Decisions

That Stace LLP be appointed as Principal Designer and lead Building Surveying Consultants to oversee the Oakwood Hill Depot alterations necessary to enable the relocation of the Housing Repairs Service and Housing Assets, for the contract fee of £64,863, based on the procedures set out in Section 19 of the Council’s Procurement Rules for Negotiated Contracts, due on their detailed knowledge of the building from its original construction.

1)         That approval be given under the 125-year lease between the Council and Ability Housing Association for land at Mason Close, Waltham Abbey (coloured red on the plan attached at Appendix 1) to provide a vehicular and pedestrian right of way to B3 Living, at nil consideration, to enable them to develop the adjacent land for affordable housing, that is currently leased by the Council to Hamme Construction Limited (Taylor Wimpey); and

2)         That the Council joins with Hamme Construction Limited (Taylor Wimpey)  to transfer all the respective interests in the land off Mason Close, Waltham Abbey (coloured green and purple on the plan attached as Appendix 1), and that the Council’s freehold for this land be  transferred for nil consideration.

To agree to release the funding previously agreed within the Capital Programme.

(1)        That the use of the existing provision of £350,000 within the Capital Programme for phase 4 of the Superfast Essex broadband rollout, match funded by contributions from BDUK and with an additional contribution from Essex County Council, be agreed; and

(2)        That a written agreement be entered into with Essex County Council to confirm this funding would be forthcoming.

(1)        That, in accordance with Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the items of business set out below as they would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act indicated, and the exemption was considered to outweigh the potential public interest in disclosing the information:

To award a new contract for the maintenance of major trees within the District.

(1)        That, following a procurement exercise and being the most economically advantageous tender under the price and quality criteria, the contract for arboricultural maintenance of major trees which were the responsibility of the Council be awarded to Gristwood and Toms Limited for an initial period of five years with an option to extend by a further two years.

To establish the Council’s new Common Operating Model as part of the People Strategy.

To consider further details for the implementation of the Council’s People Strategy.

To agree the proposed new Equalities objectives for the period 2017-21.

(1)        That the Council’s Equality Objectives and Action Plan for 2018-22 be agreed.

To monitor the progress of the Transformation Programme, including the definition of the People Strategy.

To monitor the progress of the Transformation Programme.

(1)        That the progress of Projects and Programmes within the Transformation Programme for January and February 2018 be noted, alongside the planned actions for March 2018.

To approve the Annual Report on the Council Housebuilding Programme.

(1)        That the Annual Progress Report of the Council Housebuilding Cabinet Committee on Council Housebuilding be noted.