The Cabinet of Redbridge Council met on Tuesday 23 April 2019, discussing a range of important issues including the future of children's centres, changes to council tax discounts for foster carers, and a new parking strategy. Key decisions included approving the closure of four children's centres, increasing the council tax discount for foster carers, and confirming an Article 4 Direction to regulate small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

Future of Children's Centre Services

Cabinet approved significant changes to the provision of children's centre services in Redbridge, aiming to achieve a budget reduction of £650,000. These changes include introducing a flat rate charge of £2 per family for attendance at sessions, with fee remissions available for eligible families. Aldersbrook Children's Centre will be retained as a 'hub' centre, but with reduced opening hours. However, four 'spoke' centres – Chadwell, Forest, Oakdale, and Winston Way – will close from September 2019 due to low usage. The majority of the required savings will be achieved through changes to staffing structures, and consultation with affected staff will commence.

Proposed Changes to Council Tax Discount for Foster Carers

The Cabinet agreed to increase the Council Tax discount for approved foster carers from 60% to 80%. Furthermore, the discount will now be applied based on occupancy rather than simply approval, meaning it will be awarded to carers actively looking after children. This change is intended to reward carers providing long-term placements and potentially reduce reliance on independent fostering agencies, which are more costly than in-house carers. Payments will be made twice yearly based on occupancy in the preceding six months.

Outcome of Consultation for a Borough-Wide, Non-Immediate Article 4 Direction for Small HMOs

Cabinet confirmed the decision to introduce a borough-wide, non-immediate Article 4 Direction for small Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which will come into effect on 6 December 2019. This means that converting family dwellings into small HMOs (Use Class C4) will require planning permission, withdrawing existing permitted development rights. The non-immediate nature of the direction, with a 12-month notice period, was chosen to mitigate the risk of compensation claims and allow landlords time to prepare. The decision followed a public consultation where the majority of responses supported the direction, although some landlords raised concerns about reduced housing supply and increased bureaucracy.

Parking Transformation Programme and Strategy Report

A new Parking Strategy for 2019-2024 was approved, outlining proposals for service improvement and the evolution of parking provision in the borough. Key objectives include utilising technology to enhance customer journeys, managing traffic flow through fair enforcement, providing balanced parking options, and driving value for money through commercialisation. The strategy includes plans to introduce parking restrictions on housing estates, expand CCTV enforcement, review parking charges with a focus on emissions, and upgrade pay and display machines to accept contactless payments. A Stop and Shop scheme will also be developed, increasing the free parking period in shopping areas from 30 to 60 minutes by September 2019.

Future Delivery Model of Services to Schools and Education - Business Case

Cabinet approved the establishment of a new company structure, jointly owned by the Council and Redbridge schools, to deliver education services. This model aims to generate new income streams to mitigate the impact of national funding changes and budget reductions. The Corporate Director of People was authorised to invite schools to participate in the ownership and governance of this company, and to finalise the necessary legal and governance arrangements.

Building Maintenance Capital Programme 2019-2020

An allocation of £6 million from the Education Capital Maintenance Programme, Corporate Capital Programme, and Access Initiative Programme was approved for building maintenance schemes. The Operational Director for Regeneration, Property & Planning was delegated authority to manage procurement and award contracts for these schemes, with flexibility to substitute schemes within budget allocations. A reserve list of schemes was also approved for potential inclusion if funding becomes available.

Annual Procurement Plan

The Annual Procurement Plan for contracts over specific thresholds was approved. This plan outlines forthcoming procurements and provides Cabinet approval for their initiation. It was noted that detailed Procurement Business Cases will be subject to approval by the Contracts Management Board, and that procurements not included in the plan will require further approval.

Forward Plan

The items listed in the Cabinet Forward Plan for May to August 2019 were agreed.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes of the previous Cabinet meeting held on 18 March 2019 were noted.

Public Participation

Mr Wilson Chowdhury spoke on the topic of wheelie bins.

References and Comments from Committees

There were no references or comments from committees to be noted.

Any Other Items

There were no other urgent items deemed necessary to be discussed.

The next meeting of the Cabinet was scheduled for 14 May 2019.