Executive - Monday 3 February 2025, 7:30pm - Wandsworth Council Webcasting

Executive
Monday, 3rd February 2025 at 7:30pm 

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  1. Webcast Finished

Good evening, everyone, and welcome to this meeting of the Executive.
Are there any declarations of interest?

1 Declarations

On the PRS discussion on your license paper, I'm a member of the London Renters Union.
Understood.
And I can see everyone's here, so we haven't got any apologies.
We have proposals covering
housing, finance and grants this evening.
If we can turn to those matters for our decision.
Do you want to take us through housing first?
The first paper
is the renewal plan update which was largely
around
bringing forward the early improvement plan
and also outline
some of the key stages and next steps
within the plan.
in the Alton renewal. There was also a really useful update from officers, particularly
regarding the new transport implementations led by my colleague next to me and how successful
those have been in terms of community transport. And it was supported unanimously. Happy to
agree?
Agree.
Next paper was the Winstanley York Road update. This was probably the most serious update
that we've had at the committee since the gold paper that took place at a closed committee
in July and most importantly had an outline of actions that the council was going to be
taking now that it is taking control of the regeneration on Winston York Road and that
timeline of recommendations was agreed and supported unanimously again by the committee.
Next was the outcome of the consultation on the discussion licensing paper which showed
that while estate agents and landlords were not supportive of us moving forward licensing,
renters, households and third sector organizations within the borough were.
So we're minded to move ahead with licensing, rolling out first in Tooting Beck, Tooting

2 Matters for decision

Broadway, South Bellarmine, Fersdown.
That should be coming live this summer with the next stage rollout taking place in, we're
thinking early autumn for the second stage, which is East Putney and Northcote.
And we also discussed the changes from the Labour government that mean that we might
be able to roll out licensing beyond 20 % of the borough earlier than we had previously
thought. So we'll be giving updates to both cabinet, committee and the general public
on that in due course. And it was supported unanimously.
Next was HRA budget set in, which outlined the spending and capital program of the HRA.
The main contentious part of the committee was around the 1 ,000 homes, which is not unusual,
and the decision by this authority to make all 1 ,000 council homes, whereas the opposition still want us to sell some of them.
There was also discussion around at what point the borrowing is going to start, and we outlined that we were waiting for good rates.
This wasn't a unanimously supported paper like all the others were.
We are happy to agree?
I am sure this will make the centrepiece of Wednesday's for Council.
Review of fees and charges, nothing particularly major here.
2 .2 % rise in line with inflation.
And that was supported unanimously.
And then the final paper was a good newspaper whereby we are getting to reduce heating and
hot water bills for tenants with community systems by 20 % this year.
So it was supported unanimously.
Excellent.
Thanks Councillor Deakins.
Those were all agreed by the Executive.
Could we now, Councilor Ireland, have a look at finance papers?
Yep, the first paper was about the London Council's borough subscription for 25 to 26,
which reconfirms our commitment to work with all the London boroughs to reduce and end
violence against women and girls and also to reduce homelessness across London.
The next paper is to do with the Wandsworth Trading Company.
This is a small company, it's only got a turnover of £59 ,000.
It's work that was previously carried out by two staff mutuals and we had an update
of the operations and presentation of the counts to 31st of March 2024 and we approve
those accounts. The next paper is the Wandsworth annual procurement
plan. This details the procurement activity in the past 12 months and also includes a
forward plan. We proposed a few amendments which were agreed,
supported unanimously.
Agreed.
Those are technical papers to transfer the operation of land between the housing revenue account and the general fund.
This is all to do with the planned development of the sites.
So that's the Alton Activity Centre, transferred from the housing revenue account to the general fund.
We agree?
And the second one was appropriation of land at the Farnborough House garages.
Again, that was supported unanimously. Do we agree?
Agreed. Thank you.
The next paper is an update of the cost of living work. As you will know, we have the largest cost
of living support package at £15 million in London. We're very proud of all the work we've
done so far and this paper outlined all the achievements that we've made so far plus
our plans moving forward.
And the paper was supported but with four votes abstaining.
Do we agree with the paper?
I agree.
The next paper is the general revenue budget for – this is the budget for next year,
25 -26.
I'd say that in this is a general fund revenue budget.
In the context of local government finance, I think this is a very positive budget.
In common with most councils, we're experiencing the impact of government austerity,
Brexit, COVID, inflation, and the cost of living crisis all at the same time.
We also experience increased demand for our services and the cost of providing those services is increased.
And I would like to thank the finance team, Mrs. Mary and her colleagues,
and also my cabinet colleagues for fully engaging in the process to set a budget and
Working hard to identify savings and manage demand while taking mitigations in actions
Which will protect frontline services and minimize the impact on our residents. Thank you all very much and well done
Thank you the final papers budget variations and this just relates to
Some project work that was agreed at the housing
Committee chance that was to do with the alternate development
Thanks very much cancer island
I know she say a huge amount of work goes in this time of year to the budgets
So we're very grateful for that and if we could turn finally to the grants overview and scrutiny subcommittee cancer I can oh
Yes, this is regarding Wandsworth Grant Fund, round 28.
Quite a lot of applications, a lot focusing on reducing health inequalities, which is
apt as we move into our borough of culture year.
Really exciting, actually, some of the projects that will come out and be delivered across
this year from this particular grant.
You'll see them.
Agreed?
Agreed.
Just noticing there was a proposed amendment which seems to have been unanimously supported.
Would you like to recommend we take on board the amendment?
Yes, there was an amendment for a project to be awarded for the amount of funding, I
think it's a Putney project, bags of taste.
Would you like to agree to award a charity the money that they need to deliver their
project.
Yes, we do.
Wonderful.
Thanks very, very much for that work.
As Councillor De Kedem says, we'll see you at full council this Wednesday.
Thanks very much.
Good evening.