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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room 3.1, 3rd Floor, 5 Strand, London, WC2 5HR. View directions

Contact: Reuben Segal, Acting Head of Committee and Governance Services  Tel: 7641 3160; Email:  rsegal@westminster.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Welcome

Minutes:

1.1       The Leader welcomed everyone present.

2.

Declarations of Interest

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

Minutes:

2.1       There were no declarations of interest.

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 190 KB

To approve the minutes of the last meeting.

Minutes:

3.1       RESOLVED: The Chairman, with the consent of the members present, signed the minutes of the meeting held on 19 February 2018 is a true and correct copy of the proceedings.

4.

Annual Accounts and Outturn 2017-2018 pdf icon PDF 798 KB

Report of the City Treasurer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

4.1       Steve Mair, City Treasurer, introduced a report that presented the Statement of Accounts for the Council and its Pension Fund for 2017/18 and provided a narrative as to the outturn position for the financial year ending 31st of March 2018.

 

4.2       The City Treasurer advised that the Council’s accounts had received a clean audit opinion and clean value for money opinion. The auditors had certified that the accounts presented a true and fair view and had been properly prepared in accordance with all statutory requirements. He explained that the public inspection period had ended and no objections to the accounts had been received. As with most audits a few issues had been identified but none were of a material nature and had been addressed.

 

4.3       Councillor Rachael Robathan, Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration, congratulated the City Treasurer and his team for the successful delivery of the closure of accounts process and the continual improvement in its financial management. This was supported by the Leader of the Council who asked Mr Mair to extend this thanks to his team.

 

4.4       RESOLVED: That the audited 2017/18 Annual Accounts be noted.

 

 

5.

Fees and Charges Review pdf icon PDF 482 KB

Report of the City Treasurer.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.1     Steve Mair introduced the report which set out the outcome of an annual review of fees and charges for 2018/19. He explained that fees and charges contribute a number of benefits to the Council. They help manage demand and cover the costs of providing services whilst contributing to the Council’s medium term planning (MTP) savings.

 

5.2     Councillor Rachael Robathan commended the report and its recommendations. She then informed Cabinet that this was the City Treasurer’s last attendance at Cabinet prior to his retirement in August. She thanked him for the service that he has provided to the City of Westminster.

 

5.3     The Leader of the Council also extended her thanks to Mr Mair for his service in steering the Council through the difficult financial challenges arising from the reduction in government funding for local authorities and for leaving the Council on a sound financial footing.

 

5.4     RESOLVED:

 

1.     That Appendix 2 and Appendix 3 be exempt from public disclosure by virtue of paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended – information relating to the financial and business affairs of the authority; and

 

2.          That Cabinet:

 

a)              Approved changes to fees and charges as outlined in Appendix 3 of this report

b)              Noted changes already approved by other committees/members for 2018/19 highlighted in Appendix 2 of this report.

c)              Noted fees for which no increase is proposed for 2018/19. Detail of these fees are included in Appendix 2 of this report.

d)              Noted overall proposed contribution from fees and charges to the Medium Term Plan (MTP) for 2018/19 and 2019/20 as highlighted in table 2 of section 7 of this report

e)              Agreed that all areas of fees and charges work towards alignment of date of approval and that this is coordinated on an annual basis as part of an annual Fees and Charges report

f)                Noted the fees and charges policy

 

3.     That the information set out in Appendix 2 of the report be noted.

 

Reason for Decision

 

To agree the Council’s fees and charges position and changes for the coming year.

 

6.

Ebury Bridge Estate Renewal pdf icon PDF 284 KB

Report of the Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing

Additional documents:

Minutes:

6.1     Councillor Rachael Robathan introduced the item.  She stated that it had been almost one year since she and the Leader of the Council had addressed a meeting of residents on the Ebury Bridge estate where they made a commitment to provide a long term solution for the regeneration of the estate and come up with new proposals.  This included re-consulting with residents.  It was made clear at the meeting that the Council would look at all available options.  Councillor Robathan advised that over the last year a significant amount of work had been undertaken which included engaging with local residents and businesses.  She stated that the Council has always been clear about what it wants to achieve from any proposal, which is a significant uplift in the provision of affordable housing.  A desirable scheme would need to address the long term physical, economic and social needs of the area including providing more spacious homes for those families living in overcrowded accommodation.

 

6.2     Councillor Robathan explained that from the outset the Council was clear that any scenario involving redevelopment would have to deliver on a set of key pledges, which were set out in paragraph 4.5 of the report and this remained unchanged.  She thanked the Community Futures Group (CFG), formed of representatives of residents across all tenures, for its work in helping the Council to identify how to engage more effectively with residents. She believed that the engagement process had been incredibly thorough with 80% of all households and 90% of all leaseholders engaged.  She advised that active, ongoing engagement will be vital and she looked forward to working with the CFG as the regeneration process moves forward. 

 

6.3     Councillor Robathan explained that eight scenarios emerged from the engagement process.  The financial viability of all the options were tested.  The scenarios ranged from total refurbishment of the estate with no new homes to total regeneration providing in excess of 800 new homes.  She advised that scenario 7 emerged as the preferred option and would provide 750 homes of which 414 would be new homes providing 46% affordable to 54% leasehold properties.  The entire estate, however, would be tenure blind.  All existing 198 social homes would be replaced on site but to a much higher standard than exists presently.  144 additional affordable units including family sized homes would be provided.

 

6.4     With regards to the formal consultation on option 7, Councillor Robathan advised that of the 93 tenants that responded, 56 were in favour, 33 did not comment either negatively or positively whilst 4 were against.  Of the 6 leaseholders that responded, 3 were in favour and 3 were against.

 

6.5     Councillor Andrea Mann then addressed the Cabinet in her capacity as a Ward Councillor for Churchill and on behalf of her fellow Ward Councillor, Shamim Talukder.  On the issue of meaningful resident engagement, she contended that there was a disparity between the positive comments expressed in the Cabinet report and the views expressed directly to her by residents. She  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

Oxford Street District - Project Approach pdf icon PDF 314 KB

Report of the Executive Director, Growth, Planning and Housing

Minutes:

7.1     Barbara Brownlee, Executive Director for Growth, Planning and Housing, introduced a report that set out the City Council’s approach to developing a district wide solution for the area spanning Tottenham Court Road to Marble Arch, and including the surrounding neighbourhoods to the north and south. The area will be referred to as the Oxford Street district.

 

7.2     Barbara Brownlee explained that the City Council will develop a place based strategy for the Oxford Street district. The new approach will build on the evidence base compiled to date by the Council and Transport for London (TfL) and when necessary supplement it. A key part of the evidence base is the feedback from residents, both formally and informally. The Council will consult those in the four affected wards referenced in the report. She advised that the project development will comprise of four stages and will take place in conjunction with the development and implementation of the Oxford Street safety scheme, which will look at traffic calming and other measures, to mitigate the impact of increased footfall following the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

 

7.3     The Executive Director for Growth, Planning and Housing tabled an amendment to the recommendation in the report that related to the revenue funding for the project. She explained that contrary to officers’ initial understanding which was based on historic assumptions, the 2018/19 Local Implementation Plan Allocation did not include funding for Oxford Street. She advised that the Council was able to fund fully the development of a set of feasibility/concept options for the district through a reallocation of revenue funding.

 

7.4     Councillor Richard Beddoe, Cabinet Member for Place Shaping and Planning, stated that the two previous public consultations on the transformation of Oxford Street West had been insightful. The Council could have implemented the previously proposed full-scale pedestrianisation of Oxford Street West despite not having the support of local residents. However, the proposals would have only ever provided a partial solution to a small section of Oxford Street whilst ignoring wider issues. He believed that the new district wide approach would provide a more holistic solution.

 

7.5     The Leader of the Council hoped that the development of a district wide solution will be supported by the Mayor of London as she believed that it would respond to his objectives for Oxford Street as well as those of the City Council.

 

7.6     RESOLVED:

 

            That Cabinet:

 

1.          Endorsed the new approach for the Oxford Street District Project as detailed in the report;

 

2.          Agreed the Governance outlined in the report;

 

3.               Approved the revenue funding of £727,000, made up of a reallocation of the council’s own revenue for the development of a place based solution and a set of feasibility/concept options for the district; and,

 

4.               Noted plans to bring forward necessary safety works and governance associated with the development and implementation of the specific Oxford Street safety scheme ahead of the opening of the Elizabeth Line and during 2019, which will be subject of a separate Cabinet Member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Any Other Business the Chairman considers urgent