Apologies were received from Caroline Holland

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2017 are agreed as an accurate record.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.    Considers the report and recommendations (attached in Appendix 1) arising from the scrutiny review of routes into employment for vulnerable cohorts undertaken by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

2.    Agrees to the implementation of the recommendations through an action plan being drawn up by officers in consultation with the lead Cabinet Member to be designated by Cabinet.

3.    Decides that it wishes to formally approve this action plan prior to it being submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

Councillor Dennis Pearce, Chair of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel, presented the report on the scrutiny review of routes into employment for vulnerable cohorts. Councillor Pearce thanked all the councillors and officers who were involved in this review. Cabinet members welcomed the report.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.    Considers the report and recommendations ( Appendix 1) arising from the scrutiny review of routes into employment for vulnerable cohorts undertaken by the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

2.    Agrees to the implementation of the recommendations through an action plan being drawn up by officers in consultation with the lead Cabinet Member to be designated by Cabinet.

3.    Decides that it wishes to formally approve this action plan prior to it being submitted to the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet recommends to Council that the draft Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2021 be endorsed and adopted.

The Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Engagement and Equalities presented the report on the Equality Strategy 2017-21. The Director of Children, Schoolsl And Families thanked Officers and the Cabinet Member for their work on this Equality Strategy.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet recommends to Council that the draft Equality Strategy and Action Plan 2017-2021 be endorsed and adopted.

To RESOLVE that the public are excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following report(s) on the grounds that it is (they are) exempt from disclosure for the reasons stated in the report(s).

The Leader asked members to note that although items 7 and 9 had exempt annexes, Cabinet would not discuss the names of bidders contained in these annexes and could therefore stay in public session.

Cabinet noted that Item 10, would be taken as an open item.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet would remain in public session

RESOLVED

That the council award to the organisation identified as Contractor C in the Confidential Annex to the report a contract for provision of the school cleaning service at Merton primary, secondary and special schools and other education buildings for a period of 3 years from 5 June 2017, with an option to extend for up to two further years at the discretion of the council.

Cabinet received the report on the School Cleaning Contract 2017-20, and noted that this could be extended for a further two years. The Director of Children, Schools and Families offered to send further information to Cabinet members regarding the cost of the procurement and also details of the ‘social value’ components of the contract.

RESOLVED

That the council award to the organisation identified as Contractor C in the Confidential Annex to the report a contract for provision of the school cleaning service at Merton primary, secondary and special schools and other education buildings for a period of 3 years from 5 June 2017, with an option to extend for up to two further years at the discretion of the council.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    Note the financial reporting data relating to revenue budgetary control, showing a forecast net overspend at year end of £5,901 million, 1.1% of the gross budget.

2.    Note the proposals set out in 2.4 to fund this shortfall without any impact on services in the current year.

3.    Give authority  to the Director of Corporate Services in conjunction with Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance to progress the details of this scheme totalling an estimated £558,900, subject to a detailed review of the business case and specification of works.

The  Cabinet Member for Finance presented the report  Financial Monitoring January 2017, and asked members to note that the overspend has been slightly reduced and actions have been taken on the shortfall with no reductions in services.

Members noted the third recommendation tabled on the night, regarding Merton’s financial contribution to the proposed project of refurbishment and an extension to the Coroners Court at Horseferry Road.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet

1.    Note the financial reporting data relating to revenue budgetary control, showing a forecast net overspend at year end of £5,901 million, 1.1% of the gross budget.

2.    Note the proposals set out in 2.4 to fund this shortfall without any impact on services in the current year.

3.    Give authority  to the Director of Corporate Services in conjunction with Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance to progress the details of the scheme to refurbishment and extend the Coroners Court at Horseferry Road. totalling an estimated £558,900, subject to a detailed review of the business case and specification of works.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A.   Notes the tender process has adhered to Corporate Procurement Procedures, EU Procurement Regulations and the new contract will afford the Council with on-going year on year performance and value for money benefits

B.   Notes the procurement process and endorses the award of the contract to the successful Bidder, as outlined in Part 2 of the Report.  The contract will commence 01 October 2017 and be for an initial period of five (5) years with the option to apply two periods of extensions of one year each, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of budget and continued need at the discretion of the Council in partnership with London Boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames and Wandsworth.  The maximum possible contract period would be no more than seven years.

C.   Notes that the current proposed model, subject to negotiations with the provider, will be further enhanced for the provision for east Merton residents. London boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames and Wandsworth are supportive of more detailed work between the three boroughs to ensure that the Hub and Spoke allocation is responsive to the evidenced need across the regional (tri-borough) patch.

The Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care presented the report regarding Integrated Sexual Health – contract award. He asked members to note that this contract was to provide services across three boroughs; Merton, Wandsworth and Richmond. Members were pleased to note that provision in the east of the Borough was well supported by the successful bid.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A.   Notes the tender process has adhered to Corporate Procurement Procedures, EU Procurement Regulations and the new contract will afford the Council with on-going year on year performance and value for money benefits

B.   Notes the procurement process and endorses the award of the contract to the successful Bidder, as outlined in Part 2 of the Report.  The contract will commence 01 October 2017 and be for an initial period of five (5) years with the option to apply two periods of extensions of one year each, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of budget and continued need at the discretion of the Council in partnership with London Boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames and Wandsworth.  The maximum possible contract period would be no more than seven years.

C.   Notes that the current proposed model, subject to negotiations with the provider, will be further enhanced for the provision for east Merton residents. London boroughs of Richmond-upon-Thames and Wandsworth are supportive of more detailed work between the three boroughs to ensure that the Hub and Spoke allocation is responsive to the evidenced need across the regional (tri-borough) patch.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A.   Note the work that has been carried out to date in relation to the setting up of a wholly-owned local authority property company (“LAPC”).

B.   Approve the setting up of a wholly owned local authority property company.

C.   Approve the business case for the local authority property company.

D.   Agree the proposed governance arrangement set out in this report.

E.   Agree to:

                     i.        Establish a Sub-Committee of Cabinet and (subject to (iii) below) delegate to that Sub-Committee authority to exercise the Council’s rights and responsibilities as shareholder of the company;

                    ii.         Nominate Members to sit on the Shareholder Cabinet Sub-Committee;

                   iii.        Delegate to the Director of Environment and Regeneration authority to take decisions on matters reserved to the Council in circumstances where the expenditure to be incurred in any one instance does not exceed two hundred and fifty thousand pounds (£250,000)

F.    Delegate, to the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, authority to set up the company including finalisation and approval of all relevant documentation, and registration with the Registrar of companies.

G.   Note that appropriate amendments will need to be made to the Council’s constitution with respect to the Cabinet Sub-Committee and that Cabinet recommend to Full Council the appropriate amendments.

H.   Recommend to Full Council, the capital investment funding of £13,022m for the first four sites plus working capital of up to £4m.

I.      Delegate to the Director of Corporate Services the finalisation of the loan agreement between the Council and the LAPC .

J.    Recommends to Council an allocation of a further £10 million in the capital programme for the strategic acquisition of sites, subject to the business case for each acquisition is agreed by the council’s Property Asset Management Board.

K.   That Cabinet (approval will also be required by full Council):

                    i.       Approve the increase in the Capital Programme to reflect the proposals in this report, and

                  ii.       Approve the revised Treasury Management Strategy inclusive of revised Prudential indicators

The Cabinet member for Environment and Regeneration presented the report on the proposed Local Authority Property Company that would allow the Council to provide additional housing in the Borough.

Cabinet thanked all the Officers involved for their work on this project.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

A.   Note the work that has been carried out to date in relation to the setting up of a wholly-owned local authority property company (“LAPC”).

B.   Approve the setting up of a wholly owned local authority property company.

C.   Approve the business case for the local authority property company.

D.   Agree the proposed governance arrangement set out in this report.

E.   Agree to:

                     i.        Establish a Sub-Committee of Cabinet and (subject to (iii) below) delegate to that Sub-Committee authority to exercise the Council’s rights and responsibilities as shareholder of the company;

                    ii.         Nominate Members to sit on the Shareholder Cabinet Sub-Committee;

                   iii.        Delegate to the Director of Environment and Regeneration authority to take decisions on matters reserved to the Council in circumstances where the expenditure to be incurred in any one instance does not exceed two hundred and fifty thousand pounds (£250,000)

F.    Delegate, to the Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer, authority to set up the company including finalisation and approval of all relevant documentation, and registration with the Registrar of companies.

G.   Note that appropriate amendments will need to be made to the Council’s constitution with respect to the Cabinet Sub-Committee and that Cabinet recommend to Full Council the appropriate amendments.

H.   Recommend to Full Council, the capital investment funding of £13,022m for the first four sites plus working capital of up to £4m.

I.      Delegate to the Director of Corporate Services the finalisation of the loan agreement between the Council and the LAPC .

J.    Recommends to Council an allocation of a further £10 million in the capital programme for the strategic acquisition of sites, subject to the business case for each acquisition is agreed by the council’s Property Asset Management Board.

K.   That Cabinet (approval will also be required by full Council):

                    i.       Approve the increase in the Capital Programme to reflect the proposals in this report, and

                  ii.       Approve the revised Treasury Management Strategy inclusive of revised Prudential indicators