Agenda and decisions

To approve the Minutes of Cabinet held on the 16^th October 2024 and 30^th October 2024 as an accurate record.

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.

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.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

1. Approve the responses and action plans attached to this report in Appendices 1, 2, 3 & 4;

2. Delegate authority to the officers identified in Appendices 1, 2, 3 & 4 to report back to the Scrutiny and Overview Committee, or relevant Sub-Committee, within the periods specified in the agreed responses and action plans, and on progress made in implementing any action plan.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1 Agree the Housing Supply & New Build Framework (HSNBF) attached as Appendix A and which will be the basis for understanding and evaluating substantial investment in Croydon’s Housing Estates.

2.2 Note, that each new scheme considered for development and investment will be subject to Council decision-making, procurement processes and resident consultation.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED;

2.1 To agree the 2025/26 to 2027/28 (three years) Local Implementation Plan Delivery Plan including programmes and schemes and attached as Appendix B, to be submitted to Transport for London to grant Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding for 2025/26.

2.2 To agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery (in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment), to finalise and approve the LIP three Year Delivery Plan for 2025/26 to 2027/28 for submission to TfL, making any necessary adjustments to the three year Delivery Plan following TfL’s feedback and prior to final submission by the Council to TfL by 13th February 2025.

2.3 To agree to implement the LIP three year Delivery Plan subject to confirmation of TfL funding being granted.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1 Note the progress made in the first six months of the "Future Croydon" Transformation Plan (2024-2029) at set out in Appendix 1.

2.2 Note progress made in the Council Improvement Plan (2022-2027) as set out in Appendix 2.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED;

2.1 to note the General Fund revenue budget outturn is forecast to overspend at financial year end by £19.8m at Period 5, after the budgeted utilisation of £38m capitalisation directions requested from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), utilisation of the £5.0m risk contingency budget and utilisation of £13.0m corporate earmarked reserves.

2.2 to note that all service directorates have been asked to reduce their net expenditure so that the annual budget can be balanced at the end of the year through the in-year Financial Recovery Plan as set out from paragraph 4.8.

2.3 to note the progress in Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings achievement of £21.9m (79.1%) against the total savings target of £27.7m as set out in paragraph 4.133.

2.4 to note the work that is continuing on the Council’s Transformation Programme as set out from paragraph 4.131.

2.5 to note the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budget outturn is forecast to overspend by £8.0m.

2.6 to note the General Fund capital programme 2024-25 forecast underspend of £18.8m against the revised capital budget of £118.5m.

2.7 to note the HRA capital programme 2024-25 forecast underspend of £8.3m against the capital budget of £57.2m.

2.8 to note the Council’s historic borrowing and subsequent debt burden continues to be critical to the non-sustainability of the Council’s revenue budget as set out from para 4.154. Dialogue with MHCLG continues around options of further financial support from Government in regard to the level of structural indebtedness to ensure the Council can deliver sustainable Local Government services.

2.9 to note that the Council continues to operate Spend Control Panels, and tightened the criteria from July 2024, to ensure that stringent financial control and assurance oversight are maintained.

2.10 to note that current forecasts are based on the best available information at the time and will be subject to review and change during the financial year

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1 Consider and respond to the comments received from Scrutiny and Overview on the 19th November relating to the draft Statement of Principles 2025-2028;

2.2 Endorse the recommendations from Licensing Committee that the draft Statement of Principles 2025-2028, under the Gambling Act 2005 as set out at Appendix 5, be presented to Full Council for adoption.

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.”