The Community & Children's Services Committee was scheduled to discuss a range of topics, including the Housing Investment Programme, the Golden Lane Leisure Centre management options, and school admissions. Members were also expected to consider the revenue outturn for 2024/25 and a resolution regarding funding for homelessness initiatives.

Housing Investment Programme

The committee was scheduled to discuss a report outlining the financial challenges associated with the 10-year Housing Investment Programme. A capital funding shortfall of £84 million within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was expected to be highlighted, alongside the need for an additional £1.5 million in revenue per year to support staffing requirements for regulatory compliance and programme delivery.

The report noted progress on the Golden Lane Investment Programme and the establishment of a Golden Lane Transformation and Advisory Board. The report stated that the 10 year programme cost for Golden Lane Estate is £105m.

The report also stated that the programme includes investment in Avondale Estate, York Way Estate, Southbank, William Blake Estate and Middlesex Street.

Golden Lane Leisure Centre Management Options

The committee was scheduled to note a report regarding the future management of the Golden Lane Leisure Centre (GLLC). The current management contract with Fusion Lifestyle was extended until 31 March 2026, with a possible further extension to 31 December 2026. The report included an appraisal of different management options for the centre, including:

• Outsourcing to a leisure operator
• Outsourcing to a leisure operator under an Agency Model arrangement
• In-house management
• Establishing a local authority trading company (Teckal)
• Establishing a new leisure trust
• Asset transfer

The appraisal, completed by The Sports Consultancy, concluded that continued outsourcing to a leisure operator was the most advantageous option, being the most financially beneficial, simplest, and quickest to implement, with the greatest level of risk transfer.

The report also noted that the Policy and Resources Committee agreed to a new Sport Strategy for the Square Mile in 2023, with funding allocated to support its delivery from the Policy Initiatives Fund.

The report stated that initial engagement had been completed, with findings used to inform the opportunity report, refurbishment designs and the management contract service specification.

The report proposed that the Sports Development Service should remain a requirement, to be delivered from GLLC, with the City's Sport Team remaining responsible for leading on delivery across the Square Mile and within the community.

School Admissions Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on primary and secondary school place allocations for City of London resident pupils for the 2025/26 academic year.

The report stated that the City of London Corporation has a statutory duty to ensure that sufficient school places are available within the area.

The report included a summary of primary school offers for 2025:

• 89% of children received their 1st preference offer.
• 11% of children received their 2nd preference offer.

The report stated that The Aldgate School was oversubscribed, receiving 95 applications, with 48 first preferences.

The report also included a summary of secondary school offers:

• 66% of pupils received their 1st preference offer
• 19% of pupils received an offer for another preference
• 16% of pupils received an allocated offer (a school not listed in their preferences).

Families in the City Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Families in the City programme, which aims to establish a comprehensive, multi-agency service offer for children and young people aged 0-25 in the City of London.

The report stated that a Families in the City programme team had been set up, and three connected workstreams had been identified:

• Families First Partnership redesign
• Start for Life development
• Family hub development

The report also stated that a Family Design Lab was due to launch on 2 June 2025, to ensure the voices of children, young people, parents and carers are central to the programme.

Revenue Outturn 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to note a report comparing the 2024/25 revenue outturn for services overseen by the committee with the final agreed budget for the year.

The report stated that the Executive Director of Community and Children's Services managed a local risk budget overspend by £202,000, while the total overspend across all risk areas, including recharges, amounted to £650,000.

The local risk overspend of £202,000 was mainly attributable to increased pressures within Children's Social Care. The central risk overspend was primarily due to a £693,000 overspend on benefits administration, partially offset by additional backdated interest income received by Commissioning.

Housing Revenue Account - Outturn 2023/24

The committee was scheduled to note a report comparing the outturn for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) in 2024/25 with the final agreed budget for the year.

The report stated that the total net revenue deficit for the year was £0.275m, £0.189m higher than the final agreed budgeted of £0.086m, mainly as a result of higher than expected interest costs. This was partly offset by higher service charge income than budgeted. As a result, Revenue Reserves ended the year with a balance of £0.034m.

The Major Repairs Reserve ended the year with a £0.591m balance, £0.847m higher than budgeted, due to slippage on major works projects and higher than expected receipt of capital grants.

DCCS Departmental Risk Update

The committee was scheduled to note a report providing details of the Department's current risk register and actions taken to mitigate those risks.

The report stated that the Department's approach to risk management was subject to an internal audit in September 2024, which made recommendations to strengthen the departmental application of the City's Risk Management Framework. An improvement plan to address the recommendations has been agreed and will be led by the Department's Leadership Team.

The report included a summary of risks, including:

• Blake Tower – Barbican Estate
• Lone working
• Delivery of Repairs & Maintenance services to Housing Residents
• Statutory Compliance Requirements
• Children and families safeguarding
• Adult Social Care Safeguarding
• Departmental emergency response
• Failure to carry out and review effective fire risk assessments for residential accommodation and commercial premises
• Major works programme
• Failure to deliver new homes programme
• Children's Centre Data
• Falling school rolls
• Housing finance changes

Resolution to the Finance Committee

The committee was scheduled to consider a resolution to the Finance Committee regarding the commitment of funding for homelessness from Council Tax.

The resolution requested that the Finance Committee formally consider and confirm the commitment that revenue generated from the Council Tax on second homes be prioritised for initiatives addressing homelessness within the City of London.

The resolution also requested that the Finance Committee report back to the Community and Children's Services Committee on the mechanisms by which this funding will be allocated, monitored, and evaluated to ensure it delivers meaningful impact, and ensure transparency in the application of these funds, including through regular reporting to the Court of Common Council and relevant committees.

Other Matters

The committee was also scheduled to discuss:

• Minutes from the previous meeting
• Updates from Sub Committees, Allocated Members and Portfolio Holders
• Questions on matters relating to the work of the committee
• Any other business that the chairman considers urgent
• Exclusion of the public from the meeting for certain items of business
• Non-Public Minutes and Outstanding Actions
• Summer Buildings
• Golden Lane Leisure Centre (GLLC) Refurbishment
• Isleden House Infill Project
• HRA Commercial Property – Asset Management Strategy, Debt Position, Progress Against Arrears Recovery and Vacant Units
• Decisions Taken Under Delegated Authority or Urgency Powers
• York Way Estate Provision of Social Housing
• Sydenham Hill Redevelopment, Lewisham, SE26 6ND¹
• Confidential Minutes