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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Room 3.6 and 3.7, 3rd Floor, 5 Strand, London, WC2 5HR. View directions

Contact: Toby Howes, Senior Committee and Governance Officer  Tel: 020 7641 8470; Email:  thowes@westminster.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN/MEMBERSHIP

To elect a Chairman of the Housing, Finance and Customer Services Policy and Scrutiny Committee.

Minutes:

1.1         Nominations for the election of Chairman of the Committee were sought. Nominations were received and seconded for both Councillor Melvyn Caplan and Councillor Matt Noble respectively.

 

1.2         The nominations were put to the vote and the nomination for Councillor Caplan was Chairman was declared carried.

 

1.3         RESOLVED:

 

That Councillor Melvyn Caplan be appointed as Chairman of the Housing, Finance and Customer Services Policy and Scrutiny Committee.

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of any personal or prejudicial interests in matters on this agenda.

Minutes:

2.1       There were no declarations of interest.

3.

MINUTES pdf icon PDF 176 KB

To approve the minutes of the Housing, Finance and Corporate Services Policy and Scrutiny Committee held on 26 March 2018.

Minutes:

3.1       RESOLVED:

 

            That the minutes of the meeting held on 26 March 2018 be signed by the Chairman as a correct record of proceedings.

4.

POLICY AND SCRUTINY PORTFOLIO OVERVIEW pdf icon PDF 326 KB

The Committee to receive an update from the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Customer Services on the following:

 

1.  A summary of the service areas.

2.  Cabinet Member priorities for the year ahead; and

3.  Any key service updates/issues.

 

Report to follow.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

            Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Corporate Services

 

4.1       Councillor Rachael Robathan (Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration) was invited to give an overview of her portfolio to the Committee. She began by focusing on the Finance element of her portfolio where she oversaw financial arrangements which required sound management in order for the City Council to function properly and achieve the necessary savings whilst maintaining high quality services, many of which faced increasing demand. Members heard that work was already underway for the 2019-20 budget and Cabinet Members were reviewing proposed savings for their respective areas. In terms of charges and revenues, the collection of business rates was challenging. Councillor Robathan stated that an ambitious Capital Programme was in place and all aspects of it were being reviewed. The budget was due to be considered by Cabinet in the autumn.

 

4.2       Councillor Robathan emphasised the City Council’s commitment to regeneration and delivering more affordable housing. She referred to major regeneration schemes such as Ebury Bridge and Church Street and added that more specialised housing for people with disabilities and older people were also being built. Members noted that a new nursing home was under construction at the Beechcroft site.

 

4.3       The Committee then asked a number of questions for Councillor Robathan to respond to.

 

            Corporate Property

 

4.4       Investment

            Members commented that the Financial Times newspaper had been critical of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s plans to invest in commercial property and they asked why the City Council felt that it would be able to identify properties that offered good value. In reply, Councillor Robathan advised that the City Council already had an investment portfolio and attention was being given to ensure that it was managed well. Consideration would be given as to whether there were opportunities for further investment and this would be conducted in a controlled manner, focusing on regeneration opportunities in particular. Councillor Robathan added that she chairs the Property Investment Panel which included two external expert advisers. Steven Mair (City Treasurer) further advised that any property investment would be subject to extensive due diligence.

 

4.5       Westminster City Hall (64 Victoria Street)

            A Member commented that City Hall offered a good opportunity for the City Council to raise income through leasing out office space. Councillor Robathan replied that negotiations were at an advanced stage in leasing out space to 10 floors at City Hall. She also emphasised the importance of ensuring that there was a good working environment for staff at City Hall and a recent visit she had made to the site has shown that good progress was being made. The Chairman requested that an update on City Hall be included in the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration update at the next meeting.

 

            Finance

 

4.6       Borrowing Strategy

            A Member commented that the City Council’s tax was low compared with other local authorities and Government policy made it difficult for councils to undertake increases in Council Tax. In view  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

2018/19 WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 147 KB

To consider topics for the 2018/19 work programme.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

5.1       Aaron Hardy (Policy and Scrutiny Manager) presented the report which provided a list of potential topics for the Committee to incorporate into its work programme. He then invited the Committee to comment and make suggestions on the work programme.

 

5.2       The Chairman advised that the Sprinklers Task Group was already in progress. He stated that the Digital Transformation Strategy was a topic that the Committee should consider soon. He added that suggestions were also welcome outside of the meeting. He also suggested that there be no more than two topics for each meeting in order to provide sufficient time for each to be considered.

 

5.3       A Member queried why the budget was set in the autumn rather than in March. In reply, Steven Mair advised that this allowed more time to deliver savings.

 

5.4       Members agreed that regeneration be added as a topic on the work programme and that it be included in the Cabinet Member for Finance, Property and Regeneration updates.  The Chairman requested that he be advised as to when would be appropriate to consider Business Rates. A briefing note on the implementation of Universal Credit, including timescales, and detailing how housing providers were responding to the implications of Universal Credit in view that they often required rent to paid in advance was also requested.

 

5.5       ACTIONS:

 

1.    Regeneration to be added as a topic to the work programme. (Action for: Aaron Hardy, Scrutiny Manager)

 

2.    Chairman to be advised as to when Business Rates can be considered by the Committee. (Action for: Steven Mair, City Treasurer)

 

3.    Briefing note on the implementation of Universal Credit, including timescales, be provided. (Action for: Martin Hinckley, Assistant City Treasurer and Head of Revenues and Benefits)

6.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

To consider any other business which the Chairman considers urgent.

Minutes:

6.1       There was no other business.