RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A. Approved proposals to expand Melrose School by 80 additional places from 1 September 2022 through the use of an additional site - Whatley Avenue SW20 and to extend the official designation of Melrose School from “Children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health” to “Children with additional complex and varied needs including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH)”

B. Noted that the reason for this decision is to provide places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in the local area and the expansion of Melrose School through the use of an additional site provides good value for money. Melrose is rated by Ofsted as “Good” with “consistently strong teaching across the school” and the Council’s Director for of Children, Schools and Families is satisfied that the leadership of the school has the management capacity to continue to raise standards while the school expands

RESOLVED that Cabinet:

A. Agreed that the Lavender (London Road) Nursery building remains the most viable option to house Merton Medical Education Services and provide sufficient provision for the borough’s growing number of children with medical needs, and officers should proceed to move the service into this building in early 2022.

B. Approved that the Lavender London Road Nursery full-time day care provision should move from January 2022 to Lavender Steers Mead in addition to providing the sessional places for children aged 2 that are funded through early education funding, thus maintaining the service in alternative premises within reasonable proximity to the current site.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet noted that the programme-level viability deficit of identified by Clarion Housing Group (Clarion) in April 2020 in relation to their proposed regeneration of the High Path, Ravensbury and Eastfields estates represents a significant barrier to delivery;

B. That Cabinet agreed that the Council remains supportive of Clarion’s delivery of the Merton Estates Regeneration Programme (MERP) and the objectives of Merton’s Estates Local Plan 2018 to improve the lives of existing residents and provide new homes;

C. That Cabinet agreed to support the proposed adjustment of the Sales Clawback mechanism in the Stock Transfer Agreement to suspend the Council’s eligibility to the 5% Sales Clawback mechanism so long as MERP is in the course of being delivered and remains in a deficit position at programme-level. The mechanism will be triggered only if MERP’s financial performance reaches or exceeds a break-even position.

D. That Cabinet agreed to support an amendment to the Stock Transfer Agreement to commit Clarion to delivering Decent Homes Standard upgrades linked to any failure to achieve regeneration delivery milestones to ensure these works are guaranteed to be delivered within a specified timeframe irrespective of the status of MERP;

E. That Cabinet agreed to support an amendment to the Stock Transfer Agreement to specific partnership working arrangements between Clarion and the Council to include open book business plan progress updates and monitoring and regular identification, management and mitigation of risks to viability and deliverability with forums to be established at operational (Officer) and strategic (Senior Officer and Member) levels with Clarion counterparts. This approach is proposed to ensure proactive management and monitoring of future risks.

F. That Cabinet delegated authority to the Director of Environment and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Regeneration, and the Climate Emergency, to conclude any documentation, including, without limitation, amendments to existing agreements between the Council and Clarion, necessary to implement the recommendations C-E above on the best terms which in their view are reasonably achievable .

G. That Cabinet agreed that the 2010 Nominations Rights Deed will be preserved and that the council will continue to receive 100% nominations to true voids but that a protocol between Clarion Housing Group and the council be drawn up so as to assist Clarion in meeting its regeneration ambitions and ensuring that the council can continue to discharge its statutory housing duties and protect the public interest. Any such protocol will be jointly prepared between the council and Clarion Housing Group and be delegated to the Director of Community and Housing in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing, Regeneration and the Climate Emergency.

H. That Cabinet asked officers to continue to consider options for a freehold asset to the Council that may reflect some value of the claw back suspension and, should a mutually agreeable asset transfer be agreed, to delegate authority to the Director of Environment and Regeneration, and the Director of Corporate Services to conclude that transfer in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Housing Regeneration, and the Climate Emergency and the Cabinet Member for Finance.

Cabinet also approved the recommendations within the exempt report.

RESOLVED:

A. That Cabinet approved the exercise of the right to extend the contract for a period of 2 of the potential 5 years available.

B. That Cabinet noted the contract award report dated 11 November 2019 had a minor administrative error included in it and mistakenly agreed to award a contract to JC Decaux for a term of 10 years with a potential extension of 5 years, whereas the intention of the Council and tender documentation had proposed a 15 year contract term with a potential extension of 5 years and the contract has been issued on that basis;and

C. That Cabinet retrospectively agreed the award of the contract for the originally intended period of 15 + 5 years;

RESOLVED:

A. ThatCabinetnotedthefinancialreportingdataformonth3,June2021,relatingtorevenuebudgetarycontrol,showinga forecastnetadversevarianceatyearendonnetserviceexpenditureof£4.74m,increasingto£7.452mwhencorporateandfundingitemsareincluded.

B. ThatCabinetapprovedthevirementof£242krevenuebudgetbetweentheHousingtoAdultSocialbeingthetransferofbudgetandclients(care& supportrelated)fromHousingbudgettotheplacementbudget.

C. ThatCabinetnotedthecontentsofSection5 andAppendix5bofthereportandapprovetheadjustmentstotheCapitalProgrammein theTablebelow: