Council - Wednesday 5 February 2025, 7:30pm - Wandsworth Council Webcasting

Council
Wednesday, 5th February 2025 at 7:30pm

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Disclaimer: This transcript was automatically generated, so it may contain errors. Please view the webcast to confirm whether the content is accurate.

Please be seated

Good evening everybody. Before the commencement of business, I would like to start the council

meeting by calling on my faith leader, brother Ali Jafri, to say a few words.

Good evening everyone. Let me start by reciting and explaining some verses from

the Holy Quran. Bismillah in the name of God, Allah, which encompasses all of his

qualities. Alhamdulillahirrabbil alameen. We praise God who is the sustainer of

all the world. Ar -Rahman Ar -Rahim. His general mercy encompasses the whole

world. Ar -Rahim and his special mercy is on those who believe. Maalikey Yom

with Dean, he is the master of the day of judgment.

Iyyah kana abudu wa iyyah kana stain.

We worship you God and we seek help only from you God.

Ihdina sirat al -mustaqim.

Oh God, please guide us on the right path.

Sirat al -azin an anta alayhim.

The path of those who got your blessings.

reire makdu bi aleichen, not the part of those who you were not happy with.

As we all gather over here, as you all gather over here to make decisions about our community,

we pray to God to help us in making wise decisions. We ask God to help us to differentiate

between the good and the bad and the right from the wrong. We ask God's help

in teaching us what we don't know. We ask God to help us in helping the

disadvantaged, assisting the weak, and in the end we ask God to send blessings on

Muhammad the Holy Prophet and his household, and we ask God to hasten the

parents of the 12th Imam who will come to end injustice in the world. Amen. Thank you.

Thank you.

Apologies have been received from Councillor Brooks,

Cooper, French and Paul. Are there any other apologies?

Madam Mayor, thank you. Yes, I also have apologies from Councillor Govindia and

Councillor Mrs Angela Graham.

Thank you. That's been noted.

Item number one. The minutes of the meeting held on 11th December have been circulated.

Are there any objections or abstentions to me signing the minutes as a correct record?

Thank you. In the absence of any objections or abstentions, I will take that as agreed.

Item number two is the Mayor's announcements. Ladies and gentlemen, councillors and esteemed

guests, good evening and welcome to this council meeting. Once again, I am honoured to chair

this meeting as we gather to debate the important issues that shape the future of our beloved

Wandsworth.

Before we begin, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge a significant event on the

global stage.

Recently we witnessed a remarkable ceasefire in the Middle East.

This ceasefire is not just a pause in conflict.

It is a testament to the power of dialogue, cooperation and the human spirit capacity for reconciliation.

In a world often divided by differences, the ceasefire serves as a powerful reminder that when we come together,

putting aside our differences for the greater good, we can achieve beneficial outcomes.

It is a lesson that resonates deeply with us here on Wandsworth. As councillors, we

are entrusted with the responsibility to serve our community, to listen to diverse voices

and to work collaboratively towards common goals. We too can find common ground, even

in the face of challenges.

Let us draw inspiration from this example

and commit ourselves to fostering a spirit of unity

and cooperation within our council.

By working together, we can address the needs

of our residents, improve our services,

and create a brighter future for all.

I am confident that with your dedication and the collective wisdom in this room, we can

continue to make Wandsworth a place where everyone feels valued and heard.

Thank you for your commitment to our community and I look forward to a productive and positive

meeting.

On tonight's agenda, can members please note that a number of supplementary items have

been circulated and these are required to be considered as a matter of urgency. The

Members, we are faced with unusual circumstances this evening. By operation of the Council

procedure rules, our traditions and convention usually followed. The February meeting has

been treated as a special meeting, where the main focus for Council has been to consider

the item for decision on the HRA and the finance paper which is for information.

We have a situation where because the meeting has not been marked as a special meeting there

is no agreement between the groups to treat this as a special meeting. I am advised that

February meeting has not been marked as a special meeting consistently, but the tradition

and convention has been to treat it as such. As chair of the meeting, I want this meeting

to be handled in an orderly fashion which balances the tradition and convention of the

items on the agenda. We have before us, as in previous years, the HRA paper which is

for decision and the finance paper for information. We also have two other matters which are for

decision. There is one routine report on member appointments and additionally we have two

motions on notice as well as a matter of local interest. To ensure an ordinary meeting, I

am therefore going to exercise my discretion, understanding Order 9B to vary the order of

business. And so, after questions to the leader and cabinet members, we will consider the

items for decision from the Executive and from the General Purposes Committee. We will

then consider Report No. 3 from the Planning Applications Committee. This will be followed

by Report No. 2 from the Executive. Thereafter, the remaining items will be considered in

the order in which they will appear on the published agenda.

Please could all speakers keep to time and wind up your speeches when the red light comes

on.

When the red light comes on you will have 30 seconds remaining to wind up.

This is to allow as many as possible of all councillors to participate.

That is the end of my announcements.

On item 3, are there any members who have any declaration of

disclosable pecuniary interests, other registrable interests or non -registrable interests relevant

to any matters to be considered at the meeting?

the

I'm a member of the London renters union.

I don't make any money from that, but I'm a member of that

tenants organisation.

Thank you, that has been noted.

Thank you.

Moving on to item number four.

members please raise your hand to indicate if you have a petition to hand in. Once I have called your name please announce the subject title of your petition and who you are presenting it on behalf of.

Please then come forward and hand your petition to Mr Kelly. Are there any petitions?

Councillor Corner.

the

first of three petitions.

The first of three petitions are a petition to install acoustic

cameras on

Nine Elms Lane to address the excessive noise from loud

vehicles signed by residents in the area.

Thank you.

Any other petitions?

Shall I just take them, please? The first and second

to save Bradstow School. It's signed by 1 ,700 people and members of the school community and

as colleagues will have seen it is the subject of our motion this evening so we look forward to

debating that later. I think it's really important that all councillors in this chamber are properly

briefed and aware of this situation and how important it is that it is carefully considered.

Would you like to present your third petition? Thank you madam Mayor.

The third petition I have is a petition to get Wandsworth Council to take action to

hold housing associations to account for property management failings signed

predominantly by residents in Nynam's Ward but I know it's of very special

interest to residents across the borough. Thank you.

Each of these petitions will be dealt with in accordance with the council's petition scheme.

Item five is leaders questions. Before we begin questions, may I remind all...

Point of order, Madam Mayor.

Point of order.

Councillor Sattus.

Thank you. Understanding orders 16 and 9a, there is an important motion about the proposed closure

at Bradstow School tonight.

It's a vital and unique facility.

Members across the chamber know my concern

about this provision and my experience.

You say this is not an ordinary meeting

or maybe it is an ordinary meeting.

At the meetings, we debate motions

at the end of the item for decision

and we don't debate the item for decision.

However, this evening, there are speakers on reports

and the motion on Bradstow School

is not where Standing Order 9A says it should be.

It has been put to the end, as you announced earlier.

Madam Mayor, we know what that will mean.

The debate on Bradstow School will be timed out

when the administration brings down the guillotine.

Our Standing Orders say the Bradstow motion

should be taken after items for decision.

Please will you make a ruling to that effect?

And will you also explain why you are permitting speakers on items for decision and information,

which is not our procedure?

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Thank you, Councillor Sutters.

We have made a ruling and it's under the chair's discretion and we have decided to obviously

take this with the most important matters being dealt with first.

We will be dealing with the school issue but it will be dealt with later on in the agenda.

Thank you.

Madam Mayor, could I ask one more thing?

When you say we have made a ruling, who is we?

I have made the final decision.

I've consulted with the monitoring officer as well, so I have made the ruling as the

chair of the meeting.

Thank you.

On a point of order, Madam Mayor, you say that you've put the most important items first

and the least important items last.

How is it that you're saying the motion on Bradstow School

is less important than items for mere information?

I don't actually recall saying that, Councillor Graham.

I did not say that the school issue is the police priority.

Well, in that case, Madam Mayor,

would you bring it forward

so that it is before the items for information

and after the items for decision as standing order set out is the normal way of doing things.

Thank you Councillor Graham. I've already made my decision and this is the way that I propose

to chair this meeting. Thank you. Point of order Madam Mayor, understanding order 23.

Really all colleagues around this chamber know and I know care deeply about the fact that we are

elected to represent the residents of this borough and the people in this borough's care.

I think that parents and residents would be appalled to see that this meeting is being conducted in this way.

However, I do have a proposal that will help us proceed with this meeting in an orderly manner.

It's one that will allow the parents and the children of Bradstow School to be heard,

whilst also allowing the majority group to effectively have most of their way on the running of this meeting.

So I'd like to propose a motion understanding order 23 that the motion for Bradstowe School

takes precedence over items for information and is considered after the items for decision.

That way the administration will still have its debate on report number one, but we will

still be able to discuss Bradstowe School in the normal way which I think the vast majority

of councillors in this chamber would accept is a vitally important matter for the consideration

of the whole council.

Thank you, Councillor Corner, for your advice.

Understanding Order No. 9 -3, I have made my discretion that this is the way that I will

be conducting the meeting.

No, sorry, Madam Mayor.

Councillor Corner was proposing a motion.

Sorry, sorry.

I second the motion.

The motion now has to be put to a vote.

vote.

Sorry.

Councillor Kourna was proposing a motion.

I think I'm seconding it.

It now has to be put to a vote.

Could you not see that?

We're still talking.

No, I did not.

Not at all.

Let's take it to the vote.

All those in favour?

Madam Mayor, I'm sorry to do this because I think we all try to avoid it.

But on a genuine point of order, there is no way that you can move motions from the

floor at random.

You'll have Councillor Dickerton standing up tomorrow saying, I move a motion that Belton

shuts up.

You can't have random motions like that and they know it perfectly well.

They do it through the proper procedures and they listen to what the Mayor ruled.

That's precisely what Standing Order 23 says you can do.

You can move a motion about which items take precedence.

Thank you. So we will be going to the vote. All those in favour?

It's a voted yes.

So, the motion to move Councillor Corners item up the agenda after matters for decision.

We are moving, we're going to be making a vote.

So all those in favour?

Please state for, against or abstain.

Councillor Acunola. Against.

Councillor Ambash. Against.

Councillor Anan. Against.

Councillor Apps. Against.

Councillor Austin. For.

Councillor Ayres. Against.

Councillor Belton. Against.

Councillor Burchill. For.

Councillor Boswell. Against.

Councillor Caddy. For.

Councillor Colkley. Against.

Councillor Cook. For.

Councillor Corner. For.

Councillor Critchard. Against.

...

for council adjusting for councilor lawless council Lee

councilor locker for councilor Marshall against councilor Maycross again

councilor mcloud against council Osborne council Owens for councilor

Pridham for councilor Richard Jones for councilor Rigby

again councilor stock councilor Sutter's for councilor sweet councilor

tiller against councilor Veron the Raj councilor white against councilor

Worrell against councilor Yates against

the motion is lost. The vote is lost.

So, 21 for, 30 against, and zero abstentions. The motion is lost. Thank you.

Madam Mayor, a point of order. Before item 5 is leaders' questions.

Madam Mayor, a point of order. understanding order 16.

Carry on, Councillor Adams. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I'll make this very

brief but over the last 18 months the Labour group have repeatedly

either abused the rules to stop us raising matters on behalf of

residents or they have changed the rules to take away our democratic

rights. Tonight they have burned the rule book to stop us debating a

serious issue about Bradstow school. We have tried to compromise.

Councillor Korda put forward a perfectly sensible compromise that

the administration can have his debate and we can have his debate

I will wrap up very quickly, Madam Mayor. There are limits. We have

tried to engage, we have tried to compromise, but the reflexive

attitude of Labour is always just to shout us down. This is a sham

meeting. Labour are abusing their majority to silence us on important

issues. It is this. The residents who sent us here tonight, Madam Mayor,

Did not send us here for this

With deep regret. I'm afraid we can't participate further in tonight's meeting

Councilors before you leave do you not think the other?

the other

things on the agenda of not of importance?

There's a HRO report, there's a rent report.

Are these not important to the residents of Wandsworth?

Madam Mayor, could I please call an adjournment

of the council for a few minutes?

So, 10 minutes.

Yes, you may.

Thank you.

you

Thank you.

you

Thank you.

Members, good evening and welcome back to the meeting. It seems tonight is a special

meeting. This meeting is quorum. We have business that we must conclude for the benefit of our

residents. We will start with leaders' questions. As the minority group are not here, we will

take questions from the majority groups as they appear in the agenda. Thank you.

So we're going to item five, which is the leader's questions,

and we're going to question number three.

Excuse me, Madam Mayor.

I'll be asking on behalf of Councillor Paul.

Thank you.

So question number three to the leader.

I thank the Councillor for that question.

I'm proud of this administration's commitment

to sound financial management.

we've delivered the lowest council tax in the country alongside having the lowest debt of any in the London Council and

Some of the highest reserves in London. How do we do this?

Well, our innovative better services partnership saves around 20 million a year

The new change program will deliver efficiencies of up to 9 million pounds per year and due to our smart investment decisions

We will earn 33 million pounds income this year alone

We've removed those unfair restrictions on developer contributions in 9 -ELMS, so

tens of millions of pounds can now be spent all across the borough in all our communities.

Councillor Ireland and officers and the finance team keep an excellent grip on our council

finances and the cabinet meets each week to discuss and make decisions on these important

issues.

And because of these smart financial decisions, we've reversed years of chronic underinvestment

to deliver better services.

Sound financial management is at the heart

of everything we do because it enables

the top class services that our residents rightly expect.

Thank you.

Councillor Warrell.

Supplement question, yes.

As a Sharsby and Queenstown Councillor,

it's actually really good to see the number of initiatives

that are improving the quality of life

for the residents in my ward and across the borough itself.

I was wondering though, please could you outline

what the council will be doing to continue to ensure

equity of access across the borough for our programs,

which are very beneficial to our residents.

Sorry, I thank Councillor Warrell for that question

and for his excellent work representing Shaftesbury

and Queenstown.

Wandsworth is a fantastic place to live, work,

and do business, and we are determined

to make it even better.

We have the biggest cost of living fund in London.

We're a dedicated borough of sanctuary for refugees,

and we've set up an ambitious Access for All program.

Through Access for All, we're making sure

that everyone in the borough has the opportunity

to take part in the fantastic life chances

that are created here in Wandsworth.

I hope you saw the story of how free

Access for All gym membership transformed the life of Joan.

We made a great video of it on the website

through free access for all membership to Latchmere Leisure Centre. She could rehabilitate after COVID.

It was a fantastic story and that's just one of 50 ,000 free gym and swim sessions that have

happened around the borough so far. It's lovely to see children and families enjoying access to

the fireworks at Battersea Park. They get to go to London Zoo, they get to watch the panto here in

Town Hall and trips of course to our fantastic Lido and many of them having those experiences

for the first time in their life.

We really are broadening horizons here and next month we're introducing even more access

for all offers to make this the best concessionary scheme in Britain.

I'll just say a few more words about finance, the subject of this meeting, so council borrowing

and just to say in line with almost every organization, we will borrow to

create long -term assets. Our ambitious housing program, Homes for Wandsworth,

will deliver 1 ,000 new homes for council rent. We will own and manage these new

homes and local residents and their sons and daughters will get priority and the

cost of borrowing for housing repays itself through rental income. Our housing

revenue account business plan shows our investment in council housing is

affordable and the casework we all receive as councillors

tells us the investment in decent housing is crucial.

And we will of course save money on the very expensive

temporary accommodation placements we have

by building more homes.

So we remain totally committed to delivering

genuinely affordable homes for local people

and we will always keep sound financial management

at the heart of everything we do.

Thank you.

Is there a second supplementary question?

Thank you.

Question number five, Councillor Fraser.

Thank you.

Question number five to the leader.

I'd like to thank Councillor Fraser for the question.

As part of our Decade of Renewal, we are doubling investment in our roads and pavements.

That's a 100 million 10 -year commitment.

And I'm delighted that it will improve not just roadways and carriageways, you'll see

signs and lines and also I'll come back to this street name signs as well. We're

resurfacing and reconstructing footways and carriageways all across the borough,

twice as many as we used to do. That of course includes bus lanes and cycle

lanes that will maintain and improve safety and access for all roads and

pavement users. I'll just quickly recap some of the examples. You'll know

Elmfield Road in Ballym, footway reconstruction there,

Ballym Park Road, footway reconstruction works

to improve the conditions, Garrett Lane,

I think it's much better than it has been.

There's still work to do there though.

And Mitcham Road as well, from Rookstone Road

to the Borough Boundary.

So very proud to see this decade of investment

coming through, and as I said,

I'd love to talk more about street signs.

Yes, so supplementary on that point, could you tell me about what we are doing to refresh

street signs and nameplates across Wandsworth?

Yes, because this is one of my favourite subjects.

Everyone should have pride in their neighbourhood, pride in their street, and when you see that

your street sign is just a bit tatty or broken, it sends a signal.

So hopefully everyone has received one of these through their door, they've seen the

videos out there.

We've relaunched Wandsworth as a listening council,

but one that has a seven ring, seven days guarantee.

So phone us and we will pick up,

a member of staff will pick up

and try and help you within seven rings.

And if you report graffiti or a dangerous pothole

or a broken street sign, we will fix it within seven days.

And this has already been happening around the borough.

And we're really proud of this pledge.

It is about changing the culture of the council.

and I was going to encourage every Councillor to pick up their merchandise.

This is the new branding, hopefully you've seen. This is a visual reminder

that we're going to be a more open, creative Council. We're moving forward

into a new cooperative era, so these will be available in the members rooms for

the Councillors present at the meeting.

Councillor Grimston. Thank you, Secretary of Parliamentary. By way, on the point of order, am I

I'm right in thinking that I have a right

to a supplementary on every question

that comes up this evening.

I don't intend to exercise that right.

Can I just say, I do like some of the big messages here,

and there's a sense of excitement about them,

which I think does work well.

However, would the leader agree that there is a danger

that if the things like the seven -day graffiti pledge

are being presented when, as I censor him,

I reported some graffiti in my ward at the end of December,

one of which was on a British telecom box

outside one of our social housing estates.

And certainly this weekend that graffiti was still there.

It's eight months since there was an agreement

that a cycle shed in my ward should be moved

because it was dangerous for an entry.

That cycle shed is still there.

Is there a danger that if these big picture things,

which I say are rather attractive,

are not matched with an attention to detail,

then a sense of cynicism will come up

where people will ask, it's a great idea,

but what I'm seeing on the ground doesn't support it.

Councilor Lough.

Absolutely.

As usual, Councillor Grimston gets to the heart of it.

Good customer services isn't gonna hit the spot

unless you have the follow -up behind

if you're actually providing the services.

So I am aware of the issues raised.

We are chasing it now,

but I'd say that's exactly what we want to know about.

We are well into the 90 % within three days to clear off graffiti.

Sometimes it's on private land, sometimes we can't get access, but we want people to

say to us, you didn't pick up the phone in seven rings, this department isn't doing it.

You haven't cleared the graffiti off in this part of the borough.

We will invest and we will get there.

And I want to be clear, we believe transparency and accountability drives higher performance.

So we will put on the website every week what percentage of phone calls were answered in

Seven Rings, what percentage of potholes and graffiti and street signs were done, and also

publish monthly action plans of how we're going to get to 100%.

We are absolutely determined this will drive change within the council.

And we've had brilliant conversations with residents about it already who've raised similar

questions.

We're not expecting this to shift perceptions overnight, but we are going to shift the culture

of the council.

It will be a listening council that is obsessed with the needs of local people.

As I say, we've had positive feedback and the other element I'd emphasise, which sorry,

I probably missed earlier, is all residents now get two free bulky waste collections.

So each of those two collections can be four items.

So if you've got a washing machine or a mattress or something else, you can put that outside.

So not only are we keeping and expanding the monthly mega skips, they've helped to drive fly tipping down 16%,

we're going to guarantee keeping those weekly bin collections and we're bringing in two free bulky waste

collections for everyone else and of course all of this without adding a penny to your council tax.

Thank you.

Question 7, Councillor White.

Councillor 7 to the cabinet member for housing.

To the leader.

Sorry, he's not leader is he?

No, that's a leader, sorry.

Thank you very much.

Councillor White raises an important point.

I know he's campaigned on this for a long time.

More than a third of the borough's stock is privately rented and while the vast majority

of landlords do a good job, we know there is that minority of rogue landlords that we

have to really crack down on.

so he knows we're bringing landlord licensing,

which will drive up standards across the board

and drive out those rogue landlords.

I hope we will hear more later from Councillor De Kedem,

who I know has a bigger raft of plans,

but one of the great things about licensing scheme

is it enables you to employ more enforcement officers,

to have more eyes and ears out there.

Another strand of being the listening council

is we only know what's going on if people tell us.

We've created Hello at Wandsworth, like an email address, because I didn't know

until we started this project that Wandsworth Council didn't have a central email address

where you could just email it.

I bumped into a guy called Trevor at one of my community drop -ins, and he's a neighborhood

watch coordinator.

He does a great job.

He showed me the piece of paper where he had 15 different council officers and their phone

numbers and their email addresses and the ones who'd left and passed away and so on.

That's crazy.

You should just need one phone number, one email address.

We'll do the triage afterwards.

Just to say that this is just the first step in the listening council, later this year,

I mean, most of you are on WhatsApp.

Most of you have WhatsApp, but we're not only creating a panel of several hundred residents

who WhatsApp us, their experiences, drop us voice notes, take pictures of potholes or

damp and mold, whatever it is, but we're going to make it that you can contact the council

through WhatsApp. You can just be on the bus, send us an issue and we'll get in touch with

it. So I want to be clear that having a phone line that's answered, having an email that's

answered is just the start of this customer services revolution and we know that our many

renters in the borough face more and different types of issues than other residents and we

want them to know that this council is on their side and it will be there to support

them.

The second supplement, yes.

Could I ask the leader whether good landlords, and we have many good landlords in the borough,

have anything to fear from landlord licensing?

I don't think so.

I think it's a good project.

We've seen it work elsewhere.

You need a license to drive.

you need a license to fish. It really is a big responsibility being a landlord, one that

the vast majority of landlords take very seriously. I know landlords that are very irritated at

the reputation they get from some of the cowboys out there. All responsible landlords want

to drive up standards. We want all of our people to be in good quality housing. I actually

think you'll see us working in partnership with good landlords. I would hope that they

would welcome the scheme and we'll be able to work together well.

Thank you. Is there a second supplementary question? Okay. Question number nine. Councillor

Wourow.

Question nine to the leader.

Thank you very much. I've already had the opportunity to touch a little bit on our listening

council relaunch, but I would just come back to this seven rings, seven days guarantee.

Do please spread this to your residents.

You know, we want them to reach out to us when they have a problem,

and we will make sure the council responds to it.

We've talked about the two free bulky waste collections,

and I just bring it back to this idea of a change of culture within the council.

You know, this administration has changed, and we've changed the council,

and it's going to be one that truly listens and involves residents in everything we do.

The Democracy Review will improve participation of residents.

The key thing is it has to be residents that are the heart of decision making.

It's not a few bully boys, it's not a few people who just want to shout down other people.

We are going to listen to the people of Wandsworth and we now have the digital technology to be able to reach out to people.

We've opened up the People's Town Hall to the voluntary sector.

I had a fantastic tour today of one wing of the Town Hall downstairs where there's new

desks, there's three massive meeting rooms.

Please spread the word to the voluntary sector, that space is now at their disposal.

We want to welcome creative people in, particularly during our year of Borough of Culture.

We'd love to have more of our valued charity and voluntary sector partners in the Town

Hall with us.

We've run more community drop -in events.

I've held leader question and answer sessions, I think in,

I think we've only got one or two wards to go.

We'll have covered every ward in the borough

so far this year.

I'll cover every ward in the borough again next year.

Really enjoy interacting with residents.

And we've really, really improved our partnership working,

not just with the voluntary sector,

but with great local businesses such as Apple.

And I guess just a final point on culture change,

which is we are coming into our year as borough of culture,

credit Councilor Acanola for her excellent work there.

And that will enable people to connect better,

communities to come together.

We will showcase Wandsworth,

we'll celebrate its culture and innovation,

and we can take our place on the London stage

and on the national stage.

So I hope everyone has their invite.

I hope you can make it on February the 26th

for the launch at Battersea Arts Center.

25th?

What she said.

February the 25th for our launch at Battersea Arts Center,

fantastic opportunity for us all to come together

and celebrate everything that Wandsworth has to offer.

Thank you.

Councillor Worrell.

supplementary, thank you.

Initiatives such as the Seven Rings only work

if residents actually know about it

and actually are aware of the developments

within the council. I wonder if the leader could explain what is being done to actually

highlight the changes that are going through the council at the moment, our rebranding

for example, our pledges and how will the council ensure that this information is just

not a one -off provision but actually residents continue to find information out throughout

the year?

Yeah, that's a great question. So, as I say, hopefully this weekend 100 ,000 of those leaflets

that I just held up have been going out through doors across Wandsworth. Final thing on WhatsApp,

the council now has a WhatsApp broadcast channel that more than 700 people are part of and on that

every day you've seen Councillor Yates in a cherry picker putting up a sign or you've seen

Councillor Akinola clearing off some graffiti or you know Councillor Gasser replacing a bin and so

on. So we're getting out there, we're making it clear the cabinet members are out there, we're at

About 70 ,000 people have watched the launch video on YouTube now.

Obviously, if you like this sort of thing, it's on Instagram and Twitter and so on as

well, but we are absolutely out there selling this.

You'll have seen Council's website has been rebranded, signs on estates have changed.

Hopefully, you've seen the signage around the town hall has changed.

I'm doing the event for all staff tomorrow, but I've visited the customer contact center

and other departments.

It's just lovely to see the attitude.

People are like, you haven't repainted my office for eight years.

They got very smart, what are they, kind of like fuchsia t -shirts.

Their working environment has got better, morale has increased.

Hopefully, the council will now look and feel different,

and we are trying to drive that positive culture change as well.

Second supplementary. Thank you.

The seven rings is clearly a very attractive and positive move in the world where many people just get fed up with the phone because they get put into a menu which very often kicks them out at the end of the process.

Nonetheless, I'm sure the leader has the experience that I have very often of a sense that they can get through to the council but it's not clear who in the council actually owns the relationship with the individual.

and sometimes they get pushed from one department to another.

At what point in the process after the seven rings have been answered

does a named council officer become the contact for that resident

if it's a more complex issue than just reporting a pot hole or whatever,

but if it's a more complex issue for that individual,

are we confident, or is the leader confident,

that we have a structure in place whereby the individual will then know very clearly

who is looking after the case on their behalf

and that we are monitoring that the individual is getting back to that resident on a regular basis to make sure

that they know what the council is doing in response to that issue.

Thanks again.

I think that's a great point and it's a shame the opposition has left because I think these are the sort of discussions that are

positive and important and tease out key issues.

So, I mean being very clear, our initial investment is in the frontline customer service. We've unified the technology,

We're training up staff.

We're employing new staff.

It's fantastic to see them arriving from Google and John Lewis and bringing in culture from

outside.

Plainly, that doesn't double or treble the number of people doing occupational therapy

assessments.

It doesn't double the amount of available council housing.

As I say, we know good customer service doesn't solve all your organization's problems.

But we did know, listening to people from the events we do, from focus groups we've

run, that simply not picking up the telephone was like a real issue with the council.

When I was at the Wandsworth Older People's Forum, but when I do public meetings, I say,

hold up your hand if the council's kept you on hold for more than half an hour.

And half the people put up their hands.

So that's completely unacceptable.

So that's what we want to cut out.

Now, of course there will need to be a series of rolling service redesigns beneath that

to make sure we are using digital technology.

For instance, the vast majority of all the people who book bulky waste collections just

go online and book it in the form.

No one would ever think in their daily life of phoning up Netflix or phoning up Uber or

anything else because they just have such seamless digital experiences that it would

... Who wants to spend time on the phone?

So just to be clear, these are initial steps to make sure our phones and our email works.

But then of course we will be working on channel shift as well to make sure everyone who wants

to can be served seamlessly digitally and we can reserve the really valuable time of

our frontline professionals for those more complicated cases that need more application

of time.

Thank you.

That is now the end of the leaders' questions.

We move on to cabinet members' questions now.

We have 25 minutes.

Sorry, 23 minutes.

Let's move on to questions.

Question 13.

Thank you very much, Councillor Mayorkas.

I'm very proud of the progress that we're making on the walking and cycling strategy

and I know you had a great deal of input to that as our active travel champion and we

agreed it in November 2022 and it goes up to 2030. So you've asked about the investment

that we're making in this financial year to help implement the strategy and this financial

year we're spending roughly or our commitment is 6 .254 million and some highlights of what

we're using that money for, but we've got over £700 ,000 going for cycle parking to

continue our roll out of bike hangars which are in very high demand across the borough

and generally fill up straight away. When we adopted the walking and cycling strategy

back in November 2022, there were just 65 bike hangars but now there's 229. And then

we've got over £200 ,000 going into pedestrian crossings to deliver nine new zebra crossings

and new or improved signalized crossings

in Tooting and Putney.

And we've got significant levels of funding

for ambitious cycling schemes

and our town center improvement schemes

to help pedestrians.

So those are the schemes on Burnwood Lane,

Queenstown Road, Tooting Town Center, and Old York Road.

And we also are funding the continuation

of our school streets program.

So that's our investment this financial year.

And then of course over the implementation period of the strategy, we're investing far more than that

So for the six full financial years for which we already have funds allocated

We have committed over 40 million pounds of investment to improve

walking and cycling in the borough

School streets and in particular

I know that we've reached a phase where the schools that don't have school streets are kind of the more tricky ones

they're on main roads or the second more secondary schools and what are we doing

to tackle those more challenging ones and make sure that we can continue to

build on the progress that's been made. Yes thank you for that good question.

Well we're very pleased that we now have 31 schools that now benefit from a

school street so we've achieved our target of 50 % of primary schools in the

borough operating a school street but of course we want to go much further than

that and thank you councillor Mayorkas for your recent excellent suggestion at

the last transport committee that offers us right to each ward, to all the

councillors in each ward, to let them know which schools in their ward have a

school street and let them know why the other schools don't have a school street

and to suggest that they might want to help with contacting those schools and

there's a big in a good response from both the minority party and our

councillors and to that initiative I'm really pleased that councillors have got

back in touch, offering to contact schools, making suggestions. Now of course

it's the case that not all schools are in a location that is suitable for a

school street, some of them are on very busy main roads, so at those schools they

are being assessed for additional safety measures and officers are working with

those schools on those. Now of course we need all the school streets that we

already have to work well so we are working continuously with all the

schools that have school streets to for example put in extra signage or AMPR

where that's needed to ensure that each school street works well and I should

just add that there are some schools where actually the schools themselves

their heads don't feel that they want a school street they don't think is

necessary and of course this is a voluntary initiative and has to be

worked on in partnership with our schools.

Council Apps, second supplementary. I would like to thank Councillor Meocas and

Councillor Yates for their excellent initiative encouraging local

councillors to contact schools about school streets. I've been in touch with a

number of mine and St Mary's have come back to say it is something that they

would consider. What are the next steps I should take to get them on that road

having a really safe wonderful entrance which will allow children to arrive

safely at school without traffic fumes?

Thank you, Councillor Apps. We will be happy to look at that and you should get in touch

with our dedicated officer who looks after our school streets and explain the feedback

you have had and I am sure they will be happy to follow up with the school. Thank you.

question 15. Thank you, chair. Question 15 to the cabinet member for environment.

Yes, thank you. For anybody watching, it looks like this is a rather boring question about the

grounds maintenance contract, but it is not. It is a really good example of how you can use

procurement to really help fulfill all the things we believe in in our manifesto pledges. So we

We went out for procurement for the grounds maintenance of our parks,

and that's very important in itself.

You've got to mow the lawns, you've got to keep the hedges tidy,

all of that, got to empty the bins.

But whilst we were doing that, also we could specify all sorts of things.

We're going to use vehicles running on hydrogenated vegetable oil.

We're going to keep our electric vehicles.

We're going to make sure the contractor pays the real living wage.

All of these things that we fundamentally believe in,

we can make happen through our procurement.

On top of that, actually, as it turned out,

we went out to tender for three different contracts

at the same time, so it was grounds maintenance

in our parks, ground maintenance in our estates,

and actually Richmond had a similar one.

So because actually all three went to the same contractor,

we got economies of scale as well,

so we're also saving money for our residents.

So actually just a really good example

of what you can do when you procure wisely.

Thank you, supplementary.

Thank you for the answer.

I was also wondering if similarly to the benefits that you just highlighted, have there been

any new contracts recently that will also be contributing especially to our manifesto

pledges on the London living wage as well as sustainability?

Yes, absolutely.

I mean, since we've come into administration, every single contract has had the real living

and also we look at terms and conditions.

And the number so far I have is 234 contracts,

which have the real living wage in,

which is really quite something.

And as we renew each one, or not,

as we go out to tender each time,

we will specify that, we look at terms and condition.

We're also placing a lot of emphasis on social value now.

So one very key point in social value is sustainability.

So that's there in every single contract now.

Yeah, the terms and conditions,

employment for local people,

apprenticeships for local people, procuring locally everything that we believe in we can

make happen through our conducting.

Thank you. Is there a second supplementary question?

Right. Moving on to question number 17.

Yes, question 17 to the Cabinet Member for Children please.

As the cabinet member of children, perhaps it is appropriate that I

quickly address the opposition concern in relation to Bradstow School.

Just to be really clear for anybody, and Councillors in the room, that

are watching, the position is that we currently are consulting on a

possible closure of Bradstow School, a special needs school in Broad

Stairs in Kent. I want to be really clear that no decision has been

taken in relation to that. We currently are in the pre -consultation informal stage of

that discussion where we are listening to residents or stakeholders.

A paper went to committee to discuss this proposal back in December. Members of Children's

Committee had a good discussion at that point about this proposal and that then came through

and was reported to committee before Christmas. A petition has been presented tonight and

The paper will come back to the Children's Committee next week on Tuesday for further

discussion about where we are with the school. I can update all members of the Council that

we continue to explore with the school all options available to try and make the school

financially viable going forward and to preserve its future, including working with the Academy

Trust to explore possible academisation. That really does sit with the governing board.

but we are also working with the school to look at reducing costs, but we really need

to put the needs of children at the heart of that discussion. I am not willing to compromise

in terms of their needs being met and making sure that they have sufficient support, bearing

mind their vulnerabilities and complexities. I will continue to update the Children's Committee

on this proposal and on the consultation. We are working incredibly hard, alongside

the school, parents and listening to all stakeholders to move forward and hopefully, if possible,

protect the future of the school.

To answer the question of Councillor Davies, in relation to a free baby box scheme, it

really is a unique initiative in Wandsworth that we are incredibly proud of. It is demonstrating

our commitment to supporting young families and ensuring that each and every child in

Wandsworth has the very best start in life.

So our current scheme extends to first -time parents under the age of 21 and those that

are care experienced. We provide in the box some essential items for their newborn children

at a very special moment for them. The box itself promotes self -sleeping practices,

attachment and interaction between parents and their children. The box includes practical

items, digital thermometers, nail clippers, toothbrushes, spoons, bath mittens and toys.

The box itself is made out of sturdy cardboard, so it can double as a safe sleeping place,

complete with a mattress and cotton sheets, if that is something that the families need.

There are also leaflets and booklets with valuable information inside, so that parents

can engage with their children and support them, particularly on how to handle emergencies,

thinking about our public health agenda and how to support healthy early development.

What we are particularly proud of in terms of our scheme, which really makes it stand

out from many others, is that any recipient of our baby box is also given wrap -around

support from one of our family HUD connectors. That is a brand new role that we have introduced.

They support the parent from pregnancy all the way through to the baby's first birthday.

These connectors particularly focused on outreach work, offering psychosocial support, linking

parents with local resources and activities, and also enhancing the child development and

educational development of children who receive the BOTS.

Councillor Davies.

Thank you very much. Last month, the Children's Laureate Frank Cottrell -Boyce called on the

long -term life chances, so particularly after austerity, the pandemic and Brexit.

He noted that not only shared region was good for educational attainment,

but also effective promoting good bonding, good attachment and good mental health

and create a joyous situation where parents and carers can give the best,

starting life to our children.

So I'd like to ask two little questions really.

Does the cabinet member agree that baby boxes have these shared aims, but also does it promote

joined up thinking with the different partners and service providers in this borough? Thank

you. Thank you, Councillor Davies, for that question.

Absolutely. I agree with what the Children's Laureate says, and I think there's a lot of

shared aims in our scheme. So early years are really important for children's life chances.

I think that is very much agreed and I think that is why early years is a priority for

this council and we now know also a priority for this new Labour government.

We are really proud that our baby box scheme is the first of its kind in London. We have

introduced it here in Wandsworth because we recognise that the first 1 ,001 days in a baby's

life are an absolutely critical period that really do set the foundations for their emotional

and physical wellbeing all the way through into their adulthood. So our Baby Box team

really aims to support parents with those issues of bonding and attachment through the

first steps in their family's life. So as I said, some of the books and toys really

can promote positive bonding. There can be books in there to help families read together,

to sing together, as well as the essentials that I mentioned earlier. And I think one

of the nice quotes that we have received from Fanny, who is one of the young parents who

has already received a box, is that she said that this box is complete with everything

that I need. As I say, we are really proud of our unique offer that really enables all

children to have the best support in life. The role of the Family Hub Connect is supporting

families to signpost activities into their community. I think that will also support

that bonding and attachment. But I think, Councillor Davies, you also highlight a really

another aspect of the scheme that is really important and that is our work with our

partners, both the family nurse partnership, supporting families not just within our council

services but those other partners to get the support they need as young parents. But also

we're really proud to be partnering with Little Village, a local charity, to provide some clothes

and other bundles of support for families working in partnership with them. As a consequence

of the recent coverage of our scheme, we have had further partners come forward with groups

interested in knitting mittens and things like that for children as well. We will be

taking every opportunity we can to expand the box and the opportunities that are in

it for new families.

Thank you very much.

Councillor Grimston.

Thank you Madam Mayor.

Second supplementary on the first part

of the cabinet members answer there.

And I recognize the very peculiar situation we're in tonight

that it's very difficult to know how to,

we can actually find space in the agenda

and the standing orders to refer to

to the decision going on in KET.

When I had the education brief,

I got very fond of Bradstone.

but equivalently I was aware of the enormous challenges

of trying to manage a school that was 80 miles away.

We had many discussions with Kent County Council

for what would be the best results

for them to take responsibility.

We stuck with the school then

because it was filling a gap in the provision

and that hasn't changed.

But I think what I want to just suggest is

that there have been a number of comments

over the last two years or so

from the council leadership

about the shameful record of the previous administration

in closing schools.

Could I just ask the cabinet member now

with a bit of experience around this,

of recognizing that actually

it's an extremely difficult decision,

it's an extremely emotional decision,

but sometimes, I don't know whether it's the case here or not,

sometimes it is the right decision.

We could not have the pattern of special school education

that we have in this borough now

had we not taken very difficult decisions

to close the Vines and Chartfield schools

that were no longer, that were half empty,

that were no longer providing education which is there.

And can I just make a plea that perhaps in future debates

of this nature, inflammatory language about shameful records

of this maybe gets replaced by recognition

that these decisions are difficult.

They take their toll on decision makers

and I'm sure the council is finding that.

And maybe we can recognize that these issues

are not a matter of good and evil,

but sometimes for a matter of different approaches

to improving the quality of education for our most needy youngsters?

Thank you, Councillor Grimston, for that question. I can tell that he is fond of Bradstow School

as I went down to visit the school last month, which was a very humbling experience. It was

great to meet the dedicated leadership team and great to see children learning there and

great to hear directly from parents of their experience. I did also see a plaque with Councillor

Councillor Grimston's name on which opened one of the wings of the school. I can see

that it is something that is personal to him and his journey and experience within the

Council. But he is right. The school has faced and does face enormous challenges and those

really are financially driven. The school is currently experiencing a £1 .2 million

£1 deficit. That is partly driven by some local authorities not being willing to pay

the fees that are needed in order to support the children there, including Kent County

Council, who currently have unpaid fees of £1 .2 million. He mentions Kent County Council

and the discussions that have been ongoing for quite some time since 2021 about the transfer

of the school to them. As he says, the school is quite a significant distance from Wandsworth.

and myself and those members of Children's Committee who went to have an early morning

in order to be able to get there. I know officers have done that and continue to do that in

order to support the school within our family. Those conversations have been ongoing for

quite some time. It was really disappointing that in October of last year, Kent County

Council decided not to take the school into their family of schools, citing a number of

reasons, including that the school itself was not fit for purpose to be any school.

That was incredibly disappointing. The leader of the council and I subsequently have reached

back out to the leader of Kent County Council to see if discussions can be further opened

about them reconsidering their decision. It is quite clear from the leader of Kent County

Council's response to us that they have no interest in moving forward and have said that

in fact they are actively working on a transition for their pupils that are there ready for

end of the academic year. As many members may well know, the vast majority of pupils

at the school have 13 out of 32 children, whereas at the end of this academic year there

will only be three Wandsworth children attending the school. As I said, no decision has been

made. Councillor Grimson is quite right to recognise that, but this proposal does come

from a very difficult decision really being the financial viability of the

school and our ability in that context to meet the needs of some of the most

vulnerable children particularly bearing in mind the disproportionate nature of

that that will hit Wandsworth taxpayers sadly with the current situation and the

deficit that the school currently holds.

Thank you, Councillor Stott, for the update and information on Bradstor School.

Moving on to question number 19.

Councillor Tiller.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Question number 19 to the cabinet member for housing.

Yeah, that's a really important question and it's one that we've gone away and looked at

hard at from the last meeting we had where we were asked about the impact of rent arrears

on our tenants.

The cost of living crisis has seen an increase in rent arrears, but when you really delve

into the detail of the actual people who are impacted by having arrears on their account,

while we know that there's an increase in the overall amount of arrears, the actual

clearance rate honorees is we're in a healthy position.

So we managed to collect about 98 % of our rental accounts.

And those who are falling into hardship,

that category of tenants, we have a huge wraparound service.

So that service is designed to try and pick up

when rent areas are moving from what can be understood

as maybe an understandable delay in payment.

We talked previously about the rollover to universal credit

having an impact on some of those numbers.

But when we pick up on a cuter rear, which is when we think actually this person is forming behind,

we can move in and start to offer affordable repayment plans, offer debt advice.

We're also hosting in -person workshops, which has wraparound services.

So we have someone from WorkMatch, we have people from the housing team,

we have people from the finance team, to try and make sure that we can protect tenants,

give people maybe up -to -date benefit advice if they're not claiming benefit that could help them in their arrears.

So for us arrears is a really important thing.

The overall volume of the arrears is going up

and I think that's because of the indebtedness

of tenants is directly linked to the economic circumstances

and we're coming out of a cost of living crisis

in which people have really, really felt the pinch.

On rental increases this year,

thankfully because inflation has fallen lower

than it has for the last two years since the mini budget,

rental increases this year are going to be only

at CPI plus one, which is 2 .7%.

That's much lower than we have previously had.

Whenever do we do do a rent increase we have to bear in mind the impact on those on arrears

So we're focused very heavily to protect those tenants that might suffer from from you know

financial issues and just to be very clear with the you know, the general public and also this council that we

Don't really evict people for arrears, you know

It has to be a very very serious circumstances where we think that the person isn't

Really using the wraparound support that we're offering so we try and make sure that we have a very

you know a very caring approach to making sure that people could you know people can maintain their tendency because

Maintaining a tendency is really the most important thing to us as the council

Thank you

Councillor Grimston

Thank You madam mayor can I just

Ask the cabinet member if he's happy with the wording of some of the letters that go out in these circumstances

circumstances because while it may well be the case

that eviction is very rare, the very first letter

that a tenant or leaseholder gets very often threatens

precisely that, they're in danger of losing their home.

There's an example recently in my ward, a lovely couple.

She had a little garden that she tended for them.

I mean, just sold to the earth and had paid their rent

on time for all of the more than 20 years

where they'd been in the flat, service charge, sorry.

She passed away a couple of years ago.

The council failed to transfer the tenancy

into the husband's name, it was a tenancy.

And as a result, his bank wouldn't pay the rent.

He therefore got a, no, sorry, it was a service charge,

sorry, confusing this, because it was about major works.

And this gentleman then received a letter from the council

telling him that because he was in arrears,

he couldn't pay monthly, and if he didn't pay

the whole lot up straight away, several thousand pounds,

he'd be evicted.

and it was the council's mistake,

and understandably this caused a huge amount of concern

and worry to someone who quite frankly did not deserve

that concern and worry,

someone who always paid their dues on time.

And I think the harshness of some of the letters

is something that needs to be looked at

because very often people who maybe aren't

particularly okay with these situations

can I think end up being really very scared

by these situations and that in itself

is a very significant detriment to their quality of life.

I completely agree, and actually, I mean,

I'm not gonna name them, but I've got colleagues

who sit on the housing committee with me

who have received those threatening letters

when they haven't really done anything wrong,

but it's just been a delayment

because of some administration problem,

and it does scare people.

We have to get the balance right.

The fact that we do have quite a good

and successful collection rate

is because we are thorough in making sure

that we can collect rents and that's important

because it means we can maintain a healthy HRA.

I would tend to agree with you though that

we often are spooking people

because of the way that the system works.

We've raised this at committee,

we've discussed it at committee,

we've raised it with officers.

I'm happy to go away and re -look at how we can make sure

that what are basically automatic messages

that are kind of a bit blind

in terms of people's circumstances,

because they're just being fired out in order to try and

recollect those rents, how we can build in some of the compassion.

Because the compassion is certainly there in terms of the wraparound service

that the council offers, but you're right that some of the

administration or kind of automatic messages that arrive

are quite kind of serious and heavy.

And so I'm willing to go away and look at this and I made that point clear at committee as well.

Thank you.

It is, sorry, the time for cabinet question is now finished.

We now turn to report number one, items for decision.

I move reception of that report and after we have heard from the speakers, we'll ask

the council whether they approve the recommendations.

Councillor White, speaker.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

The former Bank of England chief Andy Haldane states the West's capitalist model needs a

fundamental rethink and the impact on this council and the social fabric as wealth travelled

upwards inequalities widened and generational and class injustices became the norm.

This ruling group have reset the finances resources

of this council refocusing on its civic duties

and services for ones with people.

The old order overly rewards the wealthy

and well connected with private investment

often failing to fill the spaces left

by public sector cuts.

From homelessness, private rents, council home builds,

housing maintenance and council estate regenerations,

this philosophy has let want of people down.

Our general fund is being re -overused

to purchase emergency housing

to mediate housing market failure

as London homeless numbers rise,

threatening many councils budgets.

The liberally regulated private rented market

has led to excessive rents.

a land or flight to Airbnb with housing benefit being allowed to dwindle.

Our new government move quickly.

They will stop no fault and unfair evictions, extend decent homes and ombudsman legislation

to the private sector and end rent bidding wars and giving private tenants rights to

challenge unfair rent rises.

This council has acted too and after years of campaigning on this side of the chamber,

could have been on that side of the chamber as well.

Landlord licensing in between 30 and 40 new officers

will come to Fersdown, South, Ballum, Tootingbeck

and Broadway wards to ensure standards

in the local private rented market will rise

and some of the appalling landlord abuses

in these wards will end.

As will fear of evictions as decent conditions

are a license requirement and not contestable.

As our private rent sector expands, this council has new freedoms to apply licensing where

they see fit.

Northcote, East and West Putney are next and more wards could follow.

HMO licensing is expanding across all wards too.

Private renting, decency, sustainability, stability and affordability will be our watchwords,

while also supplying generally affordable homes

relieving this malfunctioning market.

Whether a property is a home or a hotel

needs clarity and housing benefit uprating would also help.

Our 1 ,000 council rent homes

will assist ones with residence,

but so will the news that Taylor -Wimpy will join Red Row

in walking away from its responsibility

to deliver regenerations,

skewed heavily towards private sale homes,

master -planned by the previous administration.

Leaving a newly confident council to manage and deliver estate renewals

and many more council homes in Roehampton and Clapham Junction

for the benefit of Wandsworth residents who otherwise would find renting impossible.

Many of the regeneration private sale homes would have been bought by landlords

renting back to the council or private households at rates three or more times that of council rent.

Instead, with more council rent homes, we will receive rent and save colossal sums not

spending on emergency and temporary accommodation.

Making good financial sense with 50 years borrowing terms rather than the previous administration's

20 -year terms that risk cries of viability and cutting affordable home numbers as occurs

far too often in private developments.

So this council is seeking to amend the local plan for private developer bills set at 50

of homes in the developments of over 10 homes will be affordable, with 70 % of those being

council rent. Hopefully we'll see many of the other 30 % offered at local average wage -defined

London living rents or the mayor's capped rents model. Smaller developments will provide

cash for further social rent bills. Our investment in hiring new estate managers, the first for

20 years prioritizes reversing years

of estate maintenance neglect.

Reducing private profit -led outsourcing would help too.

Years of public investment has led to a London -wide

estimated eight billion pound repair bill

exacerbated by effective rent repairs and caps

undermining housing revenue accounts.

I agree with Andy Haldane.

and we have to redefine the way the people of Wandsworth

are being governed and they agreed with us

and ushered in a new era of housing investment

and regulation, a fair, not laissez -faire regime.

Thank you.

Councillor Watharaj.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. This is my first time speaking on a

housing motion and I was really looking forward to it. It's

really disappointing that the opposition walked out as we're

debating important decisions but on we go.

to visit Downing Street to celebrate Taipongal and Tamil Heritage Month.

During the Prime Minister's address to us,

he reaffirmed this new Labour government's commitment

to building new homes and driving economic growth.

Fixing the deep -rooted issues and inequalities in the housing sector

is going to take resources, a skilled workforce,

investment and long -term planning,

which is what this Labour administration in Wandsworth has been doing

since we came into power.

This administration will deliver 1000 homes in the Homes for Wandsworth programme at Social

Rent and I am proud that one of the development sites will be in the ward that I represent

in Wandle. The Atheldeen and Garrett Lane development is on the way to delivering 113

new homes. It is important that we put in place supporting infrastructure and new developments

so it is fantastic that a new three -storey health centre and pharmacy will be built as

as bicycle parking, residential car parking, refuge storage, commercial units and outdoor

amenity spaces. Local authorities are under pressure to set budgets that maintain a balanced

housing revenue account whilst recovering from high inflations and interest rates and to tackle

the chronic housing shortage whilst maintaining the viability of the HRA business plan.

Through turbulent economic conditions we have put residents' needs and our responsibilities

as a council to serve our residents at the centre of all decision making. In my ward,

the residents of the Henry Prince Estate felt they were neglected by the previous administration,

especially with repairs. Many households suffered with severe moulds, specifically residents

living on the top floor, with dams seeping in from leaks in the roof. This administration

reacted swiftly, repairing the roofs as a new priority given by the severe health implications

mould can have. Our estates are ignored and this has changed. Councillor Paul and I have

helped the residents, have helped get the Residents' Association back up and running

at the Henry Prince. The RA raised the conditions of the clubroom as a blocker to uniting its

community. One year on, the refurbishment of the clubroom is underway which is being

funded by the UK Shared Propriety Fund grant. We are also in the application process for

grant from the Football Foundation to upgrade the football pitch on the estate.

This Council is committed to estate improvements by growing our workforce. We have hired new

estate managers for the first time in 20 years to clear the backlog and show our residents

we are serious about change and addressing their needs.

There is a new confidence in the Council which is evident by the Tenants Conference attendee

numbers growing every year with the highest attendance ever this year. We want to empower

our tenants so that they have control of their living conditions. Well I was going to say

we can all agree from both sides of the chamber that living in Wandsworth is a great place

to live, put down your roots and be proud to call this borough your home. But it is

no longer home for many of my friends who I grew up and went to school with in Burntwood.

They have moved out of Wandsworth because they can't afford to buy or rent a decent home here.

Or they live at home with their parents like me.

We are the generation that is locked out of home ownership and trapped in unfair and expensive private renting, the housing loss generation.

I live in Tooting Beck Ward which has one of the biggest private rented sectors in the borough.

We have some great landlords there but unfortunately some of the homes are not maintained to a high standard.

Many renters tell me of some of the appalling conditions they are forced to live in with cold, damp disrepair and rent increases.

So I am pleased my neighbours and friends will benefit from the licensing of all landlords in Tooting Beck.

I will watch my neighbourhood improve under Wandsworth Labour with higher standards including reaching our environment and sustainability targets.

With a limited number of council homes in Wandsworth, revising our local plan, we'll

see even more council homes built, thereby reducing our waiting list and homelessness

numbers. We need to get our children out of temporary accommodation and into safe and

secure homes. My generation and ordinary Wandsworth residents are struggling in this acute and

entrenched housing crisis. This council's investment is a crucial step towards resolving

it. Labour's vision to build more begins right here and I'm proud to play my part

in making that happen in Wandsworth. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Vathraj. Councillor de Kedem.

So I actually hadn't written a speech. I hadn't written a speech because I genuinely

wanted to respond to the comments and the points made by the opposition

because I think that democracy is important. This is a special meeting in

which we discuss the housing budget, the housing finance and

financial matters in general. And that is a really really important meeting. It's

one that for my entire almost a decade of being a councillor has been a meeting

that is held on this date. It is a usual precedent. And so for there to be a

a calculated stunt on what is a serious issue,

but for there to be a calculated stunt,

which is basically designed for an easy and quick

social media video and a bit of press,

when we are discussing something as serious as the finance

and the policies around housing in this borough,

I'm actually quite, I'm quite hangry.

I'm quite hangry about it.

So if you're watching at home, I just wanna say,

every tenant in our borough who's ever had an issue

with repairs, with their rent, with issues around resident democracy, we're trying to

set up a tenants association, every leaseholder that cares about major works and the maintenance

of their blocks, every renter in our borough, the 36 % of our residents who are going to

benefit from the licensing scheme that we were going to pass tonight, every homeowner,

every homeowner that cares about the condition of their housing, about what is being built

in their neighborhood, about the possible HMOs that are popping up that might not be

regulated properly.

Every family on our waiting list who desperately needs a house and needs an affordable place

to live, Wanda Tories decided to walk out and say that you don't matter, that your budgets

don't matter, that the policies that we're passing tonight were less important than a

political stunt where they could walk out.

I was willing, I was actually excited because there were people in the gallery who I know

personally because I've been trying to do something that they don't agree with.

I was up for the discussion.

I was up for the debate around even when residents come in who disagree with the things I'm doing and they didn't have the respect

To stay and let those residents have their chance to see a proper debate about housing policy in Wandsworth

Wandsworth Tories need to get real because this is something that affects everyone in Wandsworth

I don't know anyone who is not affected by the housing crisis is not affected by policies that we're trying to do tonight and it is

Disrespectful to all the people that vote in local elections that all the people that have suffered from these problems for them to

pull political stunts like this.

So I don't really have anything to add other than that.

I'm ashamed, I've been a councillor for quite a long time.

I came in good faith.

I didn't have a speech written.

I genuinely wanted to engage with the opposition

because I care about housing.

I care about getting housing right in Wandsworth.

That is what I was elected to do.

And this just makes a mocker of it.

So I'm very proud of my colleagues

for keeping going tonight.

I'm very proud of us as a team

who genuinely want to deliver for our residents.

And I hope the general public can see

that the Wands of Tories have abdicated their responsibility to even scrutinise decisions,

let alone have discussions about them.

So that's where I'll leave it for today and I'm really proud to be part of a Labour group

that generally cares about this borough and continues to push through even when we have

kids in the room who won't even stick around to have a proper discussion.

Thank you, Councillor Dickerson.

And I also am quite upset about tonight's situation.

Moving on, paragraph 1, housing revenue account budget and rent setting, paper number 25 to

13, are the recommendations A to K approved?

The motion is moved.

On a point of order, Madam Mayor, sorry about this, but on a point of order, the Council

has to have a recorded vote on the annual budget, I know, but I had a sneaking memory

that we had to have one on this item as well because of the district audit reports 20,

30 years ago. I thought I stand to be corrected by the chief executive, but I just wondered

whether we had to have a recorded vote.

If this is supported by five people, we can take a vote.

It's not mandatory, so unless you would like to propose that, Councillor Belton.

Moving on to paragraph 2, amendments to the standing order of the council, paper number

25 -38.

So, Councillor Osborn.

Thank you, thank you, Madam Mayor.

So, the two changes to the standing orders

that are on your papers tonight are part of a series,

a program of changes that have been going on

for two or three full council meetings.

And they are part of a program driven

by the General Purposes Committee, which I chair.

and they are designed to bring in a modernization

of the council, which means that the council

would be able to provide a service better

for the people of Wandsworth.

If I isolate three key objectives in that program,

they would be greater public participation

in the work of the council in all its levels.

Number two would be a cross -cutting approach

to analysis and scrutiny across the different directorates

and breaking down the barriers between directorates

so that our scrutiny is improved.

And three, a propensity for more vision

and strategic level decision making

at full council and in committee.

I have to say all of those things have potential to deal with.

For example, some of the points raised about the public engaging by phone with the Council

that we were talking about earlier, as raised by Councillor Grimston in one of his numerous

supplementary questions this evening, eloquently so.

If you're looking at stop notices, what we are proposing, or can propose, what we have the potential to drive forward,

is a much more effective way of interrogating planning decisions than any stop notice that comes up on average once a decade,

which is what's going on at the moment.

And indeed, the rather formal process of questioning

the administration here in a full council meeting,

while it must be done, can be added to and supplemented

much more effectively by better scrutiny

in select committee style committees, for example,

over -feeding scrutiny committees across the council.

So we are moving forward in, I think, the right direction.

The criticism, as I understand it from last night's,

actually rather good -natured general purposes

committee meeting last night from the minority party

is that we are taking a series of cynical decisions

in the changes that we're making.

I would phrase it differently.

I'd say we're experimenting and we're tentative

and that means we're tending to be reactive

rather than proactive, which I would very much prefer.

But there's a bigger criticism actually.

a bigger criticism of what we're doing.

We're too slow, we're too piecemeal,

and we have yet to come up with a coherent program of work

for that series of changes that we want to bring in.

It's self -criticism, if you like, on my part,

and I undertake to all sides in this council

to put those three elements right

as we go forward with this program.

and so I commend to you the changes that are currently proposed in the standing

orders this evening. Thank you.

Councillor Apps.

So Madam Mayor I wondered if I might catch your eye.

Oh Councillor Grimston, sorry.

between the two.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

If only it can't be a lot of fun for you, I suspect,

talking amongst yourselves, and I feel it's incumbent to me

as the, more than the leader of the opposition,

as the opposition to contribute a bit.

And I would actually start by commending Rex's attitude

to a lot of this.

I think there has been a general agreement,

I think he's absolutely right in where I think we've just lost touch as a council with what we're trying to do out there

I think we've been obsessed with looking inwards, you know

Traditionally the ones with culture has not been one of going out and finding out what's going on. That's where in the in the in the sector

And indeed I would strongly urge after nearly three years in in control that leading members the council

or maybe might start looking at acting as member peers

and going out into other authorities as peers

to suggest and have that discussion.

I know it happens on a number of forums,

but I know as having had several years of peer experience

that there's an enormous amount of learning for the peer

as well as for the authority being peered out,

if I can put it in that way.

I was very enthusiastic about the whole change,

therefore if we could get to a move where we started

looking at the future, not just at the immediate presence.

Certainly in my day in the top team, the leaders group

would just look at the papers that were about to come

to committee, the committees would just look at the papers

that were in front of them, the council would then talk

about the papers that had just been to that,

the executive did nothing at all, and the scrutiny

committees were all focused on an office led agenda

which basically didn't change from year to year,

you've got the same things coming forward.

And I think the failure of children's services

was a real wake up call to us

as to how we were losing contact

with what was going on out there.

Nonetheless, I have to say, I'm extremely worried.

I was very worried by the last council meeting.

I'm even more worried by this one.

Because however this goes, it can only go

if there's a working relationship

between the two groups on the council.

One of the saddest things I ever heard during my peer work,

I did some work, I did an ethical governance review

of Doncaster, those of you that have followed

local governments over the years will know

that that was kind of the equivalent

of the European Champions League final in terms of work.

I don't know if it's apocryphal or not,

but one council was reported on the steps of the town hall

on his way to spend a bit of time at Her Majesty's pleasure.

The same with the benefit of hindsight,

I should have declared the gift of a farmhouse.

So it was there, but Martin Winter was a very cultured man

who had been elected as Labour Mayor,

but fell out terribly badly with the Labour group.

He did a speech about the maggot eating

at the heart of this, which was a reflection

of the Ilkinnik speech in that great 1985 party conference.

And the Labour group said, oh, he's calling us maggots.

And Martin said, I'm not.

But it was clear, he was bright enough.

He knew that's the way it would be taken.

And in the discussions we were having, he said,

I find myself behaving this way,

and I just can't help myself.

and this was someone enormously committed

to public service, as I believe we all are,

including every member of the opposition

in this chamber, but there's something

about the current culture which makes it very difficult

for us to behave well, and frankly,

unless we find a way through that,

then it's going to be very difficult

to put flesh onto the bones of whatever changes

the Constitution will make for the benefit

of our residents, which is, of course,

why we're all here.

I have been concerned at how many of the changes

have gone through on a majority vote

rather than on cross -party consensus

because when talking about the Constitution,

it belongs to all of us as individual counselors,

not to one party group or another.

I can kind of understand, although I'm still here,

I don't approve of groups walking out of councils

under any circumstances really,

but nonetheless, there is something in there

about a sense that if awkward decisions are being taken,

the standing orders get changed on a kind of ad hoc basis

to prevent that happening.

And I just ask that maybe the majority group

might reflect on that, because we have a big job to do,

all of local government does, always we do.

We're the ones who have more effect on people's lives

than any member of parliament, anyone out there.

We have direct positive effects on,

acknowledgement, I don't know, on people's lives.

And if we're not getting it right in here,

we sink into that thing where our job

is to make life worse for people inside the town hall

rather than making life better

for people outside the town hall.

Thank you, Councillor Grimston.

Councillor Apps.

Thank you.

I've got a few quotes for you tonight.

Their role is unclear and their value questionable.

Secondly, no prospect of providing

any robust or in -depth scrutiny.

And about this council, like a sixth form debating school,

a panto, too adversarial.

And about the system, it's flat out

due to the complexity and volume.

Well honestly, when I wrote down these words

that were taken from a few years back actually,

when the comments were first made by experts

and by councilors themselves,

I wasn't expecting the site that we have today

in this chamber, but it proves a further point

about how much we need a governance review.

It's very important that all councillors in this council

can contribute their full talent

to making this place a better place for our residents.

I'm not going to go through all of the details

that I was going to tell you tonight

because I was hoping for a lively debate,

but what I would say is firstly,

thank you to my colleagues for their comments.

But it is right that this council has been too adversarial.

But we do have a chance to free up committees,

to free up overview and scrutiny committees,

to take independent and robust inquiries and scrutiny.

And that's something that should be welcomed by all of us,

albeit it means that our cabinet will be subject

to deeper and better scrutiny,

which will keep them on their toes.

So what's broken?

Well, councilors, officers, and experts have agreed

It's too officer -led.

There's no capacity for emerging issues coming through,

which Councillor Grimston has often reflected on,

that there's no real pre -scrutiny

because it's too close to decisions.

It's too adversarial.

So there are a few things that we can do

which will help to make mechanism changes

to help set us free.

One is break the automatic link

between pre -scrutiny and executive.

It means that councillors don't have a choice

in how to scrutinize, they can't decide on those issues

that they look at, that it's pretty much predetermined

and it always means because it's so close to decision making

that so much of it will be posturing

rather than putting forward those recommendations

to the executive that can help them to shape decisions.

We do have call -in procedures,

many councillors even forget this,

but we drastically need to modernize them

so that they are fit for purpose,

so that councillors can bring in decisions

that they feel need looked at again.

And we need to set a key decision threshold

in common with the vast majority of councillors.

But we wanna go much beyond that,

as my colleague, Councillor Osborne has said,

we wanna see greater and authentic public involvement

in our decision making.

We want to see better cross -cutting scrutiny.

And also some remarks that were made in a meeting

with the opposition whip and with Councillor Grimston

and myself where we were chewing over

how we could improve party relations.

We need to use training and peer support to help improve us in our roles and make sure that we're as effective as we can

be to contributing to changing the culture of the council

Culture is something we are all responsible for and I'd urge you to support these proposals. Thank you

Other recommendations approved

The next matter is from the Planning Applications Committee, Report No. 3.

Councillor Belton, as we do not have a proposer and seconder for the motion seeking amendments

related to the stop notices, these will be treated as abandoned.

The stop notices will no longer have effect.

The decisions of the Planning Applications Committee on the matters therefore take effect.

I will nevertheless invite you to move reception of report number 3, paragraphs 1 to 4 on page

85 for information.

Would you like to move it?

Yes, Madam Mayor, I'd love to move the reception of the report of the Planning Applications Committee

paragraphs one to four and

I will say if you don't mind Madam Mayor

Because I think the public in as far as some might be watching at home will be concerned about one set of applications

three of them about the Ashburton estate where the worst stop notice is put down and as you say those stop notices are fallen to

to give a very brief idea.

Sorry, Councillor Belton, can I just request you

to stop for one moment?

I just need to read something out quickly.

Thank you.

Given that the item is on our agenda,

members of the public will want to hear members' views.

I would therefore ask if any members wish to speak

and I seek the view of Council whether they agree to this.

Yeah.

Councillor Belton, carry on please, thank you.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

I was saying that the minority party had put forward

three what we used to call stop notices.

Something was said about, it's never been done before.

Actually, I bothered to bring out the minutes.

I know no one ever looks at them,

but I bothered to bring out the minutes

from the members library to prove that I actually

was responsible for moving the last stop notices

of this kind and the last date I can find was 1996.

So dates it a little bit.

But I thought it was just worth saying

that the minority party would have appealed

or were moving against these three applications

for three main reasons I think it's fair to say.

One was about consultation.

The other two were about things like physical massing

of the estate and density of the estate

and car parking facilities.

I want to spend a moment or two speaking on the latter,

but I'd like to invite Councillor Dickerton

to say something about the consultation side.

Councillor Dickerton.

So I just think to be respectful to those who had come

and spent their time coming to the council to hear this

and also anyone at home,

because the swap nurses are being called in,

we're not gonna have the full and frank discussion.

and I don't know what was gonna be brought up

by the opposition, so reach out, email me.

I have always been willing to go and meet on the estate,

to do walkarounds, to discuss any concerns people have

with these planning applications.

I also watched online the planning application debate

that took place.

I thought because I was the applicant,

it wouldn't be right for me to attend that one in person,

but I watched it closely.

And I have to clarify for the record,

and I really wanted to do it while they were here

because I thought that was important.

I don't like speaking when someone's not around,

but they did the same

when at the Planning Applications Committee.

Councillor Sutter said that she had spoken to me,

she said, spoken to him extensively.

I've never received an email, any correspondence,

asking me about to meet,

asking me about the Ashburton from Councillor Sutter's at all

I've never received any correspondence.

The only discussion I've ever had

was 30 seconds walking out of the chamber in the parking lot

after one of the six performative debates

that we had had in this chamber.

So it's always been totally politically driven.

It hasn't been about really engaging with me.

It was said that they have deliberately sought me out

because they're not afraid to face -to -face people one -to -one.

It's just not true.

So if counselors want to speak to me about plans,

they know my email address, they know I'm willing to meet.

Counselor Austin, in this chamber, asked me publicly,

will I meet with him in residence?

Never followed up, never sent an email, never reached out.

So I am always available to discuss this issue.

On the consultations, I have regrets.

Of course I have regrets that we sent out a letter

that happened to coincide with a postal strike.

That really made people feel anxious.

It felt like that we were forcing something through,

that we were hiding things.

We tried to make up with that by doing as many,

we went beyond the statutory guidance.

We had numerous consultations.

There was a debate because consultation

wasn't a referendum on the schemes.

We arrived with the plan to try and build some housing

and like we do with all our 1000 home sites.

And the principle is to try and get residents to engage

and shape that process so we come up with a kind of

compromise solution that meets some of the needs

of the estate but also some of the anxieties.

Ashburton hasn't gone the way that we would have liked

on that and we've reflected, we have reflected.

We've hired new engagement staff.

We want to see Ashburton as an estate improve

before even we start any building works.

And that's what our new team of engagement experts

were part of the new, what we're kind of,

they're not really consultants and such

because they're an in -house council led service.

So their job is to go and work on estates

and work with residents to find localized improvements

and kind of link up the estate management side

alongside our development arm.

But I haven't had any real serious engagement

from opposition councilors.

I am always willing to meet with either residents

or those councilors.

I just think that has to be put on the record

before we go to the more technical aspects.

I'm the applicant, so I don't want to speak too much

about the technical aspects,

but this is a scheme that is designed to help residents

who live on Ashburton.

A lot of that has been missed in some of the arguments.

This is for people who live in overcrowded conditions

or who want to downsize who live on the Ashburton

and like our Thousand Homes program,

it is designed to meet need and that need is there.

But like I say, you know,

door is always open to have conversations with people.

And if I may, Madam Mayor,

on the issue of the application itself,

can I say that we all know that the government,

both governments, both the previous conservative government

and the present government are setting

very demanding housing targets of all London boroughs.

We know worse or know stronger than any other borough.

We all have very, very strong demands on our capabilities.

And as a consequence of that,

there have been eight planning applications

in the last few years about the intensification

of development on council estates.

And funny thing about these eight

is they all have three people in common.

I was on the committee on every one of those occasions.

Councillor Humphries was on the committee

on every one of those occasions.

And Councillor Govindia was the leader for the first five

and on the committee for the last three.

And the five, very briefly, Randle Close,

Gideon Road, Patmore, Lytton Road, and Platts

all came up under the Conservative Party,

which to do it justice,

was building properties on council estates.

And all five of those applications,

amounting to 234 units,

were approved by the Planning Applications Committee,

by both sides on the Planning Applications Committee.

And they probably involved the two,

well they certainly involved the two largest,

Randall Close and Pat Moore,

and certainly the two most deprived states

of the ones affected,

and probably the largest and most crowded.

But we supported their move to build properties

for those people in need in this borough,

absolutely in accordance with our beliefs

and absolutely correctly.

The last three applications,

and they're all.

Sorry, Councillor Belton, we're gonna have to wrap up

on this topic, I'm so sorry about this.

You haven't put the red light on.

You had your speech before Councillor Dickardale.

That was merely to move it.

Let me just finish it.

It won't be long.

The three applications that have happened

since the change in the general election

have all been opposed

and they've all been opposed by the same cynical, opportunistic,

rather less polite words, party that has chosen to ignore the needs of the people of Wandsworth.

I am really sad about it because I thought particularly Humphreys and Govindia,

I know lots of my friends accuse me of idiocy on this.

I actually thought they had some better purposes in mind.

But they cynically went from supporting applications

under their control, under Tory control,

and going against them when it was labor.

And the people who have suffered are the very people

that Councillor Dickerton's been talking about,

the people on the waiting list,

the people who desperately need housing in this borough.

And I certainly, absolutely do not suggest for one moment

that the Council should require the Planning Applications Committee to reconsider what

were excellent decisions.

Thank you, Councillor Belton. We now turn to Executive Report No. 2.

Councillors, we have speakers on this paper too.

Councillor Crichard.

Thank you very much, Madam Mayor.

Many years ago, not quite when the world was young,

but well before everyone had mobile phones,

so in a meeting like this, you would have to listen to me.

I went on a British Gas Management training course.

One of the exercises involved running a company, starting with a certain amount of capital

for projects.

The finance director, who isn't actually here tonight, but she was the second most important

role in the team, and initially I couldn't understand why.

But by the end of the session I realised that sound financial management and excellent budget

control are crucial to the success of any commercial venture. That rule applies to us

in the public sector as well. We are responsible for spending taxpayers' money wisely and

prudently. This Council provides services to 340 ,000 residents living in 100 ,000 homes

on 440 kilometres of streets.

Wandsworth generates some income,

which is used to support the services we provide.

We also receive grants from government.

This year we received a very welcome

13 .5 million pounds extra.

Unfortunately, this is not enough

to cover our increased costs.

This year's budget of 283 million

has increased by 15 million over last year.

This increase is not because this Labour administration is profligate.

Far from it.

But we have a duty to look after our vulnerable residents.

For the Adults and Health team, the number of people needing care is increasing,

their needs are more complex and the cost of care is becoming more expensive.

For children's services, post -COVID more children have special education needs and therefore need

extra help with their learning. In housing, we have duty to provide housing for those made

homeless. These costs are escalating far more quickly than we can build local homes for local

people. Demand and cost pressures dictate two approaches to managing the budget. This council

is committed to developing new initiatives to support residents. But new initiatives

need funding and our teams have been looking at changes to working practices to reduce

costs. For example, the children's team have developed a flatter management structure to

increase efficiency. The procurement teams have made savings in big contracts such as

health and leisure. The finance team have collected extra premiums on council tax for

second homes. Our council officer team deserve our thanks for their efforts in saving money,

which they are doing in parallel with their work on new projects.

Here's just a small taster of the new work from this Labour administration since 2022.

Family hubs to bring together children's services in one place to enable early help.

Repurposing Broadwater School to enable more children with SEND to have local school places.

New food waste arrangements so Wandsworth complies with the law while saving money.

Extra staff and investment in services for women and girls experiencing violence.

If any of you have noticed my purple ribbon, I am wearing it to remember one young woman

who died following a violent attack just before Christmas. There is still so much more to

do to protect our women and girls.

All these changes show that this Labour Council takes its financial obligations seriously

in parallel with our obligations to our residents. We are constantly looking for ways to become

more efficient and develop new ideas to offer even better services. Therefore, I

commend this budget to this council to enable the Labour Administration to

continue its excellent work for all our residents in Wandsworth.

Thank you, Councillor Grichard. Councillor Ireland. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Local

Government is one of the few areas of public services where spending remains lower in real

terms than it was in 2010 -11. The Coalition Government made substantial and disproportionate

cuts to local authority grant funding from 2010 onwards. In Wandsworth we suffered cuts

of £100 million in cash terms, that's over £150 million in real terms, while at the

same time picking up the bill for extra responsibilities from unfunded government policies.

Additional central government grant funding since COVID has been eroded by high levels

of inflation. Demand for acute statutory services, in particular, adults and children's social

care, homelessness and special educational needs and disabilities provision continues

to grow and now accounts for 72 % of our spend. The market is broken. Private providers are

exploiting rising demand to make excessively high profits. I am proud of this Administration's

commitment to sound financial management. While we deliver an even better Wandsworth,

we have the lowest council tax in this country, we have healthy reserves and zero external

debt on the General Fund. Our innovative Better Services Partnership saves us £20 million

a year. The Change Programme will deliver efficiencies of up to £9 million and due

to our smart investment decisions we will earn £33 million in interest in this year

alone. Now we believe in investing in our residents and in our borough and this is an

investment budget overturning years of decline under the previous administration. We are

delivering 1 ,000 council homes because we believe our residents should have a secure

and decent home. This means building homes, not investment opportunities. We are now spending

an unsustainable £60 million a year on temporary accommodation, a legacy of the previous administration's

record of selling 24 ,000 council homes. The Homes for Wandsworth programme will transform

the lives of a thousand families, reduce waiting lists and will help cut the bill for temporary

accommodation.

We believe that for many of our residents the cost of living crisis is far from over

and we are proud to have the biggest cost of living programme in London of £15 million,

using data from the low income family tracker to target support where it's most needed.

Campaigns and outreach work have resulted in eligible ones with residence benefiting

by more than three million pounds and schools will receive an extra half a

million pounds in disadvantaged and pupil premium funding. The cost of

living project supports voluntary sector partners including citizens of Vice

Wandsworth to manage their increased workload. So far the public value of

homelessness prevention and income gained for residents is worth over 1 .1

million pounds. Now we have an ambitious access for all program because we believe

the cost should not be a barrier to residents sharing all the good things

Wandsworth has to offer. So far 50 ,000 low -income residents have used our

leisure centres and swimming pools free of charge. We believe that residents

should be proud of their neighbourhoods. We will continue with weekly waste and

recycling collections, offer two free bulky waste collections for each

household and expand the popular free mega -skip days across the borough.

Through our Decade of Renewal programme, we are investing £10 million each year in our

roads and pavements so they are safe for all.

I see the results of this investment in my ward.

I was delighted to meet families who are thrilled with their new attractive spacious council

homes in Beaumont Road and I look forward to welcoming them to our residents' association.

much -needed investment on estates including new community facilities and

refurbishment of parks and play spaces on the Ackroyd and East estate, new foot

paths on the Argyle -Limitsfield estate and after over a decade since I first

requested this and long before I became a councillor, two new pedestrian crossings

in Augustus Road and Princes Way are just being installed making this

dangerous junction safe for children to walk to school. I am proud to present a positive

budget which supports local businesses and invests in our borough and our residents.

I would like – Mrs Mary is not here, but her colleagues are – I would like to thank

officers for their hard work and commitment, particularly Mrs Mary and her team, who have

worked tirelessly to coordinate, manage and support this process. I would also like to

thank my Cabinet colleagues who have worked with officers, identifying efficiencies to

managed demand while protecting frontline services and minimising the impact of our

residents. Please support this budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Ireland. I move reception of the report. Can paragraphs 1 to 3 and paragraph

4 in the supplementary paper be received for information?

Thank you.

Item 10 is from the General Purposes Committee, Report No. 4.

The report from this meeting has been considered under Report No. 1, Items for Decision.

Item 11 is the proposed amendments to committee memberships and outside bodies, Paper No.

25 -37.

Are the recommendations approved?

Thank you.

So the next matter is of local and topical interest.

As we do not have a speaker on this item from the minority party, we will treat the matter

as withdrawn.

The motion on the consultation on the closure of Bradstow School will be taken next. As

we do not have a proposal or seconder to this motion, it will be treated as abandoned.

Madam Mayor, I would like to make a point of personal explanation under 16a. I understand

this matter was on the agenda and a motion had been brought by the opposition. I am disappointed

that the opposition have left the room this evening and have decided not to debate the

issue. A motion was put forward and I would like the opportunity to address it. From a

personal perspective, the comment was made by a Councillor earlier that I did not care

about the issue or we do not care about the issue of Bradstowe School. I would like the

opportunity to put on record that I do care about that issue and I would like to update

members on it.

Do you want to say anything else?

I would like to update members.

Firstly, my visit to Bradstow school in Kent and for them welcoming me earlier last month.

It was an absolute privilege, as I've said earlier, to meet the dedicated leadership

team and the staff team and to see pupils engaging with their learning across the school.

I was also lucky enough to speak to some parents about their...

Sorry, Councillor Stock, you mentioned it's a point of personal explanation.

Yes.

I think the point was made that I didn't care about Bradstow School and therefore I want

to update all members in the council about what I have done and what the council is doing

on the issue.

Thank you, that has been noted.

Bradstow School in Broadstairs, despite being over 70 miles away, was inherited by Wandsworth

following the abolition of Illya. I do pay tribute to the school's work to provide high

education for children with complex needs and vulnerabilities. Wandsworth is

one of ten local authorities who currently use the school as the school

is in Kent. 13 of the 32 children on the school's role are Kent children and by

August only three Wandsworth children will attend the school. Unfortunately the

opposition motion which they brought forward and perhaps I think referred to

earlier did include some misunderstandings. They referenced the

social care market and that demonstrates their lack of

understanding about the Bradstow provision. I want the opportunity

to correct that. Bradstow is a community special school with a 38

week residential provision, not a social care residential care home.

Ones with children currently placed at the school are not children

looked after for whom we are corporate parents. I was also

concerned by the Conservative group's attempt to talk about this

administration's dependency on the private sector. The previous

Conservative government did nothing to tackle this social care market.

That market is broken and I am very pleased that the Labour government

is taking decisive action with the new children's wellbeing and school

bill to fix that broken market and end excessive profiteering. Our

ambition here in Wandsworth to make it clear is for every child with

special educational need to have their needs met and receive the best possible care. We

have committed to supporting children locally, keeping them educated and cared for as close

to their family and community wherever possible.

41 million has been invested to meet the needs of children with special educational needs

by expanding local maintained provision and special schools in Wandsworth. This has created

over 271 places and we look forward to opening the purpose -built expansion of Paddock Special

School in September this year. Our partnership work in this area has meant that we saw less

placements and independent specialist schools provisioned in the borough. So concern has

been raised about local authorities being desperate to have residential provision and

I'm unclear about what the evidence is for that. The number of children in Wandsworth

residential school placements has fallen from over 50, 70 years ago to 18 now.

Thank you, sorry, Councillor Stockard.

I do need to stop you there.

This motion has been withdrawn and we will be moving on.

Thank you.

Madam Mayor, perhaps would you allow the council to adjourn for a couple of minutes to allow

the opposition to come back into the room to actually debate this issue?

We can adjourn the council and wait for them to come back.

We are well before the guillotines.

It is not that. There is no motion and nobody is coming back.

I want to give the opposition the opportunity to come back and debate the motion. We are

ready to debate it.

They brought a random motion at the start of the meeting. There is no motion.

Could I propose that we adjourn the Council for five minutes to give the opposition the

to come back into the room to debate the motion.

I'm gonna let the monitoring officer answer this question part.

So councillors, we don't have a proposer or a seconder in the chamber.

The members of the minority party have not been present for the bulk of this meeting. A journey for a short period of time

is not going to change that, frankly.

So we don't have a motion that is open for debate here.

Councilor Stock asked on a point of personal explanation

which Madame Mayor indulged for a short time,

but it tended to a speech.

There is no provision for speeches on a motion

that is not before this chamber.

Point of information.

We can bring adjourned motions to the council though.

Can we bring a point of local interest motion?

It's not on notice, I'm sorry, Councillor Dickerson.

As a point of information, could we just wait and see whether they come back to sit for

this motion for two minutes?

Members, it pains me to say that when we came to the agenda item, there was no mover and

there was no seconder, and therefore there is no motion before Council.

it is therefore treated as abandoned.

Waiting for a period of time would therefore not comply with the standing orders for notice.

Thank you.

Next is meant to be the motion on the Government's plan to punish low council tax.

We don't have a proposer or seconder to this motion.

it will be treated as withdrawn.

Madam Mayor, just as an interesting point of order,

if items are on the agenda,

are they in the possession of the council, as it were,

so can I move the motion on discussion about council tax,

and I might withdraw it if I'm sufficiently persuaded

that it was a good motion.

Just a matter of interest.

So, Councillor Belton, there is provision

in the council's rules if you have been requested

by another member to move a motion and second it,

but there is no provision for you to be able to withdraw

it when it's been moved and seconded.

So we could if we wanted to move a motion

on Bradstowe or this.

If you have been asked, you have not.

Thank you councillors. That concludes the business of the meeting for this evening.

Councillors, I want to thank each and every one of you for your cooperation at tonight's

meeting. I thank you for your service to the residents of Wandsworth. Often, these chambers

face difficult and upsetting matters, but we should always remember why we are sitting

here and the importance of these meetings. Tonight I feel very sad that the minority

party has let its residents down and decided to leave the full council meeting. I hope

and pray that they will engage with the council for the sake of democracy. Wish you all the

best and have a good evening. Thank you.

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Council - Wednesday 5 February 2025, 7:30pm - Wandsworth Council Webcasting

CouncilWednesday, 5th February 2025 at 7:30pm

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