The Council of Redbridge convened on Thursday, 22 January 2026, with a packed agenda covering financial reviews, local tax reduction schemes, and governance reports. Key discussions were also scheduled on business motions concerning small businesses, violence against women and girls, and the protection of natural assets.

Treasury Management Mid-Year Review

The Council was scheduled to receive a mid-year review of its treasury management activities for 2025/26. This report, presented by the Executive Director of Resources, aimed to confirm that all borrowing and investment activities had been conducted in accordance with the approved Treasury Management Strategy and within agreed Prudential Limits. The report indicated that risks to the Council's investments were being managed and balanced against yield. The recommendation was for the Council to note the mid-year borrowing and investment position and confirm that all treasury activities had adhered to the approved strategy.

Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2026/27

A report was scheduled for consideration regarding the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme for 2026/27. Councils are required to review these schemes annually. The report highlighted the Council's commitment to supporting residents in need through its wider tackling poverty initiatives, including a £1 million hardship scheme. However, it also noted that reduced government funding and increased service demands necessitated a review to ensure the scheme's affordability and sustainability within the Council's overall budget. The recommendations included retaining the 2025/26 scheme for 2026/27, applying a 3.8% increase to non-dependant deductions based on the Consumer Price Index, and continuing the £1 million Discretionary Hardship Fund.

Governance and Assurance Committee Self-Assessment and Annual Report 2024/25

The Council was set to consider the Governance and Assurance Committee's Self-Assessment and Annual Report for 2024/25, along with its Action Plan. This report, prepared in line with good practice from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), aimed to assess the committee's adherence to recommended practices regarding its size, structure, composition, reporting lines, and the scope of its terms of reference. The report was intended to allow Full Council to determine if the committee had fulfilled its delegated roles and responsibilities.

Business Motions

Several business motions were scheduled for consideration:

• Small Businesses in Redbridge: Moved by Councillor Lloyd Duddridge and seconded by Councillor Matthew Goddin, this motion aimed to reaffirm the Council's commitment to supporting small businesses in Redbridge. It proposed actions such as protecting businesses' autonomy, writing a cross-party letter to the Chamber of Commerce, and agreeing that nationalising the economy would negatively impact the borough.

• Violence Against Women and Girls: Proposed by Councillor Jo Blackman and seconded by Councillor Saima Ahmed, this motion acknowledged Redbridge Council's ongoing work in tackling violence against women and girls. It highlighted existing initiatives such as the Reach Out service, the Families First for Children Pathfinder programme, staff training, and the 'This Has to Stop' campaign. The motion also welcomed the government's strategy to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

• Protect and Restore Our Natural Assets: Moved by Councillor Kam Rai, Leader of the Council, and seconded by Councillor Alex Holmes, this motion recognised the importance of a healthy natural environment for residents' wellbeing. It proposed declaring a nature emergency, developing a dedicated plan, integrating ecological impact considerations into council decisions, and making nature recovery a strategic consideration in planning policies and design guidelines for new developments. Specific actions included identifying habitat restoration areas, encouraging Biodiversity Net Gain, minimising development impact on habitats, enhancing access to nature-rich green spaces, requiring minimum canopy cover in new developments, and promoting tree equity.

An amendment to this motion was also scheduled, proposed by Councillor Paul Canal and seconded by Councillor Joel Herga, which sought to explore employing an ecologist to support nature protection and recovery.

Questions from Members of the Public and Members

The agenda also included time for questions from members of the public and from councillors to Cabinet Members and the Leader of the Council. These questions covered a range of topics including emergency care, the cumulative impact of residential developments on local infrastructure, the process for installing on-street EV charging points, commitments secured on new developments, senior leadership stability within the Council, and commendations for Parkrun volunteers. Councillor questions also touched upon the funding settlement, building refurbishments due to RAAC, park lake dredging, attendance at police operations, foster carer awards, progress on new council homes, the Council's gritting plan, the rapid response team, a ministerial visit, lobbying for extra funding, and efforts to improve school performance.