system of contract law in order to improve parking management, be approved;

(ii)        Subject to (iii) below, the removal of numbered and allocated parking spaces from estates under the TMO implementation (unless there is a specific need, such as for Blue Badge holders), as detailed in paragraph 2.6 of the report, be approved; and

(iii)       Authority be delegated to the Executive Director Supporting Communities, in consultation with the Executive Director Corporate Services, the Cabinet Member for Better Homes and the Cabinet Member for a Sustainable Camden, for the selection and phasing of estates, the precise area to be enforced, further consultation, consideration of equalities issues and the final design and delivery of specific schemes to implement (i) and (ii) above onto those specified estates, as detailed in paragraph 2.9 and section 9 of the report.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

There was no urgent business.