Agenda and minutes

There were no apologies for absence.

There were no declarations of interest.

In accordance with the Council’s Constitution, questions that are not specific to reports on the agenda must have been received in writing 10 working days before the date of the meeting - by 5pm on Tuesday 31^st December 2019. 

Questions specifically relating to reports on the agenda should be received within two working days of the normal publication date of the agenda.  Please ensure that questions specifically on reports on the agenda are received by the Democratic Services Team by 5pm on Thursday 9^th January 2020.

Two questions for oral reply were received from a member of the public - the questions and answers are set out in Appendix A to these minutes.

In relation to minute 103 (Beckenham Library and Cultural Venue - Authority to Proceed to Procurement), Councillor Angela Wilkins proposed that the definition of affordable housing given in section 3 (second page, agenda pack page 24) of Councillor Morgan’s statement at Appendix B should be reflected in the third bullet point in the main text of the minutes. The Leader responded that he had received no specific objection to the minutes previously, as well that no such recommendations had been forthcoming from the recent PDS call-in meeting, and he saw no reason for this change to be made.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 27^th November 2019, excluding exempt information, be confirmed.

Report CSD20009

The Executive received a report on matters outstanding from previous meetings.

Report FSD20008

The report set out the initial draft 2020/21 Budget, including the full-year effect of changes agreed as part of the 2019/20 Council Tax report and savings approved during the year with the resultant impact on the Council’s medium term budget gap. A key part of the financial strategy was to highlight the budget issues for the next few years by forecasting the level of available resources and the budget pressures. The views of PDS Committees would be sought prior to the next meeting, when the Executive would make recommendations to full Council on the 2020/21 Council tax and Adult Social Care precept levels.

The report provided details of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2020/21 (published on 20^th December 2019) which represented a one year settlement, the longer term spending review having been postponed until 2020. The outcome of the Fair Funding Review and Devolution of Business Rates had been delayed by one year until 2021/22.

The Portfolio Holder for Resources, Commissioning and Contract Management announced that the budget assumed a staff pay award for 2020/21 of 2.5% across the board.

There were still outstanding issues and areas of uncertainty - any further updates would be included in the report to the next meeting.

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee on 8^th January 2020, and the Committee had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that

(1) The initial draft 2020/21 Budget as detailed in Appendix 7 to the report, including the provision for an Education Funding Risk Reserve, IBCF hospital discharge funding reserve, Carbon Neutral Initiatives Fund and setting aside New Homes Bonus funding for housing investment, be agreed. 

(2) The initial draft 2020/21 Budget for each portfolio be referred to the relevant PDS Committees for consideration.

(3) The financial projections for 2021/22 to 2023/24 be noted.

(4) It is noted that there are still areas of financial uncertainty which will impact on the final 2020/21 Budget.

(5) The setting of the schools budget, mainly met through Dedicated Schools Grant, be delegated to the Children, Education and Families Portfolio Holder, allowing for consultation with the Schools Forum (section 11 of the report).

(6) It is noted that the outcome of consultation with PDS Committees will be reported to the next meeting of the Executive.

(7) The outcome of the consultation meetings be noted (Appendix 9 to the report).

(8) The proposed contribution of £247,844 in 2020/21 to the London Boroughs Grants Committee be agreed (section 10 to the report.)

(9) The outcome of the Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement 2020/21 be noted, as detailed in the report.

(10) The budget gap remaining of an estimated £16.9m per annum by 2023/24 and that any decisions made for the 2020/21 Budget will have an impact on the future year projections be noted.

(11) It is noted that any final decision by the Executive on recommended Council Tax and Adult Social Care Precept levels to Council will normally be undertaken at the next meeting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 125.

Biggin Hill ward

Report DRR19/062

Biggin Hill Airport Limited (BHAL) had requested that the Council give Landlord’s Consent, under the terms of the lease between BHAL and the Council, for the development of a new hotel and a separate aviation college at the airport.

Councillor Julian Benington, ward member for Biggin Hill, attended the meeting and expressed strong support for the BHAL proposals. The Leader added that Councillor Melanie Stevens, the other ward member, had asked him to pass on her support for both developments - her comments are attached to these minutes as Appendix B.

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee on 8^th January 2020, and the Committee had supported the recommendations, with the addition of a recommendation that a market rent should be charged, reduced to zero, whilst the site was used for the purposes of an aeronautical college. In response to this, the Assistant Director, Strategic Property, circulated advice which explained that the site as an aeronautical college had no commercial value, and hence it was proposed that no rent would be charged. If BHAL wanted to vary the use at some point in the future they would need to obtain planning permission and landlord’s consent, and a market rent based on that usage could be applied. 

The Chairman of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee stated whilst he supported the college, it was important that the details of any change to the lease needed to be scrutinised very carefully.

The Leader advised that the detailed wording relating to the college could be reviewed by the Portfolio Holder for Resources, Commissioning and Contract Management in conjunction with the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee prior to being finalised if it would help to assuage any lingering concerns which the Chairman might still hold on the subject, which was accepted and agreed. 

RESOLVED that

(1) Landlord’s consent for the hotel development be granted.

(2) The terms of the lease be varied to permit the development of the aviation college and that delegated authority be given to the Assistant Director, Strategic Property, to finalise the conditions subject to which consent is given, subject to the agreement of the Resources, Commissioning and Contract Management Portfolio Holder.

Bromley Town ward

At its meeting on 28^th March 2018 the Executive had approved that an additional sum of £500k be added to the £216k already available for the reconstruction of a retaining wall at the Central Depot. Additional enabling works were required and tenders had been sought on the basis of an amended specification, for which additional funding was required.

The proposed works involved the demolition of some outbuildings, construction of a new retaining wall, formation of a concrete hardstanding area to replace the ground floor slab and external hardstanding and remedial repairs to the boundary wall.   

The report had been scrutinised by the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee on 8^th January 2020, and the Committee had supported the recommendations.

RESOLVED that

(1) Funding of £115k from the earmarked reserve for the Infrastructure Investment Fund be approved to undertake the works.

(2) Delegated authority be given to the Director of Environment and Public Protection to authorise any variations against the contract within the contingency sum.

There were no additional items referred from Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee.

RESOLVED that the Press and public be excluded during consideration of the item 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 summary

refers to matters involving exempt information

The Chairman of the Executive, Resources and Contracts PDS Committee commented that it was important that potential tenderers should not be given an indication of how much a construction project was anticipated to cost.

RESOLVED that the exempt minutes of the meeting held on 27^th November 2019 be confirmed.