Last week in Hounslow:

• The Chief Officer Delegated Decisions included agreements for the implementation of new IT software to improve the Council's management of social housing.
• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel were scheduled to meet to discuss how they will scrutinise the council's activities over the coming year.
• The Licensing Panel considered whether to grant a new premises licence to a Lebanese restaurant in Acton, following representations made against the application.
• The Licensing Panel met to consider an application for a Temporary Street Trading Licence for a food truck outside Britannia House in Feltham.
• The Planning Committee were scheduled to meet to consider several planning applications.

Chief Officer Delegated Decisions - Monday 30 September 2024

The Chief Officer Delegated Decisions included agreements for the implementation of new IT software to improve the Council's management of social housing.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel - Monday 30 September 2024

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel were scheduled to meet to discuss how they will scrutinise the council's activities over the coming year.

Licensing Panel - Tuesday 01 October 2024

The Licensing Panel met to consider whether to grant a new premises licence to a Lebanese restaurant in Acton, following representations made against the application.

Licensing Panel - Wednesday 02 October 2024

The Licensing Panel met to consider an application for a Temporary Street Trading Licence for a food truck outside Britannia House in Feltham.

Planning Committee - Thursday 03 October 2024

The Planning Committee were scheduled to meet to consider several planning applications.

This week in Hounslow:

• The Hounslow South, Isleworth and Osterley & Spring Grove Area Forum discussed the delivery of elderly care, transport in the area, community hubs, the proposed Thames Water Teddington Direct River Abstraction Scheme, Hounslow's Local List and the Digital Switchover.
• The Licensing Panel decided whether to allow a petrol station and shop to sell alcohol 24/7 and to serve late-night refreshment.
• The Chiswick Area Forum discussed how to make Hogarth Roundabout safer, regeneration at Chiswick House and Gardens and received presentations from the Arts Centre Hounslow and the Digital Poverty Alliance.

Hounslow South, Isleworth and Osterley & Spring Grove Area Forum - Thursday 26 September 2024

The Hounslow South, Isleworth and Osterley & Spring Grove Area Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss a range of local issues. The meeting was not publicly broadcast and no transcript is available.

The agenda suggests that the meeting was to begin with an informal networking event for residents to meet with Councillors.

Delivery of Elderly Care

Jaz Gill was scheduled to lead an update on the delivery of elderly care. The meeting papers suggest that the update would include a discussion of the Council's collaborative working with the Borough Based Partnership in the delivery of primary care services.

Transport Update

Paul Robinson, Rob Heslop and Finn Campbell were scheduled to present a transport update for the three wards covered by the forum, which are Hounslow South, Isleworth, and Osterley & Spring Grove. The meeting papers suggest that this would include updates on traffic and roadworks, specifically mentioning the A316, the A4, and the area between them.

Community Hubs

Mamta Khanna, Matthew Maher and Clare Parker were scheduled to give a presentation about Community Hubs, focusing in particular on Osterley Library in Isleworth.

Thames Water Teddington Direct River Abstraction Scheme

The agenda for this meeting included an item relating to the proposed Thames Water Teddington Direct River Abstraction (DRA) Scheme, which was the subject of a presentation given by Conor Loughney and Gareth Bennett from Thames Water at the forum's previous meeting, held on 20 March 2024.

Hounslow's Local List Update 2024

The agenda also refers to a presentation about the council's Local List given at the forum's previous meeting. The list is a document that identifies buildings and sites that the council considers to be of local interest.

Digital Switchover & Broadband in Hounslow

The agenda also refers to a presentation given at the previous meeting about the Digital Switchover, which is a national programme to replace the copper wire landline telephone network with a new network that uses digital technology.

Safeguarding Old People

Finally, the agenda refers to the minutes of a meeting about safeguarding old people that had taken place on 16 February 2024.

Open Forum for Questions from the Public

The agenda states that there was to be an open forum where members of the public could ask questions.

Licensing Panel - Monday 23 September 2024

The Licensing Panel met to consider whether to vary the Premises Licence of a petrol station and shop to allow it to sell alcohol 24/7, and serve late night refreshment indoors and outdoors. The meeting was not publicly broadcast, and no transcript is available.

The meeting agenda also indicates that the meeting was to note reports from the Monitoring Officer, and to consider the Council’s procedure for Licensing Panel hearings.

Chiswick Area Forum - Tuesday 24 September 2024

The Chiswick Area Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss a number of local issues. The meeting was not publicly broadcast, and no transcript is available.

Making Hogarth Roundabout Safer

The meeting was to include a discussion of proposals to make Hogarth Roundabout safer.

Digital Inclusion in Chiswick

The meeting was also to include discussion of two items relating to digital inclusion in Chiswick: the Council's work to improve residents’ digital skills, and the lack of contactless card payment facilities at the Borough’s car parking payment machines.

Regeneration of Chiswick House and Gardens

Also on the agenda was a presentation about the Chiswick House and Gardens Trust's plans to develop part of the grounds of Chiswick House.

Arts and Culture in Hounslow

Two items were scheduled for discussion that relate to arts and culture in the Borough: the Council’s strategy for celebrating culture in the Borough, and a presentation about the work of the Arts Centre Hounslow.

The Digital Poverty Alliance

The agenda also included an item on the Digital Poverty Alliance, which seeks to ‘bridge the digital divide and eliminate digital poverty in the UK by 2030’.

Concerns raised at the previous meeting

Finally, the agenda included an item on concerns raised at the forum's previous meeting, which was held on 12 March 2024.

This week in Hounslow:

• The Pension Fund Panel discussed the council's investment strategy, reviewed the fund's performance and received an update on the implementation of the new General Code of Practice from the Pensions Regulator.
• The Borough Council was scheduled to discuss the state of the borough, the appointment of a new Monitoring Officer, and three motions on topics relating to pensioners, community safety, and democracy.
• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to scrutinise proposed changes to the Council Tax Support scheme, the transfer of NHS community healthcare services to a new provider and the progress of the council's delivery plan.
• The Hanworth Area Forum was scheduled to receive a presentation on the draft Local Implementation Plan for transport.
• The Central Hounslow Area Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss the council's draft Community Safety Strategy.

Pension Fund Panel - Monday 16 September 2024

The Pension Fund Panel met to discuss a range of issues relating to the Hounslow Pension Fund.

Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) - Transition Update

One of the key items on the agenda was an update on the implementation of the new Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA). As you may recall from previous emails, the SAA sets out the fund's investment strategy, including the target allocation of assets to different asset classes, such as equities, bonds, and property.

The report pack included an update on the transfer of assets to implement the agreed Strategic Asset Allocation.

The report details the progress that has been made in transferring assets to new asset classes, in line with the new SAA that was agreed in December 2023. The report also outlined the next phase of the implementation of the SAA. This will involve rebalancing UK equities from 32.6% of the value of the Fund to 10%, and increasing overseas equities from 34.6% of the value of the Fund to 40%.

Noted the progress on the transfer of Pension Fund assets to implement the agreed strategic asset allocation; and

Noted the next phase of the implementation to rebalance UK equities from 32.6% of the value of the Fund to 10% and to increase overseas equities from 34.6% of the value of the Fund to 40% as agreed in the new SAA.

General Code of Practice Review

The meeting also included the first in a series of reports assessing the council's compliance with the new General Code of Practice from the Pensions Regulator¹, as well as updates on the value of the fund and how it's being run.

The Pensions Regulator² new General Code of Practice (GCOP) came into force in March 2024.

This report is the first in a series that will review Hounslow Council's compliance with the GCOP. It covers the structure and activities of the Pension Board, as well as the Board's statutory reporting duties to the regulator. The report, which was scheduled to be discussed by the Pension Fund Panel, used the Hymans Robertson model to assess compliance.

Two main actions were identified during the compliance assessment.

• The Pension Board currently has three vacancies, which the Section 151 Officer³ is responsible for filling.

• The Administering Authority⁴ will need to introduce a formal system for appraising the performance of the investment advisor, actuary and custodian. They also need to establish a process to ensure that updates to registrable information, for example the names of board members, are reported to the Pensions Regulator within 5 working days.

Borough Council - Tuesday 17 September 2024

No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 19 September 2024

No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Hanworth Area Forum - Monday 16 September 2024

No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Central Hounslow Area Forum - Wednesday 18 September 2024

No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

This week in Hounslow:

• The Brentford and Syon Area Forum discussed proposed changes to Area Forum meetings, development updates from GSK, Ballymore and Homebase, and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
• The Heston and Cranford Area Forum was set to discuss changes to the running of Area Forums, Cranford Community Hubs, and the Area Forum Action Tracker.

Brentford and Syon Area Forum - Tuesday 10 September 2024

The Brentford and Syon Area Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss a number of local issues, including development updates and the Community Infrastructure Levy. No transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

The meeting was scheduled to begin with a tribute to the late West Area Neighbourhood Police Sergeant, Jim Cope.

After the tribute, there was scheduled to be a networking event giving residents the opportunity to speak to councillors, council officers and the police.

Development Updates

This part of the meeting was scheduled to include updates from developers on the following projects:

• GSK Development
• Ballymore Update
• Homebase, Brentford Update

Mabel Ogundayo and Jake Preston were scheduled to introduce themselves to the meeting on behalf of GSK and Neighbourly Lab respectively. Richard Pearce was scheduled to provide the Ballymore update, and Imogen Blanning was scheduled to represent Berkeley St Edward at the meeting.

It is not clear from the meeting agenda what these updates would cover, or what their significance is, but as you may recall from previous emails, large scale developments are often a topic of great interest to residents. They can have a significant impact on a local area - both positive and negative - bringing new homes, jobs and infrastructure, but also potentially putting pressure on existing services and infrastructure, and causing increased noise, traffic and pollution.

Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)

This item on the meeting's agenda was scheduled to include a discussion of the minutes from the meeting held on 29 February 2024. These minutes include a presentation about the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).¹ The CIL is a charge that local authorities can choose to levy on new developments in their area. The money raised from the levy can then be used to fund infrastructure projects that support the development of the area. These might include transport improvements, such as new roads or public transport links, or new or improved community facilities, such as schools, parks or leisure centres.

The levy is intended to ensure that developers contribute to the costs of providing the infrastructure that is needed to support their developments.

CIL – a levy on development intended to pay for the cost of infrastructure arising from new development. Every development that creates one or more new dwellings, or adds 100 sq metres to the floor area of an existing dwelling is required to pay CIL.

Hounslow Council

The presentation included details of how much money had been raised from the CIL in Brentford and Syon, how this money had been spent, and an update on which developments had paid the levy. This is likely to be of interest to residents as it shows how the money is being used to improve the local area.

CIL has become increasingly important in recent years as local authorities have faced significant cuts to their funding from central government. The levy provides a valuable source of income that can be used to fund essential infrastructure projects, and its use is only likely to increase in the future.

Area Forum Steering Group

The meeting was also scheduled to include a discussion of the Area Forum Steering Group.

The Steering Group had been proposed at the previous meeting, but it is not clear from the meeting agenda what its purpose is, or what was scheduled to be discussed.

Open Forum

This item on the meeting agenda was to give residents an opportunity to address the meeting. Residents were advised to submit questions in writing in advance of the meeting.

Heston and Cranford Area Forum - Thursday 12 September 2024

The Heston and Cranford Area Forum was scheduled to discuss a number of local issues at this meeting. No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Before the formal meeting, there was scheduled to be a networking event at 6:30pm where residents could speak to their councillors and officers from local organisations.

Open Forum

This item on the meeting agenda was to give residents an opportunity to address the meeting. Residents were advised to submit questions to the Chair in advance of the meeting.

Changes to Area Forum Meetings

This part of the meeting was scheduled to include a presentation on the subject of Changes to Area Forum Meetings. Thomas Allan of the council's Community Development Team was scheduled to give the presentation.

It is not clear from the agenda what changes are being proposed, but it is likely to be of interest to residents who want to have their say on how these meetings are run.

Cranford Community Hubs

This part of the meeting was scheduled to include a presentation on the subject of Cranford Community Hubs.

It is not clear from the agenda what will be discussed at this item, but as with many of the items at these Area Forum meetings, it is likely to be of great interest to residents.

Area Forum Action Tracker

The meeting was also scheduled to include a discussion of the Area Forum Action Tracker. The Action Tracker is intended to:

improve the way issues raised during meetings were monitored and updates fed back to both members and residents in a timely manner.

Hounslow Council

You can see the latest version of the Action Tracker here: Action Tracker v5 Sep 24.

It lists a number of issues that were raised by residents and councillors at the previous Area Forum meeting on 21 March 2024.

These issues included:

• Flytipping on Brabazon Road
• Replacement of bollards on Brabazon Road
• The poor condition of the road and pavement at the junction of New Heston and Heston Road
• Parking issues on Heston Road
• The lack of dropped kerbs on Heston Road
• The need to replace a bollard outside Cranford Library
• A request to prune a tree on Cranford High Street
• The state of the alleyway behind Vicarage Farm Road
• The installation of a bench on the green space in front of the shops on Vicarage Farm Road

The Action Tracker also includes updates from council officers on the action that has been taken, or is planned, in response to these issues. It does not state what was scheduled to be discussed at this meeting.

This is a good example of local democracy in action, with residents raising issues of concern, and the council being held accountable for taking action. It is likely to be of interest to residents who want to stay informed about what the council is doing to address issues in their area.

This week in Hounslow:

• The Cabinet designated the Glebe Estate in Chiswick a conservation area, consulted on changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme for working age residents and received updates on the Council's finances, performance and its major projects
• The Bedfont and Feltham Area Forum discussed the council's draft new Transport Strategy.
• The Licensing Panel meeting was cancelled.
• The Planning Committee considered proposals to build 60 flats at Ham Wharf in Brentford, a humanitarian aid workers' memorial in Gunersbury Park, an office and self-storage unit in Gunnersbury Avenue and a house extension on Devonshire Road.

Cabinet - Tuesday 03 September 2024

The Cabinet met to discuss a range of issues at this meeting including a petition calling for a new bridge to be built, updates on the Council's finances, performance and its major projects and programmes, a request to consult on changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme for working age residents and a decision on the designation of a Conservation Area.

Proposed designation of the Glebe Estate as a Conservation Area

One of the most significant items on the agenda for this meeting was a report requesting the Cabinet agree to designate the Glebe Estate in Chiswick as a Conservation Area and adopt the Conservation Area Appraisal for the area.

Conservation areas are areas of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance. Councils have a duty to designate conservation areas under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. Once an area is designated as a conservation area, planning permission is required for the demolition of buildings, and stricter controls apply to the carrying out of certain works to trees.

The report pack explained that a previous consultation in 2021 on designating the Glebe Estate as a Conservation Area received a largely negative response from residents. The report attributed this to:

a misunderstanding regarding the proposed designation, its consequences and a campaign based on the misunderstanding.

The report pack stated that further discussions have been undertaken with the residents association, Councillors and others and that further explanatory information has been written in order to address residents' concerns.

The report pack included a summary of the responses received to a second consultation in early 2024. The report pack stated that this consultation also resulted in the same largely negative response. The report pack listed several common misconceptions including that conservation area designation would prevent people from undertaking certain types of home improvement works without planning permission, and a belief that the consultation was a referendum on designation, and not a consultation to ascertain whether the special interest of the area has been adequately highlighted in the appraisal document.

The report pack included copies of the correspondence received from amenity societies including Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Twentieth Century Society who were all supportive of the proposed designation. It also included a copy of a letter from Labour Heritage expressing their support for the designation.

The report explained that Historic England has advised that they consider the appraisal to have been prepared in accordance with their guidance, and that in the opinion of council officers, Historic England, the Victorian Society, the Twentieth Century Society and Labour Heritage:

...the character and appearance of the Glebe Estate is such that it should be designated as a conservation area, whose character and appearance should be preserved or enhanced. This would ensure the Council is carrying out its statutory duty regarding such areas of special character

This decision is likely to be welcomed by heritage campaigners but may be met with opposition from some residents who are concerned about the impact of the designation on their property rights.

Petition - Construct a retractable pedestrian bridge from Brentford to Kew Gardens

The report pack also included a petition signed by 14 people calling for the construction of a retractable pedestrian bridge to connect Brentford with Kew Gardens. The petition noted that this suggestion had previously been raised and dismissed before a Councillors' Question Time meeting. No decision appears to have been taken by the Cabinet about this petition.

Consultation on Hounslow's Local Council Tax Support Scheme

The Cabinet voted to approve a 12-week consultation on proposed changes to the Local Council Tax Support Scheme. The proposed changes include options for additional hardship support to mitigate impacts of the cost-of-living crisis on households in the borough.

Councils have a statutory duty under the Local Government Finance Act 2012 to produce a scheme setting out the level of Council Tax Support that will be available to residents. The scheme can include different levels of support for different groups of people, for example those on low incomes or in receipt of certain benefits.

The report pack explains that:

Hounslow faces a significant challenge setting the budget for 2025/26 with a gap of £30m to be addressed through the identification of savings.

It suggests that the changes to the Council Tax Support scheme are intended to address this budget gap.

Financial Monitoring Update - Quarter 1 2024/25

The report pack included a report that provided an update on the Council's finances as forecast at the end of June 2024 (Quarter 1). It explains that there was a forecast budget overspend on the General Fund of £14.9m, potentially reducing to c£11.1m overspend to budget and noted that:

The current projected overspend position for the General Fund may result in a deficit position on the General Balances reserve which would require an immediate top-up from other earmarked reserves.

The report pack also noted that a net nil budget position was forecast for the Housing Revenue Account and that a nil variance was also forecast for schools budgets that are funded by the Dedicated Schools Grant.

Procurement of Hired Passenger Transport (SEND)

The Cabinet agreed to begin the process of procuring a new contract to provide transport for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Councils have a statutory duty to provide travel assistance to children with SEND, in accordance with the Education Act 1996.

Delivery Plan Monitoring Q1 2024-25

The report pack included an update on the progress of the council's Delivery Plan in Q1 of the 2024-25 financial year. The report highlighted several successes, including the completion of 9 new council flats in Hounslow and the installation of 20 air quality sensors at schools in the borough.

The Delivery Plan was split into four portfolios: People, Place, Capital and Digital.

People portfolio

The report stated that:

All programmes are progressing well with RAG ratings at either Green or Amber – 6 Programmes at Green and 6 at Amber. 1 programme is closed. No programmes are red.

Place portfolio

The Place portfolio has been split into five programme areas: Bedfont, Feltham and Hanworth; Central Hounslow; Chiswick; Cranford & Heston, Hounslow West; Isleworth, Brentford, Osterley.

Capital portfolio

The Capital Portfolio comprises capital funded programmes and projects that are not in scope of either the People or Place Portfolios.

Digital portfolio

The Digital portfolio is made up of a large number of programmes and projects associated with transforming the council’s services.

Culture Strategy 2025-2035

The report pack included a report requesting that the Cabinet approve the development of a new Culture Strategy for Hounslow.

Bedfont and Feltham Area Forum - Monday 02 September 2024

The Bedfont and Feltham Area Forum was scheduled to meet to discuss a number of local issues.

Audit and Governance Committee - Tuesday 03 September 2024

The Audit and Governance Committee met to discuss a number of issues.

Cabinet Question Time - Wednesday 04 September 2024

Councillors answered questions from members of the public at this meeting.

Planning Committee - Wednesday 04 September 2024

This meeting of the Planning Committee was scheduled to discuss 3 planning applications.

Ham Wharf

This application was for the erection of one six storey and one ten storey building at Ham Wharf in Brentford to create 60 flats.

Gunnersbury Park

This application was for the installation of a Humanitarian Aid Memorial at Gunnersbury Park.

250 Gunnersbury Avenue (North Circular Road)

This application was for the demolition of an existing office building and its replacement with a new building that would be part self-storage facility (Use Class B8) and part flexible office/light industrial use (Use Classes E(g)(i)/E(g)(iii)).

The Licensing Panel meeting scheduled for Wednesday 21 August 2024 was cancelled. The Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board was scheduled to meet to discuss a range of issues relating to community safety at its meeting on Thursday 29 August 2024, including a Domestic Homicide Review and updates on the work of the Violence Reduction Unit. The meeting was also scheduled to include an update on the Safer Communities Partnership. The Chief Officer made a number of delegated decisions on Friday 30 August 2024, including agreeing to enter into a Section 278 agreement with Brentford FC to make improvements to the road network near to their training ground, accepting a grant of £4,556,768 from the Mayor of London's Universal Free School Meals Scheme, and allocating additional funding to the SENDIAS service.

Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board - Thursday 29 August 2024

The Hounslow Community Safety Partnership Board was scheduled to meet to discuss a range of issues relating to community safety, including a Domestic Homicide Review, updates from the Violent Crime Reduction Unit (VRU) and probation services, and community safety. No transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

The meeting was also scheduled to include a presentation from Perfectly Imperfect, a community organisation working to reduce violence and exploitation. This presentation was to focus on the work they had undertaken as part of the VRU Capacity Building Project, which worked with young people in Feltham and across the Borough. The presentation was also to include a proposal for Perfectly Imperfect to work alongside the Community Safety Partnership on projects as part of the MyEnds project. The MyEnds programme is a London-wide initiative, funded by the Mayor of London, which aims to make neighbourhoods safer by supporting community-led projects. The report pack suggests that the Board was to be asked to approve this proposal.

“Perfectly Imperfect to continue engaging with residents within the Feltham area.”

Perfectly Imperfect

Perfectly Imperfect's proposal chimes with the Council's stated aim in its Safer Communities Strategy 2021-2024 to work with communities to build resilience and address the root causes of crime.

We will:

• Work with partners and communities to build resilience and reduce vulnerability to violence and exploitation, particularly for women and girls, children, and young people.

The Board was also scheduled to receive an update on the work of the Fear of Crime Task and Finish Group, which had been set up following the previous meeting.

The meeting considered the results of the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) Public Attitudes Survey, and the council's own 2024 Resident Survey.

These surveys are crucial tools in understanding residents' perceptions of crime and safety in the borough. The MOPAC survey provides valuable data on Londoners' experiences and perceptions of crime, while the Council's own Residents' Survey gives a more localised picture, helping to identify areas of concern within the borough.

The report pack suggests that while crime is lower in Hounslow than the London average, residents' fear of crime is higher.

“Hounslow has lower than the London average crime levels[sic]”

Houslow Council

“Hounslow’s residents have a higher-than-average fear of general crime.”

Houslow Council

The group identified six factors that can impact people's perceptions of safety: physical surroundings, crime rates, confidence in law enforcement, social cohesion, media coverage, and past experiences. Addressing these factors will be crucial in tackling the fear of crime in the borough. For example, improving street lighting and reducing anti-social behaviour can make people feel safer in public spaces, while building stronger relationships between the police and local communities can increase trust and confidence in law enforcement.

The Board was also scheduled to receive an update from the National Probation Service (NPS) on two changes to the way probation is delivered.

Firstly, the NPS is introducing a scheme called Probation RESET. This scheme will change the frequency of face-to-face meetings between probation officers and people serving Community Orders or Suspended Sentence Orders. After the two-thirds point in their sentence, these meetings will cease unless the person serving the order meets certain exemption criteria.

The report pack says that the changes are intended to:

“Help alleviate workload pressures by focusing Probation Practitioners’ time on where the evidence shows the most impact can be had.”

HM Prison and Probation Service

Workload pressures within probation services have been a significant concern in recent years, with staff shortages and increasing caseloads impacting on the service's ability to effectively supervise offenders and protect the public. By focusing resources on the early stages of sentences, when the evidence suggests interventions are most effective, Probation RESET aims to improve outcomes while addressing workload issues.

Secondly, the Ministry of Justice is making changes to the amount of time some prisoners spend in custody before being released on licence. This change, referred to as SDS40 in the report pack, will mean that offenders serving sentences currently eligible for release at the halfway point will instead be eligible for release after serving 40% of their sentence.

The change would mean that prisoners serving sentences that are currently eligible for release at the halfway point would instead be eligible for release after serving 40% of their sentence.

These changes apply to all sentences that are not classed as 'person', which generally refers to offences that involve violence against the person.

The report pack says that there are a number of sentences that are excluded from the changes. These include:

• Sentences that already have a two-thirds release point.
• Sexual offences.
• Violence offences with a sentence of over four years.
• National Security offences.
• Stalking offences.
• Specific offences related to domestic abuse (as listed in the guidance) > > HM Prison and Probation Service

The report pack highlights the Ministry of Justice's commitment to working with victims and local partners to manage the implementation of these significant changes. This commitment is crucial to ensure that the risks posed by offenders are managed effectively and that victims are appropriately supported.

Finally, the Board was also scheduled to receive the Safer Communities Partnership End of Year 3 Report. This report provided an update on the partnership's work in achieving the objectives set out in the Safer Communities Strategy 2021-2024.

Chief Officer Delegated Decisions - Friday 30 August 2024

The Chief Officer made a number of delegated decisions on Friday 30 August 2024. These decisions covered a range of issues, including funding allocations, highways improvements, and changes to council services.

The Chief Officer agreed to enter into a Section 278 agreement with Brentford FC to enable the delivery of highway works adjacent to their training ground at 100 Jersey Road, Osterley. These works, a condition of the planning permission granted for the redevelopment of the training ground in August 2022, include the provision of a new pedestrian crossing and improved pedestrian access.

The Chief Officer also agreed to accept a grant of £4,556,768 from the Mayor of London's Universal Free School Meals Scheme for the 2023/24 academic year. This funding will enable all children in Key Stage 2 at state-funded primary schools in Hounslow to receive a free school meal.

The Chief Officer also agreed to allocate £300,000 per year for three years to the SEND and Alternative Provision Programme budget to increase capacity in the SENDIAS service and improve the SEND Local Offer website.

Finally, the Chief Officer approved a number of other proposals, including:

• Increasing the budget for the Convent Way Delivery Strategy by £25,000.
• Reducing the number of School Crossing Patrol posts by two.
• Accepting a grant of £42,500 from the Sport England Swimming Pool Support Fund to install pool covers at Heston Pool.
• Approving Licences for Alterations at four units at Western International Market.

The Licensing Panel met on Tuesday 13 August 2024 to discuss an application for a new premises licence.

Licensing Panel - Tuesday 13 August 2024

The Licensing Panel was scheduled to meet to consider an application for a new premises licence at the Workhouse Dock in Brentford. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/31149. The meeting was not publicly broadcast, and no transcript is available.

The application was made by Brentford Waterside Limited Partnership for a Time Limited event to be held from Friday 26 July to Saturday 31 August 2024.

Licensing applications for one-off events are relatively common. As we saw in a previous email about a Licensing Panel meeting on 6 August 2024, which considered an application for a one-day music festival in Bedfont Lakes Country Park, these applications often attract a lot of attention from responsible authorities and the public because of their potential impact on the local area. This is particularly true when the event will involve the sale of alcohol, or late-night opening.

The application included the following licensable activities and hours:

• Supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises:
  • Sunday to Wednesday 12:00 to 20:00
  • Thursday to Saturday 12:00 to 22:00
• Films:
  • Sunday to Wednesday 12:00 to 18:00
  • Thursday to Saturday 12:00 to 22:00
• The opening hours of the premises:
  • Monday to Sunday 01:00 to 00:59 the following day

The applicants proposed that Mr Oliver Challiner be the designated premises supervisor.

The application included a number of conditions intended to promote the four licensing objectives. These included:

• A comprehensive CCTV system
• A Challenge 25 policy
• A ban on glass containers

The Licensing Act 2003 requires licensing authorities in England and Wales to carry out their functions under the Act with a view to promoting the following licensing objectives:

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

When considering applications for new licences, councils must consider whether the applicant’s proposals are likely to promote these objectives.

The report pack included a statement of Hounslow Council's licensing policy. This policy sets out the council's approach to licensing decisions.

The report pack notes that the Licensing Enforcement Officer agreed on a number of conditions with the applicant. These conditions would be added to the licence if the application was granted.

The report pack also included a representation to the application from Mr Thomas Blackford, Senior Principal Regulatory Officer, on the grounds of public nuisance, and a representation from a member of the public, also relating to public nuisance.

Mr Blackford’s report suggests that one of the applicant’s proposed conditions - that No noise generated on the premises, or by its associated plant or equipment, shall emanate from the premises. Nor shall any vibration be transmitted through the structure of the premises which gives rise to a nuisance - was not sufficient, because the application did not specify how this condition would be achieved in practice. The report also expressed concern about noise levels given the location of the speakers.

Mr Blackford proposed a number of additional conditions be added to the licence, including that a member of staff be present to monitor noise levels during film screenings, that no screenings be permitted on Sundays, and that a detailed noise management plan be submitted.

The representation from a member of the public stated that a large TV screen had been operating at Workhouse Dock from 9 am to 9:30 pm every day, showing sports events and TV shows, and that the sound volume was very high, impacting on the health and wellbeing of local residents.

The representation requested that the organisers be required to reduce the volume of the sound.

The Licensing Panel met on Tuesday 06 August 2024 to consider two applications for new licences: one for a petrol station and one for a one-day event.

Licensing Panel - Tuesday 06 August 2024

The Licensing Panel met to consider two applications for new licences. The first was an application to extend the hours during which alcohol can be sold at a petrol station. The second was for a one-off event to be held in a local park. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/30493.

These applications highlight the role of the Licensing Panel in regulating licensed activities in the borough. Licensing authorities like Hounslow Council are responsible for issuing licences for a wide range of activities, including the sale of alcohol, the provision of late night refreshment, and the provision of regulated entertainment. The Licensing Panel is responsible for considering applications for new licences, as well as applications to vary existing licences.

When considering applications, the Licensing Panel must have regard to the Licensing Act 2003, which sets out the framework for the licensing of a range of activities, including the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment, and the council’s own Statement of Licensing Policy. The policy sets out how the authority will apply the four licensing objectives when considering applications for licences. These objectives are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

The Licensing Panel must also consider any representations that are made by interested parties, such as the police, local residents, and businesses.

Isleworth Service Station, 403-405 Twickenham Road, Isleworth

The Panel was scheduled to consider an application from Motor Fuel Limited, the premises licence holder of Isleworth Service Station, to vary the station’s Premises Licence.¹

The licence currently permits the sale of alcohol between 06:00 and 23:00 every day. The applicant sought to extend those hours so that they would be permitted to sell alcohol at any time. They were also scheduled to apply to be allowed to provide late night refreshment between 23:00 and 05:00 every day.

Applications to extend existing licensing hours are very common. In many cases, businesses will seek to extend their hours to increase their revenue. However, these applications can be controversial, particularly when they involve the sale of alcohol or the provision of late night refreshment. Residents often raise concerns about the potential for noise, nuisance, and anti-social behaviour.

The Panel was scheduled to hear representations from three members of the public concerned about the proposed variation to the licence. In particular, they were scheduled to raise concerns relating to public nuisance, crime and disorder, and public safety. The Panel was also scheduled to consider Hounslow Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-25.

UK Entertainment Group Ltd, Bedfont Lakes South Side, Part of Bedfont Lakes Country Park, off Challenge Road, Feltham

UK Entertainment Group Ltd was scheduled to apply for a new Premises Licence for a one-day event in Bedfont Lakes Country Park. The event, described as a music festival in the application, is scheduled to be held on Saturday 31 August 2024.

The company applied for a licence to permit:

• The supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises between 12:00 and 23:00.
  • Live and recorded music, and performances of dance between 12:00 and 23:00.
  • The premises to be open to the public between 11:00 and 23:30.

Applications for licences for one-off events often attract a lot of attention from responsible authorities and the public. This is because these events can have a significant impact on the local area, particularly in terms of noise, nuisance, and traffic.

The Licensing Panel was scheduled to consider representations about the application from The Metropolitan Police, Hounslow Council's Licensing Enforcement Officer, a member of Hounslow Council's Pollution Control Team, a local Councillor, and nineteen members of the public. Representations were scheduled to be heard relating to all four of the Licensing Objectives, in particular those relating to public nuisance, the prevention of crime and disorder, and public safety.

In their representation, The Metropolitan Police stated that for the most part the application is acceptable, but proposed 6 additional conditions that would be added to the licence if it was granted. These included a requirement for the applicant to consult with responsible authorities, and to produce an Event Safety Management Plan (ESMP).

The Premises Licence holder will undertake a full and detailed consultation with each of the responsible authorities. This consultation will take place through a Multi-Agency Planning Group, theSafetyAdvisoryGroup (SAG),chaired bytheLondon Borough of Hounslowin thelead up to the event.

AninitialEventSafetyManagementPlan(ESMP)(firstdraft)shallbemadeavailabletotheLicensing Authority at least 90 days prior to the commencement of the event period that will include any additional information or improvements identified and agreed from the previous event’s multi- agency debrief.

ESMPs are a key part of ensuring the safety of large events. They set out how the event organiser will manage the risks associated with the event, such as crowd safety, fire safety, and medical emergencies. The police and other responsible authorities will often make representations about ESMPs to ensure that they are adequate.

The Panel was also scheduled to consider Hounslow Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2020-25.

It is important to note that this meeting was not publicly broadcast, and no transcript is available. This means that we are unable to provide details of what was actually discussed, or what was decided. You can find out more about the Licensing Panel, including how to make a representation about a licensing application, on the Hounslow Council website.

The Licensing Panel met on Monday 29 July 2024 to discuss an application for a new Premises Licence for Isleworth Bowls Club, and the Chief Officer made a number of delegated decisions on Wednesday 31 July 2024. The Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 1 August 2024 was cancelled.

Licensing Panel - Monday 29 July 2024

The Licensing Panel met to consider an application for a new Premises Licence for the Isleworth Bowls Club in Redlees Park. This was an application to convert their existing Club Premises Certificate to a Premises Licence. The meeting also included the usual procedure and order of business guidance, as well as a note from the Monitoring Officer about declaring interests. You can see the meeting pack here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26674. No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Isleworth Bowls Club Premises Licence application

The most significant item on the agenda for this meeting was an application for a new Premises Licence for Isleworth Bowls Club in Redlees Park. This was an application to convert their existing Club Premises Certificate to a Premises Licence.

The application was submitted by Ms Marlene Sampson, the Club Secretary.

The new Premises Licence would authorise the following licensable activities:

• Supply of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises:
  • Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00
  • Friday to Saturday 11:00 to 01:00
• Films (outdoors):
  • Monday 16:00 to 22:30
  • Friday to Sunday 16:00 to 23:00
• Indoor sporting events:
  • Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00
  • Friday & Saturday 11:00 to 01:00
• Boxing or wrestling entertainments, Recorded music (indoors & outdoors):
  • Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00
  • Friday & Saturday 11:00 to 01:00
• Live music (indoors & outdoors):
  • Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:00
  • Friday & Saturday 11:00 to 00:00
• Performance of dance (indoors & outdoors):
  • Monday to Sunday 11:00 to 22:00
• Late-night refreshment (indoors & outdoors):
  • Friday & Saturday 23:00 to 01:00
• The opening hours of the premises:
  • Sunday to Thursday 11:00 to 23:30
  • Friday to Saturday 11:00 to 01:30

The report pack explains that:

The premises are situated in an area of mixed commercial and residential properties.

It also says that three representations were received about the application:

• Two from 'other persons' outlining concerns in relation to:
  • The hours applied for
  • Public safety
  • Noise nuisance experienced from events held at the club.
• One from the Parks Team at the council voicing concerns about:
  • Littering
  • Possible anti-social behaviour

The Parks Team proposed a number of conditions to be attached to the licence if the application was granted.

The Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Enforcement Team did not submit representations but both agreed conditions with the applicant, to be attached to the licence if it was granted.

Isleworth Bowls Club currently has a Club Premises Certificate which permits the following licensable activities:

• Supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises
• Playing of recorded music
• Provision of facilities for dancing

The club’s existing certificate already permits all of these activities. The hours sought by this new application match the club’s existing hours.

These types of applications are very common. Premises that wish to carry out licensable activities, such as the sale of alcohol, or the provision of regulated entertainment such as live or recorded music, must obtain a licence from the council. You can find out more about this process on the Gov.uk website.

The report pack quotes the following parts of the council's Statement of Licensing Policy:

• LP1 General Principles
• LP2 The Four Licensing Objectives
• LP3 Core Hours
• LP4 ‘Off’ Sales of Alcohol
• LP5 Planning Status
• LP6 External Areas and Outdoor Events
• LP7 Minor Variations
• LP8 Temporary Event Notices
• LP9 Personal Licences
• LP10 Special Policy Areas – Hounslow, Isleworth and Heston
• LP11 Cumulative Impact – General

The most relevant of these in this case appear to be LP3, which describes the council's preferred hours for licensed activities, and LP10 which states that Isleworth Bowls Club is in an area designated as a Cumulative Impact Policy Area, making it more difficult to obtain a new licence.

Licensing authorities such as Hounslow Council are required by law to produce a statement of their licensing policy. This policy must be reviewed every five years. The policy sets out how the authority will apply the four licensing objectives when considering applications for licences. These objectives are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

The report pack also summarises the council's legal obligations under the Licensing Act 2003. This legislation sets out the framework for the licensing of a range of activities, including the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment.

Monitoring Officer Note on Interests

The report pack included a guidance note from the Monitoring Officer about declaring interests. This reminded Councillors of their obligations under the Members’ Code of Conduct, which is part 5A of the council's constitution. The note explained:

• The definitions of disclosable pecuniary interests
• Other registerable interests
• Guidance on predetermination and bias

The guidance explains that:

Members should avoid any appearance of bias or having formed a pre-determined view prior to taking a decision.

Councillors are required to declare any interests they may have in matters that come before them. This ensures that decisions are made fairly and transparently. You can find out more about this on the Local Government Association website.

Chief Officer Delegated Decisions - Wednesday 31 July 2024

This meeting was scheduled to discuss a range of issues including a number of housing issues, budget changes and traffic management schemes. The meeting also included some items that are not available for public inspection. You can see the meeting pack here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26675. No transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing.

Rebasing of Corporate Contingency: SEND Transport

This item sought approval for £1,250,000 from the Corporate Contingency budget to be transferred to cover projected overspends in the SEND transport budget. This follows a decision in March 2024 to allocate an additional £2.8m to the SEND transport budget.

Brentford High Street and The Ham, Brentford, s106 funding allocation

This item sought approval for the allocation of £1,698,837 from Section 106 funding to improvements on Brentford High Street and The Ham, Brentford. The report pack stated that the funding was originally secured for public realm improvements to be delivered in conjunction with Cycleway 9. It was scheduled to be discussed that £425,000 be spent on resurfacing the footways on Brentford High Street in 2024/25. The report pack sought approval for £450,000 to be allocated to fund improvements to The Ham, Brentford. The report pack also sought approval for the remaining £823,837 of funding to be allocated to a new project titled ‘Cycleway 9 (west)’ to contribute to the delivery of Cycleway 9 from Brentford to Hounslow.

Saxon Avenue no waiting, no entry and one-way working Traffic Management Order

This item concerned an objection received in relation to a proposed Traffic Management Order on Saxon Avenue, Feltham. The objection stated that:

The proposal will make it easier for public transport but doesn’t address parking problems in the area. The waiting restrictions will make it more difficult to park and will prevent loading when parking is full.

The report pack stated that parking availability would not be impacted by the waiting restrictions, and that:

vehicles are permitted to load/unload on single and double yellow lines for a maximum of 40 minutes, so long as no obstruction is caused.

To enter into utility agreements to enable the delivery of new homes at Spinney Drive

This item sought approval for the council to enter into two legal agreements to enable new homes at Spinney Drive in Feltham to be connected to utilities. These legal agreements were required to provide an electricity supply and a water supply to the homes, which are being built by Sapphire Independent Housing on land owned by the council.

Other items

The meeting also included a number of other items, including:

• Homes for Ukraine and Asylum Seeker provision
• Community Led Schemes programme update and budget realignment
• Digital and IT - revenue funded project work 2023/24
• Digital Network Replacement phase 1 in Hounslow House
• Funding request for special projects related to Council Tax and Business Rates
• Organisational Design Programme funding for Phase 2
• Approval of additional funds for Digital and IT projects
• Approve the recruitment of two permanent Appeals and Monitoring officers
• Outcome to the Hounslow West Controlled Parking Zone Review
• Newlands Close, Southall 'area' Proposed Controlled Parking Zone - Results of Informal (Preliminary) Consultation
• Finance for the Future project - agreeing funding for the procurement of interim project support
• Resolution of 'Waiting Restriction' Statutory Consultation Objection
• Resourcing of Contact centre system review

These items covered a wide range of council business, including finance, IT, housing, and transport. The Chief Officer is responsible for making decisions on a wide range of matters, and these decisions are often made on a delegated basis. This means that the Chief Officer has the authority to make the decisions without having to refer them to a committee of councillors.

The Thomas Layton Collection trustees were scheduled to receive updates on the relocation of the Collection's books and the creation of a new home for the Collection at Gunnersbury Park at their meeting on Thursday 25 July 2024. Councillors and officers met on Monday 22 July 2024 to discuss a range of issues relating to the Local Government Pension Scheme at the Pension Board. Councillors were also scheduled to be asked to approve the Regulation 19 Local Plan for public consultation at the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday 23 July 2024.

The Thomas Layton Collection - Thursday 25 July 2024

The Thomas Layton Collection trustees were scheduled to receive updates on the relocation of the Collection's books and the creation of a new home for the Collection at Gunnersbury Park at their meeting on Thursday 25 July 2024. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26582. The trustees were also scheduled to receive an update on the Collection's finances, and to discuss how the Trust's social media presence could be maintained. No transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

Pension Board - Monday 22 July 2024

Councillors and officers met on Monday 22 July 2024 to discuss a range of issues relating to the Local Government Pension Scheme at the Pension Board. You can see the meeting pack here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26579.

The Board was scheduled to review the draft annual report for the London Borough of Hounslow Pension Fund. The report covers the 2023/24 period and includes details of the Fund’s investment management, administration services, governance arrangements, and risk management. It also notes that the Fund increased in value by 10% over the reporting period.

The Board was also scheduled to receive a report from the West Yorkshire Pension Fund about how they were administering the London Borough of Hounslow Pension Fund between 1 January 2024 and 31 March 2024. The monitoring report, which was submitted by Robert Meldrum, the Director of Finance Services at Hounslow Council, highlights a number of challenges faced by the Fund, including demonstrating compliance with some aspects of the Pensions Regulator’s General Code of Practice.

Councillors were also scheduled to appoint an independent Chair for the coming year, and review the Fund’s compliance with the Pensions Regulator’s General Code of Practice. No transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

Borough Council - Tuesday 23 July 2024

Councillors were scheduled to be asked to approve the publication of the Regulation 19 Local Plan for public consultation and subsequent submission to the Secretary of State at the Borough Council meeting on Tuesday 23 July 2024. You can see the meeting pack here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26581. The Local Plan sets out the borough’s long-term strategy for development and, if approved, will be used by the council when determining planning applications.

The meeting was also scheduled to include the approval of the council’s Safer Communities Strategy and the Pay Policy Statement. In addition, two motions and three petitions were scheduled to be discussed by councillors. No transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

The last 7 days have seen 3 meetings: the Audit and Governance Committee, The Health and Wellbeing Board, and the Cabinet all met. The Licensing Panel meeting scheduled for Wednesday 17 July 2024 appears not to have taken place.

Audit and Governance Committee - Tuesday 16 July 2024

The Audit and Governance Committee met to discuss a range of financial and risk-related matters. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26396.

Corporate Risk Register

The committee received an update on the Corporate Risk Register, which sets out the main risks to the council achieving its objectives.

The register is split into two parts: corporate risks (owned and monitored by the council’s Corporate Leadership Team) and operational risks (owned by individual directorates).

The committee heard about two new corporate risks, both relating to capacity within critical infrastructure:

• Insufficient electricity network capacity: This risk is impacting electricity networks across west London. Increased electrical loads from new developments and the conversion of existing assets from gas to electric power are causing delays and increased costs. The council is working with other boroughs, sub-regional and regional bodies, and the private sector to address this issue. This echoes similar concerns raised at other councils across London, reflecting the pace and scale of development in the capital. As London seeks to become a net-zero city, reliance on electricity to power homes, businesses and transport is increasing, placing the existing network under considerable strain.
• Failure to respond to immediate climate risks (the impacts of extreme weather events – heat, cold, flood etc. – on Council services and activities) and adverse effects of climate change on the Borough: This risk was previously combined with another risk related to achieving the council's Net Zero commitment. The decision to split the risks reflects the need to manage both immediate and long-term climate-related risks. This reflects a growing awareness within local government of the need to address the climate crisis.

Councillors also heard about a significant increase in the risk score for Failure to deliver the ambitious programmes of change, transformation and development outlined within the Council’s Delivery Plan. This increase reflects the importance of the council’s Delivery Plan in achieving financial savings.

Internal Audit

The committee considered a report on the work of the Internal Audit team. The team conducted 23 audit reviews during 2023/24 and issued an overall opinion of Reasonable assurance. This means that while there is a basically sound system of internal control, some weaknesses put the council’s objectives at risk.

A review of the limited assurance reports issued identified some broad themes, including a need to improve monitoring arrangements, governance arrangements, and the use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The committee also received an update on the implementation of high-risk recommendations from previous internal audit reviews. It was reported that 83% of high-risk recommendations from 2022/23 had been implemented, but that three recommendations had exceeded their implementation date.

These three outstanding recommendations were related to:

• The formalisation of governance arrangements at Lampton;
• The separation of roles at Lampton; and
• The backlog of case allocation and reviews within the 0-25 Disabilities service.

Lampton is a company owned by Hounslow and Richmond-upon-Thames Councils, which provides a range of services, including waste collection and disposal.

Work is continuing to address these recommendations. The committee also heard that two high-risk recommendations from 2021/22 remain outstanding and are due to be implemented by September 2024.

External Audit

Councillors considered a report on the external audit of the council’s accounts for 2022/23. The audit has been delayed due to several factors, including national issues relating to the accounting treatment of depreciation for highways infrastructure assets and significant adjustments required to the council’s property, plant and equipment assets.

The draft Audit Completion Reports for the council’s main financial statements and the Pension Fund accounts were presented to the committee, along with a draft Audit Opinion. Despite the delays, Forvis Mazars, the council’s external auditors, anticipate issuing an unqualified opinion for both the council’s and the Pension Fund’s accounts.

Annual Governance Statement

The committee received the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2023/24. The Governance Statement is a key document that sets out the council’s arrangements for managing risk and ensuring good governance. The committee heard that the Council had a good level of implementation of internal audit recommendations and that no formal reports had been issued by the s151 officer or the Monitoring Officer. However, a number of weaknesses were identified.

The statement highlighted some of the main challenges facing the council, including the ongoing cost of living crisis, the need to make significant savings, and the need to deliver a range of ambitious regeneration projects. It also highlighted the importance of good governance and risk management arrangements in ensuring the council’s success.

The committee was asked to note the draft statement and to comment on any issues raised.

Independent Members

Finally, the committee considered a proposal to offer a remuneration package of £2,000 per annum to each of the two independent members. A previous recruitment process had been unsuccessful, and it is hoped that offering a remuneration package will make the roles more attractive to potential candidates.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Wednesday 17 July 2024

The Hounslow Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss the status of the Better Care Fund and other matters relating to the integration of health and social care in Hounslow. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26401.

The Board received reports on a number of schemes and initiatives, including the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), the Thriving Communities Strategy and patient experience in the Borough. The Board also approved the Better Care Fund planning template submission for 2024-25 and the year-end submission for 2023-24.

Better Care Fund

The Board discussed a report on the Better Care Fund (BCF). The BCF is a national programme that pools funding from the NHS and local government to support the integration of health and social care. The Board was asked to approve the BCF planning template submission for 2024-25 and the year-end submission for 2023-24.

Hounslow's BCF plan details how funds will be spent across 61 schemes and includes £21,622,060 of minimum NHS contributions to the Fund, £2,999,580 of Disabled Facilities Grant funding, and £8,174,245 from the Improved Better Care Fund.

The plan includes a number of initiatives to improve the integration of health and social care, including:

• Reducing non-elective admissions to hospital
• Reducing residential and nursing care admissions
• Improving the effectiveness of reablement
• Reducing delayed transfers of care from hospital

These aims reflect many of the challenges currently facing the NHS and Adult Social Care, including an ageing population, increasing demand and limited resources. By reducing hospital admissions and improving the effectiveness of reablement, the plan seeks to reduce pressure on the NHS, while also improving outcomes for service users.

The Board also considered the Section 75 agreement, which sets out the detailed arrangements for the pooled fund arrangements between the Council and the North West London Integrated Care Board (ICB). The agreement sets out the governance arrangements for the BCF, including the roles of the Health and Wellbeing Board, the BCF Executive Group, and the Joint Commissioning Board. The agreement also sets out the risk share arrangements for the BCF, which provide for financial risks arising within the commissioning of services from the pooled funds.

The Board approved the BCF planning template submission for 2024-25 and the year-end submission for 2023-24.

Thriving Communities Strategy

The Board discussed a report on the Thriving Communities Strategy (TCS). The TCS is a new strategy that aims to support a thriving civil society in Hounslow. The strategy has been developed through extensive public engagement, including interviews with 72 people, 6 community events, and 7 workshops.

The TCS sets out a number of key ambitions, including:

• Supporting people to connect with each other and with groups
• Engaging residents in their communities
• Helping voluntary and community sector organisations to thrive

The strategy is being implemented through a number of key initiatives, including:

• A new grants programme for voluntary and community sector organisations
• A new programme of community events
• A new online platform for residents to find out about local groups and activities

The Board received the report.

Healthwatch Hounslow Patient Experience Report

The Board received a presentation from Healthwatch Hounslow on their Patient Experience Report Q4 2023-24. Healthwatch Hounslow is an independent organisation that gathers and represents the views of patients and service users in Hounslow. The report sets out the findings of Healthwatch Hounslow’s engagement with patients and service users in the Borough.

The report highlights a number of positive findings, including:

• The majority of patients are satisfied with the care they receive from their GP
• Patients are generally happy with the attitude of staff at hospitals
• Patients are finding it easier to get appointments at dental practices

However, the report also highlights a number of areas for improvement, including:

• Patients are finding it difficult to get through to GP practices on the phone
• Waiting times at hospitals are too long
• Patients are finding it difficult to register with an NHS dentist

Healthwatch Hounslow has made a number of recommendations to improve patient experience in the Borough, including:

• GP practices should implement a call-back service for patients on hold
• Hospitals should inform patients about waiting times upon arrival
• Dental practices should increase awareness of who qualifies for free or reduced-cost NHS dental care

The Board received the presentation.

Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The Board received a report on the Health and Wellbeing Strategy Progress Report: Quarter 4 2023/24. The report sets out the progress that has been made against the four thematic areas of the strategy: Start Well, Live Well, Age Well, and Healthy Places.

Start Well - Councillor Samia Chaudhary is the Senior Responsible Officer for this section and progress was reported for schemes that focus on school readiness, improving pre-pregnancy, maternity and early year's care, and to halt the increase in obesity prevalence in children. Live Well - Councillor Sue Sampson is the Senior Responsible Officer for this section and reported on progress being made in a number of projects that focus on preventative care, vaccination uptake, and supporting people to be healthier by improving access to advice and guidance on self-care. Age Well - Councillor Lily Bath is the Senior Responsible Officer for this section and provided updates on the progress of schemes that focus on helping older people to maintain their independence, and end of life care planning, Healthy Places - Peter Goulding from Healthwatch Hounslow is the Senior Responsible Officer for this section, reporting on progress being made in a number of projects that focus on safety, crime, housing, and climate change.

The report highlights a number of positive achievements, including:

• A reduction in the number of children who are overweight or obese
• An increase in the number of children who are healthy, ready, able, and willing to learn at the end of reception year
• An increase in the uptake of NHS Health Checks
• A reduction in the number of people smoking
• A reduction in the number of people diagnosed with cancer at a late stage of disease

However, the report also highlights a number of challenges, including:

• A continuing increase in the prevalence of obesity in adults
• A need to improve access to mental health services for children and young people
• A need to reduce the number of people who die early from respiratory conditions
• A need to reduce the level of serious and nuisance crime in the borough

The Board noted the report and agreed to continue to monitor the progress of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Update

The Board received an update on the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA). The JSNA is a statutory document that assesses the health and wellbeing needs of the local population. The update provided an overview of the key findings of the JSNA, including the following:

• There is a high prevalence of obesity in Hounslow
• There is a high level of deprivation in the borough
• There is a need to improve access to mental health services

The update also highlighted a number of emerging issues, including the impact of the cost of living crisis on health and wellbeing.

The Board discussed the findings of the JSNA and agreed that it was important to focus on addressing the key challenges identified in the assessment. In particular, the Board agreed that it was important to:

• Develop a borough-wide strategy to tackle obesity
• Work with partners to reduce deprivation in the borough
• Improve access to mental health services

The Board also agreed that it was important to monitor the impact of the cost of living crisis on health and wellbeing.

The Board noted the update and agreed to continue to monitor the progress of the JSNA.

Cabinet - Tuesday 16 July 2024

The Cabinet met and approved a very large number of proposals, including a new Kerbside Strategy, a new Parking Strategy, and the publication of a draft Local Plan. You can see the meeting here: http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26398.

Residents' Survey

The Cabinet noted the results of the 2024 Residents' Survey.

The 2024 Residents' Survey was the Council's first independently run, Borough-wide survey since 2018.

Councillor Garrawal, Cabinet Member for Residents Support, Communities and Equalities, stated that:

82% of people are satisfied with their local area as a place to live, which is slightly significantly higher than the Local Government Association's national benchmark. Only 9% are dissatisfied. 74% of people say the Council is doing a good job, which is 11% points higher than people told us in 2018.

Despite this positive picture, the survey also highlighted a number of areas of concern for residents. These included:

• Affordable Housing: 47% of respondents identified a need for the Council to make more affordable homes available.
• Education, activities and support for young people: This was identified as a priority by 45% of respondents.
• Community safety: 42% of respondents wanted the Council to address this, with the finding that only 58% of residents feel safe after dark in their local area (compared to a 73% national average), a key concern for the Council.
• Access to jobs: 27% of respondents identified this as a priority for the Council.
• Health and wellbeing: This was identified as a priority by 24% of residents, with adult social care identified as the only service area where satisfaction with service users was below 50%, with 45% of respondents satisfied.
• Street / park cleaning, fly-tipping and waste and recycling: These issues were frequently raised by respondents.

Councillor Nowajewat noted that the Council would use the results of the survey to inform its long-term planning, via a “Vision 2050” exercise that would be launched at the Hounslow Assembly in October 2024.

CQC Inspection of Adult Social Care Services

The Cabinet noted the outcome of the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Adult Social Care, with the report finding that the service was overall ‘Good’. Councillor Bath, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Health Integration, summed up the inspection:

Priority in keeping people safe. The local authority had robust processes to manage risk, et cetera, and I'm sure people were safe pending full completion of assessments and reviews … staff who worked at Hounslow were proud to do so. I'm passionate about serving the local population, given that when you provide adult social care services, they are really challenging. You're on the front line, and to get that feedback, I think, is really good.

Another positive of the workforce was broadly representative of the local community. So I think that, again, that's really good to see, given that we know we are a diverse community. The council works as one Hounslow across several departments. I think that's always pleasing to hear …

Hounslow was one of the first Councils in the country to be inspected under new CQC powers introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022 that expanded the CQC's responsibilities to include assessing how well Local Authorities meet their adult social care duties, including market shaping and market oversight. The CQC’s judgements are made across four key areas:

• Working with people
• Providing support
• Ensuring safety
• Leadership

The inspection found that safeguarding concerns were reviewed quickly, there is a detailed improvement plan and that most service users feel safe. Partnership working was deemed effective, with the report noting that:

Hounslow was a key member in the local Borough Based Partnership, which worked well and was ambitious to deliver good, equitable outcomes for the borough.

Councillor Nowajewat thanked staff for their work in responding to the inspection.

Budget & Finances

The Council received an update on its financial position. The budget outturn for 2023/24 noted a net overspend on the General Fund of £5.3m, and a net overspend on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) of £5.3m.

Councillor Bruce, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, noted the pressures arising from inflation and increased demand for services, and highlighted the council's ongoing commitment to prudent financial management.

We are in still in tricky financial times … And to be honest, to only be 5.3 million pounds overdraw, overspending is, is actually pretty good … The HRA is under incredible pressure, and officers are working incredibly hard to look at that.

Councillor Nowajewat outlined a number of asks that the Council would be making of the new Government, including the provision of multi-year financial settlements.

Our ask of the new government is to offer some financial certainty, and it's pleasing to know that the new government have committed to at least giving us three-year settlements so that we can plan, which is very welcome and a departure from previous practices under the previous government.

The cabinet approved a number of in-year savings proposals that would be delivered in 2024/25, with further savings to be identified for future years.

Fairer, More Equal Hounslow

The Cabinet received an update on its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, which was approved in June 2023. The strategy identified 30 ‘Equality Opportunity Areas’ across the Borough.

North Hyde & North Cranford Equality Opportunity Area action plan

The Cabinet approved an action plan to tackle inequalities in North Hyde and North Cranford.

Safer Communities

The cabinet considered a report on the Safer Communities Improvement Programme, which was tasked to take forward the Council’s preventative approach to community safety and approved a new Target Operating Model.

Funded police team

Enhanced area based trial

Target operating model

Kerbside Strategy

The Cabinet approved a new Kerbside Strategy to help manage the kerbside – the space next to the footpath.

Councillor Dunne, Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport, noted that:

The strategy updates how Hounslow curbside spaces are used, ensuring that our streets and our public areas are designed for everyone. That means designing streets to support more walking, cycling, wheeling for those in wheelchairs and public transport, while also ensuring that there is enough parking for private cars.

The strategy covers a range of transport-related issues including:

• Physical inactivity.
• Loneliness.
• Poor air quality.
• Climate change.
• Accessibility

Consultation

Car Clubs

Micro-mobility

Other Measures

Parking Strategy

The Cabinet approved a new Parking Strategy for the Borough, to ensure that Council-operated parking continues to meet the needs of those who live, work, and visit Hounslow. The Strategy, developed in tandem with the Kerbside Strategy, seeks to manage and improve existing parking provision, ensuring it is aligned to the Council’s ambitions around net-zero carbon and sustainable travel.

Consultation

Parking supply and condition

Other measures

Local Plan

The cabinet agreed to recommend to the Borough Council that a Regulation 19 version of the Local Plan be published for consultation. The Local Plan sets out the long-term strategy for development, regeneration, and conservation in the Borough.

Transforming our Community Experience

The Cabinet received an update on the Transforming our Community Experience Programme (TCE). The Programme, originally approved in February 2023, seeks to transform how residents access council services and engage with the Council.

Community Hubs

Resident experience

Next steps

In the last 7 days (since Saturday 06 July 2024), the council scheduled 7 meetings of which 6 were actually held. The Cabinet meeting, originally scheduled for Tuesday 09 July 2024 has been postponed. The remaining six meetings are detailed below.

Planning Committee - Tuesday 09 July 2024

The Planning Committee met and approved the construction of a shop and flats on the site of 1 Spring Grove Corner, and the retrospective amendment of the plans for the construction of a garage block at Garth Court.

Land adjacent to 1 Spring Corner

The committee considered an application¹ for the construction of a shop and flats on land next to 1 Spring Grove Corner.

The committee heard that the developers intended the retail unit to only serve the local community. They were told that a sequential assessment² had been carried out in line with the National Planning Policy Framework, which requires that local authorities should apply a sequential test to planning applications for main town centre uses that are not in an existing centre and that local planning authorities should apply a sequential approach to planning applications for out-of-centre supermarkets, food stores, and other main town centre uses to ensure that they are located in the most sustainable locations. The meeting heard that the parking for the development complied with the London Plan, which sets out how much parking should be provided for new developments.

Councillor Dan Bowring said:

I request a note or condition to speak to Oasis Church to accurately measure noise levels on Sundays on behalf of future residents of the flats, to allow adequate mitigation.

After considering the report, the application was approved unanimously, subject to conditions.

Garage Block at Garth Court

The committee considered a report on the construction of a garage block at Garth Court.

This application had previously been approved by the committee. However, when the application was originally approved, the committee had been given incorrect information about the height of the development. As a result, the development was 20cm taller than the plans that had been approved.

The committee was asked to consider whether they would have approved the original application if they had known the true height of the development.

The committee heard from the Legal Adviser, Simon Cowley, that they should decide the application on its merits, and should not consider the views of the Councillor who called it in.

Councillor John Stroud-Turp said that he believed the scheme was still acceptable even though it was 20cm taller than the original application.

[The application] had been thoroughly debated when first heard and [I] believed the scheme was just as acceptable at 20cm taller than first set out.

Councillor Dan Bowring said:

[I] agreed that the development, which he had visited, was still acceptable

The committee voted unanimously to approve the application.

Chief Officer Delegated Decisions - Friday 12 July 2024

This meeting saw a large number of decisions made by the Chief Officer. These included the approval of the third phase of the dockless e-bike rental trial, decisions on parking schemes in Brentford and Cranford, and the retrospective approval of the rents and service charges for new council housing. This is a very common pattern for meetings of this kind, as the Chief Officer has a very wide range of responsibilities.

Rebasing of Corporate Contingency: SEND Transport

Of particular interest is the decision to transfer £1,250,000 from corporate contingency budgets to cover projected overspends in the SEND transport budget. This is the second time this year that the Chief Officer has had to allocate additional funding to SEND transport, following a similar decision in March. This suggests that there are significant underlying problems with the way that SEND transport is funded and managed in Hounslow.

Moving forward, transport spend will be monitored against the SEND safety valve to determine if the proposed positive impact of the safety valve follows through to transport demand.

E-bike rental trial: Phase 3 and other locations

The Chief Officer also approved the third phase of the Dockless e-bike rental trial. The first and second phases of the scheme were launched in June and July of 2023 respectively. The third phase will expand the scheme to include the wards of Bedfont, Cranford, Feltham, Hanworth and Heston. It will also add a number of new e-bike parking bays to areas that were covered by the first and second phases. This is the latest in a series of initiatives by the council to promote sustainable transport.

Within the last few years, dockless e-bike rental schemes, have been successfully introduced across significant parts of London.

Outcome of the proposed Controlled Parking Zone ‘preliminary’ consultation for Augustus Close, Brentford Dock ‘area’

The Chief Officer also made a decision on whether to proceed with a proposal to introduce a CPZ to the area around Augustus Close in Brentford Dock. This is a residential area of Brentford that has seen a lot of new development in recent years. Many new developments in London do not provide adequate parking for residents, and this can have a knock-on effect on nearby areas as commuters and visitors park on nearby streets. The consultation showed that there was majority support for the introduction of a CPZ in the area.

In conclusion, there was majority support by residents for the longest possible restriction days and times (i.e. Monday to Sunday and “All day” restrictions throughout).

Outcome of proposed Controlled Parking Zone consultation - High Street ‘area’ Cranford

The Chief Officer also decided not to proceed with proposals to introduce a new CPZ to an area of Cranford, near Heathrow Airport.

Residents of High Street and Sandringham Gardens, Cranford, put forward a petition, approved by local ward Councillors, requesting that the roads become part of a 24 hour CPZ.

The petition stated that parking demand from people believed to be airport workers was impacting on residents' ability to park.

In light of the 10% response rate and varying support for the operation times of a CPZ, it does not represent a clear consensus that would indicate support for the implementation of a CPZ.

This is in contrast to the decision to proceed with the CPZ in Brentford Dock, where there was much clearer evidence of public support.

Schools Forum - Monday 08 July 2024

The Schools Forum received a report on the state of school finances in the borough. The report noted that individual school balances can fluctuate, and that the balances themselves do not necessarily reflect the financial health of the school.

Individual school balances can fluctuate for a number of reasons and do not, in themselves, provide an indicator of a school’s financial health.

The forum noted that 15 schools in the borough were holding balances in excess of £1 million. The forum also discussed the Dedicated Schools Grant, which is the main source of government funding for schools.

Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education - Monday 08 July 2024

The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) is a statutory body that advises the council on matters relating to religious education.

The meeting was mostly concerned with applications made by two local primary schools, Heston Primary School and Grove Road Primary School, to determine their own religious education and collective worship policies. The committee agreed to both applications.

Both schools cited the diversity of their local communities as a reason for wanting to determine their own policies.

Heston Primary School stated that:

The school wishes to be inclusive of pupils from all faiths and those with no faith, as well as reflecting the diversity of the school community in terms of ethnicity, culture and heritage.

Grove Road Primary School stated that:

our school community is diverse and although many families identify with a faith, there are also a significant number of families who do not identify with a faith. We believe that a bespoke curriculum can be designed which is sensitive and inclusive of the needs of our school community.

This reflects the increasing diversity of London's population. In the past, many schools would have had a predominantly Christian ethos, but this is no longer the case in many parts of the capital.

Health and Adults Care Scrutiny Panel - Monday 08 July 2024

The Health and Adults Care Scrutiny Panel scrutinises the work of the council's Health and Adults Care department. The panel is made up of elected councillors. At this meeting, the panel received a report on Adult Social Care's performance and heard a presentation about the future of the London Ambulance Service. No decisions were made at this meeting.

Licensing Panel - Tuesday 09 July 2024

The Licensing Panel is responsible for making decisions about the granting of licences for things like pubs, clubs, and restaurants. These panels are often the site of tension between local residents who are concerned about the impact of licensed premises on their communities, and businesses who are trying to make a living.

This is a family area and this application, if granted, will only add to existing problems. I would ask the Panel to consider very carefully the impact that another licensed premises would have, particularly late at night.

• [Mrs Smith], Objecting to the application.

At this meeting, the panel considered an application for a new premises licence for a restaurant at 128 High Street, Feltham. This is in the town centre, and there are already many restaurants in the area. The panel heard from the applicant, the police, and a local resident. They then made a decision to grant the licence.