Merton Council Cabinet Meeting 30 July 2018

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence received.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

Minutes:

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 25 June 2018 are agreed as an accurate record.

• View the background to item 4.
• View the decision for item 4.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

That the council award the contract for the school expansion construction works for Cricket Green School as outlined in the confidential appendix 1, subject to planning permission being granted by Planning Applications Committee.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Education presented the report, which set out the results of a tender process for a contractor to undertake construction works to expand Cricket Green School.  The expansion of the school would enable the school to continue to provide high quality education to children with special educational needs.  The proposals were subject to the planning application being granted at the Planning Applications Committee.  The Cabinet Member thanked all those involved in progressing the project, which was on schedule to be completed in time for the start of the September 2019 school year.

RESOLVED:

That the council award the contract for the school expansion construction works for Cricket Green School as outlined in the confidential appendix 1, subject to planning permission being granted by Planning Applications Committee.

• View the background to item 5.
• View the decision for item 5.

Additional documents:

• Draft Merton MTS Indicators 18th July 2018 , item 5. PDF 32 KB

Decision:

RESOLVED:

1.    That the approval process for LIP3 as outlined in the report be noted.

2.    That the overarching MTS outcomes, draft borough trajectories and overall approach for developing LIP3 be noted.

3.    That the delivery timescales set by TfL for delivering LIP3 be noted.

4.    That the Director of Environment and Regeneration be given delegated authority to finalise the Council’s LIP after consultation with the Cabinet Member.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Housing and Transport presented the report which set out the objectives of the Mayor’s Transport Plan, of which the Council had a duty to deliver as part of it’s Local Implementation Plan, and the timetable for approval and implementation.  The Cabinet Member highlighted the focus on sustainable transport such as cycling and walking and the proposals for supporting those transport methods in the context of reduced resources and reduction in government grant to Transport for London.

RESOLVED:

1.    That the approval process for LIP3 as outlined in the report be noted.

2.    That the overarching MTS outcomes, draft borough trajectories and overall approach for developing LIP3 be noted.

3.    That the delivery timescales set by TfL for delivering LIP3 be noted.

4.    That the Director of Environment and Regeneration be given delegated authority to finalise the Council’s LIP after consultation with the Cabinet Member.

• View the background to item 6.
• View the decision for item 6.

Additional documents:

• Enc. 1 for Annual Public Health Report 2018 , item 6. PDF 2 MB
• Enc. 2 for Annual Public Health Report 2018 , item 6. PDF 2 MB

Decision:

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Public Health Report (APHR) 2018 on Health Inequalities be received and noted; and endorsed for publication.

Minutes:

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health presented the statutory annual report of the Director of Public Health, highlighting the key points for consideration and the challenges faced in collecting data to measure inequality in the Borough.  It was acknowledged that there were complex challenges ahead in tackling health inequality, and the Cabinet Member thanked all those involved for their work.

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Engagement and Equalities advised the meeting that the report had also been considered at the Joint Consultative Committee with Ethnic Minority Organisations.  The Committee had welcomed the work done by the Overview and Scrutiny task group on the prevention of diabetes in the South East Asian community, and it was hoped that those recommendations would continue to be monitored.

RESOLVED:

That the Annual Public Health Report (APHR) 2018 on Health Inequalities be received and noted; and endorsed for publication.

• View the background to item 7.
• View the decision for item 7.

Decision:

RESOLVED:

1. That the financial reporting data relating to revenue budgetary

control, showing a forecast net overspend at year end of £2 million be noted.

2. That the adjustments to the Capital Programme contained in

Appendix 5b to the Cabinet report be noted, and the following adjustments to the Capital Programme be approved:

*items marked with (1) only for Cabinet

3. That the £149,950 Section 106 funding for the Polka Theatre, £87,000 Section 106 funding for Ravensbury Park Open Space and £59,770 Section 106 funding for the Wandle Project be approved.

4. That a virement between the Environment & Regeneration and Corporate Services departments be approved as part of the ongoing process of centralising the authority’s software licences to the Business Improvement division. The virement amount is £10,360 which relates to the Transport Services route optimisation and planning software.

5. That a virement of £350k from Corporate items to Corporate Services be approved to fund the recent local elections.

6. That a virement of £1.5m to gross up the Housing Benefits subsidy received on overpayments to align income and expenditure budgets within Corporate Services be approved.

7. That a release from reserve of £370k relating to the One Public Estate Programme for Wilson Hospital redevelopment (£110k), and Morden Town Centre (£260k) be approved.

8. That a virement of £25k from Corporate Services to E&R for the Christmas lights budget which is managed within sustainable communities be approved.

Minutes:

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance presented the report, thanking officers for their work and highlighting the key items for consideration.  He emphasised that the report should be read in the context of the pressures put on local authorities as part of the government’s austerity agenda and the pressures of an ageing population.  The Cabinet Member highlighted the pressures on children’s services and flagged up the projected overspend due to additional demands on Council services.

The Director of Corporate Services drew the meeting’s attention to the progress against delivery of savings.  Due to adjustments the projected shortfall had reduced and was projected to reduce further in 2019.  Tracking savings not previously delivered was ensuring the Council kept an overview of the overall budget position.

RESOLVED:

1. That the financial reporting data relating to revenue budgetary

control, showing a forecast net overspend at year end of £2 million be noted.

2. That the adjustments to the Capital Programme contained in

Appendix 5b to the Cabinet report be noted, and the following adjustments to the Capital Programme be approved:

*items marked with (1) only for Cabinet

3. That the £149,950 Section 106 funding for the Polka Theatre, £87,000 Section 106 funding for Ravensbury Park Open Space and £59,770 Section 106 funding for the Wandle Project be approved.

4. That a virement between the Environment & Regeneration and Corporate Services departments be approved as part of the ongoing process of centralising the authority’s software licences to the Business Improvement division. The virement amount is £10,360 which relates to the Transport Services route optimisation and planning software.

5. That a virement of £350k from Corporate items to Corporate Services be approved to fund the recent local elections.

6. That a virement of £1.5m to gross up  …  view the full minutes text for item 7.

To RESOLVE that the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report on the grounds that it is exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report.

Decision:

Cabinet noted that the content of the exempt appendix at item 9 would not be discussed and therefore the meeting remained in public session, and the decision is set out at item 4 above.

Minutes:

Cabinet noted that the content of the exempt appendix at item 9 would not be discussed and therefore the meeting remained in public session, and the decision is set out at item 4 above.

• View the reasons why item 9. is restricted

Additional documents:

• Restricted enclosure 13 View the reasons why document 9./2 is restricted

Decision:

The Cabinet noted that the content of the exempt appendix would not be discussed and therefore the meeting remained in public session.  The decision is set out at item 4 above.

Minutes:

The Cabinet noted that the content of the exempt appendix would not be discussed and therefore the meeting remained in public session.  The decision is set out at item 4 above.