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Agenda and draft minutes

Venue: Room 18.12, 18th Floor, 64 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6QP

Contact: Jack Shaw, Portfolio Advisor  Email:  jshaw@westminster.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Membership

To report any changes to the membership.

Minutes:

1.1       Cllr Spencer replaced Cllr Caplan.

 

2.

Declarations of Interests

To receive and record declarations of interest.

Minutes:

2.1       Cllr Spencer declared an interest in Item 8.4, Lillington and Longmore Gardens Retrofit, being a councillor for Tachbrook Ward in which the scheme is based. No further interests were declared.

 

2.2       The Chairman advised that as Cllr Swaddle was attending virtually, his comments are advisory. With the Chairman and Cllr Spencer present in person, the meeting is quorate. 

 

3.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 287 KB

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

Minutes:

3.1       RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 05 July 2021 were approved.

 

4.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) pdf icon PDF 536 KB

This report seeks to allocate a total of £1.006m of funding from the Neighbourhood CIL portion to various infrastructure projects to ensure the effective spend of local CIL.

 

Minutes:

4.1       Mayfair Green Route – Alford Street Permanent Garden: Officers recommended approval in principle of the scheme. The Chairman expressed support for the scheme, citing the importance of green initiatives, though clarified that Westminster City Council was not responsible for the maintenance and revenue costs of the scheme.  The Chairman welcomed a volunteer-led approach. Cllr Spencer and Cllr Swaddle echoed the Chairman’s comments and approval in principle was granted. The maintenance plan needs to be presented and approved by Westminster City Council before the project can start.

 

4.2       CCTV for Mayfair: The Chairman approved the scheme in principle and said it was well supported by Mayfair Neighbourhood Forum and the local community. Cllr Spencer agreed and noted that written endorsement from the Metropolitan Police Service must be received by Westminster City Council before funding is allocated. The endorsement must clearly state that a CCTV intervention is a part of full solution to crime prevention and detection.

 

4.3       Stairs and Elevator Replacement at St Marylebone Health Centre: The Chairman approved the scheme, given the accessibility improvements for users of the Health Centre. While the location of the stairs and elevator replacement is on the site of a church, the health centre is open to all residents, regardless of their faith. Cllr Spencer and Cllr Swaddle agreed. Cllr Swaddle added that the facility is well subscribed.

 

4.4       The Pineapple Project: New Community Space at St Mary’s Bourne Street: Officers recommended approval in principle as the applicant has been requested to be provide a fee structure for discounted rates for residents. The applicant must also consult the council and the Belgravia Neighbourhood Forum on the fee structure. The Chairman agreed to give approval in principle. The Chairman added that CIL funding should only be used to fund infrastructure, as opposed to charity revenue budgets. It was noted that the application is supported by the Belgravia Neighbourhood Forum. Cllr Swaddle clarified that as part of the fee structure the charity shouldn’t make a profit from residents.

 

4.5       Accessibility Improvements to St Barnabas Church: The scheme has been supported strongly by the Belgravia Neighbourhood Forum and ward councillors. The Chairman said it was good to see a substantial contribution from the Church of England, adding that ensuring polling stations are accessible are an important part of the democratic process. On that basis, the Chairman approved the scheme. Cllr Spencer agreed and reiterated that the Church is a multi-use building and therefore benefits residents, regardless of their faith. Cllr Spencer’s comments were echoed by Cllr Swaddle.

4.6       Refurbishment of Staff Room and Learning Space at St Barnabas Church of England School: The refurbishment was recommended by officers for approval. The Chairman supported the scheme, citing the renovation of the kitchen as important to ensuring children has access to nutritious meals. The refurbishment was supported by the local Neighbourhood Forum. Cllr Spencer supported the scheme and Cllr Swaddle expressed reluctance to support the scheme. The refurbishment was approved.

 

4.7       Consultant for Maida Hill Neighbourhood Plan: Officers recommended  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Section 106

The report also seeks to allocate £1.083m from the S106 Carbon Offset Fund to reduce carbon emissions in the City of Westminster.

 

Minutes:

5.1       Lillington and Longmore Gardens Retrofit: The Chairman said carbon offsetting is vital to tackle climate change, noting that the council declared a climate emergency eighteen months ago. This week also marks COP26 and follows the publication of the council’s Climate Action Report. The Chairman approved the scheme an expressed an interest in the retrofit providing a template for carbon offsetting elsewhere across the borough. Cllr Spencer recused himself as the ward councillor for Lillington and Longmore Gardens. Cllr Swaddle supported the scheme, noting that residents would benefit from lower bills over the lifetime of their property. This decision will not be made today, and the issue will be approved separately via a Cabinet Member Report.

 

5.2       Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards Pilot for Private Rented Sector: The Chairman approved the Pilot, noting that as part of declaring a climate emergency and our Climate Action Plan, Westminster pledged to make the council and our housing stock carbon neutral. Over the longer-term the City will need to be carbon neutral. The Chairman added that its important to incentivise private landlords to introduce carbon-saving measures and doing so will provide lower bills for residents. Cllr Spencer approved the scheme, noting that 85% of cabinet emissions come from council housing stock.

 

5.3       Queens Park Community Council Net Zero Report: The Chairman declared an interest that he lives in Queen’s Park Ward but has not played a part in the decision-making process. Officers confirmed that, given the Chairman has played no role in the scheme, he can still on the decision. Officers recommended deferring the scheme, and the Chairman agreed it should be deferred until Queen’s Park Community Council liaise with the council’s Climate Emergency team. Cllr Spencer and Cllr Swaddle agreed. 

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

The Cabinet CIL Committee is asked to approve the following Neighbourhood CIL bids for allocation:

 

i)                CCTV for Mayfair

ii)               Mayfair Green Route – Alford Street Permanent Garden

iii)              Stairs and Elevator Replacement for St Marylebone Health Centre

iv)             Reconfiguration of Community Space at St Mary’s Bourne Street

v)               Accessibility Improvements to St Barnabas Church

vi)             Refurbishment of Staff Room at St Barnabas Church of England School

vii)            Consultant for Maida Hill Neighbourhood Plan

viii)           Maida Hill Parklets

ix)             Lighting and Public Realm Upgrade

x)               Facilities Refurbishment at Greenhouse Sports

 

Deferred the following Neighbourhood CIL application:

i)                Church Street Shop Frontage Improvements

 

Approve the following Carbon Offset (S106) applications:

 

i)                Lillington and Longmore Gardens Retrofit

ii)               ii) Minimum Efficiency Standards Pilot for the Private Rented Sector

 

6.

Any Other Business Which the Chairman Considers Urgent

Minutes:

6.1       There was no other business discussed.