Agenda, decisions and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, Scott Roche who was substituted by Councillor Tony Pearson, and Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Janet Campbell.

Minutes of Cabinet, 15^th July 2024, will be presented at the next meeting of Cabinet.

Due to the quick succession of meetings the part A minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 15^th July 2024 will be brought to the September Cabinet.

Due to a quick succession of meetings, the minutes of the last Cabinet meeting held on 15th of July will be presented at Cabinet on 25th September 2024.

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.

There were no disclosures of interest made.

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.

Recently there has been reports of serious vandalism and antisocial behaviour in Duppas Hill Park. Swift action was taken by seeking an eviction notice to remove the illegal encampment. However, the individuals left before the court proceedings scheduled, relocating elsewhere in the borough. We are now working with our police partners, who have extra powers under the Criminal Justice & Public Order Act, to deal with these incursions as quickly as possible.

Working with Surrey County Council, Tandridge District Council, and TfL, a comprehensive plan has been developed to address the impact of upcoming roadworks on Coulsdon Road which balances the needs of the necessary flood drainage works with the access needs of local residents.

Finally, the removal of several abandoned vehicles that has plagued residents on Norbury and Livingstone Roads in Thornton Heath for over a decade was initiated. Using the council’s devolved powers from the DVLA, an operation was launched to remove the unroadworthy vehicles.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1.     Receive the recommendations arising from the meeting of the Homes Sub-Committee on 16 April 2024 (Appendix 1) and 22^nd July 2024 Scrutiny Sub – Committee for Streets and Environment.

2.     To provide a substantive response to the recommendations (a Scrutiny Stage 2 Report) at the Cabinet meeting on 25 September 2024.

The Executive Mayor introduced both the Stage 1 and Stage 2 Scrutiny reports – Recommendations and Responses to Recommendations. Both reports were taken together.

The Chair of Scrutiny and Overview Committee, Councillor Rowenna Davis, shared with Cabinet that:

-  The Scrutiny and Overview Committee (the Committee) shared that administration has been working hard to change the culture of Croydon's housing service to ensure that residents get the responsive and respectful service they deserve and therefore was pleased to submit a recommendation on behalf of the Home Sub-Committee to extend the focus on culture to the councils contractors and subcontractors.

-        The Committee raised concerns about the number of recommendations that the council says are already in progress. The Committee made a recommendation for the council to engage in best practise with other boroughs to learn what could be done differently in committees, this was accepted as a recommendation, if learning from best practise is already happening this evidence can and should be presented in committee, when requested.

-        On the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan the Committee were pleased to note that the recommendation to focus more on perpetrators had been accepted as well as better engagement with men.

-        In regard to the 2023-24 Provisional Outturn Financial Performance Report the Committee welcomed confirmation that the council had come in on target, although propped up by £63M of extraordinary financial support from national government.

-         The Committee noted that some departments particularly children's did overspend and that was down to a small number of very expensive placements for highly vulnerable children with severe needs.

-` The Committee noted the slippage of £29 million in the general fund capital account area of education but were pleased that the council had made some changes which should get work back on track.

-     The overspend in the housing revenue account was also noted by the Committee but it was understood that this was required to deal with the backlog of important repairs impacting residents and were reassured to hear that this year's budget had been increased to prevent that overspend repeating.

-     Lastly, the Committee welcomed the return of bus shelters to Croydon following a deal with TFL.

The Executive Mayor moved the recommendations as per the report including those related to the Bus Shelter delivery programme which will be responded to at the next meeting as a Scrutiny Stage Two report

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

1.     Receive the recommendations arising from the meeting of the Homes Sub-Committee on 16 April 2024 (Appendix 1).

2.     To provide a substantive response to the recommendations (a Scrutiny Stage 2 Report) at the Cabinet meeting on 25 September 2024.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1.1      Approve the responses and action plans attached to this report as Appendices 1, 2, & 3; and

2.1.2      Delegate authority to the officers identified in Appendices 1, 2, & 3 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.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1.1      Approve the responses and action plans attached to this report as Appendices 1, 2, & 3; and

2.1.2      Delegate authority to the officers identified in Appendices 1, 2, & 3 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.

Cabinet RESOLVED to: 

2.1     To Agree to progress with Option Five ‘TfL to use the London Passenger Transport Act 1934 to give them the right to provide, install, maintain and clean bus shelters and retain any advertising revenue of sites in the borough.

2.2     To Agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between TfL and LB Croydon.

2.4      To Agree to proceed with the development of the procurement strategy for the remaining Out of Home (OOH) advertising opportunities.

The Executive Mayor introduced the strategic plan for the delivery of replacement bus shelters in Croydon. TfL has been granted authority to provide, install, maintain, and clean bus shelters, whilst allowing them to retain advertising revenue. This will be undertaken by a letter of agreement and will transfer all risk, both financial and physical to TfL. 

Councillor Tony Pearson shared with Cabinet that it makes sense for TFL to lead on delivery of the bus shelters and frees up council time to consider how to procure a contract for advertising across the wider council estate noting that this development is a positive way forward of delivering for residents.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, Councillor Christopher Herman thanked officers for their work ensuring residents can wait for their bus sheltered from the elements and welcomed any information on when residents can expect the first bus shelter to be installed.

The Corporate Director for Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, Nick Hibberd advised that if Cabinet agree to enter into a letter of agreement with TFL the team will move swiftly. A process will follow both in terms of agreeing the locations of bus shelters and ensuring that advertising consent is received.  

Cabinet RESOLVED to: 

2.1     To Agree to progress with Option Five ‘TfL to use the London Passenger Transport Act 1934 to give them the right to provide, install, maintain and clean bus shelters and retain any advertising revenue of sites in the borough.

2.2     To Agree to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between TfL and LB Croydon.

2.4      To Agree to proceed with the development of the procurement strategy for the remaining Out of Home (OOH) advertising opportunities.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1   To endorse the work undertaken to deliver the Violence Against Women and Girls Delivery Plan

2.2   To agree the plan contained in appendix 1 as the three-year delivery plan.

2.3   To agree the commitment to maintain the levels of funding for making Croydon safer for women and girls at the same levels for the three-year duration of this plan.

2.4   To support the ongoing work and future commitments with the voluntary sector and communities.

The Executive Mayor introduced the first-ever Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Delivery Plan.

Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Ola Kolade dedicated the plan to the victims and their families. Cabinet noted that there are also specialised services to support men and boys who can also suffer and will have the same level of support available tackling all forms of gender based violence.

Christabel Yeboah, Chair of the BME Domestic Abuse Partnership addressed Cabinet highlighting key aspects of the strategy. The strategy draws attention to intersectionality, which identifies that people who have an intersecting identity such as people who come from different ethnicities, race, socioeconomic backgrounds, sexualities and gender identity's are more likely to experience multiple strands of abuse at the same time so focuses on making sure that support is both inclusive and accessible with victims and survivors at the forefront.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stuart King welcomed the presentation of the delivery plan and asked whether a three-year delivery plan rather than a longer term strategy would be the most effective approach and if it would inadvertently hamper the ability to tap into government funding as it becomes available, if that funding might be focused on longer term initiatives and objectives. Further as Croydon carry a large caseload of high risk cases what are the actual numbers of such cases and how and in what way can a reduction be expected over the course of the three year plan.

The Executive Mayor responded that there are certain elements that will take longer to achieve but work is already underway.

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Ola Kolade added that the plan and framework demonstrate the connection and commitment to this issue and will enable alternative funding to be sought. Also, a specialist support service will soon be established in the town centre to compliment the work already happening with the task force and police.

The Director of Culture and Community Safety, Kristian Aspinall added  that the framework will allow Croydon to bid for longer term funding and will not hamper the attraction of further funding. The objectives is to spread awareness which will initially lead to an increase in reporting this crime, in the long run the actions in this plan should see a decrease in both referrals to services and in criminal rates in the borough.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Councillor Enid Mollyneaux thanked those who were involved in creating the plan and asked as the World Health Organisation stated that violence against women is preventable what specific figures and data will be shared on an annual basis so that the community can understand that a difference has been made.

Both successes and failures will be communicated to the community at the Engagement Forum. In terms of demonstrating whether prevention is working this will be evident at the end of the plan in three years time when a reduction in the numbers is seen.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1   To  ...  view the full minutes text for item 186/24

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1     to note the General Fund revenue budget provisional outturn breakeven position, after the budgeted utilisation of £63m capitalisation directions requested from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).  The risk contingency budget of £5m was not required to be utilised for the Council’s overall financial position and has, therefore, been used together with the service and corporate underspends to increase the Council’s Business Risk Reserve by £10.1m given the financial challenges currently facing local government.

2.2     to note that the provisional outturn is the position prior to final accounting adjustments (e.g. capital accounting/revaluation/receipts and any impact from potential changes in prior years’ accounts which are still to be audited (e.g. debt calculations) and the external audit of the 2023-24 accounts.

2.3     to note that the significant level of 2024-25 savings (£23.731m), agreed by Full Council in March 2024, include reduction in budgets that are delivering underspends in 2023-24 and will, therefore, not be recurrent underspends in 2024-25.

2.4     to note the provisional outturn Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings achievement of £33.2m (91.9%) against the total savings target of £36.1m as set out in paragraph 4.93.

2.5     to note the provisional outturn expenditure on the Council’s Transformation Programme as set out from paragraph 4.89.

2.6     to note the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue budget provisional outturn overspend of £9.9m.

2.7     to note the General Fund capital programme 2023-24 provisional outturn underspend of £29.0m against the capital budget of £124.0m.

2.8     to note the HRA capital programme 2023-24 provisional outturn underspend of £3.5m against the capital budget of £39.2m.

2.9     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.  Dialogue with MHCLG continues.  The Council submitted a Financial Sustainability Plan on 22 May 2024 providing options of further financial support from Government in regard to its level of structural indebtedness to ensure it can deliver sustainable Local Government services.

2.10   to note that the Council continues to operate Spend Control Panels to ensure that tight financial control and assurance oversight are maintained.  

The Executive Mayor introduced the 2023-24 Provisional Outturn Financial Performance Report.

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Jason Cummings was pleased to present to Cabinet a Provisional Outturn position which showed balance, even if supported by a £63 million capitalisation direction. Cabinet noted that this showed the approach and level of fiscal discipline that has been undertaken by all departments within the council. Cabinet were advised that there are significant pressures within year and many of those will return this year in an escalated fashion.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Callton Young thanked the team for their hard work and poised two questions to Cabinet. What impact does the increase of £15M in council borrowing, tapping into the reserves and an £11M underspend in staff costs have on council efficiency, performance and the ability to deliver exceptional services, and the transformation over the year combined. Secondly, why did it take so long to respond to the letter from MHCLG on debt write-off?

The Cabinet Member for Finance, Councillor Jason Cummings responded explaining that staff vacancies is a normal part of operations in large organisations; when reviewed at the end of the year these contribute to the saving proposals for future years budgets. In regard to reserves and contingencies they are there to be used at a time when they are needed. Cabinet noted that the £15M was borrowed as at the year end position the Lime Green Road site had not completed but did so shortly afterwards.

The Corporate Director for Resources (S151), Jane West added that reserves were used during the year as the funds had been set aside for specific purposes. 

The Executive Mayor added that in terms of the letter to MHCLG it is an ongoing conversation, and Councillor Jason Cummings confirmed that no deadlines had been missed when replying.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1      to note the General Fund revenue budget provisional outturn breakeven position, after the budgeted utilisation of £63m capitalisation directions requested from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).  The risk contingency budget of £5m was not required to be utilised for the Council’s overall financial position and has, therefore, been used together with the service and corporate underspends to increase the Council’s Business Risk Reserve by £10.1m given the financial challenges currently facing local government.

2.2      to note that the provisional outturn is the position prior to final accounting adjustments (e.g. capital accounting/revaluation/receipts and any impact from potential changes in prior years’ accounts which are still to be audited (e.g. debt calculations) and the external audit of the 2023-24 accounts.

2.3      to note that the significant level of 2024-25 savings (£23.731m), agreed by Full Council in March 2024, include reduction in budgets that are delivering underspends in 2023-24 and will, therefore, not be recurrent underspends in 2024-25.

2.4      to note the provisional outturn Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings achievement of £33.2m (91.9%) against the total savings target of £36.1m as set out in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 187/24

Cabinet RESOLVED to: 

2.1       To make the following eightexperimental traffic orders, which form the healthy school streets schemes detailed within this report, permanent: 

2.2       To withdraw The Croydon (Traffic Movement) (No.17) Experimental Order 2023 effective as of 24 July 2024 in respect of the St Peter’s Primary Healthy School Street in Rockhampton Road, Whitmead Close, Elm Close and Normanton Road, and not to proceed to make it permanent; and to authorise the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration and Economic Recovery to take steps necessary to publicise this withdrawal and remove any associated signage and other measures in place as a result of the experimental order. 

2.3       To withdraw The  Croydon (Traffic Movement) (No.19) Experimental Order 2023 effective as of  ...  view the full decision text for item 188/24

The Executive Mayor introduced the latest report on the 10 Experimental Traffic Management Orders supporting the Healthy School Streets Schemes. There was a 6-month statutory objection period during the first six months, where community feedback was sought through the Get

Involved online survey as well as monitoring traffic and air quality impacts.

Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Maria Gatland left the meeting due to a conflict of interest as she lives in the vicinity of a school on the list.

Cllr Tony Pearson, Deputy Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services Hale provided Cabinet with an overview of the Experimental Traffic Orders response which was low this time around. Cabinet noted that eight of the ten Orders would be made permanent. St Peter’s Primary will be withdrawn as there were a significant number of objections relating to adverse traffic impacts in the local area, caused by increased congestion and inconsiderate parking, worsening road safety for pupils.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, Councillor Christopher Herman welcomed the report noting that a safer environment outside of schools can only be a good thing and hopes the council will continue to improve the portal to avoid fines for exempt drivers and make it more convenient for users.

                            The Executive Mayor responded that improvements to the portal and the schemes are being looked at and there will be a review of the schemes in the future.

Cabinet RESOLVED to: 

2.1       To make the following eightexperimental traffic orders, which form the healthy school streets schemes detailed within this report, permanent: 

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1     To proceed to statutory consultation for the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report, and, following consideration of the statutory consultation responses, to delegate the decision to proceed to implementation to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment:  

2.2           To delegate the decision to proceed to statutory consultation, following further engagement with Calleydown Shortbreak Children’s Home, and implementation, following the statutory consultation stage, to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment, for the following Healthy School Street scheme detailed in this report: 

2.3           To delegate the decision to proceed to statutory consultation, following a further informal consultation stage, and implementation, following the statutory consultation stage, to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment, for the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report, which includes Harris City Academy Crystal Palace School Street having moved from Group 4 to Group 5 of the Healthy School Streets programme: 

2.4                Not to proceed with the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report: 

The Executive Mayor introduced the report which proposed that the Group 5 schemes be implemented with a permanent Traffic Management Order, rather than the experimental approach used for previous HSS schemes.

Cllr Tony Pearson, Deputy Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services Hale shared with Cabinet that this administration will consult, listen to residents and then act.

The Shadow Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, Councillor Christopher Herman welcomed the report and asked if the council had a communication strategy to challenge some of the negative feedback listed in the report.

The Executive Mayor responded that the benefits of healthy school streets are communicated going forward, enhancements are planned around how  the schemes are delivered and communicated.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1     To proceed to statutory consultation for the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report, and, following consideration of the statutory consultation responses, to delegate the decision to proceed to implementation to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment:  

2.2           To delegate the decision to proceed to statutory consultation, following further engagement with Calleydown Shortbreak Children’s Home, and implementation, following the statutory consultation stage, to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment, for the following Healthy School Street scheme detailed in this report: 

2.3           To delegate the decision to proceed to statutory consultation, following a further informal consultation stage, and implementation, following the statutory consultation stage, to the Corporate Director of Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery, in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Cabinet Member for Streets & Environment, for the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report, which includes Harris City Academy Crystal Palace School Street having moved from Group 4 to Group 5 of the Healthy School Streets programme: 

2.4                Not to proceed with the following Healthy School Street schemes detailed in this report: 

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1   to approve the Croydon Carers Strategy 2024 - 2029 and endorse the Council’s commitment to its delivery.

The Executive Mayor introduced the Croydon Carers Strategy 2024 – 2029 developed through a robust and collaborative process and adopts a system-wide, all-age approach to support carers.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Yvette Hopley, informed Cabinet that partners, officers and carers had been instrumental to the development of the strategy; it's not a standalone strategy but works alongside the other strategies and they all integrate. Cabinet were apprised that this carers strategy has a system level approach and an action plan which is going to be owned and driven by the carers who will hold Croydon Council to account.

Tania Fitzgerald, Manager of the Carers Information Service and a member of the Carers Strategy Steering Group gave Cabinet an overview of the development of the strategy and provided feedback on the process. As a result of the positive engagement the steering group look forward to delivering the strategy for Croydon’s carers. 

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stuart King extended his thanks to all involved in the development of the strategy and asked (on behalf of Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Janet Campbell) what key metrics and methods were going to be used to evaluate the success of the strategy and how will the progress be communicated to carers?

Shelley Prince, Head of Commissioning & Procurement CYP&E responded that the aim is to report the metrics to the partnership board who will hold the service to account, along with a collaborative and systematic approach to ensure that the metrics which resonate with carers are being met.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1   to approve the Croydon Carers Strategy 2024 - 2029 and endorse the Council’s commitment to its delivery.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1.1   To agree the publication of the Local Account 2023/24

The Executive Mayor introduced the Local Account 23 -24 which are a key part of the Local Government Association’s ‘Towards Excellence in Adult Social Care’ programme.

The Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Yvette Hopley shared with Cabinet that this was another excellent piece of work involving officers, partners and key members of the community, as well as good governance with too many achievements to mention.

The Leader of the Opposition, Councillor Stuart King (on behalf of Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor Janet Campbell) asked what is being done to improve staff retention and high vacancy rates amongst care providers as is highlighted in the report.

The Corporate Director, Annette McPartland advised that recruitment and retention within social care is a national issue. Croydon works with Southwest London Footprint, local schools and colleges, has an apprenticeship scheme and looks to the workforce to recruit and retain carers. The standard of care being provided by the Care Homes and domiciliary agencies is also tracked and monitored very carefully on a monthly basis.

Cabinet RESOLVED to:

2.1.1   To agree the publication of the Local Account 2023/24