The General Purposes Committee met on Wednesday 18 February 2026 to discuss compensation payments for individuals in temporary accommodation and to consider proposed changes to the council's constitution. The committee approved compensation payments for 11 service users who had been in hotel bed and breakfast accommodation for longer than the statutory six-week period. Significant discussion also took place regarding proposed amendments to the council's constitution, with a decision made to delegate further consultation and agreement on specific amendments to the monitoring officer in consultation with the chair, before presenting them to the Full Council.

Compensation Payments for Temporary Accommodation

The committee approved compensation payments for 11 service users who had occupied hotel bed and breakfast accommodation for longer than the statutory six-week requirement. These payments are mandated by the Housing Ombudsman¹ to compensate individuals for extended stays in unsuitable temporary accommodation (TA). Councillor Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection, explained that while hotel accommodation is intended for short-term use, pressures on the system have led to some households remaining in these facilities for extended periods.

The report highlighted that the longest stay was 65 weeks, a situation described by Councillor Caroline Sargent, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, as unacceptable and detrimental to the health and well-being of residents, particularly those with young children. She noted that families were resorting to takeaways due to inadequate cooking facilities, impacting children's health.

Officers reassured the committee that significant efforts are underway to reduce reliance on hotel-based TA. This includes a substantial capital investment to acquire council-owned TA provision, with a target of over 25% of TA being council-owned in the future. The council has already moved 178 clients out of hotels and plans to close another 250 hotel placements by the end of the financial year. The report also detailed work with organisations like Cardinal Hume to support families in accessing off-site cooking facilities.

The committee heard that many of the extended stays were due to the complexity of individual needs, such as requiring ground-floor accommodation, adaptations, or accommodation suitable for large families (some comprising seven or eight adults). The availability of suitable properties in the right locations to maintain residents' health and support networks also contributed to delays.

Constitutional Changes

The committee considered a comprehensive report detailing proposed amendments to the council's constitution, which is a fundamental document outlining the council's governance framework. The proposed changes aimed to ensure the constitution remains up-to-date and effective. Key proposals included revisions to the council's standing orders to ensure equitable working for all formally constituted political partner groups, and the replacement of an outdated code of governance with a new one based on best practice guidance from the Standards Board for England (SBE) and the Local Government Association (LGA). Changes were also proposed to reflect interim staff structures.

A significant portion of the discussion focused on the proposed removal of virtual participation for members of the public in Full Council meetings, despite no one having used this facility. Councillor David Boothroyd, Chair of the committee and Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform, sought clarification on this point, suggesting it might align with changes in how committees are run. It was noted that while the current meeting was being held via Microsoft Teams, public participation in council meetings is generally expected to be in person.

Concerns were raised by Councillor Caroline Sargent regarding the mechanics of council meetings, particularly if the council were to have four or five political groups in the future. She highlighted that some proposed changes might not be workable in such a scenario and that the current proposals seemed to reflect a situation with two or three parties. She also suggested that the new code of governance might be better placed outside the main constitution, allowing for easier updates without requiring a full constitutional review.

Further discussion centred on the selection of committees, with a suggestion that the majority party should select its committee members first, followed by the next largest party, and so on, to ensure a more equitable distribution, especially in a multi-party environment. The issue of proportionality in committee appointments, particularly for smaller groups and those with special responsibility allowances (SRAs), was also debated.

Ultimately, the committee agreed to delegate the finalisation of agreed amendments, particularly those concerning proportionality and committee selection, to the monitoring officer in consultation with the chair. This approach aims to allow for further cross-party consultation via email before the revised constitution is presented to the Full Council. The extensive nature of the proposed changes, with the full constitution document running to 600 pages, necessitated this delegated approach to ensure timely submission to the Full Council.

Members' Allowances Scheme 2026-27

The committee also briefly reviewed the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-27. The report indicated that the scheme reflects current allowances with an inflationary uplift. No major changes were proposed, and the recommendation to approve the scheme was accepted.