Interactive webcast player

Cabinet
Wednesday, 15th July 2026 at 3:00pm

 

Welcome to our Webcast Player.

The webcast should start automatically for you. 

Webcast cameras are not operated by camerapersons; they are automated and linked to speaker microphone units. The aim is to provide viewers with a reasonable visual and audio record of proceedings of meetings held in public.

Note: If your webcast link appears not to be working, please return to the Webcast Home Page and try again, or use the help email address to contact us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
Share this agenda point
  1. Webcast Finished

Ladies and gentlemen, an early cabinet meeting, not because of football,
it's because we have decided that we will start our cabinet meeting earlier than the usual time,
from three rather than five o 'clock.
So welcome to all, thank you for coming.
It's our first cabinet meeting of the new term.
We've got three new members, new members of our cabinet,
members, Minara Hatun, Shuna Limia and Foyson.
So welcome, joining the cabinet.
You've got to perform to continue.
There may be a reshuffle in any event, so nothing personal.
Welcome to everyone.
We've got to know all apart from COBIR is joining us online, COBIR Ahmed, all cabinet
members are present, of the corporate director, Shenil, thank you for joining us in place
of Georgia and Liz has served in place of Steve Reddy.
Okay and who else?
Ah, Kiran, thank you in place of the community's corporate director.
Welcome.
Thank you, Mayor. Just a couple of announcements. Just to be clear, Kieran is here today in
place of the Corporate Director of Community Services. So that members are aware, a new
interim Corporate Director of Communities will start a week on Monday. His name is Darren
Mepham and a briefing note will be circulated to all members shortly. Just to repeat what
you've just said, Mayor, this is the first Cabinet since the election, so I formally
would like to welcome those new members to cabinet from my chief executives perspective.
By way of an update, because it's been a period since we had cabinet, just to remind members
that last month the council launched a judicial review against the mayor of London's decision
to reduce affordable housing targets from 35 % to 20%. The hardship fund, the council's
hardship fund, was launched last Monday to help council tenants who might be struggling
financially. So that members are aware we've had another heatwave warning today
for next week. So appropriate systems are being put in place and we have done that
relatively successfully in recent weeks. Although I do think it's fair to say
that our partners, some of our partners have not reacted quite as quickly as we
would have liked with an example having taken place last weekend. Further
information after England win tonight there will be a so they might win
tonight they might not win tonight but of course it is planned to have a World
Cup welcome home procession that will pass through the borough and it looks
like that's going to happen whether or not England win the World Cup and that
will impact upon the borough and a briefing note will be circulated by
Kiran tomorrow advising all members of the practical impact.
Thank you.
Thanks Steve. Can I also welcome the Deputy Cabinet Members.
As you may recall at the full Council we introduced deputies to the cabinet members
and I think it's working well and they are in attendance.
Thank you very much.
and can also some interns, free legal interns who are here.
Either they're doing the graduation or former,
or graduate already under masters,
young ladies out there who are in,
Shupir's team, legal team, welcome.
I hope you enjoy.
Yeah, yeah, thank you.
I know Steve is whispering to me to introduce the new chair of the over -inscurity, I would have done it, but thank you Steve.
So, Councillor Halima Islam, welcome. It's your first meet -up in the cabinet.
Welcome and I hope you are enjoying your role as a chair of the over -inscurity committee.
Holding us to account. Thank you very much.
Any declarations of interest?
No? None?
You may not have any food?
More than 25 pound with Sabina?
No? No? Okay, you haven't.
Good.
Can we agree the minutes?
Those who are here, minutes of 24th and 27th of March.
Anything there?
You're okay with it? Thank you very much.
Steve has done an announcement.
Chair of Overland Scrutiny, please, if you have a statement to make, madam.
Over to you.
Thank you, mayor, and thank you, Steve.
Good afternoon.
I'm Councillor Halima Islau, Chair of Overland Scrutiny Committee.
I want to thank the Cabinet for providing me the opportunity to feedback on OSE activity.
At the first meeting for this municipal year that took place on 22nd June 2026, OAC undertook
activities to establish the Committee and Government arrangements for 2026 and 2027.
This included a Vice Chair appointment and terms of reference.
We appointed Councillor Campbell -Hussain as Vice Chair.
We reviewed and confirmed the overview of the Scrutiny Committee in terms of reference,
agreed to continue with the existing three scrutiny subcommittees, including health and
adults, housing and regeneration, children and education.
The appointment of scrutiny leader members across key portfolios, including health, children,
housing, finance and environment.
We looked at strengthening scrutiny arrangements, including members agreeing the scrutiny structure
and committee memberships for the municipal year, including an overview of committee procedure
rules, meeting calendar and operational arrangements.
We also discussed on establishing a finance and resources task and finish group to strengthen
budget scrutiny and enable early engagement in the budget -setting process.

5 a) Chair's Advice of Key Issues or Questions

Our Committee also considered the Council's response to the Government's best value intervention.
In particular, the Committee considered the following. The Council's progress since the
best value statutory support package which was introduced, the Government's decision in March
2026 to escalate the intervention, placing great expectations on the Council to improve pace and
delivery, creation of a new improvement board chaired by the lead envoy to oversee progress,
the need for the Council to demonstrate stronger governance, better decision making, greater
accountability, faster implementation of improvements.
OSC also considered the four strategic priority improvement work streams for the continuous
improvement programme which includes vision partnerships and participation, governance,
political culture and decision making, culture and workforce, one corporate team. The committee
recognised that these work streams are intended to address best value concerns while embedding
long -term organisational improvement. Our committee also considered and noted the deep
dive reviews with the reviews needed to examine long -standing perceptions and concerns about
the Council, provide independent assessment and evidence -based findings, help demonstrate
openness and transparency.
We noted from the discussion that the areas that are likely to be included were recruitment
practises, grants and leases, housing allocations, licencing and planning processes.
Our Committee questioned officers on where improvement had been strongest and where challenges
remained.
In response, officers highlighted the following – positive progress in partnership working
and in external engagement, continuing challenges in the One Corporate Team programme, particularly
around internal audit actions, compliance arrangements, risk management, strengthening
internal controls.
The scale of historic governance issues was acknowledged as significant and required sustained
attention.
OSC members also sought assurance that OSC would have meaningful oversight of the improvement
agenda.
Officers confirmed the following quarterly reporting to the full Council and regular
updates to OSC.
They also agreed opportunities for members to undertake deeper scrutiny of specific improvement
areas, access to performance information, delivery plans and risk reporting where appropriate.
The OSCE further considered the envoys' enhanced role following the escalation of intervention,
their ability to review reports and decisions before they progress through council and government
processes, the existence of reserve powers intended as a safeguard of improvement stalls,
though officers stressed that these powers are expected to remain unused.
Finally, our OSCE members were encouraged to participate in a forthcoming work programme development session on 28 July 2026,
and I hope all Cabinet members are also able to attend and contribute.
The purpose of the session is to develop a robust and scrutiny programme for the year ahead,
and identify priority topics for investigation.
There are no pre -decisional scrutiny questions submitted and this concludes my update on
OSE activity.
Thank you.
Thank you, thank you, thank you very much.
Very much.
I'll ask Steve to come in too.
I see some innovation going forward, very good.
I think we want you to assist us, help us, challenge us and help us to also see how we
can make any strength in the decisions, any papers going forward and contribution on the
oneness committee, your colleagues and yourselves as much.
Welcome.
So thank you for coming today and very much welcome your constructive suggestion in the
coming year.
Please stay.
Thank you, Mayor.
I was just going to, for the matter of the minutes and record, thank the chair of Ovienskrudnio
I met with a couple of weeks ago and we spoke about the creation of a task and finish group
to consider the Council's budget.
I think that's really helpful, innovative from the Council's perspective and holds the
Council to account for the way in which we set our budget and spend our money.
And I know that's something that's been welcomed by the envoys as well and I think it's worth
reflecting that that's been taken up with some enthusiasm.
Great, thank you very much.
You can stay if you want to or you can leave.
It's up to you.
Great, shall we move on to the first paper?
Before then, can I just say two information shares, Steve?
I want to, is that last week we had a serious flooding in and around Bow, burst of water
pipe and serious disruption to residents who are living in and around Oldfield Road, Bow,
etc. and it had a knock -on effect in other parts of the borough and outside of the borough.
I want to thank our council officers, David, yourself, Shafiq from the mayor's office,
our councillors and lead member, one hand, and people who are on the ground until 5 .30
a .m. helping residents.
However, David, that wasn't forthcoming from the social landlord.
Yeah, they were, they weren't entirely missing, but residents felt they were missing.
Yeah, they weren't, they didn't do enough, they couldn't do enough.
I was awakened to five communication with Shafiq, yourself and others on the ground.
So can you please draught a letter to the registered social landlord, you may want to come in.
I want to refer them to the housing regulator, because I consistently over the last four years,
I've had complaints about that particular RSL and their absence last week when their
residents were being, they didn't have the amenities, they weren't forthcoming and we
had to step in.
It's not right.
Okay, so that we need reassurance and I would like to now look at how we can.
and I want legal advice, what powers we have as a local authority.
The residents don't distinguish between us and housing associations.
They think we are one and the same.
So I want legal advice on that, external legal advice on that.
That's very important.
I want to look at, because our land was transferred under stock,
and before my time, by the way, I stocked it 2008, all stock transfer,
and there was an agreement with those
RSLs to do certain things.

4 ANNOUNCEMENTS (if any) FROM THE MAYOR

So I would like us, please, to go back to the basic,
look at the agreement, look at the current legislation,
and see what powers we have, if any.
And if we do have any powers, I want to see
what we can do.
And in any event, I would like us to be in touch
with the House and regulator.
Please, David, if you want to comment on that.
But before you do, we had an outage similarly on Luke House in Shadwell.
Again, you and I obviously thank you for your help.
It's not our property, it's the homes.
Again, Shafiq and the councillors, some of our councillors were there
until two thirty in the morning helping with water distribution.
You kindly agreed to sanction some food for those residents who had not eaten.
There were kids involved, so thank you for your help.
Again, can you look at whether East End Homes did enough, if they could have done more?
Over to you, David, please.
Yeah, the one look I said to become was Hyde Housing, which formerly was Tara Hammers Community
Homes.
I want to correct myself, it's Hyde, former community housing.
I say we had a good example with East End Homes recently where they did actually show
a good response but I think in terms of height that what I am very concerned
about the fact there was no visible on the ground presence on Saturday when
that outage happened and a high -rise block so I have written to the chief
executive and some senior leaders there to set out some expectations really and
also seek to recover the costs that the council had to deploy on that incident
because as you say Mayor it is the landlord's responsibility and I think it was the lack of
on the ground senior presence that really worries me. Also the emergency planning team have written
to all housing registered providers reminding them of the need for them to share the numbers
of senior executives with us so that if the response is not happening we can escalate it
as is appropriate. Some landlords are very good and share the numbers of their
chief executive downwards, others refuse to so we are following up on that again
and hopefully we won't see similar instances. We are also, because
the question has been asked, looking at our environmental health powers but I
think it is worth, and we can cover this in a legal note, that the registered
providers are responsible ultimately to the housing regulator so our powers to
intervene when these matters happen with them are limited and it really is a
matter for the housing regulator but ultimately we were trying to make sure
that when these things happen which hopefully is rare we can we can escalate
it and get action on the ground. When we were able to get a hold of senior
executives things moved and on Sunday it was much better but it shouldn't it
Thank you David, but I mean I would very much please, Shabria.
Thank you Mayor. Yes, I've asked housing officers to send all the contract documents, where the outsourcing was done to legal department and we will review the agreement and say goodbye.
Please, please. I was a counsellor during the time and I recall those agreements had
made certain promises, which is part of the contract, to the residents. So contractually,
a contract was with us, so contract law will kick in there. You don't understand, contract
role should kick in.
And with another housing provider, we used a last two
years ago, we used that contract to get them to do
certain work.
I'm not going to name them here.
It was outstanding for 20 years, that was work.
We were able to successfully do it after our cases and
vice.
So in terms of Clarion, I certainly, given the
continuous and constant complaints we get, and the
and explore are legal options from our side, but certainly the housing regulator, David,
I would like to see, and I'm really surprised to find their new provider in time, and I
would have thought they would have stepped up to look after their residence.
We had to step in, spend our money, our time, obviously, this time until 2 .30 in the morning,
and in other case 5 .30 in the morning to do their job.
I have asked them to repay all of the costs, including the costs of our staff time for
that.
Rightfully so.
Thank you.
Thank you for that.
Okay, great.
Can we now move on to a very important paper, the Mayor's Accelerated Housing Programme.

6 a) Mayor’s Accelerated Housing Programme

Geoff, you want to join us?
Very important paper because overcrowding is a serious issue in the borough.
As a local authority, we are doing our best.
We are doing our best to provide and deliver more family -sized homes, more homes, either
for ourselves, on our sites, or in partnership with ourselves and with developers.
And Steve has mentioned the fact that we have issued judicial review proceedings against
the mayor of London attempt to reduce the affordable housing
element from 35 % to 20%.
But in any event, we have redundant sites.
We have brownfield sites that we can, as a local authority,
deliver more housing on those sites.
And this paper is building on the work we're already doing.
I'm grateful to David, Geoff and that team and Mace,
Kabir as the former lead member, Kabir Ahmed, and now Said,
I know you come in, you've got to take hold of this.
Make sure we deliver on time, deliver within budget,
but more important, deliver the homes that we promised
we're going to deliver going forward.
So, Said, then the team. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr Mayor.
So I think this is a very good newspaper that we bring forward
from what your manifesto pledge was to deliver on what we have delivered in terms of our house building programme
ambitious target of 12 ,000 and this is just
A way of us proving that we are working towards that target. Mr. Mayor
So this report it seeks approval for the schemes budgets as well as the procurement strategy
We're going to go forward with and it's to actually essentially kickstart
Let's start the 10 main sites that we've actually focused on at the moment.
And those batch one within the Mayor's Accelerated Houses Programme is seeking of £143 .2 million
within the HRA budget, as well as the management of £8 million was already approved in July
2025.
This report is also seeking a £5 .7 million of general fund budget for the Bethnal Green
IDEA stores and the one -stop shop which is part of that PDC centre that we have already
scoped within the Mayor's Acceleratory Housing Programme and also looking at the procurement
strategy for the 10 sites within batch 1.
The Mayor's Acceleratory Housing Programme here what we have will deliver over 3 ,900
homes across 42 sites.
Actually, that's now, since the report was written, it's now covering 3 ,200 homes within
the 42 sites.
And at least 51 % of those homes would be affordable houses.
That would ultimately help us within our housing crisis where we have acute needs.
Since July 2025, governance arrangements have been established, design work have progressed
on 42 sites and the good news is three planning applications have been submitted and a £416
million GLA funding bid has also been made.
So across the 10 sites, Mr Mayor, we would have within this delivery plan, we will have
349 homes, of which we have 250 affordable, and that means that those sites have now gone
through planning and they are actually moving into the delivery phase.
For the benefit of the readers within appendix 6, we have included the CGI's of all the plans that we are going forward with the sites
and that will give everyone a chance to visualise the extent of the excellent housing programme we bring forward.
I've got David and Geoff who have worked extensively hard in this programme. Mr Mayor, thank you.
Thank you. Khobeyd, do you want to come in? I know you've worked with David and Jeff on this up until
a couple of weeks ago.
into the MTFS. So putting the financial aspect in mind, this is the way forward in order
for us to deliver housing for the most vulnerable.
And with that, I'll let Sahid do the rest of the talking.
Thank you.
David and Geoff, please.
Yeah, I won't add too much to the comments
of my lead member and former lead member,
except to say that this programme adds to the development
of 1 ,000 homes that we already have on site,
like the nearby HAP regeneration scheme.
It is really about bringing the next generation of sites forward.
You asked us to work at PACE, we have built a team and capability, we have built financial
firepower into our housing revenue account and that has really led to significant progress
across every one of the 40 plus sites.
It has allowed us to submit the planning applications that the lead member referred to and ultimately
to progress immediately with procuring construction partners to build the first batch of schemes,
but we're also doing a lot of work around future phases, how we fund that and delivering
the whole programme and I think the progress we've made to date has put us in a really
positive position in terms of the funding bid that we've made as well.
So this is really important work, it's innovative, it's working at pace and ultimately it's all
with them of expanding the provision of much needed affordable housing,
remembering that we have over 31 ,000 families on our housing waiting list.
Thanks. Geoff, over to you, sir.
Steve, come in the front.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Councillor Seydin.
Thank you, David. Thank you, Kabir.
So I won't rehearse the paper with you.
You would have all read it.
Sorry.
Hopefully I'll get closer to the microphone.
I'm never normally asked to speak up.
I'm usually asked to quieten down.
So as we've already said, this is a really important paper
because it allows us to actually crystallise,
from the planning stage, 10 sites
and move them into delivery.
I think the important thing to understand
is the way that we're growing, we're
bringing forward the programme.
We've got three groups of sites which we are calling batches.
They tend to be smaller sites, less than 100 homes.
This paper sets out a procurement strategy
for how we approach the delivery of those sites.
Those smaller sites typically are a higher proportion
of affordable housing than 50%.
Many of the sites, like Stroud's Place,
which is in the pack and one of the first batch schemes,
are houses and large family homes.
And they will be procured in a manner
where we take the design all the way through planning,
have full control over what's built,
and partner perhaps with medium to smaller size contractors
to build those sites out.
There are nine sites which we are calling strategic sites,
which are sites typically of more than 100 homes,
probably more than 150 homes in most cases, I think.
Sites like the Blackpool Depot, the Commercial Road.
I won't read them all out.
But those will require partnerships with the private sector,
and those are the sites where we all take them to a degree through the planning process,
in getting some recognition from the planners that we have a scheme that is viable,
resolving some of the complex issues around, whether it's around vacant possession of the land,
or legal title issues.
Again, those things cleared up before we go to the market and find a partner,
So we can say to them, here's a deliverable scheme, but please bring your commercial expertise
to the table in how we make the most of this.
Because it's really important that we generate the maximum amount of receipt that we can
from those to help fund the overall programme.
So there are two points I just wanted to finally bring to your attention in terms of the paper.
The first is that on page 46 of the pack, the paper refers to batch -free planning submission dates.
I think it refers to it in another part of the paper as well.
And it mentions a date of June 26 as the end date of the batch -free planning application.
I just have to say that really only relates to one or two of the sites,
where there are complex land ownership issues that we need to resolve.
but in general the target is to get everything submitted by December.
The second point I wanted to make is that at recommendation 6,
the paper seeks to delegate authority to the Corporate Director of Housing and Regeneration
in consultation with the Mayor to agree the final form of tender.
And it says whether that's a single or two -stage design and build process.
Just to clarify, the presumption will always be single stage wherever possible.
with two -stage only being by exception.
So this is where single -stage being that we go
to contract in market and contractors fix their price
with their initial tender, two stages where they fix
an element of their price and an element needs to be
resolved during a sort of second stage of negotiation.
So our overriding principle is that we're asking
the contractors to fix over 100 percent or as much
of their cost as they possibly can when we go to market to avoid the risk of cost increases
and changes.
I think that's all I need to say.
Mayor, thank you and I'll take any questions.
Thank you, thank you, Geoff.
I'll come in afterwards.
Tala, then Deputy Mayor.
Thank you, Mayor.
I just wanted to start off with a couple of thank yous.
Thank you to the corporate director, Jeff, the previous lead member and the current lead member for bringing us to this stage.
We all know the demand that we have on housing in town, Hamlet, with 31 ,000 people, as David mentioned, on the housing waiting list.
And funny enough, only a couple of weeks ago, pre -election, people were questioning the commitment of this council and this administration in delivering housing.
If anyone wants to see whether we're serious about delivering homes, have a look at this report.
That's what I would say for people that are watching this meeting.
There are multiple sites, some as we refer to in the report as strategic sites are massive
big sites.
We're serious about building housing and I'm genuinely very excited.
Not only are we serious, we're putting aside serious amounts of money too.
With my sort of finance hat on, there's 143 million pounds in just the housing element,
3 to 6 million pounds in the ideas from the one stop shop in Bethnal Green and that's
backing up our commitment with finance.
Geoff did touch on the preference of a one stage, two stage, and that's 3 .52D in the
report.
And I totally agree.
I think where we can and our preference and our default position should be that one stage.
And obviously we'll deal with it on a case by case as the report mentions, but that would
be my preference.
And in terms of the engagement to date, as a local board councillor, I know in batch
one you've got 10th Street, the Oval and a few other sites out within my ward.
I'll be honest I've been quite content with the level of engagement. I promoted
it within my circles and I think generally the residents there have been
informed of our proposals which is really good. And finally what I'd say is
in 6 .4 in the finance comments we're actually delivering more homes than we
actually had projected. So we're delivering 349 homes, 250 affordable
whereas our business plan had projected that would deliver 175. So we're actually
delivering more homes than we had planned which helps the council generate
more income and allows more headroom in our HRA. So there's so many benefits as
part of this package and the final point I'd make is around the timelines. We all
know in this room that our residents especially those that are on the waiting
list they're desperate to be rehoused. So the bare minimum we need to keep to the
The contractors need to keep to the timelines
and where possible, if we can do it any quicker,
that would be my request.
Thank you, Mr Mayor.
Just to echo what Councillor Iboola has said,
I would like to thank the previous lead member
and the current lead member.
I think he has done more.
But also, David and Jeff, I think it's becoming a reality.
Nine sites, I can see there's two sites on the island.
So it is really exciting time, not just for us as a council, but also for our residents.
But the one thing I want to touch on, Mr. Mayes, is if we can have some billboards around the borough,
celebrating and showing a vision, a visionary drawing to our residents.
I know we're going through the procurements and all the policies, but I think it's important
that we do that, billboards around the borough, around the sites, and also we need a very
strong concert around it as well.
So the residents, they're very excited, they're looking forward to it, and if we can provide
some information to our residents.
That will be helpful, especially during the consultation time
as well.
Thank you.
Councillor Sabina.
Thank you to the lead members, people who are existing,
and officers for giving us an update.
Mayor and the cabinet, I'm really happy with the progress
since we've made so far.
And as we all know, the scale of housing
need in Tower Hamlets, particularly for families
living in overcrowded accommodations. So the progress reported is encouraging, particularly
the recruitment of dedicated development teams, the programme teams and the development of
the sites and the community engagement that has been taking place and the submission of
the first planning applications. However, with the public investment and the complexity
of the programme, we must remain focused on the affordability, making sure that we deliver
on time what the cabinet said about making sure, yes it's the accelerated programme,
just making sure we actually complete our ambition on time and making sure it's value
for money and meaningful community benefit. One of the questions I wanted to ask is while
While we have cited these sites, the existing sites may affect some of the residents, so
it could be some people's garages, community gardens, so while we are delivering these
houses, we don't want to worsen the lives of the existing residents, so how can we really
maintain that and having those open conversations early on?
Thank you.
Thank you. Anyone else?
Councillor Shafi.
Thank you and good afternoon everyone.
I just wanted to highlight the fact that this is a really positive response on your MHPH,
MHA, Miller Accelerated Housing Programme.
And I think this shows and it earmarks our step going forward and your boldness in ensuring that there is a review made
on the deal that was done by the mayor of London.
I want to thank you for bringing this up
and calling out for the developers
so that we as a council can be responsible
to deliver for our residents.
This was proven previous term when you were the mayor
and you delivered over 6 ,000 homes.
There was a question mark and that question mark was answered
by the residents of this wonderful borough
through the ballot box.
I would like to acknowledge that as well.
I would like to acknowledge and commend the officers who are involved in ensuring that there is consultation made through the residents.
I think overall there are 10 sites, one of the sites is in my ward, Whitechapel, Blackchurch Lane,
which has been a derelict PR, people referrals unit for many years and it's been derelict and we had issues with squatters, etc.
So I'm really excited that this is actually the first batch of the first batches and it's
going to bring 19 affordable homes within the Whitechapel Ward.
So I want to commend the engagement that was made by the officers was really commendable.
I think everyone, whoever did come along to those consultation evenings, they were really
informed of what was going forward.
And I'd also like to mention there were six sites that didn't go past the first stage
but it was happy to see there's another six sites that were found again so that our total number goes to 42 sites.
So thank you for that as well. Thank you Mr Mayor.
Thank you, thank you. I'll ask Steve to come in then Adhanesh and Ali you want to come in?
Yeah, okay, thank you. It's up to you. Go on, Steve please.
Thank you Mr Mayor. So I have a couple of questions and David I suppose actually one of them is to you.
The first one relates to capacity.
I'm really interested in the timetables that have been applied to some of these.
There is some quick movement, so I'm assuming that under paragraph 319, batch 1, that says
that target planning submission will be by the end of July 26th.
We're nearly there, so I assume they're all online, or they've already happened.
And you've referred to the planning process already.
That's number one.
Number two, David, I suppose this is a question to you.
I'm interested on page 45 it talks about what is basically batch 4, I suppose, Blackpool
Depot, Commercial Road, Ensign Club and what have you.
Do I assume that they are being progressed in parallel, that they're starting now sort
of thing?
And if not, is that a capacity issue?
And do you think there's any merit in considering what capacity or ability we have to progress
these things quicker?
Thank you.
Great.
David, please.
Thank you.
So they are absolutely being developed in parallel and in fact we've already done some
of the initial design and feasibility work.
One of the things that we always said with the larger sites like the one you mentioned
Blackwall Depot was that we would look at different models of delivery including seeking
development partners.
We also are often aware of the fact that we need to find alternative sites for existing
uses on some of those sites and obviously you're well aware of the work that we're doing
around the depot for instance.
So we are absolutely doing them in parallel,
but those sort of sites in the batch you mentioned
are more complicated.
They do require us to identify strategies
for existing uses, and they will probably involve
us looking for development partners.
But we're doing all of that work in parallel,
but I think the good news is we've already done
a lot of design work.
It's your point around capacity,
but I mean, I know we have partnership arrangements
What have you, but your own resources?
Yeah, so capacity, well we've really built the capacity working with Geoff, I mean as
people will know we've got Owen as the Mayor's Accelerated Housing Programme Manager, Geoff
is overseeing it as Director, we've built our consultancy resources, but remember as
well that one of the innovative approaches we've taken is working with Mace to add multidisciplinary
consultancy resource to really allow us to go at this at pace.
So I think we have a combination of in -house resources and actually working differently
with the industry.
Thank you.
You want to come in?
Thank you.
Thank you, Mayor, for giving me a chance to speak.
I have just been elected as a Councillor and Lead Member for Job Skills and Enterprise
and I am really proud to be part of this housing programme, the new housing programme that
Mayor has brought in.
I always get inquiries in my surgeries and local residents are always talking about the issues.
Obviously it's a greater issue with the housing.
So I'm really happy to be part of this programme and looking for this great change that the Mayor has brought in.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Okay, great.
Police, please.
Thank you, Mr Mayor.
I'd recommend a small change to the wording in Recommendation 7,
where it says second line to instruct the award of contracts, I would say it should be approved, the award of contracts.
David can instruct if you want to. No, approved is the appropriate language, I agree.
Thank you. I think it's been covered through the comments that colleagues have made, but Steve in particular has covered it.
So we don't want capacity to be an issue.
And we have put in, we put in initially 8 million pounds.
We're putting in now further millions to make sure capacity
is there to move these sites along as quickly as possible.
PACE is a serious issue and you are working at PACE.
We're very grateful, you know, Jeff, David,
the PACE Act, which Steve, that you're working to and moving
We have
at least 14 ,000, 15 ,000 people
living in acute overcrowding.
The benefits that these houses
or other
homes that come through
other development opportunities
to human quality is going to be
phenomenal.
You recognise that.
Hence, rather than having sites
sitting redundant, paying
business rates on it, we want
to move them away from that.
along, provide homes, places and improve lives in the borough.
I'm just going to go through the batches, if that's okay, make one or two suggestions.
And you've picked on it in any way.
So batch one, so hopefully by before end of this month you would have submitted all the
planning application for those batch ones, okay?
It's very important, which will deliver 341 homes in
total, of which 241 will be rented homes, some
70 ,000 social homes.
So we're going to keep an eye on it and say make sure
they are being delivered.
And the overarching comment I want to make, we are the
planning authority, and David is the boss of the
planning authority, and Sri is the director.
So we don't want any impediments, just for the
of it when we are the planning authority, we are the client authority, get our housing
through.
And if it needs to go to a strategic development committee or the development committee needs
to go as quickly as possible, please, yes, that's very important.
That's batch one.
Batch two will be submitted in July, hopefully before the conclusion of the year, sorry,
it's between July to December.
By December we would have submitted all the planning applications for those sites, yes,
so we need to keep an eye on it.
We need to report, Steve and I, we need to report,
lead member and David, to make sure that is the case.
Again, if there's any difficulties,
you must let us know, please, yeah?
Batch three, I know you touched on it, Jeff,
I'm really grateful, so slightly,
I know these papers, the papers went out
and didn't capture some of our comments,
but you've clarified it.
Other than the London Park site, Byron Street,
and the Shadbrooke Basin, which would need
The other sites, again, before the conclusion of the year, we want the other sites' planning
applications to be submitted.
Those two sites, maximum by June next year, maximum, yeah?
If you can do it beforehand, we would be grateful, but keep us in the loop, yeah?
Can we, you know, the strategic sites, let's call them batch four for now.
They are all our sites, all our sites, and other than one or two sites which have people living in them,
or they have others occupying them, but primarily we are the occupiers.
So the depot we are the occupiers, I know David and the team, you have progressed very much with options,
with options where we can move the depot, can we please have that meeting and make a decision on that?
So we can move along. Jeff, move along with this very quickly.
You said, okay, Shafi and Said, can you please be in that, get that meeting in, Said, as soon as possible.
Okay. The commercial road side, the car pound, again, wherever the depot go, the car pound could follow, couldn't it?
So can we have that discussion?
We're occupying it.
Once we've got an alternative depot,
those two sites become free.
Then the other sites are quite reasonable
for us to move along.
One site may need a bit of work, legal work,
which you know.
So if we can explore that, get lawyers involved,
and do what we need to do as soon as possible,
please, Jeff, yeah?
But we, I know you are,
So we are parallel planning for the strategic sites.
The strategic sites will deliver the most homes.
I know we need partners.
So in terms of one, planning, please, we're seeking outline planning permission for those sites.
Can we please get on with it?
You are.
And can we have a timeline, David, Jeff, when we can get those, like the other sites, those outline planning permission.
Outline doesn't need that much of a work that detailed planning application needs when we can secure that land permission at the same time
can we start the procurement work now and have a
Timed line when we vote for the sites when we go out to the market and seek tender to seek
The partners their big sites will need partners in them. So a
Maybe Steve another cabinet paper in
David, I'm looking to you when you think we get another cabinet paper on those strategic
sites with those details.
Any idea?
We can, Geoff?
Yeah, so Geoff, so just for clarification, on the strategic sites, we're not currently
expecting that we would get an outline planning consent.
It's a, we're aiming to have a positive pre -application meeting outcome.
Right.
less onerous for the council,
which is costly, but still gives the flexibility
to the developer to develop the designs themselves.
So all of those are in train,
and to some degree will be dependent on,
or will be reliant on the outcome of consultation,
so that we can give developers the comfort they'll need.
The aim is to launch the procurement process
for development partners.
we've been thinking of launching something in September.
And we've just been discussing today, LREF,
which is a big kind of corporate property conference
that takes place in September as a venue
where we could put some of these through the market,
start to market.
So I'm very happy to bring back a cabinet paper
to the September cabinet.
We don't have cabinet next month.
We've got cabinet in September.
You don't have cabinet next month.
So, Said, can we look at this September cabinet paper to wrap up all the, I'm not saying
loose things, I know you're doing fantastic work, Mateem, but just to make sure we bring
it all together and the public can know about those big sites, where we are, what the strategy
is and how we can deliver those sites.
Can we have a paper in cabinet, please?
Say okay.
Say okay, Steve.
Yep, on that.
I'm very grateful for that.
And in terms of the recommendations,
I know you touched on it, Jeff.
Thank you.
So now we had a discussion in another forum.
So thanks for that amendment, that suggestion you made.
So on Accommodation 6, about the stages.
So we're saying, you're saying, that we want this
to be amended to say we're having stage 1 procurement process is what we're agreeing,
but as an exception on need basis, we may consider entertaining a stage 2 process.
Just to clarify, you're approving stage 1 process at this stage?
Yes, so we're amending this to say we want a stage, in terms of procurement, we want
one stage, however as an exception advice of officers, Jeff and David, one or two sites may need stage two because of the nature of it.
We may entertain that. That's an exception, the norm is a stage one process.
And so presumably they would need to consult with you on the exception whether to proceed with a two stage process?
Absolutely, on the whole we want them to continue, proceed on a stage one process.
Okay, so we look at the recommendation and change the wording around to reflect that.
Please, if you can let us know.
Yes.
That's that.
Also...
Thank you.
Okay.
Great.
I know Andreas is here. We do need a calm strategy on this, please.
This is so important, David, Said. Can we have a paper from you, me and Steve and David,
if you're in consultation with Giorgia and Joubert, how we can promote this?
We want holdings up on the sites which are redundant, sitting there, okay?
and we want to know how we're going to let the people know we're doing this 42, 43 sites, homes for our residents.
So there's hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
Is that okay?
So we're going to have that paper by next week, please, from you.
Is that okay, colleagues? Anything else? David, are you okay?
Yes, Steve? Okay.
Thank you. So can we agree the recommendations with that amendment?
Thank you, Jeff.
Go on, Khobib.
David?
I was just also going to say, you know, with the hoardings and everything else, you may
need a concurrent plan from David and the team around demolition applications and so
on and so forth as well.
A separate paper for yourself for that.
David, we'll look into it.
Thank you and grateful.
Thank you for your time, Geoff.
Thank you very much.
Let's move on.
Another very important
paper.
Renters Reform Act
2025 6 .2.
Sayeed, do you want to kick
off?
Thank you.
This is a very important one.
We know that Renters
Rights Act is now law and we
know that there are
enforcement implications with
it.
So this policy here really

6 b) Enforcement policies required by the Renters' Rights Act 2025

is to sort of give us the
policy in place for us to put the enforcement in place and make sure that we can act within
what is set out by law.
So we have been through this paper in detail in MAB.
We know that there are different provisions in place when it comes to the amount of penalties
we can charge and what the maximum charges are as well.
Within paragraph 3 .12 and 3 .13, there are separate briefings that sort of have updated
sections and separate briefings within Appendix 8 explaining how the new CPN works and how
the columns work in the tables in Appendix 2.
All CPNs have a starting point, and that is the greater majority being set by the government,
and the figures in the columns in Appendix 2 are calculated by applying a 20 % adjustment
to the starting point.
Also depending on the type of landlord and the offence, the final penalty decided could
be higher or lower than the starting point.
And an adjustment of 20 % is dependent on whether the landlord type and the aggravating or mitigating
factors can be applied.
The penalty can be adjusted by 20 % at either of these two stages.
And generic aggravating or mitigating factors are set out from pages 6 to 9 of the CPN policy.
So this is good news for our renters rights and also the information out there for landlords to be aware of.
Thank you.
Thank you.
David, colleagues, I know you have done very good work on this.
I know Kamala is not here.
I am very good on this leading the way.
So if anything you want to comment, please.
I mean I'll let the team do the further introduction but I think this really positions us to fully
take advantage of the vintage reformat as the lead member has said and ensure that we
have a policy in place that allows us to maximise our enforcement and seek redress where landlords
are not complying.
So I'll ask the team to add to that.
There's nothing really much more to add than what's already been said, only that this is
a big change to the rented sector in the UK and it's been championed by the UK government
as well.
And I think locally within Tower Hamlets it's definitely shown a great deal of partnership
working because the enforcement of it bridges across three separate sort of service areas,
that's housing options, private rented sector and also trading standards and regulatory
services and it's great that those three have come together and have sort of owned this
and had a great sort of impact into getting this policy and the actual procedures and
things in place ready for it to go live and for us to do some good work for our residents.
There is one slight part of it that we need to just raise which is just about future proofing
the policy so it doesn't have to keep coming back through cabinet because there are changes
that have been announced by government and I'll let Nick take that.
So just to introduce myself I'm Nick Grace Langrick, I'm the new head of private sector
housing enforcement.
I've been here one month so thank you very much.
Thank you Tom.
So what's important is that the policies have been introduced.
They remain very much live policies in the same way that the legislation remains live.
And what's important for the Council to have its Council is that we have a means for making
amendments, like amendments to that policy based on any case law or any adjustments to
the legislation.
But in addition, the Renters' Rights Act's been introduced in phases.
So at the end of 2026, we see the further phase, which is the introduction of a PRS
private renter sector database and we see the introduction of the PRS ombudsman so the policies will need to be updated
At that stage so the what's been recommended
For for cabinet to consider is an amendment isn't it is a further
recommendation that
the
corporate director for housing and regeneration with the corporate director for communities in
consultation with the mayor
is able to make amendments to the policy.
So we're introducing that as an amendment.
But it is very important because we don't,
we don't, you know, we need the policies
to be able to be updated in line with the legislation
that's being enforced, so.
Is that okay?
Just the proposal of an additional recommendation
that any, the corporate directors for communities
and corporate director for housing and regeneration in consultation with yourself, can make adjustments
to the current policy.
So it's to future -proof it for the further phase in the Renters' Rights Act in later
2026.
Great.
Good.
Sopeia, please.
Thank you, Mayor.
I'll just recommend one change to the recommendations, where it says the policies will become effective
immediately upon approval.
I know that this is a key decision, so it would be subject to the calling period, which
is why I think that wording should either say subject to the calling period or just
take it out, the recommendations altogether, it's not really necessary.
I think it's important to have a date in that the policy becomes live from, because officers
the three teams that are enforcing this legislation will be out in the field and as they come
across offences, it's important that we can distinguish between policies.
We've got an enforcement policy now and then we'll move to the new policy.
So it would be helpful if there was a...
It's okay, what we say is subject to any calling, expiry of the calling period.
That's still normal.
Is that okay?
Yeah, no, that's fine.
Great.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Any colleagues? Any comment from anyone?
Tala? Khabir?
Is anything on the ad? You okay?
I can do, Mr Mayor. So just to highlight that...
I do miss you. I do miss you here.
I know, I miss you too, Mr Mayor.
So just to highlight that this is for the private sector.
And you know, time and again, we've had numerous complaints
about the quality of housing, damp and mould
and a range of issues with infestation of pests and residents suffering in silence. I think the
three different elements that come together will assist residents in Tower Hamlets to have a
framework that will support them to the point where they can make rent repayment orders and
a whole range of other legal support that the council can provide and hold landlords to account.
Thank you.
Thank you.
This is straightforward.
Anyone else?
You're okay?
Okay.
I've got one or two.
What didn't – wasn't clear to me, David, and I have benefit of briefings too, so I
just want to put my hands up, that I didn't understand the enforcement, the investigation
and actual enforcement element of this policy.
How – who does that?
How long would it take and what's the ultimate sanction?
That wasn't clear to me in the paper.
The enforcement is split for three services, so housing options, trading standards and
health and housing or private rents sector.
So the three services would take on the enforcement and it's split between the three of them as
to which parts they have and we've worked that out.
From the public -facing sector, they
won't need to worry about that because we've got a triage
system that they just put what their problems are,
it funnels through to us, and they
don't need to worry about who does what
because that's silly for them to do that after that.
We would be looking at that.
We have got a meeting actually booked in, I think,
later on this month to work out our database procedures
to make sure our performance is there.
the government has actually set, and there's been a policy I think released today isn't it?
About the key performance indicators that the government wants.
What the Act essentially does is it brings it in line with legislation such as food hygiene and health and safety
and licencing, commercial licencing, where there is a requirement to feed back to government on your performance, on what you've done.
So there's that, but we will also be looking at local performance.
for instance, making sure that customers get a timely response of receipt of their complaint
and also a timely response or update on where they are with it.
That will include where we're going with enforcement.
The enforcement itself is quite expansive.
There's lots of different parts you can do because it also encompasses parts of the Housing
Act.
But the main thrust of this would be the fixed penalty notice, which is why the policy is
here and that would be basically a civil penalty notice which would be served.
Thank you for that. My worry is that triage system. I know you are the responsible officer
David so as far as I'm concerned I go to you, we go to you to make sure it gets dealt with.
But my worry is when a complaint comes from a job log, a member of the public, it's going
How is there a coordinated body
who gets to
, through whichever
service it comes through
,
who is keeping an eye on it
and making sure it has been
actioned?
I don't want this
pushing and shoving
from service to service.
I had one or two instances
like that
and that worries me
and David knows
one particular
matter
which I need to talk to you
further.
That has not been dealt with
David yet
where it was pushing and shoving between housing and communities.
Not clear, lower level.
We don't want that.
When a complaint comes in, concern comes in, I don't know who it is, I don't care who it is,
how does David get to get the final report and how does it get picked up?
That's what I want to know.
And it's been dealt with and actioned.
And we get a, I want to call to LICA, later on we'll have a quarterly performance report
or housing cabinet subcommittee reporting, we want that measurements, the complaints to be,
we want a reporting mechanism too, to housing cabinet. Go on.
We can develop that alongside the KPIs that we have to provide to the government,
so that should, it should be fairly straightforward to do that.
We already have sort of dashboards for our current complaints anyway,
which we can bring through to David anyway, and yourself if you want to see them.
But there is a process that we can develop for that.
I get what you're saying about the...
We just don't want anything to fall by the wayside.
If someone puts in a concern, reports a matter,
we want assurance, lead members,
we want assurance that it's been actioned.
No pushing and shoving, it's not me, it's that person.
We just want to be dealt with.
We will make sure that is done.
I don't think they will be.
The groups that we have been
liaising with,
there has been a lot of shared
learning from it.
We have all got to know each
other.
I don't think there is going to be that
kind of throwing.
It will be monitored within our
databases.
Myself and Nick share the same
database anyway so we can see
each other.
And housing options will be having a
database as well.
Trading standards have also
offered to do some
information on how to get
enforcement training with housing options as well if they want to, if they feel the
need for upskilling in regards to civil penalty notices.
So I don't think that will happen, but we can certainly show the data if that's required.
Thank you.
Kiran.
Thank you.
If I just sort of finish off in terms of splitting the three distinct areas in answer to your
question, Mr Mayor.
So we've got the report and triage part as the first stage, and then we've got the investigations
as the second, and then we've got enforcement as the third.
So we'll make sure that the performance framework that we've got on KPIs focuses on those three areas
and we're really clear on what good looks like.
So in terms of report and triage, it is making sure that we're receiving the complaints and they've got timely responses.
It's making sure that we are risk assessing and the most important thing is where we've got vulnerable residents
and high risk that we prioritise them so we can build our performance framework around that
to make sure we capture that in terms of our responses.
and then obviously the back office bit is making sure we timely allocate those cases to the right people and that's the back office bit.
Our residents should just see that single front door and that response and again in terms of investigations it could be visits for example
where we've got Councillor Kabbir -Armed mentioned damp infestation, it's a timeliness of that visit to that property
and our engagement with that tenant to assess and investigate and then again enforcement where appropriate.
that we need to make sure that we are balanced and proportionate,
that we're providing the warnings, but we're also equally active
if, for example, people aren't compliant or it's high level,
that we are issuing enforcement.
So in those three areas, those are the areas that we would
performance manage to make sure we are giving a good service.
And between sort of housing and ourselves,
it's ensuring that those three areas are clearly managed
and we are clear on what good looks like.
Thank you.
It is about protecting and safeguarding our renters.
Last point is to be noted.
I'm going to move on.
Just very quickly, I welcome this report and stronger protections for private renters.
Just really quickly, in terms of like the Mayor said, passing the triage, kind of who
responsible, for example the managing agents and like the agents of the
landlord sometimes like it's either shared responsibility who will be
accountable in terms of if there is you know pursued a penalty or sometimes the
landlord will say it's the agency and the agency must say it's a landlord.
So that's a very good question.
So when a complaint comes into the private sector housing team or health and housing
and it's allocated to an officer, part of their investigation will be what is the problem,
what's the impact and then how will it be resolved.
So how will it be resolved?
A decision will be made to be made who is responsible for ensuring that the conditions
are resolved or if there's enforcement action who it's taken against.
So it's a very complex world out in the letting world and the properties can be letting agent
connect to a person and then that person then lets it in a different fashion.
So there's a need for a proper investigation in all times to find out who's actually responsible.
So there's different contracts isn't it with the management agent and the agency as well?
There's different contracts between the different parties.
Sometimes it's commercial, often it's residential.
And sometimes the freeholder is not aware of how the property's been let.
They think they've let it to a family, but it's actually been sublet.
So what's important is the message that for residents who are vulnerable,
who are suffering or experiencing poor conditions,
they know how to act, they know who they can contact
so that we can take action and support residents.
Thank you. Thank you for those comments, officers and members.
I think it is a good thing
you manage all the
community
.
I think it is a good thing

6 c) Addition of part of John Onslow House to the Community Premises Portfolio

assets and I think it's rightfully so, it goes to you and you manage it given what we're
delivering here.
So can we agree to this recommendations here?
Okay, thank you.
Well done, Sam.
Thank you.
Great.
Good.
Okay, 6 .4.

6 d) Development of St Georges Leisure Centre – Appropriation for Planning Purposes and use of Section 203 Powers (Rights of Light)

Again, it's quite a straightforward one.
The development of, sorry?
Yeah, the development of St George's Ledger Centre, appropriation for planning purposes
We have a
number of people who have
been involved in the
We have a number of
people who have been involved
in the football.
We have a number of people
the football.
We have a number of people
You're rushing me.
OK, good.
OK, this is very important.

6 e) Waste Reception, Treatment and RRC Service Contract – Future Contracting Approach

The waste reception, 6 .5.
OK, waste reception, treatment, and RRC services contract.
OK, who's your contracting approach?
Do you have an idea of the additional information
that they added yesterday?
Yeah, they're adding everything, yeah?
Well, no, they've said you have talked
with additional information that hasn't been added to the paper
or who hasn't been added so he can ask to have it.
Okay, Shafiq, are you going to talk?
Thank you.
This is the waste disposable contract that we are about to extend for a two year plus a further two year option.
As part of the two year plus, two year extension will continue to benefit from the cost effective pricing and the added social value.
As we know this has been coming and going for a couple of months prior to the election
and I would like to thank officers Fiona and Richard for bringing this to the cabinet and
revised the contract and I would like to hand over to them.
Before you do that, just to remind members, there is a pink paper attached to it.
Please don't refer to that.
There are exempt elements.
That is not for public consumption.
Thank you.
Please.
Ashraf.
Thank you, Mr Mayor.
I'm going to hand over to Fiona to go through the detail of the summary of the paper.
I know we've been having a lot of conversation with your office, HIC, in terms of follow -up
from the last meeting we've been here before in terms of discussion and we've had a lot
of feedback and comments from your office and the office has been working in those queries
to address some of those points and we've got a revised paper for your consideration,
Mr Mayor.
So I'm going to hand over to Fiona just to go through some of the details on the paper that's been presented.
Thank you Mr. Mayor, thank you Ashraf.
Yes, as the Mayor has pointed out, a lot of the detail is in the pink pages for this report.
So essentially what is being asked of Cabinet today is to make a decision about the future of the main waste reception RRC,
the waste reception treatment and RRC services contract
with COREY comes to the end of its initial term
on the 31st of March, 2027, and the council needs
to make a decision about the further extension
of that contract.
All of the details in relation to value for money
from the contract, what the contractor is delivering
in terms of current levels of performance,
social value are set out in the report that's been provided to you.
It's officers' recommendation that the contract is extended as per the recommendations in
the part of the report in the pink pages.
As part of the contract, the contractor also utilises council facilities at Northumberland
Wharf, the transfer station and the reuse and recycling centre, and those facilities
are subject to commercial leases that also come to an end at the end of March 2027 and
will need to be replaced in line with the contract extension.
So there's a recommendation in relation to that matter in the pink pages of the report.
Thank you.
Richard, do you want to add?
Just to say, Mayor, we've added a recommendation at your request to just say that officers
we will continue to what we call it a maximise and monitor social value.
I think these recommendations are in the pink papers, aren't they?
So let's not refer to it now in the proper way.
Well, at this stage, yes, please, yes.
For legal reasons, which is beyond my understanding sometimes.
But it's no criticism to Shupriya, it's the way we've worked all this time.
Thank you.
Okay, Tala.
Thank you, Mayor, thank you colleagues.
I know Fiona's comments about the report being updated, but just for I think
Transparency, I think it's important that I mentioned some of the things that we asked you to look into and I believe they have been
Addressed it's just a matter of updating the report. That's all it is
and I assume it has so I
think
the projection projections of the cost going down
Was linked to our performance in recycling
So assuming that we'll be hitting our recycling targets, therefore the price of disposal will be going down.
So I think just elaborating on that piece within the new paper, revised paper will be really helpful.
If you haven't done so already.
I think also to understand how Corrie may help us on improving recycling and our weaknesses around recycling would be much welcomed.
I think having a clear figure on carbon capture targets would be really helpful.
And I'm sure colleagues have already done that, but once again I thought we'd just outline
some of the things that we felt was missing from the original report.
Additional information around how the contract will be managed.
I know we've got a robust arrangement, but just to outline that within the report.
and a more detailed assessment of the risk of cost increasing
due to the waste emissions trading scheme.
So just to get more information around that.
And just finally, obviously I know some of the prices
in terms of the cost of food recycling and then recycling,
sorry, food waste and then recycling and then non -recycling.
And I think the issues there, one of the core issues there
around recycling costs being quite expensive for us
is the level of contamination.
And I know we're doing a lot around addressing contamination.
It's just sort of labouring the point again that we do need to address that.
We need to work with residents.
Do all the stuff that you're doing already to really drive that cost down.
Because recycling should actually cost us less and not more.
This is a bit more technical.
I mean, Shri Pyaar may want to help me because the restrictions...
Sorry, the recommendations are in the restricted element, the exempt element of the paper,
the big paper.
There are certain discussions or questions that I need answered.
We cannot discuss it here.
We may have to come back to the restricted paper to have that discussion, like social
value for me, for instance, and the value of that, and I was delivered.
So, I mean, I'm suggesting that we suspend this discussion now, this paper, and take
the other papers, open papers, and have a closed session on the pink paper, then how
do we, we need to agree the recommendations.
You can always go into part two, so it's towards the end of the meeting, and agree then there.
Right.
but for public consumption, how will they know what decisions we made?
Are you agreeing anything at this stage?
Well, you're not ready to agree anything.
Well, we're not ready to agree.
So then I think you have to go back into part two and then part one again
to agree the recommendations.
So part two is the exempt element.
But how will the public know what we agreed?
Well, you can go back into part one.
Okay, but we can do that later on.
Once the tender discussions, negotiations have been done,
then it should come back to cabinet or for me.
So for example, this social value element, it's not set out in the paper
and there are certain suggestions I want to make
that how social value should be delivered and I want for public consumption.
So how do I let the public know?
I think the appropriate way forward might be to suspend discussion about this paper now
finish off the other agenda papers in part A, then clear the auditorium, move into part B
and once you finish part B debate we go back into part A and finish off this evening
and at which point you'll be able to say that you've adopted recommendations in part B which will be a deity.
It will mean that lots of people probably won't come back but it's being webcast and that is the whole point of support and transparency.
I want the public to know the community benefit of this contract.
This contract is huge and we're continuing with the same provider.
The benefit that we squeezed out of this in terms of reducing the price, but more importantly
the social value, I want the public to know.
Well, I can't see that the social value element would be commercially sensitive in any event.
It shouldn't be.
I would like us to comment on that in the public domain.
Is that OK?
Thank you.
So we are just suspending this for now,
taking the other two papers and coming back to it in part two.
OK?
Thank you.
OK, let's move on.
Yes, so we are doing supply of grid electricity
and natural resources.

6 f) Supply of Grid Electricity and Natural Gas Contract Award

Gas Contract Award.
6 .6.
So, Tala.
Shafi, sorry.
Okay, Shafi.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
And this is a contract where we will buy our energy for all council assets for the next
two years and onwards.
We have been in contact with the government agency since 2009
and most local authorities are actually working with this agency
to ensure that we get the best value for our energy prices going forward.
So this is a recommendation of going forward with the current contract.
The good news is due to our energy sourcing,
it seems from previous years' contract was 23 million.
It's now hopefully going to be down to 21 million as per the role.
We need to instruct the company and the officers by September so that they can continue the
rolling contract.
I'd like to hand over to Abdul Khan, who has been leading on this energy.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Thank you, Councillor Shafi.
So this is to procure energy.
So that's energy consumption within our buildings, our corporate buildings, parks,
letter centres, schools and housing, the communal areas.
This contract would start from April 2027.
Given that we are buying through government commercial agency,
a government body and a broker, we have to give them notice by September
the 10th to forward purchase from October onwards to start receiving the supply from 1st April 2027.
We are asking for a three -year rolling contract, but we can and what we will do is review the contract
and the performance on an annual basis and we can come out of the contract after a year
If that's something that we should decide to do.
In terms of some of the recommendations from the MAB meeting,
so recommendation four, we've added requirement for consultation with the MIR.
So after the first year of the contract, we are going to review the performance
and take a view whether to continue with year two and year three.
In terms of social value, because of the way this is procured,
and this is a huge contract, £51 billion in its entirety,
it's quite difficult to secure anything specific for the borough.
But we have been working directly with the supplier, one of the suppliers,
EDF, to do a project within the borough.
But I think the contract could give more social value
and we'll be working with the original partners to make sure that we try
and secure more in terms of social value through this contract.
That will come out in the one year review that we do.
In terms of commissions, we've added that.
There are around 2000, 2000 metres or 2000 separate contracts within our portfolio.
GCA charges £5 to £240 per metre in terms of metering and adhesion and stuff like that.
which totals up to £90 ,000 per year.
In terms of the energy market itself, it is highly volatile,
so ensuring that we purchase our energy through,
where we can get assurance on security and supply is important.
And I think this is the best way, using the GCA framework,
because it's the best way to procure energy going forward.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Soloman.
You do well.
How quickly are the Soloman coming up?
We've done six buildings, six big buildings.
Our biggest building is mine and leisure,
so that's being done at the moment.
So we should be able to get you down there after some holidays.
There are solar panels on this building, that was done as part of the build out itself.
After this phase we are doing another phase of another million pounds working with Council HIV on that.
We are going to be tackling housing, housing mistakes as well to do some solar panels on that.
Another comment, about saving, cost,
so we're working on a great work in the UK.
We've got a bit of a worry, but we're planning to do it.
I just had one question, Mr. Mani.
Welcome to here.
I know on 3 .54 you're saying it will be difficult for our bar
at least specifically regarding the social value requirements.
So how can we be assured that we're getting our fair share
of social value?
So in terms of social value, because this is such a big contract, what GCA don't do
is secure anything specific for any borrower.
So if you sort of add up what we put into the contract, I think it's less than half
a percent.
So it's hard to do that.
So the way they choose the suppliers is based on the supplier's social value.
So the two suppliers are EDF Energy for electricity and Total Energy for gas.
So we're working directly with EDF through our connexions to secure some social value.
So what we're securing at the moment is more than what anybody else is getting at the moment.
But I think putting pressure on GCA to actually go further is something we could do.
And given that this is a 51 billion pound contract and we know what's happening with climate change,
For example, over the last few months, I think nearly 2 ,700 people died of the heat wave.
I think the energy companies could do more.
So I think working with GCA and with regional partners, LGA, we will try and put more pressure on them to do more social value work in this area.
Sorry, are there any social values? Are you negotiating social values?
We have agreed with the EDF that they will do a social value project in the borough.
We are just trying to find an appropriate and suitable project for our borough at the
moment.
You touched on it at page 369.
You have got it.
But it is not clear.
I know you are trying to determine social value.
What I am going to say in the recommendation, I need to know.
We want to know and we want to be involved with you in developing that social value.
So in the recommendation I'm going to come back and say approve in consultation with
the mayor.
So I'll come to the recommendation in a minute because I very much want to see and understand
the social value.
This is a huge contract, like the previous one, and we want to see what they will deliver
in terms of community benefits.
A separate discussion. Thanks for picking that up.
I'll come to it in a minute. Anyone else?
Anyone else? Nope.
You're not interested in electricity or gas?
Yeah.
You rely on sunshine, yeah? Okay.
Good. Okay. Good, good, good.
Okay, Steve, is there anything you want to comment on?
Okay. So I'm going now, thank you for that.
I'm going to recommendation.
So the first recommendation is fine.
Second, I'm very keen on the social value element of this, so I can't just nod it through
and let officers get on with it.
I want it to come back to me.
So on Point 2, Recommendation 2, I'm saying yes, but in consultation with the Mayor, that
can be added in, please, yes?
So I want to add the social value element, please, yes?
Lead member, I want us to have a discussion what you're proposing, what we're securing.
and whatever we secure could be directly through the council.
I'll tell you why in the previous paper, what they've done.
Again, recommendation three, again in consultation with the mayor,
the electricity and the gas one, please, yeah?
Again, we will deliver social value.
Four is fine.
Is that okay?
Those amendments, yeah, please.
Sorry, are you asking for a taper back?
No, not a taper.
I just need to talk to me, consult with me.
I just want to see the social value element of it.
Nothing back to cabinet.
We can do it in other forums.
Is that okay, David?
Yeah, sorry, Abdul Karim Swift.
Okay, David, that's why I said David.
Is that okay, Abdul?
Okay, thank you.
Subject to those minor amendments, we agree with this paper.
Okay, thank you very much.
Okay, record of corporate directors' actions, quarter four, 6 .7.
It's quite straightforward.

6 g) Record of Corporate Director’s Actions Quarter 4 (2025 -2026)

There's nothing there which is burning.
Is there anything there that you're worried about?
You're okay?
Yeah, we should.
Yep, okay.
Good.
Can we agree this?
Yep, good.
Okay, great.
Yeah, and before we go, we've got another supplemental paper, which is the, thank you,
it's 4 .1, I should get with that at the beginning.
I'm dealing with it now.
So what we've introduced this council is a cabinet members agreement statement of commitment cabinet members
You're getting paid a lot of money your your hair very prestigious position and I need help from you
Yeah, and to discharge your duties effectively and efficiently and you are valuable money, too
And we need you minimum three days a week full time
You've got to deliver on that if not, you need to reconsider your position. I've been open with you
But more importantly, we've got to deliver for the people of this borough.
And I think we're introducing good practise where all of us will be signing a contract
to make sure we work to a certain standard, high standard, as cabinet members and deliver
for the people.
Is that okay?
So just for the record, so the cabinet member agreement is set out for public consumption
and you have all agreed to sign up to it.
Is that okay?
Good?
Good, thank you.
Who can agree with this?
Three days.
Yeah, three days.
Three full days.
Minimum, but for you it's eight days.
For me and you it's ten days.
David is also seven days and Steve also.
Thank you, thank you.
So can we agree with this?
Thank you, that's fine.
Can we now come back to the part 2, the exempt item on 6 .4 please?
No, it's not 6 .4, which one is it? Sorry.
6 .5.
6 .5.
So you formally exclude the press?
Yeah, yeah, so any press? Thank you, Nick, thank you.
Keep on writing, keep on writing, keep up the writing.
Thank you.
The interns you will have to leave too.
So, okay, thank you.
Officers can stay and deputies can stay.
Leave one on here.

6 e) Waste Reception, Treatment and RRC Service Contract – Future Contracting Approach

Thank you for members of the public.
We've returned to agenda item 6 .5, the waste reception, treatment and RRC services contract,
future contracting approach.
A number of recommendations have been made by officers and the monetary officer is here
and I, for the record, we want those recommendations to be in the public part of the cabinet paper,
in part A. The two amendments that we're making is that the current provider, please, please
and discussions are going on with Corrie.
And I'm not talking about the price as for the exempt element,
but negotiation is continuing with Corrie,
with a view to extending the contract.
And what's been recommended is two plus two, two plus two.
The price, I'm leaving the price aside, that's for the officers
and the subject of negotiation.
once the negotiation is concluded and we have signed the contract, that price needs to come
into the public domain.
Maybe the overall contract value can be in the public domain but not the detailed price.
What I meant is the overall contract value, how much per year we have to pay for delivering
this service, that's that.
So I'm very keen on that.
I'm also very much, we are all keen on the social value element.
What benefits, other benefits that the people of this borough get is very important because
of the substantial contract we will enter into, value we will enter into with Corrie.
So social value is very important and as a policy we say minimum 10 % of the overall contract
should be for social value, community benefits and it's been suggested, that's for people
public, should be for public consumption, that at around £1 million of community benefits
will be derived through the negotiations from this contract.
Yes, £1 million.
What I want to see, I'm going to approve these recommendations, which is set out in page
3 to 6 of the exempt element, the four recommendations which become public elements, should people
can come in and clarify. I will, recommendation three talks about social value and what I
am saying, we agree recommendation one and two, subject to and approval from me on the
social value. And all social value to delivered by the council. So apprenticeships going forward
should be delivered by the council.
We're centralising our apprenticeships.
You say, okay, lead member, Shuna Lee.
We're saying any small grant should be made by the council.
The provider cannot make any small grants to any third
parties directly.
It's got to come from the council.
We're saying any other benefit, yeah,
it's got to come from the council, okay,
and we take a borough -wide view rather than a small area view.
Okay?
I want to see that, I want to see, and the lead member should see the benefits, community benefits, before we'll agree and sign off the extension of the contract.
And we have satisfied ourselves, we delivered the contracts. Is that okay, Steve? Are you happy with that?
Yes, that's fine. Recommendation one and two will be subject to social value, a briefing paper coming back to you, and the lead member, so I'll perfectly understand it, and we'll amend the recommendation to reflect that.
Thank you officers for coming.
And we got no other business.
We conclude the cabinet meeting.
Webcast Finished - 1:38:12
Thank you.