Venue: Committee Room One - Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, London, E14 2BG. View directions
Contact: David Knight, Democratic Services
Tel: 020 7364 4878 E-mail: david.knight@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Note: Extraordinary Budget Scrutiny
Items
No. |
Item |
1. |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
To receive any apologies for
absence.
Minutes:
Apologies for absence were
received from Councillor Joshua Peck.
|
2. |
DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST PDF 64 KB
To note
any declarations of interest made by Members, including those
restricting Members from voting on the questions detailed in
Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act, 1992. See attached note from
the Interim Monitoring Officer.
Minutes:
There were no declarations of
disclosable pencuniary interest received.
|
3. |
UNRESTRICTED REPORTS FOR CONSIDERATION
|
3.1 |
General Fund Capital and Revenue Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (Revised Proposals) PDF 49 KB
Additional documents:
-
General Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets, Medium Term Financial Plan 2015-2018 , item 3.1
PDF 442 KB
-
MTFP Appendices , item 3.1
PDF 3 MB
-
Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial Ground , item 3.1
PDF 124 KB
-
Multi Faith Burial Ground EA Checklist , item 3.1
PDF 67 KB
-
Decisions 04th-Feb-2015 17.30 Cabinet , item 3.1
PDF 255 KB
-
Key changes to MTFP since Jan report , item 3.1
PDF 186 KB
-
Cover Sheet , item 3.1
PDF 17 KB
-
DR Growth Bid - Multi Faith Burial Ground - 6 February 2015 , item 3.1
PDF 70 KB
-
Growth Additional Police 2015-16 060215 amended , item 3.1
PDF 71 KB
-
LPG Savings Proposal - Vacant Chief Executive Post , item 3.1
PDF 86 KB
Minutes:
The Committee received and noted a report that
outlined the General Fund Capital and Revenue Budgets, Medium Term
Financial Plan 2015-2018; Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial Ground;
Cabinet Budget Decisions 4th February 2015 and Movements in the
2015-16 Budget since January, 2015 Cabinet Report. The main points
of the discussion may be summarised as follows:
The Committee:
Additional Police
OfficersRef:
GRO/CLC/07/15
-
Noted that this proposal demonstrates the
Council’s continued commitment to addressing residents’
key concerns around crime and ASB while counteracting cuts to local
policing levels imposed at regional level. In addition, in so far as the MOPAC subsidy
arrangements allow the Council to secure additional police at
reduced rates this can be argued as being value for
money.
-
Expressed concern with regard to what happens when
these officers are abstracted from normal duties in the Borough for
events going on, in and around London e.g. Football
resourcing; demonstrations, Carnivals etc. Is this good value for
money or should LBTH make more use of the Tower Hamlets Enforcement
Officers (THEOs) to provide an additional uniformed presence on the
borough’s streets within the Council’s control which
helps residents to feel safer.
-
Noted that whilst resources could be used to expand
the numbers of THEOs the funding of additional police officers
through Council resources gives LBTH greater influence in being
able to direct these resources to Council Priorities. In addition,
the MPS are the sole provider of policing services. Therefore, the
incidences of abstractions will need to be monitored
closely.
-
Noted that Police officers have more powers than
THEOs to tackle local issues (e.g. mid-level drug
dealing), which justifies this expenditure.
-
Wanted to see the removal of the wording in the
report “buy 5 Police Constables and one Sergeant” and
insert the wording “match fund the cost of 5 Police
Constables and one Sergeant”.
-
Was advised that these officers would go through an
induction.
-
Would wish to see a Service Level Agreement in place
before any funding was agreed with the MPS. In addition, it would wish to see the
“targeting” of those police officers to include a focus
on mid-level drug dealers operating in LBTH.
-
Was concerned that the funding for these officers
would be realised through those savings achieved through the
deletion of the post of Chief Executive from the staffing
structure.
Tower Hamlets Multi-Faith Burial
Ground
-
Noted that within the 2013-14 budget, the Council had set aside £3 million
of funding for the provision of a multi-faith burial ground. An
Executive Mayoral decision (on 17th June, 2013)
subsequently authorised officers to enter into an agreement to
acquire a site on a 125 year lease and to establish a management
agreement for its operation.
-
Was informed that due to difficulties encountered in
the planning process, it was considered unlikely that the original
option will be able to progress, and rather than delay the process,
Cabinet had agreed that the existing Agreement to Lease be
terminated and alternative arrangements entered into at another
existing cemetery.
-
Noted that it ...
view the full minutes text for item 3.1
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4. |
ANY OTHER UNRESTRICTED BUSINESS WHICH THE CHAIR CONSIDERS TO BE URGENT
To consider any other unrestricted business
that the Chair considers to be urgent.
Minutes:
|
5. |
EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC
In view of the contents of the
remaining items on the agenda the Committee is recommended to adopt
the following motion:
“That, under the
provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, as
amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985,
the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting
for the consideration of the Section Two business on the grounds
that it contains information defined as Exempt in Part 1 of
Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act, 1972.”
EXEMPT/CONFIDENTIAL SECTION (Pink Papers)
The
exempt committee papers in the agenda will contain information,
which is commercially, legally or personally sensitive and should
not be divulged to third parties. If
you do not wish to retain these papers after the meeting, please
hand them to the Committee Officer present.
Minutes:
The agenda circulated contained no exempt/
confidential business and there was therefore no requirement to
exclude the press and public to allow for its
consideration.
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6. |
ANY OTHER EXEMPT/ CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS THAT THE CHAIR CONSIDERS URGENT
To consider any other
exempt/ confidential business that the Chair considers to be
urgent.
Minutes:
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