Agenda and minutes

The Leader welcomed everyone to the meeting.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

There were no declarations.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2016.

3.1     The Leader, with the consent of the Members present, signed the Minutes of the meeting held on 10 October 2016 as a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Report of the Executive Director of Adults and Public Health.

4.1     Councillor Rachael Robathan advised that the strategy was part of a statutory requirement and act as the local delivery plan to the North West London Sustainability and Transformation Plan.  Councillor Robathan, in asking Cabinet to adopt the strategy, highlighted the four headline priorities as:

·       Improving outcomes for children and young people.

·       Reducing the risk factors for, and improving the management of, long term conditions, with a spotlight on dementia.

·       Improving mental health through prevention and self-management and

·         Creating and leading a sustainable and effective local health and care system.

4.2     Resolved:  That the Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Westminster be     approved.

          Reasons for Decision:  The Health and Wellbeing Strategy is a joint statutory responsibility of the Council and the Central London West London Clinical Commissioning Groups.  The adoption meets this requirement.

Report of the Executive Director, Built Environment.

5.1     Ed Watson, Executive Director of Growth, Planning and Housing advised that the report presented the latest 30 year Housing Revenue Account and the five year capital investment budgets and funding proposals.

5.2     Resolved: 

(i)              That the indicative HRA Capital Programme budgets for 2017-2018 to 2021-2022, set out in Appendix B of the report be approved.

(ii)             That the proposed allocations from the Council’s Affordable Housing Fund to new supply programmes be noted.

          Reasons for Decision:

          Adoption of the plans outlined in this report will enable the Council to invest in maintaining and improving the existing stock of homes and neighbourhoods within its management, while also delivering wider benefits to the City’s residents and businesses.  The financial plan will ensure the housing stock continues to meet the housing needs with which the City is faced and ensure the HRA remains sustainable and viable over the long term.

Report of the City Treasurer.

6.1     The Cabinet noted that this was an annual report which set out the statutory basis for the Council Tax Base.  The Cabinet had previously considered the second homes discount and agreed to recommend no change to the Council.

Resolved:

(i)       That the Council be recommended to approve the following recommendations     for the financial year 2017-2018:

(i)              That the Council Tax discount for second homes remains at 0%;

(ii)             The Council Tax discounts for empty properties, including the discounts that replaced the previous Class A and C Council Tax exemptions, remain at 0%.

(iii)            That a Long Term Empty Property Premium is not introduced.

(iv)           That no new categories of “local” discounts be introduced at this stage.

(v)            That the Head of Revenues and Benefits be delegated authority to determine any individual local discount applications from vulnerable Council Taxpayers received during the course of the 2017-2018 financial year under Section 13A(1)(c) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

(ii)      That the Council be recommended to approve the same Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2017-2018 which has operated successfully since 2013-2014.  The scheme is based on the Default Scheme Regulations but with War Disabled Pensions, War Widow, Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments disregarded in full when calculating a claimant’s income.

(iii)      That the Council be recommended to resolve that the Council Tax Base for 2016-2017 for the Whole City is 126,975.59 equivalent Band D properties, for Montpelier Square alone 94.16 equivalent Band D properties and for Queen’s Park 3,346.26 equivalent Band D properties.

(iv)     That the Cabinet recommended to the Council to resolve that the figures set out in (iii) above for the Council Tax Base for 2017-2018 be used by the Council to make a determination pursuant to the requirements of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Reason for Decision: 

There is a statutory requirement for the Council to adopt decisions in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Report of the Executive Director, Built Environment.

7.1     Ed Watson, Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing introduced the report.  He advised, in response to questions, that all possible options would be considered and presented to Cabinet in July 2017.  He confirmed that the views of the Huguenot House residents would be fully taken into account, as well as the local business community.

7.2     Councillor Tim Mitchell referred to the considerable uncertainty which residents wanted resolved particularly as they had been told that a decision would be made in 2016.

7.3     Mr Watson drew the Cabinet’s attention to a tabled submission on behalf of the Huguenot House Resident’s Association which had been circulated earlier.  He confirmed that the July 2017 reporting date had been set out as achievable.

7.4     Resolved:  That the report be noted.

8.1     Ed Watson, Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing introduced the report.  He advised that a revised Appendix B to the report had been circulated.  Mr Watson explained that a full response had been provided to the petition.  The aim was to find a professional market operator, including the establishment of a governance board to oversee the market’s operation.  Any current market stall holder who did not wish to be part of the evolution of the market would be given the opportunity to transfer to another Westminster market.

8.2     In response to questions from Cabinet Members Mr Watson confirmed that the aim was to protect and restructure the market with the aim that it may flourish in future.  The operator being sought would, he added, have a proven track record of market promotion and operation.  Mr Watson also confirmed that regular meetings were being held with stall holder representatives.

8.3     It was noted that further work was required before formal proposals were submitted for decision.

8.4     Resolved:

(i)              That the receipt of the petition be noted.

(ii)             That it be also noted and confirmed that decisions will be made by the Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration and that the contract award falls to the Executive Director in view of its estimated value.

Reason for Decision:  To note petition and that its content will be considered at the final decision stage.

Report of the City Treasurer.

9.1     Resolved: 

(i)              That the Annual Treasury Strategy 2016-2017 Mid-Year Review be approved.

(ii)             That it be noted where the Treasury Management Strategy Statement has been exceeded and the action taken to rectify this noted.

(iii)            That the Council approve the new opportunities, set out in the report and these be added to the TMSS for investment purposes.

          Reason for Decision:  This report, and the related decisions comply with the      requirement to have a TMSS.

There was no other business.