Agenda item

To consider the recommendations made by Cabinet or Committees since the last ordinary Council meeting relating to the following matters:

 

(i)       Ongoing Review of Brick by Brick Croydon Ltd and the future of the company

(ii)      Libraries Consultation Phase 2 Results

(iii)     Temporary appointments to the roles of Assistant Chief Executive and Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education

(iv)    Recruitment and appointment of independent Chair of General Purposes and Audit Committee (GPAC)

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CABINET HELD ON 12 JULY 2021

 

Ongoing Review of Brick by Brick Croydon Ltd and the future of the company

 

The Leader, Councillor Hamida Ali, informed Members that Cabinet rejected the proposal to sell the company but instead to build out the remaining sites that were already underway as this offered the greatest return on the council’s investment. As a result the number of sites had been reduced from 29 to 23 and those six sites which had not been started were now going to go straight to the market instead.

 

The Leader went on to confirm that external consultants and the Improvement and Assurance Panel had agreed with this course of action. Twenty one of the sites were near to completion. As a result 800 new homes will have been built in the borough with half of them genuinely affordable. Over 100 will be added to the council’s own housing stock.

 

Councillor King seconded the recommendation.

 

The recommendation was put to the vote and was carried.

 

RESOLVED: Council AGREED the recommendation in the report:

 

1.1  Council is asked to note the recommendations set out in Appendix 1, which were considered by Cabinet on 12th July 2021 and note that Council shall receive a verbal update in respect of the outcome.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CABINET HELD ON 16 AUGUST 2021

 

Libraries Consultation Phase 2 Results

 

Councillor Lewis informed Members that a full and detailed consultation had been carried out and he thanked the thousands of residents who had taken part. At the start of the process there had been a risk that some libraries would close but all the libraries will now remain open but with reduced opening hours.

 

Councillor Fitzpatrick seconded the recommendation.

 

The recommendation was put to the vote and was unanimously carried.

 

RESOLVED: Council AGREED the recommendations in the report:

:

1.2  Consider the outcome of the consultation and the consultation responses as set out in Appendix 5 [as listed as Appendix 1 to the Cabinet report] and the assessment of those responses.

 

1.3  Consider the equalities assessment at Appendix 6 [as listed as Appendix 2 to the Cabinet report] and the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) requirements under Section 149 of the Equalities Act 2010 as detailed in paragraph 10;

 

1.4  Consider the assessment regarding the Council’s ability to deliver a statutory library service in accordance with the requirements of Section 7 of the Libraries and Museums Act 1964 if the recommended option is agreed;

 

1.5  Having due regard to the contents of Appendices 5 and 6 [Appendices 1 and 2 in the Cabinet report] and the assessment referenced in 1.3.3, agree that it implement changes to the statutory Library service by reducing hours by an average of 21% across the borough as detailed in paragraphs 3.13 achieving £506,980 of savings.

 

1.6  Note that a delegation will be sought from Full Council regarding the implementation of the recommended option and further engagement with service users of the boroughs’ 13 Libraries regarding the implementation at individual sites.

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE HELD ON 21 SEPTEMBER 2021

 

Review of temporary chief officer cover arrangements

 

The Leader, Councillor Hamida Ali, informed Members that the temporary extensions were part of the progress towards a permanent executive structure working with a recruitment partner Penna.

 

Councillor Perry seconded the recommendation.

 

The recommendation was put to the vote and was unanimously carried.

 

RESOLVED: Council AGREED the recommendations in the report:

 

1.7  To note the extension of the temporary chief officer role appointments, for:

 

i)                 Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education

ii)                Assistant Chief Executive

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM GENERAL PURPOSES & AUDIT COMMITTEE HELD ON 16 SEPTEMBER 2021

 

Recruitment and appointment of independent Chair of General Purposes and Audit Committee (GPAC)

 

Councillor Jewitt stated that she agreed with the recommendations and had nothing more to add.

 

Councillor Mann seconded the recommendation.

 

The recommendation was put to the vote and was unanimously carried.

 

RESOLVED: Council AGREED the recommendations in the report:

 

 

1.8  To agree to retain one independent co-opted member on the General Purposes & Audit Committee, alongside the independent Chair, with effect from a decision of Full Council to implement the new arrangements.

 

1.9  Endorse the proposed changes to the Constitution set out in section 4 of Appendix 8.

 

The Mayor stated that with Council now having agreed to update the Constitution, he took the opportunity on behalf of all Councillors to congratulate Olu Olasode on his appointment as the Council’s first Independent Chair of the General Purposes & Audit Committee and wished him good luck in his new role.