The Royal Borough of Greenwich's cabinet approved a strategy to end male violence against women and girls, noted a report on safeguarding children, and reviewed the council's budget and finances. The cabinet also agreed to publish the Infrastructure Funding Statement on the council website.

Working Together to End Male Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy

The cabinet approved the Working Together to End Male Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, with Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member Community Safety and Enforcement, highlighting the need to focus on the causes of violence and hold men accountable. The strategy aims to shift the focus from supporting victims to tackling the root causes of violence against women and girls, challenging misogyny, and promoting male allyship.

Councillor Taggart-Ryan said:

We need an approach that focuses on stopping people from committing violence and holding men accountable for their violence. We need to acknowledge this disproportionality to understand why we are focusing on male violence.

The strategy outlines several objectives:

1. Male Accountability and Behaviour Change: Shifting accountability away from women and challenging misogynistic behaviour.
2. Allyship and Community Engagement: Encouraging men and boys to actively participate as allies.
3. Prevention and Education: Implementing educational programmes in schools, workplaces, and communities.
4. Supporting Victims and Survivors: Providing accessible, trauma-informed support services.
5. Legal and Policy Frameworks: Advocating for policy changes that strengthen protections against male violence.
6. Public Spaces Safety: Enhancing safety measures in public spaces.
7. Intersectionality and Inclusivity: Taking proactive steps to overcome barriers to service access for certain communities, such as the LGBT community and people from the global majority¹.
8. Monitoring and Accountability: Establishing a robust monitoring and evaluation framework.

Alongside the strategy, the council is developing an action plan focused on male psychological safety, addressing issues such as online radicalisation and coercive norms.

Several cabinet members voiced their support for the strategy, with Councillor Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member Finance, Resources and Social Value, paying tribute to the Community Safety Department, the Housing Department and Children's Services. Councillor Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member Children and Young People, emphasised the need for men to be allies and challenge misogyny.

Greenwich Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/25

The cabinet noted the Greenwich Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report 2024/25, highlighting the importance of teamwork and inter-agency cooperation in protecting children. Councillor Khaireh emphasised that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The report noted that key partners included the local authority, integrated commissioning board, the police and wider agencies.

2025 - 2026 Quarter 2 Budget Monitor

The cabinet noted the 2025 - 2026 Quarter 2 Budget Monitor, which indicated positive progress in bringing expenditure in line with the budget. The report highlighted improvements in both services and corporate budget positions, as well as the delivery of savings.

2025/26 Treasury Management and Capital Q2 Mid-Year Update

The cabinet noted the Treasury Management and Capital Q2 Mid-Year Update, which provided transparency around the management of public funds and financial risks. The report included updates on the treasury position, capital monitoring, and the capital programme. The Director of Resources reassured the cabinet that the council's level of debt was sustainable and prudent, with the majority related to housing initiatives. Councillor Pat Slattery, Cabinet Member Housing Management, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, expressed gratitude that the council was using its capacity to borrow prudently to improve the lives of working people in the borough and promoting equality.

Infrastructure Funding Statement 2024/25

The cabinet approved the publication of the Infrastructure Funding Statement for 2024-25, which outlines how the Royal Borough has collected and allocated developer contributions through the Community Infrastructure Levy² (CIL) and Section 106 Agreements, ensuring investment in local infrastructure to support sustainable growth. Councillor Majid Rahman, Cabinet Member Planning, Estate Renewal and Development, noted that in 2024-25, the borough collected just over £5 million in CIL, with £772,000 going towards the Neighbourhood CIL, earmarked for local projects through the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund. The borough also secured more than £9 million in Section 106 planning obligations during that year, and received payments that year exceeding £11 million.