The Council of Richmond upon Thames met on Tuesday, 27 January 2026, to discuss proposed amendments to the Council's Constitution, including the adoption of Contract Standing Orders, and to consider retaining the committee system of governance. The meeting also included a debate on the Council's goal of achieving a net-zero borough by 2043, and motions concerning Artificial Intelligence, housing delivery, and support for the hospitality sector.

Amendment to the Constitution

The Council was scheduled to consider amendments to its Constitution, which outlines how the Council operates. A key item was the proposed inclusion of Contract Standing Orders, which would replace existing procurement regulations. These new orders are intended to reflect best practice and ensure adherence to procurement legislation, aiming to secure value for money, stimulate market competition, and support supplier diversity and sustainability objectives. The proposed Contract Standing Orders detail principles of procurement, the roles and responsibilities of Executive Directors, ethics and interests, committee approval processes, contract authorisation levels, and tendering thresholds.

Retaining a Committee Form of Governance

A report was presented for the Council to determine whether to pass a resolution to retain the committee system as its form of governance. This system has been in operation since 2019. Amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill suggest that councils may have the option to continue with a committee system. The report recommended that the Council resolve to continue operating this system, which would provide a five-year protected period, allowing for a review of governance arrangements within that timeframe.

Opposition Priority Business: Net Zero Borough by 2043

Councillor Andrée Frieze, Leader of the Opposition, requested that the Council discuss how it will achieve its stated goal of a net-zero borough by 2043.

Notices of Motion

Several motions were scheduled for discussion:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy: Councillor Charlie Engel proposed a motion noting the rapid increase in AI use, data farms, and their associated benefits and risks. The motion called for the Council to agree that AI is central to its Transformation Programme, acknowledge concerns about data access and resident interaction, and recognise the environmental footprint of AI. The Council was asked to resolve to publish a Public Ethical and Environmental AI Policy and consider mitigations for environmental impacts and wider risks.
• Housing Crisis and Government Proposals: Councillor Katie Mansfield put forward a motion expressing support for increasing housebuilding, particularly on brownfield land, to address the housing crisis. The motion raised concerns that the Government's proposed London Emergency Housing Package could reduce affordable housing delivery and CIL investment, while retaining Mayoral CIL for the Elizabeth Line, which offers limited benefit to the borough. It also noted that shifting decisions to the Mayor could create bottlenecks. The Council was asked to resolve to submit strong opposition to the consultation and write to the Secretary of State.
• Support for the Hospitality Sector: Councillor Gareth Roberts proposed a motion recognising the hospitality sector's contribution to the borough's economy. While welcoming the Government's U-turn on increasing business rates for pubs, the motion expressed concern about the lack of provision for other parts of the hospitality sector, such as cafes, small hotels, and independent restaurants. The Council was called upon to urge the Government to extend recognition to these similarly impacted businesses.

Reports of the Council's Committees

The Council was scheduled to receive and adopt the report of the Adult Social Services, Health and Housing Committee. This report included a recommendation to approve the adoption and publication of the Richmond Adult Carers' and Young Carers' Charter 2026. The Charter aims to recognise and address the specific needs of carers, promoting their health and wellbeing and mitigating the negative impacts of caring. It was developed through a co-production process involving unpaid carers and aims to improve access to information and support, support carers in employment, encourage collaboration between health and social care professionals, and focus on the specific needs of young, adult, and former carers.

Members' Questions

A list of questions from Members was scheduled to be addressed, covering a range of topics including:

• Further government measures to mitigate the loss of grant funding.
• Reassurance that reserves allocated to climate action and waste and recycling initiatives will remain ringfenced.
• The impact of the government preventing councils from using Crisis Resilience Funding for holiday free school meals.
• The number of meetings held by the reconvened Hammersmith Bridge Task Force.
• Council support for organisations like RAKAT to help vulnerable residents access community centres.
• Reassurance that the safety of young people is a priority for the council, police, and schools.
• An update on new apprenticeships and provision for young people with a SEND diagnosis.
• Progress made on the motion concerning safe travel home for women working late shifts.
• The council's belief that the Teddington Police Station site should be acquired for community benefit.
• Commitment to work with families regarding delays in adapting Princes Road Residential Care Home for supported living.
• Measures to ensure the borough's retail offer does not suffer from the loss of independent businesses.
• Condolences for the founder of Sheddington and the importance of such organisations.
• When the results of the recent CQC inspection will be shared with residents.
• Steps residents can take if their street is missed in the council's street cleansing regime.
• Measures to improve safety on Nelson Road in Whitton following accidents.
• An update on the SEND sector voluntary forum.
• The number of mega skips filled since the scheme was introduced.
• Whether research on the value of household gardens and allotments for pollinators is incorporated into ecological assessments.
• Analysis of the wider benefits of older people using public transport.
• The borough's actions regarding the maintenance of defibrillators and public training.
• Progress at the Active Hampton centre and upcoming activities.

Questions for written response included assistance for local independent businesses, progress on deploying pavement gullies for electric vehicle charging, the number of new-build homes redesignated to social rent, how the Capital Programme is to be financed, and action being taken to protect parking bays for car-sharing vehicles.