The Cabinet of Harrow Council met on Tuesday 15 October 2024, approving a range of initiatives including the Household Support Fund, a new Home Energy Transition programme, and plans for supported accommodation for vulnerable young people. Key decisions also included progress on the Harrow to Pinner Cycleway and the School Streets Programme, alongside procurement for IT and managed print services.

Household Support Fund

The Cabinet approved the allocation of the sixth iteration of the Household Support Fund, which will run from October 2024 to March 2025. This fund is designed to provide crisis support to vulnerable households struggling with essential costs such as energy, water, and food. A significant portion of the fund, £367,900, will be used for voucher schemes for low-income households, care leavers, and pensioners. Additionally, approximately £642,650 will be transferred to schools to provide free school meal vouchers during holidays for eligible families. The fund will also support food aid through Help Harrow (£148,000), advice services via Citizens Advice Harrow (£31,000), and outreach to pensioners to help them access Pension Credit and other benefits (£95,000). A further £100,000 is allocated to support rent arrears for targeted council tenants. The Council's Hardship Fund will be redirected to the application-based scheme for this period. The Managing Director has been delegated authority to make technical amendments to the scheme to ensure it meets government criteria and remains within the grant level. Any underspend will be managed by the Assistant Director of Corporate Strategy and can be repurposed for the application-based scheme, food aid, rent arrears, or other areas of eligible spend.

Three-year Home Energy Transition (HET) Programme

A three-year Home Energy Transition (HET) programme was approved, with a spend profile of £4.5 million up to 2026/2027, aiming to improve energy efficiency in at least 200 homes. The programme will be procured in two phases to ensure value for money: a mini-competition on the PFS framework for up to £4 million of work, and an open tender process for up to £0.5 million for specialist solar integration. The Acting Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration, in consultation with relevant portfolio holders and the Strategic Director of Finance, will finalise the contract award. This programme is intended to help the Council meet its climate emergency directives and government energy efficiency targets, contributing to the roadmap to Net Zero by achieving a minimum EPC rating of C for all homes. It will also deliver critical phases of Harrow's decarbonisation plan, addressing fuel poverty through renewable technology integration and adhering to GLA framework standards for green finance.

Supported Accommodation for Vulnerable Young People

The Cabinet approved a direct award for a ten-year contract, from 2025 to 2035, for the provision of supported accommodation for thirty unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people (UASC). This decision, made under Regulation 32 and Regulation 76 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, aims to provide stability, cost-effectiveness, and sufficiency of accommodation for this vulnerable group, for whom the Council has a statutory duty to provide.

In a related decision, a ten-year direct award contract from April 2025 to March 2035 was approved for The YMCA St Paul's Group to provide supported accommodation for twenty-nine children looked after, care leavers, and homeless young people. This facility, located in Harrow, is crucial for fulfilling the authority's placement sufficiency duty and maintaining cost-efficient placements.

Harrow to Pinner Cycleway

The Cabinet confirmed the Council's support for the Harrow to Pinner cycle scheme following consideration of consultation responses. The Acting Strategic Director of Culture, Environment and Economy, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways, has been authorised to proceed with the detailed design and implementation of sections 1 to 3 of the scheme. Section 4 will be redesigned and consulted on due to objections received. The scheme will progress to statutory consultation for sections 1 to 3 and implementation for these sections, subject to Transport for London (TfL) funding. This initiative aligns with regional and local policy objectives for sustainable transport, aiming to improve air quality by reducing car journeys and encouraging cycling.

School Streets Programme

The continuation of the School Streets Programme in Harrow was approved, contingent on external funding, agreement from participating schools, and the involvement of ward councillors. The Director of Culture, Environment and Economy, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Finance and Highways, is authorised to approve the scheme's progression to implementation, subject to TfL funding. This programme supports sustainable travel modes, contributing to public health improvements and aiming to enhance air quality by reducing short car journeys.

Procurement of IT and Managed Print Services

The Cabinet approved the commencement of procurement for a new IT contract for a Contact Centre Platform and support services for corporate communications, utilising the Crown Commercial Service Framework. Authority has been delegated to the Director of IT, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Performance, Communications and Customer Experience, to award the contract. This will ensure continuity and delivery of essential communication platforms.

Additionally, a direct award of contract to Xerox UK Ltd for corporate managed print and hybrid mail services for up to five years, commencing in December 2024, was approved. This decision ensures service continuity for these essential functions.

Property Programmes and Disposal

The Cabinet approved the extension of the Property Purchase Programme, authorising the acquisition of up to 70 properties on the open market for temporary and permanent accommodation, with a maximum cost of £30.732 million. Funding will be drawn from the Local Authority Housing Fund 3 (LHAF 3) and the GLA Council Homes Acquisition Programme (CHAP). This initiative aims to increase the supply of good quality local accommodation and avoid the costs associated with Bed and Breakfast placements.

Furthermore, the Cabinet approved the disposal of an out-of-borough property located at Fluorocarbon, Excalibur Way, Irlam, Greater Manchester. The Acting Strategic Director of Housing and Regeneration is authorised to market, negotiate, and approve the terms of the disposal, aiming to achieve the best consideration reasonably obtainable. This sale is expected to provide a capital receipt and reduce ongoing revenue costs.

New Harrow Local Plan

The Cabinet noted the draft Regulation 19 new Harrow Local Plan and supporting documents. They also noted updates on the local plan process and the draft National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The outcomes of the consultation will be reported back in early 2025, with a view to seeking approval to submit the draft Plan to the Secretary of State for examination. The Chief Planning Officer, following consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning and Regeneration, is authorised to make minor modifications to the draft document prior to the Regulation 19 consultation in November 2024. The Cabinet resolved to recommend to the full Council that consultation on the draft Local Plan be agreed, and that the Chief Planning Officer be authorised to submit the draft Plan to the Secretary of State, subject to no major modifications arising from the consultation. The Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan will be used for development management purposes.

Q1 Strategic Performance Report

The Cabinet noted the Q1 Strategic Performance Report, with Portfolio Holders urged to continue working with officers to address identified key challenges. This report allows the Cabinet to be informed of performance against key measures and to implement corrective actions where necessary.