Transcript

Transcript

Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming to today's Cabinet meeting. First item on the agenda is apologies for absence. I have apologies from Councillor Sharma-Tatler, Councillor Krupa Sheth and Councillor Fleur Donald E. Jackson. Okay, declarations of interest. Please do make sure that as we go along that you do declare any interest you may have in any report or you can do the declarations as we as we come to each item. First item the agenda right is the minutes of the previous meeting. Okay, can we just go through it for accuracy first? Page 1, page 2, page 3, page 4, page 5, page 6, page 7, page 8, page 9, and page

1. Okay, any matters arising? Thank you very much. I'll take that. Okay, I've not been notified of any petitions. Okay, I've not been notified of any items referenced right from the Scrutiny Committee. The appointment to committees and subcommittees as laid out in the report there. Okay, and the first substantial item, I will go over to Councillor Nerva and the item on the Vale Farm Leisure procurement options. Leader and Cabinet, this paper being presented today to Cabinet for approval concerns the re-tendering of Vale Farm Leisure Centre. The Council has three leisure centres which operate under different arrangements with different operators. And you might say we would rather not start from where we are, but the fact is we are starting from where we are. And I'll repeat that. Three leisure centres operated under different arrangements with three different operators. Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre is operated in-house and will form part of the larger, much awaited plan redevelopment. Wilsden Leisure Centre is managed under a PFI contract which runs until 2031. And Vale Farm Leisure Centre is delivered through a Tri-Borough contract which covers both Brent with the Vale Farm site and Harrow and Ealing Councils with a larger portfolio of leisure and recreation activities. Neither the contract PFI dates nor the timeline for the redevelopment align at this time. And therefore it is not possible for the authority to be seeking to plan for the award of a contract either in-house or externally for all three leisure centres at the same time. So that means the authority, because Vale Farm Leisure Centre is currently contracted through the Tri-Borough and that contract is coming to an end, there is a need to make further arrangements for Vale Farm Leisure Centre. Vale Farm Leisure Centre is currently operated by the Sports and Leisure Management Limited, known as Everyone Leadership. The service provided is through the Tri-Borough. The previous portfolio holder gave authority for the contract to be extended pending investigation of what the best options for Vale Farm Leisure Centre are. A full options appraisal has now been conducted. This considered the options of in-house, of in-housing the service, maybe through a LATCO, a local authority trading company. Procurement by Brent alone, in which Brent would go externally to see if there was a provider interested in solely taking responsibility for Vale Farm Leisure Centre and continuing with the Tri-Borough arrangement. It is the view of the organisation and officers and myself that the Tri-Borough procurement is the favoured options in terms of affordability, market testing and service offer. From a financial perspective, Brent has seen benefits from a Tri-Borough approach in which we have gained from the wider economies of scale of being in with a larger contract. Significantly, being part of a Tri-Borough contract increases the market appeal for the opportunity of a tender way beyond what would happen if Vale Farm was put up as a single standalone management contract. And there have been significant non-financial benefits of being in the Tri-Borough around shared contract management and sharing and learning across the three boroughs. Crucially, a large provider working on a Tri-Borough basis offers increased opportunities for career development for leisure staff, London Living Wage for Leisure Staff. In line with other external contracts which the organisation has, the London Living Wage compliance will be a requirement for any new contract and the new contract would explore opportunities for an employment charter for leisure staff. The provider will be expected to offer a variety of good employment options including those involved in working in sessional opportunities to develop portfolio careers across the wider leisure industry. So, what does this mean for leisure services in Brent? It means that we are proposing to go out to contract as part of the Tri-Borough. But it is very clear that we need a more coordinated approach to the leisure offer for Brent residents so that it is not simply done through a leisure centre but through Brent marketing and planning for leisure services on behalf of all residents. It is expected that a new contract will look at special needs, will look at neurodiversity and will be looking to see how residents can be more actively involved in planning leisure services. Because at the end of the day, leisure services are there for the benefit of residents. We know in Brent that across Brent we want to increase levels of activity and I would hope that the new contract will help us achieve increased activity levels and the discussions which have taken place around the re-tendering of Vale Farm will be absolutely crucial in developing a borough-wide leisure plan, leisure and activity plan which I would look to see being brought back to the organisation later in the year. Thank you very much, I commend this document. Councillor Nova, thank you very much for that. As you say, it is a comprehensive document and I can see a lot of work and conversations have taken place in relation to the strategy that we will need in order to get things together going forward as well and all the different options that we need to look at in relation to the options around the sports services and the leisure centres that we have. Open it up, Councillor Grant. Thank you to Councillor Nevers and his team and I'm really grateful that officers will be seeking a break clause in the negotiation of this contract and I really hope to see confirmation that that's been arranged when this contract is approved. It has been a long-term aspiration of this council to maximise the services we are bringing in-house and with the other two contracts at our leisure centres due to expire within the 10-year window proposed there is a really important opportunity to in-source all three of those leisure centres concurrently and I really hope we will explore that option because that will not only align all the services that we offer in terms of leisure facilities but it could also maximise the sharing of expertise and resources across those three sites as well as protecting the terms and conditions of staff but I do welcome the collaboration with the two other boroughs which seems to have been very fruitful and also the much needed plans to redevelop aspects of the building and site I think will be really well received by residents. Yes, I just want to say thank you for the work that's been sifted on into this report and being looked at so that we can have a look at obviously the option of bringing them back in but whilst that is looked at we can carry on giving the services that we want for residents especially in terms of leisure provision which is really important especially about our health and wellbeing programme so I look forward to once the provision on September 2025 comes up that we can start looking at other options and maybe providing a bit more of a holistic approach as a borough on what we're offering so thank you so much for this work. Okay, anybody else? I just want to say thank you to all the officers and the team for the work you guys have done. I think there's been a lot of discussions around the future prospects of all our leisure centres as well and hopefully this report will take us into a good place and give us the opportunity as council rather than with the break clauses to take a look at how we can actually may be able to bring them all together as well right so there's all kinds of different options and the report sets out some of the challenges we're facing at Vale Farm at Bridge Park and the opportunities that will be coming down further down the road right I think it just makes sense for us to take the opportunities and explore things in a cohesive manner and bring it all together as such. Okay, we have the recommendations on page 12. Can we agree these recommendations as laid out in the report? Yes, making sure. Thank you. All right. All right. Thank you very much for that. Okay, the next item on the agenda is the tenant and leaseholder engagement strategy. Council Gural? I just need to declare an interest because I am a leaseholder from Brent Council. Thank you very much. Council name? Okay. My wife is the tenant. Okay, Councillor over to you. Thank you, Chair. I'm particularly delighted to bring this report to cabinet this morning. It sets out the strategy required to fulfil the obligations of social housing land laws such as Brent as per the regulator for social housing, consumer standards and Building Safety Act 2022. And the six commitments notably commitment one in section 5.2 of the report is of particular importance. And chair lead meaningful engagement is a key priority for me. We can only make changes if we first listen and understand what tenants want. And since January alone, we have engaged with over 1000 residents at just three key events. And so namely the housing ombudsman events, the private renters sector fair and the tenants and leaseholders open day. And there is much potential in this area as this report rightly highlights. And we are mindful of the ongoing housing emergency. So alongside increasing supply, we need a wholesale restructure of how housing services are delivered. And we need a supply plus model to really address all aspects of the housing crisis. So I'm delighted to bring this particular strategy forward. Right for that. Okay, open it up. Any comments? Okay. I just want to say from my side, I think the the engagement that has been carried out as I think it's been second to none. And I think it was a bold move to invite Richard Blakeway in and the housing ombudsman right to have the conversations with us. And it just shows right like that we are absolutely serious about making sure that we get this right. And I think we do need to make sure we get it right as well, when we're talking and engaging with with our tenants and leaseholders. And we have a duty responsibilities to make sure that we are listening and and trying to do what we can in order to make, you know, the get the best outcomes, right. And the you can tell by the report, how much work has actually been done. And, you know, since that sometimes, people will say difficult things. And I don't think we should shy away from from hearing those difficult things. Without that engagement, without the interaction without the communications, right, and us knowing what's happening on the on, on the shop floor as such. But we're not going to be able to make those changes. And this this, this strategy will go a long way in one in helping us to, to work with our tenants and leaseholders, right, but also how it shows right there, we're willing to work with them hand in hand as well. And, and it makes it makes a positive contribution to the work we're doing. Yeah, can I say, just to just to build on that, I welcome the commitments as part of this strategy. And as it is for four years that I hope that, you know, in between that we will be doing reviews so that we're getting, you know, constant feedback, and just to ensure that the strategy is working. Thank you. Looking around, okay, is that fine? All right, we have the recommendations on page 200. Can we agree these recommendations and take this forward? Agreed. Thank you very much. Okay, and the next item is the private sector housing strategy. Councillor Knight, once over to you again. Thank you, leader. So whilst the 2021 census estimated the private renter sector to be in the region of about 36%, independent research shows that the real size of the private renter sector in Brent is considerably larger and actually equates to 46% of all housing stock. And that's approximately 58,000 properties in Brent alone. The private renter sector housing stock plays a crucial part in addressing housing demand, driving economic growth, offering investment opportunities, promoting innovation, and providing rental options and contributing to various aspects of society and the economy. So it's a very key sector for us to really think about what we want to do and how we want to engage with it moving forward. So this strategy proposes three overarching commitments with a number of actions coming from each to ensure delivery, including more proactive inspections and rigorous enforcement, and alongside an accessible tenant toolkit with advice on renters rights, waste management and recycling. Now, each commitment will be monitored by measurable action plan. So I'm delighted that this strategy has also gone undergone extensive consultation and co delivered with key partners, including advice, renters crisis, the London renters union, and justice for tenants. So I'm particularly delighted also, to present this particular report to cabinet. Thank you very much for that. Okay, Councillor Grohl. Yeah, I'd really like to thank the housing team for this strategy, which I think is relatively brief, but it contains some really important commitments. We know that the housing crisis is one of the biggest issues for our residents. And we know also that we need really bold solutions to it, not just tinkering around the edges. And this strategy makes it clear, firstly, that we're going to do everything within our power to incentivize owners who keep properties empty rather than making them available to our residents. It's really troubling that we've got so many empty properties in London while other people are going homeless. And it's great that we have a team who are willing to take those on board. It also reaffirms our commitment to maintaining really high standards through our landlord licensing scheme, which I think has the potential to be a real game changer in terms of the quality of private accommodation in the borough. So I'm really glad that the team are thinking of everything in their multifaceted approach. We still have a long way to go before we get a grip on the housing crisis, and it will require commitments from central government as well. But I think this is a step in the right direction. And I want to thank the team for the work they've done with the London Renters Union as well, which I know has been appreciated. Okay, looking around, anybody else? I just want to echo the words of Councillor Gural as well. I think the work that's been done in order to get this strategy into place has been commendable. I know some of the conversations with some of our partners and stakeholders, right, was challenging, which is only rightly so, because everyone does deserve to have a roof over their head as well, but also to be assured that they will be safe and secure in that premises as well. And also organizations like us and the Council and the Council's team are also there to support where we can in order to make sure, you know, some of those landlords are held to account and some of the work that we're doing in relation to the landlord licensing and all the different schemes are in place at the moment, right, show the commitment that we have in order to make sure that we're doing whatever we can in order to help support those residents. You know, having safety and security of tenure as such and giving people the safety of having a roof over their heads, I think it's one of the most important things in anyone's lives and can impact on life chances, right, for a very, very long time. So this is absolutely going in the in the right direction. And hopefully, I will continue to do the good work that we're doing and build upon what we're doing. Okay, we have the recommendations on page 233 and
2. Can we agree these recommendations and take this forward? Is that agreed? Thank you very much. Okay. And the next item the agenda is the travel assistance policy. Can I hand over to council grow? Thanks. Yeah, I'm pleased to present this report. It's our refreshed travel assistance policy for those eligible to receive support with travel for zero to 25 year olds. The support we offer to those with SCD is a really important statutory duty, which we take very seriously. And it's one that impacts the lives of children and families across the borough. The aim of this policy is to ensure that our eligibility criteria are fair and transparent, and that the travel assistance is tailored towards the individual. And since the last policy was updated 10 years ago, there have been quite a lot of changes to the cohort of children, young people that we support. And the policy is designed to reflect those changes, for example, through an increase in independent travel. We're thinking more about how we can empower our young people and equip them with skills that they might need in the future, as well as aligning with our commitments around active travel and tackling the climate crisis. We had a good response on the consultation, and I'd like to thank everybody who took the time to participate. It's really pleasing to see that there has been some positive feedback from the proposals. Some respondents did mention that independent travel is not going to be an option for their child. And I just wanted to reassure those families that those decisions will be made on a case by case basis, incorporating the views and the needs of that young person. We will also take on board some of the comments on the accessibility of the survey, and we will definitely make sure we improve that in the future. I'm really confident that this new policy will result in a fairer and greener approach that reflects the changing needs of our children and young people in Brent. Thank you. Okay. I'm going to open it up. Okay. Councillor Mitchell. I just want to say thank you, Councillor Graf, for bringing this report and also the refresh. It's really welcoming because it just brings a lot more, the independence is really important, especially for this cohort, because it sometimes can be overlooked. And I think that some parents will, you know, hopefully will encourage that children independently can help in terms of their, you know, the young people's development, but also notice that under the negative feedback in terms of their journeys were too long, I hope that, you know, some parents will take that offer up where it's possible, obviously, for the young person so that they can sort of ensure that they're not sat on those buses for too long. Thank you. Councillor Nova. I also would like to commend this paper. I'm very pleased at the extensive thought which is being given to independent travel training and getting support from Transport for London to do this, as well as looking to see whether the public health grant might be used to assist with this. Travel training is not just there for children and young people when they are under 18. The benefit of travel training has lifetime benefit in enabling people who are moving through the SEND service as they reach adulthood to maximise opportunities for independence and control in their lives and to make the best use of a whole range of day opportunities in the widest sense that might be available. I'm always concerned when young adults are offered opportunities in the wider community, but what holds them back is the inability to use a bus service when that bus service might be available for them, but they don't have the confidence or they haven't been given the advice or crucially, adult carers don't have the confidence for those residents to be using independent travel. So I'm really excited by this and going out for consultation to actually coming back from consultation to say, yes, we are committed as an authority to independent travel, not just for children, young people, but for everyone throughout their lives when using a service. Thank you very much.
3. Councillor Nova, thank you very much for that. Okay, looking around, anybody else? Okay. I can also sort of echo the sentiments from Councillor Patel and from Councillor Nova in relation to the report as well. You're certainly right that we do have the reviews taking place and I can see from the feedback as well, some people may be concerned, everything else, but this is about enabling and helping and supporting individuals to live, hopefully, good independent lives as well, and giving them the different options that are available through this policy as well. Okay. All right. We have the recommendations on page, starting on page 267, going over to page 268. Can we agree with these recommendations and take them forward? Is that agreed? - Yeah, agreed.
4. Thank you very much. Okay. And the next item, Councillor Jake Rubin, over to you at the corporate performance update and Court of Four reporting.
5. Thanks very much. So this mechanism for understanding corporate performance is going to provide a really robust mechanism for councillors, for cabinet members and for officers for understanding where the council is on meeting its key performance indicators. They are helpfully aligned to the borough plan and the key themes of the borough plan. So we have prosperity and stability in Brent, a cleaner, greener future, thriving communities, the best start in life and a healthier Brent. So what the report is asking is asking the cabinet to note the borough plan and the performance update from Q4. And I'd just like to thank officers for their work on this. I think this gives us a really good understanding of where the council is at. And there's sort of another one, a wider point about democracy and manifest equipment. The administration made a set of commitments to the people of Brent, and this is actually a really good way of the administration understanding where we are at in meeting those. So thanks very much to officers and all the work they've done on this and for members for scrutinising it. I'd like to commend the report. Thank you.
6. Okay. Open it up. Any comments? Anyone? Okay. Thank you very much. Just for my side, I think as Councillor Rubin said, the whole idea of the report and the indicators is to make sure that as individuals and cabinet members, we're using that data to make sure we're actually delivering for our residents and where our challenge is. You're working with your corporate directors and your directors to understand the issues and trying to find some of those solutions in order to overcome some of those challenges as well. And of course, the people of Brent do have an expectation that we will do the best that we can. And this report and the performance report is about giving some feedback to our residents and partners and stakeholders and saying to them that this is where we are. And it's also about having conversations with our partners and stakeholders as well and some of the contractors who work with us as well. All of us have responsibility to make sure that we are delivering on our promises and pledges. And we're trying to make sure the commitments that we make every year when it comes to the budget are delivered. And this report goes a long way in trying to make sure that that accountability, openness, and transparency is there as well. Okay. Thank you very much. Okay. And we have the recommendations on page 324. And can we accept the recommendations and note the performance update? Is that agreed? Thank you very much. Okay. Item 13, exclusion to the present public, all the items have been considered as part and parcel of each report. Okay. Item 14, I've not been notified of any urgent business. And I want to say thank you to everyone for attending today's cabinet meeting. I also want to say thank you to Councillor Promised Night, who will be going on some much-earned maternity leave. And I wish you all the best. We hope to see you back soon. And thank you for all the work and for taking these strategies forward today as well. And we shall see everybody else on Monday the 15th of July. Thank you very much. [END OF RECORDING] 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1