Agenda and decisions

Minutes of Cabinet held 20^th November 2024 will be presented at the 22^nd January 2025 Cabinet meeting.

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. Receive the recommendations arising from the meeting of the Streets & Environment Sub-Committee on 8 October 2024 (Appendix 1).

2. To provide a substantive response to the recommendations (a Scrutiny Stage 2 Report) at the Cabinet meeting on 12 February 2025.

Important Note: The report for this item is embargoed until publication on the 3rd December 2024 on the OFSTED website.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1 Note and consider the outcome and findings from Ofsted’s inspection of Croydon’s Children’s Services which concluded on 25th October 2024 and judged the Council’s services for children as ‘good’.

2.2 Note that improvement plans will be reviewed and refreshed to ensure they address all the issues raised in the inspection report.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1. Consider and note the Annual Report detailing progress made in delivering the Equality Strategy 2023-27.

2.2. Note that the Equality Annual Report is to be referred for noting and discussion at Full Council each year, as previously agreed by Full Council to ensure that progress delivering the Equality Strategy is visible and accountable to all Councillors and the community.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

2.1 to note the General Fund revenue budget outturn is forecast to overspend at financial year end by £17.6m at Period 6, 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 4.9.

2.3 to approve inter-directorate virements from Corporate to service directorates for pay inflation (£6.768m) (para 4.116).

2.4 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 4.138.

2.5 to note the work that is continuing on the Council’s Transformation Programme as set out from paragraph 4.136.

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

2.7 to note the General Fund capital programme 2024-25 forecast underspend of £23.2m against the revised capital budget of £118.5m.

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

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 as set out from para 4.159. 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.

2.10 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.

2.11 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 Have due regard to the equalities impact assessment in Appendix 2 in making the decisions set out in these recommendations.

2.2 Approve the fees and charges as set out in Appendix 1 to the extent that they fall within the authority of the Executive to determine.

2.3 Approve delegation for further in-year amendments to fees and charges for the financial year 2025-26, to the relevant Corporate Director following consultation with the relevant Cabinet Member and the Executive Mayor.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED to;

a) Consider the comments received from Audit and Governance Committee on 20th November relating this report.

b) Consider the contents of the mid-year report on the treasury management activity for 2024/25.

c) Recommend to Full Council that it agrees to increase the current Operational Boundary and Authorised Limit to £1,769.5m and £1,819.5m respectively to bring it in line with the projected Capital Financing Requirement (CFR) for capital expenditure and for the prudential management of the Council’s financial affairs.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet RESOLVED, to recommend to Full Council for consideration and approval:

2.1 The Council’s 2024-30 General Fund Capital Programme which includes planned expenditure of £554.3m (including capitalisation directions) across the six year period. This includes expenditure financed through borrowing of £250.7m over the six years, during which time the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) “paying down” of the capital financing requirement would be £186.7m. The MRP annual borrowing cost would increase incrementally by an average £2.1m each year over the six years. The cost of this future borrowing will be factored into the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy.

2.2 The transformation projects set out in the table at paragraph 4.33 of this report to be included into the 2024-30 General Fund Capital Programme.

2.3 The 2024-30 Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme which includes planned expenditure of £394.7m with borrowing of £153.4m.

2.4 The Council’s Capital Strategy, as detailed within Appendix A of this report.

2.5 Note the Council’s historic legacy borrowing and debt burden continues to be critical to the non-sustainability of the Council’s revenue budget. Dialogue with MHCLG continues, and the Council is seeking further financial support from Government in regard to its level of indebtedness to ensure it can deliver sustainable local government services.

The Executive Mayor and Cabinet, RESOLVED;

2.1 To note the progress made on tranche 1 and 2 disposals.

2.2 To approve tranche 3 of sites for disposals as set out in Appendix 1 of this report together with indicative book values as set out in exempt Part B Appendix 1.

2.3 To delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Resources and s151 Officer to agree the terms and final price for each disposal included within tranche 3.

2.4 The delegations in this report shall only be exercised following: i. sign off of a business case/ financial assessment by the Corporate Management Team (CMT) ii. formal Red Book valuation, if required, on a property to be sold; and iii. formal marketing unless there is a clear special purchaser or offer made considerably in excess of the market value.

2.5 To note that the target value for disposals for tranche 3 and that disposals of tranche 3 assets will commence immediately alongside tranche 1 & 2 disposals.

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 paragraph 3 indicated in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended.”