The Council of the London Borough of Bexley is scheduled to meet on 5 November 2025. The agenda includes the Leader's report, questions from the public and councillors, and motions deferred from a previous meeting. Councillors will also discuss committee reports on topics ranging from pensions to street cleansing, and will be asked to appoint a new Leader of the Council.

Leader's Report

The report of Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE, Leader of the Council, will be presented, covering the work of the cabinet since the last council meeting. The report, according to the agenda, includes:

• A reflection on Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE's 27 years as a Councillor, including 17 as Leader. She notes achievements in health and wellbeing, including the saving of the Queen Mary's Hospital site.
• An overview of a transformation programme to tackle rising costs, focusing on customer experience, children's services, commercial income, workforce culture, and digital systems. Ayesha Hakim Rahman is reported to have joined Bexley as the new Deputy Director of Transformation in August.
• A new Libraries Strategy, shaped by a nine-week public consultation, is scheduled to be discussed.
• Confirmation from Transport for London (TfL) that route 472 will be converted to the new limited-stop Superloop SL11 service from early 2026, connecting North Greenwich to Abbey Wood via Thamesmead and Woolwich.
• A letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley QPM, regarding proposals to reduce overnight front counter hours at Bexleyheath Police Station.
• The opening of Shenstone Secondary School's new site in Belvedere, for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
• A-Level, AS-Level, T-Level and GCSE results achieved by students across the borough.
• Partnerships being strengthened across the borough by Bexley Public Health, working closely with schools, community organisations and the NHS to deliver the 10-Year Health and Care Plan.
• Uniformed Services Day, which took place on 12 July.
• A visit to the Mind Community Pantry in Bexleyheath.
• The death of former Bexley Mayor Councillor Colin Tandy.

The report also covers significant issues and decisions relating to:

• Adults' Services and Health, including a Care Quality Commission (CQC) assessment, the Bexley Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report for 2024/25, Bexley Care Plus partnership, Urgent Treatment Centres (Erith and Queen Mary's Hospital), Bexley becoming an Age Friendly Community, the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment (PNA) and Section 106 funding for Crayford Town Surgery.
• Children's Services, including a visit from Lord Farmer to the West Street Family Hub, the Challenger Troop programme and Fostering Week.
• Communities and Housing, including #CelebratingBexley, the new Library Strategy, the Summer Reading Challenge, Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week, Charlton Athletic Community Trust's summer activities programme, a mural in Slade Green, domestic abuse support, the DAY programme, the Children's Independent Domestic Violence Advocate (IDVA), National Hate Crime Awareness Week, Anti-Slavery Day, the Housing Service, the Homeleigh Extension Project and rough sleeping.
• Education, including Ofsted inspections, the holiday activities and food programme (HAF), Shenstone Specialist School, secondary selection tests, school-based nurseries, the Local Area SEND Partnership and the Safety Valve Programme.
• Neighbourhoods, including the London Youth Games, Danson Water Sports Centre, Dartford Royal Football Club, leisure centres, Danson Park, Sidcup Place, Our Parks, grounds and arboriculture contract, allotment sites, Lesnes Abbey, Hall Place, zebra crossings, electric vehicle (EV) charge points, a culvert alongside Bronze Age Way, recycling rates, the WasteWorks platform, the TRAID textile recycling scheme, the Schools Waste Action Club Team, Simpler Recycling legislation, Countrystyle Recycling Ltd (CRL), Keep Britain Tidy (KBT), weed control and littering and fly-tipping.
• Place Shaping, including the Bexley Local Plan, the Mayor's London Plan, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, Southeastern's Sidcup Rounder (Sidcup Loop) train service, Transport for London (TfL), the Docklands Light Railway Extension to Thamesmead, the Superloop route SL11, Andrew Lord, Riverside Gardens, the community facility '68' on Pier Road, Walnut Tree Road, Erith High Street, the GLA's High Streets Labs initiative, the Erith Town Partnership, UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Abbey Wood Village town centre, Erith Pier, Bexley Business and Employment (BBE), the Restart programme, the Connect to Work programme, the Trailblazer programme, Retail Revival, CNT Associates, Bexleyheath night market, Uniformed Services Day, Sidcup Fringe Festival organised by Sidcup Partners Business Improvement District (BID) and the Erith Made Festival.
• Resources, including the financial outturn for the 2025/26 year, the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), the Asset Management Strategy, the Customer Experience Strategy, the People Strategy Update Report, Mayor Councillor Christine Catterall's charity appeal, VJ Day, the annual canvass, the Elections Act 2022 and Legal Services.

The report also notes the Forward Plan for November 2025 to February 2026, which includes:

• Confirmation of the Non-Immediate Article 4 Direction to control the change of use under Class MA of the GPDO of buildings from Class E (commercial, business and service) of the Use Classes Order to Class C3 (residential) within the Borough's designa
• Approval of Full Funding Business Case for Erith High Street Development including all associated funding decisions
• Approval of procurement of main contractor for Erith High Street Development.

Questions

Members of the public and councillors have submitted questions to be answered.

Members of the public have asked about:

• The area of green spaces bulldozed during Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE's time as leader, including sites at Old Farm, West Street Park, Wilde Road, and Burr Farm.
• Bexley's ranking in the London Healthy Streets Scorecard and the lack of school streets.
• Traffic levels on Dalmeny Road.
• A legal opinion sent to local councils by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign regarding pension fund investments in companies complicit in Israel's actions in Gaza.
• The denial of requests to support Palestine and other black majority countries, while supporting Ukraine.

Councillors have asked about:

• The road maintenance programme for 2025/26.
• The introduction of a new CCTV system.
• Intimidation of council staff by residents claiming to uphold British values.
• Costs to remove illegally attached flags and graffiti.
• Efficiencies, savings and transformation delivered by the Conservative administration.
• Efforts to save Queen Mary's Hospital.
• Addressing poor housing standards in the private rented sector.
• The Leader's stance on the Operation Raise the Colours campaign in Bexley.
• Activities undertaken to keep the police station in Bexley.
• The opening of the new Shenstone Secondary School site.
• The tender process for Belvedere Community Centre.
• Reinstating the PSPO (Public Spaces Protection Order) in Picardy Street.
• Opportunities for improvements in bin collection and recycling rates.
• Celebrating Bexley.
• Progress of capital spending on highways, pavements and potholes.
• Speeding measures for Abbey Road.
• New fly-tipping signage and enforcement action.
• Levels of investment provided to frontline services.
• Why the hours for the AW1 CPZ (Controlled Parking Zone) are longer than any other CPZ in the borough.
• What is being done to ensure that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are improving.
• Current discharge numbers from Adult Social Care.
• Preparations for the reinspection of the SEND local area partnership.
• The Council's plan for flooding / surface water management and climate resilience of infrastructure.
• What the Council is doing to tackle loneliness for elderly and isolated vulnerable residents.
• How the council is looking to promote and develop good health in the Borough.
• The recent report published by Keep Britain Tidy on Bexley.
• Additional savings being prepared to deal with the unbalanced MTFS (Medium term Financial Strategy).
• What is delaying the reopening of the Sidcup storyteller cinema.
• An update on Lord Farmer's recent visit to the West Street Family Hub.
• Key improvements to library services.
• How British values are taught and monitored in education.
• What support the Council should provide Samaritans.
• An update on Bexley becoming an Age Friendly Community.
• Benefits resulting from the new Grounds Maintenance Contract.
• Thanking Women's Aid for 50 years' service to the community.

Motions

The council is scheduled to discuss motions that were deferred from the meeting on 16 July 2025. The motions are:

• From Councillor Baroness O'Neill of Bexley OBE, welcoming the delivery and implementation of the Bexley Plan 2022-2026.
• From Councillor Richard Diment, regretting the impact the Labour government elected in July 2024 is having on Bexley residents.
• From Councillor Stefano Borella, to review the council's procedure rules for accepting and debating motions.
• From Councillor Zainab Asunramu, committing the council to urgently address the epidemic of violence against women and girls (VAWG). This includes working with survivors, ensuring education on healthy relationships, reviewing procurement practices for VAWG services, appointing a VAWG champion, working towards Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) accreditation, and working with police.

Petition

Councillor Wendy Perfect is scheduled to present a petition from local residents calling for Dalmeny Road to be made a one-way street with no access from Rydal Drive.

Executive Arrangements

Councillors will be asked to appoint a Leader of the Council. The majority group has indicated that it will be proposing the nomination of Councillor David Leaf.

Committee Reports

The Council will receive reports from various committees, including:

General Purposes and Audit Committee

The report of the General Purposes and Audit Committee [GP and Audit Committee] includes:

• Annual Report on Redundancy, Severance and Early Release of Pension Benefits 2024/25
• Annual Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/25
• Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Progress Reports Q1 2025/26
• Annual Head of Internal Audit Report 2024/25
• Updated Internal Audit Plan 2025/26
• LGA Finance Peer Challenge
• Report on the Ernst & Young LLP (EY) Final Audit Planning Report for Bexley's 2024/25 Accounts
• Report on the Ernst & Young LLP (EY) Final Audit Planning Report for the Pension Fund's 2024/25 Accounts
• Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Progress Reports Q2 2025/26
• Debt and Debt Recovery as at 31 July 2025

Licensing Committee

The report of the Licensing Committee [Licensing Committee] includes:

• Licences Determined Under Delegated Power and Appeal Activity
• Licensing Partnership Annual Update 2025
• Proposed Changes to the Temporary Events Licence Fee for Bexleyheath Broadway Business Improvement District (BID)
• Licensing Enforcement Update

Pensions Committee

The report of the Pensions Committee [Pensions Committee] includes:

• Quarterly Administration Report
• Annual Report 2024-25
• Quarterly Financial and Fund Management Review – 30 June 2025
• Pension Fund Investment Performance – Quarter Ended 30 June 2025
• Investment Beliefs and Strategic Asset Allocation – Survey Results

Planning Committee

The report of the Planning Committee [Planning Committee] notes that the committee has considered and determined 15 planning applications, deferred one application for further information and two applications were withdrawn. The report also notes that the committee granted planning permission for the redevelopment of site at Bursted Woods, Erith Road, Bexleyheath, to include the retention, refurbishment and conversion of the former Bexley Maternity Hospital and the erection of new buildings to provide a residential development of 121 new dwellings. The report also notes that the committee deferred consideration of an application for the erection of 2 buildings comprising of 12 self-contained flats with associated access, parking and landscaping at the former Tennis Courts, Old Manor Way, Bexleyheath, for further information on highway safety.

Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The report of the Adult Social Care and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee [Adult Social Care and Health OSC] includes:

• Bexley Wellbeing Partnership Winter Preparedness and Resilience Planning 2025/26
• Developing Our Neighbourhood Health Service
• Work Programme

Children's Services and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The report of the Children's Services and Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee [Childrens Services and Education OSC] includes:

• Strengthening the Voice of Children and Young People in SEND Services
• Items of Late Business – Bexley Selection Test Results
• Bexley S.H.I.E.L.D Annual Report 2024/25
• Youth Justice Strategic Plan
• Six-Month Update on the Recommendations of the Safety Valve Early Intervention and Support Programme Scrutiny Project Sub-Group
• Work Programme

Finance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The report of the Finance and Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee [Finance and Corporate Services OSC] includes:

• Establishing Sub-Groups
• Transformation Programme
• Asset Strategy
• Cabinet Member Update
• Work Programme
• Customer Experience 6 Month Update
• People Strategy Update

Places Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The report of the Places Overview and Scrutiny Committee [Places OSC] includes:

• Update on Keep Britain Tidy Survey Results
• Housing Services – Trends in Temporary Accommodation
• Grounds, Burials and Arboriculture Contract
• Work Programme

Appointments

Councillors will be asked to consider suggested amendments to appointments to council and outside bodies, which will be listed in a supplementary report.