No apologies were received. Councillor Christie attended online.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 4 November 2024 are agreed as an accurate record.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet note the information contained in this report.

Prior to the consideration of this item the Chair spoke to thank the outgoing Executive Director of Environment, Civic Pride & Climate on behalf of the Cabinet and the Council at his last meeting of Cabinet for his work for Merton. 

Councillor Stringer presented the report and thanked officers for their work noting there was a lot of work ongoing in this area. The Cabinet Member advised the recommendations had updates on actions already undertaken to achive them within the report and updates would be provided as part of wider annual reporting to the relevant scrutiny groups.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet note the information contained in this report.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet approval is granted to award the Recycling and Waste Collection Services contract to Bidder A as detailed in Appendix A, for a period of eight years from 1 April 2025, with the option to extend for a further two periods of eight years (8 + 8). The total contract period being 24 years. An options appraisal is to be undertaken during year five of the contract, to inform a decision on the most appropriate service delivery model following the initial term, or to extend the contract for a further eight years.

B. That Cabinet approve that authority to take up the optional extensions on the contract be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment, Civic Pride and Climate in consultation with the lead Cabinet Member.

C. That Cabinet approval is granted to transfer the gully cleaning service to FM Conway by way of a contract variation, in accordance with the Council’s Contract Standing Orders, from 1 April 2025.

D. That Cabinet approve that the Authority progress Commercial Waste Option 2 for the reasons provided within section 6.7 of Appendix A.

The Cabinet Member for Transport and Cleaner Streets presented the report and thanked officers for their work. The Cabinet Member stated there would be no change to the current collection days and would be enhancements to the contract and the street cleansing would come back in house. Operatives would clear up after themselves, close gates and return bins to where they were collected from. Large estates would have an audit of needs and extra collections would be priced in if required. Flats above shops would have food waste collected and Garth Road on the road would continue to be bimonthly. The fleet remained within the Council and the contract would start on 1^st April 2025. In response to questions from the Cabinet, the Cabinet Member advised that there would be a team of a contract manager, senior contract officer and three monitoring officers to oversee the contract.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet approval is granted to award the Recycling and Waste Collection Services contract to Bidder A as detailed in Appendix A, for a period of eight years from 1 April 2025, with the option to extend for a further two periods of eight years (8 + 8). The total contract period being 24 years. An options appraisal is to be undertaken during year five of the contract, to inform a decision on the most appropriate service delivery model following the initial term, or to extend the contract for a further eight years.

B. That Cabinet approve that authority to take up the optional extensions on the contract be delegated to the Executive Director of Environment, Civic Pride and Climate in consultation with the lead Cabinet Member.

C. That Cabinet approval is granted to transfer the gully cleaning service to FM Conway by way of a contract variation, in accordance with the Council’s Contract Standing Orders, from 1 April 2025.

D. That Cabinet approve that the Authority progress Commercial Waste Option 2 for the reasons provided within section 6.7 of Appendix A.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet noted and confirmed:

A The delegated authority of the Executive Director - Environment, Civic Pride and Climate, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change, to complete negotiations and finalise a contract extension agreement with idverde.

B. Extending the existing contract from 1st February 2025, for 21 months, until 31st October 2026, as per the February 2024 Cabinet report, will result in a contract value of £3.356m per annum. Noting a request that future annual reviews are linked to inflation, capped at 4%.

C. The contract will be novated from the South London Waste Partnership, (SLWP) to the London Borough of Sutton – as the borough with the longest contract extension term (3+2 years), however, variations to the contract and payment mechanisms will be different per borough; and,?

D. A separate proposed report to Cabinet will be made in early 2025 regarding future options for the delivery of the service.

The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change presented the report which provided an update on the maintenance contract of park and greenspaces which was due to be finalised following negotiations with an extension of 21 months from February 2025, with updated costs and process following a decision in February 2024. Following additional work and the impact of rising costs and other pressures the additional budget required had increased, having tested out financial models and considered alternatives the proposal was to proceed with the extension. A separate report on future options in the longer term would be brought to Cabinet in 2025. The Cabinet Member thanked officers for their work.

RESOLVED:

That Cabinet noted and confirmed:

A The delegated authority of the Executive Director - Environment, Civic Pride and Climate, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change, to complete negotiations and finalise a contract extension agreement with idverde.

B. Extending the existing contract from 1st February 2025, for 21 months, until 31st October 2026, as per the February 2024 Cabinet report, will result in a contract value of £3.356m per annum. Noting a request that future annual reviews are linked to inflation, capped at 4%.

C. The contract will be novated from the South London Waste Partnership, (SLWP) to the London Borough of Sutton – as the borough with the longest contract extension term (3+2 years), however, variations to the contract and payment mechanisms will be different per borough; and,?

D. A separate proposed report to Cabinet will be made in early 2025 regarding future options for the delivery of the service.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet noted the consultation and engagement work undertaken in summer 2024 for Morden Town Centre placemaking and note the outcome report.

B. That Cabinet noted the engagement work undertaken to date and agree the thematic projects to be developed for delivery, in consultation with cabinet members, utilising exiting Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocations

The Cabinet Member for Civic Pride and Climate Change presented the report noting it spanned a number of themes, short, medium and long term objectives and focused on the meanwhile action plan pending any wider changes. The results of community consultation had been included within the report. In response to questions from the Cabinet, the Cabinet Member advised that the Town Centre Manager had now started for Morden.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet noted the consultation and engagement work undertaken in summer 2024 for Morden Town Centre placemaking and note the outcome report.

B. That Cabinet noted the engagement work undertaken to date and agree the thematic projects to be developed for delivery, in consultation with cabinet members, utilising exiting Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) allocations

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet noted the update on Treasury Management performance for the half year to 30 September 2024 and agrees to submit this update to Full Council.

B. The cabinet approved a move to invest treasury management funds in a Property Fund subject to there being a positive cost benefit to the Council.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report thanking officers for their work and noted that the report stated the Council continued to operate within the regulatory guidance and CIPFA code of conduct as required and noted that due to higher interest rates, the investments were forecast to bring in an additional £2m of revenue income.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet noted the update on Treasury Management performance for the half year to 30 September 2024 and agrees to submit this update to Full Council.

B. The cabinet approved a move to invest treasury management funds in a Property Fund subject to there being a positive cost benefit to the Council.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet agrees the proposed Council Tax Base for 2025/26 set out in paragraph 7 and Appendix 2.

B. That Cabinet considers the second tranche of draft savings proposals for 2025/26 to 2028/29 (Appendix 3) and agrees to refer them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission in January 2025 for consideration and comment.

C. That Cabinet considers the emerging draft Equalities Impact Assessments for each saving (Appendix 4), where applicable, and refers them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission in January 2025 for consideration and comment.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report which provided the next update on preparations for setting the budget for the next fnancial year and the next four year medium term financial strategy period. A gap of around £10m for at the start of the year for the next financial year had now been reduced to £4.8m with an additional £1.1m of savings proposed to go to Scrutiny in January, altogether the gap had reduced to £3.4m and all were looking at ways to reduce that gap. The financial settlement was due to be received that week and a further update would be brought to Cabinet in January 2025.

The Cabinet Member responded to questions from the Cabinet relating to the report.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet agrees the proposed Council Tax Base for 2025/26 set out in paragraph 7 and Appendix 2.

B. That Cabinet considers the second tranche of draft savings proposals for 2025/26 to 2028/29 (Appendix 3) and agrees to refer them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission in January 2025 for consideration and comment.

C. That Cabinet considers the emerging draft Equalities Impact Assessments for each saving (Appendix 4), where applicable, and refers them to the Overview and Scrutiny panels and Commission in January 2025 for consideration and comment.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet note the review of fees and charges and agree the proposed changes to fees and charges for 2025/26 outlined in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 in so far as they relate to executive functions.

B. Note that those fees and charges that are not functions of the executive will be agreed either by Full Council, any relevant Committee to which or officer to whom they have been delegated

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report noting the issuing by Councils of a fees and charges income report was standard practice and set out the fees and charges for various services. In line with inflation fees and charges would be uprated by 2% outside of any areas that the fee or charge was set by statute or where a separate review had been undertaken and had concluded that the charges should be changed by a different amount or remain the same.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet note the review of fees and charges and agree the proposed changes to fees and charges for 2025/26 outlined in Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 in so far as they relate to executive functions.

B. Note that those fees and charges that are not functions of the executive will be agreed either by Full Council, any relevant Committee to which or officer to whom they have been delegated

RESOLVED:

A. ThatCabinet approvethe proposedadjustments tothe CurrentCapital Programme in the Table below:

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report on adjustments to the capital expenditure programme for period 6 and changes to the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

A. ThatCabinet approvethe proposedadjustments tothe CurrentCapital Programme in the Table below:

RESOLVED:

A.   That Cabinet notethe financial reportingdata for period 7(October) relatingto revenue budgetarycontrol, showinga forecastnet adversevariance of

£13.387mwhen corporateand fundingitems areincluded.

B.   ThatCabinet notethe contentsof Section7 ofthe reportand appendices5a to 5d and approve the proposed adjustments to the programme in Appendix 5b ThatCabinet notethe contentsof Section7 ofthe reportand appendices5a to 5d and approve the proposed adjustments in the Table here: Monitoring Report 2024-25 - period 7 Cabinet with appendices v2.pdf

C.      ThatCabinet notethe conditions/termsin relationto theGreater London Authority(GLA) grantsfor thefirst 93houses andapprove enteringinto agrant

agreement with the GLA to receive the grants from the GLA's Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 Greater London Authority (GLA) and approve the Section 151 officer signing the grant agreements on behalf of Merton.

      The Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services presented the report noting there had been a slight reduction in the adverse variance from £14.8m to £13.3m. Officers were working to minimise expenditure wherever reasonably possible however costs of delivering services were rising. The report also set out adjustments to the capital programme.

RESOLVED:

A.   That Cabinet notethe financial reportingdata for period 7(October) relatingto revenue budgetarycontrol, showinga forecastnet adversevariance of

£13.387mwhen corporateand fundingitems areincluded.

B.   ThatCabinet notethe contentsof Section7 ofthe reportand appendices5a to 5d and approve the proposed adjustments to the programme in Appendix 5b ThatCabinet notethe contentsof Section7 ofthe reportand appendices5a to 5d and approve the proposed adjustments in the Table here: Monitoring Report 2024-25 - period 7 Cabinet with appendices v2.pdf

C.   ThatCabinet notethe conditions/termsin relationto theGreater London Authority(GLA) grantsfor thefirst 93houses andapprove enteringinto agrant

agreement with the GLA to receive the grants from the GLA's Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 Greater London Authority (GLA) and approve the Section 151 officer signing the grant agreements on behalf of Merton.

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 meeting proceeded entirely in public and therefore this item was not required.