Decisions

RESOLVED: To

1.     approve the award of Contracts for Croydon Best Start services listed below to the providers named in the associated Part B report for a term of two years and 3 months, for a total value of £3,221,000 across all contracts:

·       Child Development and School Readiness services,

·       Parenting Aspirations and Parenting Skills services

·       Parent Infant Partnership services

2.     note that the name of the successful contractors will be released once the Contract awards are agreed and implemented.

RESOLVED: To approve an extension by way of variation of the existing contract for the provision of lateral flow testing provided by Global Production Squad Ltd (GPS) until 31st March 2022 for a maximum additional cost of £1,181,436.00 (maximum aggregated value of £2,007,960.35) whilst a procurement exercise is undertaken for the future provision of this service.

RESOLVED: To approve an extension by way of variation of the existing contract for the provision of lateral flow testing provided by Global Production Squad Ltd (GPS) until 31st March 2022 for a maximum additional cost of £1,181,436.00 (maximum aggregated value of £2,007,960.35) whilst a procurement exercise is undertaken for the future provision of this service.

As set out in the report.

1.1       The Cabinet Member for Homes in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources & Financial Governance, is recommended by the Contracts and Commissioning Board to approve the award of a contract for the provision of Asbestos Surveying Services in accordance with the Asbestos Inspection Framework to Riverside Environment Services Ltd for a period of 5 years with break clause at year 3 and 4 for a maximum value of up to £775,000.

1.2       To note the reasons for a Direct Award set out in paragraph 2.4.

RESOLVED on the basis of the terms set out in Part A and B of the report to

1.    Approve the disposal of the Croydon Park Hotel;

2.    Approve the disposal of the College Green site;

3.    Delegate the approval for the disposal of Heath Lodge, Grangewood Park by auction to the Interim Corporate Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal and to note the representations made following the Notice for the disposal of public open space;

4.    Delegate the approve for the Disposal of Ashburton Lodge by auction to the Interim Executive Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal;

5.    Approve the extension of the leases for Concord and Sycamore House;

6.    Agree to the amended asset disposal list; and

7.    Note the update on the Investment Asset performance.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Note the General Fund is projecting a net favourable movement of £0.378m from Period 4. Service departments are indicating a £3.365m overspend (Month 4 £3.742m) with this being netted of as in the past four months against release of a one off Covid Grant (£3.451m) confirmed to Croydon Council for 21/22 by MHCLG as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement;

2.    Note that a further number of risks and compensating opportunities may materialise which would see the forecast year-end variance change and these are reported within Section 3 of the report. Should these risks materialise or the mitigations not be effective the Council could overspend by £7.814m (Month 4 £11.664m); 

3.    Note the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is projecting a £0.742m (Month 4 £0.696m) overspend for 2021/22. If no further mitigations are found to reduce this overspend the HRA will need to drawdown reserves from HRA balances which at the moment there are sufficient balances to cover this;

4.    Note the capital spend to date for the General Fund of £8.235m (against a budget of £138.688m) and for the HRA of £5.713m (against a budget of £183.209m), with a projected forecast variance of £36.899m on the general fund against budget and nil forecast variance against budget for the general fund;

5.    Note, the above figures are predicated on forecasts from Month 5 to the year end and therefore could be subject to change as forecasts are refined and new and updated information is provided on a monthly basis. Forecasts are made based on the best available information at this time;

6.    Note that whilst the Section 114 notice has formally been lifted, the internal controls established as part of the S114, such as the Spend Control Panel remain. However, restrictions have been lifted for ring-fenced accounts such as the Pensions Fund, Housing Revenue Account and Coroner’s Costs as these do not directly impact on the financial position of the General Fund. The Spending Control Panel which was set up at the beginning of November 2020 continues to meet on a twice daily basis; and

7.    Note that due to no Cabinet Meeting in September 2021 Period 4 has not been presented to Cabinet. Period 4 position has been provided for as Appendix 3 of the report to ensure there is a clear audit trail for Members between Period 5 and Period 4; and

8.    Note that the Council has received a one off financial support of £2.3m from Government to help cover he pressures within Unaccompanied Asylum seeking Children (UASC), which means the Council still funds £2.20m of pressures.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Review the corporate FPR report (appendix A) as at 31 August 2021 with regard to overall performance against the Croydon Renewal Plan.  Noting areas of good performance and those of concern.

2.    Note the progress made, and areas of concern, against programmes and projects in relation to milestones, deliverables and issues.

3.    Note the progress made against savings and growth targets as identified in the Croydon Renewal Plan.  More detail on this area can be found in Table 2a of the Financial Monitoring Report also being presented at this Cabinet meeting.

4.    That Cabinet identify areas of performance within the FPR report (appendix A of the report) where they require deeper analysis and benchmarking (where applicable) to be presented in the next FPR report at the 15 November Cabinet for discussion and action.

RESOLVED: To note

1.    The request for approval of the Children with Disabilities – Care Provider Register (CPR) procurement strategy as set out at agenda item 11a of the agenda and section 5.1.1 of the report;

2.    The contracts between £500,000 and £5,000,000 anticipated to be awarded under delegated authority from the Leader by the nominated Cabinet Member, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources and Financial Governance and with the Leader in certain circumstances, before the next meeting of Cabinet, as set out in section 5.2.1 of the report;

3.    The list of delegated award decisions made by theDirector of Commissioning and Procurement since the last meeting of Cabinet, as set out in section 5.3.1 of the report; and

4.    The list of September recess delegated award decisions for contracts over £5,000,000 in value made by the nominated Cabinet Member in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Resources & Financial Governance or, where the nominated Cabinet Member is the Cabinet Member for Resources & Financial Governance in consultation with the Leader since the last meeting of Cabinet, as set out in section 5.4.1 of the report.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Note and agree on the progress the Council has made in regard to achieving the recommendations set out by external auditor in the Report in the Public Interest (appendix 1) with 62 out of 99 actions complete;

2.    Note the outcome of the first tranche of work to properly evidence what has been achieved so far following the initial internal audit of actions delivered to provide full assurance to members and residents on the changes achieved; and

3.    Agree the Refreshed Action Plan including actions marked complete, progress updates against open actions and identification of actions to be embedded going forward as business as usual.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Not reopen Purley Leisure Centre; and

2.    Consult with residents on the mitigations of using alternative leisure facilities at Waddon and New Addington.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Approve statutory consultation on the introduction of a new income banded Council Tax Reduction (Support) Scheme for working age claimants from 1^st April 2022.

2.    Agree that the recommended scheme to be consulted on be an income banded Council Tax Support scheme, which:

·         Retains 100% protection for Pensioners, care leavers under 25 and Disabled non-working residents

·         Utilises income bands of £50

·         Has a  maximum level of income per week before someone is not eligible for CTS of £450 per week or £23,400 per year

·         Has a maximum discount awarded for (not protected) working age residents of 80%

·         Introduces a Hardship Fund to support residents transition from the current CTS scheme to an income banded scheme  

RESOLVED on the basis of the terms set out in Part A and B of the report to

1.    Approve the disposal of the Croydon Park Hotel;

2.    Approve the disposal of the College Green site;

3.    Delegate the approval for the disposal of Heath Lodge, Grangewood Park by auction to the Interim Corporate Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal and to note the representations made following the Notice for the disposal of public open space;

4.    Delegate the approve for the Disposal of Ashburton Lodge by auction to the Interim Executive Director Resources in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Croydon Renewal;

5.    Approve the extension of the leases for Concord and Sycamore House;

6.    Agree to the amended asset disposal list as detailed in section 7 of the report; and

7.    Note the update on the Investment Asset performance as detailed in section 8 of the report.

RESOLVED: To

1.    Approve the strategy detailed in the report for the procurement of a contract for a period of four years for the delivery of domiciliary and personal care during the period 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2026. The total estimated annual value is £1.6m which results in a total aggregated value of £6.4m over the 4 years.

2.    Note that the Director of Commissioning and Procurement has approved the waivers listed below under Regulation 19 of the Council’s Tender and Contract regulations:

·         To adjust the split between cost and quality evaluation ratio as required under regulation 22.4 to 60% cost / 40% quality.

·         To adjust the social value evaluation criteria from 10% as required under regulation 22.5 to 5%.

RESOLVED: To directly award a contract to Idox as a compliant call off from Crown Commercial Services framework RM3821 DATA AND APLICATION SOLUTIONS Lot 2b for a period of 5 years at a contract value of £550k for the supply and support of Idox IT solutions for the reasons set out in the report