Agenda for Cabinet on Wednesday, 3rd March, 2021, 7.15 pm

Agenda and minutes

Venue: Virtual Meeting/Remote - Please use the links on the agenda front sheet to join the virtual meeting

Contact: Jacqui Hurst Tel: 0208 379 4096. E-mail:  jacqui.hurst@enfield.gov.uk 

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Dogan (Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability).

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members of the Cabinet are invited to identify any disclosable pecuniary, other pecuniary or non pecuniary interests relevant to items on the agenda.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

3.

DEPUTATIONS

To note, that no requests for deputations have been received for presentation to this Cabinet meeting.

Minutes:

NOTED, that no requests for deputations had been received for presentation to this Cabinet meeting.

4.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 276 KB

To confirm the minutes of the previous Cabinet meeting held on 10 February 2021.

 

 

Minutes:

AGREED, that the minutes of the previous meeting of the Cabinet held on 3 February 2021 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

5.

Fair Debt and Income Strategy pdf icon PDF 157 KB

A report from the Executive Director – Resources is attached. (Key decision – reference number 5207)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Mary Maguire (Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement) introduced the report of the Executive Director Resources seeking approval of the proposed Fair Debt and Income Strategy.

 

NOTED

 

1.            That this Strategy replaced the Debt Policy that had not been refreshed for some time. It would implement a progressive approach to the management of debt and income in Enfield.

2.            It would improve access to benefit advice and debt support to residents.

3.            The recommendations from the Poverty Commission report have had an input into the Strategy to ensure a fair approach to debt management. Poverty is a feature of all inequality that exists within the borough.

 

Alternative Options Considered: None applicable to this report.

 

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed to

 

1.            Approve the new Fair Debt and Income Strategy detailed in Appendix 1 of the report. The objectives of the Strategy were to: maximise collection; increase income; minimise the cost of collection; protect vulnerable and low income households; improve the provision of co-ordinated debt, benefit and other advice; provide accessible and consistent transactions for collection service customers, including local businesses; and, protect the public purse.  

 

2.            Note that individual action plans to deliver each objective would be monitored by the Fair Debt and Income Board. Some individual work programmes had already been agreed and underway and others would require further work either within the existing resources of the services or using normal Council project authorisation processes. Individual collection procedures would be amended to reflect the new strategy.

 

3.            Agree that the Fair Debt and Income Strategy would be reviewed annually to ensure it remains fit for purpose, particularly with regard to the evolving pandemic and subsequent recession.

 

Reasons: Enfield faced an unprecedented challenge to its collection services due to: COVID 19 and the emerging recession; the increase in personal indebtedness; welfare reform cuts in financial support to benefit recipients; the need to deliver service efficiencies and savings.

 

To protect the Collection Fund, Housing Revenue Account and other essential income the Council must enhance and adapt processes to: maximise income; minimise the cost of collection; protect the vulnerable/low income households; sustain tenancies to minimise evictions from social housing; improve the provision of co-ordinated debt, benefit and other advice; provide easy, consistent access for customers to transact with the collection services, including local business.

(Key decision – reference number 5207)

6.

Updated School Condition and Fire Safety Programme 2021/22 to 2022/23 (Schools Capital Programme) pdf icon PDF 182 KB

A report from the Executive Director – People is attached. (Note: The appendix to the report is a restricted document) (Key decision – reference number 5276)

 

(This item contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person – including the authority holding that information) of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended).

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Rick Jewell (Cabinet Member for Children’s Services) introduced the report of the Executive Director People outlining the Council’s landlord responsibilities undertaking major capital projects at school buildings to ensure the safety and wellbeing of school pupils and staff, whilst also maintaining the Council’s assets.

 

NOTED

 

1.            That the Council maintains the responsibility for major items of repair in schools, and employ the latest technology and energy saving improvements.

2.            Central Government are undertaking a spending review and announcements on allocations are expected in April 2021.

3.            A summit will be set up in the Summer 2021 for all schools and academies on measures to reduce climate changes.

 

Alternative Options Considered: NOTED, that projects had been prioritised for inclusion in the Programme based on technical information in condition surveys commissioned by Construction Maintenance and Facilities Management Team (CMFM) through external consultants.

 

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed

 

1.            The proposed programme of works including professional and technical expenses detailed in Appendix 1 to the report (containing exempt information); and, allowance for emergency schemes proceeding up to the total three-year indicative programme value of £40m and become part of the Council’s future capital programme.

 

2.            Grant the approval to spend the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Capital Budget of £31.173m and £3.578m as approved in KD 5210 (Cabinet – 3 February 2021).

 

3.            As previously agreed by Cabinet, approval of the Condition and Fire Safety Programme 2020/21 to 2021/22 to continue to delegate authority to the Executive Director People to:

 

(i)            Approve tenders for individual schemes or schemes of aggregated value up to a maximum of £500,000 including professional and technical expenses.

(ii)          Manage the programme individual project budgets so that overall budget remains within approved resources. This was to take account of variations between estimates and tender return costs and the potential need to substitute schemes having a greater technical priority if the need arises; and

(iii)         Allocate any contingency provision (up to a maximum of £350,000 including professional and technical expenses) to emergency projects and/or to schemes identified as priority but not yet programmed.

 

4.            To note the procurement and award of works contracts including entering into the contracts for each would conform to the Council’s Procurement rules and Constitution.

 

5.            To note that the contract award for professional services and works above £500,000 would also confirm to the Council’s Constitution with approval sought at the appropriate authority level.

 

Reasons: Under the Scheme for Financial Schools, the Council retained responsibility for major items of repair in schools. A programme of projects had been collated to rectify and repairs items of a high technical or strategic priority for consideration in 2021/22 to 2022/23.

The Council had Corporate Landlord responsibility for major works at schools and employed the latest technology and energy saving improvements to meet the Climate Change Agenda.

The Schools’ capital programme was entirely funded from Central Government Grants and Section 106 Developer contributions. 

(Key decision – reference number 5276)

7.

CABINET AGENDA PLANNING - FUTURE ITEMS pdf icon PDF 68 KB

Attached for information is a provisional list of items scheduled for future Cabinet meetings.

Minutes:

NOTED, for information, the provisional list of items scheduled for future Cabinet meetings.

8.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the next Cabinet meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 April 2021.

Minutes:

NOTED, that the next Cabinet meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 21 April 2020 at 7.15pm.

9.

Company Business Plan updates pdf icon PDF 371 KB

A report from the Director of Law and Governance is attached. (Note: The appendices to the report are restricted documents) (Key decision – reference number 5277)

 

(This item contains exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 (information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person – including the authority holding that information) of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, as amended).

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Mary Maguire (Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement) introduced the report of the Director of Law and Governance providing the business (or operating) plans for the Council’s wholly owned trading companies.

 

NOTED

 

1.            The Housing Gateway Limited (HGL) has provided 550 homes, provided the Council with £9million savings since its creations, assisted 800 families into sustainable accommodation and is expecting a pre-tax profit of over £1million by the end of 2021.

2.            The Forward Plan for the HGL is to deliver a further 300 properties by the end of 2024 and deliver Enfield Let, a sustainable letting agency.

 

Alternative Options Considered: NOTED, the detailed options that had been considered as detailed in paragraphs 67 to 70 of the report.

 

10.

EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

Minutes:

RESOLVED in accordance with Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act

1972 to exclude the press and public from the virtual meeting for the item of

business listed as part two on the agenda on the grounds that it involves the

likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 (information

relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including

the authority holding that information) of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act (as

amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order

2006).

11.

Company Business Plan Updates - Part 2

Minutes:

Councillor Mary Maguire (Cabinet Member for Finance and Procurement) introduced the report of the Director of Law and Governance providing the business (or operating) plans for the Council’s wholly owned trading companies.

 

NOTED

 

1.    The information in the Part 2 appendices.

 

2.    That Energetic have been asked to review its funding options.

 

 

DECISION: The Cabinet agreed to

 

1.            Approve the updated Business Plan of Housing Gateway Ltd. (HGL) for the period 2021-2024.

 

2.            Note and support the updated Operating Plan of Energetik for the period 2020-2023.

 

3.            Note the ongoing discussions between Energetik and the London Borough of Haringey and London Borough of Hackney to supply heat to residents of other north London boroughs, as included in the Energetik operating plan.

 

4.            Note the potential in-borough expansions proposed by Energetik, which were currently under consideration by officers as part of a wider strategic review on the future direction of the company.

 

Reasons: The Council as sole shareholder of HGL reviewed and approved the business plan annually. The proposal for the company this year represented a continuation of business plans and models approved in previous years.

Energetik operated a two-tiered planning structure. The company works towards its 40-year business plan, the most recent update to which had been approved by Cabinet in September 2019. This was supported by a rolling three-year Operating Plan, which set out the key deliverables required over the next three years to achieve the overarching business plan.

 

Energetik’s Operating Plan did not require the Council’s approval as shareholder, however it was reported to Cab in the interests of transparency and good relationships between the shareholder and the company, and in order to enable Cabinet to effectively conduct its role of overseeing the forward strategic direction of the company.

(Key decision – reference number 5277)

 

Cabinet Members noted that ongoing investment was required for Energetic to continue to grow. Cabinet Members also noted that considerable Council finances had already gone into Energetic and that careful consideration needed to be given whether future investment was affordable to the Council. Members noted that the company had to date been successful in the delivery of its business plan and was on track to make a profit in line with the original timeline, however, going forward alternative sources of funding, other than from the Council, may be the preferred option. Cabinet agreed to formally ask the Directors of Energetic to explore business model options as soon as possible.