Transcript

[Applause] >> We've got two papers which we're signing off on tonight. The first is the grounds maintenance contract award. So we're going for the recommendations in paragraph two. For a little bit of background, we had a discussion at the over-instrumental committee around some of the details of the contract, specifically in terms of the relationship between the contract and maintenance on our highways, particularly around leaves, and also around cleaning on estates. So how the contract is going to interact with existing contracts we have with cleaning services. You'll also be aware that we have a kind of in-house part of the contract around horticulture, so our own team that liaises with whatever contractor that we choose, which we spoke very highly of in the committee. So we're recommending that, and it was supported at committee. And then the second paper is the HRA business plan update, which outlines our long-term projections around the viability of the housing revenue account. It's a -- you know, I have to say, in relationship to the national picture, it's an incredibly strong -- you know, we have a strong investment plan, but we also have a very strong and healthy HRA. So we're in a very privileged position that means we can continue with building council housing and, you know, having a strong maintenance and repairs capital works program, whilst also not having to kind of worry about some of the cutbacks that other councils are facing. And our HRA business plan remains well -- you know, viable -- you know, it's beyond viable. It's not even crossing the threshold yet. Our borrowing is going to be very careful based on interest rates and based on the best deal we can get for ones with residents, but it's a strong HRA business plan.

Thanks very much. I don't know if there's any comments or questions. If not, just taking those in order, is the grounds maintenance contract award agreed? Agreed. Very good. And the HRA business plan update? Agreed. Excellent. Thanks so much. So if it's all right, if we move on to transport next, Councillor Yeates. Thank you, Councillor Hogg. So the transport committee met on the 7th of October, and I'm pleased to report that all the papers were agreed on, supported unanimously by the committee. So first we had a paper updating on the installation of bike hangers, and I'm pleased to report that we have installed record numbers of new bike hangers. And we have started a consultation on a new phase of bike hanger installations. And we are planning for a fifth phase beyond the current one. We've also been doing a lot of work on installing bike hangers and improving bike storage on our housing estates, which we feel is very important. We then went on to discuss some changes to the Battersea B9 CPZ. This was really to confirm changes which have been in operation for some time under a temporary scheme. We then reviewed the annual petitions review. This is a straightforward paper reporting on all the petitions concerning transport matters that the council has received in the previous year. And we then turned to the highway maintenance program paper. This was an important paper updating the committee on the progress with the highway maintenance program since the committee considered the report at the February committee. Subsequent to that February committee, the budget for road and pavement resurfacing was very substantially increased through support and then approval by the executive of an increased capital allocation for road and footway resurfacing. And the report noted the deteriorating condition of our highways with the borough being responsible for about 93% of the roads in the borough, which for some years have been deteriorating every year. And this increased investment will stop the deterioration of the roads and will improve them over the time. And it will very significantly improve the condition of our pavements, which is obviously very important for resident safety. So this was an important update paper and I'm very pleased that the team responsible for our road and pavement resurfacing is making very good progress with the greatly increased program of resurfacing in this financial year. Much of the funds for the resurfacing will be coming from the sill through the unringed fencing of the nine elms sill that was approved at the July finance committee. And as I say, all recommendations in the transport committee papers were supported unanimously by the committee. Thank you. Thank you, Councillor Yeats. It's fantastic to see that extra investment in our roads and pavements coming through. Any other comments or questions for Councillor Yeats? Then to take them in turn, the bike hangar update, the Battersea CPZ operational review, the annual petitions review and the highways maintenance program for 2425. Excellent. Thanks very much and congratulations if we can now look at the children's papers. Thank you, chair. Just one paper to report to the executive in relation to delivering on the school and community facilities in nine elms. So at committee, all members of the committee were delighted to be joined by Sarah Collemore, head teacher at St. George's primary school, who we are partnering in terms of the school that's going to move into the school part of the new building. It was absolute pleasure, chair, for you and I to meet Sarah Collemore and go for a visit to the school and talk further about the partnership. It's a great opportunity as the school see it to really bring together old and new communities in the nine elms area and particularly the timing is very apt as 2026 when the school is going to be delivered will be the 200th year anniversary of St. George's primary school. In terms of at committee, there was a request from the minority party for additional information in relation to the budget uplift. Members of the executive, I think, are aware of what is driving the budget uplift. That really is construction inflation that is well above core inflation and we've seen on other capital projects that have come to the executive the fact that we have found a partner school for the building after plans for the building had already been agreed by colleagues on planning committee and also the delivery of the special educational needs base for children with social and emotional and mental health needs which is much needed in the area. So I'm committed to providing that information to the opposition but ultimately the plans were supported by the committee. These are ambitious plans, we are delivering a high quality building to deliver the education of tomorrow and as I said the special needs base is really vital in terms of thinking about managing our places for children with special educational needs within mainstream schools to try and reduce pressure on our dedicated schools grant and so that school children with special educational needs can be taught within their local community near to their friends and family. Also really delighted as Councillor Gatter will be aware that this building will also be delivering a community space, a venue for cultural events, indoor sports hall, community space and a multi-use game area which is going to be very much welcomed by the local community. The building will also be one of the most sustainable schools in Wandsworth and one of the most energy efficient in the country. All of those plans as the Executive will be aware are being delivered from developer contributions in the area and there might be a penny on council tax to deliver the building. Excellent, thank you very much for that update. It's going to be an exciting new school facility. Any comments or questions for Councillor Stock? Then is that paper agreed? Thanks so much and finally we'll go to finance, Councillor Island. Thank you. There were four papers. The first one was cost of living support updates. Our cost of living fund at £15 million is the biggest in London which is a clear demonstration of our commitment to support residents in need and we welcome the extension of the government's extension of the household support fund which we plan to invest in food vouchers for those on free school meals, free school uniforms and crisis parents and this is providing 10,000 children in the borough with food vouchers when they might otherwise go hungry. The paper also included information about the excellent innovative work on increasing take up of benefits for our residents using data from the low income family tracker and I want to thank officers for their work having been recognised by the local government association is cutting edge. We think we have secured over £1 million a year in benefits for our residents for this work. The minority party tabled some amendments which we didn't support. We feel that the cost of living crisis isn't over for all our residents so we want to continue with that and we are also putting the finishing touches to our response to trying to help those who might be affected by the loss of the winter fuel payment. The second paper that we discussed was general fund capital programme update. Now we've got ambitious to improve a lot of things in the borough including the Falcon Road underpass, anyone who knows that knows how awful it is. It's been long neglected and it's long overdue. It's a 100 metre tunnel and we are, we have a scheme to, we're taking submissions for a design to plan a brighter and more pleasant experience unveiled next year in the London Borough of Culture, when Wandsworth is London Borough of Culture. We also agreed plans to expand childcare provision places using the Department for Education grant and Putney Leisure Centre, we're going to spend a third of a million pounds on that. So that was supported by our party but the minority party abstained. The next paper we spoke about was delivering the Cleaner Borough Plan. Now it's our ambition to be the cleanest borough in London, we've made lots of improvements to the service but we recognise we need to invest more in the service to achieve that. So the paper considered an additional budget of one and a half million pound a year which we approved, the minority party abstained. And then finally the budget variation paper which was, this is just a wash up paper really, so other committees where they approve additional spend comes to the Finance Committee so that we can adjust the borough. And again five votes in favour and four abstentions from the minority party. Thank you. Excellent. Thanks so much, Councillor Island. So again to take those in order, is the cost of living support update supported? Thank you. The general fund capital programme update. Delivering the Cleaner Borough Plan. Excellent. It's going to be an important one. And finally the budget variations. Excellent. Well, thanks all very much for your work and for your time this evening. That's the end of the meeting. [BLANK_AUDIO]