The Environment Select Committee was scheduled to discuss the Environment and Neighbourhoods directorate's budget for 2026-27, as well as the directorate's key performance indicators. Councillors were also expected to review the committee's work programme for the 2025-26 municipal year.

Environment and Neighbourhoods Budget 2026-2027

The committee was scheduled to scrutinise the budget proposals for the Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate, and the Museums, Arts, Events and Filming services. The report pack stated that the council was expecting a budget gap of £41.5 million in 2026/27, potentially rising to £140 million by 2029/30. Councillors were expected to discuss proposals for:

• £1.2 million in budget growth for 2026/27
• £3.7 million in savings, mostly in 2026/27
• £2.2 million in new capital schemes
• Fees and charges levels for 2026/27

The report noted that the figures were dependent on the government's Fair Funding Review and the Local Government Finance Settlement.

The report pack included details of an underspend of £7.955 million for the Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate in 2024/25, with the largest contribution coming from Parking Services. It also noted organisational changes for 2025/26, including the transfer of the museums service, arts and events functions and film office to the Communities department.

The report pack stated that the Environment and Neighbourhoods Directorate was forecasting an underspend of £5.010 million against a revised controllable budget of £1.597 million. This included a £4.208 million overachievement of income in the Parking Service. Cleaner, Greener and Leisure Services were forecasting an overall underspend of £155,000, but with a £108,000 funding pressure on Notting Hill Carnival due to additional security costs. Planning and Place was forecasting an underspend of £425,000, while Transport and Regulatory Services was forecasting an underspend of £240,000.

The report pack stated that savings for Museums, arts, events and filming in 2025/26 totalled £205,000.

The report pack also detailed proposed growth for Environment and Neighbourhoods in 2026/27, including £705,000 to improve the street cleaning service, £319,000 for new waste and recycling crews, and £100,000 for maintenance at Cremorne Wharf Park.

Proposed savings included £2.0 million of increased income from parking, £400,000 more income from bus shelter advertising, £350,000 of energy savings from new street lighting, and £200,000 of cost efficiencies from the Leisure Services contract. The report pack stated that the total proposed savings for culture in 2026/27 was £175,000, to be realised through increased income from Leighton House and Sambourne House Museums.

A new capital project was proposed: £2.2 million for street lighting LED installation.

The report pack stated that Leadership Team was proposing to increase fees and charges by 5% on average in 2026/27, with some exceptions.

The report pack included an initial equalities impact analysis for each proposal.

The report recommended that the Environment Select Committee review and scrutinise the budget options and make recommendations to Leadership Team.

Environment and Neighbourhoods Key Performance Indicators

The committee was scheduled to review key performance indicators (KPIs) for service performance within the Environment and Neighbourhoods department. The report provided an overview of KPIs for the year ending 2024/25, as well as Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2025/26.

The report was structured according to the themes and sub themes in the Council Plan.

Key achievements listed in the report included:

• Retrofitting six schools and the Chelsea Old Town Hall and Leisure complex with new heat pumps and energy efficiency measures
• Planting 505 trees over the last three years, exceeding the target of 400
• Completing the £46 million Sloane Street Amazing Spaces project
• Installing 42 new fast electric vehicle charge points
• Achieving air quality improvements, with pollutant levels reduced to the extent that National Air Quality Objectives were met at all but one monitored location
• Expanding cycling infrastructure with 18 new cycle hangars and 80 new Cyclehoops
• Introducing new two-way cycling schemes at four locations
• Adopting a new Local Plan
• Introducing an all-borough Local Development Order for slimline double glazing
• Publishing a suite of Householder Greening Guides

The report noted that the Retrofit Accelerator programme aimed to retrofit 32 schools and 16+ council operational buildings with sustainable technology by 2030. As of Q4 2024/25, 6 school and 2 operational buildings had been retrofitted.

The report stated that the recycling rate in Q4 2024/25 was 22.7%, below the target of 23.5%. The contamination rate of recyclable waste was 10.8%, slightly outside of the target of 10% or lower.

The report stated that the proportion of local sites implementing positive conservation management increased to 75% in 2024/25, from 71% in 2023/24.

The report stated that more speed indicator devices had been installed across the borough to encourage drivers to comply with the 20mph speed limit, and that road safety improvements had been delivered in response to residents' concerns, including the installation of road humps on Lexham Gardens and a junction safety upgrade at Ashburn Place.

The report stated that the Council was under-performing in the delivery of housing, and that the latest Housing Delivery Test, measured in 2023, demonstrated that the Council delivered just 63 percent of its housing requirement over the previous three years.

The report stated that in 2024, air quality monitoring stations recorded a yearly average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration of 25.3µg/m³, an 11% decrease on the previous year. Monitoring stations recorded yearly average fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration of 6.5µg/m³ for 2024, an annual decrease 19%.

The report stated that the percentage of planning application appeals dismissed was 2% in Q4 2024/25, below the 10% threshold.

The report also included KPIs relating to the Communities and Culture Department. In 2024/25, the Council awarded 22 Arts Grants totalling £38,620, including 10 Black History Month grants totalling £8,700.

The report stated that the total net income receipted by the Council for filming in 2024/25 was £225,579.

Select Committee Work Programme 2025/2026

The committee was scheduled to discuss its work programme for the 2025/2026 municipal year. The report pack stated that the Environment Select Committee has a remit to scrutinise the delivery, outputs and performance of council services, the development of departmental policy, strategy and projects, and improved satisfaction for residents and users of services.

The report pack stated that representatives from Transport for London (TfL), who attended Select Committee in March 2025, had confirmed they would attend the meeting on 17 March 2026 to discuss TfL performance and key issues for public transport in the borough.

The report pack stated that the Local Plan Policies Review Working Group, chaired by Councillor Sam Mackover, had now examined all the seven Local Plan policies it identified in its terms of reference, and that the final stage of the working group was to produce a Final Report. The report and recommendations were scheduled to be presented to Select Committee on 4 February 2026.

The report pack also included a table of items to be scheduled, including a Statement of Licensing Policy and a Cemeteries Strategy.