Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr Peter Fortune.

There were no declarations of interest.

(During consideration of Minute 136, Councillor Kate Lymer declared an interest as her brother was employed by one of companies involved.)

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions to this Committee must be received in writing 4 working days before the date of the meeting.  Therefore please ensure questions are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 21^st March 2019.

Questions had been received from Mr Michael Hall and Councillor Angela Wilkins. The questions and replies are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th February 2019 (excluding exempt information) be confirmed.

Report FSD19039

The Executive considered the third budget monitoring report for 2018/19 on expenditure and activity levels up to the end of December 2018. The report also highlighted significant variations which would impact on future years as well as early warnings that could impact on the final year end position.

Supplementary information had been circulated in support of two additional recommendations - to recommend to Council that an additional £1.1m (total £2m) of Bromley CCG funding be set aside to support health and social care as an earmarked reserve, and that £57,742 be set aside for High Street Clean up and £57,745 for a Parks Improvement Fund as an earmarked reserve to fund these initiatives following the announcement of one-off Government funding. 

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee at its meeting on 19^th March 2019, and the Committee had supported the recommendations. 

RESOLVED that

(1) The latest financial position be noted.

(2) It is noted that a projected net overspend on services of £648k is forecast based on information as at December 2018.

(3) The comments from Chief Officers detailed in appendix 2 to the report be noted.

(4) The projected variation of £221k credit from investment income as detailed in sections 3.5 and 3.6 of the report, be noted.

(5) The projected variation of £826k in the central contingency, as detailed in section 3.2 of the report, be noted.

(6) The projected increase to the General Fund balance of £1,096k as detailed in section  3.3 of the report be noted.

(7) The release of £376k from the 2018/19 Central Contingency relating to additional savings and income from the Amey contract as detailed in paragraph 3.2.3 of the report be agreed.

(8) The release of £200k for the staff merit award from the 2018/19 Central Contingency to an earmarked reserve as detailed in paragraph 3.2.3 of the report be agreed.

(9) The release of £200k for Civic Centre improvements from the 2018/19 Central Contingency to an earmarked reserve as detailed in paragraph 3.2.4 of the report.

(10) The release of £500k for the Transformation programme from the 2018/19 Central Contingency to an earmarked reserve as detailed in paragraph 3.2.5 of the report be agreed.

(11) The return to contingency of £227k of additional grant to the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in paragraph 3.2.6 of the report.

(12) The return to contingency of £500k of grant to the 2018/19 Central Contingency and the recommended use of this grant as detailed in paragraph 3.2.7 of the report.

(13) £187k of the Social Care grant for the implementation of Pre-paid cards in 2019/20 be set aside as detailed in paragraph 3.2.8 of the report.

(14)  The release of £744k Adult Social Care grant income from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in paragraph 3.2.9 of the report be noted.

(15) The release of £1,190k for Social Care Investment to ease NHS Winter pressures from the 2018/19 Central Contingency as detailed in paragraph 3.2.10 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 129.

Report CS18209

The report updated Members on homeless numbers during 2018/19, the range of initiatives undertaken to, wherever possible, reduce the associated rising budget pressures, and forthcoming challenges arising from both the introduction of the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 and the commencement of universal credit roll-out in Bromley. It was proposed that £2,489 be drawn down from central contingency for homelessness and welfare reform measures, and the impact of the Homeless Reduction Act. Members noted that the amount that needed to be drawn down was lower than had been expected. 

The Leader noted that the number of homeless families had actually reduced and thanked the Director of Housing and her staff for their excellent work in mitigating housing pressures by acquiring properties and preventing homelessness. The Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing added that work was continuing on the potential for a phase 2 of the More Homes Bromley project, and providing modular homes on Council owned land.

The report had been scrutinised by the Renewal, Recreation and Housing PDS Committee on 6^th May 2019. 

RESOLVED that a sum of £2,489k be released from the 2018/19 Central contingency; £1,739k set aside to offset the current homelessness and temporary accommodation budget pressures and £750k for the impact of the Homeless Reduction Act.

Report CSD19053

The Constitution Improvement Working Group had met on 21^st January and had made a number of recommendations to update the Council’s Constitution. The most significant changes related to the arrangements for dealing with formal questions at meetings, setting earlier deadlines for general questions, but allowing questions on matters on the agenda to be submitted closer to the meeting date. The Working Group had also asked officers to investigate the provision of smartphones to Members; one Executive member considered this unnecessary, and the Leader suggested that were any member to hold concerns on either this or any other issue they could of course be referred back to a future meeting  of the Constitution Improvement Working Group for further consideration.

The report had been considered by the General Purposes and Licensing Committee at its meeting on 19^th March 2019 and the Committee had supported the recommendations. However, the Committee had also made an additional recommendation that all committees and sub-committees should be required to receive a “matters outstanding” report on their agendas. The Director of Corporate Services advised that a report should be provided in each case (and not just an agenda heading) as access to information rules required that committees and sub-committees should only consider the matters before them in their agenda papers.

RESOLVED that

(1) Council be recommended to approve the changes to the Council’s Constitution proposed by the Constitution Improvement Working Group.

(2) Council be recommended to approve the additional recommendation from General Purposes and Licensing Committee that a requirement be added to the Constitution that all Committees and Sub-Committees should be required to have a “matters outstanding” report on their agendas.

Report FSD19044

At its meeting on 21^st May 2018 the Executive approved a proposal to tender for the provision of insurance policies. The report set out the results of the tender process and recommended the award of contracts.

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee at its meeting on 19^th March 2019, and the Committee had supported the recommendations.  An additional report on the part 2 agenda included confidential details of the tenders received.

RESOLVED that

(1) Contracts for insurance policies be awarded for a period of five years from 1st May 2019 to 30^th April 2024 with an option to extend for a further three years.

(2) It is confirmed that the Council should continue not to purchase “Pool re” Terrorism cover on the grounds of excessive cost, as detailed in section 5.7 of the report.

(3) It is noted that authority has been delegated to the Director of Finance to approve the optional three year extension in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Resources, Commissioning and Contracts Management, Director of Commissioning and Director of Corporate Services.

The Chairman of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee raised an issue about the new lockable pigeon holes that had been provided for Members. He considered that they would lead to additional printing costs as it would not be possible for substitute Members to collect agenda papers from the pigeon-holes of the Members that they replaced.

A brief conversation then ensued regarding the merits and demerits of the recent changes, with Executive Members whilst noting the Chairman’s concern, concluding that the new arrangements caused no significant inconvenience or problem to Members and should remain as are.

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the items of business referred to below as it is likely in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of the proceedings that if members of the Press and public were present there would be disclosure to them of exempt information.

The following summaries

refer to matters involving exempt information

The exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13^th February 2019 were confirmed.

The Executive awarded contracts for Insurance policies (see minute 132 above).