The Camden Council Cabinet was scheduled to convene on 2 April 2025, to discuss a range of issues from across the borough, including the Camden Local Plan, funding for youth employment, and corporate parenting strategies. The report pack provided to the attendees included reports from Councillor Richard Olszewski, Leader of the Council, and various cabinet members.

Camden Local Plan

A report regarding the Camden Local Plan Proposed Submission Draft was prepared by Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden and Deputy Leader. The report sought approval for the publication of the Camden Local Plan Proposed Submission Draft, so that residents could comment on it. The report pack stated that the plan would then be submitted to the government for public examination.

The report pack emphasised that the new Local Plan would be a key mechanism for achieving the council’s priorities, as set out in We Make Camden, and would ensure that Camden continues to have effective, up-to-date planning policies. The report pack noted that the plan would allow the council to make planning decisions that contribute towards addressing the borough’s need for homes, jobs and infrastructure, and ensure that development is delivered in a way that is socially and economically inclusive, responds to the climate and ecological emergency, and brings benefits to Camden and its residents.

The report pack listed key elements of the proposed policy approach:

• Maximising the supply of housing and affordable homes, aiming to deliver a minimum of 11,550 additional homes to 2041.
• Taking an area-based approach, setting out the overarching strategy to guide the delivery of new development in the South, Central, West and North areas of Camden.
• Proposing around 70 site allocations to help deliver new homes, jobs, open space, health and community facilities, leisure, retail and recreation opportunities together with necessary infrastructure.
• Including policies to respond to the climate and ecological emergency and help deliver the council’s commitment to becoming net zero.
• Including policies to deliver a sustainable and inclusive economy and support the delivery of affordable workspace.
• Seeking a number of community benefits including affordable housing, social and community infrastructure, transport infrastructure improvements and open space.
• Seeking to promote health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities by ensuring that development in the borough considers local issues relating to health and wellbeing at an early stage in the planning process in order to positively improve outcomes for the people of Camden.
• Emphasising the importance of celebrating and reflecting the diversity of the borough in the design of spaces and places.

The report pack also summarised the main changes proposed to the plan since the draft Local Plan was approved by Cabinet in December 2023:

• Adding a dedicated ‘access for all’ policy to address comments made at the workshop with Camden’s d/Deaf and disabled community.
• Proposing a new policy which outlines the approach to supporting sustainability improvements to existing buildings.
• Proposing new open spaces at Princes Gardens, St Giles High St, Centrepoint and Alfred Place (all West End Project schemes), and at King’s Cross Central and Hawley Wharf. A new Local Green Space is proposed at St John’s Churchyard, Hampstead.
• Proposing two new Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation - Talacre Gardens and Tavistock Square.
• Proposing to include a new policy on the Euston area. More detailed guidance and site allocations for the area are set out in the Euston Area Plan, which is being reviewed separately to the Local Plan.
• Permanent self-contained housing remains the priority land use in the Plan, but it is proposed to make it clearer that the Plan also supports other forms of housing, such housing for people with care or support requirements (e.g. older people).
• Four new site allocations are proposed: Freight Lane, Hawkridge House, 86-92 Kilburn High Road, and 160 Maldon Rd. Seven site allocations have also been removed as these are now complete or nearly complete.
• Identifying site allocations where student housing may be included to ensure the council can demonstrate it can meet identified student need.
• Proposing to allocate two sites (Freight Lane and land adjacent to Constable House, Adelaide Road) to help meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation.
• Updating Policy IE2 (offices) to state that housing (rather than just permanent self-contained housing) is the preferred use where it can be demonstrated an office use is no longer viable. This allows greater flexibility for other types of housing to be delivered on these sites, where appropriate.
• Updating the affordable workspace policy to clarify that the targets relate to uplift / net additional floorspace and that affordable workspace targets are a working benchmark.
• Proposing new neighbourhood centres for King’s Cross Road west side and Steele’s Village/Haverstock Hill South.

Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Funding

A report regarding Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Funding 2025-2026 was prepared by Councillor Sabrina Francis, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Young People and Culture. The report outlined proposals to deliver a Youth Guarantee Trailblazer focused on pathways to employment, education and training for care experienced young people aged 18-24, across the central London sub-region. The report sought approval for the council to act as the lead administration authority for the programme, entering into a grant funding agreement with the Greater London Authority for £4.9 million and into corresponding grant agreements with the other Central London boroughs.

The report pack stated that the Central London Forward Trailblazer project would:

• Support care leavers in central London to progress toward and move into employment, education and training.
• Build capacity through helping boroughs and other stakeholders to innovate, to work together, and to learn from each-other.
• Build the evidence base about what works in supporting care leavers into employment, education and training.

The project would provide intensive support from a personal advisor with a low caseload and work closely with employers to identify employment opportunities and provide pastoral support on the transition into work. There would be an intermediate labour market element, providing subsidised temporary roles, paid at least the London Living Wage, to give care leavers real-world experience.

Corporate Parenting Strategy

A report regarding the Corporate Parenting Strategy was prepared by Councillor Marcus Boyland, Cabinet Member for Best Start for Children and Families. The report outlined the council's plans for the next three years, from 2025-2028, focusing on areas for improvement and building on strengths to ensure that every child and young person in care feels safe, supported, and proud. The report pack stated that the strategy sets out how the council will communicate with care-experienced young people about plans to provide them with a stable and loving home, as well as the steps it will take to enhance their education, training, and life opportunities. The report pack emphasised that the responsibility does not lie solely with the council, and that schools, health practitioners, employers, and local businesses and community all play a part in helping care-experienced young people thrive.

The refreshed Corporate Parenting Strategy 2025- 2028 is underpinned by five co-designed promises:

• Belonging and relationships
• Rights and aspirations
• Wellbeing
• Interests and life goals
• Home

Commissioning Strategy for Mental Health Supported Living

A report regarding the Commissioning Strategy for Mental Health Supported Living was prepared by Councillor Anna Wright, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care. The report set out the proposed commissioning of Mental Health Supported Living services, which will provide accommodation-based support to up to 199 people with serious mental illness in Camden. The report pack stated that people will be supported to progress their mental health recovery in a safe and supportive environment, develop independent living skills to have their own home and live healthy, fulfilling lives as part of their community. The current contracts are due to expire on 31 March 2026 with no provision to extend. The proposed strategy is based on extensive engagement with residents of supported living services and other key stakeholders. The strategy recommends recommissioning services to align with Camden’s neighbourhoods, with a further standalone women-only provision. The contracts are all proposed for a duration of 60 months with the option of a 24-month extension, at the sole discretion of the Council. The estimated total value of all contracts, including extension, is £32,734,520.

The Leader’s Annual Report

A report containing the Leader’s Annual Report 2024-2025 was prepared by Councillor Richard Olszewski, Leader of the Council. The report is a summary of the Leader's activities and achievements over the past year.