Report - London Borough of Hillingdon
Cabinet agenda
Meeting Date: THURSDAY 4 TH MARCH 2004
Time:
Venue:
7.00 P.M.
COMMITTEE ROOM 6, CIVIC CENTRE
HIGH STREET, UXBRIDGE
COUNCILLORS IN THE CABINET
Councillor Ray Puddifoot
Councillor David Simmonds
Councillor Jim O’Neill
Councillor Philip Corthorne
Councillor Solveig Stone
Councillor Jonathan Bianco
Councillor Douglas Mills
Councillor Mike Heywood
Leader of the Council
Deputy Leader and Member for
Social Services and Health
Environment
Housing
Education, Youth and Leisure
Finance and Corporate Services
Performance, Partnerships and
Regeneration
Planning and Transportation
This agenda contains papers which detail the business of and decisions to be made by
the Cabinet for the month of March. If you would like further information or copies of
the agenda please call Hillingdon’s Cabinet Office on 01895 250472 or by visiting the
Council’s website:
www.hillingdon.gov.uk
Mark Braddock - Cabinet Secretary
Involving you in the way we do business…
This agenda is
Members of the Public and Press are very welcome to attend this meeting.
Parking is available via the entrance in the High Street, Uxbridge. available Please in large
enter from the Council’s main reception, where you will be print directed to the
relevant Committee Room.
Cabinet Agenda – 4 th March 2004
Agenda issued on 25 th February 2004
1. Apologies for Absence
2. Declarations of Interest – in matters coming before this meeting
3. To receive the minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on 12 th February
2004, copy attached (pages i – xi)
4. To confirm that the items of business marked Part 1 will be considered
in public and that the items marked Part 2 will be considered in private
5. Consideration of Cabinet reports
PART 1 – MEMBERS, PUBLIC AND PRESS
This section lists the reports to be considered by the Cabinet in public. The
number in brackets after each report title indicates the reference number in
the Council’s Forward Plan, which is published monthly.
Page
1 Annual Audit Letter 2002/2003 1
2 Fair Funding Arrangements 2004/2005 19
3 Controlled Drinking Zones – Formal Designation 42
4 Local Cultural Strategy for Hillingdon 54
5 A review of the Animal Welfare Charter 83
6 Hillingdon Borough Transport Strategy – Response to the
93
Preliminary Consultation
7 Behaviour Support Plan 2004/2005 133
8 Hillingdon LEA/DfES Compact 136
9 Review of Welfare Meals Service, Meals in the Home, Dining
150
Centre, Day centre Meals and Civic Centre Banqueting Service
10 Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership Implementation 152
Plan 2004/2005
11 Revenue Budget 2003/2004 Monthly Monitoring Report Month 9 157
(December 2003)
12 Opening of Private Equity Tender Off Site 174
PART 2 – PRIVATE, MEMBERS ONLY
The reports listed below in Part 2 are not made public because they contain
confidential information as defined in the Local Government (Access to
Information) Act 1985. This is because:
Items 13 and 14 deal with ‘any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the
Authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or
disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.’
13 The provision of Fleet Vehicles on long and short term hire 176
14 Voluntary Sector Leasing Policy TO FOLLOW
6. Any business transferred from Part 1 of the agenda.
CABINET 12 TH FEBRUARY 2004
DECISIONS SHEET PUBLISHED BY THE CABINET OFFICE
ON 16 TH FEBRUARY 2004
Officer contact
1A
PRESENT
Members of Cabinet – Councillors Ray Puddifoot, David Simmonds,
Jonathan Bianco, Philip Corthorne, Mike Heywood, Douglas Mills, Jim
O’Neill, Solveig Stone.
Other Party Leaders/Deputy Leaders – Councillors Steve Carey and Rod
Marshall.
Overview & Scrutiny Chairmen/Vice Chairmen – Councillor Anthony Way
(Item 1A), Councillor Keith Burrows (Item 8).
Members congratulated Councillor Rod Marshall on his recent marriage.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillor Rod Marshall declared a general personal and non-prejudicial
interest as Dean of Faculty at Buckinghamshire Chilterns University
College, which was a provider of courses to the Council’s Social Services
Group and as a member of the Board of Hillingdon Homes. Councillor Rod
Marshall also declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Items 4 and 5
and left the meeting for the discussion on those items.
MINUTES
The minutes of the meeting held 15 th January 2004 were agreed as
correct.
ALLOCATION OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE VOLUNTARY
SECTOR 2004/2005
DECISION
1. That the Cabinet agrees the recommendations on the allocation of
grants to Voluntary groups as set out in the schedule attached to the
report, with the exception of the grant to Hillingdon Autistic Care and
Support which is to be £25,000 and not as printed.
2. That it is confirmed that the sum of £264,000 is to be set aside for
grant to Hillingdon Citizens’ Advice Bureau until the Council is
satisfied and has received the outcome of the review being
undertaken by the National CAB.
REASON FOR DECISION
Nigel Cramb
01895
250394
To allocate money to voluntary sector organisations.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To vary the allocations or to make no decisions.
1B THE COUNCIL’S BUDGETS 2004/2005
The Leader advised the meeting that subject to promises made to him that
day by the DfES being delivered, the budget shortfall was now reduced to
£1.15m. It was noted that the Cabinet would be meeting again before the
Council tax setting meeting on 26 th February 2004, to make
recommendations about the budget.
Leigh
Whitehouse
01895
227457
Thanks were recorded to the Members of Parliament for the
Constituencies in the Borough and to the Leader of the Council for the
negotiations they had carried out with Government Ministers about the
funding requirement arising from the Hillingdon Judgment.
Thanks were also recorded to officers who had supported the Leader of
the Council in the meetings with Government Ministers, in particular Leigh
Whitehouse and Kamini Rambellas.
It was noted that the amount in the capital budget for Chrysalis funding had
been increased to £900,000 and that 20% of this funding would be
allocated for community safety items.
DECISION
1. To note the proposals put forward to offset the impact of the
Hillingdon Judgment in 2004/05
2. To note the revised growth list in Appendix B
3. To note the proposed reductions included in Appendix C and
authorises officers to begin work on implementation in the current
year.
4. To note the Capital Programme as outlined in Appendix E,
including the internally financed schemes detailed in Appendix D
5. To note the Prudential Indicators for 2004/05 as detailed in
Appendix F
6. To note the Director of Finance’s recommendations regarding his
responsibilities under the Local Government Act 2003
7. To note the requirement for further consultation to be undertaken
as a result of the amendments to the draft budget proposals
REASON FOR DECISION
To comply with the Budget and Policy Framework Rules and allow the
presentation to the Council of a recommended budget for 2004/2005.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To amend the proposals.
This Item had been dispatched less than 5 clear days before the meeting.
The Chairman agreed that it be considered as urgent because
fundamental changes have been made to the draft budget issued for
consultation as a result of continuing uncertainty over funding for services
to Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children arising from the Hillingdon
Judgment. In order to allow for consultation on the revised proposals it has
been necessary to issue a further budget report.
2 HOUSING REVENUE ACCOUNT (HRA) RENT SETTING 2004/2005
DECISION
1. That it is agreed to continue to use formula rents under the ODPM
rents restructure policy to calculate HRA dwelling rents for
2004/2005.
Ola Ajala
01895
250795
2. To approve the HRA rent, charges and allowances for 2004/2005 as
set out in Table A of the report.
3. To note the latest projected expenditure for 2003/2004 and
2004/2005 in Appendix 1 to the report. Appendix 1 is estimating HRA
uncommitted balance at the end of 2003/2004 at £2.78m and £2.13m
for 2004/2005.
4. That the HRA capital programme is granted exemption from the
moratorium on capital expenditure as imposed for 2004/2005.
REASONS FOR DECISION
To review the levels of rent, service charges and allowances for 2004/2005
to ensure that the HRA does not go into deficit and the cost of providing
services is recovered from HRA service users.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To set alternative levels charges for non dwelling services.
3 IMPROVEMENT PLANNING : HILLINGDON’S RESPONSE TO THE CPA
REFRESH 2003
DECISION
Brian Murrell
01895
1. To note the work done in improvement planning in 2003/04 as set
out in the report, and the positive qualitative assessment report from
the Audit Commission.
250612
2. To agree the arrangements for improvement planning for 2004/5
and beyond as set out in the report.
3. To note the proposed changes to CPA from 2005 and instructs the
officers to submit a proposed response to the consultation to the
Leader of the Council and to the Cabinet Member for Performance,
Partnerships and Regeneration.
4. To instruct officers to arrange an independent “peer” review
conducted by the IDeA to benchmark the Council’s progress in
improving its corporate capacity.
5. To instruct officers to assess all capacity building options and
submit a report with recommendations to the Leader of the Council
and to the Cabinet Member for Performance, Partnerships and
Regeneration.
REASONS FOR DECISION
The CPA process requires all Councils to carry out improvement planning
based on their CPA result.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To not support and resource all or some of the proposals for Improvement
Planning.
4 HILLINGDON ADULT EDUCATION SERVICE POST-INSPECTION
ACTION PLAN AND 3 YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2003/2006
DECISION
1. To endorse the Post Inspection Action Plan (page 10 of the green
pages) and request an updated plan to be presented to the Cabinet
after the full autumn inspection.
Roger
Turner /
Tricia Collis
01895
250789 /
676690
2. To endorse the Three Year Development Plan (page 1 of the green
pages) and associated actions and targets, including the Options
Appraisal (Appendix C, page 46 of the report) and request a further
report on the Options Appraisal. It was also agreed that the third
paragraph in Appendix C (starting ‘Whatever recommendations
reached..’) was to be deleted.
3. To agree use up to £25k of the EYL budget for 2003/04 and request
an option appraisal as soon as possible.
REASON FOR DECISION
To ensure the Authority can improve the quality of the learning
opportunities it offers to adults and draw down funding from the LSC to
provide learning opportunities in the most efficient and effective way.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To modify the Action Plan and the 3 Year Development Plan.
5 HILLINGDON ADULT EDUCATION SERVICE ACCOMMODATION
STRATEGY 2003/2007
DECISION
1. To endorse in principle the Hillingdon Adult Education
Accommodation Strategy
2. To instruct officers to continue to develop detailed costed
proposals for:
the replacement of the Frays Centre in Uxbridge in partnership with
Uxbridge College
the redevelopment of Victoria Centre in its current location, including
the option of including a new replacement library for Ruislip
Manor
the redevelopment of the North Hillingdon site in partnership with
The Douay Martyrs school
the provision of an adult learning facility as part of the new Ruislip
High School
Roger
Turner /
Tricia Collis
01895
250789 /
676690
3. To endorse the Capital Bid for the provision of an Adult Learning
Centre at Hayes Manor School and a similar bid for Harefield at the
Harefield Academy
REASONS FOR DECISION
To enable the Authority to continue to offer high quality adult learning
opportunities in DDA part 4 compliant buildings and to enable the
development of learning opportunities to meet the needs of residents
through continued funding from the LSC.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To request additional information at a later stage on two of the buildings.
6 POST-16 BASIC NEEDS CAPITAL ALLOCATION
DECISION
To endorse the decision to allocate capital funding to Mellow Lane
and Vyners Secondary Schools in order for the two schools to
Roger
Turner
01895
expand their sixth form accommodation.
250789
REASON FOR DECISION
Cabinet approval is required to the level of expenditure for the two
projects.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To withdraw funding for the projects.
7 JOINT ALLOTMENTS STRATEGY
DECISION
1. To note the investment made to date in site improvements and
endorses the proposed programme of works for 2004/05 and beyond.
2. To declare Site A (shown hatched black on plan G.1075/A) surplus
to requirements
3. To agree to the rationalisation of Site B and, subject to negotiation
with the allotment holders and the grant of Secretary of State’s
consent to its release from allotment use, declares the part hatched
black on the plan G.1075/B surplus to requirements
Stuart
Hunt/Jackie
Hodgson
01895
250916 /
250932
4. To instruct the Head of Property Services to:
(i) give twelve months notice to the plotholders on the surplus
sites;
(ii) prepare development proposals for each site and, with the
approval of the Cabinet Member for Finance and Property
Services make outline planning applications
(iii) market the sites and seek informal bids for report back to
Cabinet
5. To allocate 10% of the capital receipt up to a maximum of £800,000
over the four years 04/05 to 08/09 from the proceeds arising from the
sale of Site A and Site B for reinvestment in the remaining allotment
sites.
6. That the release of the monies allocated for reinvestment in the
allotment sites be subject to approval by the relevant Cabinet
Member of detailed programmes of works within the overall
framework of the Allotment Strategy.
REASON FOR DECISION
To set priorities for investing in allotments from fundraising and
rationalisation of allotment land that is surplus.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To not dispose of the sites or not to invest resources in other allotments.
8 CHOICE BASED LETTINGS - LOCATA
DECISION
1. To agree the continuation of Hillingdon's membership of Locata
and the Choice Based lettings scheme for a further 12 months, when
it will be reviewed again by Cabinet.
Ann Lander
01895
250717
2. To confirm the continuation of the current assessment criteria
adopted on 4 th December 2001 as part of the pilot. The criteria is
attached at Appendix 1.
3. To agree that in conjunction with other Locata partners’, officers
continue to develop and improve the scheme as outlined in the
enhancements plan attached at Appendix 2.
4. To note with reservations the attempt of the Notting Hill Housing
Group to join the Locata partnership and instructs officers to oppose
their inclusion until such time as there is a clear and demonstrable
improvement in their standard of estate management.
REASON FOR DECISION
Choice based lettings has been successfully introduced in Hillingdon and
has increased options for residents to find housing. Continuing in
membership of LOCATA will deliver choice to applicants and tenants in the
social housing sector.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To withdraw from choice based lettings. To enter into an alternative
partnership to offer choice based lettings. To return to the previous means
of allocation and assessment scheme.
9 REVENUE BUDGET 2003/2004 MONTHLY MONITORING REPORT
MONTH 8 (NOVEMBER 2003)
DECISION
To note the improved position of the revenue budget and agrees to
officers continuing to take appropriate actions to ensure the
budgeted revenue surplus for the current year is achieved.
Paul
Whaymand
01895
556074
REASON FOR DECISION
To achieve the Council’s expected surplus in line with the approved
budget.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
None.
10 USE OF CONTINGENCY FUNDING FOR HARLINGTON ROAD DEPOT
SITE INVESTIGATIONS
DECISION
To authorise the release of £24,000 of contingency in 2003/4 to fund
the site investigation work authorised by officers.
Pacey
Cheales
01895
250118
REASON FOR DECISION
To enable progress on site investigation work at Harlington Road Depot to
begin as a matter of urgency.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
None.
11 COUNCIL OPPOSITION TO THE PROPOSED THIRD RUNWAY AT
HEATHROW - CONSIDERATION OF THE AVIATION WHITE PAPER
AND PROPOSED ACTIONS
DECISION
1. On the basis of the legal advice which has been obtained
from Leading Counsel, Cabinet instructs the Borough Solicitor to
write to the Government for the purpose of seeking clarification on
the Northolt issue and depending on the Government's response, to
take such action as is deemed necessary and appropriate.
Raj Alagh /
Brian Murrell
/ Tim Jurdon
01895
250617/
250612 /
250610
2. The Cabinet agrees that the Council should join in a legal
action commenced by a consortium of local authorities led by the
London Borough of Wandsworth.
3. That future options for the campaign against the third
runway, including the use of consultants, lobbyists, and support for
NOTRAG be deferred for consideration following any resolution in
respect of the legal challenge.
4. That consideration of detailed impacts of the possible third
runway, relating to any information received from BAA or details of
any blight scheme received, be referred to a future meeting of the
Cabinet.
REASON FOR DECISION
The Council has limited time to decide on whether it will legally challenge
any aspects of the Aviation White Paper. There is also a need to review
the current arrangements for public relations, parliamentary lobbying, and
support for NOTRAG following publication of the White Paper, and this is
considered best done in consultation with wider campaign stakeholders.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To not challenge the White Paper and to end the campaign against the
third runway.
The report was considered in Part 2 because it contained confidential
information as defined in paragraph 12 of the Schedule to the Local
Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, namely ‘Any instructions to
counsel and any opinion of counsel whether or not in connection with any
proceedings and any advice received, information obtained or action to be
taken in connection with any legal proceedings by or against the authority
or the determination of any matter affecting the authority whether, in either
case, proceedings have been commenced or are in contemplation.
12 APPOINTMENT OF CORPORATE ADVERTISING SERVICES
SUPPLIER TO THE LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON AND THE
LCSG
DECISION
To award the contract for the supply of all advertising and Public
Notice services to TMP Worldwide Ltd.
Danesh
Sharma
01895
277934
REASON FOR DECISION
The contract offers best value to the council and will result in cost savings.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To retender the contract.
The report was considered in Part 2 because it contained confidential
information as defined in paragraph 9 of the Schedule to the Local
Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, namely ‘any terms
proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of
negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the
supply of goods or services.
13 APPOINTMENT OF CONSULTANT TO DELIVER HRA DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMME AND OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS
DECISION
To appoint Redloft Partnership for a 2 year period from February
2004.
Ann Lander
01895
250717
REASONS FOR DECISION
The appointment offers the most effective way of delivering the HRA
Programme.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To not appoint Redloft Partnership.
The report was considered in Part 2 because it contained confidential
information as defined in paragraph 9 of the Schedule to the Local
Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, namely ‘any terms
proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of
negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the
supply of goods or services.
14 PROPOSED GRANT OF LEASES OF PROPERTIES FOR MORE THAN
SEVEN YEARS
DECISION
That Cabinet authorises grant of leases for a term exceeding seven
years in respect of the two properties identified in the report upon
terms to be agreed by the Head of Property Services.
Martin White
01895
250936
REASON FOR DECISION
To allow the Council to receive increased rental income.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To not proceed with the leases.
The report was considered in Part 2 because it contained confidential
information as defined in paragraph 9 of the Schedule to the Local
Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, namely ‘any terms
proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of
negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the
supply of goods or services.
15 APPROVAL TO ACCEPT A NEGOTIATED TENDER FOR THE SURVEY
OF CORPORATE STOCK SITES AND BUILDINGS FOR DISABILITY
DISCRIMINATION ACT REQUIREMENTS - PHASE THREE SURVEYS
DECISION
To accept the negotiated tender from Vectra Property Consulting in
the sum of £68,934.77 to undertake Phase 3 access surveys to sites.
Gerry
Edwards
01895
250903
REASON FOR DECISION
To enable surveys to be progressed.
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED AND REJECTED
To retender the contract.
The report was considered in Part 2 because it contained confidential
information as defined in paragraph 9 of the Schedule to the Local
Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, namely ‘any terms
proposed or to be proposed by or to the Authority in the course of
negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the
supply of goods or services.
The meeting closed at 9.17 p.m.
THESE DECISIONS WILL COME INTO FORCE AND WILL THEN BE IMPLEMENTED UNLESS
THEY ARE CALLED-IN. THE DEADLINE FOR CALL-IN TO BE RECEIVED BY THE HEAD OF
DEMOCRATIC SERVICES IS 5PM ON MONDAY 23 RD FEBRUARY 2004.
COUNCILLORS AND OFFICERS WILL BE NOTIFIED OF ANY CALL-INS RECEIVED.
This is a summary of the Cabinet’s decisions.
If you wish for more detailed information on any of the decisions please contact Hillingdon’s Cabinet
Office - Mark Braddock on 01895 250470 or Susan Came on 01895 250472.
The right hand column indicates the name of the officer(s) responsible for implementing/following up
the decision in each case. Circulation of this decisions sheet is to Members of the Council, Corporate
Directors, Group Secretariats.
ANNUAL AUDIT LETTER 2002/3 ITEM 1
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: P Whaymand
Telephone: 01895 556074
This report summarises the main points raised in the District Auditor’s letter on
2002/3 audit and inspection issues. The District Auditor has been invited to present
his Letter to the Cabinet and to answer Members’ questions. The letter notes the first
unqualified accounts since 1996/7, the unqualified Best Value Performance Plan, the
generally sound internal controls and the promising improvements shown on
inspections. It also notes the good record in financial management, the need for
reserves to be higher as currently planned, the improvement in the use of resources
CPA rating from 2 to 3 out of 4, and the plan to improve the Council’s overall CPA
rating.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That the annual Audit Letter attached be noted.
2. That staff be commended for achieving the improvements noted by the
District Auditor.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION
The Cabinet is required to consider the annual audit letter.
OPTIONS
Not relevant.
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
The Corporate Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee will be commenting on this
report at its meeting in March 2004.
INFORMATION
1. This is the second joint audit and inspection Annual Letter for members. The
Letter summarises the conclusions and significant issues arising from the 2002/2003
audit and inspection programme and comments on other current issues.
2. The key messages in the Annual Letter (a full copy of which is attached) are as
follows:
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 1
Audit Assurance Work
3. An unqualified opinion on the Council’s 2002/2003 accounts and Pension Fund
was issued in December 2003. This is the first time since 1996/97 that the Council
has received an unqualified opinion on its accounts. The Council’s draft accounts
were prepared for audit by August 2003 and supporting documentation was once
again of a good standard. The letter goes on to note that the Council is well placed to
tackle the challenge of the earlier audit opinions that will be required in future years.
4. The Council also received an unqualified opinion on the 2003/2004 Best Value
Performance Plan.
5. In relation to grant claims the letter says that overall, the audit of the Council’s
grant claims for 2001/2002 was successful. Claims were generally well prepared for
audit, accurate, and the audits conducted efficiently. However, there are still some
claims where the supporting documentation can be improved. The Director of
Finance is taking steps to ensure that the preparation of these claims is improved by
increasing the central review of the claims.
Financial Aspects of Corporate Governance
6. The letter comments that in recent years, the Council has developed a good track
record in financial management, exercised restraints where needed, and begun to
build its reserves.
7. However the letter also comments that the reserves are still too low to provide
protection against unforeseen cost pressures. The financial forecast for 2003/4
provides for further improvement on this, as does the longer term financial plan.
8. The letter comments that the Council’s arrangements for maintaining internal
financial control, for ensuring standards of financial conduct and the prevention of
fraud and corruption, and for maintaining the legality of financial transactions are
generally sound.
Inspections
9. The Audit letter comments that inspections undertaken on Housing Management
and ICT Service during 2003 show promising improvement prospects.
10. The Housing Management Service was found to have clear aims, good access,
an effective complaints system, good caretaking and cleaning services and
improving rent collection procedures.
11. The ICT service had promising prospects for improvement because:
• Senior officer, members and ICT staff are leading the e-government agenda;
• There is a good track record of partnership working to deliver e-government
plans;
• Additional funding has been committed to ICT developments.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 2
CPA Scorecard
12. The Letter comments that the Council has generally maintained its services at
the level of the previous year. Both Housing and Education Services have
maintained their good status. The use of resources rating has improved from 2 to 3
which reflects improvement in financial and management processes. The only area
of deterioration was in social care for children, but this had a significant impact on
the Council’s overall performance rating, dropping it from ‘fair’ to ‘weak’. Report also
comments that Waste recycling, services for the under-fives and careers’ guidance
to teenagers have improved and that the Planning service is making progress.
13. The letter also comments that the Council has put in place plans to improve our
rating and that these plans will be monitored over the next 12 months. Cabinet at its
meeting of 12 February agreed revised arrangements for improvement planning for
2004/5 and beyond, operating as part of the Hillingdon Improvement Programme.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
14. There are no direct financial implications flowing from the report. The
improvements planned to address some of the issues raised in the letter have been
built into the service planning process for 2004/5. The letter refers to the cost of the
external audit service for the 2002/3 audit being £673k.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
15. There are no specific legal implications arising from this report.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
2002/3 Annual Letter from District Auditor
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FAIR FUNDING ARRANGEMENTS 2004/05 ITEM 2
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: David Tully
Telephone: 01895 250076
Officers have worked with schools over the last few months to establish the most
appropriate way of distributing the Schools Budget for 2004/05, including the
operation of the Fair Funding formula. Two rounds of consultation have taken place
and the proposals put forward in the second consultation form the basis of the
recommendations in this report. Schools are due to articulate their collective view on
the proposals at Schools Forum on 3 rd March 2004, so a summary of their
recommendations will be provided to Cabinet before it is asked to make final
decisions.
The recommendations ask that the full extent of any uncommitted funds within the
Schools Budget for 2004/05 are allocated to primary schools to address funding
differentials which have developed between Hillingdon primary schools and primary
schools in other Outer London Boroughs.
The other recommendations largely propose modifications to the distribution of
funding in the Fair Funding formula.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Members:
a) Agree to distribute to primary schools the whole of any uncommitted
funding that is available within the Schools Budget (ie any amounts
beyond the Minimum Funding Guarantee and any commitments for SEN
and other budgets)
b) Agree to seek formal permission from the DfES to omit three factors from
the calculations of the Minimum Funding Guarantee for schools: SEN
proxy, Specialist Resourced Provision and Closing Schools.
c) Agree to an Increased weighting for social deprivation and turnover
factors, as set out in the consultation paper (No 2) proposals:
d) Agree the use of Key Stage 1 data instead of baseline data for Foundation
and Key Stage 1 pupils for Non-Statemented SEN funding and for high
incidence SEN proxy funding and for the weightings to be calculated as
set out in the consultation paper (No 2).
e) Agree to introduce a minimum protection factor for primary, secondary
and special schools.
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f) Agree to introduce a closing schools factor to allow for the arrangements
associated with the closure of Evelyns Community School, as set out in
the consultation paper (No 2).
g) Agree to introduce a formal delegated budget for McMillan Nursery, as a
maintained nursery school and for that budget to be composed of three
factors: place factors, a nursery factor and a nursery school factor.
h) Take up the whole of the Advanced Skills Teachers (AST) Standards Fund
grant on the basis that each school with an AST makes a voluntary
contribution to create the matched funding.
i) Retain certain elements of the School Development Grant as set out in the
consultation paper (No 2).
j) Allocate any excess School Development Grant beyond the minimum
entitlement for each school on the basis of PLASC January 2004 pupil
numbers.
REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
The Council, as Local Education Authority, is required to consider changes annually
to its Fair Funding scheme, to consult on any changes with schools and with the
Schools Forum, and to take account of their views before final decisions. Any
changes should be implemented in time for budgets to be published on or before
31 st March 2004.
The recommendations are put forward as the proposals which officers believed were
appropriate after the first round of Fair Funding consultation with schools;
recommendations may be revised, subject to the outcomes of the second round of
consultation.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
To accept the recommendations.
To propose amendments to the recommendations.
To accept alternative recommendations which might be proposed either by officers
or by Schools Forum after the Schools Forum meeting on 3 rd March 2004.
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Overview and Scrutiny Committee considered the contents of the first consultation
paper on Fair Funding at its meeting on 8 th January 2004.
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Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 20
INFORMATION
1. The Fair Funding Consultation Paper (No2) is in Appendix 1 and it explains all of
the proposals being considered by schools. The outcomes from the consultation
paper are being considered by Schools Forum on 3 rd March 2004 and their views will
be conveyed to Cabinet prior to final decisions being made.
2. One important element within the proposals is that any uncommitted funding
within the Schools Budget be allocated to primary schools. Officers have made this
recommendation on the basis of the resolution made by Schools Forum at its
meeting on 22 nd January 2004 that funding for each sector move to the level of the
Outer London Borough average. Moreover, the evidence on which the Schools
Forum made their resolution has also heavily influenced the officer recommendation.
3. There are three pieces of evidence now available that support the view that any
uncommitted funding be allocated in 2004/05 to primary schools:
a) The comparison of primary, secondary and special needs budgets for 2003/04
with the component sub-blocks of the Education Formula Spending Share
indicate that primary schools are being funded £4.6m below the level of the
FSS. There has not been such a large movement in the FSS for 2004/05 to
suggest that this pattern is not still valid. In the first consultation paper on Fair
Funding issued in December 2004, the analysis was as follows:
Table 4: Analysis of Education FSS Sub-blocks
Nursery &
Secondary Special Total
Primary
Total Schools budget on
a basis comparable to the
FSS for Schools
58,157,035 49,084,536 14,485,861 121,727,431
FSS for schools 62,715,003 48,383,678 12,790,662 123,889,343
Difference between
budget and FSS
-4,557,968 700,858 1,695,199 -2,161,912
Officers explored the methodology for this analysis with the DfES to ensure that
a like-for-like comparison was being made.
b) At the 9 th December 2003 meeting of the Schools Forum a paper was
considered which analysed the ratio of primary – secondary relative funding. It
used publicly available statistics, using budgets and actuals. It concluded that,
compared to other Outer London Boroughs Hillingdon primary pupils were being
funded at an average ratio of 67.4% of the value of secondary pupil, whereas
the Outer London ratio was 75.35%. This did not imply that secondary pupils
were overfunded, rather that primary schools were being funded consistently
below the average. Schools Forum has asked for some independent
verification of the validity of the analysis and conclusions and officers are
arranging for this to happen. There does not, however, appear to be any
obvious flaw in the analysis and it does reinforce the conclusions about the
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elatively worse funding for primary schools identified in the FSS analysis
above.
c) The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy has issued draft
statistics on detailed 2003/04 budgets for schools. This provides the basis on
which the Schools Forum resolution can be considered.
The average Individual Schools Budget (ISB) Share per primary pupil in Outer
London for 2003/04 was £2,552, compared to the amount per Hillingdon primary
pupil of £2,395. To fund Hillingdon primary pupils at that average level would
require an additional £3.6m. Hillingdon primary schools were ranked 16 th out of
20 in the amount of ISB per pupil.
The average Individual Schools Budget Share per secondary pupil in Outer
London for 2003/04 was £3,363, compared to the amount per Hillingdon primary
pupil of £3,441. Hillingdon secondary schools were ranked 7 th out of 20 in the
amount of ISB per pupil.
These figures demonstrate that, to reach the Outer London Borough average,
additional funding needs to be found for primary, but not secondary schools.
This situation would be reviewed again in 2004/05 for future years.
CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
Resource Implications
4. The report deals with how the available funding should be distributed. Decisions
about the level of funding for schools will be taken at Council on 26 th February 2004.
The financial aspects of the School Forum resolution to fund at the level of the Outer
London Borough average are explained in the text.
Legal implications
5. There are no legal implications arising directly from this report.
Property implications
6. There are no property implications arising directly from this report.
EXTERNAL CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
7. Schools and the Schools Forum have been formally consulted and their views will
be reported to Cabinet prior to any final decision being taken.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
1 st Fair Funding Consultation – December 2003 and the outcomes.
Schools Forum minutes December 2003 and January 2004
Cabinet reports on the Council’s budget – December 2003 and February 2004
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Education, Youth and Leisure Services
Consultation Paper (No 2) – February 2004
Fair Funding Arrangements 2004/05.
Target audience:
Deadlines
response:
for
Headteachers
Governing Bodies
Senior Managers
Finance Officers
Teachers Professional Associations
Wednesday 25 th February 2004 (to allow
consideration of responses at Schools Forum on
3 rd March 2004)
Queries on this consultation paper should be directed to:
David Tully
Assistant Director: Finance &
Resources
Tel: 01895 250076
Fax: 01895 250831
Email: dtully@hillingdon.gov.uk
School Finance Team
Jane Rana
Tel: 01895 250432
Geoff Trott
Tel: 01895 250458
Colin Osafo
Tel: 01895 250451
Martyn Callister
Principal Accountant: Schools
Tel: 01895 277687
Fax: 01895 277007
Email: Mcallister@hillingdon.gov.uk
Special Needs Team
Linda Jackson
Tel: 01895 250489
Email: Ljackson2@hillingdon.gov.uk
Formal responses should be sent to:
Janet Watson
EYL Directorate
4E.01 Civic Centre
Uxbridge
Middlesex UB8 1QU
Tel: 01895 277970
Fax: 01895 250831
Email: jwatson2@hillingdon.gov.uk
By Noon Wednesday 25 th February 2004
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Consultation Paper (No 2) – February 2004
Fair Funding Arrangements 2004/05
Contents
Item Description Page
1 Introduction 3
2 Consultation issues 3
3 Feedback from Consultation (No 1) 4
4 Overall Financial Position 4
5 Minimum Funding Guarantee 8
6 Formula Factors 9
7 Standards Fund – Take-up of grants 13
8 Standards Fund – Distributional issues 14
9 Data in the Draft Budgets 14
10 Timetable 15
Appendix 1 Outcomes from the Schools Forum’s consideration of 16
Consultation Paper (No 1) and officer comment.
Appendix 2 Composition of the Schools Budget 2003/04 19
Annexes on School Draft budgets are circulated separately.
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1. Introduction
1.1 This is the second of two consultation rounds on the Fair Funding
arrangements for 2004/05. In the first round, Schools Forum considered the 7
questions posed by the LEA on the arrangements for 2004/05. This second
consultation paper draws on the outcomes of the first to make firm proposals
for Fair Funding for 2004/05. It also provides an update on the overall
financial position. Annexes to this paper with draft budget information are
being circulated to schools separately.
2. Consultation issues
2.1 The LEA is consulting the Schools Forum and individual schools on
the following matters:
a) Distribution of funding. Officers propose to recommend to Cabinet
to distribute to primary schools the whole of any uncommitted
funding that is available within the Schools Budget (ie any amounts
beyond the Minimum Funding Guarantee and any commitments for
SEN and other budgets)
b) The operation of the Minimum Funding Guarantee (MFG) for
2004/05. In particular, proposals to omit three factors from the
calculations: SEN proxy, Specialist Resourced Provision and
Closing Schools.
c) Changes to the Fair Funding Formula for 2004/05. The following is a
list of the proposed or possible changes for 2004/05:
Primary
• Increased weighting for social deprivation and turnover
factors:
• The use of Key Stage 1 data instead of baseline data for
Foundation and Key Stage 1 pupils for Non-Statemented
SEN funding and some changes to weightings.
• Revisions to the proxy factor for high incidence SEN,
• Introduction of a factor providing minimum protection
for primary schools.
Secondary
• The introduction of a closing schools factor to allow for
the arrangements associated with the closure of Evelyns
Community School.
• The introduction of a minimum level of funding through
the proxy factor for high incidence SEN,
• Introduction of a factor providing minimum protection
for secondary schools.
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Special
• Introduction of a factor providing minimum protection
for special schools.
Nursery
• Introduction of a formal delegated budget for McMillan
Nursery, as a maintained nursery school.
• The introduction of a place factor, nursery factor and
nursery school factor for the first year as the basis of
allocating that delegated budget.
d) Standards Fund take-up. The whole of the Advanced Skills Teachers
grant is to be taken up on the basis that each school with an AST
makes a voluntary contribution to create the matched funding. Also,
within the School Development Grant the LEA proposes to retain
certain elements as agreed by Schools Forum.
e) Standards Fund distribution mechanisms. For the School
Development Grant to allocate any excess beyond the minimum
entitlement for each school on the basis of PLASC January 2004
pupil numbers.
f) Data used in the formula. Each school is asked to consider the data
used in the formula and advise the School Finance Team of
instances where errors or omissions appear to have occurred.
3. Feedback from Consultation (No 1).
3.1 The Schools Forum considered the responses to the consultation paper
and their views (as recorded in the draft minutes) are set out in Appendix 1.
The rest of this paper sets out information regarding an updated position.
4. Overall financial position
4.1 The analysis in the December 2003 consultation paper identified that
there was estimated to be £1.2m of unearmarked funding available within a
passported Schools Budget for 2004/05. A number of items have changed in
the preparation of detailed budgets (eg the calculation of minimum budgets
using PLASC data for 2004 and some of the provisions for special needs
budgets, in particular, have proven to be too prudent (ie we set aside too
much). The amount of unearmarked funding available within a passported
Schools Budget for 2004/05 is now in the region of £2.9m.
4.2 Nonetheless, the Council is facing difficult choices in setting the overall
budget for 2004/05 and it is still far from certain whether Members will be able
to afford any growth beyond the minimum passporting requirement. Indeed,
in some scenarios it might prove difficult for Members to even meet the
passporting requirement. Before any final decisions are taken the Cabinet are
due to issue a revised consultation on the Council’s budget at its meeting on
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Thursday 12 th February 2004. Schools Forum has already made it clear what
its views are on the level of school budgets, but Forum may wish to comment
further. The Cabinet will meet again on Thursday 26 th February 2004 to
recommend a budget to the full Council, which will meet later that evening to
make final decisions.
4.3 Budgets for schools overall will be considered at Cabinet on 4 th March
2004, where the final arrangements for Fair Funding for 2004/05 and the
allocation of the available funding for distribution will be agreed.
4.4 The latest calculation of the amount to be passported for 2004/05 is set
out in Table 1.
Table 1: Calculation of passporting total 2004/05
Schools Budget 2003/04, as per Section 52
Statement Table 1 line 1.7
£136.079m
The increase in the FSS for schools
+£8.431m
The increase in the Excellence in Cities grant
+£0.059m
The increase in LSC grant for Post 16
+£1.230m
Target total to meet passporting requirement
2004/05 £145.799m
4.5 The detailed review of commitments and the preparation of detailed draft
budgets has identified some changes to the overall financial position. To
provide a passported budget, the Schools Budget is currently estimated to
have £2.896m uncommitted (as set out in Table 2). This figure will fluctuate if
the data changes within the draft schools budgets (eg any changes in pupil
numbers will directly impact on the Minimum Funding Guarantee)
Table 2: Consideration of commitments for 2004/05
Devolved Retained Total
2003/04 Section 52 125,454,541 10,624,459 136,079,000
Minimum 4% budget increases and natural
inflation on retained budgets 5,210,309 273,513 5,483,822
Increases in LSC funding 1,139,649 90,205 1,229,854
Changes to SEN (estimated) 0 (35,217) (35,217)
Changes to Standards Funds (145,859) 0 (145,859)
Final tranche of funding for 3 Year Olds 70,000 70,000
EiC increase 59,000 0 59,000
Budget pressure in Early Years Centres 173,000 173,000
Windfall arising from Evelyns City Academy 500,000 500,000
Remainder to schools 2,386,253 2,386,253
Total 2004/05 (current DfES control total) 134,603,894 11,195,960 145,799,854
4.6 The first consultation paper asked whether it was appropriate for the LEA
to increase the retained element of the Schools Budget by more than the
devolved element of the Schools Budget. The clear answer from schools was
no. Some of the figures have changed, in particular the detailed estimates for
SEN and for Early Years. The calculation in Table 3 identifies that the
increase in retained budgets would be less than that for devolved budgets.
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Given that increases attributable to matched funding for the Standards Fund
and Early Years do not count against the excess, it does not appear that this
is now a problem. Appendix 2 identifies what the components of the retained
element of the Schools Budget are.
Table 3: Calculation of devolved v retained budget increases.
Devolved Retained Total
Budgets 2003/04 125,454,541 10,624,459 136,079,000
less LSC devolved funding -11,575,000 -1,293,000 (12,868,000)
Less DfES adjustment for new City
Academy -947,678 0 (947,678)
Revised budget 2003/04 112,931,863 9,331,459 122,263,322
Forecast budgets 2004/05 134,603,894 11,195,960 145,799,854
less LSC devolved funding (12,714,469) (1,383,205) (14,097,674)
Revised forecast budget 2004/05 121,889,425 9,812,755 131,702,180
Increase 7.93% 5.16% 7.72%
4.7 Levels of funding for sectors have not been determined, as final decisions
are yet to be made. Draft budgets are set out in the annexes relevant to
individual sectors. The introduction of the Minimum Funding Guarantee
overrides the formula in most cases where levels of funding overall are below,
at or just above the overall level of the MFG. As funding increases, fewer
schools are funded by the MFG and more by the formula. This of course
means that, for some schools, additional funding might not produce any
additional funding for their school and this ought to be borne in mind
when setting budgets.
4.8 The Schools Forum at it meeting on 22 nd January 2004 advised Cabinet
that the per pupil funding position for each sector for 2004/05 should be at the
Outer London mean and that for future years Cabinet should increase beyond
that to reflect the higher costs in Hillingdon schools. Primary schools are at
the lower end of the Outer London mean, whereas secondary schools are
broadly at the Outer London mean. The implication of the Schools Forum
resolution is that any funding that is available for 2004/05 should be
allocated to primary schools. Officers intend to recommend to Cabinet
that this happen.
4.9 So, for primary schools, indicative levels of funding have been given in
increments of £0.5m up to £2.5m beyond the MFG level to assist schools in
understanding how their budget is likely to be affected by different levels of
increase to the primary sector.
4.10 Funding for special educational needs in mainstream schools is
critically important and further work has been done to establish the
appropriate level of support required for 2004/05. Table 4 sets out what the
original assumptions were for assessing the appropriate level of funding for
the proxy factor for 2003/04.
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Table 4: Funding levels for proxy high incidence SEN factor 2003/04
Original 2003/04 Primary Secondary Total
New statements 280,000 70,000 350,000
Year 7s (7/12ths) 105,000 105,000
280,000 175,000 455,000
4.11 In reviewing the requirements for 2004/05, officers considered the
average number of new high incidence statements agreed in the three years
prior to 1 st April 2003. Account was taken of:
• the proportion of statements which previously would have been
regarded as high incidence, but for 2004/05 will be included in the low
incidence category.
• the average value of a high incidence statement, based on the funding
for those statements which continue to be funded on a per pupil basis;
and
• the actual Year 6 pupils moving to Year 7 in a mainstream school (not
SRP) for both September 2003 and September 2004.
4.12 Table 5 sets out the calculations for 2004/05. Within these totals, there
are half a dozen or so pupils in Year 6, moving to Year 7 in September 2004
and in the current Year 7, where their “high incidence” statement would qualify
as low incidence under the statementing criteria for 2004/05. Individual
schools will be consulted on the appropriateness of this for the individual
pupils. When these details are finalised the funding for the proxy factor will be
reduced and the amount for the individual statemented pupil funding for low
incidence statements will be increased.
Table 5: Calculation of funding needed for high incidence SEN proxy 2004/05
New 2004/05 Primary Secondary Total
Full-year effect of 2003/04 new statements 578,269 111,923 690,192
Provision for new statements 2004/05 289,135 55,962 345,096
Full-year effect of 2003/04 Year 7s 200,000 200,000
Provision for new Year 7s (7/12ths) 130,000 130,000
Uprated to 2004/05 prices (+4%) 34,696 19,915 54,612
902,100 517,800 1,419,900
4.13 Within the Schools Budget the funding for high and low incidence SEN
and statemented pupils is summarised in Table 6. Funding for special needs
continues to increase significantly faster than the rate of inflation. What Table
6 demonstrates is that there are more resources available to all schools to
deal with special needs. It is hoped that these significant increases will allay
some of the fears that many heads had about the pattern of funding for the
proxy SEN factor in particular. Moreover, officers would hope that schools
can use their resource for the needs in their own schools, as well as perhaps
in clusters or in learning partnerships, if the levels of funding are considered to
be worth pooling.
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Table 6: Comparison of schools SEN funding 2003/04 v 2004/05
Component
Section 52
2003/04
Draft
2004/05 Difference
High incidence protected per pupil 2,346,242 1,952,069 -394,173
High incidence proxy SEN 455,000 1,419,900 964,900
Low incidence SEN 1,262,758 1,567,666 304,908
Specialist Resourced Provision 1,029,966 1,411,747 381,781
Special Schools 6,304,268 6,556,888 252,620
TOTAL 11,398,234 12,908,270 1,510,036
5. Minimum Funding Guarantee
5.1 The minimum funding guarantee includes the Section 52 budget for
2003/04 for each school, including any Additional Budget Support Grant for
2003/04 (of which there was none for Hillingdon in 2003/04) and excludes:
• class size funding
• rates funding
• prior year adjustments
• funding with respect to individual named pupils (eg high incidence
protected or low incidence per pupil funding)
• newly qualified teachers funding.
5.2 LEAs may apply to the DfES for permission to exclude other factors from
the calculation where the inclusion of them might cause difficulties locally.
Officers have identified three areas where it is believed that it would be more
practical to exclude them, than leave them in the calculations for the Minimum
Funding Guarantee. These are:
• Proxy SEN factor for pupils with high incidence SEN;
• Factors used to distribute funding for Specialist Resourced Provision;
and
• Funding for the proposed new factor for “Closing Schools” in the
secondary sector (which is only proposed for one year to take account
of the arrangements for the closure of Evelyns Community School).
5.3 If the two special needs elements above were included in the MFG
calculations, any increase in these would be netted off against any reductions
elsewhere in the formula and the school would stand a chance of not seeing
any benefit of the additional SEN resource. Excluding the funding from the
MFG avoids this circumstance arising.
5.4 For the third item on closing schools, schools will recall that this is a
proposed new factor to take account of the large deficit which falls to the LEA
when Evelyns closes at the end of August 2004 and Stockley Academy
opens. The funding is available for this in the one-off windfall arising with the
FSS for 2004/05, which will also allow £0.5m of additional growth for other
schools that otherwise would not exist. Nonetheless, the technicalities of
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dealing with the deficit are such that it is more practical to have it as a formula
factor for one year, rather than retain the funding in an expanded contingency
fund. To include it in the MFG calculations would not be comparing like-withlike.
Given that it is a one-off adjustment, it seems more straightforward to
keep it outside the MFG calculations.
6. Formula Factors
Primary
6.1 The LEA proposes to make four changes to the arrangements for the
primary formula for 2004/05.
a) Increased weighting for social deprivation factor. Consistent with
proposals set out in consultation for 2003/04, the LEA proposes to
continue to increase the amount of funding distributed through the
social deprivation factor by 1% a year to reach the proportion of the
FSS for Primary which is distributed on Additional Educational Needs
indices (8.4% for 2004/05). For 2003/04 6.4% of the net budget for
primary schools (ie excluding statemented pupil funding and
Standards Fund grants) was distributed on social deprivation indices.
The MFG distorts the amount being distributed on social deprivation
and other factors, if the level of funding overall is less than, at or (for
some schools) moderately more than the level of the MFG.
Nonetheless, the weightings for the social deprivation factor will be
increased by 61% (all other things being equal, this would increase the
2003/04 allocations from £0.676m to £1.088m) and the weightings for
the turnover factor will be increased by 100% (all other things being
equal, this would increase the 2003/04 allocations from £0.150m to
£0.300m).
b) Replacement of baseline data for Foundation and Key Stage 1 pupils
for Non-Statemented SEN funding with the use of the last four year’s
Key Stage 1 data where pupils have not attained level 2c in Reading.
The weightings for Foundation / Key Stage 1 to be 0.83, compared to
1.0 for Key Stage 2 pupils.
The methodology for 2004/05 will be:
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Table 7: Basis of distributing Non-Statemented SEN funding 2004/05
Nursery, Data source: Key stage 1 Reading test data.
Reception, Calculation: number of pupils not achieving 2C or below in the last
Years 1 and 2 four years.
Weighting: 0.83 (ie the sum of Nursery (0.5), Reception (0.83),
Year 1 (1.0) and Year 2 (1.0), divided by 4)
Years 3 to 6 Data source: Key stage 1 Reading test data
Calculation: number of current pupils not achieving 2C or below
Weighting: 1.0 (ie the sum of Year 3 (1.0), Year 4 (1.0), Year 5
(1.0) and Year 6 (1.0), divided by 4)
Discussions with primary colleagues led to a debate about the most
appropriate set of KS1 data to use for the SEN factors. There was
some debate about whether KS1 Writing, Reading or Maths should be
used. The proposals all use Reading, which is similar to the
arrangements for secondary schools, which use an NFER reading test.
c) Revision to the proxy factor for high incidence SEN, such that 90%
of the funding be distributed on the same Key Stage 1 data as in the
Non-Statemented SEN factor above, but that Nursery, Reception and
Year 1 pupils be given a supplementary weighting of 1.5, to mirror the
arrangements in the per pupil allocations for pupils with statements.
Table 8: Basis of distributing Proxy High Incidence SEN funding 2004/05
Nursery, Data source: Key stage 1 Reading test data.
Reception, Calculation: number of pupils not achieving 2C or below in the last
Years 1 and 2 four years.
Weighting: Nursery (0.75), Reception (1.25), Year 1 (1.5) and
Year 2 (1.0)
Years 3 to 6 Data source: Key stage 1 Reading test data
Calculation: number of current pupils not achieving 2C or below
Weighting: Year 3 (1.0), Year 4 (1.0), Year 5 (1.0) and Year 6
(1.0)
The remaining 10% of the funding to be distributed on the basis of the
number of pupils eligible for Free School Meals. That number to be
calculated on the basis of the number of pupils in Reception to Year 6
eligible for free school meals on January 2004 PLASC day, divided by
the number of Reception to Year 6s pupils on that day, multiplied by
the number of full-time equivalent pupils enrolled at the school on that
day.
A minimum level of funding be introduced for the proxy factor for
high incidence SEN, representing the 2003/04 allocation plus 4%.
d) Introduction of a factor providing minimum protection for primary
schools. This factor is necessary to allow the Minimum Funding
Guarantee (MFG) to operate. Schools are entitled to the higher of the
formula allocation (for the comparable factors) and the MFG.
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6.2 Some primary schools raised the issue of reverting to the historic
approach to funding Newly Qualified Teachers, with updates of funding each
month for any changes to the numbers of teachers. It is not proposed to
revert to this method as it would run counter to the principles of having as
much funding as possible in schools’ budgets on 1 st April and of encouraging
schools as much as possible to consider their revenue budget as a single
resource, rather than individual components.
6.3 Discussions with primary colleagues led to a brief consideration of the
possible use of ACORN data, instead of free school meals eligibility data for
the high incidence SEN proxy factor for 2004/05. Officers did not have
sufficient information available in time to use them for 2004/05, but would
expect this to be considered carefully for use in future years.
6.4 The Primary Forum response to the first consultation paper noted the
outcomes of the work of the Foundation Stage Working Group and asked that
the LEA set out its intentions on this and the arrangements for SEN proxy
factors, such that schools and the LEA are clear of the direction of travel by
September 2004. Officers are working on a timetable and this will be
discussed through the Strategic Advisory Groups.
Secondary
6.5 There are three proposed changes for the secondary school formula:
a) The introduction of a closing schools factor to allow for the
arrangements associated with the closure of Evelyns Community
School and the opening of Stockley Academy at the end of August
2004. This would be a lump sum for every school due to close before
1 st September 2004. This is the mechanism preferred by officers to
deal with the deficit at Evelyns. As set out earlier in this paper the
funding is available for this in the one-off windfall arising with the FSS
for 2004/05, which will also allow £0.5m of additional growth for other
schools that otherwise would not exist. The alternative is to provide
for the deficit in the contingency fund.
b) The introduction of a minimum level of funding through the proxy
factor for high incidence SEN, representing the numbers of pupils in
Year 7 in January 2004 with high incidence statements (according to
2004/05 statementing criteria) multiplied by 1.583 (ie one year and 7
months), multiplied by half of the average value of a high incidence
statement. This responds to the concerns of some schools where
they were admitting pupils with high incidence statements, but their
level of funding was significantly less than previously.
c) Introduction of a factor providing minimum protection for secondary
schools. This factor is necessary to allow the Minimum Funding
Guarantee to operate.
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6.6 The Hillingdon Association of Secondary Headteachers asked that two
changes be made to the funding formula for 2004/05.
6.7 The first was that the OFSTED Free School Meal bands be used
instead of the average Free School Meal eligibility for the social deprivation
factor. Officers have no problem in principle with this alternative approach
and would be prepared to consult separately on this change. Unfortunately,
there has not been the opportunity for further discussion on how this change
might work, so no alternative models have been developed. If secondary
schools are funded at or very close to the MFG, any change in the social
deprivation factor is likely to be cosmetic (ie most schools would continue to
be funded at the MFG level). Regrettably, there is little time to develop
models at this stage and it may be best to consider the use of OFSTED FSM
bands alongside the ACORN data for 2005/06 and beyond.
6.8 The second was that the fixed factor should be reduced in 2004/05 to
80% of the absolute value of that factor for 2003/04, then to 50% of the
absolute 2003/04 value for 2005/06 and for the factor to disappear completely
in 2006/07. This proposal was put forward with no explanation as to the
reasoning behind it and it was acknowledged that the proposal had not yet
been formally endorsed by HASH at their meeting in January 2004. No
further information has been provided about either the status of or the
rationale for such a change.
6.9 Officers would have concerns about a proposal which removed protection
for the smallest secondary schools without some analysis of the impact that it
would have, the reasoning behind it and the evidence that demonstrated the
reasonableness of funding a school of 1,700 and a school of 450 with no
account taken of the different proportions of fixed to variable costs. If
secondary schools believe that this, collectively, is appropriate in principle,
this ought to be considered in more detail for 2005/06. The MFG may prove
to be a barrier to introducing a phased withdrawal of this factor as the impact
of it may not be experienced by schools in the way that the initial phasing
intended.
Special
6.10 The only proposal is to introduce a factor providing minimum
protection for special schools. This factor is necessary to allow the Minimum
Funding Guarantee to operate.
Nursery
6.11 It is a requirement that the Governing Bodies of maintained nursery
schools are consulted on two issues for the first time for April 2004.
6.12 The first is the determination of a delegated budget for the school
within the Fair Funding scheme. Currently, maintained nursery schools (ie
McMillan Nursery in the case of Hillingdon) are not part of Fair Funding.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 34
6.13 The second is to introduce a formula for the school. It is proposed
that the place factors and nursery factor for McMillan be the same as those for
similar sized nursery classes in maintained primary and infant schools, and
that a lump sum factor be added to recognise the responsibilities of a
separate infant school.
7. Standards Funds – Take up of grants
Advanced Skills Teachers
7.1 Schools Forum recommended that schools with Advanced Skills
Teachers be invited to make a voluntary contribution to the matched funding
for the Standards Fund for 2004/05. They recommended that, should a single
school in a sector choose not to buy back, that the grant not be taken up at all
for that sector. It is proposed to adopt this method for funding ASTs for
2004/05.
School Development Grant
7.4 The proposals for the split between the retained and devolved amounts of
the Schools Development Grant are to be consistent with the
recommendations of Schools Forum. Of the £0.416m which the LEA wished
to retain for a range of on-going SEN initiatives, £35k for the Schools SEN
Training Programme is to be devolved to schools. Of the £93k for the support
staff training and development component, funding is to be retained for
primary schools, but devolved for secondary and special schools.
8. Standards Funds – distribution issues
8.1 Standards Funds will be distributed on the basis required by the DfES in
the first instance (eg where a minimum level of budget must be provided) or,
in the absence of that, on the basis used in 2003/04.
8.2 For that part of the School Development Grant in excess of the
minimum required, this will be distributed on the basis of the PLASC January
2004 full-time equivalent pupil numbers.
9. Data in the draft budgets
9.1 Schools are invited to check the data used for their school and to alert the
School Finance Team of any errors or omissions. There are some aspects to
the data to which schools need to pay particular attention:
a) Nursery sizes. Where there is evidence of a significant variation
between the actual number of pupils enrolled for a nursery class and
the number of places for which that nursery is funded, the LEA will
propose to increase or decrease the size of the funding. The schools
identified below are ones where officers have identified such
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 35
variances and this consultation paper is the mechanism being used to
both alert those schools of the proposed change and to consult them
on their views, prior to a final decision being taken.
Table 9: Schools where nursery funding is proposed to change.
School Current Place
Size
Proposed
place size
September
2004
Likely change in
funding in a full
year
(decease)/increase
Belmore 45 fte places 40 fte places (£28,062)
Bourne 20 fte places 15 fte places (£2,097)
Charville 45 fte places 35 fte places (£30,161)
Field End Infant 50 fte places 60 fte places £12,887
Glebe 20 fte places 15 fte places (£2,097)
Guru Nanak Primary 15 fte places - (£58,193)
Hermitage 20 fte places 15 fte places (£2,097)
Hillingdon 35 fte places 30 fte places (£19,410)
Rabbsfarm 20 fte places 25 fte places £2,099
St Bernadettes 30 fte places 25 fte places (£2,097)
b) Per pupil statemented allocations. Schools are asked to consider
these carefully and to identify any instances where pupils are no
longer at the school or where the category or year group is not
appropriate. Please alert the Special Needs Team if you have any
queries on this matter.
c) Post 16 Funding. The figures in the draft for secondary schools
reflect those provided by the Learning and Skills Council. There is
certainly a query regarding the information provided for Evelyns
School, but other schools may have other issues. Discussions with
the LSC directly may resolve any queries, otherwise contact the
School Finance Team.
d) Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant. The revised data from PLASC
2004 is not yet available. Illustrations will be despatched to schools
shortly.
e) Minimum Funding Guarantee. Schools are asked to consider the
calculation here very carefully as in many cases it is this calculation
which will drive the level of the budget, rather than some of the other
components of the pure formula.
f) Key Stage 1 attainment data. Key Stage 1 data is to be used as a
proxy for Foundation / Key Stage 1 pupils in infant / primary schools,
as well as for Key Stage 2 pupils in junior / primary schools.
For infant / primary schools the data should reflect the scores of the
pupils who sat the tests when they were in that school over the last
four years. That is what the draft budgets reflect.
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For junior / primary schools the data should reflect the scores of the
pupils who are currently in Key Stage 2. Currently, the draft budgets
reflect the scores of the pupils who attended the school in the year
immediately following the one they took the test. The final budgets
will update the data to reflect the pupil profile now. This is only likely
to result in significant change where the pupil profile is radically
different to the one previously, due to pupil turnover.
10. Timetable
10.1 Timescales are short, but the issues have been considered previously
by schools in the first consultation paper. Formal consultation responses are
due by noon on Wednesday 25 th February 2004. This is so that the Schools
Forum papers can be prepared and despatched in time for their meeting on
3 rd March 2004. Schools may wish to convey key issues to their Schools
Forum representatives.
10.2 Officers will be attending the LEA headteachers meeting on 1 st March
2004 and will discuss issues arising from this paper. Council will agree final
budgets for all services at its meeting on 26 th February 2004.
10.3 Cabinet will consider the arrangements for Fair Funding for 2004/05 and
the allocation of budgets within the Schools Budget at its meeting on 4 th
March 2004. The views of Schools Forum will be reported to Cabinet before
they make final decisions.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 37
Appendix 1
Extract from Draft Minutes of Schools Forum (22 nd January 2004), where
they considered the issues raised in Consultation Paper (No1). Officer
comments have been added in parenthesis.
1. Are there any observations on the way in which it is proposed that minimum
budgets for schools be calculated?
No problems were identified at this stage.
(Officers have identified modifications to the operation of the MFG which are
the subject of consultation in this paper).
2. What advice would schools give the LEA in determining priorities for the
allocation of any growth which might exist within the available funding,
beyond unavoidable commitments and other earmarked sums?
Schools Forum endorsed the views of Primary Forum and Hillingdon
Association of Secondary Headteachers that they were deeply concerned at
the lack of movement to close the £1.2m gap between the Formula Spending
Share and the Schools Budget.
Schools Forum agreed that Cabinet be reminded that, at the Schools Forum
meeting in February 2003, they asked that: “Cabinet gives a commitment
to fund schools at the level of the FSS within three years”. Given that a
year has passed, they would now expect the gap to be closed within two
years. They strongly recommended that the £1.1m growth be included in
this year’s budget as the first step in addressing parity with FSS by 2005/06.
In considering the priorities for the estimated £1.2m headroom in the Schools
Budget for 2004/05, Schools Forum agreed by 9 votes to 0, with 3
abstentions, that:
“Forum advises Cabinet that the per pupil funding position for each
sector for 2004/05 should be at the Outer London Borough mean and
that for future years Cabinet should increase beyond that to reflect the
higher costs in Hillingdon schools."
It was recommended that any growth be distributed through age-weighted
pupil factors.
Schools Forum confirmed that they want officers to seek a dispassionate
view of the report prepared by primary colleagues on the relative funding for
primary and secondary schools in Hillingdon, compared to other outer
London Boroughs. David Tully is to deal with this and report back.
(Officers intend to recommend to Members that the whole of any available
growth for 2004/05 go to Primary Schools).
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3. The current calculations of the amount of funding likely to go to retained and
devolved budgets within the Schools Budgets suggests that the retained
element might increase by 1.2% more than the devolved element. If this
situation were not to change, what would schools views be of the LEA
applying to the Secretary of State for permission to increase retained
elements in the Schools Budget by this amount in excess of the increase in
the devolved elements in the Schools Budget?
Schools Forum did not support the increase in retained elements of more
than the increase in devolved elements within the Schools Budget. Members
asked for further details of the components of the Schools Budget.
(Officers indicate in the paper that this is no longer an issue.)
4. All LEAs have access to a Universal Support Grant to assist schools in
difficult financial circumstances. The grant is essentially an advance on the
LEA’s funding for 2005/06. What are schools views on the principle of
accessing this grant at all? And, if there is no objection in principle to
accessing the grant, what advice would schools wish to give the LEA on the
circumstances in which it might be appropriate to allocate funding from this
grant to individual schools in financial difficulties?
Schools Forum did not support the LEA’s access to the Universal Support
Grant.
(Officers do not intend to take up the Universal Support Grant)
5. What are schools views on the need for any changes to formula factors for
2004/05? In particular, what aspects of the proxy based high incidence SEN
funding arrangements need to change for 2004/05?
Schools Forum supported the conclusions reached by Resources SAG the
previous day on the issues of SEN funding. The Resources SAG outcomes
had been reported as follows:
“It was felt by Resources SAG that much more time needed to be invested by
LEA officers on this issue. They felt that major changes could not take place
for 2004/05, but that the LEA still had to put forward a firm proposal on how
the arrangements would operate for 2004/05.
It was agreed that there would be an urgent meeting offered to primary
headteachers (particularly those on Resources SAG and Inclusion SAG, but
open to all) to explore the issues regarding the proxy factors. The LEA was
asked to produce a timetable to identify what work needed to be done, what
the plan for savings in the LEA being passed to schools was, and when it
would be implemented. It was expected that a firm position about the future
of mainstream SEN funding be resolved by September 2004.”
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 39
(Officers have had a meeting with primary colleagues and have put forward a
firm proposal for 2004/05. A timetable for dealing with issues by September
2004 will be considered at the next round of Strategic Advisory Group
meetings. Consultation Paper (No 2) deals with proposed changes to
formula factors.)
6. The LEA is proposing to retain two elements of the School Development
Grant for 2004/05 at the level of the retained funding for 2003/04 and for the
type of expenditure incurred in 2003/04. What are schools’ views on this
proposal? How ought the LEA to distribute any funding beyond the minimum
increase for School Development Grant?
Schools Forum supported the LEA’s proposals to retain funding for: SENJIT
subscription (£8k); Speech and Language therapy pilots (£220k);
Occupational therapy / physiotherapy (£43k); and the projects supporting
inclusion (£40k), green paper (£40k), P scales (£20k) and the SEN
component of the primary literacy strategy (£10k). This totals £381k.
It was asked that the funding for projects be managed by the Head of
Inclusion / SEN and that a report be provided next year identifying how the
funding was used and how effective it had been. It was also asked that a
transparent approach be adopted in advertising the availability of funding and
evaluating candidate projects.
Schools Forum endorsed the Resources SAG view that the £35k for Schools
SEN Training be devolved and that a sector specific approach be adopted for
the £93k Support Staff Training and Development (ie special and secondary
devolved, primary retained).
(Officers have included the Schools Forum recommendations in Consultation
Paper (No 2).)
7. Are there any other observations of schools on the funding arrangements
for 2004/05 which they want to bring to the attention of the LEA before final
proposals are shaped?
Schools Forum endorsed the approach agreed by Resources SAG that
schools with ASTs be invited to make a voluntary contribution to the matched
cost of ASTs. A sector based approach would be adopted in that all schools
with ASTs in a sector would need to agree to payback the matched cost for
the grant for the sector to be taken up.
(Officers have proposed this method for funding ASTs.)
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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Appendix 2
Analysis of Schools Budget 2003/04, split between devolved and retained
Devolved Retained
£'000 £'000
1.0.1 Individual Schools Budget 121,349 0
1.0.2 School Standards Grant 0 0
1.0.3 Standards Fund allocation - revenue 1,733 0
1.0.4
Nursery School Funding (not nursery classes in
primary schools) 235 0
1.1.1 Provision for pupils with statements 0 1,271
1.1.2 Specialist support; pupils with statements 0 0
1.1.3 Specialist support; pupils without statements 0 740
1.1.4
Fees for pupils at independent special schools &
abroad 0 4,316
1.1.5 Collaboration and integration 0 0
1.1.6 Inter-authority recoupment 0 433
1.2.1 Pupil Referral Units 0 50
1.2.2 Behaviour Support Implementation 0 0
1.2.3 Education out of school 0 34
1.2.4
Nursery education provided other than in maintained
nursery schools/classes 0 2,385
1.3.1 School Meals - nursery, primary and special schools 0 0
1.3.2 Free School Meals - eligibility 0 0
1.3.3 Milk 0 0
1.3.4 School Kitchens - repair and maintenance 0 0
1.3.5
Fees to independent schools for pupils without
statements 0 0
1.4.1 Insurance 0 0
1.4.2 Museum services 0 0
1.4.3 Library Services - nursery, primary and special schools 0 130
1.4.4 School admissions 0 244
1.4.5
Licences/subscriptions (not more than 0.2% total net
SB) 0 0
1.4.6 School-specific contingencies 0 69
1.4.7 Miscellaneous (not more than 0.1% total net SB) 0 54
1.4.8 Servicing of schools forums 0 3
1.4.9 Staff costs - supply cover (not sickness) 0 82
1.4.10 Supply cover - long term sickness 0 0
1.5.1 Standards Fund - Non-Devolved 0 813
1.5.2 Non-Standards Fund specific grant 0 0
1.5.3 Specific formula grant: Excellence in Cities (EiC) 1,484 0
1.5.4 Performance Reward Grant 0 0
1.6.1 Capital Expenditure from Revenue (CERA) 653 0
1.7.1 TOTAL SCHOOLS BUDGET 125,455 10,625
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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CONTROLLED DRINKING ZONES – FORMAL
DESIGNATION
ITEM 3
Contact Officer: David Brough
Telephone: 01895 250636
SUMMARY
This report seeks confirmation of the areas of the Borough that are to be
recommended to the full Council for designation for controlling the drinking of
alcohol.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That, subject to 2 below, the Council be recommended to exercise its
powers under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001
(as amended) to designate the following areas as public places for the
purposes of controlling the drinking of alcohol:
• Hayes Town Centre (including Botwell Green)
• Ruislip Town Centre (including Churchfield Gardens and Manor Farm)
• Ruislip Manor (Victoria Road)
• Uxbridge Town Centre (including Fassnidge Park)
• Hillingdon Court Park
2. That the Cabinet note the responses to public consultation received up to
the date of its meeting and any further responses received before the
close of consultation on 17 th March be reported to the Council meeting on
25 th March.
REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATIONS
The Cabinet has previously decided to support the principle of designating the
places listed in recommendation 1for the purposes of controlling the drinking of
alcohol and it is now necessary to make a formal recommendation to the Council in
the light of consultation with the Police and the public.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
The Council is not obliged to set up controlled drinking zones and has the option of
not proceeding with any or all of the proposals depending on the outcome of
consultation.
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
The Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee has not asked to
comment on this subject.
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Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 42
INFORMATION
1. At the Cabinet meeting on 18 th December 2003 a report was received on the
possible use of the Council’s powers to designate certain areas of the Borough as
public places for the purposes of controlling the drinking of alcohol. The report
highlighted that there were increasing problems in town centres and in a number of
parks and open spaces caused by the drinking of alcohol and that these could be
addressed by the Police following designation of the areas concerned by the
Council.
2. It was noted that the Council has to consult with the Police, the public and
affected licensees before designating an area. Once designated there is a power for
a Constable to require a person to stop drinking and to hand over any open or
unopened containers of alcohol. There is not a total ban on drinking within the area
concerned and the power is to deal with people who are creating a nuisance or
annoyance to others or who are involved or likely to be involved in disorder.
3. It was also noted that the local Police had already expressed support in principle
for the designation of areas on a trial basis and that they believed it would contribute
effectively to the community safety strategy.
4. In the light of this information the Cabinet made the following decisions:
(1) That approval in principle be given to the designation of the following places for
the purposes of controlling the drinking of alcohol under the provisions of the
Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001:
• Hayes Town Centre
• Ruislip Town Centre ( including Churchfield Gardens and Manor Farm)
• Uxbridge Town Centre
• Botwell Recreation Ground Hayes
• Hillingdon Court Park
(2) That the designation of the selected areas be subject to the following
conditions:
• Confirmation by the Police and the Council’s Community Safety Team that
there is sufficient evidence of alcohol-related crime and anti-social
behaviour to justify this course of action and
• Agreement between the Council and the Police on the boundaries of each
area to be designated.
• Consultation with the public and with licensees and other retailers within the
proposed control zones.
(3) That the responses to public consultation be reported to the Cabinet meeting on
4 th March 2004 with a view to recommendations being made to the full Council
on 25 th March for the formal designation of the selected areas.
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(4) That the operation of the zones be monitored and reviewed after 6 months’
operation and, if successful, additional proposals be brought forward for the
designation of further areas subject to adequate evidence and resources for
implementation and enforcement.
5. At the December Cabinet meeting a request was made from the Leader of the
Liberal Democrat Group that Ruislip Manor should be added to the list of designated
areas and the Leader of the Council agreed that this should be investigated. When
considering the decisions sheet at a subsequent meeting on 15 th January 2004 it
was agreed that this area should be added.
6. In accordance with the second resolution set out above there has been
consultation between the Council and the Police and there have also been
discussions about the boundaries to be adopted so that the chances of moving
problems into an adjoining area can be minimised. The outcome of these
discussions is set out below and plans of the proposed areas are enclosed with this
report
Data from the Custody Database, CADMIS Disorder and Parks Patrol during 2003
Uxbridge Town Centre (including Fassnidge Park)
Custody Type Custody CADMIS Disorder CADMIS Disorder Parks Patrol
Drunk and Disorderly 64 Type 34: Drunkenness 162 4
Drunk in public place 10
Drunk on licensed premises 8
Disorderly conduct/behaviour 13 Type 26: Disturbance - public 537
Total 95 699 4 798
Hayes Town Centre (including Botwell Green)
Drunk and Disorderly 25 Type 34: Drunkenness 9
Drunk in public place 5
Drunk on licensed premises 1
Disorderly conduct/behaviour 1 Type 26: Disturbance - public 73
Total 32 82 0 114
Ruislip Town Centre (including Churchfield Gardens and Manor Farm)
Drunk and Disorderly 1 Type 34: Drunkenness 2
Drunk in public place 0
Drunk on licensed premises 0
Disorderly conduct/behaviour 1 Type 26: Disturbance - public 16
Total 2 18 0 20
Ruislip Manor (Victoria Road)
Drunk and Disorderly 2 Type 34: Drunkenness 1
Drunk in public place 0
Drunk on licensed premises 0
Disorderly conduct/behaviour 1 Type 26: Disturbance - public 10
Total 3 11 0 14
Hillingdon Court Park
Drunk and Disorderly 0 Type 34: Drunkenness 0 3
Drunk in public place 0
Drunk on licensed premises 0
Disorderly conduct/behaviour 0 Type 26: Disturbance - public 8
Total 0 8 3 11
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 44
Notes:
(1) Custody - gives details of people arrested by Police and in Police Custody.
(2) CADMIS (Computer Aided Dispatch Management Information System) – this is
information from the telephone calls that the CAD room takes from the public
(e.g. 999 calls).
7. The official data for the selected sites is in some cases lower than might be
expected. It needs to be borne in mind that these records are based on those
received through the computerised system and do not include calls to local Police
Community Action Team Officers. In the case of Manor Farm Ruislip there has also
been a petition and many complaints to the Council about vandalism and anti-social
behaviour, some of which is related to the consumption of alcohol.
8. Public consultation is currently taking place on the proposals and a copy of the
consultation document is attached to this report. Letters have been sent to local
residents associations and other groups. The Police are arranging the distribution of
copies to licensees and to local residents and the Uxbridge and Hayes Town Centre
Managers are using their networks to collect views of businesses and other relevant
organisations
9. The legislation requires that a public notice is placed in a local newspaper
circulating in the district and that 28 days are given for responses. The notice
appeared in the Gazette on 18 th February and as a result the consultation period will
not close until 17 th March. The Cabinet will be informed of responses received by
the date of its meeting and a summary of later responses will be submitted to the
Council meeting on 25 th March.
CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
Financial Implications
10. The report to the December 2003 meeting estimated that it would cost in the
region of £10,000 to carry out the public consultation and to erect signs on the
boundaries of the areas to be designated. This cost will be met from within the
Community Safety budget.
11. There will also be resource implications for the Parks Patrol Service in enforcing
the provisions within those parks that are designated and they have been fully
involved in the development of the proposals.
Legal implications
12. The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2002 (as amended) specifies various
procedural steps that the Council must take before designating an area and these
are set out in the report.
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Other consultations
13. The Green Spaces Division of the Environmental Services Group initiated the
first report to the Cabinet and have been involved in the follow up work.
EXTERNAL CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
14. The arrangements for consultations with the Police, licensees and the public are
set out in the report.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Report and decisions of Cabinet meeting 18 th December 2003
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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CONTROLLED DRINKING ZONES FOR HILLINGDON
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What is being proposed?
Hillingdon Council is proposing to create Controlled Drinking Zones in the following
locations:
• Hayes Town Centre (including Botwell Green)
• Ruislip Town Centre (including Churchfield Gardens and Manor Farm)
• Ruislip Manor (Victoria Road)
• Uxbridge Town Centre (including Fassnidge Park)
• Hillingdon Court Park
What is a Controlled Drinking Zone?
The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (as amended) gives local Councils the
power to make an Order designating a part of the Borough as a public place in order
to control the drinking of alcohol in that area.
Before designating an area the Council must be satisfied that there is sufficient
nuisance, annoyance or disorder to justify its action and it must consult the Police,
licensees, retailers and the public.
Once an Order has been made a Constable can require a person to stop drinking in
the designated area and to surrender any open or sealed containers of alcohol. If
the person refuses he or she may be arrested.
What is the penalty if somebody refuses to stop drinking?
A Constable may issue a £40 Fixed Penalty Notice to anybody who refuses to stop
drinking or to hand over any open or sealed containers of alcohol. A person who
refuses may be arrested and prosecuted with a fine of up to £500.
Will it prevent drinking in pub gardens, pavement cafés and parks?
No, this is not a total ban on drinking of alcohol in public. The power will be used
only if a Constable believes that the person concerned is creating a nuisance or
annoyance to others or is involved or likely to be involved in disorder
Why is the Council proposing to introduce these Zones now?
There have been increasing complaints from the public about the effects of drinking
in public places. These include vandalism, excessive noise, abusive behaviour and
the feeling of being unsafe, especially at night time. There are also problems in some
areas with street drinkers in the day time.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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The new Licensing Act will abolish the current controls on licensing hours later this
year and many pubs and clubs are likely to be opening for extended hours. Nobody
knows what effect this will have and the introduction of Controlled Drinking Zones will
help reduce any nuisance that may arise.
Do the Police support what is proposed?
Yes, the Police are keen to see this new power introduced for the same reasons as
the Council.
How have the locations been selected?
The Council and the Police have looked at past crime figures and complaints from
the public and have selected those places where there are most problems. Most of
the locations are town centres but there are also some parks. The operation of the
Zones will be monitored and if successful they will be extended to other Town
Centres and parks where there are problems.
Won’t the zones just shift the problems elsewhere?
There is clearly a danger that the designation of an area will simply move the
nuisance into another area. The drawing of the boundaries is therefore very
important and this is one of the reasons that the proposals for Hayes, Ruislip and
Uxbridge also include nearby parks. The Council and the Police would particularly
welcome comments from members of the public on the proposed boundaries using
their local knowledge.
Isn’t this simply dealing with the symptoms of a much deeper problem?
Stopping individuals from drinking in public on one occasion will deal only with that
immediate situation. The introduction of these Zones is therefore linked with other
measures by the Council and its partners to increase youth facilities, educate young
people about the risks of binge drinking and offer treatment for street drinkers who
want to tackle their drink problems.
What is the timetable for this to happen?
Public consultation is open until 17 th March. A final decision will be made by the full
Council meeting on 25 th March. If all goes to plan the new Zones will then be well in
place for the summer.
How do I make my views known?
Please send your comments in writing to the Community Safety Team at the Civic
Centre Uxbridge UB8 1UW or by email to mhankins@hillingdon.gov.uk Further
information can be obtained by calling the Team on 01895 277295.
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LOCAL CULTURAL STRATEGY FOR HILLINGDON ITEM 4
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: Trisha Grimshaw
Telephone: 01895 50625
This report introduces the proposed Cultural Strategy for Hillingdon and the action
plan for its implementation.
RECOMMENDATION
That members endorse the Cultural Strategy and instruct officers to implement
the action plan.
REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
The report supports work to improve the quality of life in Hillingdon and the
development of partnerships across services and with community partners. The
adoption of the Cultural Strategy will achieve Best Value Performance Plan indicator
BV114, which in turn contributes to the CPA assessment.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
Members can decide not to approve or to amend the Cultural Strategy.
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
The Overview & Scrutiny Committee has not asked to comment on the report.
INFORMATION
1. In requiring local authorities to develop local cultural strategies, the Government
asked local councils to work cross-sectorally in a partnership of services and with
other external organisations and partners to improve the quality of life for local
communities.
2. Initially the development of a local Cultural Strategy was a statutory requirement.
Following the Government review of the range of plans required of local authorities,
a Cultural Strategy is no longer a statutory planning document, however, an
endorsed local Cultural Strategy remains a Best Value Performance Indicator.
3. The vision for the Cultural Strategy for Hillingdon was defined as follows:
‘To help develop Hillingdon as a place in which residents can find fulfilment and
achieve their potential as valued members of a community which embraces diversity
and encourages active citizenship. Participating in cultural activities enhances quality
of life, enriches mind and body, brings communities and generations together and
has the power to transform peoples lives for the better’.
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4. Participating in cultural activities is for many people an essential part of their
quality of life - for some it is developing knowledge and skills or fitness and health, it
is the building of social networks, the fostering of self-confidence and the sense of
well-being, the development of a sense of inclusion and prevention of feelings of
isolation. For others it is about celebrating their cultural traditions and history and
sharing this with others both within their own communities and more broadly. Even
small-scale cultural activities can have a major impact on the lives of individuals and
local communities which can read through into the local economy and have
beneficial social and regenerative effects.
5. The Cultural Strategy supports key objectives and the short, medium and longer
term targets set out in the Leader’s Statement, particularly in terms of:
• A borough of learning and culture
• A council working in partnership with its communities and partners
• A borough where opportunities are open to all
• A cleaner, more pleasant borough
6. Recent government policy documents continue to highlight the role expected of
sport, arts, libraries, and museums, galleries and archives, in supporting themes
such as social inclusion by enabling people to realise their potential and contribute to
the regeneration of a local community. It is the aim of this cultural strategy to
maximise the opportunities for lifelong learning, putting people and groups in touch,
helping people to engage with what is available, making connections, and supporting
easier access.
7. Cultural Strategy Format - attached as Appendix 1
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Appendix 2
The case for culture
Findings from surveys and consultation
Local and national frameworks and research
Themes, aims and priorities of the Cultural Strategy
Cultural Strategy action plan
Key themes of the Cultural Strategy
8. The Cultural Strategy, set out in full in Section 4, has three main themes to give a
clear focus on what is important for the borough and how these ambitions we will
achieve our ambitions:
A: Hillingdon People – everyone should have the chance to enjoy and benefit from
cultural opportunities.
B: Hillingdon Spaces and Places – the importance of our built and natural
environments need to be promoted and opportunities provided for everyone to
benefit from them now and into the future.
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C: Hillingdon Partners – every organisation, whether in the public, voluntary or
private sectors should have an active role in developing culture and improving our
quality of life.
9. Each theme has a set of aims and priorities. The priorities for the Cultural
Strategy are determined as follows:
Theme A:
Hillingdon People
• A1 Ensure better access for all by developing strategies and provision that
meet the needs of groups that do not access or make little use of our cultural
facilities and services.
• A2 Promote cultural activity that celebrates our diverse communities and
develops greater understanding of the borough's rich cultural inheritance.
• A3 Work positively with the voluntary sector and the volunteers who provide
a wealth and variety of local sports, music, visual arts, drama, heritage,
environmental and other activity alongside the services provided by the Council.
• A4 Improve our communication with local communities helping to ensure
that they have access to information about the cultural activities and
opportunities available.
• A5 Ensure culture improves life opportunities for all sections of the
community, working with partners in education, health and other sectors to
improve individual and community opportunities and well-being.
Theme B: Hillingdon Spaces and Places
• B1 Widen access to and enhance the opportunities to benefit from
Hillingdon's cultural spaces and places so that everyone can enjoy Hillingdon's
considerable assets.
• B2 Work to improve the quality and range of cultural facilities available to
our residents and try to ensure that we can respond in relevant and exciting
ways to changing and developing needs for cultural expression.
• B3 Ensure we provide a range of appropriate facilities for children and
young people that are attractive to them and that we create safe environments
for children and young people, particularly those who may feel excluded for
whatever reason.
• B4 Support initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural and built heritage
seeking to maximise community access to and appreciation of our heritage
whilst preserving it for future generations.
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Theme C: Hillingdon Partners
• C1 Work with other cultural providers to help deliver the Cultural Strategy’s
priorities and to ensure a high profile for cultural development to help meet the
quality of life objectives for the borough.
• C2 Extend working links between cultural providers and services and
education, youth, health, environmental, community, and other agencies to
ensure that culture can play its full role in individual and community
development.
• C3 Enhance the community role of cultural facilities as key points for
contact, information and communication as well as spaces enabling enjoyment
and access to a range of leisure, educational, entertainment and cultural
activities.
10. The Cultural Strategy identifies the main areas of work required to deliver these
priorities and these tasks/actions are further detailed in the action plan set out in
Appendix 2.
The Development of the Cultural Strategy
11. In 2002, officers began work on the Best Value Review of Cultural Services
(arts, leisure, libraries, music and the youth services) and individual Best Value
reviews of these services. The programme included a wide-ranging agenda of
consultation over several months covering general cultural issues, service specific
consultation with the users of services, open events and consultation with the
Citizens Panel.
12. The Cultural Strategy is based on the outcomes of this work. The Best Value
Review identified five key development themes which have been taken through into
the Cultural Strategy.
• Working together and with the community to deliver better services and
ensuring we work closely with and support the voluntary sector
• Increasing access to our cultural services by ensuring they are relevant and
available to all sectors of our community
• Improving the marketing of our services so we are better informed of need and
can provide better information on what is available
• Improving buildings and facilities including those not included in major new
developments
• Working together to improve services for young people and to meet their
particular needs.
13. Building on the outcomes of this Best Value Review agreed by Cabinet in June
2003, a programme of interviews with key partners was completed during the
summer. Meetings with young people and minority communities were arranged.
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14. A meeting was then held with representatives of services, voluntary agencies
and a range of partners to view the evidence collected thus far and to enable
participation in a analysis of the way forward for Hillingdon. The first draft of the
Cultural Strategy was then circulated widely and the views and responses received
incorporated. A seminar was held for elected members in October 2003 on the
second draft of the Cultural Strategy and some further refinements made.
15. During the autumn 2003, further meetings and discussions have been held to
explore particular aspects of the strategy. Cross-service planning events have been
held to support further exploration of collaborative working to deliver some of the
priorities of the Strategy, to secure commitment to undertaking this work and build
the projects into service plans.
Links to Other Council Plans and Strategies
16. The Cultural Strategy underpins and links into many of the strategies and plans
of the authority, including:
• Library Service Position Statement
• Green Spaces Strategy
• Education Development Plan 2
• Community Safety Strategy
• Transforming Youth Work plan (draft)
• Arts and Leisure Services team plans
17. These plans already include strategies, projects and programmes of work that
support and enhance the cultural life of the borough. The Cultural Strategy
examines where services and partners can work collaboratively together in a joinedup
way to create new opportunities, widen access and broaden participation and
address needs of all parts of the community.
18. The Cultural Strategy identifies the need for a fundamental revision of the Sport
and Recreation Strategy and the creation of an Arts Strategy as well as the need for
an agreed Corporate strategy for working with the partners in the voluntary sector.
Community Plan/Local Strategic Partnership
19. The implementation of the Cultural Strategy has to be closely interlinked with the
Community Plan. Both plans have at their core the intention to improve the quality of
life of local people, both actively seek to broaden opportunities for all sections of the
community, the delivery of both will be through a rich mix of providers and their aims
and objectives are determined by local views and aspirations. A process will need to
be developed to enable proposed cultural activities to be included in the prioritisation
for inclusion in the Community Plan.
The Cultural Contribution to Achieving Future Cross-cutting Objectives
20. Culture’s contribution to improving the well-being of communities increasingly
features in emerging national policy initiatives and proposals. The Statement of
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Shared Priorities (2003) that sets out central and local government’s commitment to
improving local services through investment and reform focuses on quality of life
issues. Culture and the implementation of the cultural strategy can make a
substantial contribution to the delivery of crosscutting themes such as:
• Raising standards in schools
• Improving the quality of life of children, young people, families at risk and older
people
• Creating safer and stronger communities
• Transforming our local environment
• Promoting the economic vitality of communities
Capacity to Deliver the Cultural Strategy
21. The Strategy identifies areas for development and the need for certain
tools/resources to support achieving change. These include:
• An annual market research survey undertaken corporately to generate fuller
current data covering the cultural needs and aspirations of the residents of
Hillingdon to support the development of plans and projects.
• ACORN data for areas beyond the boundaries of Hillingdon for corporate use.
• Training programme for officers on community profiling.
• Better promotion of cultural activities in the community is a key strategic
objective. A part time support post to undertake the organisation/collection of
information for a regular sponsored listing of cultural events and activities
organised both by services and by voluntary and community organisations. An
external partner would be sought for the advertising content, production and
distribution of such a Hillingdon listing.
• Arts Development Officer (SO2) to work with schools and community groups to
maximise opportunities to enhance pupils' experience, support raising
achievement, developing projects to extend access and build capacity and selfesteem
in communities and linking to the Extended Schools programme.
22. Officers have not made a growth bid in relation to the Cultural Strategy for
2004/05. As work on delivering the strategy develops , officers will need to submit
proposals to enable the strategy to fully progress.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
23. There are no legal implications
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS
24. The report identifies priorities for service initiatives, but this includes specific
proposals which will have resource implications. The ‘Capacity to deliver’ section of
the report identifies an additional Arts Officer and a part time support post. These
posts would cost in the region of 40k.
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These items would need to be considered as part of the budget setting process for
future years.
PROPERTY IMPLICATIONS
25. Property Services welcome the development of the Cultural Strategy for
Hillingdon and will work with Cultural Services in the implementation of the action
plan.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Best Value Review of Cultural Services - Cabinet June 2003
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HILLINGDON LOCAL CULTURAL STRATEGY Appendix 1
Section 1
Introduction
THE CASE FOR CULTURE
This document shows how Hillingdon Council and its partners will work together to
create and extend opportunities to take part in cultural activities available to people
living and working in or visiting Hillingdon. It is intended to be a strategy for everyone
involved in making or enjoying cultural activity.
WHAT IS CULTURE?
Cultural activities can inspire, educate, support the local economy and give immense
pleasure and personal satisfaction. Culture is key to quality of life and to mental and
physical well-being. It is an inclusive concept that embraces a wide variety of
activities, places, values and beliefs that contribute to a sense of identity and pride
for everyone in our communities.
Culture promotes understanding and a sense of belonging and cohesion and can
bring together people from diverse cultural, faith and historic backgrounds. Cultural
activities offer a wide range of opportunities for people of all ages, abilities and
interests to realise their potential, to feel a sense of achievement, to increase social
contacts and develop a sense of well-being. A cultural strategy will make a
significant contribution to the health and lives of individuals and communities.
Many facilities, activities and opportunities for cultural involvement already exist in
Hillingdon and people living in, working in or visiting Hillingdon can spend time in
many pleasurable and rewarding ways. Across our communities are thousands of
people who regularly participate in cultural activities, as, for example, being a
member of an audience for a choral society concert, taking a role in a theatrical
production, visiting an exhibition of the work of a local artist, supporting local
societies/groups by giving time to serve on a management committee.
People in Hillingdon take part in cultural activities every day when they:
• Research their family tree in the local history room in Uxbridge Library
• Help out as a cricket or hockey coach in a local sports club
• Enjoy a wine-tasting session or study garden design with the Hillingdon
branch of the University of the Third Age
• Go to see a film
• Pilot a narrow boat through Coppermill Lock or paddle a canoe at the Outdoor
Activities Centre in Harefield
• Join in a production with Magnetic North Youth Theatre at Compass or learn
animation skills
• Improve DJ ing skills at West Drayton Youth Centre or practise street dance in
Hayes Campus
• Go for a picnic in Colne Valley Park
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• Sing in a Tamil choir at Hayes Festival or join with friends in a henna painting
session run by Hillingdon Asian Women’s Group
• Learn to play violin or guitar with the borough’s Music Service
• Walk for health in one of Hillingdon’s many green spaces
Many in the borough, too, earn a living from culture and leisure, working in sports
centres, Fitness Zones or libraries, providing educational activities for old or young.
New technologies are part of our cultural infrastructure and make an invaluable
contribution not only to our quality of life but also to the local economy.
WHY A CULTURAL STRATEGY?
The Government has asked local councils to work in partnership with a wide range of
other organisations, to improve the quality of life for local communities. In order to
be clear about the best way to tackle Hillingdon’s needs, the outcomes of the
consultation for the Community Plan and the work supporting the recent Best Value
Review of Cultural Services were used to inform the Strategy.
To realise the aims of the Strategy, the council will need to work increasingly crosssectorally,
and collaboratively with voluntary bodies and private sector companies,
and look for support from regional organisations and our neighbours in West London.
Having a strategy should help to:
• Celebrate and make the most of Hillingdon’s many assets - its people, its
places and its activities
• Communicate more effectively so that everyone can clearly know what is
going on in the borough.
• Collaborate in bringing communities together, and help to make Hillingdon a
harmonious, dynamic and prosperous borough
• Promote the wealth of talent and activity already present in the area
• Plan and act jointly with our partners to increase opportunities for all to enjoy
and take part in arts, sports, leisure or heritage activities
• Pool resources, skills and potential to make the most of joint working and
helping to lever in additional benefits to the community
THE VISION
To help develop Hillingdon as a place in which residents can find fulfilment and
achieve their potential as valued members of a community which embraces diversity
and encourages active citizenship. Participating in cultural activities enhances
quality of life, enriches mind and body, brings communities and generations together
and has the power to transform people’s lives for the better.
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Section 2
Examples of the findings from consultation and surveys
The Council has undertaken a number of surveys to assess which services are used
by residents and how satisfied they are with them.
It is clear from both surveys and consultation that cultural services and facilities are
of great importance to people in Hillingdon. They are services that people choose to
use - be it participating in a theatre production, exercising, swimming or borrowing
books from the library.
Asked about which cultural services are most used those surveyed said that:
• Libraries are the most regularly used service with over 70% of people using
them at least once a year, with 53% using the Central Library
• Parks and playgrounds are also popular with nearly 70% of people using them
• The Beck Theatre is visited by 37% of people with at least 20% people also
visiting the Compass Theatre and Winston Churchill Hall
• Swimming pools are the most popular sport and leisure facility and are used
by 35% of people with other sports centres attracting 16% of people
• Museums and Galleries are visited by 54% of survey respondents but this will
include visiting places outside Hillingdon. Within the borough the Cow Byre
Gallery attracts 23% and the Manor Farm Site 20% of respondents.
When asked what cultural activities were most important to them, the
respondents said that:
• Reading is enjoyed by practically everyone, 98% rate this as most important
• Listening to the radio, to recorded music and watching television are also
important to at least 80% of people
• Shopping is important to 85% of people
• Going to parks is important to over 80% of people, with walking or rambling
enjoyed by over 70%
• Libraries are important to nearly 80% of people
• Cinemas are important to over 70% of people
How satisfied are people with the cultural provision in the borough?
• A very high proportion of people, up to 93%, are at least satisfied with their
local or the Central Library
• The Hayes Carnival also achieved satisfaction ratings of around 90%
• Users of venues like the Beck Theatre, Compass Theatre, Winston Churchill
Hall give these venues high satisfaction ratings, sometimes of 90%
• Golf courses achieve the highest rating for sports facilities with 85% finding
them at least satisfactory
• Swimming pools achieve a satisfaction rating of over 70%
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Whilst there was obvious appreciation of many of Hillingdon's cultural facilities only a
very small number of residents surveyed expressed themselves as very
satisfied with some services such as youth centres, sports in parks, parks and
playgrounds, sports centres and swimming pools.
In addition, when asked what services were least well provided for in the borough,
over 50% of people surveyed considered that the borough lacked
• opportunities for visiting historic houses and sites,
• live sports
• youth centres
• events
• a museum
• reading and writing groups.
Young people were also asked about cultural provision in the borough. They
appreciate the library book and video collections and quiet study areas, summer arts
and drama programmes, some of the youth centre activities and the discounts that
are available to them. But they disliked the limited nature of some services including
library opening hours, leisure and fun facilities at swimming pools, the poor condition
of some buildings, the high cost of activities and limited publicity.
Young people want to see a range of activities which are suited to them, not too
distant and at prices they can afford including paintballing, ice-skating,
skateboarding, bowling and snooker. They would like to see more music and media
projects; a large-scale leisure pool and more sports clubs open to all abilities and
less gender discrimination across sports.
When asked what would most improve their ability to benefit from cultural
services and activities in the borough, residents said:
• Better information about what was available to people in Hillingdon was felt to
be important by over 90% of residents
• Improved parks and green spaces was supported by 90% and cleaner streets,
better public toilets were felt important by nearly 90%
• Community safety was considered an important factor by 85%
• Better buildings and facilities were also an important factor with over 80% of
residents feeling improvement would improve enjoyment
• Easier parking and better public transport were considered important by over
75%
• Pricing and more live shows and events were also important to over 75% of
people.
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Section 3 Local frameworks and national policy initiatives
The Best Value Review of Cultural Services (Libraries, Arts, Leisure, Youth and
Music Services) agreed by Cabinet in June 2003, set out a programme with five
themes which have been carried forward into the work for the Cultural Strategy.
• Working together, and with the community to deliver better services and
ensuring we work closely with and support the voluntary sector
• Increasing access to our cultural services by ensuring they are relevant and
available to all sectors of our community
• Improving the marketing of our services so we are better informed of need
and can provide better information on what is available
• Improving buildings and facilities including those not included in major new
developments
• Working together to improve services for young people and to meet their
particular needs.
As part of the above programme, individual Best Value Reviews were completed for
the Leisure Service, Library Service, Arts Service, Youth Service and Music Service.
The resulting approved action plans set out three-year programmes for service
improvement.
Existing Service plans and strategies
The development of the Cultural Strategy has to be viewed in the context of existing
service plans and strategies, e.g.
• Library Service Position Statement 2003/04. Responds to the DCMS guidance
and requirements set out in ‘Framework for the Future’
• Green Spaces strategy
• Draft ‘Transforming Youth Work’ plan
• Educational Development Plan (EDP2)
• Specific sports strategies
• Arts and Leisure Services team plans
• Community Safety strategy
• Corporate ICT strategy, including plans to deliver e-government
• Hillingdon Grid for Learning plans
The Council's plans and framework
Hillingdon’s Cultural Strategy needs to respond to residents' views and their
experience of cultural life in the borough. It will also support and link with ways in
which the Council is already improving services and working with its partners to
respond to residents' needs and views.
The Council Leader’s Statement, 2003/2004 asserts that Hillingdon will be 'A
borough of learning and culture'. The statement identifies a number of key points
that support cultural development of the borough:
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• Continuing investment in front line services including parks, the environment
and libraries
• Improvements in library stock, opening hours and in library buildings
• The Chrysalis environmental programme with £0.75m available each year
• Additional funding for Youth Services of £0.8m
• Support for improvements in our town centres
The Cultural Strategy has to work closely with the Community Plan for the borough.
Working together for a better future sets out six key aims for the Council and its
key partners, including Brunel University, the Police and the Primary Care Trust, to
regenerate and modernise Hillingdon and to develop strong, secure, self confident
and healthy communities. The aims are to make Hillingdon:
• A borough of learning and culture
• A safer borough
• A cleaner and more pleasant borough
• A borough with improving health, housing and social care
• An economically prosperous borough
• A borough where opportunities are open to all
The vision of the Local Strategic Partnership is to ensure Hillingdon is a pleasant and
vibrant place to live and work, where every member of its communities has access to
excellent services and the opportunity to fulfil their potential. This links in turn to the
vision and ambition of creating a borough 'where cultural, leisure and educational
opportunities are open to all children, young people and adults to improve their skill
levels, education and creativity so as to enhance their working and leisure lives'.
(Community Plan 2003/04).
The implementation of the Cultural Strategy is best linked with the Community Plan.
Both plans have at their core the intention to improve the quality of life of local
people, both actively seek to broaden opportunities for all sections of the community,
the delivery of both will be through a rich mix of providers and their aims and
objectives are determined by local views and aspirations. A process will need to be
developed to enable proposed cultural activities to be included in the prioritisation for
inclusion in the Community Plan.
National policy initiatives and research
Culture’s contribution to improving the well-being of communities increasingly
features in the emerging policy initiatives and proposals.
The Statement of Shared Priorities (2003) that sets out central and local
government’s commitment to improving local services through investment and
reform focuses on quality of life issues. Culture can make a substantial contribution
to the delivery of crosscutting themes such as:
• Raising standards in schools
• Improving the quality of life of children, young people, families at risk and
older people
• Creating safer and stronger communities
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• Transforming our local environment
• Promoting the economic vitality of communities
The development of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment 2005 round is
likely to bring an increase in the recognition of culture’s contribution to community
well-being as a core service.
A MORI presentation (2002) on Quality of Life indicators included Access to Culture,
Sports and Leisure Facilities and Community activities amongst key items which
people think are important to making somewhere a good place to live. Facilities and
activities for young people scored high on the list of things that would make places
even better.
The ODPM’s survey of English Housing which lists aspects of their area that
householders would like to see improved, revealed that 38% of those surveyed
(2001/02) wanted opportunities and facilities for children and young people.
A new measure of child poverty proposed by Department of Works and Pensions will
include lack of access to leisure, hobbies, swimming and other cultural activities as
an indicator of deprivation.
In all these policy initiatives and programmes, the recognition of a basic
entitlement to opportunities for cultural expression and recreation is
increasingly taken to be a significant part of the life of every individual.
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Section 4
AIMS AND PRIORITIES FOR THE CULTURAL STRATEGY
Culture can make a major contribution to social, economic and environmental wellbeing
and to the health of individuals and communities. This Strategy will show how
it is intended to work together to improve the quality of life right across Hillingdon.
We want to do this by bringing culture within everyone’s reach, to make sure that
activities thrive in the longer-term and by building on active partnerships.
Three themes for the Cultural Strategy have been chosen to give a clear focus on
what we believe is important for the borough and how we will achieve our ambitions:
Hillingdon People – everyone should have the chance to enjoy and benefit
from cultural opportunities
Hillingdon Spaces and Places – the importance of our built and natural
environments needs to be promoted and opportunities provided for everyone
to benefit from them now and into the future
Hillingdon Partners – every organisation, whether in the public, voluntary or
private sectors should have the chance to play an active role in developing
culture and improving our quality of life.
The aims and priorities of our strategy reflect the outcomes of the surveys,
consultation, interviews and meetings. It seeks to address the concerns and needs
identified by residents of Hillingdon. It will link with and support other initiatives
seeking to improve the lives of everyone living in or visiting the borough.
A. HILLINGDON PEOPLE
People are at the very heart of the Cultural Strategy. They are the most important
source of creativity and inspiration, past, present and future. We want our residents
to enjoy life to the full and to have the opportunities for developing a rewarding and
healthy life.
The borough’s population now has a fifth of residents below the age of sixteen and
20% of all Hillingdon people will belong to ethnic minority communities by 2011.
Together with the 12,000 students at Brunel University who come from 110 different
countries, the borough enjoys a rich and vibrant mix of nationalities and their
cultures.
Surveys by the Council indicate that some groups do not utilise many facilities.
Consultation suggests that these groups, including some children and young people
and ethnic minorities, do feel excluded and do not feel that their cultural needs are
being addressed. It is also necessary to ensure that the needs of older-people,
people with disabilities or learning needs to engage in a full cultural life are met.
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Much of our cultural life is dependant on volunteers and the work of voluntary groups
and clubs. The role of volunteers and voluntary organisations is an essential part of
the picture in Hillingdon, a natural extension of what the Council itself provides. We
must do more to actively support and encourage this sector. If the Council is to work
in effective partnership with the voluntary sector it needs to speak with a clear and
consistent voice and promote the work of volunteers.
Consultation consistently indicated a demand for better information on cultural
activities and the strategy needs to identify ways in which it can address this issue.
Aims
Culture has the power to transform the lives of individuals, families and whole
communities. If we are to build a better quality of life for the people of Hillingdon, the
Cultural Strategy should help ensure that:
• Everyone can take part in cultural activities and opportunities that are
creative, enjoyable and educational, fit in with their way of life and are
appropriate to all ages, ethnic background, abilities and cultural heritage.
• We help to remove barriers to participating and enjoying the cultural life of our
area (whether through cost, lack of information or childcare, transport or
inaccessible buildings, for example)
• Culture plays a full role in strengthening community bonds and that we boost
voluntary activity and make full use of cultural activities to help us bridge
divides including those of age, income or ethnicity
• Culture plays an important role in our economy in offering learning
opportunities and employment for local people as well as attractions for
visitors.
• Culture makes a significant contribution to improving health and supporting
active lifestyles.
Priorities
Our priorities for the Cultural Strategy are to:
A1: Ensure better access for all by developing strategies and provision
that meet the needs of groups that do not access our cultural facilities and
services.
We will:
• Identify a range of routes and facilitators for finding out the needs and
interests of groups and communities not fully benefiting from cultural
provision and develop a phased programme to respond to these needs.
• Ensure that cultural services work to remove, whenever possible, any
barriers to children, young people and adults accessing services,
including the appropriate use of new technology.
• Ensure services have access to up to date socio-economic information
and regular market research which covers the cultural needs and
aspirations of the community and a more effective, integrated use is
made of data already held.
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A2: Promote cultural activity that celebrates the diverse communities
and develops greater understanding of the borough’s rich cultural inheritance.
We will:
• Work across services, with schools and other education providers and
with community groups to develop cultural projects and activities that
celebrate and reflect our diversity and enable creative expression.
A3: Work positively with the voluntary sector and volunteers who
provide a wealth and variety of local sports, music, arts, heritage,
environmental and other activity alongside the services provided by the
council.
We will:
• Develop the Council strategy for its relationship with the voluntary sector,
recognising the key role fulfilled by the voluntary sector and volunteers to
cultural life in Hillingdon, identify clear objectives for its support and
definitions and priorities for the allocation of funding.
A4: Improve our communication with local communities helping to
ensure that they have access to information about cultural activities and
opportunities.
We will:
• Review current service publicity and publications to assess how effective
they are in providing information and promoting wider cultural
participation.
• Establish a cultural marketing and promotion plan with a budget.
• Investigate the re-introduction of a regular listing of cultural activities and
events
• Ensure better service webpages, web-sites, enable free access to the
Internet for cultural information, including provision for feedback from
users.
A5: Ensure that culture improves life opportunities for all sections of
our community including working with partners in education, health and
other sectors to improve personal and community opportunities and wellbeing.
We will:
• Develop and provide a range of life and skills opportunities within the
cultural sector
• Promote healthy living and encourage the adoption of active life-styles
through cultural provision and activities.
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B. HILLINGDON SPACES AND PLACES
Hillingdon’s spaces and places, its natural and built environment and its cultural
places must also be at the heart of the cultural strategy. Hillingdon is a very green
borough with the second largest area of green belt of all London boroughs. Our open
space is one of our most important assets, including our 165 parks. We also benefit
from four woodlands that are national nature reserves, two country parks and
important waterways including the Grand Union Canal and the River Colne.
The quality of our built environment is also important. Our cultural facilities including
our libraries, leisure centres, swimming pools, theatres and art centres, youth and
community centres are a focus for individual expression and community activity.
Pressures on resources mean the continual review and re-prioritising of the
development and refurbishment of facilities to meet new and growing cultural needs.
Our town centres are places not just for shopping but also for socialising and
community activity. All have their distinctive character and some are already
developing local street activities.
We also need to preserve and restore our built heritage particularly places like the
Manor Farm site and Barra Hall and Park which offer so much to the local
community.
All these spaces and places are important in the lives of the community and the
Cultural Strategy must seek a sustainable way to ensure that all parts of the
community benefit from them. In particular the needs of children and young people
for play and exciting and enjoyable recreational activity, including music and media
projects, should be recognised if we are to help lay the foundations for the healthy
and lively Hillingdon community of the future.
Aims
Hillingdon’s spaces and cultural facilities are important to the quality of life of all its
residents and visitors and the Cultural Strategy should help ensure that:
• We make the most of and improve access to our green spaces and natural
environment ensuring that we preserve it for future generations to enjoy
• We maintain and improve the quality of cultural facilities taking care to see
that they meet the needs of all sections of the community
• We help make our public spaces and places attractive and safe for use by all
the community.
• We ensure that we protect and enhance access to and appreciation of our
built heritage
Priorities
Our priorities for the Cultural Strategy are to:
B1: Widen access to and enhance the opportunities to benefit from
Hillingdon’s cultural spaces and places so that everyone can enjoy Hillingdon’s
considerable assets.
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We will:
• Revise the Sports and Recreation strategy bringing together Leisure
Facilities, Green Spaces, Sports Development, schools, Uxbridge College
and Brunel University and the sports voluntary sector to maximise the
sports opportunities both indoor and outdoor in Hillingdon.
• Develop an Arts strategy that encompasses the work being undertaken in
the Best Value Review, the need for community arts development and
work with partners within Hillingdon and West London.
• Promote interest in green spaces and public spaces through engaging
local people in initiatives such Minet Country Park and a street arts
festival. Support Town Centre Managers and work with community safety
groups and the private sector to enliven town centres and make them
safe and attractive places for everyone.
• Enable personal engagement with our history by developing public
access to the rich collection of archives and artefacts in partnership with
Brunel University and other local partners.
B2: Work to improve the quality and range of cultural facilities available to
our residents and try to ensure that we can respond in relevant and exciting ways to
changing and developing needs for cultural expression and creativity.
We will:
• Support the Education, Youth & Leisure Asset Management Review plan
for new leisure provision, the opportunities to refurbish and renew
Hillingdon's libraries, and plans for enhanced Adult Education facilities to
revitalise Hillingdon's cultural and lifelong learning facilities.
• Initiate a strategic review of new cultural facility provision with our
partners within the borough including schools, Uxbridge College and
Brunel University and with neighbouring boroughs to ensure that we
maximise the potential benefits to residents and visitors.
B3: Ensure we provide a range of appropriate facilities for children and
young people that are attractive to them and that we create safe environments for
children and young people, particularly those who may feel excluded from use for
whatever reason.
We will:
• Work with Youth Services to deliver the Youth Plan and seek to maximise
links with cultural activities and providers in meeting the cultural and
development needs of young people
• Work with the Green Spaces team and other agencies to support the
development of play provision and conservation activities for young
people.
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B4: Support initiatives to preserve and enhance our natural and built
heritage seeking to maximise community access to and appreciation of our heritage
whilst preserving it for future generations.
We will:
• Work with partners to develop a borough wide approach to supporting the
built and natural environment to ensure we speak with a single voice to
funding and other supporting agencies.
• Support applications to heritage bodies for the restoration and conservation of
key facilities like the Manor Farm Site, Ruislip Woodlands and the Lido, Barra
Hall and Park, open spaces and canal path developments.
C: HILLINGDON PARTNERS
Very few of the priorities identified in this strategy could progress without close
working with many departments in the Council as well as organisations and agencies
outside the Council. The Council is not an island. Through the Hillingdon Strategic
Partnership and the Hillingdon Community Plan it is already working with a wide
range of organisations to improve life in the borough for everyone. Through the
cultural strategy we need to explore with our partners how we can together further
improve the community’s quality of life.
Neither is our borough an island. Hillingdon is part of a World City and centre of
creativity as well as a European capital, and home to Heathrow Airport - a physical
and symbolic link to the rest of the world and its diverse cultures. Hillingdon is also
home to many international companies and has excellent transport links with the rest
of London.
Hillingdon is a great place to live and work and it has a vision of its place in the future
set out in its Community Plan. If the Cultural Strategy is to be effective it must
encourage and promote collaborative work with partners both within and outside the
borough boundaries.
Aims
Partnership will be critical to the success of initiatives to improve cultural life in the
borough and our Cultural Strategy should help ensure that:
• We maximise the linkages between the Cultural Strategy and the Community
Plan and other key strategies in education, economic and urban development,
health, community safety and the environment showing how cultural activities
can make a significant contribution in all these areas.
• We maximise resources, physical, financial and human for cultural
development through partnerships both within and outside the borough to
provide the highest quality cultural experience for our residents and visitors.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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Priorities
Our priorities for the cultural strategy are to:
C1: Work with other cultural providers to help deliver the Cultural Strategy’s
priorities and to ensure a high profile for cultural development to help meet quality
of life objectives for the borough
We will:
• Develop a Cultural Strategy Group of service representatives and partners to
monitor and develop the Strategy.
• Ensure the linking of the Cultural Strategy to the development of the
Community Plan.
C2: Extend working links between cultural providers and services and
education, youth, health, community, environmental and other agencies to
ensure that culture can play its full role in individual and community development.
We will:
• Initiate a series of bi-lateral and group meetings with key partners to assess
current linkages between their programmes and to develop ways in which
cultural activity can help meet their social and community objectives.
• Work with sub-regional and regional partners to maximise benefits for
provision in Hillingdon.
C3: Enhance the community role of cultural facilities as key points for contact,
information and communication as well as spaces enabling enjoyment and access to
a range of leisure, educational, entertainment and cultural activities.
We will:
• Explore ways in which the cultural facilities in the borough could provide
access for the community to a wider range of information and inter-action with
the Council, in partnership with other services.
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HILLINGDON LOCAL CULTURAL STRATEGY APPENDIX 2
ACTION PLAN
DRAFT
A1
Theme: Hillingdon People
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
Ensure better access
Within Year
for all
1
Identify a range of routes and
facilitators for finding out the needs
and interests of groups and
communities not fully benefiting
from cultural provision and develop
a targeted programme to respond
to these needs.
Ensure that Cultural Services work
to remove, whenever possible, any
barriers to children, young people
and adults accessing services,
including the appropriate use of
new technology.
Cultural Services
Connecting
Communities
EMASS
Community groups
Hillingdon Music Service
Specific voluntary
organisations
Cultural Services
EYL IT (HGfl)
Hillingdon Music Service
CIT
Representative planning group
formed and first targeted
programme developed
Programme delivered.
Second and third programmes
devised and delivered
Outcomes include :
Service membership requirements
simplified
Strategy for fees and charges in
place
Years 2 - 3
Year 1 and
on-going
Ensure services have access to up
to date socio-economic information
and regular corporate market
research which covers the cultural
needs and aspirations of the
community and more effective
integrated use is made of data
already held .
Cultural Services
Chief Execs -Information
& Intelligence
Consultation
Other council services
Pilot automatic library membership
with HGfl and work towards use of
smartcard
Plans supported with ACORN data
and integrated use of service data
Market research programme
agreed and implemented
Officers trained in community
profiling
Year 1,2&3
Year 1 and
on-going
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A2
A3
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
Work across services, with schools
Planning group formed. First joint Within Year
and other education providers and
programme finalised and
1
with community groups to develop
implemented
cultural projects and activities that
celebrate and reflect diversity and
On-going programmes planned & Years 2 - 3
enable creative expression.
implemented
Promote cultural activity
that celebrates diverse
communities
Work positively with
voluntary sector and
local organisations
Develop the corporate Council
strategy for its on-going relationship
and support with the voluntary
sector.
Cultural Services
Hillingdon Music Service
SIS/schools
Adult Education
Youth Service
Community cultural
providers
Healthy Hillingdon
Community Resources
team
Voluntary sector
HAVS
Mapping exercise of cultural activity
in Hillingdon completed by the
group
Corporate Audits of internal
funding/support provided to the
voluntary sector, and of voluntary
sector in Hillingdon, in partnership
with HAVS, completed
Within Year
1
Corporate Strategy developed and
agreed.
Year 1/2
A4
Improve our
communication with
local communities
Review current service publicity and
promotions to assess how effective
they are in providing information
and promoting wider cultural
participation.
Arts Service, Leisure
Service
Sports Development
Youth Service
Green Spaces
As above
Cultural Services
Green Spaces team
Other cultural providers
Community cultural
providers
HGfl
Advice and help provided to
voluntary sector on accessing
external funding
Develop service networking with
HAVS to publicise capacity
building, good practice training
opportunities
Cultural marketing and promotion
group formed Review completed
On-going
Year 1 and
on-going
Within Year
1
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A4
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
Establish a cultural marketing and Cultural Services
Within Year
promotion plan with a budget. Green Spaces
1
Improve our
communication with
local communities .
Investigate the re-introduction of a
regular listing of cultural activities
and events provided through
services/cultural community.
Marketing and promotion
team
External partners
Marketing and promotion plan
developed including service data
and new data from priority A1
Sponsor/external partner sought.
Bid for p/t post to coordinate.
Publication programme agreed
Year 1,2,3
By Year 3
A4 Ensure better service webpages,
free access to the Internet for
cultural information, including
provision for feedback from users.
A5
Ensure that culture
improves life
opportunities and
enables active lifestyles
for all sections of our
community
Develop and provide a range of life
and skills opportunities within the
cultural sector
Cultural Services
Cultural Services
Green Spaces
HGfl
Horizon
CIT
Cultural Services
Youth Service
Adult Education
SIS,& schools
Brunel and other
education providers
Music Service
Healthy Hillingdon
Community cultural
providers
Programme of designated service
information and publicity points
completed for all cultural venues,
theatres, leisure centres, youth
centres, libraries, adult education
centres
Content and design Web
information improved. Links from all
service web pages.
Free Internet access from cultural
venues as well as libraries.
Service and Cross-service/partner
opportunities planned and
provided. To Include e.g.:
IT skills, work placements,
arts/theatre experience/training,
life-guard training, career
development information through
links to Connexions. MA
courses(leisure).
Programme developed
Years ! & 2
Year 3
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Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
A5 Promote healthy living and
encourage the adoption of active
life-styles through cultural
provision and activities.
Cultural Services
Healthy Hillingdon
Green Spaces
Community
organisations
Social Services
Cross-service programme for
older people developed. and
delivered
Inter -generational project
planned and delivered
Year 2
By Year 3
Years 1-3
Programme developed by
services over 3 year period.
To include
GP Referral
Fitness provision
Sport in Parks
Health Fair
Writing/reading groups
Walks programme
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B1
Theme: Hillingdon Spaces & Places
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
Widen access to and
Strategy developed and agreed Within Year 1
benefit from Hillingdon’s
cultural spaces and
places
Revise the Sports and Recreation
strategy bringing together Leisure
Facilities, Green Spaces, Sports
Development, schools, Uxbridge
College and Brunel University and
the sports voluntary sector to
maximise the sports opportunities
both indoor and outdoor in
Hillingdon.
Leisure Service
Green Spaces team
Schools
Brunel University,
Uxbridge College
Sports voluntary sector
West London providers
B1 Develop the Arts strategy Arts Service
Brunel University
Schools
Community partners
West London partners
Service partners
B1 Promote interest in green spaces
and public spaces through
engaging with local people in
initiatives such Minet Country Park
and a street arts festival. Support
Town Centre Managers and work
with community safety groups and
the private sector to enliven town
centres and make them safe and
attractive places for everyone.
Green Spaces team
Arts Service
Healthy Hillingdon
Town Centre managers
and Town Centre groups
Community Safety Team
Community groups
Schools
Strategy implemented
Strategy developed and agreed
Strategy implemented
Collaborative programme
developed by year 3 to include
Events in Parks programme
(Green Spaces strategy)
Medieval Festival at Manor Farm
Uxbridge Street Arts Festival
Years 2 & 3
Year 1 /2
Years 2/3
By year 3
B1 Enable personal engagement with
our history by developing public
access to the rich collection of
archives and artefacts in
partnership with Brunel University
Library Service
Brunel University
Local Studies and
Family History Groups
Hillingdon Race Equality
'Bridging the gap' oral history
project completed, with travelling
exhibition.
(If HLF bid successful) 'Heritage
Year 1
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Theme: Hillingdon Spaces & Places
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
and other local partners.
Council
Schools
builds bridges' joint project makes
archives accessible on-line and
digitised on HGfl
Year 1 to 3
B2
Work to improve the
quality and range of
cultural facilities
Ensure we provide a
range of appropriate
facilities for children and
young people
Support the Education, Youth &
Leisure Asset Management
Review plan for new leisure
provision, the opportunities to
refurbish and renew Hillingdon's
libraries, and plans for enhanced
Adult Education and Youth Service
facilities to revitalise Hillingdon's
cultural and lifelong learning
facilities.
Initiate a strategic review of new
cultural facility provision with our
partners within the borough
including schools, Uxbridge
College and Brunel University and
with neighbouring boroughs to
ensure that we maximise the
potential benefits to residents and
visitors.
Work with Youth Services to
support the delivery of the Youth
Plan and seek to maximise links
with cultural activities and
providers in meeting the cultural
and development needs of young
people.
Cultural Services
Schools
Brunel University
Uxbridge College
Youth Service
Adult Education
Property Services
Cultural Services
Schools
Brunel University
Uxbridge College
Private providers
Neighbouring Boroughs
Property Services
Cultural Services
Youth Service
Work progressed with partners
towards a borough museum
Progress made in providing
accessible, attractive, 'fit for
purpose' cultural and lifelong
learning facilities for Hillingdon
Years 1-3
Years 1-3
Strategic review completed End year 2
Best Value Review action plan for
review of Compass Theatre in
partnership with youth service and
other agencies completed
Joint project to deliver mystery
shopper programme to enable
Year 1
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Theme: Hillingdon Spaces & Places
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
young people scrutinising the
delivery of services.
Plan developed for promoting
services and events through
schools
B3 Work with the Green Spaces team
and other agencies to support the
development of play provision, and
conservation activities for young
people.
Cultural Services
Youth Services
Green Spaces team
On-going action plan developed Year 2 & 3
Green Spaces strategy supported Year 1
and on-going
B4
Preserve and enhance
natural and built heritage
Continue to contribute to a
borough wide approach to
supporting the built and natural
environment to ensure we speak
with a single voice to funding and
other supporting agencies.
Cultural Services
Environment Services
Voluntary sector
External Funding officer
Common approach agreed with
regular review and liaison process
Year 1
and on-going
Support projects to restore and
conserve Hillingdon's built and
natural heritage such as the Manor
Farm Site, Ruislip Woodlands and
the Lido, Barra Hall and park etc,
to enable greater public access
and interpretation.
Cultural Services
Green Spaces team
Community support
groups
Schools
External funding achieved to
enable major projects to proceed
within the timescale of the
strategy
Link to Priority A4 to develop
publicity and promotion of
Hillingdon's heritage
Years 1 to 3
By year 2
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C1
C2
C3
Theme: Hillingdon Partners
Priority Actions Partners Outputs Timescale
Work with other cultural Develop a Cultural Strategy Group Cultural Services, other Strategy regularly reviewed and Year 1 to 3
providers to help deliver of service representatives and key partners
monitored
the Cultural Strategy’s partners to monitor and develop the
priorities and to ensure strategy.
a high profile for
Years 1 to 3
cultural development to Ensure the linkage of the Cultural Local Strategic
Cultural Strategy themes and
help meet quality of life Strategy to the development of the Partnership
activities adopted through the
objectives for the Community Plan.
Lifelong
planning process for inclusion in
borough
Learning/Cultural the Community Plan..
Extend working links
with other
services/agencies
Enhance community
role of cultural facilities
Initiate a series of bi-lateral and
group meetings with key partners to
assess current linkages between
their programmes and to develop
ways in which cultural activity can
help meet their social and
community objectives.
Work with sub-regional and regional
partners to maximise benefits for
provision in Hillingdon.
Explore ways in which the cultural
facilities in the borough could
provide access for the community
to a wider range of information and
inter-action with the Council, in
partnership with other services.
.
Development Group
Cultural Services
Wide range of other
agencies and services
Cultural Services
Cultural Services
HIP Customer contact
project team
Corporate IT
HGfl
Other Council Services
On-going discussion process and
the implementation of joint working
on projects
Development projects within
Westwords, (Literature),WELIC for
Libraries, Western Wedge for Arts,
London West LSC, London
Libraries Development Agency
identified and delivered
Feasibility started for First Stop
access t o the Council for the
community and the use of cultural
facilities as community base for
other services.
If agreed, schemes progressed
and delivered
Years 1 - 3
Years 1 to 3
Year 1
Years 2 & 3
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A REVIEW OF THE ANIMAL WELFARE CHARTER ITEM 5
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: Peggy Law
Telephone: 01895 277403
The report details a review of the Animal Welfare Charter summarising progress and
achievements made since its endorsement in 2001. The report also includes some
proposed amendments to the Charter and a summary of draft animal welfare
legislation currently being considered by government.
RECOMMENDATION
That Cabinet:
1. Notes progress being made since the endorsement of the Charter.
2. Agrees to the proposed amendments to the Animal Welfare Charter.
3. Instructs officers to carry out a review of the Charter once the Animal
Welfare legislation is implemented.
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION
To ensure that the Charter is kept under review and to take on board the implications
of proposed new legislation.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS AVAILABLE
The Cabinet could instruct officers to carry out further work at this stage.
OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE COMMENTS
The Overview & Scrutiny Committee did not ask to comment on the report.
INFORMATION
1. The Environment Committee endorsed the Animal Welfare Charter on 2 nd
October 2001, which is appended to this report. It was agreed that the Charter
would be reviewed regularly and if necessary revised from time to time to reflect
changes in legislation and other relevant issues.
2. The recent review is focussed on three areas as follows:
• Progress and achievements made since the endorsement of the Charter
• Amendments to the Charter as a result of policy developments and further
comments from the RSPCA
• Recent developments and proposals on animal welfare legislation and the
Hunting Bill.
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A Review on Progress and Achievements
3. The following are a summary of the progress and achievements made since the
endorsement of the Charter:
• A Local Biodiversity Action Plan is being developed to encourage and protect
biodiversity in the borough.
• A general enforcement policy has been developed for enforcement work, which
includes dealing with unlicensed animal boarding and breeding establishments
and licence contraventions. It is anticipated that once the proposed Animal
Welfare Bill becomes an Act, it would enhance local authorities’ role in respect
of promoting animal welfare through advice, education, inspection, enforcement
and prosecution.
• In response to many residents who were experiencing problems with urban
foxes, general information and detailed practical advice on the use of repellent
to deter foxes has been made available on Council’s website, Hillingdon People
and in leaflet form. Further information on responsible dog ownership is to be
introduced on the website. It is hoped that we could continually build on the
amount of information and advice available on the website and eventually cover
all aspects of animal welfare.
• In order to encourage responsible dog ownership, a publicity campaign
involving the issuing of penalty notices for littering and dog fouling is being
planned in conjunction with the police. By consolidating the enforcement
actions, it makes a more effective use of the resources and sends a clear
message that such anti-social behaviour is unacceptable.
• Close liaison has been developed between Animal Control Officers (ACO),
Entertainment Licensing Officers and Leisure Services to ensure that ACOs are
informed of all forthcoming events involving animals. Whenever possible, ACOs
will attend events where live animals are involved to protect the welfare of the
animals.
• For the Animal Welfare Charter to be meaningful, it is important to raise public
awareness on animal welfare issues. It is important to show how the policies in
the Charter are being implemented in a practical way. To this end, an article is
being planned in Hillingdon People to illustrate some of the animal welfare
issues being tackled by our ACOs.
Proposed Amendments to the Charter
4. The following relates to comments received from the RSPCA.
5. In Section 1.2 of the Charter as attached, it is probably more appropriate to use
the term ‘animal freedom’ rather than ‘animal rights’ which is often associated with
animal rights activists whereas the intended meaning is associated with animal
welfare.
6. In section 1.3 of the Charter, the five basic freedoms were first developed by the
Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) and have since gained increasing acceptance
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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within Government, veterinary and animal welfare groups as the basic principles,
which should govern the care of all animals. It is suggested that ‘RSPCA’ should be
replaced with ‘Farm Animal Welfare Council’.
7. The fifth freedom as stipulated by the FAWC is ‘freedom to express normal
behaviour’ and not ‘freedom from unnecessary constraint’.
8. There were other comments made regarding provision of further information and
clarifications on licensing of pet shops, boarding and breeding establishments, riding
establishments, training of staff etc. It is felt that such details should not be in the
Charter but could be made available separately, either as an appendix to the Charter
or as information leaflets and published on our web site. This area of work will form
part of the next review.
9. Other updates relate to Section 1.1 of the Charter, the Animal Control Service
was not included in the Best Value Review in 2002 and the last sentence should be
deleted.
10. In section 2.3 of the Charter, it is suggested that the second action concerning
biodiversity should be deleted and replaced with the following. ‘A Local Biodiversity
Action Plan (LBAP) is being produced, which is a plan of action for protecting
conserving and enhancing wildlife, at a local level. LBAPs focus resources to
conserve and enhance biodiversity by means of local partnerships, taking account of
both national priorities, including rare and endangered species, and local priorities
identified by local communities’.
Animal Welfare Bill
11. The Government is proposing to introduce an Animal Welfare Bill that would
consolidate the existing animal protection legislation. It is widely acknowledged that
the current laws on animal welfare is fragmented and requires updating.
The main aims of the bill are:
• The improvement of the enforcement regime and to promote coherent animal
welfare policies.
• Extension of the current licensing arrangements operated by local authorities in
respect of certain businesses that keep animals as part of their trade, to include
other types of animal establishment.
12. The bill may also enhance local authorities’ role in respect of animal health and
welfare and could include provision of advice, education, inspection, enforcement
and prosecution. It is recognised that local authorities currently have limited statutory
responsibility for the enforcement of animal health and welfare legislation.
13. Once the Animal Welfare Bill becomes an Act, the current scope of the Charter
may need to be extended to reflect the legislative changes. It may also be necessary
to re-examine and revise the format of the Charter to ensure that policy statements
remain clear and given sufficient emphasis. It is therefore proposed that the Charter
is reviewed and revised once the legislation is implemented.
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Hunting Bill
14. The Bill remains in limbo following its passage through the Houses of Parliament
last year. It was amended by the Lords to allow hunting to continue under a
registration scheme. When the Bill returned to the House of Commons, the
government put forward a late amendment to the Bill, which would have allowed
dogs to continue to be used below ground in certain circumstances. Although the Bill
was left out of the Queen’s Speech in November 2003, assurances were given by
government that the hunting issue will be resolved in this parliament.
CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
Finance
15. The recommendations to agree the amendments and to carry out a review have
no financial implications.
Legal
16. Members should note that at present no direct legal issues arise from the report.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Animal Welfare Charter
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Animal Welfare Charter
1.0 The animal welfare charter provides an opportunity for animal welfare issues
to be promoted and to send a clear message to the community the Council’s
commitment to animal welfare and its strong opposition to cruelty to animals.
1.1 This charter identifies a number of areas where the Council can promote and
bring about improvement in the health and welfare of animals. To ensure that the
Council delivers on these objectives, an action plan will be drawn up and the
performance reviewed and assessed on a regular basis. The assessment process
will be linked to the Council’s Best Value review programme that encourages the use
of best practice and setting of achievable targets. The Animal Control Service is
scheduled for Best Value Review in 2002.
1.2 The animal welfare charter will be reviewed regularly and if necessary revised
from time to time to reflect changes in legislation and to address local concerns and
specific topical issues.
1.3 This charter enshrines the rights of animals to enjoy the five basic freedoms
as supported by the RSPCA:
♦ freedom from hunger and thirst
♦ freedom from discomfort
♦ freedom from pain, injury or disease
♦ freedom from fear and distress
♦ freedom from unnecessary constraint
These five animal rights will form the guiding principles when formulating council
policies on animal welfare. The charter intends to raise awareness on welfare of
animals and has been prepared within the overall framework of our Local Agenda 21
Strategy and Unitary Development Plan (UDP).
There are animal welfare groups who campaign against cruelty to animals such as
the RSPCA, League Against Cruel Sports and many others. This charter will
concentrate on issues that are directly under the Council’s remit where any action
taken is more likely to make a real difference.
Wildlife and habitat conservation
2.0 The London Borough of Hillingdon has one of the greatest diversity in land
use compared to other London Boroughs. It has a unique combination of
environment, being both rural and urban, with a mix of traditional and modern,
industrial and residential developments.
Hillingdon has a rich diversity of wildlife habitats and species. There are six Sites of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) within the Borough. The Council has designated 5
sites within the Borough as Local Nature Reserves and the London Ecological Unit
has identified a further 11 sites as Sites of Metropolitan Importance for Nature
Conservation, 42 sites as Sites of Borough Importance and 7 sites as Sites of Local
Importance. It is the only London Borough with a National Nature Reserve, namely
Ruislip Wood, which represents 10% of London’s semi-natural ancient woodland.
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Elsewhere in the Borough, the Yeading Valley Park Corridor, the open land adjoining
Ickenham and Ruislip, and even narrow strips of open land such as the River Pinn
Corridor and the Grand Union Canal, all link together to form ‘Green Chains’ of open
land which extend across the Borough boundaries, providing wildlife corridor.
2.1 Many of the nature sites also contain rich and diverse aquatic wildlife and
include rivers and watercourses in the Borough such as River Colne, R. Frays, R.
Pinn and the Grand Union Canal to the west of the Borough and River Crane and
Yeading Brook to the east.
As part of our commitment to LA21, it is important to protect, enhance and manage
these rich habitats, to ensure that plant and animal life thrive in these areas. Local
bio-diversity should be encouraged and development constrained within the carrying
capacity of the natural environment.
2.2 The Council is committed to
♦ protect and promote the rich diversity of habitats within the borough including the
sites of special scientific interest, local and other nature reserves
♦ protect wildlife and maintain bio-diversity in these areas
♦ seek to create new habitats to attract a variety of wildlife
2.3 Action
‣ This is being achieved through land use planning policies in the borough’s
Unitary Development Plan. The Council will not permit development which would
adversely affect these habitats and nature conservation as a positive land use is
actively promoted
‣ The Greater London Authority (GLA) is due to produce a bio-diversity action plan
for London. Public consultation will commence in the near future. Once
published, the plan will form the framework of an action plan for encouraging and
protecting bio-diversity in the borough
‣ This area of work overlaps with our Local Agenda 21 Strategy for Hillingdon. This
strategy is based on our commitment to sustainable development through
protecting and enhancing the environment. The strategy seeks to ensure that the
natural environment, (including the urban natural environment) in the borough is
conserved and enhanced.
Improve animal welfare through inspection, licensing and enforcement
3.0 Improvement and protection of animal welfare could be achieved by effective
enforcement of licensing conditions. Local authorities have the power under a
number of legislation to licence pet shops, breeding and boarding establishments,
riding establishments, zoos and dangerous wild animals.
3.1 Under the Pet Animals Act 1951, pet shops have to be licensed by local
authorities to ensure that the welfare of the animals is protected. Problems that may
occur in some pet shops include overcrowding of animals, lack of adequate exercise,
lack of proper supervision, inadequate diet, poor hygiene and lack of trained staff.
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The Council discourages the selling of pets without proper regard to the welfare
needs of the animal.
3.2 The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 and Animal Boarding Establishments Act
1963 require these premises to be properly managed having regard to the conditions
of the accommodation and the welfare of the animals in these establishments. The
Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 gives local authority power of entry to unlicensed dog
breeding establishments, allowing officers and vets to seek a warrant to inspect
unlicensed premises.
3.3 In addition to maintaining and improving the welfare of animals in these
premises, a significant number of animals also pass through Heathrow Airport. It is
one of the main routes by which live animals are imported into this country through
the Airport’s Live Animal Border Inspection Post. The UK has adopted the
International Air Transport Association’s Live Animal Regulations, which stipulate
conditions to ensure that proper welfare standards are monitored and met. The
Council will continue working in partnership with City of London Corporation to
ensure that the regulations are rigorously enforced and animal welfare standards are
maintained.
3.4 The Council has an important role to play in preventing cruelty to animals
through enforcement. The present legislation on cruelty to animals is based on the
Protection of Animal Act 1911. This has been reinforced over the years by other Acts
of Parliament and by statutory regulations. Some parts of the legislation apply only to
dogs, whilst other parts apply to other domestic animals and wildlife. The Council will
assist and work in partnership with RSPCA to investigate and whenever possible
prosecute those who perform acts of cruelty to animals.
3.5 The Council will
♦ undertake animal welfare inspections to ensure that licensing conditions are met
so as to secure the health and welfare of animals in pet shops, in boarding and
breeding establishments. These conditions would seek to ensure such measures
as suitable accommodation, adequate food and drink, precautions to prevent the
spread of disease and suitable emergency procedures.
♦ promote responsible ownership of exotic pets through licensing conditions.
Many of the animals are also listed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act
♦ in conjunction with veterinary officers, continue to ensure that horse-riding
establishments comply with licensing conditions. Under the Riding
Establishments Act 1964, there is a requirement for riding establishment to be
licensed and regular inspections carried out by a veterinary surgeon.
♦ take enforcement action to counter unlicensed premises and contravention of
licence conditions
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♦ continue our partnership with City of London Corporation to ensure that proper
health and welfare standards of all animals imported through Heathrow Airport’s
Live Animal Border Inspection Post are maintained
♦ The Council will assist and work in partnership with RSPCA to investigate and
whenever possible prosecute those who perform acts of cruelty to animals
3.6 Action
‣ Review and consolidate existing licensing conditions on pet shops, boarding,
breeding and riding establishments to ensure they meet animal welfare needs.
‣ Develop a robust enforcement policy to deal with unlicensed premises and
licence contraventions
Provision of Animal Control Service
4.0 One of the key functions of the Animal Control Service is to collect stray dogs
and ensure that they are treated in a humane manner and are not subjected to any
further stress or discomfort. On average, the Council collects about 20 stray dogs
per week. Our aim is to actively promote responsible dog ownership and to reduce
the number of stray dogs in the Borough. As part of our campaign, the Council aims
to provide an information pack to raise public awareness on the benefits of
mircochipping and the neutering of cats and dogs. Pet ownership is a partnership
that combines pleasure with responsibility.
4.1 The Council currently provides a microchip implant service for pets and is
being publicised in pet shops and public places. Each microchip is given a unique
number, which is linked to a national microchip identification database. The system
is one of the quickest ways of returning any lost animal back to its owner.
4.2 The Animal Control Officers also ensure that all reported injured or sick
animals and wildlife receive proper treatment and that they are relieved of any pain
and suffering as soon as practicable. Complaints of cruelty to domesticated animals;
wildlife and exotic species within the Borough are always thoroughly investigated in
conjunction with RSPCA and other welfare organisations with a view to possible
prosecutions.
4.3 The Animal Control Service also plays an important part in providing advice
and support to members of the public on aspects of less common species of animals
such as the removal and re-siting of poisonous adder snakes from sensitive areas to
safe areas. Officers will work with the relevant organisations to protect badgers from
disturbance and interference. Practical support is also given to other departments of
the Council and agencies on evictions involving animals and transport of live
animals.
4.4 The Council will
♦ continue to fund and operate a animal control service incorporating animal
welfare as a key element of the service
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♦ actively encourage responsible dog ownership by producing an information pact
to raise public awareness
♦ continue to fulfil our legal obligation on the collection and kennelling of stray dogs
in the borough
♦ enforce against owners of dogs who fail to clear up after their dogs
♦ provide advice on all aspects of animal welfare
♦ continue to provide microchip implant service for animals
♦ provide support for removal of animals when evictions are carried out
♦ promote responsible pet ownership by enforcement and raising public awareness
4.5 Action
‣ Publicise the microchip implant service by distribution of leaflets and public
awareness campaigns
‣ Introduce initiatives to promote animal welfare and responsible dog ownership.
Advice and information on animal welfare to be made more accessible to the
public via the internet
‣ Produce an information pack to encourage responsible pet ownership and
highlight the importance of the following:
a) Microhipping
b) Neutering of cats and dogs
c) Meeting the welfare needs of the animals
d) Social responsibilities such as keeping dogs under control in public places,
clean up after their dogs and making sure that they do not cause a noise
nuisance to neighbours by persistent barking
Influence the use of Council land for events to ensure good animal welfare
practice
5.0 As landowners, local authorities have the power to refuse permission for
certain activities to take place on their land. These activities include hunting with
dogs, animal circuses, tethering of horses and ponies and giving animal prizes.
Hunting with dogs include a range of activities such as fox hunting, stag hunting and
hare coursing. In hare coursing, beagles or harriers are used to chase the hare and
the aim is not to kill the hare – although some are caught and killed, but to test the
speed and agility of the dogs.
5.1 Hunting with dogs is considered by many, including the RSPCA and other
animal welfare organisations, to be cruel. A number of options are currently being
considered by Government, which includes a complete ban on hunting with dogs, or
allow only licensed events. The Youth and Leisure Sub-Committee in 1999
supported a ban on activities relating to hunting with dogs at all future Middlesex
Country Show which takes place annually in the Borough.
5.2 In respect of animal circuses, the Leisure Sub-Committee on 10 October 1995
reviewed the policy on the letting of Council owned sites to circuses. The committee
resolved that sites be let only to circuses which are members of the Association of
Circus Proprietors and that do not include live animal acts in their programmes.
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5.3 The Council will enforce the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988 and
will not allow tethering of horses and ponies as a method of keeping equines on a
permanent basis when there is no regular daily exercise. If tethering is temporary or
regular daily exercise is provided then Code of Practice for tethering horses and
ponies should be followed.
5.4 The Council will
♦ ensure that where animals are involved in public display or performances, their
welfare and conditions are inspected and regulated
♦ ban animal circuses from council owned sites where it is legal to do so and it is
supported by local interested groups
♦ enforce the Protection Against Cruel Tethering Act 1988
♦ discourage animals being given as prizes usually with little or no preparation for
the welfare needs of the animal
♦ oppose the use of all snares and traps to control pests which would cause
unnecessary suffering
5.5 Action
‣ Closer liaison with entertainment licensing officers and leisure services to ensure
that events involving performing animals are monitored
‣ Review current policies on the use of Council land for events involving animals.
Where it is lawful to do so, incorporate relevant policies to protect the welfare of
animals
Ensure that animal welfare is considered in Council policies when carrying out
its functions either as service provider or as purchaser of goods and services
6.0 The Council will
♦ ensure that all pest control treatments are carried out humanely and by trained
and experienced operatives
♦ introduce animal welfare measures into council emergency plans
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HILLINGDON BOROUGH TRANSPORT
STRATEGY: RESPONSE TO THE PRELIMINARY
CONSULTATION
ITEM 6
Contact Officers: Janet Rangeley/Veronica Pinto
Telephone: 01895 250553/01895 250000 ext 2449
SUMMARY
Since July 2003, officers have been developing the Borough Transport Strategy. Part
of this has included undertaking preliminary consultations with a diversity of
organisations and individuals within the Borough’s business and residential
community to assist in the identification of the key issues affecting the community
and the priorities for the strategy’s action plan. This report provides Cabinet with
details of the outcomes of the preliminary consultations and informs members of the
next stages and timetable for progressing towards the target date for adoption of
June/July2004.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Cabinet:
(a) Agrees the contents of the report,
(b) approves the timetable for the next stages in preparing the Borough
Transport Strategy as detailed in paragraph 14 of the report, and
(c) requests officers to bring the draft Borough Transport Strategy to the next
meeting of Cabinet for consideration for formal consultation purposes.
REASON FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATIONS
The Borough Transport Strategy will provide:-
• an essential framework for the Council’s Borough Spending Plan,
• a contribution to the emerging Local Development Framework, and
• a significant component to implementing the Council’s Community Plan. As
such, it has been included as a medium term objective in the Leader’s
Statement and a target date of June/July 2004 set for the adoption of the
Strategy.
In order to meet this timescale and for Cabinet to gain an appreciation of the issues,
as identified by the Borough’s community prior to considering the draft Transport
Strategy officers, have submitted this report for consideration.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
There are none.
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OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMENT
This Cabinet report on the response to the preliminary consultation will be on the
agenda for the proposed Overview and Scrutiny meeting of 1sr March and any
comments will be reported to the Cabinet meeting on 4 th March.
INFORMATION
1. In May/June 2003, work commenced on preparing Hillingdon’s Borough
Transport Strategy (BTS). Two officer working groups have been established to
ensure that the strategy is both a corporate document and also provides the
framework for the future bids within the Council’s Annual Borough Spending Plan
submission.
(a) a representative Internal Working Group comprising of Council officers meets
regularly to provide input on detailed transport issues into the Strategy,
including parking, air quality, cycling, road safety, planning, traffic management,
etc. Secondly, and in conjunction with this, a Corporate Steering Group has
been established to ensure that the different issues such as health, education
and air quality are integrated into the Strategy, and
(b) practical issues highlighted by the Internal Working Group are considered by
corporate heads, local-strategic partners and stakeholders such as HAVS
(Hillingdon Association of Voluntary Services) and Healthy Hillingdon and taken
forward into the various themes of the emerging strategy.
2. Both these groups have been instrumental in developing the preliminary
consultation for the Transport Strategy, which is detailed in paragraphs 2 to 13 of this
report. The strategy once adopted will contribute to the Council’s Local
Implementation Plan for Transport - a requirement of Local Authorities by Central
Government.
Preliminary Consultation
3. The overarching themes of the Transport Strategy are to be based on the
Community Plan objectives. In order to establish the key issues facing the borough’s
business and residential community, a period of preliminary consultation has been
undertaken between June 2003 and January 2004. The outcome of this consultation
is detailed in the report and the key issues, concerns and comments raised have
enabled priorities to be identified in developing the Strategy. Many of the local details
(topic and location) are being considered as officers prepare the transport action
plan which is the implementation element of the Strategy.
4. In developing the Hillingdon Transport Strategy, extensive public consultation has
been conducted to reach as many stakeholders as possible. Briefly, consultation
exercises have involved:
• Stakeholder meetings undertaken with key groups, including the Hayes Town
Partnership, Uxbridge Initiative, the Hillingdon Cycling Working Group,
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Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce and DASH in the Borough initiated the
consultation process.
• Public Consultation with Borough residents and tenants associations (see
Appendix 1.
• An Internet questionnaire linked to an article in ‘Hillingdon People’.
• A very successful Borough Transport Conference in November 2003 with a
cross representation of interests (see Appendix 2)
• Presentations made to the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee
which has the Borough Transport Strategy as part of its work programme for
2003/04.
5. On the 24 th November 2003, the Borough hosted its first conference on transport
in Hillingdon. Nearly 100 delegates represented transport users and operators and
included Transport for London, Healthy Hillingdon and Primary Care Trust (PCT), the
Disablement Association of Hillingdon (DASH), Hillingdon Carers, Metropolitan
Police, BME groups, London Cycling Campaign, HAVS, the Uxbridge Initiative, BAA
and other local businesses. Comments and issues arising from the earlier
preliminary consultations with some of the key stakeholders held June – September
2003, were instrumental in developing the themes and workshops at the Conference.
Presentations were given on:-
• the need for and the context to the Borough Transport Strategy;
• the participation process for developing the Strategy.
• freight
• mobility
• Green Travel Plans
• Safer Routes to School, and
• Health.
6. These were followed by five workshops on the following themes:-
• Air quality and transportation
• Business
• General accessibility issues
• Parking
• Public transport
7. Details of the outcomes from the various workshops are contained in Appendix 3,
but the main issues focused on:-
• local flexibility of the parking standards,
• better enforcement of parking regulations particularly along bus lanes and at
bus stops to allow the free flow of traffic.
• Costly parking fees, including those for London Underground.
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• Promote park and ride (for local commuters) as it could be effective
• Parking controls (particularly Parking Management Areas for residential areas)
and enforcement
• Local bus services successful especially at Hayes, but poor links north-south.
• Need for schools to plan for public transport access to them and encourage
school travel plans.
• Need for improvements to public transport for disabled people, the elderly and
young families
• Need to promote clean vehicles
• Better integration of the transport system, encouraging the use of canals and
waterways.
• Concentrate on local transport initiatives
• Undertake disability audit and set up a mobility forum
• Improved design of disabled persons parking spaces
• Better public transport information and access to it
• Encourage green travel plans for local businesses
• 20mph zones (home zones) to be identified
• need for a heavy commercial vehicles strategy to deal with problems of freight
on Hillingdon’s roads
• freight vehicles in bus lanes contribute to congestion
• public transport linkages to the west (into the Counties) need to be improved.
8. Overall, the feedback from the Borough Transport Conference has been very
positive. Many key issues have been identified and discussed and will be invaluable
in developing the Transport Strategy. The Conference was successful as a platform
for engaging stakeholders in developing the Transport Strategy and many delegates
have expressed an interest in further transport discussion forums as the strategy
emerges. Officers are currently considering the detailed outcome from the various
workshops and other consultations
Stakeholder Consultation
9. A range of interest groups, residents associations and individuals has been
consulted on the Borough Transport Strategy. More recently officers have been able
to consult those groups who were unable to attend the Conference. This has
included a presentation to the Connecting Communities Consortium, the translation
of the Transport Strategy website questionnaire into minority languages and a link to
the Transport Strategy website in the HAVS website which will enable responses to
the Strategy questionnaire from minority groups. In December 2003, officers
contributed to the motorists’ forum now established and will be considering how
issues raised at the first and subsequent meetings can be incorporated into the
emerging strategy. Further consultation involves officers making a presentation and
holding a discussion session at the Hillingdon Youth Council Conference and the
Joint Strategy Group for Physical and Sensory Disabilities in February 2004 and are
currently investigating involvement in the Voluntary Services Health and Social
Carers Forum, the Disability Forum and the Older Persons Assembly.
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Local Residents Groups / Associations
10. The consultant commissioned to assist in the consultation part of developing the
strategy has met with various local tenants and residents associations (see Appendix
1 to this report) and will complete this work by the end of January. Cabinet should
note that the list is not comprehensive as it reflects only those groups which
responded to the invitation from the consultant to attend their meetings to consult on
the Borough Transport Strategy. Officers are keen to extend this consultation to
other residents’ associations and local groups during the formal consultation period
proposed for mid April to late May In a structured approach, the consultant sought
views on the following six overall objectives:
• To improve safety
• To improve health and the general quality of life in local streets
• To improve the overall reliability of the transport system
• To improve access to transport
• To promote economic regeneration and support local business
• To encourage greater use of public transport, cycling and walking
• To achieve greater understanding of the issues and greater consensus on the
way forward
11. The key findings from this consultation exercise include:-
• the need to improve safety through accident reduction and enforcement of lower
speeds,
• improve reliability of and access to public transport,
• the provision of short term parking to support local shops, and
• the opposition to cycle lanes.
Questionnaires
12. The local community and interest groups have been able to provide comments
on transport in Hillingdon via an on-line questionnaire and a similar hard-copy
questionnaire, in connection with the first in a series of articles in Hillingdon People
(October/November 2003 issue). 77 responses were received on-line and 16 people
completed the hard-copy questionnaire. Although not a statistically valid sample, to
date, the questionnaires have provided a useful insight into the public view of
transport in Hillingdon. Respondents rated the public transport in the Borough as
average and commented on the bus and tube services, lack of good north-south
links, and the continuity and reliability of the public transport service.
13. From the questionnaire analysis, four key challenges / issues facing those
travelling in the Borough were identified as:
• Congestion;
• Need to improve the public transport system;
• Traffic calming / safety; and
• Parking and related issues
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14. The most frequently raised issues included:
• The continued promotion of walking and cycling initiatives
• The provision of cheap all-day car parks
• Regard for motorists
• West London Tram
15. Together with the analysis of consultation responses from local residents
associations, a summary of which will be included in the next issue of Hillingdon
People (February/March 2004), the feedback from questionnaires will be considered
as part of the emerging Borough Transport Strategy. Further responses to the
Strategy questionnaire are expected in the future as a link to the questionnaire is
currently available on the HAVS website.
Transport Operators
16. Officers are due to seek views/discuss the transport strategy with transport
operators and will be integrating comments and operator priorities into the emerging
strategy for further consideration.
Next Stages
17. As indicated in the paragraph containing the reason for the officer
recommendations in this report, there is a commitment to achieve the adoption of the
Borough Transport Strategy by June/July 2004. Table 1 below details the stages
towards meeting that target.
Table 1
STAGES
TIMESCALE
Hillingdon Youth Council Conference: Presentation and discussion 26 February 2004
(am)
Hillingdon Assembly for Physically Disabled and Sensory Impaired
People
Prepare for advertising consultation programme in: Hillingdon People
in the April/May issue, other publications, and the Transport Strategy
website
Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee:
Consideration of 4 th March Cabinet report on response to the
preliminary consultation
26 February 2004
(pm)
March 2004
1 st March 2004
Cabinet :Consider the report on preliminary consultation response 4 th March 2004
Environment Overview and Scrutiny: consider Cabinet report on
draft Transport Strategy
29 th March 2004
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All Members seminar on the content of the draft Borough Transport
Strategy (BTS) and programme of consultation as contained in the
1 st April Cabinet report.
Cabinet: consider draft Borough Transport Strategy for formal
consultation
Formal consultation on the draft BTS
30 th March 2004
7-9pm
1 st April 2004
Mid April– mid/late
May 2004
Presentation to and consultation with the Local Strategic Partnership 19 April 2004
Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee: consider Cabinet
report on the final Transport Strategy for adoption
June 2004
Cabinet : consider final Transport Strategy for adoption June 2004
BOROUGH SOLICITOR’S COMMENTS
18. There are none to be reported at this stage in the preparation of the Borough
Transport Strategy.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE COMMENTS
19. All of the costs incurred in preparing the strategy are being met from existing
Planning and Transportation Services’ budgets and also from the Parking Revenue
Account, which has funding ring-fenced specifically to meet the costs of preparing
the Borough Transport Strategy.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Borough Transport Conference 24 th November 2003: feedback from the workshops.
Consultant’s analyses of comments from individual questionnaires and residents and
tenants’ association meetings.
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APPENDIX 1
Residents and Tenants Associations consulted September 2003 – January 2004.
• Hayes Town Centre Residents Association
• Cranford Cross Residents Association
• Harefield Tenants and Residents Association
• Whitehall Residents Association
• Harmondworth and Sipson Residents Association
• Harlington Residents Association
• Hillingdon Alliance of Residents Associations
• North Uxbridge Residents Association
• Northwood Hills Residents Association
• Violet Avenue Tenants and Residents Association
• Northwood Residents Association
• Hillingdon Tenants and Residents Association.
Residents and Tenants Associations that did not respond are:
• Home Farm Residents Association
• North Hayes
• Colham Green
• The Larches
• Oak Farm
• Pastures Mead
• Vine Lane
• West Ruislip Commuters Association
• Ferndale Area
• Glebe
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HILLINGDON BOROUGH TRANSPORT CONFERENCE: INVITEES
APPENDIX 2
Councillors
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Cllr Mike Heywood 26/9/03
Overview and Scrutiny
Cllr Baker 26/9/03 Yes Member bbaker@hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr Peter Ryderson 26/9/03 Yes Member
Cllr Bishop 26/9/03 Yes Member 01923 826610 dbishop@hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr. N. Nunn-Price 26/9/03 Yes Member 01895 478916 Nnunn-price@hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr. R. Puddifoot 26/9/03 No
Cllr S.Stone 26/9/03 Yes Member cllsstone@hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr D. Routledge 26/9/03 Yes Member 01895 27050
Cllr A. Banks 26/9/03 Yes Member 01895 436112
Cllr J Rhodes 26/9/03 Yes Member 01895 234348
Cllr John Hensley No Member
Cllr Harmsworth 26/9/03 No Member 01895 250127
Cllr John Major 26/9/03 Yes Member 01895250780
Cllr Lakham Yes Member
Cllr R. Barnes 26/09/03 No Member
Cllr S. Jenkins 26/09/03 Yes Member sj@hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr J. O’Neill 26/09/03 Yes Member 01895676501 Jo’neill@Hillingdon.gov.uk
Cllr Paramit Sethi Yes Member
Cllr Phoday Jarjussey Yes Member
Chief Officers
Chief Executive 26/9/03
Ruth Willis 26/9/03
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 101
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Jean Palmer 26/9/03
Philomena Bach 26/9/03
Brian Murrell 26/9/03
Council Officers
Janet Rangeley 22/9/03 Yes
Veronica Pinto 22/9/03 Yes
Tom Fisher 22/9/03 Yes
Gary Collier 22/9/03 Yes
Mary Worrall 22/9/03 Yes
Chandra Raval 22/9/03 Yes
Jack Webster 22/9/03
Sabeeha Mannan 22/9/03
Shane Brackenbury 22/9/03
Elaine Carter 22/9/03
Julie Evans 22/9/03 Yes Education Youth
7697 jdevans@hillingdon.gov.uk
Leisure
Denis Judge 22/9/03
Paul Williams 22/9/03
Peter Friend 22/9/03 Yes
Nigel Coates 22/9/03 No
Andy Codd 22/9/03 Yes
Wendy Rogers 22/9/03 Yes
Val Beale 22/9/03
Peggy Law 22/9/03
Doug Williamson 22/9/03 Yes
Jonathan Westell 22/9/03
Andy Stubbs 22/9/03 Yes 01895 251281 astubbs@hillingdon.gov.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 102
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
MPs
John Randall 22/9/03 Yes
John McDonnell 22/9/03 Yes 02085690010
John Wilkinson 22/9/03 Yes johnwilkinson@parliament.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 103
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
Arandale Couriers
Piers Scrimshaw-Wright 22/9/03 Arlington House
0118 930 4141 p.scrimshaw_wright@arlington.co.uk
Arlington Business Park
Theale, Reading
RG7 4SA
Arriva the Shires and Essex
Nick Knox No 934-974 Marchwood House
01923662325
Watford
Herfordshire
WD25 9NN
Tony Tallant 20/10/03 General Manager(Buckinghamshire)
Arriva the Shires Ltd
Newlands Bus Station
High Wycombe
Bucks HP11 2HU
BAA
Andy Wadham 22/9/03 No BAA
8745 6169
Heathrow Point West
234 Bath Rd
Harlington
UB3 5AP
Nicola Hooper 13/10/03 Yes BAA Heathrow 0208745 5966 Nicola_hooper@baa.com
BA
Steve Smith 22/9/03 Airport Policy Manager
8738 9808
British Airways
Waterside (HDA3)
PO Box 365
Harmondsworth
MIDDX UB7 0GB
British Waterways
Annie Hilder 29/9/03 Landscape Architect
British Waterways
The Toll House
Delamere Terrace
Little Venice
London W2 6ND
3552
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 104
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Brownes Minibuses
Eddie/Pam Brownes 22/9/03 10 Old Orchard Close
01895 440145
Hillingdon
UB8 3LH
Capital Call
Paul Jones 22/9/03 Transport Co-ordination Centre
7275 2446 Capitalcall@hackneyct.org
C/o HCT
Ash Grove bus depot, Mare Street, LONDON, E8
4RH
Chiltern Railways
Steward Yateman Great Central House
02073333032
Marylebone Station
Melcombe Place
London
NW1 6JJ
Connecting Communities / Hillingdon Muslin Council
Mr Amir Ahmed 22/09/03 15/10/03
Yes
DASH
Angela Wegener 22/9/03 Yes, e-mail
reply
Hillingdon Muslin Council
5 Harries Road
Hayes
UB4 9DD
Wood End Centre
Judge Heath Lane
Hayes
Middx
UB3 2PB
02088418097
Fax
02085811424
8848 8319 Info@dash.org.uk
Pauline Cooper 22/9/03 Yes 01895 672568 Pauline@cooper63.fslife.
co.uk
Freight Quality Partnership
Mike Slinn 22/9/03 MVA House
Victoria Way
Woking
Surrey
GU21 6DD
Friends of the Earth
22/9/03 Rosemary Bennett, 3 Rectory Way, Ickenham,
UB10 8BP
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 105
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
HAVS
Carol Coventry 22/9/03 Key House
01895 442722
106 High Street
Yiewsley
UB7 7BQ
J. Betteridge Yes 01895442929 jenib@havs.org.uk
Hayes Town Centre Partnership
Mohammed Haniff 22/9/03 Yes Hayes Town Centre Manager
02088137733 mhaniff@hillingdon.gov.uk
72-74 Station Rd
Hayes
Heathrow Airport
Roads Policy Officer Heathrow Point
234 Bath Road
MIDDX
UB3 5AP
Heathrow Area Transport Forum
Alastair Duff 29/9/03 Westward House
155-157 Staines Rd
Hounslow
Middx TW3 3JB
Healthy Hillingdon
Angela Flux 30/9/03 Fountains Mill
81 High Street
Uxbridge
Dr. Hilary Pickles Yes Director of Public Health 01895452045 Hiliary.pickles@hillingdon.nhs.uk
Hillingdon Chamber of Commerce
Mike Langan 22/9/03 Yes 19 Station Rd, Hayes
UB3 4BD
0208 5691197 info@hillingdonchamber.com
Hillingdon Chat
6/10/03 webmaster@hillingdonchat.com
Hillingdon Community Transport
John Reid 30/9/03 General Manager
Harlington Road Depot
Block B
Hillingdon Cycling Forum
Steve Ayres 22/9/03 Yes 90 Hercies Rd
UB10 9ND
01895 230953 Steve1.ayres@hotmail.com
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 106
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Beryl Bell 22/9/03 No 1 Leven Way
colinberyl@compuserve.com
Hayes
UB3 2SR
Cliff Jones 22/9/03 Yes 18 Pepys Close
01895 638317 Cliff.jones@btinternet.com
UB10 8NL
Sarah James 22/9/03 29/9/03
Yes
64 Bridle Rd
HA5 2SH
Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust
Wendy Scarr Yes 01895279961 wendy.scar@thh.nhs.uk
Tina Dinch 13/10/03 Yes 01895 279856 tina.dench@thh.nhs.uk
Hillingdon Primary Care Trust
Dr Hilary Pickles
Yes 01895 452045 hilary.pickles@hillingdon.
Director Public Health
Shirley Goodwin 22/9/03 Yes Hillingdon Primary Care Trust
Kirk House
97-109 High Street
Yiewsley
West Drayton, MIDDX, UB7 7HJ
Hillingdon Times and Gazette
Rachel Sharp 6/10/03 Yes Bucks Free Press & Times Group
Gomm Road
High Wycombe
Bucks HP13 7DW
Hindu Cultural Association
Anil Mitra 3/10/03 Yes
10/10/03
gov.uk
01895 452094 shirley.goodman@hillingdon.gov.uk
01494755112 rsharp@london.newsquest.co.uk
01494677916?
Dr. Bhargava 3/10/03 Yes
10/10/03
IBM
Les Johns Yes
23/10/03
Global Logistics Procurement & Projects Manager
UK & Ireland
IBM Integrated Supply Chain (ISC)
Greenford
01895676939
020 88325213 JOHNSL3@UK.IBM.COM
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 107
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Liftshare
Marcus Seaman 22/9/03 Yes
25/9/03
marcus@liftshare.com
Butterfly Hall
Attleborough
Norfolk
NR17 1AB
Gateway Enterprise
Jay Seeburrun 22/9/03 Unit K
International House
Bridge Park
Southall UB2 4AB
Groundwork Thames Valley
Keren Jones 22/9/03 Colne Valley Park Centre
Denham Court Drive
Denham
UB9 5PG
HACCA
Heather Callender Yes HACCA 02085820664
The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association
The General Secretary 9-11 Wood Field Road
London
W9 2AB
Living Streets
Paul Holdsworth 22/9/03 31-33 Bondway
London, SW8 1SJ
London Ambulance Service
David Court Yes Royal Lane
Hillingdon
MIDDX
UB8 3QX
London Buses Operating Services
Adrian Dempsey Area Traffic Controller NW
Bakers Road
Uxbridge, Middlesex
LFB
R. Goodman-Brown No 02085680199
London Fire Emergency Planning Authority
Marion House
61 Staines Road
Hounslow
Middlesex TW3 3JQ
8917 9286 jayseeburrun@jjewel.com
7820 1010 Info@livingstreets.org.uk
01895 255242 david.court@lond-amb.nhs.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 108
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
London Buses
Jeff Tucker 22/9/03 First Uxbridge Garage
01895 236598
Bakers Court
Uxbridge MIDDX
UB8 1RJ
George Goodridge First Uxbridge Garage
01895 258647 Adrain.Dempsey@tfl-buses.co.uk
Bakers Court
Uxbridge MIDDX
UB8 1RJ
Many Shades of Green
Denise Chetram Yes
01895422333
10/10//03
Metroline
Norman Law 118-122 College Road
020 82188888
Harrow
Middlesex
HA1 1DB
Metronet
Roger Hedley 22/9/03 Metronet
02079326200
40 Melton St
London
NW1 2EE
Metropolitan Police
Mark Toland 22/9/03 Borough Commander
8246 1492
Uxbridge Police Station
1 Warwick Place
Uxbridge
Middlesex UB8 1RG
Chief Inspector Ian Brooks 10/10/03 Yes Metropolitan Police
02082469801 Ian.brooks@met.police.uk
Alperton Road
Middlesex HA0 1EW (sent by e mail)
PC Paul Richards Yes NW Partnership Focus Desk
02082469811 Paul.Richards@met.police.uk
Athlon Road
Alperton
Wembley
Middlesex
HA1 1EW
Mick Morris Yes 02082461473 Mick.m.morris@met.police.uk
NOTRAG
No Gill Cannon gill.cannon@infonotrag.org.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 109
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Christine Taylor 6/10/03 Yes 22 Raywood Close
02085648345 mathewstc@aol.com
Harlington UB3 5NL
Older People’s Forum
Surgit S Gill
Open Spaces Society
David Williams 22/9/03 30 Sweetcroft Lane
Uxbridge
UB10 9LE
Securiplan
6/10/03 Chevron House
346 Long Lane
Hillingdon
Stockley Park Consortium
Robert Burlumi 22/9/03 Operations Director
01895 444100 Robert_burlumi@stockleypark.co.uk
Stockley Park Consortium
The Management Suite
5 Ironbridge Road
Stockley Park
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB11 1HB
Andrew Van Der Mersch 22/9/03 Stockley Park
Stockley Park Consortium
The Management Suite
5 Ironbridge Rd
Stockley Park
Uxbridge
UB11 1HB
Strategic Rail Authority
Mr Graham Cross 22/9/03 Rail Development Manager
55 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0EU
Steve Shaw No steveshaw@sra.gov.uk
SWELTRAC
John Barclay 22/9/03 Maybe 16 Rydal Drive
West Wickham
KENT
BR4 9QH
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 110
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
TFL
Richard Carr 22/9/03 TfL London Bus Services Ltd
79183416
172 Buckingham Palace Rd
LONDON
SW1W 9TN
Nick Atkinson 29/9/03 TFL North/West Team
02079417079
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0TL
Peter Livermore 22/9/03 TfL
02079414731
Head of Borough Partnerships
Windsor House
42-50 Victoria Street
London
SW1H 0TL
Phil Cummings Yes TFL 02070279105 philcummings@gov.uk
Darren Womack 29/9/03 Project Director
02070279108
WL Tram Project
Victoria Station House
191 Victoria Street
London SW1E 5NE
Mr G. Beswick Bus Priority: TfL
Street Management
1 st Floor Faith Lawson House
15-17 Dacre Street
SW1H 0NR
Thames Trains
Royce Mumby Turbo Maintenance Depot
Cow Lane
Reading
Royce.mumby@
thamestrains.co.uk
TfL Public Carriage Office
Robin Gillis
(Cab Rank Officer)
Yes
15 Penton Street
London
N1 9PU
Trimite Ltd
Mr Steve Griggs 6/10/03 Yes Arundel Road
Uxbridge
Middx
02079417829 Robin.gillis@pco.org.uk
01895251234 Steve.griggs@trimite.com
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 111
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Uxbridge Buses
Stavros Heracleous 13/10/03 Yes First Uxbridge Garage
01895236598 Stavros.heracleous@firstgroup.com
Bakers Court
Uxbridge
Middlesex
Peter Stringer Yes As above 01895236598 Peter.stringer@firstgroup.com
Uxbridge Initiative
Clive Godsave (yes) 22/9/03 No (John
Palmer)
Pavilions Shopping Centre
18 Chequers Square
01895274059
C.Godsave
UB8 1LN
Tony Dunn 22/9/03 Management Suite
The Chimes Shopping Centre
High Street
Uxbridge
UB8 1UV
01895 819400 Tony-dunn@capshop.co.uk
Uxbridge Skip Hire
S. Manlet 6/10/03 No Skip Lane
Harvil Road
Harefield
Uxbridge UB9 6JL
West Drayton Car Spares
Mr. O’Dell 6/10/03 The Common
West Drayton
West Drayton Initiative Group
6/10/03 Tony Pilkington
Bell Farm Church
Bell Farm Estate
West Drayton
West London Buses Ltd
Macmillon House
Paddington Station
London
W2 1TY
West London Business
Kate Ashton Yes 02086072509
Wings
Fred Gritt 22/9/03 8573 8388 fred@wingstravel.co.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 112
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Yiewsley West Drayton Town Action Group
Doreen Tarrant 6/10/03 Yes Mrs. D. Tarrant
01895851168
35 Warwick Rd
West Drayton
Youth Council
Jennifer McChee Youth & Community Services
Civic Centre 3S/07
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 113
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
RESIDENTS GROUPS
Whitethorne Estate Residents
Paul Carney 22/9/03 66 Yew Avenue
Yiewsley
MIDDX
Eastcote Residents Association
M.A. Platti 22/9/03 No 7 Robarts Close
Pinner
MIDDX
HA5 2QA
Philpots Farm Residents Association
22/9/03 17 Heather Lane
Yiewsley
Middx
Harmondsworth and Sipson Residents Association
Mrs B Sobey 22/9/03 No 486 Sipson Rd
02087591677
Sipson
UB7 OHZ
Hillingdon Village Residents Association
Mr D Venn 22/9/03 High House
33 Harlington Rd
HILLINGDON
UB8 3HX
Townfield Association
Mrs J Agius 22/9/03 9 Manor Rd
Hayes
UB3
Harefield Village Forum
Frazine Johnson 22/9/03 8573 6533 frazinejohnson@lawyer.com
Ruislip Chamber of Commerce
Tony Unger
Northwood Residents Association
Simon Varnals 22/9/03 Yes 12 Kewferry Road
Northwood
Middx
019234500917 simon@varnals.com
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 114
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Hillingdon Federation of Tenants
John Waylett 22/9/03 Yes 103 Moorfield Road
01895823326
Cowley
Middx
Ickenham Residents Association
22/9/03 32 Swakeleys Drive
Ickenham
UB10 8QD
London Borough Hillingdon Tenants & Residents Federation
Mrs. Grace Ganden 22/9/03 67 The Larches
Hillingdon
Harefield Tenants and Residents Association
Mrs. P Crawley 22/9/03 Yes 32 Sanctuary Close
Harefield
Middx
Botwell Tenants & Residents Association
22/9/03 Townfield Community Centre
Townfield Road
Hayes Middx
Brookgreen Residents Association
Peter Clark 22/9/03 3 Welbeck Court Welbeck Avenue
Hayes
Cranford Cross Residents Association
Mr. D F Bell 22/9/03 Yes 83 Saunton Avenue
Harlington
Harlington Village Association
Dean Langley 22/9/03 3 Gothic Court
Harlington, Middx
Hayes Town Centre Residents Association
Robert McGowan 22/9/03 Yes
Mr. & Mrs
60 Skeffington Court
Silverdale Road
Hayes
Road Sea Express
Les Eastlake Unit 6
Wyvern Way
Uxbridge
0208 8488384 Chris@hayes.townta.com.uk
01895 811888
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 115
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Pastures Mead Residents Association
Miss C G Kenway 22/9/03 20 pastures Mead
Hillingdon
Home Farm Residents Association
M Greengrow 22/9/03 Yes 67 Blacklands Drive
Hayes End
North Hayes Residents Association
Mr. J E Rutter 22/9/03 50 Weymouth Rd
Hayes
The Larches Residents Association
Mrs. Grace Gganden 22/9/03 67 The Larches
Hillingdon
Vine Lane Residents Association
Philip Coleham 22/9/03 82 Vine Lane
Hillingdon
Violet Ave Tenants & Residents Association
Mr. R. Cook 22/9/03 8 Bramble Close
Hillingdon
Gatehill (Northwood) Residents Association
Mr. S. Lee 22/9/03 17 Gatehill Road, Northwood stephenwlee@btinternet.com
South Ruislip Residents
Mrs. D. Wingrove-Owens 22/9/03 4 Diamond Road
South Ruislip
West Ruislip Commuters Association
Miss S F Sweeting 22/9/03 125 The Greenway
Ickenham
Brearley Close residents Association
Mrs. E. Brennan 22/9/03 18 Brearley Close
Uxbridge
Ferndale Area Residents Association
Mr. R. Swallow 22/9/03 28 Ferndale Crescent
01895 239951
Uxbridge
Middx UB8 2AX
North Uxbridge Residents Association
Mrs. S. Confavreux 22/9/03 18 Water Tower Close
sue@confavreux.co.uk
Uxbridge
Uxbridge Moor Residents Association
Robert English 22/9/03 36 Cobden Close
Uxbridge
English@safeway.co.uk
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 116
NAME INVITED ATTENDANCE ADDRESS TELEPHONE E-MAIL
Whitehall Residents Association
Mrs. E. Saunders 22/9/03 2 walford Rd
Uxbridge
Middx
Glebe Residents Association
Community Café 22/9/03 60 Byron Way
West Drayton
South Ruislip Residents Association
Mr. R. Dean 22/9/03 Yes 9 Manor Gardens
Ruislip HA4 6UB
Dial A Ride
22/9/03 Yes Keith Matthew 0208 2330011
Oak Farm Residents Association
Tom Crow 22/903 Yes 114 Granvillle Rd
Hillingdon
UB10 9AG
Ruislip Residents Association
6/10/03 Lewis Hawken
21 Sherleys Court
Wood Lane
Ruislip HA4 6DH
Eastcote Chamber of Commerce
Jennifer Boutique 22/9/03 125 Field End rd
Eastcote
MIDDX
Laurel Lane Tenants and Residents Association
Mr. Banks 6/10/03 No
21/10/2003
HA5 1QH
92 Rowan Road
West Drayton
UB7 7UD
02088457096 bob@dean09.fsnet.co.uk
01895 237523
0208866 7106
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 117
APPENDIX 3
BOROUGH TRANSPORT CONFERENCE
FOCUS GROUP NOTES
This report outlines the key / consensus points made at the 5 focus groups of the Borough Transport
Conference. These focus groups were:
• Parking
• Public transport
• Air Quality and transport
• General Accessibility Issues
• Business
Priorities identified in both focus groups sessions have been underlined. Notes taken correspond with
the discussion themes identified and the format therefore varies between the groups.
PARKING
Commercial and Residential Car Parking Restraint
1. All commercial development should have adequate provision – also applies to flats
2. Hillingdon different to other parts of London
3. Can the standards be altered so that there may be local flexibility?
4. Hillingdon charge less than Harrow for car parks
5. Free all day parking in residential roads stops car parks being fully utilised
6. Councillors and residents annoyed at off-street parking restrictions
7. Freight should be off-loaded at a central point and have a commercial free-zone
8. Concern at effect on local businesses if parking is limited
9. Park and ride is a good idea and reduces the need for town centre car parks
10. 2 hours free parking should be made available for lunchtime
11. No free permits should be made available for developments that do not provide on-site
parking
12. Developments should make more provision for disabled users
13. There is a lack of parking provided on developments
14. Increasing in off-street parking reduces on-street pressure
15. Hillingdon attracts external workers
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 118
Re-allocation of Road Space from Parking
1. Hayes and Harrow pedestrianised areas have resulted in a drop in business activity
2. Enforcement of bus lanes needs to be done sensibly
3. Priority must be given to buses
4. Parking must not interfere with bus services
5. Concern at problems caused by disabled parking
6. Residents should have overnight permits for night time space in car parks
7. Lack of enforcement on Sundays
8. Re-allocation is difficult in the Borough despite working well in Uxbridge
9. Bus lanes are beneficial but not in narrow roads
10. Bus stops should be better enforced
11. Businesses have difficulty with bus lanes, delays are created
12. School run should be reduced
13. Disabled parking causes obstruction
14. S106 money can be used for school buses
15. Reduce disabled parking from 3 to 2, or 1 hours
16. Get bus drivers to pull into stops
17. Why are cars allowed to park free of charge on roads near the tube station?
Competitions and Comparisons with Other Areas
1. Free or cheap parking increases use of car parks
2. Costly parking fees restricts freedom of movement
3. Park and ride may be effective
4. Problems of tube stations caused mostly by Borough residents
5. New parking schemes deter commuters
6. LT parking is expensive – price matters and needs to be discussed with LT
7. Park and ride is sensible
8. Free on-street parking determines car park use
9. Money into bus services from the shires
10. Problems caused by Hillingdon being at the end of lines
11. Need LT to have a combined tube parking ticket
12. Figures of travel patterns to Borough required
13. Park and shop
Parking Controls and Enforcement
1. Council taking reactive rather than proactive view on parking controls
2. Public Consultation on PMAs are pointless due to the lack of consensus
3. Let Councillors decide on scheme introduction
4. Little enforcement of zigzags outside schools
5. Every resident should be issued with a parking permit to park on their street
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 119
6. Number of police officers on traffic controls down, limiting enforcing ability of Council
7. Parking attendants need to be increased
8. Enforcement needs to be more targeted and longer hours
9. Residents are willing to pay for parking permits
10. Parking restrictions near stations – a yellow line or some other restriction
11. Parking causes obstruction to emergency service vehicles
12. Need a balance between needs of commuter and safety
Other Parking Users
1. Indiscriminate parking causes severe problems – disrupts loading and unloading
2. Some blue badge holders have them without justification
3. Ruislip High Street and Ruislip Manor parking cause problems including safety
4. Misuse of blue badges by relatives of disabled
5. Written warning for disabled who park badly
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 120
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
What Aspects of Public Transport within Hillingdon are Successful?
1. Local bus services successful especially at Hayes
2. North-South Borough links are poor
3. U9 route in Harefield is good
4. The 331 service is not so good
5. 282 is a good route but only to the East of the Borough – there are problems getting to
Uxbridge
How can Public Transport be Improved?
1. Problems for taxis – too few ranks to service the large number of registered vehicles
2. Cab ranks compliment taxi offices. Enhance the use of this form of transport and method of
improving taxi service and public perception
3. The R1 bus route needs to be more regular. Presently, there is only 1 bus per hour. Needs
to be extended to Watford.
4. Use of freedom passes on busses passing into the Borough from the shires, etc.
5. Lorries on the road during rush hour are contributing to congestion
6. Suggested that lorries need be banned from roads during peak times as in France.
7. Request for local run of the 207 from Uxbridge to Hayes By-pass
8. Problem with Heathrow bus capacity reaching its limit
9. Request to have U4 stop closer to the emergency exit
10. School planning for public transport; need to ‘plan for red’ to ensure access to all schools via
good public transport
11. School green travel plans must be easy to understand and implement
12. Problems related to routing bus services through heavily populated areas as there is a lack of
road space
13. Design of buses not always good on the 140 service
14. Need for greater frequency of services in the North of the Borough and outlying areas
Safer Routes to School – Do they induce a Modal Shift?
1. Question of how many schools serviced by a bus service
2. Metropolitan police hitting schools – enforcement of parking and speed offences
3. Walking buses needed
4. Car sharing between parents
5. Free bus travel for under 11’s
6. Information coming from schools is that children do want to walk
7. Problem that there are too many initiatives in schools at the moment
8. Need to bring across to parents the benefits of kids walking and cycling to school
9. Problems with air pollution for children walking
10. Changes in catchment areas has led to a problem with distances from schools
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 121
Does Bus and Cycle Priority Work?
1. Works very well abroad
2. Enforce parking regulations where buses traditionally get held up
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 122
AIR QUALITY AND TRANSPORT
Key themes for the workshops:
1. Reduction in traffic, use of hard and soft options.
2. The use of cleaner vehicle technology,
SESSION I
1. Incentives to promote the use of cleaner vehicles
2. Promote cycling to school, work, etc. Careful management of traffic appears to make more
impact. Promoting the use of cleaner vehicles may have less impact.
3. Need to have alternatives before penalising with hard options
4. Lower road tax for cleaner vehicles
5. Poor cycle lanes in places, no facilities in the Civic Centre
6. Stop heavy vehicles during rush hour to ease burden; staggering working hours
7. Working with Highway Agency / government to promote high occupancy and the more
effective use of roads
8. Encourage Park and ride Schemes
9. Publicity to switch off car engine while in a traffic jam
10. Support for trams – links with other transport modes
11. Adequate rail routes already exist to Central London, tram route will make roads narrower
12. Integrated transport policy with tram playing a role
13. Some support for congestion charging
14. Trams are more energy efficient than buses; would encourage modal split
15. Public transport is not accessible to everyone
16. Trams will take more cars off the road
17. Use of canals taken thousands of lorries off the road. More publicity required. Need to
extend the use of waterways.
18. Specific objectives for freight partnership
19. Local action on freight is too late, it is becoming a national problem
20. Local transport issues are more important. As a local authority we can do more them to effect
changes.
21. North-South transport link in the Borough needs to be improved
22. Improve transport interchanges
23. Bring in school buses
24. Walking buses will improve health of children and traffic congestion. Will have greater impact
as the initiatives are practical and can be started very quickly. Road safety also an issue.
Parents could treat their children about road safety.
25. Traffic fragmented; lack of co-ordination
26. Parents car sharing reduces the cost of initiating cycle lanes
27. More travel information
28. Illegal parking, parking on pavements, and lack of enforcement on parking on bus lanes.
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6 Key Issues
• Promote clean vehicles
• Integration of transport system; bus with rail, etc. More accessibility required
• Encourage use of canals and waterways
• Concentrate on local transport initiatives where we can something about it
• Promote safer routes to school and walking buses. Likely to have significant impact.
• Promote park and ride
Provide positive options
SESSION II
1. Integration of air quality policies with neighbouring local authorities
2. How to get dirty vehicles off the road. Cleaner buses in Hillingdon. More enforcement on
dirty vehicles.
3. Look to reduce shorter journeys when catalytic converters are not working
4. Availability of alternative fuels
5. Need to work with parents and the younger generation
6. Put pressure on vehicle manufacturers to produce cleaner vehicles
7. Support for tram link will mean less cars on the road
8. Need to approach transport problem holistically
9. Car free town centres, but can force cars into adjacent residential areas
10. Park and ride would encourage more cars into the Borough to park. The ability to reduce
traffic is dependent upon where the car parks are located.
11. Some traffic schemes may increase pollution. Need to ensure a balanced approach.
12. Road pricing could reduce quality of life by limiting choice
13. Weighing up different options to improve the environment
14. Poor North-South transport links in the Borough
15. Young people cannot travel to the South of the Borough to access services
16. Free public transport
17. Hillingdon website could provide links to other websites providing travel information
18. Educate children to use public transport
19. Free shuttle buses to transport hubs. Transport for London to provide free shuttle buses /
feeder buses.
20. Integrated transport system and better integration of transport hubs
21. To promote green travel plans requires leadership, information, and the need to make work
place changes
22. Swap parking pass with a travel pass (exempt from tax)
23. Gradually reduce parking to companies using planning powers
24. Public education
25. Integration of health and transport
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26. Appears to be a lack of traffic restraint measures in Hillingdon
27. A reduction in traffic can lead to speeding and a reduction in road safety
6 Key Issues
• Need to be consistent in terms of policies and strategies
• How to weigh importance of air quality against other criteria when evaluating traffic
schemes
• Need to target dirty vehicles at relevant locations. Raise public awareness also
important
• Integration of public transport system
• General reduction in traffic and other safety issues
Need to implement ‘hard options’ type of policy
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GENERAL ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES
Themes Identified:
• Access to hospitals and other health and community facilities
• Walking and cycling routes to school
• Safe and convenient routes to parks and open spaces
• Access routes from disabled parking spaces to local shopping centres and community
facilities
• Safe and convenient access to public transport
• Safe access to work
SESSION I (Ideas for Improvement)
Access routes from disabled parking spaces to local shopping centres and community
facilities
1. Better lighting
2. Parking spaces at Hillingdon Hospital
3. Better signage
4. Better policing of blue badge system
5. User friendly public transport system especially for the disabled
6. Improved design of disabled persons parking spaces e.g. dropped kerbs
7. Set up disability audit and mobility forum
8. Restrict the number of disability passes issued
9. Working with local business to provide better disabled parking facilities
10. Location of disabled parking bays needs review
Safe and convenient access to public transport
11. Better information and access to it
12. Better trained staff on public transport
13. Study required of where people are originating and their destination. Facilitate the
planning of appropriate transport services.
14. Safety of access to public spaces needs review
15. Greater emphasis on accidents and perception of threats to road safety
16. Improved driver training – accommodate the needs of a variety of vulnerable users.
17. Improved access to Hillingdon Hospital particularly for the aged
18. Information such as street plans can be provided that outline, for example, the location of
bus stops on different routes
19. The waiting time for the U3 bus service has reduced
20. Questions of access to cars / vans. Access to public transport requires improvement.
21. Improvements need to be focussed so as to achieve the best results
22. Integration of cars with public transport. Inter-modal links need to be accommodated.
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23. Address fear / perception of danger on public transport and getting access to these
services. Perception is an important element. Links to crime and disorder strategy need to
be highlighted.
24. Speedy repair of bus stops. Hardier material is required to resist vandalism.
25. Speeding along Harlington Road is an issue
26. Greater levels of social inclusion are necessary. Inclusion is reduced with restricted
access to public transport and traffic congestion.
27. Pedestrian phasing of traffic lights – allow pedestrians more time at crossing facilities
28. Negative impacts of tactile paving and need for auditory signals so that access for people
with all types of impairments is improved
29. Reduce the distance between bus stops
Safe access to work
30. Encourage business travel plans. These need to accommodate issues of impairment,
disablement, and carers.
SESSION II (Ideas for improvement)
1. Better lighting at bus stops
2. Move taxi rank to the front of Uxbridge Station (Priority)
3. Improve physical infrastructure e.g. at Hayes Station
4. Improve cycle parking availability at Hayes Station
5. Greater flexibility in modal change – interchange facilities
6. Introduce DLR type service between Staines and the airport
7. Stronger bus shelters
8. Better transport integration and the promotion of the seamless journey
9. Time to get on and off trains needs to be extended
10. Countdown information should also be provided for trains
11. Promote the habit of using public transport through education
12. Improve access to platforms and lifts at train stations (Priority)
13. Improve travel information at bus stops
14. Improve the quality of the public transport service
15. Better links between Hounslow and Uxbridge
16. Address congestion at Uxbridge station
17. Yellow lines at bus stops to discourage stopping and parking by private vehicles
18. Engineering challenge: pupils are given the task of suggesting ideas on how disabled access
can be improved (Priority)
19. Improve cycle lanes
20. Bus reliability (Priority)
21. Provide more and widespread information so that additional markets can be tapped into
22. Improve the whole environment of Uxbridge bus station
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23. Understand and address impairment issues
24. Enhancing comfort on public transport would enhance perceptions and potentially use (top
priority)
25. Improve ease of access to buses
26. Promote taxis and taxi cards
27. Improve disabled parking facilities
28. Discourage car use through disincentives
29. Safety tips provided for public transport users
30. Better planning of the public transport system (Priority)
31. Reduce barriers for getting luggage on and off trains, buses, etc. (Priority)
Walking and cycling routes to school
32. Study required on the nature of movement to and from schools
33. Create safe crossing points
34. Introduce Safe Routes to Schools
35. Change overall public attitude through a social campaign that highlights links with health and
quality of life
36. Carefully consider the width of cycle lanes
37. Stop parking on cycle lanes
38. Parking should be provided by employers
39. Encourage multi-agency approach to traffic, enforcement, etc.
40. Cycling in parks – study required to resolve conflict between park users
41. Deal with cyclists on pavements and fear for children
42. Provide segregation on pavements to allow safe use by a variety of users. Conflict resolution
is necessary.
43. Create greater inducements for staff to reduce car use and explore alternative modes
44. Better cycle education
45. Means of transporting bags etc. should be provided to children wanting to participate in a
walking bus.
46. Better road maintenance is required especially on cycle lanes
47. Teachers should be setting an example by not using cars to get to school
48. 20mph zones need to be explored (Priority)
49. Close roads outside schools during the school run
50. Sign up parents, children and staff for walking to school
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BUSINESS
SESSION I
Freight
1. Need a definition for freight. Freight exists because people need something. Freight quality
partnership.
2. Size of lorries makes access into residential roads difficult. Greater collaboration with
Transport for London is needed.
3. 70% of freight is distribution
4. Deliveries are for everyone
5. Balance is required that brings vitality and benefits to towns and villages
6. Supermarket deliveries at night cause disturbance through vibration
7. More signage is required to reduce congestion
8. Heavy commercial vehicles plan / strategy – outlining where HGV’s should and should not go
9. Electric directions device
10. Builders merchants should have one lorry at a time so as not to disrupt road traffic
11. Need to bring business on board. Bus network delivery within funding available.
Green Travel Plans
1. Larger companies are more structured.
2. London Borough of Hillingdon should be leading the way. Business looks to the Council to
ask for help in developing green travel plans.
3. School traffic accounts for 20% of traffic in the mornings. Studies of American style school
buses.
4. Keep cyclists off the pavements. What about the disabled on pavements?
5. Business should be encouraged to produce a green travel plan. Loss from travelling is built
into salaries.
6. How do you recruit, train and retain staff?
Parking
1. Parking is a major issue: for customers (ease of accessibility), free parking and workers /
employees taking up free parking.
2. Do parking restrictions achieve what they set out to do? It is driving people to use their cars
3. Road closing kills business
4. People abuse free parking
5. Problems with emissions
6. Delivery times needs to considered. No deliveries between 10am-4pm. The business
economy.
7. Permit system. Controlled parking and enable a mix of deliveries. Contract and extend
permit time.
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8. Enforcement
9. Congestion charging at Heathrow
10. Park and ride created problem of congestion in the surrounding streets
11. Charge for parking but offer people an alternative. In central London public transport
provision is good.
12. Bus station in Uxbridge has no more space to expand
13. Linkages between the counties
14. Slough highway – improve interchange
15. Major shops are threatening to move
16. Flaws in the congestion charging process and question whether problems would be created
at Heathrow if it were introduced
SESSION II
Freight
1. Flow of traffic is important however lorries and delivery vehicles hold up traffic
2. Distribution centres need to be relocated as they are close to residential areas. This would
remove time restrictions.
3. Question why deliveries on the high street are at 10am instead of 7am?
4. Routes for lorries. 45 tonne lorries cannot get under the bridge in South Ruislip up Pembroke
Road. A bottleneck is created.
5. Better to unload at rear of shops. However, there is usually poor access to the rear of
shopping centres. Would be willing to pay for better lanes and access. Question of
ownership and levels of agreement with shopkeepers.
6. Small improvements could make a significant impact
7. There is no joined up thinking between shopping parades. Shops are struggling.
8. Lack of discussion
9. Lorries parking in bus lanes contribute to congestion
10. Who decides where the bus lanes are? 24 hour bus lanes and restricted bus lanes. Good
knowledge of the area is required. More co-ordination and collaboration between Boroughs is
required.
11. Should be a designated freight lane (bus lane). Business is losing money when it cannot
deliver on time.
12. Traffic drives up cost
13. BAA Central Distribution Depot – significant reductions in congestion and emissions
Green Travel Plans
1. Green travel plans cost a lot but it also saves a lot of money. Savings are made in office
space. Travel plan can be cost neutral.
2. What is the threshold of business size where a travel plan is required? 5 staff
3. The Council is to appoint a Green Travel Plan co-ordinator in the near future.
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4. Public transport infrastructure needs to be in place in order for people to get out of their
cars. Uxbridge is poorly accessible via public transportation.
5. More motorbike parking spaces required
6. Public transport convenience and reliability needs to be improved
7. Business is being driven away. Planning decisions of 20 years ago would promote
supermarkets with free parking. A lack of parking affects parking and shopping parades
die as a result.
8. Green travel plans are not anti-car or anti-business. Occasional changes can be made.
9. Car sharing works well but needs organisation
10. The Council has no green travel plan yet but it intends to develop one
11. Cycle lanes are put in for the sake of it because they are not used. Lanes cause
congestion.
12. While density on cycle lanes is low they are nevertheless used throughout the day.
13. Access into Oxford and Hillingdon Road is poor and can impact negatively upon Uxbridge
14. Park and ride around the Borough is agreeable by surrounding Boroughs. Needs to be
used for local people and not for those going into central London.
15. Provision for local workers. Parking is unaffordable.
16. Improve local stations as interchanges and improve links with other stations
17. People who live and work in the Borough should be prioritised
18. Transport for London has a lot to answer for. Several businesses contribute but do not
get enough in return from Transport for London. They do not want to discuss parking and
traffic issues with Hillingdon.
19. Reduce charges in Chimes and the Pavilions. May attract the community to park and
shop in the centres.
20. Planning decisions are causing problems
21. Building above stations
22. Car boot sales in South Bucks takes business away from Uxbridge
Accessibility
1. North-South connections in the Borough are poor and there and people are therefore forced
to use their cars. No bus link between South Ruislip and Uxbridge. Orbital routes are
required within and outside the Borough.
2. Integrated travelling throughout the Borough
Pedestrianisation
1. Pedestrianisation of Hayes is a partial solution. A one-way system could open the centre up.
A by-pass that is a car park. Joined up thinking.
2. Town centres need people not cars.
3. Key workers need parking to avoid getting fined
4. Weekend demand for parking
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5. Uxbridge is growing fast. It needs to be integrated. Rules should be set. Business move into
a safe and attractive place.
6. Quality of stations and bus services is poor
6 Key Issues
• Plan / strategy required for heavy vehicles (as to where they can go)
• Green Travel Plans should be produced by local businesses. Travel costs should be
built into salaries. Does this in fact happen?
• Parking is a major issue for customers
• Better enforcement of parking regulations; permit system - priority, controlled parking;
and park and ride
• Poor tube services to Uxbridge
• Linkages between the Counties (Slough – High Wycombe, improved interchange)
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BEHAVIOUR SUPPORT PLAN 2004-5 ITEM 7
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: Christine Sullivan
Telephone: 01895 256524
Section 527A of the Education Act, 1996 places a duty on LEAs to prepare a statement
setting out the arrangements for the education of children with behavioural difficulties, to be
known as a Behaviour Support Plan. The first plan was produced for 1 April 1999 to be
reviewed with a revised plan published by 1 April 2001. Thereafter it was intended that the
plans be of 3 year duration.
The government’s revised intention is for there to be one overarching education plan to
replace the Education Development Plan, Inclusion SEN Strategy and Behaviour Support
Plan to be known as the Single Education Plan (SEP). This will be phased in with all
authorities by 2007. Hillingdon is currently in the tranche to complete by 2006 but in the
interests of efficiency of planning has received agreement from the DfES to produce an early
SEP by January 2005.
Hence the Behaviour Support Plan, originally intended to be a 3 year plan will be for one
year only, from 2004-5. It has been written to dovetail with the Community Plan, EDP
activities, the Inclusion/ SEN Strategy Action Plan and the Child & Adolescent Mental Heath
Strategy Action Plan.
The DfES Improving Behaviour and Attendance Department has agreed that the plan be
simplified to meet local needs and recognises it is a transition plan. Nonetheless it has
requested that the Plan be submitted to the department by March 31 st 2004.
The Draft Behaviour Support Plan 2004-5 is attached at Appendix 1. The Plan has been
produced by a sub group of the Behaviour Forum, a multi-agency group whose terms of
reference include monitoring and reviewing the Behaviour Support Plan and providing a
mechanism for sharing and for coordinating planning relating to pupil behaviour across
relevant strategic groups. The Forum is well attended by Education (officers and
headteachers), Health, Social Services, Police and the Voluntary sector. Councillor Elaine
Webb is a regular attendee. The draft plan has also been sent to all schools and governing
bodies for comment.
This Plan attempts to find a coherent way forward relating to provision for children with
behaviour, emotional and social difficulties in a time of significant change and varied
initiatives promoted by the DfES. Such developments include the Key Stage 3 Strategy
Behaviour and Attendance Strand, the Primary Strategy Behaviour and Attendance pilot and
the roll out of the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) to the Hillingdon Excellence
Cluster. In addition, the Green paper ‘Every Child Matters’ will result in national and local
changes in children’s services which will affect the implementation of this plan and future
planning for the SEP.
Key priorities in the Plan are to:
1. Review behaviour provision in Hillingdon.
2. Implement DfES strategies relating to behaviour and attendance.
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3. Develop a coherent database system to support pupils with behaviour,
emotional and social difficulties.
4. Develop multi-agency initiatives to improve identification and support systems
and target vulnerable pupils, improving their life chances.
5. Develop a coherent network of support for parents in managing their children.
6. Improve communication systems re behaviour initiatives.
7. Provide more effective options for pupils at risk if exclusion.
8. Promote emotional literacy within the authority to improve social inclusion and
raise attainment.
9. Develop early intervention initiatives with a proven evidence base for success.
10. Develop a whole system approach for children and young people with
behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.
11. Integrate and assimilate the CAMH strategy and Behaviour Support Pla.
12. Consider in depth other implications of the Green Paper, Every Child Matters,
for pupils with BESD and create an action plan.
13. Support the roll out of the Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) to the
Excellence Cluster.
The full Behaviour Support Plan is being circulated to Cabinet Members and
Group Leaders and copies are available for inspection in Party Group Offices.
Further copies are available on request to the Cabinet Office.
RECOMMENDATION
That Cabinet endorses the Draft Behaviour Support Plan 2004-5.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION
Officers have made this recommendation in order that LBH complies with the LEA duty to
ensure it has coherent, comprehensive and well understood local procedures for tackling
pupil behaviour and discipline problems that cover the full range of needs. It creates an
opportunity for review of local provision and strategic planning to promote more effective use
of resources.
A key aspect of the legislation is the requirement for LEAs to consult all the relevant interests
locally to promote more effective co-ordination. A list of consultees is on the report checklist
attached.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
1. To approve the draft Behaviour Support Plan 2004-5 and require officers to
implement its actions when fully signed;
2. To suggest amendments as appropriate but taking into account the full
consultation that has taken place with resulting amendments.
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COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
The Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee has not asked to comment on this
report.
INFORMATION
Legal
As the Report sets out, the preparation of a Behaviour Support Plan is a statutory
requirement placed on the LEA. The DfES has agreed to the LEA producing an early Single
Education Plan by next January. The proposed Draft Behaviour Support Plan will therefore
be for one year only and at the request of the DfES should be submitted to them by 31
March 2004. As such there are no legal implications arising from this Report.
Resource Implications:
The Behaviour Support Plan sets out how different funding streams are used to
deliver the aspirations in the plan, whether that be a retained budget, a devolved
budget or an external funding source. The plan does not seek additional funding, but
identifies priorities for how the existing funding is to be used.
The Behaviour Support Plan sets out the funding available in section 4.4. It also
comments on the role of funding for each of the key agencies and groups identified
in section 5.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS:
Circular 1/98, LEA Behaviour Support Plans, Statutory Guidance, March 1998
Behaviour Support Plans – Transitional arrangements, DfES communication,
October 2003
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HILLINGDON LEA/ DFES COMPACT ITEM 8
SUMMARY
Contact Officer: Michael Dennison
Telephone: 01895 277356
In July 2003 Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education and Skills, and Sir
Jeremy Beecham, Chair of the Local Government Association, signed a joint
Statement of Intent to working in partnership to achieve better educational outcomes
for children and young people. The statement sets out the shared vision for the
educational system, a commitment to genuine partnership working and the education
agenda for the coming academic years. It reflects the common understanding that
educational objectives can best be pursued through a strong and productive
relationship in which local authorities and the DfES support and respect each others’
contribution and work together on a shared agenda.
To implement the Statement of Intent locally, each local education authority and the
DfES will agree a Compact, setting out at a strategic level which of the authorities
priorities are of short and medium term importance within that authority. It is
expected that the local Compact will be signed by the Director and Lead Member for
Education, on behalf of the authority, and by the Schools’ Directorate Adviser, on
behalf of the DfES. This does not represent the signing of a new plan but rather the
commitment to a working relationship. An outline has, therefore, been drafted and
shared with the Adviser, as required by the DfES.
Since EYL and schools in Hillingdon are embarking on forging a new working
agreement which is aimed at defining the leadership and management of the
education service to meet future requirements, it is essential that schools are
engaged with and committed to the Compact the education authority signs with the
DfES. EYL held a major conference with headteachers at the end of January to
agree its future priorities for action. It was agreed with headteachers to incorporate
the DfES/LEA Compact within the programme for the conference. For this reason
Hillingdon has requested an extension before signing the Compact with the DfES.
This was granted.
The draft Compact is attached at Annex 1. The six key objectives reflect the priorities
identified from the audit of the Education Development Plan 2002/2007 [which has
previously been endorsed by Cabinet] and the Action Plan from the Vision and
Values Conference held in September 2002. These have been widely discussed and
agreed. The remaining elements were subject to further discussion and consultation
with schools at the January conference and were finalised immediately afterwards to
reflect fully the views of the headteachers.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Cabinet:
1. Agrees the draft Compact attached at Annex 1.
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2. Requires officers to monitor the implementation of the Compact and
submit a further report on progress in December 2004.
REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
Officers have made these recommendations in order that LBH complies with DfES
requirements for local education authorities to develop and sign Compacts to
achieve better educational outcomes for children and young people.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
1. To approve the draft Hillingdon LEA/ DfES Compact and require officers and
advisers to implement its actions when finally signed;
2. To suggest additional or alternative actions they would wish officers and
advisers to implement.
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Because of the tight timescale for the creation, consultation and signing of the
Compact, it has not been possible to include it on the agenda for the Education
Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
INFORMATION
Hillingdon/DFES Compact
1. During the Autumn 2003, each LEA had the opportunity to agree an individual
Compact with the DfES setting out how they will work together, including the effort
and resources each will commit to the local priorities requiring the most immediate
attention. It is intended that this Compact will set out the LEA’s priorities for action
over the next 18 months i.e. for the remainder of the current academic year and
2004-5.
2. DfES conferences were held in October to inform LEAs about the scope and
expectations of Compacts. In addition, a meeting has been held between the EYL
Corporate Director, EYL Lead Member, and the DfES Adviser with the Schools
Directorate. Since EYL and schools in Hillingdon are embarking on forging a new
working agreement for the education service, it is essential that schools were fully
engaged with and committed to the Compact the education authority signs with the
DfES. EYL held a major conference with headteachers at the end of January to
agree its future priorities for action. It was agreed with headteachers to incorporate
the DfES/LEA Compact within the programme. For this reason an extension before
finally signing the Compact with the DfES was agreed with DfES.
3. The key priorities for the local education authority over the next 18 months are
set out as 6 objectives. The first 4 reflect the priorities already identified in EDP 2:
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• Inclusion through achievement – all schools
• Inclusion through achievement – primary age pupils
• Inclusion through achievement –secondary age pupils
• Leading and managing learning.
4. The other 2 objectives arose from the Action Plan from the Vision and Values
Conference held in September 2002:
• Mapping and managing diversity, excellence and choice; Building Schools for
the future
• Strategic Planning, collaboration and Best Value.
LEGAL
This report sets out the LEA’s continuing obligations to further the aim of school
improvement and there are no legal implications arising from this report.
RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS:
The Compact identifies what the LEA's priorities are and where resources will be
targeted to support those priorities. It does not seek additional resources and, to that
extent, there are no resource implications.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
DfES Guidelines for CEOs and Executive Members for Education and LEA Staff:
“Compacts – Partnerships working to deliver shared priorities” 15/08/2003
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LONDON BOROUGH OF HILLINGDON
LEA/DfES COMPACT
2004-05
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HILLINGDON EDUCATION SERVICE & DFES COMPACT
Hillingdon’s Compact with the DfES is set in the context of the Community Plan priorities, the Council’s corporate values and themes, the
‘Education, Youth and Leisure priorities, the EDP2, Hillingdon Schools’ Improvement Plans and other related LEA statutory and service plans.
Linked plans are identified in an appendix to this document. Relevant references to the Council’s Themes and Objectives are included in the
Compact to indicate where contributions are being made. The Compact also takes account of the development of a Single Education Plan,
proposed for 2005.
This Compact comprises a shared agreement between the London Borough of Hillingdon and the DfES to work in partnership to achieve
better educational outcomes for children and young people according to the National Statement of Intent for Partnership Working. Key, shared
priorities are identified for the period from April 2004 to March 2005.
The following 6 Priority Objectives in this Compact have been developed in close collaboration with LBH Elected Members, headteachers and
representative governors.
1. Inclusion through achievement: all pupils
2. Inclusion through achievement: primary age pupils
3. Inclusion through achievement: secondary age pupils
4. Leading & managing learning
5. Responding to diversity and providing excellence
6. Strategic Planning, Collaboration, Building Schools for the Future & Best Value.
These 6 Key Objectives have been subject to wide and effective consultation. Importantly, they were considered and the Key Actions
developed further at the LEA’s partnership conference, ‘Remodelling Hillingdon’s Education Service’, that took place in January 2004. They
coincide closely with the Director’s vision for schools, set out at the same conference. At this conference, the Priority Objectives were
endorsed and specific activities were agreed, to be implemented through the EDP2, EYL Service and Team Plans. Targets are linked and
referenced to statutory and other plans.
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Priority
Objectives
HILLINGDON EDUCATION SERVICE & DfES COMPACT 2004/05
Hillingdon Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
1.
Inclusion
through
Achievement:
all pupils
Targets Ref
EDP2 targets
Inclusion/SEN
Strategy
Data Sharing
Protocol [IRT]
Behaviour
Support Plan
Local PSA
School
Improvement
Plans
1a.
Establish effective cross- service/
inter agency structures to focus on
the needs of all children.
1b.
Meet EDP2 Priority 3 objective to
provide effective education for all
pupils, particularly those identified
as most vulnerable and those at
risk of underachieving.
Implement effective strategies to improve the
delivery of Children’s' Services across
Education, Youth & Leisure (EYL), Social
Services, Health and the Voluntary Sector
Implement the Hillingdon Inclusion/SEN
Strategy by establishing partnerships of
schools, developing shared specialist
provision and tackling exclusion together.
Implement BSP actions aimed at improving
behaviour and reducing exclusions, linked to
Managed Moves initiative.
Develop the use of pupil performance data
with and across schools, at senior and
middle management levels.
Guidance following
legislation from Green
Paper ‘Every Child Matters’
Support funding through
the Vulnerable Pupils'
grant.
Continued advice, support
and Standards Fund
through BIP, BSP and IRT
programmes
Learning & Culture
Learning & Culture
1c.
Improve the SEN provision and
funding stream by minimising
statements and out-Borough SEN
provision and deploy budgets
locally
1d.
Introduce single IRT structure for
children across LBH services and
Health
Implement the Hillingdon Inclusion/SEN
Strategy. Review partnerships and clusters of
schools to share specialist provision
effectively and reduce exclusions.
Implement the actions from the agreed Data
Sharing Protocol [draft Dec.2003], which
provides guidance and responsibilities for
partner organisations
Provide support, advice,
guidance and share
examples of effective
practice, including with the
West London project
review of SEN Transport
funding. (Current activity
with DfES)
Remove current legislative
barriers for the effective
sharing of pupil-level
information across services
and agencies, as proposed
in the Green Paper.
Learning & Culture
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 141
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
2.
Inclusion
through
Achievement:
primary age
pupils
Targets Ref.
EDP2 targets
Incl. No
schools in
OfSTED/LEA
categories
Inclusion/SEN
Strategy
EYDCP
targets
Local PSA
2a.
Improve performance of all children
by at least two-thirds of a level
each year [equivalent % ] ,
particularly LAC and other
Underachieving Groups identified
in EDP2 (2002 - 2007) at Key
Stages 1 & 2
2b.
Improve performance of
LAC/EOTAS, G&T & SEN groups
of pupils at the end of Foundation
Stage and Key Stages 1 & 2
(including P level performance)
2c.
Continue to improve standards
and provision for literacy,
numeracy and ICT for all pupils in
nursery and primary schools and
achieve LEA KS2 targets for
2004/5.
Ensure that pupils in all Hillingdon
primary schools are making good
progress.
Publish, analyse and monitor data on the
performance of underachieving groups.
Work with schools to develop and track the
impact of targeted and effective teaching and
learning strategies to improve the attainment
of underachieving groups and share good
practice
Support the development of the EiC Cluster
across Standards and Inclusion Services
Targeted work with schools, groups and
clusters of schools to develop and share
effective ways of increasing the achievement
of children looked after, gifted and talented
and with SEN.
Clarify Hillingdon’s Primary Strategy and
service provision.
Develop a Primary curriculum entitlement,
reference to “Excellence and Enjoyment” to
incorporating creativity, and citizenship
Develop the use of pupil performance data in
schools so that all make effective use of
pupil-level information in order to drive up
standards.
Advice and support on the
use and development of
data with school senior and
middle managers, including
use of PAT.
Brokering networks to
develop and share
effective strategies,
particularly relating to key
underachieving groups
(SDA)
Maintain EiC Cluster
funding for the contractual
period
Support networking and
sharing of good practice
across London LEAs
(SDA)
Maintain Standards Funds
for the Primary Strategy
and NGfL, and support
developments with the
‘Excellence & Enjoyment’
Strategy.
Regional director
infrastructure provides
continuing and flexible
programmes according to
agreed profile of need (RD)
Learning & Culture
Learning & Culture
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 142
Priority
Objectives
School
Improvement
Plans
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Ensure those schools in
challenging circumstances are
achieving at least to the level of
"floor targets" and none is in
OfSTED categories or causing
concern.
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
Expand programmes to support senior and
middle management development in line with
London Challenge and NCSL initiatives.
2d.
Further improve standards and
quality of provision in Early Years
Maintain and embed Early Years strategy as
set out in the EYDCP and EDP2.
Foundation stage profile to have compatibility
with P levels to inform targets, track and
measure attainment into KS1
Provide guidance,
materials and examples of
good practice
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 143
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions
DfES
Contribution
Council and Community
Plan
Priorities
3.
Inclusion
through
Achievement:
secondary
age pupils
Targets Ref.
EDP2 Targets
No schools
below the floor
target
3a.
Improve standards and quality of
education at all levels at KS3 and
achieve local PSA "stretch targets"
for 2005
Work with and across schools to target
support through the Key Stage 3 strategy
development and NGfL teams.
Implement effective recruitment and retention
teachers linked to the TTA initiatives to
support recruitment and NRT support for
Remodelling West London.
Establish KS2–3 Transition project to ensure
consistency of teaching and assessment for
learning.
Develop the use of pupil performance data in
schools so that all make effective use of pupillevel
information in order to drive up
standards.
Maintain Standards
Funds for KS3 and
NGfL.
Regional director
infrastructure
provides continuing
and flexible
programmes
according to agreed
profile of need.(RD)
Advice and support
on the use and
development of the
London Schools
Family data (London
Challenge).
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 144
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
No schools in
OfSTED/LEA
categories
causing
concern
Local PSA
BSP
14-19 Strategy
School
Improvement
Plans
3b.
Ensure that all Hillingdon secondary
schools are making good progress.
Ensure those in challenging
circumstances are achieving at
least to the level of "floor targets"
and none is in OfSTED categories
or causing concern.
Standards and Inclusion services to provide
targeted support to secondary schools below
or near "floor targets" and/or in Amber or Red
categories and focused support for school
senior and middle management with schools.
Build on the good practice and effective
management in Hillingdon secondary schools
[Beacon, Leading Edge, Specialist, Training
College, City Academy etc] to share good
practice and drive up standards.
Expand programmes to support senior and
middle management development in line with
London Challenge and NCSL initiatives
Work in close liaison with
the LEA and link with LEA
strategy, to provide
continued and well coordinated
support and
funding from LIG,
Academies, EiC,
Excellence in Cities and
London Challenge Advisers
and developments.
Use of NRT to support local
development of
Remodelling Strategy.
Support and monitor
progress (SDA.)
Learning & Culture
3c.
Improve advice and guidance for
young people and reduce NEETs
by 10% by 2005
Develop 14 -19 strategy aimed at enhancing
curriculum provision, increasing access and
participation and raising standards
Support for developing Pan
London links and vocational
options through the LSC
(London Challenge)
Learning & Culture
3d.
Develop student voice and active
citizenship in line with London
Challenge priorities
Expand and enhance the Healthy Hillingdon
Schools programme to focus on the
development of School Councils and the
active engagement of students.
Opportunities through the
London Challenge.
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 145
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
4.
Leading &
Managing
Learning
Targets Ref.
4a.
Establish Hillingdon Curriculum
Entitlement for each Key Stage to
incorporate ‘Excellence and
Enjoyment’, Citizenship etc.
Review curriculum documents to incorporate
breadth, balance, innovation, creativity,
Citizenship.
Develop a targeted CPD programme to
integrate the new curriculum at each Key
Stage.
Advice and guidance from
relevant DfES curriculum
strategy teams.
Support and monitor
progress (SDA).
Learning & Culture
EDP2 targets
HGfL Strategy
WRS Action
Plan
4b.
Continue to develop and improve
school leadership and management
so that 80% of schools’ leadership
and management are good or
better.
Develop a cohesive programme for Middle
Management development, based on Leading
from the Middle.
Expand and enhance programmes to support
senior and middle management development
in line with London Challenge and NCSL
initiatives.
Maintain support through
LIG, Primary Leadership
Programme, training and
funding, London Challenge
& Academy Adviser support
and develop CPD through
London Leadership Centre
Encourage continuous
improvement culture
Recruitment
Strategy
4c.
Develop and enhance the
curriculum through ICT and
opportunities offered through
broadband technology.
Focus on programmes to improve induction,
mentoring and CPD – with schools as
providers.
Establish and embed the benefits of HGfL and
provide effective joint management with
schools.
Maintain funding for NGfL
development and provide
on-line assessment for ICT
Provide guidance, material
and good practice networks
Learning & Culture
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 146
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
4d.
Recruit, retain and maintain the
provision of high quality staff and
governors
Maintain and expand the programmes for
R&R at local level, to build on the ALCEO
initiatives.
Workforce Remodelling Strategy (WRS)
implemented, developed and monitored.
Maintain DfES funding for
WRS and links with
TTA funding for RSM
function (NRT)
Retain and recruit high
performing people
Develop a strategy to recruit governors and
improve the quality and effectiveness of
governing bodies.
4e.
Embed effective self-evaluation
and Performance Management in
schools and the LEA
Enhance the Annual School Review for all
schools to emphasise the supported selfevaluation
element and enabling schools to
work towards the OfSTED S4.
Support for the
development of selfevaluation
and monitor the
impact. (SDA)
Manage performance for
improvement
Support and promote effective Performance
Management through programmes for staff
and governors.
Establish the National Standards for School
Improvement Services as the basis for service
specification with schools.
Develop the Annual School Review to further
enhance the role of school leaders.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 147
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
5.
Responding
to diversity
and providing
excellence
Targets Ref.
EDP2 targets
School
Organisation
Plan
Community
Plan
5a.
Strategy jointly agreed with
Hillingdon schools for promoting
and disseminating excellence and
diversity
5b.
Develop the community dimension
of schools including extended
schools and full service schools
Support and promote applications for
Specialist status, Leading Edge, Chartermark,
IiP, Achievement Awards, Curriculum Awards,
etc and develop City Academies, as
appropriate.
Exploit and build on the effective extended
schools practice in some schools to develop
pilot programmes with LBH through the
extended & full service schools programme,
developing aspects identified in the Green
Paper ‘Every Child Matters’ regarding
provision of local community services .
Advice and guidance from
Specialist College, Leading
Edge and Academies
teams.
Advice and support with
Support and monitor
progress (SDA).
Advice and guidance from
extended and full services
schools teams and on
developing full service
provision and community
service provision as an
integral part of raising
achievement, increasing
inclusion and lifelong
learning.
Learning & Culture
Working in partnership with
community and partners
5c.
Establish effective sharing of good
practice across partnerships and
phases.
Develop and implement strategy from the
January 2004 ‘Remodelling Hillingdon’s
Education Service’ conference between the
LEA, school headteachers and representative
governors.
Monitoring of progress
(SDA).
Support through London
Challenge and DfES
collaborative networking
projects and developments,
good practice websites,
publications and materials.
(e.g. LIG, Federations,
Innovations Unit)
Learning & Culture
Working in partnership with
community and partners
Support and monitoring
(SDA)
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 148
Priority
Objectives
Hillingdon LEA Targets and
Outcomes
Hillingdon LEA Key Actions DfES Contribution Council and
Community Plan
Priorities
6.
Strategic
Planning,
Collaboration,
Building
Schools for
the Future
and Best
Value
Targets Ref.
Corporate
Plan/CPA Plan
Milestones
EDP Targets
for
development
of SEP
Post Ofsted
Action Plan
6a.
Improved CPA rating to achieve 3*
rating for Education by 2005
Schools improve by 1 grade for
VFM on re-inspection by OfSTED
6b.
Improve Strategic Planning rating
in Audit Commission Annual Survey
of Schools into next quartile by
2005
6c.
Review the mechanisms for
decision-making and
communication with schools to
improve the level of joint leadership
6d.
Hillingdon schools to engage in the
development and enhancement of
partnerships by 2005.
6e.
Rationalise and refocus the
‘Education, Youth and Leisure’
services planning through the
development of the SEP
LEA will develop its planning and consultation
procedures
Develop rigorous and systematic selfevaluation
against the Ofsted LEA Inspection
JRSs.
Implement Action Plan from Headteacher
Conference [January 2004] to review the
Strategic Advisory Groups and reduce the
number of standing groups involving
headteachers.
Implement recommendations from Hillingdon
Collaboration Project (Mouchel) as agreed
with HTs at the January 2004 Conference
Reduce number of meetings and improve
quality of decision-making and
communication.
Audit existing clusters and partnerships and
ensure all schools have access to
collaborative support in line with SIP priorities;
develop and disseminate the work with all
schools through the Hillingdon
Collaboration[Mouchel] Project.
Draft SEP across all EYL Services to ensure
greater coherence of planning
Advice and guidance from
relevant DfES teams.
Advice and monitoring of
progress ( SDA.)
Advice and monitoring of
progress (SDA).
Support and monitor
progress (SDA).
Publish good practice
networks on learning
partnerships on the web
Support and monitor
progress (SDA).
Use SEP website and
examples of good practice
to inform development of
SEP.
SDA and SEP policy team
support for endorsement
Provide excellent services
to community and
customers;
Manage finance and
assets effectively
Encourage continuous
improvement culture
Plan and prioritise
effectively
Working in partnership with
community and partners
Modernise Council
processes
Plan and prioritise
effectively
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 149
REVIEW OF WELFARE MEALS SERVICE, MEALS
IN THE HOME, DINING CENTRE, DAY CENTRE
MEALS AND CIVIC CENTRE BANQUETING
SERVICE
ITEM 9
Contact Officers: Jeremy Ambache/Steve Smith
Telephone: 01895 27727401895 250518
SUMMARY
This report sets out the progress made since the last report to Cabinet on 18 th
December 2003.
Following the recommendations from Cabinet, to explore Options 3a and 3b, Officers
have set out a programme to market test ‘Meals in the Home Services’ and
Banqueting Services.
RECOMMENDATION
That Members note the progress made in market testing the meals and
banqueting services.
REASON FOR RECOMMENDATION
The Cabinet requested an update to be presented to this meeting.
OPTIONS AVAILABLE
None at this stage
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW & SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
The Committee has not asked to comment on the report.
INFORMATION
1. A project group (comprising managers of the services, commissioning and
procurement staff), has been set up to meet the requirements of the market testing.
2. To ensure compliance with European legislation an advertisement was placed in
the Official Journal of the European Union in February and notification of our
intentions to market test was placed in both the local and trade press.
3. In accordance with legislation 37 days is required for this purpose and for
expressions of interest to made back to the London Borough of Hillingdon. All
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 150
expressions of interest are due to be returned to the Council by 23 rd March 2004. An
evaluation of the questionnaire responses will then be made.
4. An invitation to tender will be made to suitable contractors and they will be
provided with the specification and contract conditions. This is planned to
commence in April 2004, and tenders will be returned to the authority by the end of
May 2004.
5. A panel will then be set up to evaluate the tenders. Suitable companies will be
interviewed and invited to present their proposals to the Council. Information in
respect of the outcome of the tender evaluation exercise will then be reported to
Cabinet in September 2004. This will include an assessment of the TUPE
implications.
6. It is proposed that a three-year contract, commencing in January 2005, with an
option to extend is sought.
CORPORATE CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
Legal Implications
7. The various stages of the procurement process are outlined in the body of the
report. At this stage, there is nothing further that can be added by way of legal
comments.
Finance Implications
8. There are no financial implications from this report. Social Services’ Procurement
Manager is involved in the project team and will ensure that the prescribed format for
responses to the Invitation to Tender will enable all bids to be evaluated on a
consistent basis.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Report to Cabinet 18 th December 2003
Meals Review Committee Report to Social Services 19 th March 2002
Report on Asha Day Centre Users Petition 13 th September 2001
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 151
EARLY YEARS DEVELOPMENT AND CHILDCARE
PARTNERSHIP IMPLEMENTATION PLAN 2004/05
ITEM 10
Contact Officer: Roger Turner/Alison Booth
Telephone: 01895 250789/01895 277348
SUMMARY
The Hillingdon Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) has
been working together on the 2004-06 Early Years Development and Childcare
Partnership Implementation Plan. Three years ago the Government (DfES/Sure
Start) and Members approved fully the EYDCP strategic Plan 2001-04 and this time
last year the Implementation Plan for 2003-04 received full approval. The current
Implementation Plan has been guiding the work of the Partnership and considerable
progress has been achieved during the last year. Although Sure Start no longer
require submission of a Plan, they have specified a number of priority areas for the
focus of the EYDCP’s work during the 2 years 2004-06. This plan is a 2 year plan, to
run parallel with the 2 year funding allocation for 2004-06 that has already been
agreed with the Sure Start Unit. This report, together with the Implementation Plan,
provides Members with the details contained in the new plan for its consideration.
A full copy of the Plan is available to any Member who wishes to access a copy.
RECOMMENDATION:
That members:
1. Note the achievements made in response to the targets set out in the
current Plan (03-04);
2. Approve the proposals set out in the new Plan (04-06);
REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
To ensure that the Partnership contributes appropriately and strategically to national
and local targets to ensure high quality childcare and early education provision in
Hillingdon and thus the continuance of £3.1M external funding from Sure Start for
2004-06.
OPTIONS
1. To approve the plan for 2004-06;
2. To approve the plan for 2004-06, with modifications
3. To not approve the plan for 2004-06. Were this option to be considered the
EYDCP would be unable to drawn down funding from the Government.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 152
COMMENTS OF OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
Education, Libraries and Arts Overview and Scrutiny Committee have provided no
comments.
INFORMATION
1. During 2003-04 the DfES/Sure Start required the EYDCP to set targets in 14
areas in its Implementation Plan for 2003-04. All of these areas of working are
reflected in the 2004-06 plan that follows the same format as the Sure Start Delivery
Guidance 2004-2006.
Free Early Education for 3 Year Olds
2. Through partnership between maintained school nursery places, day nurseries,
playgroups and independent schools Hillingdon has established a position of
providing free early education for all three year-old children who live, and are
educated, within Hillingdon borders. This resulted in an early achievement of the
Sure Start target to provide universal provision by eighteen months.
3. The School Standards and Framework Act has placed a duty on local authorities
to provide free early education for all four year-old children at point of delivery from
1998. This Act has now been extended to include all three year-old children.
Funding for this element of education will be within the Education Formula Funding
from April 2004.
Expansion of Childcare Places
4. Despite substantial barriers to the attainment of the targets set in the 2001-04
strategic plan, for example:-
• Change of national regulator (OfSTED) and to national regulations (Care
Standards);
• Lack of suitable premises;
• National shortage of suitably qualified workers.
5. Good progress has been made towards the target for 03-04 and, in the 9 months
to December 2003, 70% of the target for the creation of childcare places has been
achieved. Comparison between target and actual performance over 3 and 1 year
are as follows:-
Area of expansion
Revised
target
01-04
Actual
performance
01-Dec 03
Target
2003-04
Performance Apr
03-Dec 03
Out of School
985 798 370 183
childcare
Pre-school childcare 444 543 152 186
Childminding places 1471 1203 579 311
Total 2900 2544 1101 739
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Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 153
6. Funding of £72,000 has been secured to help providers towards the cost of
starting up new schemes. Expressions of interest in bidding for the funding resulted
in 3 responses and funding is likely to be given to providers starting clubs at Colham
Manor, Hayes Park Primary and Charville Schools.
Recruitment
7. 2 fundays have been held in Harefield and Northwood to which over 2,000
parents and children attended. The events resulted in increased interest in
childminding and working in the early years and childcare sector. In total, 169
people have expressed a strong interest in working in the sector since April 2003.
8. The EYDCP will continue to offer a startup package of £100 to all newlyregistering
childminders.
Training
9. The strategic target for 2003-04 is for 400 childcare workers to receive
qualifications based training. This has been exceeded and 547 childcare workers
have accessed qualifications based training funded through the Childcare Grant and
European Social Funding. The strategic target for a total of 1,200 workers to receive
training by 2004 has been met and exceeded by 2003. The target for 2004-05
reflects the increased demand for training and has been raised to 250 workers to be
75% funded for level 2 and level 3 courses and to provide 375 non-qualifications
childcare training places. The target is the same for 2005-06.
10. The strategic target for 2003-04 is to provide the equivalent of four days training
per Foundation Stage practitioner (staff in school nurseries, playgroups, day
nurseries and independent schools) during the year. This target was reached
through the provision of over seventy short courses. From April 2003 to February
2004, 733 practitioners had attended the training events that have been provided.
The course programme has been funded through European Social Funding and a
direct grant from the DfES. The EYDCP is required to provide this level of
Foundation Stage training over the next two years. DfES funding will be available to
support the coming training programmes.
11. The EYDCP were required to deliver the equivalent of 3 days training per setting
Special Education Needs Coordinator (SENCO) over the last 3 years (2001-2004).
The implementation of this target was to provide one days training per setting
SENCO in each of the three years. This was achieved this year through the
provision of approximately eighteen training events, and last year included modular
SENCO courses that will hopefully be accredited in the spring of 2004. From April
2003 to February 2004 185 participants have attended the 18 courses that have
been provided. This year’s course programme has been funded through a direct
DfES grant. Funding for training will be continued for the next two years.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 154
Quality in Early Education
12. Grants have been paid to childminders, all full daycare, sessional and out of
school providers to enable them to purchase and renew equipment to raise quality
throughout the sector. A quality childminding network is being developed in
collaboration with Sure Start in Hayes and it is hoped that this will receive
accreditation by Spring 2004.
13. The Partnership have made good progress in the promotion of quality
accreditation schemes and 1 provider has attained accreditation and an additional 23
providers have been recruited this year making a total of 40 providers and
childminders who are now fully or part funded to work towards quality accreditation.
The target for 15% of providers (20) to be working towards QA accreditation set for
2003-04 has been exceeded by 13. Support groups and workshops have been
established to support providers through the process and staff in the Partnership
have received training to enable them to provider mentoring support.
14. As of February 2004 there will be a team of 3.5 Early Years Advisory Teachers,
working alongside the LEA Early Years Adviser, to support the development of
quality within early education provision in all sectors catering for the education of
children between the ages of three and five years. This development is supported
through in-setting support, pre and post OfSTED inspection support and
dissemination of good practice through twinning schools and non-maintained
providers, arranging visits to settings with recognised good practice, good practice
guidelines and newsletters.
15. During the autumn term of 2003 the Early Years Team provided support to
ninety-nine settings to develop a wide range of aspects of Foundation Stage
education. The twinning initiative now twins a total of ten schools and thirty settings
and with the implementation of the visits initiative it is hoped that the dissemination of
good practice and partnership working will continue to be enhanced.
Special Educational Needs and Equal Opportunities
16. With the recruitment of two Inclusion Facilitators, to work in partnership with the
Inclusion Advisers recruited in 2003, the target of providing practitioner and SENCO
support to all non-maintained Foundation Stage settings on a ratio of one to twenty,
has been achieved. The Inclusion Team provides support to practitioners to enable
them to cater for children’s individual and significant needs. They also support
providers to develop inclusive practice and effective policies including those
regarding children with special educational needs and those learning English as an
additional language.
17. During the autumn term of 2003 the Inclusion Team supported thirty settings in
developing practice to cater for individual children’s needs alongside supporting eight
children transferring from non-maintained settings to school provision. The Inclusion
Team are also in the process of developing a “Behaviour Pack” that will support
practitioners in developing positive behaviour strategies that will ensure children’s
positive self-image is maintained
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
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18. The Children’s Information Service has expanded its outreach programme and
attended 32 outreach events, of which 14 were targeted at hard to reach groups.
19. A Directory of Children’s Services is currently being compiled in collaboration
with the Hillingdon Association of Voluntary Services, Social Services, Education and
Health. Funding of just under £8,000 for the next 2 years for the continuation of this
project has been obtained from the Children’s Fund.
FINANCE
20. The plan is mainly concerned about the priorities for spending secured levels of
funding, whether that be base budget or external grant. In two regards, however,
additional budget will be required for 2004/05 and this is being considered as part of
the EYL budget overall and the Schools Budget in particular.
21. The policy of providing free early education for 3 Year Olds will have a cost in
2004/05 which is calculated to be £85k more than the rolled forward budget. Also,
the operation of the 3 Early Years Centres may cause budget pressures of up to
£173k. Both of items fall within the Schools Budget and are included in the
calculation for passporting the increase in the Formula Spending Share for Schools.
22. The funding for this is to be considered as part of the report to Cabinet on Fair
Funding arrangements for schools in 2004/05.
LEGAL
23. There are no legal implications arising from this Report.
EXTERNAL CONSULTATIONS CARRIED OUT
Employment Service
Children’s Fund
Sure Start
Neighbourhood Nursery
Parents
Providers of early education and childcare
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Nil
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REVENUE BUDGET 2003/04 MONTHLY
MONITORING REPORT MONTH 9 (DECEMBER
2003)
ITEM 11
Contact Officer: Paul Whaymand
Telephone: 01895 556074
INTRODUCTION
This report sets out the overall financial position of the authority as forecast at the
end of month 9 of 2003/04 (December 2003). It shows separately the forecast yearend
position on Directorates’ Budgets, centrally managed Corporate Budgets and
the overall position in relation to the General Fund and surplus balances. The report
also includes reports of Corporate Directors commenting on the forecast year-end
position on their budgets and on any significant budget pressures during the year
and actions taken to mitigate their effect. The previous report to Cabinet in February
covered the forecast position as at month 8 (November).
This report provides a strategic summary of financial performance to date. It reflects
the budget monitoring and management within Directorates. More detailed
information for individual Directorates is available from Heads of Finance.
SUMMARY
This report on revenue monitoring as at Month 9, December 2003, shows that
forecast net expenditure for the year is £829k lower than the budget, leading to
£1.829m being added to balances as opposed to the £1m budgeted. This is an
improvement of £101k compared to the month 8 projected underspend of £728k.
This change has been generated by a £101k improvement in the forecasts across
Directorates. The main factor in the improved position within the Directorate spend is
an improvement of £173k in the projected overspend for Housing Benefits.
The current forecast assumes that the Development Contingency is fully utilised. At
present £703k is uncommitted – of this, it is anticipated that up to £120k could be
required to support the HIP programme, leaving a balance of £583k which could be
added to balances.
The forecasts for month 9 exclude £1.25m of additional costs relating to the Asylum
Judicial Review. It has been assumed that this sum will be recoverable from central
government, as have £1.9m of overhead costs relating to the Asylum Seeker Service
in the year.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That Cabinet notes the improved position of the revenue budget and agrees to
officers continuing to take appropriate actions to ensure the budgeted revenue
surplus for the current year is achieved.
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REASONS FOR OFFICER RECOMMENDATION
To achieve the Council’s expected surplus in line with the approved budget.
EXPENDITURE FORECASTS
Directorates’ Forecast Expenditure
1. Table 1 shows Budget, Forecast and Variance at Directorate level now reported
and the total position on the Directorates’ budgets
Table 1
2003/04
Original
Budget
Budget
changes
(Note 1)
2003/04
Current
Budget
(as at
Month 9)
Directorate 2003/04
Forecast
(as at
Month 9)
Variances (+=Extra spend or
Less Income )/() indicate less
costs or greater income
Variance
(As at
Month 9)
Variance Variance
(as at (as at
Month 8) Month
6)
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Education Youth &
141,134 6,055 147,189 Leisure 147,189 0 0 0
68,211 3,442 71,653 Social Services 71,668 +15 (23) (2)
27,835 1,413 29,248 Environment 29,360 +112 +106 +140
8,219 635 8,854 Housing 8,272 (582) (456) (148)
11,855 290 12,145 Central Services 10,931 (1,214) (1,195) (62)
32,632 -
Capital charges (all
32,632 Services – Note 2) 32,632 0 0 0
Directorates'
289,886 11,835 301,721 Expenditure 300,052 (1,669) (1,568) (72)
Note 1
“Budget Changes” incorporates allocations from the inflation provision and the
Development and Risk Contingency which are further detailed in paragraphs 64 and
65 respectively.
The changes also reflect budget transfers between Directorates to accommodate:
• Allocation of £300k savings target agreed at council budget meeting, Pro-rata
across all services.
• Central services charges allocation of £806k directly to relevant units.
• Centralising of payment staff from Directorates - £75k (EYL & ESG)
• Allocation of £400k of corporate provision for increased employer’s pension
contributions.
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• £5k virement to Education from Central Services for town twinning.
Note 2
In Table 1 above, capital charges have been removed from Directorate budgets and
shown separately to focus on the budget quantum which is within each Directorate’s
control.
2. The budgetary position for each Directorate is as follows:
Education Youth & Leisure (EYL):
3. EYL is projecting a £120k overspend on a number of budget heads as
summarised below, with an expectation that they will be contained within the
approved budget. This represents a £14k net improvement on the month 8 position
before compensating savings:
Forecast
month 9
£’000
Change from
month 8
£’000
Finance & Resources +228 +143
Standards and Inclusion (245) (123)
Lifelong learning +30 (30)
Cultural Services +107 (4)
Compensating Savings (120) +14
Overall 0 0
Finance and Resources: - £228k Overspend
4. There are three areas of pressure in this budget. The first is in Premature
Retirement Compensation, where current known commitments will result in an
overspend of £162k (£137k worsening on £25k reported in month 8). The additional
costs appear to be in the Teachers Pension Agency liability and some improvements
need to be made to the way in which this aspect of the budget is forecasted in future.
The second is in the Finance Team where recruitment difficulties have required the
use of agency staff, currently estimated to cost in the region of £45k (£15k increase
from £30k reported in month 8). The third relates to bills for legal costs, where LBH
has either lost cases or has settled out of court (c£21k). This represents an
improvement of £9k on the month 8 position.
5. In the event of vacancy management across the group not producing savings to
cover these pressures, the fall-back position would be to assess the scope to use or
re-phase spending on asset management planning reports and the next stage of
consultancy work for Ruislip High School PFI. In the event of these not being
achievable, an overspend would result.
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Standards and Inclusion :- £245k Underspend
6. After virements from central Standards Fund budgets to support SEN budgets
and finalisation of prior year inter-authority liabilities for SEN, the SEN position is
now forecasting an underspend of £111k (£11k worsening on the £122k reported in
month 8). These forecasts include assumptions about new SEN placements. A
review of SEN support services budgets has identified underspends of £133k in
staffing budgets that were not forecast in previous months. These underspends arise
due to failure to fill posts, where previously it was assumed that they would be filled,
for Pupil & Family Support (£73) and Learning and Support Services (£60).
Lifelong Learning: £30k Overspend
7. The Early Years and Childcare team has identified budget pressures (£130k), due
to underachievement of income targets (principally) in the three Early Years Centres,
which transferred from Social Services on 1st April 2003 . These budgets are
regarded as high risk and are being considered each month. There are some
offsetting savings within the Early Years Team and these will reduce the overspend
for the team to between £50k and £100k. Overall projected position is a £30k
improvement on that forecast on month 8.
8. EYL officers are looking to identify strategies for ensuring that, in the longer term,
these facilities operate within their approved budget. This is unlikely to produce a
balance in 2003/04. Officers have sought some support from the Council's
Contingency Budget, which earmarked up to £40k of funding in the event of the Early
Years Centres being unable to meet income targets. Other opportunities for savings
in this area are modest and an overspend may be inevitable.
Cultural Services: £107k Overspend
9. Cost pressures and income shortfall at Hayes Pool (£90k) and a mixture of
pressures and savings elsewhere in the Leisure budget (ie projected income shortfall
of £11k at Cwm Pennant offset by a forecast increase in rent income on golf courses
(£42k), under-achievement of income at Queensmead Sports Centre (£25k), cost
pressures at Minet Country Park (£25K), and a range of modest ups and downs for
the remainder). There are some offsetting pressures and savings within the Library
Service.
10. These pressures are expected to be managed within Cultural Services. The
scope for doing this is in uncommitted funding for an Asset Management Review
Manager and some opportunities for vacancy management. Savings have been
identified by Cultural Services managers.
Compensating Savings (Provisions): - (£120k) Underspend
11. The latest assessment of potential compensating savings suggests that the
following would appear to be achievable:
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AMR project director:
Schools asset management:
Vacancy management:
Total:
£’000
70
15
35
120
Social Services:
12. The Social Services overall projection indicates a slight worsening of £38k since
the underspend of £23k projected at Month 8. As Social Services continue to
examine and confirm management information through the commitments review
exercise they are producing more reliable data on which to forecast commitments.
The main changes this month are increase in the pressure on Children and families
Service (£14k), Older People’s Services (£67k), mental health services (£25k),
support services(£21k) and a reduction in the pressure on Physical and Sensory
Disability Services by £47k, and in learning difficulties £38k. The forecast excludes
the expected costs in this year of Asylum Seeker Judicial Review cases (£1.25m)
and continues to assume full recovery of £1.9m of overhead costs regarding the
Asylum Seeker service. The pressures are detailed in the table below:
Forecast
Variance
Month 9
£’000
Change from
Month 8
£’000
Children and Families +1,498 +14
Asylum Seeker Service (1,114) 0
Older People's Services (190) +67
Physical & Sensory Disabilities +909 (47)
Learning Disabilities +620 (38)
Mental Health Services +401 +25
Other Adult Services (36) (4)
Support Services (434) +21
Unallocated Growth (realignment) (1,639) 0
+15 +38
13. The extent of fluctuation in variances is reducing as the work on analysing all
Private & Voluntary placement commitments nears completion. The forecast
methodology has been significantly improved and is now more reliable. This has
resulted in a revised projection of a £15k overspend for the department overall,
excluding the developing impact of judicial review asylum cases. This compares with
a £23k underspend projected in Month 8.
14. Care Package authorisations procedures have been tightened to provide senior
management scrutiny to all future higher cost placements for the foreseeable future.
Heads of Service are continuing to review all proposals over £25k per year before a
placement is made. The findings from the Budget Realignment exercise are helping
budget managers to manage costs more effectively. The policy for the rest of this
year is to contain costs overall within a departmental cash limit, since the current
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service limits are unrealistic. The realignment exercise has informed the 2004/05
budget building.
Children & Families: - £1,498k overspend
15. The projected overspend has increased by £14k due to clearer forecasting. All
high cost care package proposals are referred to the Head of Service for review
before a placement can be made.
Asylum Seeker Service: - (£1,114k) underspend
16. No change on Month 8. The underspend is additional grant income which has
been claimed to cover management, support and overheads costs which have been
the subject of challenge by the Audit Commission. This projection assumes full
recovery of the claim. All claimable costs will be budgeted under the Asylum service
cost centre for 2004/05, to show the real impact of the service and the extent to
which it is reimbursed by grants.
Older people’s Services: - (£190k) underspend
17. An increase of £67k in spend since Month 8, due to continued efforts to reduce
the waiting list. Commitments are being monitored in the context of the overall
departmental financial position.
Physical & Sensory Disabilities: - £909k overspend
18. This has reduced by £47k since Month 8 due to firmer forecasting as the year
progresses. All high cost care package proposals are to be referred to the Head of
Service for review before a placement can be made.
Learning Disabilities: - £620k overspend
19. A reduction £38k since Month 8 due to firmer forecasting. All high cost care
package proposals are to be referred to the Head of Service for review before a
placement can be made.
Mental Health: - £401k overspend
20. This has increased by £25k due mainly to clarification of the impact of staff
harmonisation costs. All high cost care package proposals are to be referred to the
Head of Service for review before a placement can be made.
Support Services: - (£434k) underspend
21. The underspend has reduced by £21k since Month 8 due to a £21k reduction in
projected CareFirst costs offset by an overspend of £42k on a shortfall in PCT
contribution to the Equipment Service. The projected underspending on these
services is being used to manage the department's budgets overall within the total
cash limit.
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Unallocated Growth (Realignment): - (£1,639k) underspend
22. There is no change since the last report. This is a reserve of £1,639k of
budgetary growth and inflation in the current year which has been with held from
budgets pending a realignment of budgets for 2004/05 to reflect actual patterns of
spend. The budget will be dispersed to service budgets as part of 2004/05 budget
build. This will not address the structural budget issues within services in the current
year. Group budgets will continue to be managed by the department to aim to
deliver an outturn on target overall. The realignment analysis will now form the basis
for re-shaped budgets for 2004/05.
Environmental Services:
23. A projected overspend of £112k is reported. This is a worsening of £6k on the
£106k reported in month 8. This is due to a new pressure in the CCTV service in
relation to maintenance and cable line rental. The position is summarised below:
Forecast
month 9
£’000
Change from
month 8
£’000
Public Health & Environmental
6 6
Services
Highways & Transport 50 0
Support Services 56 0
Total 112 6
Public Health & Environmental Services: - £6k overspend
24. £6k CCTV Service. Pressure from increased maintenance and cable line rental
costs. The CCTV manager is reviewing the current arrangements for the internal
recharges of costs and also looking at opportunities to attract external funding to
support this important 24-hour service.
Highways & Transport: - £50k overspend
25. Income from contract parking in multi storey car parks has not yet been
achieved, hence there is an income shortfall. Officers continue to seek negotiated
agreements with potential contract users.
Support Services: - £56k overspend
26. Demand for the Customer Contact Centre has been higher than expected, and
the success of the service has generated yet more calls. The existing over-spend
has arisen because of the need to employ additional staff to deal with the increased
number of calls taken to meet performance indicators and deal with peaks and
troughs in demand. The Council intends to extend the present CCC to all Council
services, and the costs and budgetary position of the larger CCC will depend upon
the detailed arrangements for the new service.
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27. The budget pressure has recently been reduced due to a contribution from
'green waste'. The Corporate Director is actively seeking ways in which to make
compensatory savings to reduce this pressure further. Officers from ESG and
Corporate Finance are seeking to capitalise some of the staff salaries within the
Contact Centre who are working on the introduction of the new Contact Centre
software. A significant reduction in the total overspend is expected in the next
reporting period. The Contact Centre is due to transfer to Corporate IT in early
March.
Housing Services:
28. Housing Services are now showing a projected underspend of £582k a £126k
improvement on the month 8 projected underspend of £456k. This is due to an
decrease in the forecast overspend on benefits, offset by an increase in the forecast
overspend on Housing development, as detailed in the table below:
Forecast
month 9
£’000
Changes from
month 8
£’000
Benefits 320 (173)
Homelessness (859) (21)
Caravan Site (8) (2)
Housing Advice Centre (52) (7)
Housing Private Sector (59) (3)
Housing Development 34 68
Housing Careline Services 24 2
Other Housing Services 18 10
(582) (126)
Benefits: - £320k overspend
29. Benefits is made up of three key services - Benefit Admin, Benefits Payments
and Fraud Prevention and Overpayment Recoveries; further details of these items
are provided below. The net overspend has reduced from £493k in period 8 to £320k
in period 9 and this is mainly due to movements in the cost of payments and
administration. Net cost of payment is down by £174k and Admin costs are up by
£170k. The total £320k projected net overspend to year-end is made up of £220k
overspend on admin costs; £341k overspend on payments to claimants; and £241k
underspend as a result of increased overpayment collections. The gross expenditure
for Benefit is £53m+, £320k is less than 1% of the gross expenditure.
30. There is a monthly review of the service to monitor both service and financial
performance. All the actions listed for each aspect of the service are reviewed and
updated each month.
31. Admin: - The projected overspend on admin has moved from £55k overspend
in period 8 to £220k overspend in period 9. This is mainly due to increased support
costs allocations and the need to increase staffing levels in order to maintain
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performance and implement i-world. The overall overspend of £220k for HB Admin
due to general staffing costs, however the projected cost is very sensitive to the
number of new claimants and HB review caseloads. Managers are recruiting more
benefit assessment officer trainees and also implementing an action plan to improve
HB admin services. The combination of these actions should reduce the current
projected overspend.
32. Payments: The latest projected overspend has reduced from £688k to £341k
between period 8 and 9, this is mainly due to a small reduction in payment levels and
corrections to budget allocation. Latest projected payments spend variance of £341k
to year-end is based on actual payments to week 36. The current weighted average
subsidy of 92.3% is one of the highest in London and the net expenditure on
Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit is very sensitive to the subsidy percentage,
0.01% change is about £50k impact on the budget. Managers are working on
proposals to reduce the level of subsidy losses and we will be using some of the
underspend in Homelessness budget to support this overspend.
33. Overpayments: No significant change between period 8 and period 9. The total
additional income of £250k from overpayment recoveries is mostly the direct result of
increased overpaid HB payments. Overpayment recovery performance is on a
monthly review.
Homelessness: - (£859k) underspend
34. No significant changes between period 8 and period 9. The overall projected net
underspend of £859k is mainly due to the use of new Private Sector Leasing
accommodation. The gross budget for Homelessness is over £13m and the
projected variance is about 6%. There are issues on how to sustain the current
homelessness spend levels in future, there are a number of government proposals to
review Homelessness services funding and subsidies. The cost of this service is very
sensitive to HB subsidies payments and direct grants from government to support
new homelessness prevention schemes. There is a monthly review between all
service providers to ensure service plans and savings are delivered. Underspend is
being used to support overspend elsewhere within the Housing General Fund.
Caravan Sites: - (£8k) underspend
35. There are no significant changes between period 8 and 9. The total projected
£8k net underspend is mainly due to reduced costs on salaries and utilities (new
electricity and water contracts at lower prices, and improved meter securities to
control theft of electricity and water supplies). Underspend is being used to support
overspend elsewhere within the Housing General Fund.
Housing Advice Centre: - (£52k) underspend
36. The improvement in projected spend between period 6 and 8 is due to
correction of support cost recharges from the HRA. The overall projected £52k net
underspend is mainly due to 1 fte post being funded from Community Safety
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esources and another 1 fte vacancy caused by a recent secondment. Underspend
is being used to support overspend elsewhere within the Housing General Fund.
Housing Private Sector: - (£59k) underspend
37. No significant improvement in projected spend between period 8 and 9. The
overall projected £59k net underspend is mainly due to reduced projected overtime
payments on Noise Services and reduction in HRA support services recharges. The
Noise Service is currently being reviewed. Underspend is being used to support
overspend elsewhere within the Housing General Fund.
Housing Development Section: - £34k overspend
38. The £68k movement from underspend to overspend between period 8 and
period 9 is due to increased projected salary costs, consultancy costs to review the
new PSL contracts and homelessness strategy. The total projected £34k net
overspend is mainly due to projected expenditure on a number of housing
development and procurement strategies. This overspend will be funded out of the
homelessness underspend.
Housing Careline Services: - £24k overspend
39. No significant change between period 8 and 9. The projected total £24k net
overspend is due to increased operational costs as a result of health and safety
issues in the Careline Services’ current location at the Civic. This overspend is being
funded out of the savings elsewhere in the budget.
Housing Support Services & Management: - £18k overspend
40. The increase of £10k in projected overspend is due to a number of cost
reallocation between the HRA and Housing General Fund. The projected £18k net
overspend is due to projected variance on a number of small support services
recharges between HRA and Housing General Fund. This overspend is being
funded out of the savings elsewhere in the budget.
Central Services:
41. This report sets out the financial forecast for Central Services based on the
Month 9 (December 2003) actual figures. The projected variance will result in a net
underspend of £1,214k, which is an increase of £19k over the £1,195k underspend
declared in month 8. This improvement is primarily down to a reduction in the
projected staffing costs in the Personnel and Best Value Services. A full summary of
the changes from month 8 is shown in Table 1 – Central Services Financial Forecast
2003/2004:
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Table 1 – Central Services Financial Forecast 2003/2004
Service Area
Forecast
Month 9
£’000
Change from
Month 8
£’000
Local Tax/NNDR (20) 13
Corporate and Democratic Core (25) 0
Estates and Property Services (54) 0
Other Corporate Services (1,620) 0
Chief Executive’s Office 0 (32)
Finance Services 299 0
Facilities Management 106 0
Constitutional Services (70) 0
Legal Services 170 0
Total Forecast for Central Services (1,214) (19)
Local Tax/NNDR (£20k underspend)
42. The projected variance is due to the predicted savings on salaries within the
Recovery Section amounting to £70k, which is offset by £50k due to costs of
employing agency staff to cover staff vacancies and the additional cost of
implementing the I-World project within the income collection teams. The £13k
decrease in the underspend from month 8 is due to the increase in agency staffing
costs to assist with the implementation of the I-World project.
Corporate and Democratic Core (£25k underspend)
43. As last month it is anticipated that the one-off set up costs for the Hillingdon
Community Trust will be lower than expected by £25k.
Estates (£60k underspend) and Property Services (£6k overspend), net
underspend of £54k
44. As reported last month it is anticipated that the projected variance will be an
underspend of £54k. This is due to a number of projected savings totalling £84k, a
£10k saving from rent income received for the Uxbridge Industrial Estate, which has
been sold, a saving of £49k from the property at 192 High Street, which has been
sub-let to a private tenant, who will be responsible for the day to day running costs
and a £25k underspend on external consultants in the Property Disposal budget.
This is offset by an overspend of £24k due to the fall in the number of units let at the
Warnford Industrial Estate and a slight overspend of £6k which is projected in
Estates and Valuation due to increased staffing costs.
Other Corporate Services (£1,620k underspend)
45. Most of the Rates bills for the Authority have now been finalised following
challenges mounted by the authority on the current rating list. Indications are that
rate refunds flowing from these challenges will generate savings of £1,570k over
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and above the £224k assumed in the base budget. A further £50k saving is due to
the London Residual Body balances redistributed to the Authority for prior year
County Hall rate refunds dating back to 1995.
46. The significant improvement of £720k in the variation is due to the outcomes of
the challenges to the rateable value on the Civic Centre. The final rebates due to the
Authority are significantly better than those predicted and relate to rebates dating
back to the 2000/2001 financial year.
Chief Executive’s Office (nil variance)
47. The change in the variation from month 8 by £32k is due to an underspend of
£10k within the Best Value Team on staff salaries and a reduction in the agency staff
costs within the Personnel Service of £22k.
Finance Services (£299k overspend)
48. As reported last month the projected overspend is made up of a number of items
across the service. The pressures identified are essential, so as to enable the
Authority to improve its financial management systems and processes, which would
lead to service efficiencies.
49. The Central Services Finance Team is expected to overspend by £50k, due
mainly to agency staff covering a maternity leave and the role of the Head of Finance
– Central Services. The position for Head of Finance – Central Services was filled
with a permanent employee with effect from 1 September 2003.
50. The Financial Systems Support Team is projected to overspend by £40k, due to
costs involved in setting up a help desk and recruiting agency staff to manage the
first year of live implementation of the Oracle Financial Management System, which
is a recognised priority for this Authority.
51. Insurance Services is anticipated to overspend by £28k, due to temporarily
recruiting two additional staff to set up a risk register and to undertake work designed
to help improve our CPA rating in this area. CPA rating has as a result increased
from a score of 1 to a score of 3.
52. Treasury Services is anticipated to overspend by £20k, due to additional Brokers
Commissions in year incurred as a result of debt restructuring designed to reduce
interest costs in the current year and next.
53. The Corporate Accountancy Team is expected to overspend by £194k. This
comes at a time of the greatest change in Local Government Finance, with
significant change in the department and greater support being required by the
Authority. The overspend is due to, in particular, difficulties in recruiting to the Head
of Financial Planning and the resulting additional recruitment costs and covering
sickness for the role of the Capital Accountant. The Team is also having to cope with
an additional workload as a result of providing financial input into the HIP program
and detailed financial support to 3 HIP projects. The position for the Head of
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Financial Planning was filled with a permanent employee with effect from
20 October 2003.
54. The Finance Directorate is anticipated to overspend by £30k due to additional
costs arising as a consequence of covering for the Borough Treasurer’s post which
became vacant in November and the recruitment costs of appointing new staff. A
further overspend of £65k will result from the redundancy payments arising following
the restructuring of the Payroll Section. These additional costs will, to some part, be
offset by projected savings arising from the continuing vacancies within the Audit
Team (£50k) and by an agreed reduction in the Authority audit fees (£78k).
Facilities Management (£106k overspend)
55. A number of pressures have been identified within this service. The cost of the
security contract is £42k above the budget provision, staffing costs within the Office
Services are projected to be £25k overspent, Civic Centre utility bills are higher than
expected by £35k and a further net pressure of £4k on other Civic Centre budgets.
56. Due to the restructuring of the Facilities Management service and the
refurbishment of the Café, it has been very difficult to predict with any certainty how
the three Trading Accounts (Catering, Cleaning and Printing) have been performing.
This work will be carried out and completed in February 2004 and the outcomes
reported within the next monitoring report.
57. Although not included in the projected year end figures, the Building Cleaning
and Catering Services will be affected by the Harmonisation process. A bid has been
submitted to the Contingency Fund for a gross £42k to cover the additional costs.
Constitutional Services (£70k underspend)
58. As reported last month the underspend has arisen due to a slippage in the
implementation of the Community Safety Initiative resulting in a saving of £20k and
not being able to fill a number of vacant posts within the service resulting in an
anticipated saving of £50k.
Legal Services (£170k overspend)
59. As reported last month the projected overspend is due to continuing pressure on
the service especially from Social Services and Environmental Services. Increased
workloads and the high staff vacancy within the service have resulted in a significant
cost being paid for agency staff to enable the service to function. A further pressure
on the service is the appointment of the Data Protection Officer to an unfunded post.
Corporate Budgets’ Forecasts
60. Table 2 shows Budget, Forecast and Variance now reported on corporate
budgets i.e. inflation provision/ Interest Income etc and the total position on
corporate budgets.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 169
Table 2
2003/04
Original
Budget
Budget
changes
(para’s 17
to 19)
2003/04 Corporate Budgets
Current
Budget
(as at
Month 9)
2003/04
Forecast
(as at
Month 9)
Variances (+=Extra spend or
Less Income )/() indicate less
costs or greater income
Variance
(As at
Month 9)
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Variance Variance
(As at (As at
Month 8) Month 6)
11,238 (11,238) 0 Inflation Provision 0 0 0 0
2,100 (597) 1,503 Developments Contingency 1,503 0 0 0
(800) - (800) Interest on Balances (80) +720 +720 0
(500) - (500) BPR / HIP Savings (500) 0 0 0
(500) - (500) External Contribution (500) 0 0 0
(32,632) - (32,632) Asset Mgt A/c (32,512) +120 +120 0
(21,094) (11,835) (32,929) Corporate Budgets (32,089) +840 +840 0
Corporate budget Variance: - £840k overspend
61. This significant pressure has not changed since month 8 and has been
generated for two main reasons. The government has frozen the payment of Asylum
seekers Grant in the current year due to unresolved issues in the 2002-3 claim. This
has therefore resulted in a worsened cash-flow position and a resultant loss of
potential income to be earned of approximately £500k. There has also been a
significant increase in the sale of council houses, due the future reduction of
discounts available to tenants. The result of these increased HRA capital receipts is
that the HRA is charged with a reduced proportion of the Council’s debt financing
costs which instead falls on the General Fund. This has resulted in a fall of
approximately £300k in the amount that the HRA owes the General Fund in debt
financing costs. The reduction in debt financing costs charged to the HRA is an
exaggerated reflection of the capital receipts in the year due to the way the
apportionment statutorily has to be calculated.
62. Officers have taken action to prevent the position from getting worse by
undertaking a debt restructure, which has resulted in reduced interest costs in the
current year.
63. There has been a transfer of £11.238m of inflation provision to Directorates’
budgets to date. The following allocations have utilised the whole balance in the
inflation provision. The following table shows how the inflation has been allocated;
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 170
£000
Pay awards 7,688
Contractual arrangements 1,919
Levies 1,234
Other* 397
Total 11,238
* Note: major components of this figure include:
£’000
Members allowances 30
Grants 45
Special Schools 114
Homelessness 19
Building maintenance
Social Services Transport
IT Contract Costs
School Quantum
4
47
61
10
Other 67
Total 397
64. Table 2 assumes that the Development and Risk Contingency will be fully
utilised in 2003/04. Allocations of £557k have been made from the contingency this
year - including those reflecting members’ approval in 2002/03 of funding for £144k
expenditure which did not take place until 2003/04. Bids for harmonisation costs total
£540k (Social Services £450k, Environmental Services £40k and Central Services
£50k) and whilst a corporate review of these bids is underway, it is assumed that the
figure of £540k will be justified. There is £300k earmarked in the Contingency to
support the revenue budget provision of £300k for self-insured claims. Current
projections based on settlements up to the end of December suggest that the £300k
contingency will be required in full. The harmonisation and Insurance commitments
are incorporated into the table overleaf which also sets out the items provided for
within the contingency:
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 171
2003/04 Allocated
Budget or
committed
£’000 £’000
Harmonisation 500 540
Business Rates – Civic Centre 400 Not needed
Residential Care Allowances 450 Not needed
Uninsured Claims 300 300
Early Years Centres’ budget shortfall 40 0
HIP / Procurement savings 300 180
Pensions for Councillors 94 Not needed
Allocations brought forward from 2002/03:
Sec 106 temporary staff (ESG) 20
Planning appeal Ruislip Community School (ESG) 33
Challenge Consulting (Central) 31
Cranford Women’s project (Central) 60
2003/04 allocations:
Challenge Consulting / other specific HIP
82
allocations (Central)
NOTRAG & Decideum (Central) 10
Hillingdon Youth Offending Service (SocServices) 62
Bellfarm Advice Centre (Central) 15
Campaign against 3 rd Runway (Central) 25
Festive Decorations (ESG) 24
Litter Campaign design and publicity 15
Reduction at Council Budget meeting -484
Total: 2,100 1,397
65. Taking allocations and commitments to date into account, the unallocated
balance on the Contingency currently stands at £703k. Further issues to be
considered in this perspective are:
• HIP/Procurement savings: £300k – provision made to cover start-up costs and
recognising an ambitious income target. £180k has already been allocated from
Contingency so far this year. Shortfall currently identified at £300k but some of
these costs may be chargeable to the HRA. It is therefore possible that the full
£300k will not be required.
• Pensions for Councillors: £94k – this will not be required in the current financial
year.
66. Taking these issues into account the uncommitted balance of the Contingency
would reduce to £583k.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 172
OVERALL FINANCIAL POSITION
67. Table 3 indicates the overall impact of the expenditure forecasts now reported
on the approved budget and the resulting balances position.
Table 3
2003/04
Original
Budget
2003/04
(As at Month 9)
Current
Budget
Forecast
(as at Month
9)
Variances (+=Extra spend or Less
Income )/() indicate less costs or
greater income
Variance (As
at Month 9)
Variance
(As at
Month 8)
Variance
(As at
Month6)
£000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000
Directorates’
289,886 Expenditure 301,721 300,052 (1,669) (1,568) (72)
(21,094) Corporate Budgets (32,929) (32,089) +840 +840 0
268,792 Total Net Expenditure 268,792 267,963 (829) (728) (72)
(269,792) Budget Requirement (269,792) (269,792) 0 0 0
(1,000) (Surplus)/Deficit (1,000) (1,829) (829) (728) (72)
(2,800) Balances b/f 1/4/03 (3,376) (3,376) 0 0 0
(3,800) Balances c/f 31/3/04 (4,376) (5,205) (829) (728) (72)
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
a B c = b-a
68. This is a report of the Director of Finance and the financial implications are
included throughout.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
69. There are no specific legal implications arising from this report.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Monitoring reports
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 173
OPENING OF THE PRIVATE EQUITY TENDER OFF
SITE
ITEM 12
Contact Officer: Louise Branford-White
Telephone: 01895 250818
SUMMARY
The response to the Private Equity open OJEC tender will be opened off site in the
presence of an officer from Democratic or Legal Services. Opening the tender off
site is because a large number of proposals and quantity of supporting documents
are expected. This report is required under standing orders to note to Cabinet the
unopened tenders not being sent to the civic centre and not being accompanied off
site by 2 officers, following this approval being authorised by an appropriate officer.
RECOMMENDATION
The report be noted
INFORMATION
1. The pension fund is undertaking an open OJEC tender for Private Equity. The
amount to be invested would be in the region of £18 million, approximately 5% of the
total value of the pension fund.
2. Due to the specialist nature of Private Equity, BFINANCE have been appointed to
analyse and review the information returned from the tender process. It is expected
that a large quantity of responses will be received and that the volume of information
supplied will be great.
3. It would therefore be sensible to have the completed tender documents sent
straight to BFINANCE offices. The tender documents will then be opened in the
presence of an officer from Democratic or Legal Services.
LEGAL IMPLICATIONS
4. Section 16 (a) of Procurement and Contract Standing Order number requires
tenders to be returned to the Civic Centre. Section 3 of the same standing order
provides that the Standing Order must be complied with at all times but there are
some exceptions.
5. Section 3 (b) states an exception can be “by direction of the Appropriate
Delegated Officer where such direction is justified by special exceptional
circumstances and will be subject to a report to the cabinet”.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
6. The proposal is the most practical in the circumstances.
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 174
Conclusion
7. The response to the Private Equity tender will be opened off site in the presence
of an officer from Democratic or Legal Services due to the expectation that a large
number of tenders will be received and the documentation will be great. The
appropriate Delegated Officer who has authorised this is the Director of Finance.
BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS
Procurement and Contract Standing Orders
PART I – MEMBERS & PUBLIC (INCLUDING THE PRESS)
Cabinet Reports - 4 th March 2003 Page 175
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