Agenda, decisions and minutes

None were made.

None were made.

Approved.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on January 12 2022 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

(a) Housing Select Committee - on the Lewisham Homes repairs service

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Vice

Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Stephen Penfold, the

Mayor and Cabinet agreed that the Executive Director for Housing,

Regeneration and Public Realm be asked to prepare a response for

consideration by Mayor & Cabinet;

(b) Public Accounts Select Committee - on Budget Reductions

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Chair of

the Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Mark Ingleby, the Mayor

and Cabinet agreed that a response compiled by the Executive Director for

Corporate Resources be approved and reported to the Select Committee.

(a) Housing Select Committee - on the Lewisham Homes repairs service

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Vice

Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Stephen Penfold, the

Mayor and Cabinet

RESOLVED that the Executive Director for Housing, Regeneration and Public

Realm be asked to prepare a response for consideration by Mayor & Cabinet;

(b) Public Accounts Select Committee - on Budget Reductions

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Chair of

the Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Mark Ingleby, the Mayor

and Cabinet

RESOLVED that a response compiled by the Executive Director for

Corporate Resources be approved and reported to the Select Committee.

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet agreed that:

(1) the budget reduction proposals of £10.4m presented in Section 7 and

Appendix 6, be approved, the detail of which was considered in detail and

approved on 9 December 2020 and 3 February 2021;

(2) the budget reduction proposals presented in Section 7 and Appendices 2

to 5, totalling £1.425m be approved;

(3) the comments of the Public Accounts Select Committee of the 27 January

2022 incorporating the views of the respective select committees be received

and the response tabled at the meeting be approved and reported to the

Select Committee;

(4) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where staff consultation is

necessary in relation to the proposal and delegate the decision to the relevant

Executive Director for the service concerned;

(5) officers be authorised to carry out consultations where required in law or

under the Constitution in relation to the proposal and ask officers to report

back to the Mayor with the outcome, for a decision to be made;

Where no consultation is required, either:

• agree the proposal, or

• delegate the decision to the relevant Executive Director for the service

concerned or, request officers to complete further work to clarify the proposal

and that officers then re-submit the proposal at the earliest opportunity for a

decision.

The report was presented by Councillor de Ryk who was thanked by the

Mayor for leading a thorough process that had enabled all members to review

and challenge the proposals. The Mayor added his thanks to all the scrutiny

committees for their work in considering and commenting on these proposals.

The Mayor noted all of the proposals put forward resulted in a reduction in

Council expenditure, but most of them were not a reduction in the level of

service provided. They include opportunities to generate more income, work

more efficiently, and re-allocate resources where not needed in full. 

Having looked at the specific recommendations and noting the scrutiny

comments from the Public Accounts Select Committee, the Mayor proposed

that the following action be taken:

That all recommendations set out in section 2 be approved endorsing the

continuing work on proposals previously agreed and agreeing the new one

totalling £1.425m for 2022/23 enabling the budget reduction proposals to be

taken forward at pace and form part of the budget setting process for 2022/23. 

In respect of the income generation proposals detailed in Appendices 2 to 5;

the Mayor proposed that the proposals referenced D-10, D-12, D-13 and E-

12, go forward to the next stage of the budget preparation process. 

The Mayor proposed to delegate the final decision with regards to proposals

C-44 and E-15 to the relevant Executive Director.

There were four proposals relating to improved operational efficiencies. The

Mayor propose agreement to the proposals referenced C-35, C-36 and C-40

to go forward to the next stage of the budget preparation process.

He proposed to consult on proposal reference D-14 and delegate the final

decision to the relevant Executive Director.

There were four proposals relating to the reallocation of resources no longer

needed in full. The Mayor proposed agreement to the proposals referenced C-

38, C-39 and D-11 to go forward to the next stage of the budget preparation

process.

He proposed to delegate the final decision with regards to proposal F-25 to

the relevant Executive Director.

There were two proposals relating to reductions in budget. The Mayor

proposed that for proposal reference E-14 officers be asked to undertake a

full equalities impact assessment and that this return to Mayor and Cabinet as

part of the leisure contract review for decision at the earliest opportunity. 

The Mayor concluded by proposing the agreement to proposal reference F-26

to go forward to the next stage of the budget preparation process

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet following a recorded vote of 5-0 with the Mayor, Councillors Bonavia,

Codd, Dacres and Powell voting in favour of the recommendations:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the budget reduction proposals of £10.4m presented in Section 7 and

Appendix 6, be approved, the detail of which was considered in detail and

approved on 9 December 2020 and 3 February 2021;

(2) the budget reduction proposals presented in Section 7 and Appendices  ...  view the full minutes text for item 615.

Having considered an open officer report, an appeal by Hawkeye Empire and

a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Business and Community Wealth

Building, Councillor Kim Powell, the Mayor and Cabinet agreed that:

(1) recommended funding allocations as set out in Appendix 3 and Section 7

for the period 1 April 2022 to 31st March 2025 be approved; and

(2) retrospective agreement be given for the awards for Community

Fundraisers which were provisionally allocated in November 2021

The Mayor commenced by noting with pleasure that the Council would be  

allocating more than £7.3 million to the Main Grants programme over the next

three years. This funding would mean Voluntary and Community Sector

groups in the borough will continue to do their vital work and further support

residents and tackling inequalities.This sum was in addition to the £2.93

million of NCIL funding and over £360,000 from the first phase of the

Greening Fund.

Councillor Powell then presented the report and confirmed there had only

been one appeal against the proposals by Hawkeye Empire. She welcomed

Stevanna Francis of Hawkeye Empire, who made an appeal claiming the

decision was unfair as their submission had been made on the basis of the

information supplied to them by the Council.

The Cabinet was advised by the Executive Director for Community Services

representative who pointed out a large grant was being sought by an

organisation with a limited track record. Currently advice services were

delivered by CAB in a partnership approach. Other new organisations that

had received funds were on a much smaller scale. He added that discussions

were ongoing with Hawkeye Empire to agree a way forward.

Having heard the appeal and the officer advice, Councillor Powell

recommended that given the oversubscription to the year’s £2.46M envelope,

the proposals be agreed as printed.

Having considered an open officer report, an appeal by Hawkeye Empire and

a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Business and Community Wealth

Building, Councillor Kim Powell, the Mayor and Cabinet for the reasons set

out in the report by a vote of 5-0:

RESOLVED that:

(1) recommended funding allocations as set out in Appendix 3 and Section 7

for the period 1 April 2022 to 31st March 2025 be approved; and

(2) retrospective agreement be given for the awards for Community

Fundraisers which were provisionally allocated in November 2021

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet agreed that:

(1) notes the 2021/22 Capital Programme monitoring position in this report

and any Public Accounts Select Committee comments from their meeting of

the 27 January;

(2) Council be asked to approve the 2022/23 to 2024/25 Capital Programme

of £600.4m, as set out in this report and supporting Appendices.

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet, for the reasons set out in the report by a vote of 5-0

RESOLVED that:

(1) notes the 2021/22 Capital Programme monitoring position in this report

and any Public Accounts Select Committee comments from their meeting of

the 27 January;

(2) Council be asked to approve the 2022/23 to 2024/25 Capital Programme

of £600.4m, as set out in this report and supporting Appendices.

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet agreed that:

(1) Council be asked to approve the prudential indicators and treasury

indicators, as set out in section 6 and 7;

(2) Council be asked to approve the Annual Investment Strategy and

Creditworthiness Policy, set out in further detail at Appendix 2;

(3) Council be asked to approve the Investment Strategy as set out in section

5, along with the operational boundary & authorised limit for the year as set

out in section 7;

(4) Council be asked to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP)

policy as set out in section 6;

(5) Council be asked to delegate to the Executive Director of Corporate

Resources authority during 2022/23 to make amendments to borrowing and

investment limits provided they are consistent with the strategy and there is

no change to the Council’s authorised limit for borrowing; and

(6) Council be asked to approve the overall credit and counterparty risk

management criteria, as set out at Appendix 2, the proposed countries for

investment at Appendix 5, and that it formally delegates responsibility for

managing transactions with those institutions which meet the criteria to the

Executive Director for Corporate Resources

Having considered an open officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Finance & Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Mayor and

Cabinet for the reasons set out in the report by a vote of 5-0:

RESOLVED that:

(1) Council be asked to approve the prudential indicators and treasury

indicators, as set out in section 6 and 7;

(2) Council be asked to approve the Annual Investment Strategy and

Creditworthiness Policy, set out in further detail at Appendix 2;

(3) Council be asked to approve the Investment Strategy as set out in section

5, along with the operational boundary & authorised limit for the year as set

out in section 7;

(4) Council be asked to approve the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP)

policy as set out in section 6;

(5) Council be asked to delegate to the Executive Director of Corporate

Resources authority during 2022/23 to make amendments to borrowing and

investment limits provided they are consistent with the strategy and there is

no change to the Council’s authorised limit for borrowing; and

(6) Council be asked to approve the overall credit and counterparty risk

management criteria, as set out at Appendix 2, the proposed countries for

investment at Appendix 5, and that it formally delegates responsibility for

managing transactions with those institutions which meet the criteria to the

Executive Director for Corporate Resources.

The meeting closed at 6.50pm