Cabinet received a report of the Group Head of Transformation.  The Group Head of Transformation explained that following a successful procurement process a strong provider with good experience had been secured.  The provider was Molten Mouse Ltd.  They had experience working in West Yorkshire and York. 

The transport app would enable the elements of the Sustainable Transport Programme to be brought together.  Members of the public would be able to make positive choices about how to move around the borough with specific information relevant to Watford.

Following questions the Group Head of Transformation explained that there would be an initial focus on the minimum viable product and further data sources would be added in as they became available.  Too much functionality initially could cause confusion so it would be better to add more in over time as the app became established. 

The Mayor explained that the presentation from Molten Mouse has been very strong and asked about gamification.  The Group Head of Transformation explained that gamification would encourage sustainable transport usage and it would also be possible to use micro advertising for businesses.

Cabinet discussed the branding of the app which would be linked to the destination Watford logo.  There would be clear communications when the app was launched so it was clear that it was provided by Watford Borough Council.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.      Notes the award of the contract for provision of the Transport App to Molten Mouse Ltd.

2.      Note the use of £28,050 per annum of the budgeted Sustainable Transport Programme funding for the hosting, support and maintenance of the Transport App.

A report of the Managing Director was received by Cabinet.  The Mayor thanked officers for the detailed work undertaken.  There had been hugely positive progress made and other Hertfordshire authorities were interested in the programmes in Watford.

The Managing Director introduced the report and explained that there was a comprehensive programme before Cabinet with a host of initiatives taking place which integrated with the programme.  For example investment in the cycle hub, developing quiet ways to encourage cycling and working on electric vehicle charging facilities including on street charging for the first time.  Within the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) there was sufficient provision in capital and revenue budgets for the programme.  Through the budget setting process later in the year there would be detailed variances to match the procurement outcomes.  Contained within the report were details of the contract management arrangements and governance for the sustainable transport programme.  There would be a Sustainable Transport Partnership Board which would meet twice a year and be chaired by the Mayor.  The contract management of the programme would sit within Community Environmental Services and be managed alongside other key contracts e.g., Veolia. 

The Head of Leisure and Environmental Services commented that interviews were being held shortly for the contract manager post and that there should be someone in post by Christmas so that they were in place from the start of the contract.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.    Notes the three main initiatives within the Mayor’s Sustainable Transport Programme.

2.    Notes that the costs of the initiatives can be met within the MTFS allocation for Sustainable Transport Schemes.

3.    Approves the contract management and governance arrangements as set out in paragraph 4 of the report.

4.    Notes that separate reports are presented on the Cabinet agenda with the details of each procurement outcome.

Cabinet received a report of the Head of Regeneration and Development.  The Mayor outlined that it was an important project for the council and future finances.  The council had been approached due to its good reputation and a large amount of work had been undertaken in order to progress the transaction.

Councillor Johnson thanked the Head of Regeneration and Development and his team for their work.  There were three recommendations to note: that the transaction had completed and the £92m has been received, that there had been changes to the transaction and to note the asset and management arrangements.  Cabinet was also recommended to approve the appointment of two new posts, one in the investment team and one in legal.

Councillor Johnson continued that the council would benefit from an expected net revenue gain of £1.5m per year for the next ten years and £1m per year thereafter.  There were discussions about how the £92m received would be invested.  For oversight the Property Investment Board would oversee decisions whilst a detailed business plan was worked upon.  It would then be decided how oversight would be taken forward.  Opposition councillors could request updates and there would be regular briefings on what was happening with the business park.

Councillor Watkin thanked finance officers and commented that there was short term income as well as greater security for the future.
  

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.        Notes that the transaction to take a 40 year lease of Croxley Park and the option to buy the freehold at the end of the term for £10 has completed and that the payment of £92,000,000 has been made.

2.        Notes the changes to the terms of the transaction as outlined in the report.

3.        Notes the asset and management arrangements in place going forward.

4.        Approves the appointment of two new posts, one in the investment team to oversee the running of the Park for the council and the second in the legal team to undertake the day to day legal work generated by the park.

Report of the Group Head of Democracy and Governance.  The Mayor introduced the report and welcomed Helen Fisher to the Cabinet meeting.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.      Agrees that Nick Fenwick be removed as Director of Watford Commercial Services Limited and as the council’s representative on the Partnership Board of Watford Health Campus Partnership LLP.

2.      Agrees that Helen Fisher, Interim Group Head of Place Shaping, be appointed as a Director of Watford Commercial Services Limited and as a council representative on the Partnership Board of Watford Health Campus Partnership LLP.

Cabinet received a report of the Managing Director.  The Managing Director explained that following a procurement process the report was recommending to Cabinet to award the contract to Arriva Click.  The contract period would be for four years with the option to extend for two years.  If agreed by Cabinet, the scheme would be live in Watford by the end of March 2020.

The Managing Director continued that there would be a fleet of seven high quality vehicles with Wi-Fi.  The hours of operation would be 6am-10pm Monday to Thursday, 6am-11pm Friday and Saturday and 8am to 9pm on a Sunday.  The pricing would be higher than a fixed bus route but lower than a taxi fare.  It would be a corner to corner service so different to a taxi but more predictable than buses.  Cabinet also had a part B report which gave further detail of the procurement process and finances.  It was recommended that there were concessions for disabled passengers outside of core operating hours.  This would be reviewed by Cabinet after six months.  Cabinet had also received the Data Protection Impact Assessment which had looked at all implications and could be assured that the scheme was compliant.

Cabinet discussed concessions and it was explained that the scale of the HCC existing bus pass concession would not be applicable on these vehicles.  With regards to the size of the vehicles, Cabinet were reassured that they would be able to navigate Watford streets.  The vehicles were diesel powered but this was something which could be worked on with the provider over the contract. 

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.    Awards the contract for the operation of a Demand Responsive Transport scheme in Watford to ArrivaClick (Arriva Kent Thameside Ltd) for a period of 4 years with an option to extend the contract for an additional 2 years.

2.    Notes that it is intended that the Demand Responsive Transport scheme will commence operating from 30 March 2020.

The Managing Director introduced the report and explained that the recommendation to Cabinet was to appoint Beryl as the provider.  There had been an extensive procurement process and Beryl were an innovative company with an experienced top team who had managed the technology introduction of the London Santander bike scheme.  The scheme would be implemented from March 2020 on the basis of a four year contract with the option to extend for a further two years.  The model covered Watford and also out to Warner Brothers Leavesden and Croxley Business Park.  There would be 300 bikes available comprising 200 pedal bikes and 100 e-bikes.  With regards to pricing, it was a very flexible scheme and reasonably priced.  The bike hubs would be innovative with a mix of stations based on internet tracking and physical bike hubs to enable locking of the bikes but which also looked attractive in the public realm.

The Mayor commented that there would be partnership working as the bike share scheme would be involved with the cycle hub.

Cabinet discussed the scheme and it was explained that there would be detailed mapping on where the bikes would be located across the Borough.  Beryl had included an assumption about the number of hubs and their locations, if Cabinet wanted a greater span than this may need to be added to the tender figure.  The expectation would be that everyone in the Borough would be able to access a hub in reasonable walking distance.

Cabinet continued discussions around support from Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and pressing them to support the scheme by getting a cycle network in place which was properly signposted.  The Mayor explained that the Managing Director was arranging a meeting with HCC to discuss major projects.  HCC had been on the procurement panel for the bike hire scheme and saw the project as pioneering and a way forward for sustainable transport.

Cabinet commented that there needed to be support from central government to change transport modes to enable a decent quality of life.  The Mayor commented that although the metropolitan line extension was not going ahead the disused rail line had not been forgotten and work was still ongoing to improve connectivity.

RESOLVED

That Cabinet:

1.        Awards the contract for the operation of a bike share scheme in Watford to Smidsy Ltd trading as Beryl for a period of 4 years with an option for an additional 2 years.

2.        Notes that it is intended that the bike share scheme will commence operating from 30 March 2020.

The committee received a report of the Client Audit Manager setting out the progress on the outstanding recommendations from previous audits and amendments to the current Audit Plan.

The Client Audit Manager informed the committee that the planned projects shown in paragraph 2.8 of the report were usually back-loaded with the agreement of officers.  The next report should show a higher percentage of projects to draft stage.  He added that one of the audit projects had been moved into the next financial year.  He noted that the number of outstanding recommendations continued to decline.  There had been two requests for extensions to deadlines as shown in Appendix C and referred to in paragraph 2.4 of the report.

RESOLVED –

1.      that the Internal Audit Progress Report for the period to 6 September 2019 be noted.

2.      that the amendments to the Audit Plan, as at 6 September 2019, be approved.

3.      that the change to the implementation date for two recommendations (paragraph 2.5 of the report) for the reasons set out in Appendix C be agreed.

RESOLVED –

that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business as it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted or the nature of proceedings, that if members of the public were present during consideration of the item there would be disclosure to them of exempt information as defined in Section 100(1) Schedule 12A of the Act for the reason stated in the report.

Parking Suspension - 8 vehicle lengths of the permit parking place from 1a to 11 St Mary's Road and 8 vehicle lengths of the permit bay from outside 2 to 22 St Mary's Road, from 9.30 am, 23^rd to 5.00 pm on 27th September 2019 to facilitate Affinity Water - Mains renewal programme.