Cabinet - Wednesday 28 January 2026, 5:30pm - Tower Hamlets Council webcasts

Cabinet
Wednesday, 28th January 2026 at 5:30pm

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No, not one, the red one.

God.

It's okay, it's okay.

Should be doing that way.

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay, grateful to each and every one of you.

Thank you to the audience and our young mayors,

deputy young mayors.

Welcome.

Thank you for joining us.

Thank you.

Okay.

Matthew, any public questions?

Sorry, anyone?

Shukriya, do we know?

Any public questions, anyone?

Terry, Terry, you want to ask a question?

Yeah, come along, Terry.

Come along.

Keep it nice and short, my friend, please, to the point.

Yeah, good, I can stay all night, it's the officers and the audience.

I'm here all night, I don't mind.

About the acquisition of housing, I noticed the site for Christian Street E1

that you're proposing to build on open space.

So I would like to know what the Open Space Officer has,

if we've still got one, has got to say about the matter.

And obviously, if you're going to build on open space

and you're going to build houses,

where are the children going to play?

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Let's take them together.

Please.

Madam, welcome.

Please, hi.

If you could kindly just introduce yourself and quick question, please.

It won't take long.

It's okay, no problem.

It's about the Bancroft Road library.

My name is Amanda Day and I come from the Turkish Heritage Centre.

Recently I've been spending quite a lot of time in the Bancroft Road Library.

The History of Wapping Trust did a book and we used the facilities there and we're very welcome of them and grateful.

So I'd like to know why only £261 ,000 is going to be spent on it.

When in your manifesto I think you said there's going to be a lot more.

I think hands up Kabir.

So the other day, an answer to a question, you couldn't get enough of the library, it

was the best thing since I spread, but all it's worth is $261 ,000. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll answer that in a minute. Let me answer that question first. Bankrupt Library,

the Archives Library, madam, I was the one who saved it in 2008.

So when I became the leader in 2008, for those of you who are new, too young, probably some

of you may not have been in your nappies, may not have been aware, that the then Labour,

I was Labour leader of the council, the previous Labour leader and that cabinet had decided

to sell Brancroft Library to Queen Mary University.

I came in in time before the exchange was done

and I stopped that library being sold

and protected it, preserved it

for the people of this borough.

Okay, now we're gonna move the archives over somewhere else.

We protected it, we saved it.

Steve, you were the chief executive at the time.

We also invested a great deal of money at the time,

refurbishing it and bringing it up

to a decent standard.

The library means a lot to us.

We have spent, I don't know how much we've spent in total,

I don't know if Ashraf knows how much we've spent,

or Jabbar is not here to date.

But if it needs further investment, of course,

we're going to protect it.

We're not going to let it to be run down.

We have no intention of selling it or giving it up.

I can't give you the exact figure how much we spent, but always looking at it, protecting

our assets for the people of this borough.

COBER.

Sorry, Mr. Mayor, I think this is additional money, the 280 -odd thousand, but I'm happy

to go back and look into that matter, and thank you for raising that.

Thank you, but I mean Amanda, thank you for coming, I'm grateful to you.

Let me reassure you Chief Executive Isai, we're going to look at it and see if any further work needs to be done.

We don't have an infinite lot, but if it needs to be protected in any way, we will protect the library, the archive library.

It means a lot to the people of this borough. Steve.

Thank you, I just wanted to confirm from an officer perspective,

The mayor has discussed Bancroft with me on numerous occasions through the existing MTFS

arrangement and the funding that's available.

Some additional money has been set aside.

It is around 250, 260, I think.

But the mayor is, just to be really clear about it, we all have concerns, not just about

the state of the building, not just about the state of the condition in which some of

the archive is being maintained, from air conditioning right the way through to lack

of building capacity and there is an issue about various accreditations of speak.

There have been several occasions where the manager has asked me to attend and we will,

but we haven't yet.

But to be absolutely clear, three things the mayor has made clear to me.

Further investment is required.

That's accepted.

We are not going to be closing it or moving it.

And we need to address in some way the issue of limited capacity in the building, whether

Whether that's having some stored off site, some not stored off site.

Whether we have to introduce a system whereby people can request access to the archive,

but there is a delay in doing so because it's not immediately available in the building.

All of those things we're aware of and the mayor has asked for a paper detailing that

so we can progress it in the next financial year.

Thank you.

David or Kobi, if you can just, a terrorist question, please.

Open land in Chadwell, please.

Thank you.

Thank you, so my understanding is the site is not formal public open space but it is

obviously communal land on a housing estate and what we always try and do with developments

is actually enhance the quality of public space as well as building new homes.

I think members will be aware of for instance the Bancroft and Wickford site where not only

we build new homes but we've created some amazing new play space and

amenity space within that scheme so I suppose I'd say two things which is we

will always protect public open space and but secondly where we build housing

we actually want to enhance the public space on those schemes as we've done on

the multiple award -winning Bancroft and Wickford scheme and so we will want to

see this with all of the mayor's accelerated housing sites should they

come forward. The other thing to say is a consultation and we're listening to all

the views the residents bring to us and I'm grateful Terry that you you've been

to those events. Thank you, thank you very much. Let's move on. Grateful to those to

Terry and to Amanda for coming and asking those questions. Good. Any apologies for

absence. All the members are here. Mr. Rzak is not here. Chris is here for Mr.

Thank you very much.

Any declarations of interest?

No.

Thank you very much.

Any of the minutes of the two steps of minutes, 17 from December and Wednesday, 7 January,

are you okay with it?

Yep.

Okay.

Great.

Okay.

Steve, announcements, please.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

I just have several.

I'll be as brief as I can be.

First of all, the youth strategy and girls youth centre.

I just want to reflect on the fact that on the 13th of January we launched our new youth

strategy and event in the town hall.

We have one of the best, if not the best, youth offer in the country, including our

Young to Hamlets youth centres.

On that note, tomorrow in Bow we are launching our ninth youth centre at the request of young

people.

This has come about at the request of young people and we'll be opening that on the 19th.

Intervention and continuous improvement plan.

I spoke at full council about the best value intervention.

I don't really want to have to add anything because it's publicly available, the council's

position.

We are working to respond to the Minister's request for representations on the proposed

changes before the 2nd of February deadline and the Mayor and I have been discussing that.

Chinese Embassy on Tuesday the 20th of January, the Secretary of State for MHCLG announced

planning approval for the Chinese Embassy on the former Royal Mint site.

We know that there are some residents in the local area that are talking about judicial

I have had correspondence about that so there may be a little further to go in that respect.

In relation to the LTN on Thursday 22 January the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the

Council on two grounds but against the Council on one ground.

The Council's position is as follows and one that I have discussed with the Mayor and recommended

to the Mayor.

We are disappointed with the ruling, not least because previously the courts had ruled in

our favour.

we will review the judgement which has significant implications across London

and we will be seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. In relation

to Holocaust Memorial Day events yesterday was Holocaust Memorial Day

which we have marked with a series of activities including an event in the

town hall on Saturday that was widely appreciated.

Thank you.

Thank you, Steve.

I think Musa, Musa Nura, young mayor is here.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

And congratulations to you and your team for your elections.

Well done.

Thank you.

I would like to just make a statement before we move on, please, on one or two important

papers that we have today.

I want to begin by briefly addressing the 2026 budget report and our medium -term financial

strategy for 2629.

Members will note that this is the second iteration of the report, updated this time

with only some minor amendments, adjustments, before it proceeds to full council later in

February.

Since I addressed the 2020 budget in my last cabinet

mid -speech, today I want to quickly highlight our

philosophy of budgeting.

In time, let's take a robust, long -term approach

to financial planning, one that looks ahead while

addressing the challenges of today.

The Council has moved away from the previous

administration's year -on -year approach,

which led to knee -jerk cuts, weak financial oversight,

and limited capacity to plan effectively.

Instead, we have introduced a three -year medium -term financial strategy that enables us to prepare

the future risks and deliver sustainable, balanced budgets which are crucial to support

the services benefiting so many of our residents.

The Council has also implemented some of the strictest financial controls of any local

authority, from weekly financial sustainability

forums and spending review panels to monthly budget

boards, spending controls, and a recruitment freeze

at this time.

These measures have given us a firm grip on our finances,

enabling free, consecutive balanced budgets, increased

reserves, yes, increased reserves in line with the

CIFA guidance and the delivery of pioneering,

life -changing services for thousands of our residents. In total we would have, we

would invest 250 million pound additional money directly into frontline

services into the people of our borough communities while keeping our books

balanced and strengthening our reserves, something we are rightly proud of.

Balancing a budget, ladies and gentlemen, should never come at the expense of our residents'

priorities.

We can do both and we are doing both as a local authority.

We remain committed to increasing the supply of social housing in a borough.

Tarhamdas has the highest housing target of any borough in London, accounting for 31 %

of inner London residential development under construction in 2024.

Our emerging local plan sets out a clear roadmap for delivering more than 50 ,000 homes over

the next 15 years, and our ambition to deliver, as per our manifesto pledge, 4 ,000 homes in

the four years we would be here is proceeding at pace.

I want to highlight one contribution to this goal from today's Cabinet agenda.

the acquisition of 329 homes and the building of another 148 homes for rent, a total of

477 homes would be added to our housing stock from today's cabinet papers.

This is an investment of nearly £250 million across eight wards in Breton Green West Ward,

St Dunstan's, Bow East, Milan, St Peter's, sorry, Lansbury and Wapping.

So it's across the borough we're putting the investment in, irrespective of the political

make -up.

Since coming into office in 2022, we have knocked on thousands of doors and visited

hundreds of residents.

I cannot overstate how difficult overcrowding is for our parents, children and older residents.

In many households, children do not have a quiet place to study, and parents live with

little to no privacy.

This is why we made a pledge in our manifesto to focus on large family sized homes, three

and four bedroom homes, and increase our supply of larger homes to accommodate growing families

in the borough.

Of the 477 homes we propose to acquire and build in today's cabinet, almost 60 % of the

homes would be three to five bedroom range.

198 of them would be three bedroom flats, 83 would be four bedroom flats and five five -bedroom

homes.

Thank you to our officers for the good work that you have done.

That is 286 larger properties, 286 families who will finally experience relief from overcrowding

in this borough.

Lastly, I want to address the news that the Government has approved the building of the

Chinese Embassy in our borough on the site of the old Royal Mint.

The Council's Strategic Development Committee had rejected the application after listening

to experts and residents about the impact such a huge development can have on the neighbouring

area.

The concerns put forth by the Council, key stakeholders and residents were and remain

valid to the State.

Concerns over policing, protests and tourism in our borough are valid.

I am not satisfied that the concerns of residents have been adequately heard.

The government's decision to call in so -called call -in planning applications robs us of our

democratic mandate and that is unacceptable.

This is the same approach the government took to the redevelopment of the Truman Brewery

site undermining the carefully considered positions of officers and councillors and

residents and making decisions that affect the lives of residents in a top -down fashion.

I just want to leave it there ladies and gentlemen and thank you.

Okay can we now move on to, over in Scrutiny please, and our Councillor

Waheed thank you for coming. Always nice to see you here making a presentation. Over to you sir.

Thank you very much, Mr Mayor. Good afternoon. I want to thank you, Mr Mayor and the cabinet

for giving me the opportunity to come here and present the view of overview and scrutiny.

There have been two meetings since the last cabinet of overview and scrutiny. The first

meeting on Monday 12 January discussed the budget proposal for 2026 -2027, including fees

and charges and the MTFS 2026 to 2029.

I would like to thank Councillor Said, cabinet member for resource and cost of living and

Abdul -Razzaq, Corporate Director for Resource and our Specialty Section 151 Officer and

Corporate Directors for attending the meeting and answering the questions.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee did not make any specific recommendations on the budget.

Two members made individual recommendations and officers noted some of the points made

in our discussion.

These points are set out in a report which has been sent to you Mr. Mayor.

I can go through these points in more details if you wish, but we look forward to hearing

from you and your response in due course.

Mr. Mayor, our ordinary meeting this month was held two days ago, Monday 26th of January.

We began the meeting by hearing a call -in on the amendments to neighbourhood community infrastructure levy approach,

which was item 6 .5 on the cabinet agenda at its meeting on 17 December 2025.

I would like to thank Councillor Mark Francis for presenting the call -in and also Councillor

Kabir Ahmed, leader member for the regeneration, inclusive development and housing for responding

and both for answering questions from members.

Thank you.

After the discussion, the committee voted to take no further action on the call -in,

Which has the effect of confirming your original decision? Mr. Mayor

the committee went on to receive an update on the

well

Be well service. I would like to thank

councillor kamru

Hussein lead member for culture and

recreation

Joe Ali director of culture and Simon Jones

head of leisure operations for attending and answering members' questions.

The officers were congratulated for presenting a clear and honest report.

So thank you.

We then discussed the communication strategy and I would like to thank Andreas, our director of communications and marketing,

for attending and answering those questions.

Finally, we discussed a report on reducing road danger and deaths prepared by Councillor

Natalie Bianfe.

This report will be with you in due course.

That's the report from me, Mr Mayor, from Overview and Scrutiny.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councillor Wahid, and thank you for the role that you and your colleagues

discharge in over -insacrutiny and the contributions that you make, not only in holding us to account,

but also helping us, working with us to develop policies.

So thank you, thank you for that.

Greatful to you.

Okay.

Can we now move on to the papers, please?

The first, the formal agenda now.

The first agenda is 6 .1.

The youth participation guide.

Thank you, Mr Mayor.

Just before I go on to the 6 .1, I just want to clarify that tomorrow we are launching

the first girls only youth centre and it's going to be the 20th youth centre.

We are really proud of that and we are looking forward to it for tomorrow.

As you can see, our young people are here, our young councillors who will be presenting

the report.

Before I do that, I want to welcome this report and thank officers, partners and importantly

our young people who have contributed to the development of this guide.

This is an important piece of work because it makes clear participation is not an optional

extra but a core principle of how this Council designs and delivers services. I particularly

welcome the emphasis on inclusion, ensuring that disabled children, care experienced young

people and those whose voices are often least heard are meaningfully involved, not just

consulted. This guide gives us a consistent framework so participation is

embedded across direct routes rather than depending on individual projects or

goodwill. So I'll pass on to the young council and Shafi.

Can I request, Musa why don't you come down and come join us, you're a young person too.

You guys are the future of this borough, you know, you are an elected

young mayor, incoming young mayor, come and join us in the front.

It's okay, Shafi.

It's okay?

Come and join your friends and your colleagues in the front.

Okay?

Good.

Thank you.

Please, ladies and gentlemen, over to you.

Okay.

Well, good afternoon, cabinet.

My name is Iffa.

I am the former deputy young mayor of Tower Hamlets.

I'm 17.

I study history, politics and religious studies at Sikhform, hoping to study history at university,

and I do want to become a politician in the future.

Today me and the Youth Council representatives here and also the new young mayor are here

to present the Youth Participation Guide.

This is one that we collaborated on, so you know, teamwork makes the dream work.

But aside from all of that lovely slogans that you can put in a poster, I'll let my

youth council representatives also introduced themselves.

Hello everyone, as you may or may not already know, my name is Nikki. I'm

currently studying biology, chemistry and psychology at A -level and as it so

happens I'm also a youth counsellor and I have been for the past three years.

I've lived in Tower Hamlets all 17 years of my life and in these 17 years

this borough has given me the chance to flourish in all aspects of my life,

whether that's in academics or other hobbies that I have such as music, art,

drama and sports, through various services like UAB,

Thames, Spotlight and Be Well centres. And whilst these hobbies have nothing to do,

well little to nothing to do with child psychology, which is my ultimate aim for

the future, it's truly amazing that the services in Tower Hamlets and by

consequence the borough itself allows me to participate in everything that I enjoy.

Good evening, my name is Crystal Yatotbiam. I'm a year 13 student at Morby Academy

in Jordan and I'm also a youth counsellor. I take A -levels in music, drama and

English literature and I'm hoping to take on my creative interest and aspirations further

to do either music or production arts at university, hoping to either join an orchestra or work

in a theatre one day in the future.

Good afternoon cabinet, it's always a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Daniel Momo as

most of you probably know. I study economics, maths and psychologies at A -Level and right

now I'm a representative on behalf of all of the amazing Youth Council and on behalf

of the young mayor team sat next to me and behind me.

I'm also an avid public speaker, as most of you know,

who is also free if any of you need an event hosted.

And I'm an aspiring commercial lawyer.

And now with introductions over, I will pass on to Iffat

to introduce the Youth Participation Guide.

Thank you, Daniel.

So you've heard from us and you've seen us,

but what do we see for the future of this borough?

We're here today to talk about the participation vision,

or rather to continue talking about it

as we did last time.

I'm excited to talk further about a vision for a borough

which is a child -friendly borough

where children and young people

from all backgrounds thrive, achieve their best,

have opportunities and are listened to.

No matter who that child is, where that child is,

and how that child is,

and I hope that child is doing very well,

we want to make sure that all children in this borough

can feel heard, welcome, and respected

in this borough that we call home.

Now, the vision for participation itself

is that children and young people participate

in a way that is meaningful, inclusive and impactful.

So whether that be to join our renowned Youth Council, to take part in the activities in

our youth centres, or to vote for the new young mayor as we have done last month and

is seated on this table right here, we want to make sure that all children and young people

in this borough have even more ways to take part in our borough and to take part in more

meaningful activities that allow their voices to be heard.

We will further progress our discussions surrounding the participation strategy through exploring

the actual definition of participation, which is as follows.

Participation is the continual active involvement of children, young people and families in

decision -making processes that affect them, where they can meaningfully co -produce, scrutinise

and impact council services and democratic processes, enabling them to become empowered

citizens.

Now, cabinet, that's just a collection of lovely words that are pulled from the Oxford

Dictionary, but what do they actually mean in practise?

These are words that mean to bridge gaps, to hear voices and to act on them.

Cabinet, this isn't just a lofty vision that we have for the future.

This guide is a how -to, for not what we can do, but what we should do, that all departments

and bodies of this borough should enact on to make sure that this council and borough

is one that every person and every resident in this borough can truly feel seen, heard

and respected and can take part meaningfully in this borough.

I want to hand over to Nikki.

Thank you, Iffal.

Sorry.

Our participation guide consists of four main aspects.

space, voice, audience and influence.

The visual guide is an effective way to set out our vision of participation

and what we mean by it, as well as explaining how we can support the youth in our borough,

provide details on the present borough -wide youth forums,

and describes how we can be helped by the current youth.

We understand that dividing youth participation into four constituent parts may seem rather reductionist,

but the main aim of the guide is that these parts can always remain flexible in youth work,

hence why we call it a guide as opposed to a framework.

We want youth participation to be adaptable, as simple or as complex as one wants to make it.

The space -voice -audience -influence model that we currently have was developed by Professor Laura Lundy,

which includes Article 12 of the UNCRC, ensuring children have the space to express their views,

their voice be enabled, have an audience for their views, which we will aim to have some influence.

By this, we mean young people's views are taken seriously and acted on, when appropriate, of course.

Young people deserve both the right to express views that are important to them, as well as the right to have these views be given the weight and significance they deserve.

Professor Lundy's participation model demonstrates this, and should thus be used by anyone planning meaningful, impactful engagement and participation activities with children and young people.

A few examples of how we could implement the Lundy participation model would be in designing the Yung Tao Hamlet specification, the creation and delivery of young inspectors slash mystery shoppers,

planning policies and strategies, programmes for safe spaces, creating content for social media, social action projects, and in so many other ways.

I'll now pass on to Crystal for the decision making process.

Thank you, Niki. Some ways our decision making processes aim to reach as many young people ranges from consultation activities,

voting in young male elections, input to government boards, and more.

This helps us exercise active citizenship which entails having the right, the means, the opportunity to participate in and influence decisions to continue to build a better society.

The participation methods continue to detail the existing youth forums and groups available in the borough for teams and departments to engage with, as mentioned in previous meetings, which include methods and tools which are currently being used.

For example, the Young Carers Group, the Active People, Focus Groups, Polls and Surveys and much more.

All departments will be able to collaborate with young people through our participation methods while also maintaining its quality through the participation quality.

The participation quality ensures and requires all departments to use the participation methods effectively by involving young people in quality assuring, recruitment and scrutinising.

These are particularly essential to ensure the most effective impact and outcome not only for the participation methods

But the participation guide as a whole which I'll pass on to Daniel to give us more information on

Okay

So the whole point of introducing such a participation guide is to allow for young people in the borough to co -design

Meaning that they'll be involved in every single step along the way in raising any issues concerns

They have about the borough so that the new

participation guide can have a positive impact that will benefit the young people in our

borough and as a result of that the borough itself.

And so a key part of this is how we measure the impact we wish to make.

And so a part I'll outline, which I'll outline now.

Firstly, we want young people in our borough to feel like they are understood, that we

have a commitment to listening to their voices, they're valued and they have an impact in

what happens in the borough, an impact in the services that they are using and accessing.

We want them to see changes and improvement in the borough, such as the ones that are

already occurring in the borough and hopefully through this youth participation guide will

continue to occur at a more rapid rate.

For example, the Young Futures Hub Government Initiative has just touched base in Talamet,

which is an amazing thing that will benefit the people of this borough.

We want the youth to feel valued and we want them to feel listened to so that they'll grow up in our borough

Happily and they'll feel valued enough to let their children also grow up in this borough in the words of Mr. May himself

We want them to be more confident that their views can make a positive impact and most importantly in my opinion

Being a youth council myself. We want them to see that

Well, we want to see that people's participation groups are thriving

For example the amazing Youth Council doing work such as this

co -designing such a framework the young mayor team that have been newly elected and the past ones and just in general

thriving this new young mayor elections for this year had the most candidates that we have ever seen and this is the type of

Improvement that will continue to happen and will be made easier through this new participation model

And so in some of the key ways that we have already listened to the young people in the borough

specifically those vulnerable groups such as SEND are listening to their current needs.

So for example KitKat, aka the care leaver space, wanted a better kitchen facility,

they wanted a chill out area, food bank pantry and an outdoor communal space.

And so the borough was able to listen to all of their demands bar none in terms of giving them a refurbished complete facility

with a new kitchen, garden outdoor communal space,

and a new lift with SCND access,

ensuring that there is enough access to these services.

And then another key way is the action cards,

which I will outline in a bit,

which is a way for young people to raise formal complaints.

It's a very formal structure for their voices to be heard

and to be responded to and for them to be valued.

And so the action cards will,

actually moving on to the action cards,

It's one of the first things that was introduced for this framework, as I remember it, and

they will be available at youth centres for young people to raise any issues or concerns

they have about the borough or about certain things going on in the borough, ensuring that

they can have an impact on the services that they are accessing.

They'll be able to collect them at any youth centre, steal these out, which then, which,

and these action cards will then be collected by youth council or the young mayor team and

passed on to the corresponding departments to fix these issues.

And the thing with these action cards

is through ensuring that they are involved in every step,

young people will always feel valued,

even if their demands aren't met.

Because the action cards will work in a way in which

young people are informed of the reasons

as to why their certain solution to a problem did not work,

allowing for true collaboration and allowing

for true co -designing between young people and the borough.

So now that is the guide over and we will now open up to any questions.

Thank you.

Thank you and grateful for those comments.

I'll just open it up to members and to our corporate directors, colleagues,

see if they have any questions or comments to make. Thank you.

Tala.

Thank you young people.

I think every time we see you, at least I see you,

I'm very impressed with what the future holds for Tal Hamlet.

And thank you for developing this guide.

I think it's important for a wide sort of stakeholder group

to understand how to engage with young people and the fact

that it's not based on their experience,

based on their knowledge.

It's actually based on what you think

and what some academics are telling us is the best way

to engage with young people.

I think where you've got us in terms of the youth service,

Young Tower Hamlets, you know, 19 youth clubs,

or youth centres, all the different activities

that you're doing, the social media sort of engagement,

and off social media engagement,

all these things are so impressive,

and that's why it gives me trust in this guide.

I think young people, you know,

they've got so much potential in the borough.

I think historically we've said a lot

about deprivation and how there are certain challenges that young people face.

However, I'd like to look at the positives.

And for me, hopefully through this guide,

we can connect a lot of the opportunities that we have in the borough,

whether that's through employment or health opportunities and others,

and connect that through this guide with young people.

And I'm really looking forward to seeing this sort of in action.

Thank you. Great.

Anyone else? Councillor Campbell, then I'll bring...

Thank you.

Thank you,

Dennis Sabina.

Go on, please.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you,

lead member, officers, and of course the young

Councillor for your contribution.

You are the future of our borough.

Young people are the future of our borough.

And we want our young people to have a bright

future.

We want them to success in their lives.

We have invested millions of pounds to empowering

our young children, including 20 youth centres.

The deputy mayor just mentioned one of our first women -only, girls -only youth centres

will be open soon.

Free school meal.

To date, we are the only borough in the whole country providing free school meal in the

secondary school.

University bursary, EMA.

But most importantly, when we make those decisions, your voice is heard.

Young people's voices are heard when we make those decisions.

And I strongly believe this guide is the truly poor children and young people at the heart of decision making.

It is inspiring to see such a strong commitment to meaningful participation, co -production

and listening to the voice of our young residents.

The clarity, structure and ambition of this guide will make a real difference in how we

design, deliver and improve services.

I strongly support this guide.

Thank you.

Thank you,

Councillor

Savino.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you to the lead member

and welcome you all.

Again, very impressive

and the work that you have really done

to develop this guide.

So today's report

is something very simple

but very powerful

where we are listening

to young people

and acting on

what you guys are telling us.

And this guide

sets a really important

clear and practical framework to ensure that the voices of young people are not

just the afterthought. It's a starting point in you know how we design

services and how we make decisions and it also kind of moves away from the

typical consultation and more towards participation that is more meaningful,

consistent and inclusive. In a borough young and diverse like ours it's really

important that we are listening and I believe that this administration is

listening and you can see some of the services that we are delivering and the

investment level we are doing in this borough. I really like the equality and

the co -production work that you guys have demonstrated in this guide which is

really really important and I really welcome this guide and comment it to the

cabinet and maybe perhaps a question. So the service for example, the new youth centre

is opening tomorrow, how are you guys going to help us to kind of promote and reach out

to all the young people in the borough because we need that partnership work where really

that promotion part needs to go out there.

Youth council is actually heavily involved in terms of advertising these youth centres.

For example, I believe it was Youth Work Week in which the borough was opening up or refurbishing

a lot of new, a lot of youth centres and youth council were at every single one of those

events to help promote.

And I'm not sure if she's still here but the person in charge of comms, well, we're working

with youth council.

Elizabeth also comes to a lot of these events alongside us and we film a lot of content

there.

For example, Mr Deputy Mayor, I believe we filmed an Instagram or TikTok video with you

at one of such events to help promote the borough, just seeing someone of familiar age

promoting these youth centres, making you feel like it's okay for you to attend these

youth centres, promoting the new services, the accessibility of these youth centres.

That is what Youth Council does, what we will continue to do going forwards.

I will also just add, I kind of fall into the anomaly because I'm no longer a member of the Young Mayor team or the Youth Council.

Unfortunately A -Level exists so I can't do that. But I've still got the fighting spirit in me, I still love Tower Hamlets.

So you know, a lot of the people that aren't within that Youth Council or Young Mayor team anymore,

We are still kind of active on social media. I'm personally active on TikTok, Instagram and LinkedIn

So we will make sure that those kind of platforms

Are kind of curated to make sure that young people and also adults that they know that this is something that exists

Like I've also done word of mouth

So, you know, we'll make sure that as many people know about this as possible

I think it's really good initiative and it will go to waste if not no one even knows about it

So yeah, you've got us

Thank you.

Sorry, I'm being side and being coherent.

Thank you.

Thank you Mr. Mayor and thanks to the youth team.

I think you guys have done a great job.

I'll just go straight to the guide and I think when I look through it,

I must say it's space, voice, audience, influence and the impact.

It's quite high level work and I think you should really be part of what you've produced.

I think you take away great experience from this because people will work on stuff like

that at university levels and stuff like that and you are doing this and it is practical

work and I really appreciate what you have done here.

Well done and I hope it helps guide and shape the service going forward and definitely thanks

to Steve and the Deputy Mayor for your leadership in that role as well.

Thank you.

Great, well done young person.

OK, Kuber.

Thank you Mr. Mayor.

So can I start by paying homage to the great piece of work that you've done.

Now I have two young children, aged 10 and 7,

and I feel inspired that they have role models such as yourselves,

who have given up your valuable time while you've been doing your studies,

your A levels and following through on your ambitions to go to university.

But it is really important that this co -production took place

because without your assistance and your help,

we wouldn't get to a stage where we are proactively getting our youth to participate.

And it's in the word of the document.

And as Councillor Saeed Ahmed pointed out,

the level of work that you've done is outstanding.

There are paid consultants who can't produce,

who are on a thousand pound a day,

that can't produce good work such as this.

So I congratulate you, and if in the future

you need any support from me,

please feel free to contact me.

I'll be more than happy to assist.

Great, anyone else?

No one else?

Councillor Mustak, then we move on, yeah, please, yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for doing excellent piece of work.

And we have been watching throughout the year, we have been performing with excellence.

I would just like to say and reassure that this administration doesn't just talk about the future.

We invest in the future of the borough and we look after our children.

We back our young people like yourselves and we make sure no child in Tower Hamlets is

left behind because of their background or their family's income. That is the clear moral

choice we have made, this administration has made and it will continue to make. So that's

just to reassure something. Thank you very much.

Great. Good. If that's okay. Is there anything else you want to add to what you said? I want

to make a few comments in a minute. You okay? Yeah. Okay. Can I once again thank you, the

current Youth Council, for your, the young man, the Deputy Young Mayors, for your work,

good work over the last year and before then.

And no doubt we'll continue your contribution in time.

That's one way, another way going forward.

But grateful for your help and your support and being

good mentor and role models to your peers and others

that will come through and helping us to co -produce

this is very important to us.

Also, welcome the incoming Youth Council and the Mayor,

the Deputy Mayor and the young mayor.

Thank you very much.

For us as an authority and us as an administration,

the young people of this borough are extremely

important to us.

You know, we're one of the youngest borough when it

comes to a large number of youngsters of any borough

in London, if not the country.

And for us, making sure that we direct resources to you

So you have the best life chances, you know,

whether through education or training, et cetera,

that you do have the best life chances,

best opportunity in life, so you can go on and succeed.

It's very important to us.

And as an administration, we have put in,

since we've been here, additional,

some 24 to 25 million pound additional money

into the young people of this borough.

Okay?

That's because you matter to us.

We want you to do well, and we want you to come back

and contribute, continue to contribute this borough

and to lead this borough one day.

It's very important to us, and I'm glad you have that kind

of ambition and drive.

It's very important to us.

In the youth service alone, we have put in 13 .7 million pound additional money each year

going forward.

We promised that we would deliver a youth centre in every ward.

I think we're there.

I mean, where you started the work, in the process of starting the work, the last one

is the Deputy Mayor's Ward and Councillor Saeed's Ward, Kenry Ward.

All the other wards have been delivered.

75 youth workers will be recruited.

Quite a few of them have already been recruited yet, Mr Director, because we want you to have

peers.

Youth workers helped me when I was growing up.

Youth centres helped me when I was growing up.

So it's important that you do have not only good facilities, you have good individuals

who are working with you, mentoring you, supporting the youngsters of this borough.

So £13 .7 million additional money with the dedicated centre, a youth centre for women,

which we will open hopefully tomorrow.

It's never been done before.

A youth centre, purpose -built, dedicated for young girls and young women in this borough.

That will be our 20th youth centre and with the Canon roof one opening that we are

21st youth centre 21 youth centres in the borough

We want the youngsters the kids of this part to come out and make use of those facilities

We want the parents if you're listening if you're looking please

Encourage your children to come out to come to a safe space a purpose built space where?

organised youth activities, but also a place to do your homework.

Have a chat.

Play.

Okay?

It's important, yeah?

So we want people to make use of the youth centres.

Please encourage them through your networks across the borough

to take advantage of the youth services.

It's very important, yeah?

In addition to that, you know, what have we done?

were the only borough in the country to deliver universal free school meals in both primary

and secondary school in the country. No other borough in the country does that. To ensure

our kids have a hot meal in schools, they don't go hungry. It's very important. A lot

of money, but our kids matter to us. The only borough in the country to deliver education

maintenance salons and university bursary.

I get youngsters who are adults now, when they see me in the streets or see me in events,

to come and thank me and the council for putting on education maintenance salons, university

bursary, when I was the mayor previously.

They say it benefited them.

Youngsters come across to us and tell us now they are getting benefit from this council,

way of grants, this kind of support.

Because we want our youngsters to succeed.

And money shouldn't be a barrier to good education.

The school uniform grant, you know, helping our families,

you know, time of austerity, cost of living crisis,

helping them with their youngsters, kids going to their,

it's not universal, unfortunately,

but if their income is below a certain threshold,

or 50 ,350, or on their benefits, if the child starts reception,

they get 50 pounds towards the uniform.

If they start secondary school, they get, what,

150 pounds towards the uniform.

It's about a million pounds we've set aside

to help our youngsters.

In addition, we've invested money in the SEND provision.

Those kids who have special needs,

We want to make sure the support network is out there for them and in the transition moving

from childhood to adulthood they get the support necessary.

So youngsters matter to us.

We want our kids to have the best opportunities in life.

24, 25 million pound is a lot of money, additional money on top of the statutory services to

Help our youngsters.

Spread that good news.

Tell our youngsters to take advantage of the support

and the provisions that's out there.

Okay?

So thank you once again for coming,

and thank you for helping us to co -produce this important

cabinet document.

Okay?

Thank you.

Best wishes.

Okay.

Shall we move on to the next very important document, please?

It is the budget report 26 -27, the medium -term financial strategy 26 -29.

Councillor Said, please.

Thank you, Mr Mayor.

Not to repeat what we have said already in the previous Budget Paper, but I think it

is very important that we mention some of the highlights again.

We all know that we face significant pressures in adult social care, housing and SEND, but

despite that, we have produced a responsible and a sustainable medium -term financial strategy,

which is built on fiscal discipline and preventative investment.

Through stronger financial controls, as you mentioned Mr. Mayor,

the financial sustainability forum, the spending review panel

and tighter management of resources at various areas,

we have delivered a balanced budget that protects frontline services

whilst investing where it matters most.

This includes major commitments to adult social care,

temporary accommodation, housing improvements and ongoing delivery of one

of London's most transformative house building programmes. Most importantly this

budget protects the support our residents rely on from the 100 % council

tax reduction scheme to protection for residents from council tax increases for

households below £50 ,350 of income as well as the continuation of

free school meals, free home care, meals on wheels,

and they targeted a hardship support fund

for people struggling with rent,

which we have introduced this time round.

So all the good stuff continues,

acting as prevention for the council

by allowing our residents to maintain

healthy and comfortable lifestyle.

Ultimately, this is a resilient and forward -looking budget.

But this, touching on this particular paper here,

which formed the differences presented in the cabinet on the 7th of January,

it remains substantially unchanged from then and the two main amendments.

The HRA investment involving the police now remain in the budget

and an alternative savings regarding the park guard contract has been identified

due to the service being carried out by Theos instead.

So making the contract a surplus to the requirements needed.

So, essentially to avoid duplication.

Additionally, the HRA capital financing has also been refined to reflect expected grants

in light of new funding pots available.

Essentially, fewer borrowing and increase in funding.

As well as the government funding, at the moment we all know that it is still provisional

and we await the final government settlement figure early February, which may result in

changes being required and it is included in the recommendation of steps required should

there be a need.

Thank you, Mr Mayor.

Thank you very much.

Chris please, before I bring Stephen.

Thank you.

Yes, thank you Mayor.

As the Council has already said, it is substantially the same budget that has gone up before.

The changes have been identified and explained so there's nothing really more for me to add

on that front.

Thank you.

I'm grateful to you.

Please, Mr Chief Executive.

I would like to add a couple of comments, Mayor, if that's okay.

So, I know how much work and effort has gone in to creating the MTFS, and we've discussed that in other places and in other forums.

As your Chief Executive, and following discussion with the Mayor, I do want to make a particular point at this stage.

Since the MTFS began its journey, we have been progressing the Council's transformation

agenda and we have been liaising, as you know, in other forums with the Minister, the Secretary

of State and government appointed envoys.

One of the issues the Mayor has been particularly keen to progress is the Council's transformation

agenda.

So given that, given the discussions that have been ongoing, given the fact that it

It is already built into the MTFS that we will allocate £2 million towards addressing

the statutory recommendations and an additional £15 million in the base budget on an annual

basis to address the transformation agenda.

If I agree with you, Mayor, I would like to add an additional recommendation, please.

And that recommendation reads, so it would be No. 31.

Note that the funding allocated in the MTFS to address the Council's transformation agenda

and the nature of the statute of recommendations presented by the Council's external auditor,

that they be fast -tracked, empowering the Strategic Director of Change and Improvement

in consultation with the Executive Mayor and the Chief Executive to prioritise measures

to address those areas in a timely fashion.

I should also say, £2 million has been allocated in the NTFS to address the statutory recommendations

and that that sum and the £15 million of transformation be used by the Strategic Director

of Change and Improvement to fast track the transformation required.

Thank you.

Is that noted yet?

And it's part of the recommendation.

Thank you.

Any colleagues?

I know we had an opportunity to discuss this at the last Cabinet, but feel free.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. I just want to thank the lead member and our officers.

I think it was without their commitment and dedication it wouldn't have been possible.

I mean there's a lot of work has been gone over the last, especially last 12 months to put this budget where it is.

And I think, look, this budget is about the residents, it's about the community, it's about investment that no other councils are putting in.

No matter what people outside say your make statement or comment on it the people of this borough they can feel

What this budget is about and that's exactly what that's exactly why they've elected you mr. Mayor in 2022

because of the because of your

Love for the community because of the investment you put in and this is not the first time and this is not the first budget

That is being about the people about the residents and you've been doing this

over for many, many years.

So thank you to you, especially for your leadership,

and giving us the whole cabinet, the whole council,

you know, the Aspire Council, the opportunity to work with you

and contribute towards some of the amazing,

groundbreaking investments.

So, yeah, thank you very much.

Thank you.

And I, too, want to thank the leader member,

Mr Azak, Section 151 interim and Chris and the finance team and the corporate management

and chief executive, the hours, the time, day in day out to put in in order to get this

budget to this state. Thank you. I just want to thank Saeed for clarifying that. We always

wanted to retain the current police officers. I don't know what happened there, but and

So we are retaining, it was clear, my position was very clear from day one, we're not reducing

the police officers, we're going to retain and keep 24 police officers in addition to

the investment that's gone into our TOS service, to the CCTM control room and now into the

housing estate in the borough, the additional CCTM cameras.

So there are 24 police officers, I just want to make that clear for the record, okay, we're

retaining them.

Thank you.

Anyone else anyone else councillor Tala? Thank you mayor for clarifying that I did want to jump on that point by thinking media

Very clear. I think our investment in community safety is for all to see more than 8 million pounds in this area with the latest

being on housing a state CCTV

However, over the last I remember last year at the budget meeting. I couldn't speak I was unwell

So I came in with my scarf, but I had a speech prepared and before then

I had gone through seven years of growth and savings under the previous administration

and I just wanted to highlight some things from that research.

In 2016 and 2017 the field service was cut by 10 posts.

What have we done?

We've needed quadruple the size of that field team.

Police funding, obviously you've made the point about police funding, there's been a

reduction because of 20 officers

This was in 2016 and 2017 a reduction of 20 police officers

Some of the work that they did around partnership was also reduced in 17 and 18

And I can go on and on and on from 2015 onwards their record was in real term

2 .5 million pounds worth of cuts

Not working more efficiently, but actual cuts in the service

Whereas with us, it's not only putting investment, but actually working a bit more efficiently.

So for example, with the quadrupling of timeless enforcement officers, you will see in this

budget there's potential savings around, you know, the civil contingency aspect of it,

the allowance that we used to pay to some officers.

That is working smartly and not a cut.

Whereas when you're talking about cutting 10 ,000 oppositions, 20 police officers, they're

actual cuts.

So there is a very big difference between their record and our record and I just wanted

to put that on record.

Thank you.

I mean that is very clear.

It was evident on the 5th of May 2022 when the people of this borough elected us because

on that mandate that we will reinvest in the people of this borough, not only restore the

service that was cut but go over and above what's been invested.

you're absolutely right.

And the fact that we've could revolt the Tios to some

72, 73, the money we invested in you said of the

art CCTV control room, and the fact that we're putting

in additional CCTV cameras in the housing states,

it clearly shows our commitment into our communities.

and just on the point you made about the allowances,

we are designed and co -produced the TL service,

the 24 -7 service.

Not only be a short full of service, not only be a gap,

but we work smartly, which Steve knows,

and Simon and Dal helped us a lot,

and it's about working smartly, working efficiently,

but we're putting on 24 -7 service so things like this can be picked up.

So thank you for that. Thank you.

Anyone else?

Please, Shafi.

Thank you, Mr Benyant. Good evening.

Once again, the budget year on year shows that why the people of Tawa Hameedah so strongly gave you the mandate to lead

and to bring in growth year on year, year on year, and to build on that trust to the people.

This budget clearly shows that we are here for the people

and you have been elected by the people to serve the residents,

making sure that services are not cut,

services are not bypassed.

This is why in every sector, every directorate,

we can see the growth is there, especially public realm.

We see the investment made in the waste service,

the 25 -hour service brought in the waste service

after we came into power.

And these are just small, small changes that we made

that has made a big difference

to the residents of Tower Hamlets.

So long may this continue, thank you.

Thank you, I mean, I'm gonna cut it short

because we had a discussion in the previous cabinet

then we've got a full council

where we will have all have a chance to contribute.

Is that okay?

But thank you for those comments generally.

Is there anything else you want to say, Said?

You're okay, yeah?

Okay, Chris, thank you.

Okay, let's agree those recommendations.

Let's move it along.

And the budget is an evolving beast until you get it formally approved and from Council.

Okay?

Thank you very much.

That's done.

Can we now say good recommendations.

Can we now move on to now 6 .3, please.

Contracts forward plan, quarter three.

I will do it.

Okay.

Great.

Saeed?

Thank you, Mr Mayor.

For quarter three, we have two to report to the cabinet.

One in adult health and adult social care, which is around the children's oral health

service and one in children's services to do with the provision of universal ward -based

youth services.

Mr Mayor, both are there to go into details.

Yeah, I don't think we need details.

The two performers are very self -explanatory, Andy.

They said, okay, unless people have, do anyone have any questions on the applications, quite

straightforward, it's there, very good documents and it's what we need to do.

No?

Is it okay?

Can we agree it?

It's done. Thank you.

Okay. Can we do now...

Okay, before you go, can I just say,

I know it's your last cabinet in this Council.

You're going into more better things, I will say.

You know, but it's always good to have mobility.

It's in our interest.

We want our staff to do well across the board.

It's an invaluable experience, I believe, that you've had here.

But do wish you all the best in your career move.

Thank you for your support to us and this barra that you put in over the years.

Thank you very much.

Best wishes.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

OK, great.

Can we now move on to the record of corporate directors' actions?

Saeed, anything there?

Thank you, Mayor.

I think I will just give you an overview to start with.

So we've got 12 here to approve.

And I think they are detailed in the appendix, Mr Meh.

Okay.

Although I will say, can you next time please print them off a bit larger.

They're so small, I can't.

My eyes, I don't want your eyes, my eyes, it's too much for my eyes.

It's so, so, so, so small, you know.

Never mind.

Okay.

Anyone?

Anyone to add?

It's going to add Andy to what's been said

No, Mr. Mayor that have been discussed at length on various occasions and they are all correct

I mean, I would say that everything now is in action. So there's nothing outstanding from any of those

Anyone else please. Yeah, go on copy. Mr. Mayor just on a wider note. I

Think it's worthwhile

Asking Andy in terms of the robust processes that we've put in place now

comparatively speaking, RFQs and sort of contracts and stuff like that, you know, in

previous kind of years, what was the volume and range that was going through, sort of

proper oversight or robust oversight and what's the volume coming through now?

So Mr Mayor, Cabinet, we have put the controls in for the RFQ system, which is separate from

RCDA system but that has resulted in a last quarter, previous quarter last year there

were 500, this same quarter this year was 250 and that's because what's happening is

things are coming through as we've said, no you can't do that, you need to go through

a proper procurement, so more strategic procurements are happening.

As a result of that there has been a slight uptake in the number of RCDAs because what's

happening we're saying you can't do that now so we're having to put short term measures

which are still compliant within the regulations, to then fix the longer -term solution.

So we've also uncovered a significant number of contracts on the contract register in the

last year that were just out of contract, still being paid, but against no contracts.

And that's the work that's been happening to tidy up the contracts register, the RCDA

work and the RFQ work.

So in terms of assurances and governance processes, would you say that we run a much tighter ship

than previously the council run?

Without a doubt.

And equivocally.

Thank you.

Thanks very much.

Thanks, Andy.

Anyone else?

Any comments?

If not, can I ask Steve and I'm going to ask a question afterwards.

Go on, Steve.

I just wanted to add, and it's unequivocal confirmation that we are performing better,

but I would also like to make the point that on a regular basis I have what have become

commonly known as Golden Triangle meetings, but they're statutory officer meetings, and

we had one today and we had that meeting with Envoy representation as well, and the issue

around how this impacts upon statutory recommendations was discussed, we are much, much better at

And it was agreed at Soms today with the Envoy endorsement that we will be writing as a group of statutory officers to EY, our external auditor, on a quarterly basis to update them on our progress in relation to statutory recommendations and outlining all of the work that has gone on, even though it has been reported to the auditor on a regular basis to keep reconfirming that we take this seriously, we're good at it, and we intend, as I mentioned earlier on, allocating an additional two million pounds

to ensure that these systems that are required to make this work in an unequivocal way

are being progressed.

Thanks, thanks Steve. I fully agree with you because we've got to have a

strong

and transparent governance process when it comes to

decisions and especially financial decisions. There could be no room for any error anywhere. This one asked

Thanks for bringing this to us and in cabinet.

So we want our residents to see, even when it comes

to small contracts, how money is being spent,

because they accumulate at the end of the day.

So two of them, I just want you to understand,

you know the sister circles, circle ones,

in children's services, family hub, sister circle,

then you've got this, for the same periods,

family hub, sister circle, counselling.

Can you just explain this?

The written writing is so small here I can't fully understand.

Can you explain to me, are they duplication?

I'm sure they're different contracts.

What's happening there?

If I can hand over to the corporate director, I know that he's well versed in this one.

Yeah, so Mr Mayor, these are the services within the family hubs, it's funded by central

government money for best diet and life and family hubs work.

We've had sort of annual agreements, annual grants, hence why we've been doing these individual

allocations but we've been just found out we've been given a three -year

funding settlement so we're talking to deputy mayor today in his briefing we're

now going to run a procurement for these services so this will be the last time

you'll be getting this money spent legitimately and it's not duplication

in a way yep I'm sure that's the case so okay we can see a brief note on that

please before it comes to cabinet for to portender yeah please okay thank you

Thanks for those questions, Coby, it's very important.

Can we agree this?

Can we note them?

Yes, please, yes.

Thanks Andy, we note it.

Thank you, Mr Mantle, very much.

Okay, let's move on to now Adventure Play premises, lease premises.

Okay, 6 .5.

Coby, is it you?

Okay, go on.

Thanks, Mayor.

So this is a, this paper is recommended to approve 10 -year leases at minimal rents payable

for the Shadow Community Projects and Weavers Adventure Playground Association based on

a community benefit rent reduction grant of 100%.

This will support their continued operation of Glamis and Weavers Adventure playgrounds.

These proposals depart from the Council's Voluntary Community Sector Premises Policy,

but are justified by the unique circumstances around the Adventure Play facilities.

A longstanding community service provided by both organisations and the need for the

least stability to attract external funding and the significant environmental, social

and economic benefits they deliver, particularly in addressing child poverty, overcrowding

and low physical activity in town hamlets, is all evident in that we have listened to

the concerns and we want to make sure that the voluntary community sector continues thriving

in our borough.

The decision to support the Council's strategic goals around child development, public health and community empowerment is all embedded within that.

Alternative options such as shorter leases or operating the site in hours or less viable and could risk service disruption or increase costs.

As well as maintaining nominal rent via the Community Benefit Rent Grant and longer lease

terms ensures financial sustainability for these grant funded organisations and aligns

the Council's commitment for the sector.

The total income for gone for this approach will be £6 ,328 per year and the current leases

are holding over peppercorn rent.

So it looks like there is going to be a continuation of that.

So the proposed approach of this paper sees no overall change to the Council's financial

position.

Thank you.

I have Sam here if you want to ask any questions.

David, please.

Yeah, I mean, I suppose just to say that I think both of these adventure playgrounds

offer invaluable services to residents.

They're both in locations where there is substantial overcrowding.

We know that food poverty is an issue in the borough, both sides increasingly feed children

an evening meal to supplement the meal that they will have had at school during the day.

And so they offer invaluable services and the crucial thing with this agreement, which

Sam and the team have worked really hard on with both organisations and with the lead

members involvement is to ensure that they have more longer term stability and are able

to bid for external funding to run their programmes and this arrangement will allow them to do

that so I think it will allow these organisations to thrive even more and provide even better

services to our residents.

I mean, I'm so pleased that you've gone outside of the box and looked at and developed a paper

to help those two adventure programmes.

They do do invaluable work and I'm glad the 2021 policy does restrict us so we have gone

beyond that to assist them.

One of the playgrounds I used to use as a kid was weavers.

We used to live in Woodlum Road Street and I used to go to Lord Earl Primary School.

I used to come on the way home. I used to use it.

I'm so glad it's still there, still here and we're supporting it.

So unless anyone has anything burning, Tala, you want to come along.

Sam, thank you. Thank you for working with us, Mr Sam Brown,

and helping us to develop this document.

Thank you.

Let's get the message, good message across to them as soon as possible.

Tala.

Just very quickly, as a local ward counsellor for weavers, it's definitely one that parents

talk very positively about.

You were saying you went there as a...

You're not going to argue with that.

You're weavers too.

Okay.

Sorry.

So it's obviously one that you went to as a primary school child, but it's been running

since 1974.

So the fact that we can support them in this way not only shows that particular organisation,

you know, the value that volunteer and community organisations provide to us, but also the

wider point around the council and our partnerships with the volunteer and community sector.

I think significant work has been done.

I've seen Councillor Sayeed on so many different public workshops, and I think that relationship

is, you know, got to, and it was always at a good level, but it's just improving year

on year, and this is another example of how that partnership is improving.

You're from Weavers Park, Councillor, but now the Weavers Ward Councillor, Kobi Rahmat.

Yes, yes, Mr Mayor, a Councillor for Weavers Ward, I'm sure Councillor Tala, snapping at

Deputy Mayor on the other hand, that's a step up.

So I know Sam's been working on a number of policies and from the day Sam acted up in

the role, he has identified huge gaps within how our VCS operate as well as the Council's

asset estate works.

And I know Sam's proactively worked

with a number of leaseholders,

as well as charity -based organisations,

and it's a breath of fresh air

that these policies are now being shaped and delivered.

And in the near future,

as I've spoken to Sam on a number of occasions,

there'll be a number of these

policies coming through, Mr. Mayor,

which will be shaping and supporting the local community.

So Sam, thank you very much for that.

Lead member, thank you for your oversight

and corporate director, thank you for your oversight.

So I think it's important, we've had a number of petitions

that have come in full council.

However, our hands were tied with the policies

that we had inherited previously.

And as we are going through each and every policy

one by one and refreshing those policies to bring it in line with the current

situation that this country faces with high inflation rates, with unpredictable

markets and the cost of living crisis. These policies are much needed. Thank you.

Thank you, thank you. Sam, is there anything you want to add to this paper?

I think David and Councillor Said covered the majority of that.

It's been a real challenge working with some of the organisations and I can fully see the challenges they're faced with regards to the policy,

which is why we're looking at a review of that policy in the next year.

But they do do a lot of good work and David's right, they provide children with hot meals and weavers,

is the only adventure playground that allows parents to attend for children under eight

to go to that centre. So yeah, it's just good to get this one through.

Thank you and many of the people who are there helping to run it, they're volunteers for

many years. They don't get paid hardly anything, if anything at all. They're volunteers and

we need to congratulate them, thank them to work in for and with our parents and the children

We need to sustain and support this adventure programme.

Parks however we can.

Thank you.

Sorry, David.

David?

I wanted to make the point that in terms of the Shadwell, the Glamis one, it's very much

a facility that connects two communities because it brings kids from both Wapping and Shadwell

together and parents.

I think that's a really valuable side of that one as well.

Thank you.

Lead member, thank you.

Can we agree this?

Okay.

Another good one.

Fantastic.

Retail rent support scheme pilot.

Again it's about helping supporting our very small businesses.

And if we don't sustain them, we don't support them, not only it's a blot on the landscape,

but it's a domino effect.

one business goes bust and they move out.

It has a domino effect on the others.

So we've got to support them however we can

and the cost for living crisis now going forward.

Again, another thinking outside of the box.

Thank you, lead member.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Yes, this one's a very important one.

We've heard a lot of requests come from local businesses

who are facing rent increases.

And this proposes a pilot scheme

to support those small businesses

occupying council -owned retail premises who are facing financial hardship due to

rent increase from lease renewals and rent reviews which are actually

significantly overdue and well before our time. So this is something that we

are having to do but at the same time thinking outside the box like you say

Mr. Mayor. So this scheme will offer a rent support grant based on assessed

social economical and environmental value helping to protect businesses that

Contribute significantly to the community. So the pilot test the pilot will test the feasibility of a wider

scheme to support between five to ten tenants

to a maximum value income foregone of

532 ,000 pounds

Balancing the need to maintain the council's income with the strategic aim of sustaining high community value local businesses

The support will be delivered as a non -cash grant funded through the income for GON, ensuring

transparency and compliance with the best value applications.

So it is within the rental agreement with the Council.

Current rental income are based, are budgeted and are within the forecast.

So rental increases are not in the budget.

So what that means is all tenancies within are part of this pilot and where there is

a rental increase, it will increase the revenue in the HRA.

And where there is a reduction scheme applied, who falls within the pilot scheme, that isn't

going to impact the Council's income in that way, because this is all additional money

that we had sort of is coming as part of the scheme with the rent reviews.

So there is no decrease to the budget income, and the support grant will come from the difference

between the current rent and the new market rent minus the award.

Thank you.

David, sir.

I suppose just to make a couple of points just to supplement what the lead member said.

When a business is no longer able to operate, it actually has a cost impact for the council

because we end up with vacancy, we have to pay marketing costs to relet the property.

Often it's in our own financial interest to try and sustain that tendency, just as it

be within housing as well. The second point I would make is that we need to recognise that a lot of

these small and medium enterprises that operate out of these premises are actually the businesses

that kept us going during COVID when the supermarket shelves ran bare. It was the corner

shops, it was the fresh fruit and fresh shops in these kinds of locations that kept our community

going and it's really important that we have a diversity of offer and an offer

that reflects our community and you know increasingly when retail portfolio in

central London outside of our own stock is becoming more homogenised our what we

can do with our stock becomes more and more important and sustaining local

businesses is an incredibly important part of that and this policy will will

help us ensure that those businesses are retained.

Prime Minister Tsiprasian -Takigawa Thank you.

It's an excellent initiative going forward.

You know, I come across so many small businesses

across the world.

We all do.

And they do talk about business rates.

They do talk about the rents.

We've got to be supporting them and helping to sustain

them in the coming weeks and months and years.

It's so important.

Kobe

Yeah, I'll be a little brief

So we remember some months ago there was a petition from around the boundary estate regarding those prints

There was a further follow -up meeting with Sam and a number of shop owners there and I'm pleased to see in

3 .3 that specifically

addresses both the petition in July and

The boundary estate. So again a much welcome policy

This is something that we have been discussing for a while in developing the policy and now it's it will be ratified and rolled out

After this cabinet, so I'm really pleased with that. Mr. Mayor

Anyone else councillor come to a police. Yeah

Thank you, man. This support scheme is a positive proactive step

That really reflects what our hundred stands for our small independent businesses are the heart of our communities

Many of them trading in our borough for more than a decade and delivering huge social,

economic and environmental value.

But some of these businesses now face significant run increases due to lease renewals and reviews,

putting them at real risk of closure, not because they have failed, but because market condition has shifted.

Most importantly, this isn't just about protecting shop owners, it's about protecting local jobs and keeping our high streets vibrant.

Small businesses in Tower Hunters play a crucial role in local employment, training and community life.

Supporting them supports everyone. I support this package. Thank you.

Anyone else?

It's a good pilot project, straightforward.

I think we all should support it.

Is that okay?

Okay, thank you.

That's done.

Okay, great.

Can we move on to the reduction and recycling plan progress report, quarter two, please.

Okay, great.

Councillor, thanks, Sam.

Thank you very much.

Councillor Shafi.

Thank you, Mr Mayor, and good evening.

Their Q2 progress report highlights strong progress in recycling performance, with household

recycling rates rising to 19 .92 and up of 3 .47 % points per year on year, and contamination

reduced by 2 .75 percentage points.

Provisional results indicate that the household recycling rates have continued to increase

In December it was an amazing 21 .15 % and going on to the next quarter hopefully we will get

better and to our target.

Infrastructure improvements have been completed across the majority of our housing estates

supported by community engagement, events and comprehensive communication plans to embed

recycling as a council priority.

We have made it easier for many people to recycle and residents satisfaction with recycling

has increased to a staggering 75%.

We need to maintain focus on creating the conditions

for recycling behavioural change.

Persistent challenges remain,

including driving behavioural challenges,

scaling up successful pilots

and expanding food waste collections.

I'd like to hand over to Director of Public Realm Ashraf Ali

to say a few words, and also Richard is here to read out the report.

Should there be any questions? Thank you.

Thank you, thank you, Councillor. Mr Mayor, echoing from the lead member on the performance,

this is a noting report for quarter two, though this is academic, I'm really pleased to say

obviously in the quarter three report, as the Councillor mentioned, we are 21 .1 % in

quarter three, and that's been validated, and in the quarter three report it will demonstrate

that our actual is 21%.

So we've actually increased from year on year

and it's a really, really good progress

that we're making on recycling.

So just to give you the detail,

in October, figure out it's 20 .99%.

In November, it was 20 .15 % and in December, 21 .15.

That gives us an average of the quarter three,

just over 21%.

So from 23 we've seen significant improvement from 15 .4 % by almost 6 % increase to current

date.

So we are seeing much, much good work on recycling.

However, saying that, we're still continuing to work in different areas in different states

on recycling, especially around piloting the food waste and dry recycling on five pilot

and we've seen significant contamination reduced on those areas by 41%.

We are underway of rolling those pilots into other areas and other states,

which will demonstrate to show further increase in our recycling rate.

As expected, obviously we are progressing towards the 23 % target, that's been said.

Given that we know that it's in quarter 3, it's in quarter 21, we actually moved from red, our performance target, to amber.

And we're much way off with the progress that we've put forward to reach the 23 % by quarter 4.

We're quite optimistic to achieving that target.

With the focus with the food waste rolling out and delivering against our new improved action plan,

I'm pleased that we had a meeting with DEFRA and PAC -UK last week, and we really have an

ambitious programme of rolling that new improvement programme and initiatives which will help

meeting us towards that 23 % target.

So this is a noting report, Mr Mayor, and we are happy to take any questions.

We should be here to take any questions with the report.

Thank you, welcome Richard.

You can ask the Chief Executive to come in and we can take questions.

Please.

Thank you, Mr Mayor.

I just wanted to be really clear because we've given you quite a hard time over recycling over the last couple of years and I know a huge amount of effort has gone into it.

But I just have to just reconfirm for you because there's news to me which I'm really pleased about.

So are you saying that the combined recycling rate for the third quarter is what?

20 .77, rather 21 .7.

So that means we are now aspiring to the heights that historically, a long time ago, we reached,

which is a hell of an achievement, and it would be really helpful to understand how other Londoner local authorities are performing in that same quarter.

I have noted, and I think this is something else we should celebrate, actually, or then Arash, if you said this on a number of occasions,

Our dry recycling rate places us not at the bottom of London as a local authority,

but actually coming up towards the third quarter of London local authorities that we can benchmark against.

And I don't think, you know, there are local authorities such as, you know, I'm not dissing other local authorities,

but I am a little bit, there's Newham, Hackney, Barking and Dagenham, Harrow, we perform better than all of them

when it comes to dry recycling.

And I don't think we make enough of that, Andreas.

We need to promote that, particularly now

that we've broken the 20 % figure.

And I, you know, so I'm looking at Ashlach,

but actually I know Richard, a huge amount of work

has gone into this, and I'm not saying for the first time,

but I actually feel confident.

I feel confident that you will get to where we need to be,

and the perception that we are a poor performer

in this space will be eradicated straightaway

because we have actual positive data that undermines those that would like to promote

the fact that we're not doing well in this space because we are.

And I think congratulations should be.

Thank you.

I echo those sentiments.

Kabir.

I always give Ashraf a hard time, so I'll start with a compliment.

Well done.

And well done, Richard.

But I was going to say, being a perfectionist, more.

So one of the things is, have we looked into having either neighbourhood or building -wide champions?

This is resident -led. And we talk a lot about co -production and sort of getting local people involved,

the Youth Council and others. And I know there's been lots of consultations and talk around it,

But would an approach of actually having those who are proactive within local areas be champions in relation to recycling,

we give them acknowledgement and everything through the council's mechanisms.

I know we spoke about various different reward schemes in relation to that.

But there's a lot of people who don't need financial reward or anything like that.

It's their honour of living in Tower Hamlet. It's their pride in the place.

And I know, so those trees you guys planted around Jesus' screen, there was a lot of pride from residents who've named the trees,

who, you know, pour water onto the trees, look after the trees of their own accord.

And we can also get a lot of goodwill out of that as well.

So is it possible to look at creating those champions in order to support further recycling

or kind of assisting in separating the recycling because the contamination rate is also an

area that is of concern in terms of how our recycling gets spoiled essentially?

We are

Thank you.

I just want to add

absolutely,

Councillor, we are

happy to take

this out.

I personally met

some residents

from a huge

mansion where

we have sat down

and gone through a number of

interventions.

She is one of our

champions.

We have many, many

other champions in

different areas and

we are incentivising

those residents in those

areas to do recycling and

we are taking their

feedback, their input into how best they could actually champion their neighbours and their

colleagues residents in those areas. So I absolutely would take further ideas and suggestions

where we could actually roll this out to other areas within the borough.

Just to say we've got about 150 champions at the moment and we've got some super champions

but it is our plan to get to higher numbers but we piloted an approach to really get community

engagement working with champions we work with the East London Moss very

successfully we did a pilot with schools Moss and estates to triangulate effort

from those groups and we're trying to scale that up and say it's part of our

plan to really get more leverage out of those champions and move from hundreds

of thousands really.

Thank you Richard. Anyone else? Please tell her.

Thanks, Mayor.

I did want to share Councillor Kabir and the mayor's appreciation for the work that the

team have done to bring us to where we are today and thank you for your leadership.

I think we do see a lot of posts on social media from Councillor Shafir really promoting

this line of work.

So well done from an officer cohort and from members.

I think just a couple of points just to build on what Councillor Kabir said about trying

to improve even more.

But I do accept, you know, huge progress has been made.

I did want to understand in terms of contamination, how granular is the data?

Do we actually know from what estates are worse than others?

And if so, then we could do targeted action on some estates.

In terms of the report from 1 .41 to 1 .43, to tackle issues around, let's say, housing

association estates or private land, I wanted to understand whether there's any timeline

for looking at bylaws or licencing schemes or something similar.

1 .43, I wanted to understand this illegal dumping of waste.

Do we know how much it costs the council?

More importantly, are registered social handlers aware how much it's costing us?

If not, they should be made aware.

That's one thing that we should do.

1 .43 also talks about environmental enforcement on estates.

It's something within my portfolio.

and I'm quite keen on building on some of this work.

Officers historically, by sort of intention,

weren't focusing on estates, now they are.

So we want to build on some of that work

and really deal with the fly tipping

and some of the issues we have on estates.

1 .5, where I think there's a reference

to London's research around how we tackle behavioural change,

They speak about motivation knowledge and ease in my opinion

Despite what councillor Kabir said about people being very proud to live in town Hamlet

I still think motivation is an issue for a lot of people to recycle

So I know later on in the report in three point seven point ten

You talk about exploring the use of team jump a mobile app

Where you can earn points and then you can redeem them for cash vouchers

There is a reference there to that app being explored subject to funding.

So I just wanted to understand what that means.

And finally, 2 .9 in the report, this is around something that Steve mentioned earlier about

our position when it comes to benchmarking.

What are we doing to address, if anything, the data set anomaly with DEFRA?

So the fact that we have less garden waste because of our borough, and the fact that

there is a delay in food waste collections.

Are we raising anything or are we doing anything

with Defra to make those points

and somehow have an equal sort of benchmarking performance?

I mean, I can start with that last point.

So we've been part of this Defra pilot

because we were one of the worst.

And as part of that pilot, we've highlighted the town

that's got the toughest demographics

for recycling in the country.

And they recognise that.

We also highlighted to DEFRA that they missed a trick when they consulted with local authorities

on trying to make local authority landlords more responsible for the fact that they don't

take responsibility.

And behaviour change is a massive issue for us.

Over 80 % of the waste that we collect still is not recycled and that is because the majority

of people don't recycle.

And so we look at that.

You ask about how granular do we look at contamination.

We look at contamination daily from our crews.

We now have our crews all reporting hotspots and we've started putting officers on the

ground, looking at those hotspots.

And what we see daily is locations where we've got abuse, whether it's illegal abuse by businesses

or abuse by landlords who've not followed our best practise model and we're putting

resources into trying to get those landlords to take more responsibility.

and hence that's why we're looking at the bylaws. We piloted work with Real

London, we've basically taken a blueprint approach which is considered best

practise for flats. We piloted it, it works, we're trying to scale it, but as part of

that we're highlighting that landlords have to take responsibility to maintain

that standard. And we'll be looking to develop that visual standard into

something that can be enforced as a part of a bylaw.

It's probably something that we can be doing next year now.

But we're basically setting the foundations

of that working with David Joyce's housing team.

So we've got a good approach across our own estates.

We are interested in that team jump approach.

It does need funding.

And we're looking at how best we fund that at the moment.

But as we roll out food waste, food waste

is significantly cheaper than the cost of sending waste to...

Richard, thanks.

Just to add, Mr. Mayor, I just want to actually acknowledge obviously, Councillor Choudry,

also your recent post in terms of social media, the area that you've acknowledged in terms

of looking at working with some of the RSLs where we've really closely as a service worked

with those RSLs to make the changes in terms of enforcement and in terms of the bulk of

collection and all that.

And you've seen the difference that's working.

So an echo in one of the questions is that yes, the council is significantly spending financially

removing within the states and I've got an angle of exact figure but I'm happy to actually share that

but we're closely working with some of the biggest RSL where we're recharging them because of the expense

within their area so we actually... I'm getting shook up but we are seeing significant improvement in those areas.

Thank you for the paper.

I know we do dearly miss Simon Baxter, who is a true leader in this area, and do want

to also thank him for the work that he has put in and the hours that he has put in in

leadership getting us with yourselves to where we are and the leader member. Yeah, okay, so we want to for record

Clearly say silence leadership is certainly missed in this council David

Thank you for holding the full trust grateful to said okay

Keep up the good work and make sure you the actions that we agreed those many months ago

We are on track. We're on track the partnership work, please. Yep. So, okay. Thank you very much for your chance. Okay

Let's move on quickly.

I've got another meeting.

That's why I'm going to rush through it quite quickly now.

Okay, 6 .8.

A fantastic paper clearly shows this is demonstration

of our commitment to build council homes in this borough,

bringing a number of sites and taking them forward today.

Khobir.

Hello.

Welcome, Hannah and Jeff and Andy.

Go on.

Sorry, go on.

Sorry, Mr. Mayor.

You wanna go quick, but you put me in last

for the last two items.

All right, I'll be brief, okay?

Essentially, Mr. Mayor, what this paper,

I've got a long spiel, but I'll cut that short.

Essentially, what this paper seeks is cabinet

to authorise the procurement of subsequent contract

rewards necessary to bring the schemes forward

approval will ensure we continue to deliver high quality homes for our residents urgently

while reinforcing Tower Hamlets leadership in tackling the London's housing crisis.

Can I also take this opportunity to welcome Hannah for her first cabinet meeting, our new director,

and Jeff has been steering the ship going through the nitty -gritty details in getting this programme up to speed.

There are four of the sites already have planning consent and the fifth rush made is scheduled for submission in March 26.

So it's really important we get this through in delivering our housing targets, Mr Mayor.

Well absolutely, I mean there's no criticism to David or the current team, but this has

been long overdue.

It's been long overdue.

When we first came in as an administration in May 2022, this was on the table.

Can you believe it?

It's taken us, this council, sorry Steve, three and a half years, nearly four years,

to get it to cabinet.

Yeah, COVID, you are a league member.

So, I know you are, but so we shouldn't be congratulating us

or patting our back, but we can't work at that pace.

I'm sorry.

It just, you know, it does wind me up.

It does, you know, really get me frustrated

where we've got such a huge waiting list.

We've got such a huge overcrowding in the borough

and takes us this length of time.

But yourselves, you only been here recently to get a paper to cabinet.

So my request is please, we're going to give the go ahead.

We want to see the procurement, we want to see the development moving at pace, please.

Please, we don't want to see any slippages, whether in time or in money.

Is that okay?

That's my request.

Anyone else?

David, please.

Yeah, David.

Yeah, I mean, I suppose just to say we have really pressed on with these schemes in the

last year.

For instance, Albert Jacob House, which I think was a former office for our homelessness

and housing options service, we've taken it through planning and this decision will mean

we can appoint a contractor and get on site.

You know, it's exciting to hand over homes to new residents and see the difference it

makes.

It's brilliant that we're bringing through a number of schemes as part of the Mayor's

Accelerated Housing Programmers will bring an additional 40 sites forward but this is

also about bringing sites forward now and moving them into the delivery phase and I

think from that perspective it is a very, very important decision tonight.

Five sites and as I think you mentioned earlier, a large number of them will help tackle the

overcrowding crisis.

So I'd like to thank Geoff and Yasmin but also Hannah since she's been here for moving

We will be absolutely on it in terms of moving from this stage and getting to the ground

breaking.

Thank you, grateful.

Anyone else?

Coming on to that.

No one else?

It's a good paper, we just want to get on building in this borough and within a clear

timeline please.

So Andreas, we need to do this, this is good stuff.

Let's give hope to people, let's give them some light that we are on track to build,

not only deliver 4 ,000 homes, but more than that, given the sites we identified, and this

is another continuation of that programme.

So, comms strategy please, corporate comms for this is so important.

Can we agree with this paper?

Please sir, before you go out to the market please, can I see the tender document, can

I see the mark. Mark's changed this year. Andy, I would like to see that signed off. Yes, we get full packs to you. Yeah. Thank you

grateful to you, okay

recommendation authorised here

Okay

Can I can I please I just want to make one or two amendments Kobe?

So they are asking for two things from us.

Authorise the Corporate Director of Housing Regeneration.

In consultation with the Mayor, that's fine.

The second one, to estimate all necessary contracts

and in relation to contract awards, shut out.

Again, in consultation with the Mayor, please,

I really need a member.

Is that okay, Schupir?

It's not normally usual to consult at that stage.

Right.

You mean at the pre -tender stage?

Yeah, the pre -

This is post -tender.

What I'm saying, no, no, not post -tender.

So what I'm saying, awarding of the contract,

there needs to be a consort.

We're not coming back to a capital.

We don't want to slow things down.

But there needs to be consultation

with me and the leader member before you award the contract.

So the goal for the post -tender process,

it needs to come back to me and the leader member before,

and with me and David to decide on the recommendation

whether to award the contract or not.

So the recommendation one is to award the contract.

That's it, that's what I'm saying.

So in consultation with the lawyer.

Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm saying.

What you do post -awarding, it's how you execute documents,

it's your business.

So recommendation two, you're fine.

Yeah, yeah, okay.

It's the awarding of the contract, yeah?

So I'm in that, yeah, yeah, okay.

Excellent in the document, that's your job.

So yeah, it already says in consultation with the lawyer.

Can you add the lead member to please?

Okay.

With that amendment, we're there.

Is that okay, Said?

Okay.

Good.

Thank you.

Another good news.

Very good.

I won't take your funder, COVID.

6 .9, the acquisition paper.

Please.

Okay, Mr. Mayor, I'll be very short with that.

I've got a long speech, but you need to go.

So the new building block acquisition programme, it seeks approval for the council to acquire

329 new homes across Poplar Riverside, Aberfieldie Village and London Dog's side.

We have, I think you've already stated the size of the properties.

We're getting a number of units which include ones, twos, threes, fours and five bedroom

Again, officers have diligently worked on brokering this deal.

We're getting very good value for money, particularly once you take the grant money away.

If you compare to the SAvel's estimates that they gave us this time last year, we were

looking at an average cost of 842 ,000 per unit.

This has really been brought down to reduce costs of 228 ,000 for some units and 460 ,000

for other units.

So those prices have plummeted.

In financial terms, Mr Mayor, this still gives us a huge amount of headroom to go out and

procure further properties with that same envelope of money.

With that, Mr Mayor, David, if you want to come in.

And sorry, I just want to, I didn't see Yasmin in the back last time.

So thank you, Yasmin, for the work you've done on the capital delivery and housing delivery

team.

I mean, I can I just say, sorry, David, I've we visited a site in Lansbury Ward, what number

of homes are being delivered as one of the package within this programme.

So I'm very grateful to you Hannah and Jeff for the effort that you put in to acquire

these sites and these homes as quickly as possible for a very good price.

Over to you David.

Yeah I think this is a really important decision.

It's part of our mission to accelerate housing delivery.

I think particularly when you look at the opportunity at Poplar Riverside with Barclay

Homes, not only does this mean we're requiring a large number of council homes and council

rents and family sized homes, it's also going to, Barclay have been clear with us that should

this deal be confirmed, that it will actually accelerate the delivery of a wider site which

is delivering about 3000 homes.

So not only is it about us acquiring council homes, we're helping accelerate a much bigger

scheme and as you said when we visited the site that's going to unlock all sorts of things

from a new bridge across the River Lea, a new park and it is a really really important

development.

I think also from a partnership perspective, you know, these are about doing deals with

the biggest house builder in the country and also one of our valued local partners in Pop

the Harka to acquire homes for the council at council rents but also to assist those

organisations with their own housing delivery. So for me this is a really big moment and

a really, really positive step for our housing programme and I would just like to thank the

team for their hard work on it.

Thank you. Anything you want to add, Geoff or Anna?

Please.

If I may just add, one of the other benefits from this is that we've managed to agree the

51 million pounds of grant with the GLA for the Poplar Riverside scheme, and that's been

through their internal approvals process and is set aside.

The grant for the other two projects, they're at the top of the list of reserve, they've

kind of run out of money in the current programme, but they expect schemes to fall out, so they

will come forward, so those other two schemes

will be conditional upon that grant coming forward.

But I think the most important point about,

well, one of the most important points about the grant

is that having that 51 million pounds secured

and then delivered upon, because we will claim

the start on site as soon as we sign a contract,

which will be in February, will really massively

boost our performance in the eyes of the GLA,

which will set us up really well for the future

GLA programme and we are considering at the moment a bid to the GLA in the region of 500

million pounds for grant over the next ten year programme. So we need to be in pole position

to do that. We need to be a strategic partner and this report is in a really good position.

As I said, as you said, we have 44 sites that it's been worked on at the moment to planning

or outline planning to deliver between them some 3 ,300 homes.

So we are, we've got sites, we're getting planning,

and we are going to get ready.

So any support from the GLA will be very much welcome.

There will be no authority will have ready sites,

sites ready to such an extent to get money and support

to deliver them out, develop them out.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

Yeah, please, please do.

Thank you, Mayor.

In connexion with recommendation three, it looks to me like there may be a word missing.

So it says approve entering into all necessary legal agreements.

I think it may be in connexion with acquisition of the homes.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Thank you.

On the fourth recommendation, what we are saying in consultation with the mayor.

Sorry, I have one question.

Does it say with regard to delegation 4, is it delegating the decision to corporate director

of Region and Development and also Corporate Director of Resources.

Sorry, can I clarify that?

That should be, recommendation four should have read, delegated decision to the Corporate

Director of Housing and Regeneration, i .e.

David, and the Mayor would like to add in consultation with the Mayor.

Recommendation three should say, approve enter in all necessary legal agreements for the

acquisition of the homes.

What about the corporate director of resources? Is it staying in?

It's not resources. It's here, corporate director of regeneration and development.

And then it says corporate director of resources.

Oh, not in my one. Okay, it must be on this one. Sorry. Oh yeah, you gave me the mended one, didn't you? Sorry.

Okay, no, I don't think there's any resources. It would be David.

Obviously, if any money, then resources will come in.

Okay, so my point was simply that you can't delegate to two offices.

No, that's the one.

One of is a class in consultation with the other one.

Yeah, yeah.

So it's David.

God, that's a good monetary officer job.

Fantastic, fantastic.

I'm obviously very happy to be clear about that in consultation with all key financial

decisions.

Obviously we're very close to the finance team of Abdu 'l -Rasag and we will continue

So thanks for presenting that item.

We'll amend that.

I've got a correct one now.

So we're saying delegated to the Corporate Act of Housing and Regeneration

in consultation with the Mayor and if necessary the Corporate Act of Resources.

Oh, so it concerns the Mayor. With the Mayor. That's fine.

With the Mayor. We'll leave it there.

Is that okay, David? Yeah? Is that okay?

So you're clear, madam, on the amendment here?

Great good. Okay with that. Can we agree the papers? Yeah, we're done. Thank you and grateful to close of business

Good night

Before you go so we're Andreas we need a good comms

Comms corporate comms tomorrow on both of these papers, please

Please yeah, it's okay, please

Thank you.

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Cabinet - Wednesday 28 January 2026, 5:30pm - Tower Hamlets Council webcasts

CabinetWednesday, 28th January 2026 at 5:30pm

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Cabinet
Wednesday, 28th January 2026 at 5:30pm