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Agenda, decisions and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Katharine Street, Croydon CR0 1NX

Contact: Democratic Services  Email: democratic.services@croydon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

76/22

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence received from Members.

77/22

Disclosure of Interests

Members and co-opted Members of the Council are reminded that, in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct and the statutory provisions of the Localism Act, they are required to consider in advance of each meeting whether they have a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI), an other registrable interest (ORI) or a non-registrable interest (NRI) in relation to any matter on the agenda. If advice is needed, Members should contact the Monitoring Officer in good time before the meeting.

 

If any Member or co-opted Member of the Council identifies a DPI or ORI which they have not already registered on the Council’s register of interests or which requires updating, they should complete the disclosure form which can be obtained from Democratic Services at any time, copies of which will be available at the meeting for return to the Monitoring Officer.

 

Members and co-opted Members are required to disclose any DPIs and ORIs at the meeting.

-      Where the matter relates to a DPI they may not participate in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not stay in the meeting unless granted a dispensation.

-      Where the matter relates to an ORI they may not vote on the matter unless granted a dispensation.

-      Where a Member or co-opted Member has an NRI which directly relates to their financial interest or wellbeing, or that of a relative or close associate, they must disclose the interest at the meeting, may not take part in any discussion or vote on the matter and must not stay in the meeting unless granted a dispensation. Where a matter affects the NRI of a Member or co-opted Member, section 9 of Appendix B of the Code of Conduct sets out the test which must be applied by the Member to decide whether disclosure is required.

 

The Chair will invite Members to make their disclosure orally at the commencement of Agenda item 3, to be recorded in the minutes.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest received from Members.

 

78/22

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 147 KB

To approve as a correct record, the minutes of the previous meeting held on 12 October 2022.  (To Follow)

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on Wednesday 12 October 2022 be agreed as an accurate record.

 

79/22

Urgent Business (If any)

To receive notice of any business not on the agenda which in the opinion of the Chair, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business considered.

 

The Executive Mayor did, however, draw to the attention of Members that an additional meeting of the Cabinet would be held on 30 November 2022 to deal purely with financial matters to include:

 

  • Period 6 Financial Performance Report
  • Interim findings on the Opening the Books exercise.
  • Initial budget strategy and asset strategy
  • Brick-by-Brick Companies Update

 

80/22

Scrutiny Stage 1 and 2 pdf icon PDF 119 KB

Stage 1

 

The Stage 1 report details recommendations that have been developed from the Scrutiny and Overview Committee and its Sub-Committees since the last Cabinet meeting and these are provided in Appendix A.

 

The Council’s Constitution requires that an interim or full response is provided within two months of this Cabinet meeting.

 

Stage 2

 

This report invites the Cabinet to approve the full response reports arising from the Stage 1 reports presented to the Cabinet meeting held on 21 September 2022, including:

 

-      Action plans for the implementation of agreed recommendations, or

-      Reasons for partially accepting or rejecting the recommendations

 

and that these be reported to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee or relevant Sub-Committees.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is asked to:

 

1.     Receive the recommendations arising from the meeting of the Scrutiny & Overview Committee held on 11 October (Appendix A).

 

2.     To provide a substantive response to the recommendations (a Scrutiny Stage 2 Report) within two months (i.e. at the next available Cabinet meeting on 25 January 2023).

Minutes:

Cabinet considered two reports.  The Stage 1 report detailed recommendations that had been developed from the Scrutiny and Overview Committee and its Sub-Committees since the last Cabinet meeting and these were provided in Appendix A to the report.

 

                               It was noted that the Council’s Constitution required that an interim or full response be provided within two months of this Cabinet meeting.

 

                               The Stage 2 report invited the Cabinet to approve the full response reports arising from the Stage 1 reports presented to the Cabinet meeting held on 21 September 2022, which included action plans for the implementation of agreed recommendations, or reasons for partially accepting or rejecting the recommendations and that these be reported to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee or relevant Sub-Committees.

 

                               At the invitation of the Executive Mayor, the Chair of the Council’s Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Councillor Rowenna Davis, addressed Cabinet.

 

Councillor Davis said that, regarding the Council Tax Support Scheme, the Committee had recognised that by maintaining free legal advice, the Council had saved money and had also helped residents manage their debt.

 

She also said that the Committee had welcomed the Executive Mayor’s decision to action the Opening the Books, which had laid bare the Council’s finances over recent years.

 

Councillor Davis said that, regarding the proposed non-award of the Veolia Contract renewal, the Committee had shared concerns that Veolia had not improved.  She asked the Executive Mayor to consider the establishment of cross-party working group to consider alternative options available to the Council and its residents.

 

Regarding Regina Road, Councillor Davis said that the recent death of a two-year old boy in Greater Manchester yesterday had raised concerns over the timescales to be applied to the project which, she said, was likely to be one of the biggest for the Council and looked forward to scrutinising the Council’s Risk Register and to receive regular updates in respect of the project moving forward.

 

In conclusion, Councillor Davis said that the Committee had welcomed some of the proposals within the Executive Mayor’s Business Plan, however, she did query the redirection of funding from lower priority services, what these were and what would the effect of these be.

 

In response, Councillor Cummings (Cabinet Member for Finance) said that the Budget timescales had been set to manage expectations and while the Administration wanted the Scrutiny and Overview Committee on board early, it had not been normal to have that level of detail at this stage, which tended to come later but he gave an assurance that it would be made available as soon as it had been received.

 

Councillor Hale (Deputy (Statutory) Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes) said that the Council would ensure that it undertook its responsibilities as these related to Regina Road.

 

Having listened to the contributions and considered the detail in the reports, the Executive Mayor, in Cabinet RESOLVED that:

 

1.            The recommendations in the Stage 1 report, arising from the meeting of the Scrutiny and Overview Committee held on 11 October (Appendix  ...  view the full minutes text for item 80/22

81/22

Executive Mayor's Business Plan pdf icon PDF 145 KB

This report presents the Executive Mayor’s Business Plan 2022-26 for adoption. This will be the Council’s core strategic document setting out its objectives and priorities for the next four years.

 

It reflects the Executive Mayor’s manifesto pledges and priorities, as set out in a report to Cabinet in June 2022. It also includes actions to strengthen governance and management systems, achieve financial and operational sustainability and complete the transformation of the Council.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

1.1  Recommend to Council the adoption of the Mayor’s Business Plan 2022-26.

 

1.2  Note that a detailed implementation plan and performance framework will be brought to a future meeting of Cabinet.

 

1.3  Note the arrangements to provide assurance of the implementation of the Plan.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, which presented the Executive Mayor’s Business Plan 2022-26 for adoption.  It was reported that this would be the Council’s core strategic document setting out its objectives and priorities for the next four years and that it reflected the Executive Mayor’s manifesto pledges and priorities, as set out in a report to Cabinet in June 2022.

 

It was further reported that the report included actions to strengthen governance and management systems, achieve financial and operational sustainability and complete the transformation of the Council, as well as setting out five outcomes for the Council to achieve, as well as the priority aims, and high-level actions required to make them a reality.

 

It was noted that a detailed delivery plan and performance framework would be developed and presented at a future meeting of the Cabinet.

 

The Executive Mayor then invited each Cabinet Member to talk through their respective portfolios.

 

Councillor Jason Cummings (Cabinet Member for Finance) said that Croydon was as near as it could be to the worst position it could be in, financially and that the Council did not have the money for additional spending. 

 

Councillor Ola Kolade (Cabinet Member for Community Safety) said that this was his top priority and he hoped that, moving forward, Croydon would be a safe place to live by tackling crime, youth violence, counter terrorism and violence against women and girls.  To do this, he said, required a more targeted, joined-up approach and crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

 

Councillor Andy Stranack (Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture) spoke on securing partnerships with the Borough’s voluntary sector and urged the transfer of underused Council assets to the voluntary sector.

 

Councillor Stranack said that advice and support areas of the Council’s website should be upgraded and those interested should use the Borough of Culture to bring investment into the town, which, he said, had already attracted millions of pounds into the Borough.

 

Councillor Yvette Hopley (Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care) was pleased to see Croydon as a cleaner, healthier place to live and asked that the Council ensure that finances were directed to those who needed it most.

 

Councillor Maria Gatland (Cabinet Member for Children and Young People) was pleased to see an emphasis on Children and Young People and how it wanted to celebrate their achievements and help to fulfil their ambitions.  She said that Children and Young People services had faced a lot of difficulties during COVID and the Council was looking to developing effective education working relationships and how it could improve the services for youths in Croydon. 

 

Councillor Lynne Hale (Deputy (Statutory) Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes) said that it was crucial for the Council to acknowledge how hard staff were working in its Housing Department.  She said that tenants expected dry and safe homes and the Council would ensure that residents were at the heart of housing decisions and were treated with respect.

 

The Executive Mayor and Councillor Cummings responded to questions by the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 81/22

82/22

Regina Road, Norwood pdf icon PDF 555 KB

This report proposes action to begin the process of addressing the current and recurring unsatisfactory situation at the Regina Road estate where three ageing tower blocks require intervention to ensure modern social housing fit for the 21st Century.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

       i.          Consider and approve the proposed arrangements for consulting with secure tenants and introductory tenants on matters of housing management for the purposes of sections 105 of the Housing Act 1985 and 137 of the Housing Act 1996 as set out in Appendix 1

 

      ii.          Agree that residents be consulted in accordance with Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985 and, to the extent relevant, under section 137 of the Housing Act 1996 on the proposals to refurbish or demolish and redevelop those properties within the Regina Road estate, as defined on the plan attached as Appendix 2.

 

    iii.          Note at Appendix 3 the comments arising from early engagement with tenants, leaseholders and freeholders in the Regina Road area at the resident engagement workshops held locally during October.

 

    iv.          Agree that residents (including tenants, leaseholders and freeholders) be consulted on the proposed contents of the Tenant and Leaseholder/Freeholder Offers at Appendices 4 and 5 for those properties within the Regina Road estate, as defined on the plan attached as Appendix 2.

 

     v.          The outcome of the consultations at recommendations ii) and iv be reported back to the Mayor and Cabinet in early 2023.

 

    vi.          Subject to the outcome of the consultations, a report be brought back to the Mayor and Cabinet on a ballot of residents for the purpose of GLA funding.

 

  vii.          Agree that no further tenancies, permanent or temporary, be granted at any of the properties within the Regina Road estate, as defined on the plan attached at Appendix 2, with the exception of properties - nos 89-123, 112,114, 116-126, & 128 Regina Road, & 1-4B & 5-8B Sunnybank - which can only be used for non-secure licensees when vacancies occur because these properties do not suffer from the same conditions and issues as the tower blocks.

 

 viii.          Agree to the appointment of an Independent Tenant and Leaseholder advisor to provide independent support to tenants, leaseholders and freeholders throughout the consultation period and up to and including any ballot/s.

 

    ix.          Approve all necessary expenditure up to £300,000 in 2022/23, including architectural fees, surveys, option appraisals, and an Independent Tenant & Leaseholder Advisor, as detailed in paragraph 9.4, and funded by a virement from within the HRA.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Mayor advised that an amendment to the published recommendations would be made and recorded in the resolution.

 

Cabinet considered a report, which proposed action to begin the process of addressing the current and recurring unsatisfactory situation at the Regina Road estate where three ageing tower blocks required intervention to ensure modern social housing fit for the 21st Century.  It was reported that the unsatisfactory situation had developed over recent years because of the failure to resolve key maintenance issues and to respond in a timely way to the conditions highlighted at Regina Road.

 

The report included a review of studies previously commissioned by the Council, a summary of the experiences of some other local authorities who had faced similar issues with their tower blocks and a review of research conducted by the Building Research Establishment on Large Panel Systems.  It was noted that these had led to a conclusion that the Council must either commit to significant refurbishment works or demolish and rebuild the tower blocks at Regina Road.

 

The report also set out for approval the Council’s draft statutory arrangement for consulting with tenants on housing management matters; the proposal for consultation on the options to refurbish or demolish and redevelop Regina Road estate under these arrangements and the proposal for consultation on draft Resident Offers for tenants and leaseholders/freeholders on the estate.  It was further noted that the residents would be consulted on these proposals during December and January and the outcome reported back to the Executive Mayor and Cabinet in early 2023.

 

The Cabinet Member for Homes said that this had been the first step in tackling the situation at Regina Road and that the Council was committed to listening more carefully to what residents have to say. 

 

The Executive mayor said that Recommendation ix could be more specific in terms of how much and where the money would come from for the current financial year pending a decision by Cabinet early in 2023, having listened to the residents during statutory consultation.

 

Therefore, in relation to Recommendation ix, he amended it to read ‘Approve all necessary expenditure up to £300,000 in 2022/23, including architectural fees, surveys, option appraisals, and an Independent Tenant and Leaseholder Advisor, as detailed in paragraph 9.4, and funded by a virement from within the HRA.

 

Accordingly, the Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that:

 

1.            the proposed arrangements for consulting with secure tenants and introductory tenants on matters of housing management for the purposes of Sections 105 of the Housing Act 1985 and 137 of the Housing Act 1996, as set out in Appendix 1, be approved.

 

2.            residents be consulted in accordance with Section 105 of the Housing Act 1985 and, to the extent relevant, under Section 137 of the Housing Act 1996 on the proposals to refurbish or demolish and redevelop those properties within the Regina Road estate, as defined on the plan attached as Appendix 2.

 

3.            the comments arising from early engagement with tenants, leaseholders and freeholders  ...  view the full minutes text for item 82/22

83/22

The Violence Reduction Network's Strategic Assessment 2022 pdf icon PDF 185 KB

The attached report provides the yearly Strategic Assessment (SA), which is an analytical document where specific recommendations are made to ensure the priorities highlighted in the Community Safety Strategy are to be reached or amended where necessary in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the borough.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, is recommended to:

 

Support the findings and recommendations in the SA, and the agreement of a revised partnership plan by the Safer Croydon Partnership which will implement the nine recommendations in the SA.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, which provided the yearly Strategic Assessment (SA), which was an analytical document where specific recommendations were made to ensure the priorities highlighted in the Community Safety Strategy were to be reached or amended where necessary in reducing crime and antisocial behaviour (ASB) in the Borough.

 

It was reported that, using the definition provided by the College of Policing, the SA was an analytical product which gave an overview of the current and long-term crime and ASB issues affecting or likely to affect the Borough and should be used to draw inferences and to make recommendations for prevention, intelligence, enforcement and reassurance priorities, and the future Community Safety Strategy.

 

The product was a statutory obligation of the Community Safety Partnership under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and the document covered the last five financial years (2017/18 to 2021/22) with a specific focus on the last financial year (2021//22).

 

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety expanded on the issue of violent crime, which Croydon was a victim of and added that, by Feb 2023, there would be a refresh of the Community Safety Strategy and that the Safer Croydon Partnership would be the Executive body.

 

The Strategic Assessment had identified the following nine recommendations:

 

(i)           To write a problem profile on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in the borough which will feed into the VAWG strategy. This is not only to cover both domestic and non-domestic violence and sexual offences but other specific offences which have seen notable increases including stalking, threats to kill and malicious communications.

 

(ii)          To evaluate and target “high volume high harm” micro-areas of violence using Risk Terrain Modelling so appropriate short, medium and long-term interventions can be implemented.

 

(iii)         To investigate further into the rise in victims travelling from outside of the borough and to work with the relevant authorities in those areas to protect potential victims who are travelling from there.

 

(iv)         To explore and utilise the “2 x 2” model to prioritise appropriate interventions for individuals involved in violence.

 

(v)          To further explore the concept of “victim-offenders” so that intensive long-term provision can be provided to significantly reduce all crime in the borough, not just violence.

(vi)      To further utilise alcohol and substance misuse service provision.

 

(vii)       To have a greater focus on public transport in the borough, especially around bus stops which have been identified as a high-risk factor for violence.

 

(viii)      To further investigate cruelty and neglect of children, which has seen a small but significant increase in the borough.

 

(ix)         With the increase in knife crime being specifically driven by knife-enabled robbery, this is to be a priority for the next 12 months.

 

Accordingly, the Executive Mayor, in Cabinet RESOLVED to support the findings and recommendations in the Strategic Assessment, and the agreement of a revised partnership plan by the Safer Croydon Partnership, which would implement the nine recommendations in the Strategic Assessment, as detailed above.

 

84/22

A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in Croydon Town Centre pdf icon PDF 156 KB

Cabinet to receive a report on the outcome of the consultation with members of the public and partners on implementing a PSPO in Croydon Town Centre, the process for making a PSPO, the proposed area which the PSPO would cover, and the activities which it is proposed the PSPO should restrict, and to seek approval for the making of a PSPO in Croydon Town Centre.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, is recommended to:

 

       i.          To consider the outcome of the consultation on the proposed Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

 

      ii.          To note the significant strong support for the proposal, with over 80% of respondents supporting the measure strongly

 

    iii.          To approve the making of the Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order for a term of 3 years and in accordance with the draft Order set out in Appendix G.

 

    iv.          To approve the process for the implementation of the Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, which reported on the outcome of the consultation with members of the public and partners on implementing a PSPO in Croydon Town Centre, the process for making a PSPO, the proposed area which the PSPO would cover, and the activities which it was proposed the PSPO should restrict, and to seek approval for the making of a PSPO in Croydon Town Centre.

 

The Executive Mayor said the Council wanted to regenerate and restore pride in the town centre.

 

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety said that this reiterated the strong support the Council had from local businesses, residents, community groups and the Borough Commander and hoped to have the PSPO in place by the end of the year.

 

In response to a question by the Leader of the Opposition Group in respect of the way the Council and partners were planning to work together to solve the behavioural issues in the town, the Executive Mayor said that it was centred around supporting people and enforcement, where necessary and working around drugs and alcohol, mental health problems etc.  He acknowledged it was not a one size, fits all but was being introduced to assist and support those who needed help and support.  He was pleased that residents and businesses had backed this and hoped it would be in place by the end of the year.

 

Accordingly, the Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that:

 

1.            the outcome of the consultation on the proposed Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), be noted.

 

2.            the significant strong support for the proposal, with over 80% of respondents supporting the measure strongly, be noted.

 

3.            the making of the Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order for a term of three years and in accordance with the draft Order set out in Appendix G, be approved.

 

4.            the process for the implementation of the Town Centre Public spaces Protection Order, be approved.

 

85/22

Croydon Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2021-2022 pdf icon PDF 152 KB

This annual report covers the financial year April 2021 - March 2022.  It is a public facing document which will be published on the CSCP website.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

1.1    Note the Croydon Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) Annual Report for 2021-22.

 

1.2    Note that the report provides robust evidence of the impact of the CSCP’s activity to improve outcomes for children and families.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the annual report of the CSCP, which covered the financial year April 2021 to March 2022. The annual report was a public facing document, which would be published on the CSCP website.        

 

At the invitation of the Executive Mayor, the Council’sCorporate Director for Children, Young People and Education, Debbie Jones, introduced the report on behalf of the Local Authority (and as one of the CSCP Executive Partners).

 

Ms Jones said that Croydon had largest population of young people in London.  She said that whilst she had been very privileged to have chaired the partnership, there was no room for complacency about safeguarding children and young people.  She went on to say that following a review of the CSPC’s effectiveness, it was found that arrangements in Croydon were “robust and secure”. 

 

The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education said that it was a very good and very clear report that set out the improvements that had been done and she had been pleased to see a review into Croydon’s own work had been commissioned.

 

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that:

 

1.            the Croydon Safeguarding Children Partnership (CSCP) Annual Report for 2021-22, be noted; and

 

2.            the matter that the report provided robust evidence of the impact of the CSCP’s activity to improve outcomes for children and families, also be noted.

 

86/22

Croydon Safeguarding Adult Board Draft Annual Report 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 135 KB

The purpose of the attached Croydon Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) Annual Report is to detail the activity and effectiveness of the CSAB between 1 April 2021, to 31 March 2022.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, is recommended to:

 

Note the content of the Annual Report for the Croydon Safeguarding Adult Board. The report will be considered by Cabinet on 16 November 2022 and to receive the recommendations arising from the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee taking place on 18 October 2022.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the public facing annual report of the CSAB Annual Report, which detailed the activity and effectiveness of the CSAB between 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022 and ensured that the statutory partners (Council, Health and Police), residents and other agencies had been given the opportunity to provide objective feedback on the work and effectiveness of local arrangements for safeguarding adults.

 

The report covered the 2021/22 priorities and demonstrated what had been achieved and the work which needed to continue throughout 2022/23.

 

At the invitation of the Executive Mayor, Mr David Williams, Independent Chair to the CSAB, (who was appointed to this role on 5 September 2022 and had not been in post during the period which the report covered) introduced the report.

 

Mr Williams said that the production of the annual report was a statutory function of the Board and that he had overseen the bringing together of all the information.  He thanked all partners and Chairs of sub-groups for their co-operation and confirmed that the Board had taken on board some of the scrutiny recommendations.

 

Mr Williams went on to say that more measurable data was one of the areas it was looking at and what it needed to be doing going forward.

 

Mr Williams said that feedback had suggested that the report was easily readable and that the work of partnership had been key.  He was pleased to announce that the Vice-Chair had now joined the Board and that it was looking more and more at the feedback from scrutiny and how it developed its dashboard over the next year.

 

In response to a Member’s question regarding concerns that the Council may not be reaching all residents concerned, the Cabinet Member for Adults and Social Care said that Croydon was one of the first boroughs to have a voice for the people group and was well ahead of other London boroughs insofar as what had been developed already.

 

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that the content of the Annual Report for the Croydon Safeguarding Adult Board (CSAB), be noted.

 

87/22

Waste Collection and Street Cleaning Contract pdf icon PDF 148 KB

The purpose of the attached report requests approval by Cabinet not to extend the current waste and street cleansing contract with Veolia, following a review of the proposed requirements by the contractor to support an extension.

 

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

1.1.         Agree that the current waste collection and street cleansing contract with Veolia Environment Services is not extended following expiry of the initial term on 31st March 2025.

 

1.2.         Agree that further work to consider the alternative options for the provision of waste collection and street cleansing services is undertaken and recommendations brought before Cabinet in line with the timetable set out as section 6.7 of this report.

 

1.3.         Note the powers held by the Mayor of London under the GLA Act to issue directions to London boroughs in relation to waste management procurement and that the project team will be encouraged to develop a close working relationship with the GLA borough liaison team to ensure they are well-sighted on the steps being taken to ensure service continuity and continuing conformity with the London Environment Strategy.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, which sought approval by the Executive Mayor, not to extend the current waste and street cleansing contract with Veolia, following a review of the proposed requirements by the contractor to support an extension.

 

It was reported that Croydon Council operated waste and recycling services for every household in the Borough through its contract with Veolia and that this included waste and recycling collections, footway winter maintenance, vehicle maintenance and street cleaning.

 

It was further reported that the contract had been procured by Croydon on behalf of the four partner boroughs in the South London Waste Partnership (SLWP) in April 2017 and the initial eight-year term was due to expire on 31 March 2025. The partnership boroughs had the option to extend the contract for another eight years or to consider another option for service delivery.  Any extension had to be agreed by all parties.

 

The report presented the Council’s approach to reshape the future of the waste collection and street cleansing services, which was the fulfilment of a key Manifesto commitment set out by the Executive Mayor.

 

The re-procurement was necessary due to legal risk regarding Veolia’s proposed conditions for extending the existing contract. A new commissioning approach would also allow the Council to improve the waste collection and street cleansing arrangements and contract management, help the local environmental quality and reduce fly tipping whilst helping increase pride in Croydon.

 

The Executive Mayor said that when Veolia had met with him, they said it had been the first discussion with a London Borough of Croydon politician for over two years.

 

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Streets said that the Council had been working with Veolia since 2018 and, for clarity, the SLWP contract would remain in place until 2025 and that the service would be monitored closely.

 

He said there would be a further report to Cabinet in March 2023.

 

In response to a Member’s question in relation to what people wanted from their new contract, the Executive Mayor said that the Council would be talking to residents and would review accordingly.

 

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that:

 

1.            the current waste collection and street cleansing contract with Veolia Environment Services be not extended following expiry of the initial term on 31st March 2025.

 

2.            further work to consider the alternative options for the provision of waste collection and street cleansing services be undertaken and recommendations brought before Cabinet in line with the timetable set out at Section 6.7 of this report.

 

3.            the powers held by the Mayor of London under the GLA Act to issue directions to London boroughs in relation to waste management procurement, be noted and that the project team would be encouraged to develop a close working relationship with the GLA Borough Liaison Team to ensure it was well-sighted on the steps being taken to ensure service continuity and continuing conformity with the London Environment Strategy.

 

88/22

South London Waste Plan Development Plan Document - Adoption pdf icon PDF 131 KB

The attached report represents the final stage in the progression of the preparation of the joint South London Waste Plan Development Plan Document to adoption. It will then form part of the Council’s Planning Policy Framework to spatially manage waste and be used to determine related planning applications.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

       i.          Note this report on the progress made to date towards the development of a National Planning Policy Framework compliant development plan document, the South London Waste Plan 2022 to 2037 (Appendix 1) and that as a result a favourable Inspector’s Report is expected shortly finding the SLW Plan to be sound.

 

      ii.          The Cabinet is to further note that the final Inspectors Report is delayed and still awaited.

 

    iii.          Recommend Council to adopt the South London Waste Plan 2022 to 2037, subject to the recommendations in the Inspector’s Report as a Development Plan Document in accordance with The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

Minutes:

Cabinet considered a report, which represented the final stage in the progression of the preparation of the joint South London Waste Plan Development Plan Document to adoption. It would then form part of the Council’s Planning Policy Framework to spatially manage waste and be used to determine related planning applications.

 

It was reported that the South London Waste Plan (SLW Plan) had been funded from a successful bid to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Planning Delivery Fund.

 

It was noted that this was the final stage of the joint production of the SLW Plan following two stages of consultation in October to December 2019 (Regulation 18 Issues and Options) and September to October 2020 (Regulation 19 Submission) and the Examination in Public in September 2021.

 

The Executive Mayor said that having a plan was a statutory requirement and that this final report culminated in all of the points.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Regeneration said that this was a joint project amongst other London Boroughs, which would allow Croydon to generate waste up to 2037.  He added that the Plan was required to be adopted at the meeting of the full Council to be held in December. 

 

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, RESOLVED that:

 

1.            this report on the progress made to date towards the development of a National Planning Policy Framework compliant development plan document, the South London Waste Plan 2022 to 2037 (Appendix 1) and that as a result a favourable Inspector’s Report was expected shortly finding the SLW Plan to be sound, be noted.

 

2.            the final Inspectors Report was delayed and still awaited, be noted.

 

3.            COUNCIL be RECOMMENDED to adopt the South London Waste Plan 2022 to 2037, subject to the recommendations in the Inspector’s Report as a Development Plan Document in accordance with The Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012.

 

89/22

Improving Procurement Decision-making and Governance pdf icon PDF 117 KB

The attached report sets out the recommendations and actions to be taken to simplify, accelerate and improve procurement decision-making for contract spend. An Annual Procurement Plan (APP) will enable earlier engagement with the Executive Mayor and Cabinet Members, improving the influence for the strategic approach to commissioning and procurement and streamlining the decision-making process.

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

1.     To approve the introduction of an Annual Procurement Plan (APP) to the Executive Mayor in Cabinet that includes proposed procurement and contract extension and the delegated decision makers for the forthcoming year. The updates and progress on the APP to be reported to the Mayor in Cabinet on a quarterly basis.

 

2.     To approve the first Annual Procurement Plan for the remainder of the financial year and for the period November 2022 to March 2023 as set out in Appendix 1.

 

3.     To approve the delegated decisions in the APP to those Lead Members or Officers as stated in Appendix 1 that includes the contract/procurement strategy and award decisions, the duration of the contract and contract value.

 

4.     The delegated decisions shall only be exercised following recommendations from the Contracts & Commissioning Board, which require approval from both the Lead Cabinet Member and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

 

5.     To allow for minor changes to proceed whilst retaining the agreed delegated so long as none of the following thresholds for changes are exceeded:

 

                           i.          Contract value exceeds that proposed in the APP/Quarterly Update Report, by the lesser of £500K or 25%, or the new aggregate value exceeds £1m and it becomes a key decision

 

                          ii.          Substantial / material changes to procurement from that defined in the APP/Quarterly Update Report e.g. material risks are identified

 

(Should either of those thresholds be exceeded, the delegation cannot be exercised, and the decision shall be recommended to the Executive Mayor, unless a further delegation is approved. Where a delegated decision is a Key Decision to Officers, it must be made in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member.)

 

6.     To approve a re-drafting of the Tender and Contract Regulations to reflect the proposed changes (and clarifications), to be reported to the Constitution Working Group with a view to seeking recommendations from the General Purposes Committee and/ or the Executive Mayor in Cabinet for onward recommendations to Full Council.

Minutes:

The Executive Mayor announced that he would be considering both matters together.

 

Cabinet considered two reports, which (1) set out the recommendations and actions to be taken to simplify, accelerate and improve procurement decision making for contract spend; and (2) helped to deliver the Executive Mayor’s pledge to improve effective contract management by ensuring it was robust contract management to ensure efficient, value for money services.

 

The Cabinet Member for Finance said it was good to have the Annual Procurement Plan available now as this would allow the Council to know in advance what was occurring over the year.

 

With regard to contract management, he said that the Council was now providing specific support and training to upskill those involved, which would result in savings and ensure that services were being delivered. 

 

In response to a Member’s question regarding time taken to achieve this, the Cabinet Member for Finance said there had been opportunities to challenge and change these under the previous administration and that these would develop over time.  He added that there had been no delays caused by any bottleneck suggested by the question.

 

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet RESOLVED that:

 

a)            In respect of the improving procurement decision-making and governance report:

 

1.            The introduction of an Annual Procurement Plan (APP) to the Executive Mayor in Cabinet that included proposed procurement and contract extension and the delegated decision makers for the forthcoming year, be approved. (The updates and progress on the APP to be reported to the Executive Mayor in Cabinet on a quarterly basis.)

 

2.        The first Annual Procurement Plan for the remainder of the financial year and for the period November 2022 to March 2023, as set out in Appendix 1, be approved.

 

3.        The delegated decisions in the APP to those Lead Members or Officers as stated in Appendix 1 that included the contract/procurement strategy and award decisions, the duration of the contract and contract value, be approved.

 

1.            The delegated decisions shall only be exercised following recommendations from the Contracts and Commissioning Board, which required approval from both the Lead Cabinet Member and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

 

2.            Minor changes be allowed to proceed whilst retaining the agreed delegated so long as none of the following thresholds for changes were exceeded:

 

i)             Contract value exceeds that proposed in the APP/Quarterly Update

Report, by the lesser of £500K or 25%, or the new aggregate value

exceeds £1m and it becomes a key decision.

 

ii)    Substantial / material changes to procurement from that defined in the APP/Quarterly Update Report e.g., material risks are identified.

 

(Should either of those thresholds be exceeded, the delegation cannot be exercised, and the decision shall be recommended to the Executive Mayor, unless a further delegation is approved. Where a delegated decision is a Key Decision to Officers, it must be made in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member.)

 

3.            A re-drafting of the Tender and Contract Regulations to reflect the proposed changes (and clarifications), to be reported to the Constitution  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89/22

90/22

Contract Management Framework pdf icon PDF 142 KB

The Executive Mayor, in Cabinet, is invited to approve the adoption of the Contract Management Framework, as set out in the report and the associated appendices.

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Executive Mayor in Cabinet is recommended to:

 

1.     To approve the adoption of the Contract Management Framework as set out in this paper and the associated appendices

 

2.     To approve the Contract Management Policy (Appendix 1) as an official policy of the Council.

Minutes:

See Minute No.89/22 above.

91/22

Exclusion of the Press and Public

The following motion is to be moved and seconded where it is proposed to exclude the press and public from the remainder of a meeting:

 

“That, under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within those paragraphs indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”

Minutes:

This was not required.

92/22

Waste Collection and Street Cleaning Contract