Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies.   

There were no declarations.

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 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 those sound recordings and images for webcasting and/or training purposes.

Councillor Olszewski remarked that he would welcome contributions from the leaders of the opposition groups and the Green Party Councillor to discussions at Cabinet meetings.    

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 17^th July 2024.

RESOLVED –

THAT the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th July 2024 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 Better Homes

This report sets out commentary and actions in response to Councillor Slater’s Cabinet Advisor report on Improving Services to Camden Leaseholders and Advocating for Leaseholders.

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

Councillor Slater spoke about the work that had been undertaken in his role as the Cabinet Adviser for Improving Services to Camden Leaseholders and how the information provided by leaseholders had formed the basis for the recommendations in his report.    

The Cabinet Member thanked Councillor Slater for his work and summarised the

response to the recommendations in the Cabinet Adviser’s report.  

Members of the Cabinet welcomed all the work being done and commented that the wider transformation of services would benefit both leaseholders and tenants.    

RESOLVED –

  (i)      THAT the 8 recommendations made by the Cabinet Adviser for Improving Services to Camden Leaseholders and Advocating for Leaseholders be noted;

 (ii)      THAT the response of the Housing Scrutiny Committee be noted;

(iii)      THAT the response from the Cabinet Member for Better Homes and officers to the recommendations be noted and 

(iv)      THAT the recommendations set out in section 3 of the report be agreed. 

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care

This report outlines the plans to commission a new Carers service in Camden.  The current Carer support contracts end on 31 March 2025 and the proposal is to commission a new service for Carers that supports identification of Carers, increased access to a range of support including advice, information, statutory Carer assessments and peer support to enable Carers to remain connected to their community.  Following a period of co-design with Carers to produce a Camden Carers Action Plan, the service will reflect the voice of Carers and embody the principles of the action plan.  The service will be based around a neighbourhood footprint in line with the developing health and care integrated neighbourhood teams and neighbourhood networks.

The contract will run for four years from 1 April 2025 with an option to extend for an additional three years to March 2032 at a total cost for the seven years of £6,314,798.

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

Members welcomed the support that would be provided to carers in Camden and the Cabinet Member expressed confidence in the continued improvement in the services being offered.        

RESOLVED –

THAT, having considered the results of the equalities impact assessment at Appendix 1, and having due regard to the obligations set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010:

(i)          The procurement strategy as set out in the report for a Carers Service contract with an initial contract term of four (4) years, plus an additional three (3) year extension for an estimated aggregate value (including extensions) of £6,314,798, be agreed; and

(ii)         That the award of the contract decision be delegated to the Executive Director Adults and Health.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes 

This report sets out a proposed procurement strategy for six contracts to cover Camden’s Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) services requirements for Council owned housing.  The Council as landlord has statutory obligations to service, maintain and replace M&E equipment associated with the properties it owns. This includes communal heating systems, bulk gas networks, electrical installations, lifts and door entry systems.

These are important areas of compliance for the Council to manage and performance is reported as part of our regular and constructive dialogue with the Regulator of Social Housing.  For our tall buildings, management of these assets will form part of the Building Safety Case that will be shared with residents and reported to the Building Safety Regulator.

The report is coming to Cabinet because based on 2024/25 budget forecast figures the total revenue value for Mechanical and Electrical Contracts is £117.642m over the term of the contracts.  It is proposed that the contracts have an initial fixed term with an option to extend for 1-year periods.  Contract terms range from a total of 5 years to a total of 10 years (see Table 1).  Cabinet is asked to agree the proposed procurement strategy for leaseholder consultation.

A Cabinet decision is required because of the value and proposed lengths of these contracts.  Please note that an evaluation is currently taking place on a proposal to deliver individual heating services in-house. Should this prove feasible a separate report will be considered through the appropriate governance processes.

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

Members commented on the consultation and the potential for tenant and lease holders engagement in response to the consultation on contracts.

In response to questions the Cabinet Member remarked that the performance of each of the contracts would be monitored and measured to ensure that they provided value for money.  Councillor Abdi-Wali also indicated that the length of the contracts would be kept under review as part of the assessment process.   

RESOLVED –

1.               THAT having due regard to the equalities impact assessment (Appendix 1 of the report), and the obligations in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 that the procurement strategies for leaseholder consultation for 6 (six) contracts be approved:

(i) for the provision of Communal Heating North,

(ii) for the provision of Communal Heating South,

  (iii) for the provision of Bulk Gas Maintenance,

    (iv) for the provision of Electrical Services

  (v) for the provision of Lift service and maintenance and

(vi) for the provision of Ancillary Services. 

Each contract will have an initial fixed term (as set out in Table 1 of the report) with an option to extend in 1-year increments.  And the procurement will be through a single-stage tender process using the Open Procedure pursuant to procurement regulations, based on an evaluation weighting of 60% price and 40% service delivery and quality assessment (including 10% social value).

2.               THAT authority be delegated to the Director of Property Management in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Better Homes and the Executive Director Corporate Services to approve the procurement strategy having regard to the outcome of Section 20 leaseholder consultation and taking into account the Council’s equalities duties (including the Equality Impact Assessment and any updates thereto);

3.               THAT the authority to make award decisions on each contract be delegated to the Executive Director Supporting Communities.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

Report of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Cost of Living

This report presents the treasury activity during 2023/24 and the first half of 2024/25, compliance with guidance and treasury indicators and an update on the economic background shaping the treasury strategy.

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

In response to a question, the Cabinet Member noted the comments that had been made during a recent Prime Minister’s Question Time about the commitment to multi-year funding to local authorities. Councillor Aref-Adib welcomed the opportunities for strategic planning and decision making that a move away from single year funding would enable.     

RESOLVED –

THAT, the Treasury Management Annual Report (paragraphs 3.3-3.18) and the Mid-Year Strategy (paragraphs 3.19-3.46) as set out in the report, be noted and be recommended to the Council for approval.

Reasons

For the reasons set out in the report.

There was no urgent business.