The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Wednesday 28 August 2024 but did not publish a transcript of their meeting. The Planning Applications Committee met on Wednesday 21 August 2024 and approved several planning applications, including a proposal for a new intensive therapy unit at St. George's Hospital.

Planning Applications Committee - 21 August 2024

This week’s meeting of the Planning Applications Committee considered seven planning applications and an enforcement case. The committee approved applications for a new intensive therapy unit at St. George's Hospital, a temporary licence for a flower stall outside Clapham Junction Station, minor alterations to the Riverside Business Centre, the construction of 2 dormer windows at 23 & 25 Oxford Road, and new houses and flats on a car parking space on Swaffield Road. The committee also agreed to authorise enforcement action to return a basement flat at 310 Queenstown Road to its original use, and to confirm a Tree Preservation Order for an oak tree at the Roehampton Sports & Fitness Centre.

St. George’s Hospital

The application for a 2-3 storey intensive therapy unit located in the grounds of St. George’s Hospital was approved unanimously.

Flower Stall, Clapham Junction Station

The committee approved an application for a temporary 5-year licence for a flower stall outside Clapham Junction station on St. John’s Hill, but reduced it to 2 years on the motion of Councillor Aydin Dikerdem.

As we have discussed in previous emails, planning applications are often amended during the course of the meeting. It is not uncommon for the committee to approve an application, subject to the applicant agreeing to make some changes to their proposals. This is what happened in this case.

Riverside Business Centre

The committee approved an application for minor alterations to a development at Riverside Business Centre on Haldane Place.

This application is what’s known as a Section 73 application. These applications are used to vary the conditions attached to an existing planning permission. They do not allow changes to be made to the fundamental principles of the development that have already been approved, but are often used to make relatively minor changes to the design or layout of a scheme following the approval of a larger application. In this case, the developer was required to make a number of changes to the fire safety and accessibility arrangements for the development to reflect changes in building regulations since the original plans were approved.

23 & 25 Oxford Road

The committee approved an application for an extension to 23 & 25 Oxford Road, to build 2 dormer windows at the rear of the properties.

Car Parking Spaces West of 85 Swaffield Road

The committee approved an application to develop 9 houses and flats on a car parking space on Swaffield Road, with 4 votes to 2 and one abstention.

You may recall from a previous email that Wandsworth Labour’s 2022 manifesto pledged to give residents a vote on regeneration schemes that involve demolition.

“We will introduce a residents’ ballot on regeneration schemes that include demolition” - Wandsworth Labour manifesto 2022.

Although this application involves the loss of parking spaces, it does not involve the demolition of homes, so a ballot would not be required in this instance.

1 Jeptha Road

The committee approved an application to add a rear dormer and two front roof lights at a house on Jeptha Road.

310 Queenstown Road

The committee discussed an enforcement case relating to the conversion of a dwelling house into four self-contained flats at 310 Queenstown Road.

The owner of the property had converted the house into flats without planning permission. In these circumstances, the Council’s planning enforcement team can take action to require the owner to either apply for retrospective planning permission or return the property to its original state. In this case, the owner applied for a certificate of lawfulness but this was refused. As a result, the Council agreed to take enforcement action.

As we have discussed in previous emails, the provision of affordable housing is a key consideration for the Planning Applications Committee. It is also a significant issue for London as a whole. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set a target that 50% of all new homes built in London should be affordable.

Tree Preservation Order, Roehampton Sports and Fitness Centre

The committee unanimously agreed to confirm a Tree Preservation Order for an oak tree at Roehampton Sports and Fitness Centre on Laverstoke Gardens.

As you may recall from a previous email, the Council’s Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee objected to proposals to redevelop the Glass Mill site. One of the main reasons for their objections related to the impact that the proposed development would have on a number of trees on the site. This suggests that the Council takes its responsibilities to protect trees seriously.

This concludes our summary of this week’s Planning Applications Committee. We will continue to keep you updated on the Council’s activities in our weekly emails.

This week in Wandsworth:

• The Licensing Sub-Committee considered a license for Hazel's and Belgiardino, a restaurant on Moyser Road.
• The Council Constitution adopted a new version of the Wandsworth Council constitution.

Council Constitution - 14 August 2024

The Council Constitution meeting on Wednesday 14 August 2024 adopted a new version of the Wandsworth Council constitution. The Council Constitution is a document that sets out the rules governing how a Council operates. It sets out how decisions are made, what the Council's powers and duties are, and how residents can get involved in the Council's work.

The constitution is a well-written document that is worth a read if you'd like to understand better how the council works. In particular, the first few pages give a good introduction to the the framework for local governance, and there is an excellent pictorial overview of the structure of the council and how it operates on page 590 of the report that deserves viewing.

It is also worth noting that Wandsworth Council has a very close relationship with Richmond Council, sharing much of their staffing and decision making, whilst keeping constitutions and governance separate, which is well explained in the constitution.

The summary and explanation section of the constitution says that the purpose of the constitution is

to:

(i) enable the Council to provide clear leadership to the community in partnership with citizens, businesses and other organisations;

(ii) support the active involvement of citizens in the process of local authority decision making;

(iii) help Councillors represent their constituents more effectively;

(iv) enable decisions to be taken openly, efficiently and effectively;

(v) create a powerful and effective means of holding decision-makers to public account;

(vi) ensure that no one will review or scrutinise a decision in which they were directly involved;

(vii) ensure that those responsible for decision-making are clearly identifiable to local people and that they explain the reasons for decisions; and

(viii) provide a means of improving the delivery of services to the community.

The constitution sets out a number of rights for the citizens of Wandsworth. They include the right to vote at local elections, contact your local councillor, attend council meetings (except where confidential or exempt matters are being discussed), see reports and background papers, make complaints, inspect the council’s accounts, and to draw attention to suspicions of fraud.

Licensing Sub-Committee - 14 August 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee met this week to determine an application for a new premises license from a restaurant at 95-97 Moyser Road. As you may recall from a previous email, applications for new and varied premises licenses are made under the terms of the Licensing Act 2003. This Act sets out four ‘licensing objectives’ which are the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. Licensing applications must demonstrate how they will uphold these objectives if they are granted a license. Applications for premises licenses are decided by a Licensing Sub-Committee, which is made up of three councillors. The Sub-Committee must also consider any ‘representations’ that have been made in relation to the application. These representations can be from ‘responsible authorities’, such as the police, or from ‘interested parties’, which can include local residents, businesses and community groups.

In this case, representations were received from the Metropolitan police, who were concerned about the restaurant’s policies relating to the recording of security incidents, notices advising patrons to leave quietly, Welfare and Vulnerability Engagement (WAVE) training and Counter Terrorism Awareness training. Representations were also received from the council’s Environmental Services Officer who was concerned about noise levels and from the Trading Standards Officer, who wanted reassurance that the restaurant would be properly checking ID. Six local residents also made representations objecting to the application. They were concerned about noise from customers, late night opening hours, the potential for crime and disorder and the protection of children from harm.

Unfortunately, no transcript or video is available for the meeting so it is not possible to know what was said. The Sub-Committee will publish their decision within 5 working days.

The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Wednesday 31 July 2024 to discuss a premises license application from Taste of the Caribbean.

Licensing Sub-Committee - 31 July 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee met to determine an application for a new premises license from the Taste of the Caribbean food and drink festival.

As you may recall from previous emails, licensing applications are made under the terms of the Licensing Act 2003. This Act sets out four ‘licensing objectives’, which are:

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

Licensing applications must demonstrate how they will uphold these objectives if they are granted a license.

Applications for premises licenses are decided by a Licensing Sub-Committee, which is made up of three councillors. The Sub-Committee must also consider any ‘representations’ that have been made in relation to the application. These representations can be from ‘responsible authorities’, such as the police, or from ‘interested parties’, which can include local residents, businesses and community groups.

This week’s meeting considered an application for the Taste of the Caribbean festival to be held in Wandsworth Park. The applicant was seeking permission to sell alcohol from 10am until 8pm and to provide live and recorded music between those times.

The meeting’s agenda included a report from the Council’s Licensing Manager, Caroline Sharkey. The report explained that the application had been advertised as required, and that this had resulted in an agreement with the Council’s Environmental Health team about how the festival would manage noise. The report also explained that a number of representations had been received.

You may recall from a previous email that three representations were received in relation to an application from Ground Coffee Society in Putney. In that case, all three representations were withdrawn following discussions between the applicant and the representors. In the case of the Taste of the Caribbean festival, the Metropolitan Police had initially made a representation, but this was withdrawn after the applicant agreed to a number of additional conditions being added to their license.

“The first representation from the responsible authority was from the police [who] raised concerns that granting the application in its current form would undermine the prevention of crime and disorder as licensing objective. The police requested extra conditions to be added to the license if it were to be granted. The applicant agreed the proposed conditions that the police put forward and consequently the police withdrew their representation.” - Caroline Sharkey, Licensing Manager

This suggests that the applicant had addressed the concerns of the police. In these cases, the Licensing Act 2003 requires the police to withdraw their representation.

“If the relevant licensing authority— (a) receives a representation from a relevant person, and (b) is satisfied that, as a result of steps agreed between the parties, the representation should be treated as withdrawn, the authority must, for the purposes of this Act, treat it as withdrawn.”

— Section 19 of the Licensing Act 2003

The Licensing Manager’s report also stated that one representation had been received from a local resident who had concerns about the potential for public nuisance and crime and disorder. However, the resident in question was unable to attend the meeting.

The Sub-Committee heard from Damien Mclean, who is the event manager for the festival. Mr Mclean told the Sub-Committee that the festival is a family-friendly event that has been running for four years, and is now held at 17 locations across London. Mr Mclean explained that they have a comprehensive event management plan in place, and that they have never had any serious incidents at any of their events.

The Sub-Committee sought clarification on a number of points. They asked how many people the event was expected to attract, with Mr Mclean explaining that they expected around 3,000 people to attend, but that the maximum capacity would be 4,999.

They also asked whether the Council’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) had been consulted. The SAG brings together officers from different council departments and other agencies, such as the Metropolitan Police, to provide advice and guidance to event organizers on how to run safe and successful events. Ms Sharkey confirmed that the SAG had been consulted and that they had advised that a temporary license be issued for last year’s festival, with a view to a full application being made this year.

The Sub-Committee also sought clarification on whether the license could be revoked if there were problems with this year’s event. John Bishop, the meeting’s legal advisor, confirmed that the license could be reviewed at any time, and that this would certainly be an option if problems arose.

“..it's very important to remember that where you've got a premises license for an event like this with the sort of numbers involved um if there were to be problems at the event this year then obviously the uh license could be reviewed and therefore you wouldn't have the license going forward ad infinitum because you'd be able to review it and reconsider it” - John Bishop, Legal Advisor.

The Sub-Committee thanked Mr Mclean for attending the meeting and retired to consider their decision in private. Their decision will be published within five working days.

This week, Wandsworth Council held four meetings. The London Heliport Consultative Group discussed a number of topics, including helicopter movements and noise complaints. The Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday 23 July 2024 objected to a proposal to redevelop the Glass Mill site at 1 Battersea Bridge Road, and will reconsider the Battersea Power Station application in September when revised plans have been published. The Executive meeting on Monday 22 July 2024 agreed to a number of significant spending commitments, including plans to acquire 56 new flats for sheltered accommodation in Springfield Village, and finally, the Council meeting on Wednesday 24 July 2024 did not publish a transcript.

Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee - 23 July 2024

Wandsworth Council’s Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee (CHAC) provides advice to the Planning Applications Committee (PAC) on planning applications that affect conservation areas¹ and listed buildings². The Committee is made up of local residents with expertise in architecture, planning and heritage.

This week’s CHAC meeting objected to two of the six applications that they considered. They also discussed an application for detailed approval for part of the Battersea Power Station development. The committee felt that the proposed design for the new buildings was not in keeping with the existing Gehry buildings and was more like “Gehry Lite” than full-blown Gehry. The applicant has agreed to make some revisions to the design, and the committee will consider the application again at their next meeting in September.

The committee also had a short discussion about the upcoming local listing consultation. As we discussed in a previous email, this consultation will give residents the opportunity to nominate buildings and sites that they think should be locally listed.

Executive - 22 July 2024

The Executive is the council's main decision-making body. It is made up of the Leader of the Council and the cabinet members. The Executive is responsible for setting the council's budget, developing policies, and making key decisions about the delivery of services.

This week's Executive meeting agreed to a number of significant spending commitments to increase the amount of council housing, support the voluntary and community sector, extend the provision of free school breakfasts, acquire new homes for supported housing and make changes to the way the council manages its finances. These decisions had all been previously debated by the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Finance Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 17 July 2024, and the Executive accepted all of the recommendations from those meetings.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees

Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) are responsible for scrutinizing the work of the Executive and holding it to account. They can review the council’s policies, performance and budget. They can also make recommendations to the Executive about how the council can improve its services. The recommendations made by OSCs are not binding, but the Executive is required to give them serious consideration.

Supported Housing in Springfield Village

As we discussed in previous emails, there is a chronic shortage of supported housing in London. Supported housing is accommodation that is provided to people who need extra help to live independently. This can include people with disabilities, mental health problems or older people. As a result of this shortage, councils are forced to “spot purchase” accommodation, meaning that they have to pay the market rate for properties. This can be very expensive, and it often means that people are placed in accommodation that is far away from their families and communities.

The Executive’s decision this week to purchase 56 new flats in Springfield Village to provide much-needed sheltered accommodation will allow the council to reduce its reliance on expensive spot purchasing while ensuring that people who need support can live closer to their families.

Regeneration of the Alton Estate

The Alton Estate in Roehampton has been a subject of much discussion in recent years, as we have discussed in previous emails. In 2022, the council approved controversial plans to demolish part of the estate and build new homes. These plans attracted significant opposition from residents.

This week's Executive meeting confirmed that the Council will work with residents over the next two years to develop a new Alton Estate renewal plan. The new plan will increase the amount of council housing while reducing the number of council homes demolished. It will also aim to make improvements to shops on Ballast Road and Danbury Avenue. The Council has committed to holding a ballot of residents once the final plans have been developed.

This decision to develop a new plan in collaboration with residents is a significant change in approach. It reflects the Council’s commitment to listening to the views of residents and to working with them to develop plans that have their support.

Free School Breakfasts

The Executive has also agreed to expand the council's successful pilot project to increase the number of children receiving free school breakfasts.

The Magic Breakfast charity provides free breakfasts to children in schools in disadvantaged areas. The charity works in partnership with schools to provide a nutritious breakfast to children who would otherwise go without. As we discussed in a previous email, Wandsworth Council began working with Magic Breakfast last year to provide free breakfasts at 20 schools in the borough.

The pilot scheme saw more than 3,000 children receive breakfast at these schools, and the Executive has now agreed to expand the scheme to all 40 schools in the borough that would like to offer the scheme.

This is a significant investment in the health and wellbeing of children in Wandsworth. It is likely to have a positive impact on children's educational attainment and their long-term health outcomes.

London Heliport Consultative Group - 22 July 2024

The London Heliport Consultative Group provides a forum for local residents to discuss issues relating to the London Heliport in Battersea. The group meets quarterly and includes representatives from the heliport, the council, residents' associations and other interested parties.

The agenda for the meeting on 22 July included a number of items of interest, including a discussion of the group’s future, the appointment of new resident representatives and details of helicopter movements and noise complaints.

The Heliport’s operator is required, under the terms of its planning permission, to control the number of helicopter movements and to reduce noise pollution. The Consultative Group plays an important role in holding the operator to account and in ensuring that the heliport does not have a negative impact on the local community.

Council - 24 July 2024

A meeting of the full Council was held on Wednesday 24 July, but no transcript or video of the meeting has yet been published. As we have discussed in previous emails, the full Council is responsible for making key decisions about the council’s budget and policies. It also has the power to scrutinize the work of the Executive.

We will update you on the decisions made at this meeting in next week’s email.

The Wandsworth Council held 8 meetings this week. The Executive meeting on Monday 15 July 2024 did not publish a transcript. The Licensing Sub-Committee on Tuesday 16 July 2024 approved a new premises license for Ground Coffee Society at 79 Lower Richmond Road. The Licensing Committee on Tuesday 16 July 2024 approved for public consultation the Council’s draft Statement of Gambling Policy and Principles, and also approved the data streams and methodology for a borough-wide Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA). The Housing Committee on Wednesday 17 July 2024 did not publish a transcript. The Council meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 did not publish a transcript. The Finance Committee on Wednesday 17 July 2024 approved a number of budget variations, adopted new viability assessment guidance for use by planning officers, agreed to continue the scheme that provides breakfast to primary school children and formally adopted the title of London Borough of Culture for 2025. The Planning Applications Committee on Thursday 18 July 2024 approved a number of planning applications, including a proposal for the demolition of a warehouse at 80-100 Gwynn Road in Battersea. And finally, the General Purposes Committee on Monday 15 July 2024 approved changes to the Council’s Standing Orders, including a proposal that would increase from 2 days to 5 days the amount of notice Councillors must give if they want to ask a question at a Council meeting.

The Alton Estate

The Housing Committee meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 considered the council’s latest proposals for the future of the Alton Estate in Roehampton. You may recall from a previous email that there were proposals for the estate in 2022 that attracted significant opposition from residents. The previous proposals, which were granted planning permission, included the demolition of 288 homes. The new proposal reduces the number of homes that would be demolished to 178.

The meeting’s agenda included a report pack that contained the details of the new plan. It included a number of recommendations, including that the Council formally rescind the 2022 planning permission and that a consultation is undertaken with residents to understand which of the proposed demolition options is preferred.

Wandsworth Council’s manifesto included a pledge that any regeneration schemes that involve the demolition of council homes would be subject to a ballot of the residents who would be affected by them.

“We will introduce a residents’ ballot on regeneration schemes that include demolition” - Wandsworth Labour manifesto 2022.

The report on the Alton Estate contained a proposal that the Council should undertake a ballot of residents to understand whether the proposals have their support.

The report pack also included details of the “early improvement plan”. This involves the provision of 40 new homes above the new Roehampton Community Hub, as well as improvements to the Alton Activity Centre and Downshire Field. You may recall that these proposals attracted an objection from Enable Leisure & Culture, who are the Council’s leisure provider and who run the Alton Activity Centre. They were concerned that the proposed works would negatively impact on the operation of the centre.

“…there are a number of aspects of the proposals that give Enable cause for concern. These include the impact on… operational space required for the delivery of the youth work, holiday playschemes and sports development activities” - Enable Leisure & Culture

You may also recall that a number of residents attended the Planning Applications Committee meeting on 11 June 2024 to voice their support for the Alton Activity Centre and their concerns about the impact that the development would have on it. The committee voted to approve the application.

Because no transcript is available for the Housing Committee meeting, it is not known whether these concerns were revisited.

The Alton Estate is not the only estate in the borough that is due to undergo significant change. As we discussed in a previous email, plans have also been approved for the Winstanley and York Road estate. The meeting’s agenda included a “gold” paper that updated the Committee on that regeneration. This paper was not published, and because the meeting did not include a published transcript, it is not known what details were provided about it.

Gwynn Road

The Planning Applications Committee meeting on 18 July 2024 approved an application for the demolition of an existing warehouse and its replacement with a part 20, 8-storey building. The application was for a site at 80-100 Gwynn Road, which is located next to Fred Wells Gardens in Battersea. The development will include 88 residential units, of which 25% will be designated as affordable housing.¹ Of the affordable housing units, 74% will be let at social rent and the remaining 26% will be provided as intermediate tenure.²

A site allocation contained within Wandsworth’s Local Plan³ had previously designated this site, alongside an adjacent site currently occupied by Safestore, for redevelopment. The local plan suggested that the two sites should be developed together, but the application for 80-100 Gwynn Road was submitted by Avanton as a standalone application.

The meeting’s agenda included a report that described the proposals for the site. The report highlighted that the proposed development had been designed to ensure that it did not negatively impact on the viability of the adjacent site, meaning that a development could still be brought forward by Safestore in the future.

The meeting’s transcript contains a discussion about whether a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO)⁴ could be used to compel Safestore to sell their site to the Council.

“…is there still a power to compulsory purchase for planning reasons?” - Councillor Guy Humphries

“Yes…the council has CPO powers and it could look to exercise them” - Duncan Moore

The exchange suggests that the Council may consider using CPO powers to assemble the two sites if Safestore do not bring forward a development proposal of their own.

Access for All

The Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday 17 July 2024 included an item about a proposal to introduce an ‘Access for All’ scheme that would provide financial support to the borough’s poorest residents.

As we discussed in previous emails, Wandsworth Council raised council tax by the maximum amount permissible (4.99%) earlier this year. At the time, the Council leader, Councillor Simon Hogg, argued that the council tax rise was necessary to avoid cuts to services in the context of significant government funding reductions. However, this meeting’s report pack contained a proposal for a £4.85 million grant intended to fund the Access for All scheme. The report suggested that the money would be found without increasing council tax, leading Councillor Peter Graham to suggest that the recent council tax rise had not been necessary.

“So the leader of the council…described this £4.85 million as coming from sound financial management and the executive's work. Page 345 of our agenda shows that the actual net figure is not the £4.85 million but is under £800,000…and when considering that the SB, there's no windfall at all…what we have here is not a needs-based approach to determine the figure. The figure has been determined by what is being described as a windfall when it's no such thing.” - Councillor Peter Graham

The Council Leader responded that the money would be used to fund Britain’s best concessionary offer and that this was a deliberate policy decision to support the borough’s poorest residents.

“But despite those advantages, we also know, you know, remains divided, not everyone has access to those fantastic opportunities that make Wandsworth so special…So first, we're going to create Britain's best concessionary offer to help those disparities in initially leisure in sports and culture to make Wandsworth a fairer borough for all without adding a penny to that council tax.” - Councillor Simon Hogg

It is worth noting that Wandsworth Council has one of the lowest rates of council tax in the country. The decision to fund this scheme is a significant departure from the Council’s previous position and will be welcomed by those residents who will benefit from it.

Questions at Council Meetings

As we discussed in a previous email, the General Purposes Committee is responsible for reviewing Wandsworth Council’s constitution. This week, the committee met to consider a number of proposed changes to the way the Council is run. This included a proposal that would change the amount of notice that Councillors must give if they want to ask a question at a full council meeting.

Currently, Councillors who want to ask a question at a council meeting must submit their question at least 2 working days before the meeting. This week’s proposals would change that period to 5 days.

Councillor Sara Apps, the Chief Whip, argued that the change was necessary because the current deadline “is unreasonable” and that extending it would give the council more time to prepare answers. She said that Wandsworth’s current deadline is much more generous than many other councils.

“We're altering from two working days to five working days, which is still extremely generous and balances the needs of the opposition to that of the majority party. I suspect that one of the areas where opposition members may wish to have reassurance is on making changes to the constitution, which will involve them and their active participation and input into the changes being made.” - Councillor Sara Apps

Councillor Peter Graham argued that the change would prevent opposition Councillors from asking questions about items that have been discussed at Overview and Scrutiny Committee meetings (OSCs) if those meetings fall within the five-day notice period.

“The question is that…moving to a five-day period from the current two-day period will under our current timelines for committee cycles mean that questions, some questions will have to be put that are relevant to a certain area before that committee has met in that cycle.” - Councillor Peter Graham

Councillor Graham proposed an amendment to the proposals that would mean that the 5 day deadline would apply in all circumstances except where the relevant OSC had met within the previous week. In these cases, the deadline would remain as Friday morning. The amendment was rejected.

Ground Coffee Society

The Licensing Sub-Committee approved an application for a new premises license for Ground Coffee Society at 79 Lower Richmond Road. This business is a coffee shop that does not currently have a license to sell alcohol.

The report pack, prepared by council officers ahead of the meeting, contained details of the application and outlined a number of representations that had been made. The Met Police, Trading Standards and Environmental Health all initially raised objections to the application but withdrew them following discussions with the applicant.

“The first representation from the responsible authority was from the police whom all raised concerns that granting the application in its current form would undermine the prevention of crime and disorder as licensing objective. The police requested extra conditions to be added to the license if it were to be granted. The applicant agreed the proposed conditions that the police put forward and consequently the police withdrew their representation.” - Caroline Sharkey, Licensing Manager

Fourteen local residents also made representations, outlining their concerns about the potential impact of the proposals on their neighborhood. They raised concerns about noise from customers, litter and anti-social behavior. One local business owner also submitted a representation in support of the application.

“The application and the concerns were raised relating to public nuisance being undermined if this license were to be granted. In particular, noise from customers in the residential areas, customers dropping litter bottle caps on the streets, in residents beans, sand from leakage from the premises, especially in the garden which has a reductible roof.” - Caroline Sharkey, Licensing Manager

The Sub-Committee voted to approve the application. The decision notice and the minutes of the meeting have not yet been published, so it is not known what conditions were attached to the license or what amendments the applicant made to their proposals during the meeting.

Cumulative Impact Assessment

The Licensing Committee approved for public consultation the Council’s draft Statement of Gambling Policy and Principles. As we discussed in a previous email, the Gambling Act 2005 requires each local authority to publish a statement every three years that describes how it intends to apply its powers to regulate gambling within its area. The Act also requires each local authority to consider whether they will pass a ‘No Casino Resolution’ which, if adopted, would effectively ban any new casinos from opening in their borough. Wandsworth Council’s existing policy includes a no casino resolution, and the committee voted to retain it.

The Licensing Committee also approved the methodology for a borough-wide Cumulative Impact Assessment (CIA).⁵ This is a study that is carried out by a local authority to understand whether the number of licensed premises in an area is causing problems with crime and disorder, public safety, public nuisance or the protection of children from harm. These are known as the ‘licensing objectives’.

The report pack for the meeting set out a number of data streams that the Council might use to understand the impact of licensed premises. They included:

• Violence Against the Person data collected by the Metropolitan Police Service
• Assaults and Alcohol related ambulance callout data from the London Ambulance Service.
• Environmental Health Noise Complaints collected by the Council
• The Council’s annual resident’s survey and community safety survey

The committee approved all of the proposed data streams.

Wandsworth Council’s Statement of Licensing Policy currently states:

“The Council does not currently have a Cumulative Impact Policy in place for any area within the borough.” - Wandsworth Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-2026.

However, the Licensing Committee meeting this week suggests that the Council may introduce such a policy, depending on the results of the CIA. The meeting’s report pack suggests that the Council will be able to adopt a policy for the whole borough or for specific parts of it, depending on the findings of the assessment.

“…we will go away, gather the evidence for each ward within the borough and we will be able to collect information that we've listed in the report and then we will put it before you. We might probably through looking at the data sets, we might probably come up with an area, but ultimately it will be up to the committee to make that final decision at the next meeting in October.” - Caroline Sharkey, Licensing Manager

The report pack also suggests that a Cumulative Impact Policy will only apply to new license applications and not to existing licenses.

If the Council decides to adopt a Cumulative Impact Policy based on the findings of the assessment, they will be required to consult with residents and businesses before formally adopting it.

This week, Wandsworth Council held three meetings, all on Wednesday 10 July 2024. The Audit Committee considered the Council's accounts and risk management arrangements, the Housing Committee met but did not publish a transcript or summary of their meeting, and the Borough Residents' Forum considered the council’s new Housing Asset Management Strategy and heard from leaseholders on the Putney Vale estate.

Borough Residents’ Forum

The most significant discussion at this meeting of the Borough Residents’ Forum was about fire safety. Residents of the Putney Vale Estate attended the meeting and spoke about their experiences in the seven years since the Grenfell Tower fire.

Leaseholders told the forum that they were concerned about the lack of progress in addressing fire safety defects on their estate.

It's now seven years since Grenfell and we're still waiting for the council to make our homes safe

In response to residents, a council officer said that they understood the desire to be kept informed about the progress of fire safety works, and explained the steps that the council was taking to improve its communication with residents.

This is not the first time that Wandsworth Council has faced criticism for its handling of fire safety works. In 2022, the Housing Ombudsman found that the council had failed to meet its statutory obligations to assess fire safety risks in its housing stock¹. The Ombudsman also found that the council had not been transparent with residents about the progress of fire safety works.

This week's Borough Residents’ Forum meeting suggests that residents’ concerns about fire safety at Putney Vale are not being adequately addressed. It is essential for the council to take steps to improve communication with residents and to ensure that fire safety works are carried out promptly and effectively.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee meeting considered a number of important topics relating to the Council's Finances.

External Audit 2022-23

You may recall from a previous email that there have been significant delays in the auditing of local authority accounts across the country. This is partly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a backlog of work for auditors. As a result, Wandsworth Council’s auditors, EY, were unable to complete the audit of the Council’s 2022-23 accounts by the statutory deadline. The Committee heard that EY would therefore be issuing a ‘disclaimer of opinion’ on those accounts.

Risk Management and AI

The Committee also discussed the Council’s risk management and governance arrangements for the year 2023-24. In particular, they raised concerns about the inclusion of AI as a strategic risk on the Council’s risk register.

The Council’s Assistant Director of Finance, Paul Gilotti, told the Committee that AI had been added as a strategic risk because of the potential for it to be used maliciously. He said that the Council would be reviewing its approach to AI once the new Chief Digital and Information Officer was in post.

Councillor Hedges welcomed the inclusion of AI on the risk register:

My point actually is more around ... glad to see we've got fraud and cyber on there and actually that AI has now made it to the to the to the deck so I'm pleased to see that - Councillor Hedges

Councillor Hedges is right to highlight the importance of the Council taking the risks posed by AI seriously. AI is a powerful technology with the potential to revolutionize many aspects of our lives. However, like all powerful technologies, it can also be misused. It is essential that the Council has a clear understanding of the risks posed by AI and that it puts in place appropriate safeguards to mitigate those risks.

Contract Management System

The Committee also raised concerns about delays to the implementation of the Council’s new contract management system. This system, which has been in development for several years, is intended to improve the Council’s management of its contracts and to ensure that it is getting value for money from its suppliers.

Mr. Gilotti told the Committee that the system was “work in progress” but that he expected it to be fully implemented by the end of the financial year. Councillor Critchard said that she was “anxious” about the delays to the implementation of the system:

that sounds that makes me feel a bit anxious I don't know whether that's the right feeling about it but given that contract management is obviously an area where we can in there ought to be some financing contracts properly would give us a financial edge it would worry me that it's we've identified this is a problem like two years a year and a half two years ago but it still looks like it's going to be another year before in a position to start using this properly - Councillor Critchard

Councillor Critchard is right to be concerned about the delays to the implementation of the new contract management system. The Council has a duty to ensure that it is getting value for money from its contracts and that its suppliers are meeting their obligations.

Outstanding Internal Audit Recommendations

Finally, the Committee raised concerns about a number of outstanding internal audit recommendations. Mr Gilotti explained that some of these recommendations were complex and were taking longer to implement than originally anticipated.

Councillor Critchard asked for an update on an outstanding recommendation relating to storage of records:

Our storage of records the first item that recommended due date has been shifted again, so it was the first recommended due date was end of 2022 and it's been shifted because I looked at last year's are they actually going to make the date? It's one of our teams we really ought to be getting the documents sorted - Councillor Critchard

Andrew Hamilton, Head of the Shared Audit Service, responded that money had been found to pay for a resource to complete the work and that it was expected to be complete soon. He said that he would speak to the Monitoring Officer to find out what risks were posed by the delay, and whether the original deadline was still realistic.

and if not maybe he could come along to the meeting and explain that to you. - Andrew Hamilton

This exchange demonstrates how the Audit Committee can hold council officers to account. By asking detailed questions about the progress of internal audit recommendations, the Committee can help to ensure that the Council is addressing areas of weakness in its governance and risk management arrangements.

Housing Committee

The Housing Committee met but did not publish a transcript of the meeting.

This week, the Wandsworth Council held four meetings: the Transport Committee on Tuesday 02 July 2024, the Licensing Sub-Committee on Wednesday 03 July 2024, the Borough Residents' Forum on Wednesday 03 July 2024, and the Wandsworth Schools Forum on Monday 01 July 2024. Only the Wandsworth Schools Forum provided a transcript.

Wandsworth Schools Forum

The Wandsworth Schools Forum received a report on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget, which is forecast to be overspent.

Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG)

The DSG is a grant that the government provides to local authorities to fund schools. The forum was told that Wandsworth's DSG is forecast to be overspent in the current financial year.

The overspend is mostly due to increased demand for support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). This echoes the findings of the recent review of Wandsworth's SEND services by IPSEA, which we discussed in a previous email. As you may recall, the review, which was commissioned by the council, found that there were a number of areas where the council’s SEND services could be improved.

In particular, the report to the Wandsworth Schools Forum highlighted the increasing cost of placing children in independent special schools:

The majority of the pressure…relates to the placement of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans in independent special schools and other non-maintained settings.

— Director of Children’s Services, Item 3. DSG Forecast 24.25 - July 24

The report noted that the threshold above which the council must seek approval for a placement in an independent special school has not risen in line with inflation:

The threshold for the High Needs Funding Panel has not increased in line with inflation for a number of years and there is now significant pressure on the Panel which is seeing a significant increase in the volume of cases.

— Item 3. DSG Forecast 24.25 - July 24

The forum noted the DSG Forecast and agreed to discuss it again at their next meeting in the autumn.

Other Meetings

No transcripts were available for the Transport Committee, Licensing Sub-Committee or Borough Residents' Forum meetings, so it is not known what was discussed.

This week, Wandsworth Council held four meetings, but only the Local Pension Board meeting on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 provided a transcript. Here are the key points and decisions made during that meeting:

Local Pension Board

The Local Pension Board discussed several important topics, including the annual reports on risk management and pension fund administration, as well as updates from the Joint Pensions Committee.

Risk Management

The Board reviewed the annual risk management report, which included both the risk register and the investment risk register. These documents are essential for identifying and mitigating potential risks to the pension fund.

Pension Fund Administration

The annual report on pension fund administration revealed some significant updates. Notably, the Government has delayed the implementation of the McCloud/Sargeant remedy, which affects how certain pension benefits are calculated. As a result, the Fund will not need to make lump sum payments in the 2024/25 fiscal year, as previously anticipated. Additionally, the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) reconciliation work has been completed two years ahead of the 2026 deadline¹.

The Government has announced a delay in the implementation of the McCloud/Sargeant remedy, which means that the Fund will not be required to pay out lump sum payments in 2024/25, as previously anticipated.

Joint Pensions Committee (JPC)

The Board also received minutes from the last meeting of the Joint Pensions Committee. Key discussions included:

• Climate Risk: The Committee reviewed the Council's draft Climate Change Strategy 2023-2030 and suggested several recommendations. They noted the Council's responses and requested a further update at the next meeting.
• Responsible Investment Policy: The Committee noted that the Fund’s investment managers, CCLA, had been reappointed for another five years. They requested an update on CCLA's performance at the next meeting.

Governance and Compliance

The Board also took note of the London Borough of Wandsworth Annual Governance Statement and the Internal Audit Review of General Code Compliance. These documents ensure that the council adheres to best practices in governance and compliance.

Other Meetings

The other meetings held this week did not provide transcripts or summaries, so specific details are unavailable:

• Environment Committee on Tuesday, June 25, 2024
• Richmond and Wandsworth Joint Staffing Committee on Wednesday, June 26, 2024
• Council Meeting on Thursday, June 27, 2024

Implications

The discussions and decisions made during the Local Pension Board meeting highlight the Council's ongoing commitment to managing risks and ensuring the sustainability of the pension fund. The delay in the McCloud/Sargeant remedy implementation provides some financial relief for the upcoming fiscal year, while the completion of GMP reconciliation ahead of schedule demonstrates effective administration.

As always, the implications of these decisions will be closely monitored to ensure they align with the community's best interests.

This week, the Wandsworth Council held four meetings, with the Planning Applications Committee on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 being the most impactful.

Planning Applications Committee

The primary focus was the establishment of a new rough sleeper hub in Wandsworth, the first of its kind in the borough. This hub aims to provide temporary accommodation with a 28-day target stay for rough sleepers. Michael Schirren Weller, a sleeper coordinator for Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, emphasized the collaborative efforts with the police and local residents to ensure security:

We have consulted with the police and attended the Safe Neighborhoods panel to involve local residents and ensure security. — Michael Schirren Weller

Councillor Mark Justin raised concerns about the lack of investigation into similar hubs in other boroughs. Mr. Worth acknowledged this shortfall and assured that they have since improved their engagement efforts by visiting other long-running schemes, such as those in Lambeth and Westminster, to adopt best practices.

Councillor Owens expressed concerns about the impact on a nearby nursery, to which Mr. Worth responded by stating that they have met with the nursery management and will ensure that the hub's opening hours do not conflict with the nursery's operations. Councillor Sheila Boswell suggested inviting local residents and businesses to visit the hub before it opens to reduce fear of the unknown.

The committee also discussed various planning applications, including a six-bedroom single dwelling with a basement on Granard Avenue. Councillor Govindia questioned whether the topography of the area was adequately reflected in the drawings and whether the basement conditions were safeguarded. Mr. Richards confirmed that the land's rise was indicated in the plans and that the basement would comply with building regulations.

Additionally, Mr. Calder provided updates on two applications called in by the Greater London Authority: the ALTEC application for the Lawn Tennis Association and the Springfield Hospital application. Councillor Cooper expressed her intention to attend both hearings as the assembly member for Merton and Wandsworth.

Council Meeting

The Council meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 notes have not yet been summarized, so details on this meeting are currently unavailable.

Licensing Sub-Committee

The Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 21, 2024 did not have a video broadcast available, so specific details on the discussions and decisions made are not accessible at this time.

General Purposes Committee

The General Purposes Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 22, 2024 focused on political proportionality and allocations to committees. The main discussion revolved around ensuring the committee seats reflect the political balance of the council. Councillor Peter Graham raised concerns about the proposed allocation of seats on ordinary regulatory committees, suggesting adjustments to better reflect the political proportions.

An amendment was proposed by Councillor Graham to increase the size of the General Purposes Committee by one seat, which would be unallocated and could be occupied by Councillor Malcolm Grimston. This amendment was seconded by Councillor Tony Belton and agreed upon by the committee.

Implications

The establishment of the rough sleeper hub marks a significant step in addressing homelessness in Wandsworth. The council's approach to involving local residents and businesses aims to mitigate concerns and ensure community support. The discussions around political proportionality in the General Purposes Committee highlight ongoing efforts to maintain fair representation within the council's decision-making processes.

As always, the implications of these decisions will be closely monitored to ensure they align with the community's best interests.

This week, the Wandsworth Council held two significant meetings that could impact our community's landscape and governance.

The first, the Conservation and Heritage Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, focused on the delicate balance between development and preservation of heritage sites. A major point of contention was the use of Mount Clare as a security office. Concerns were raised about the building's underuse leading to potential deterioration:

An empty listed building is at risk of deteriorating, noted a committee member, emphasizing the need for a proposal that actively contributes to the preservation of the heritage site.

The committee also revisited the approval of the Francis Barber Pupil Referral Unit plans, which had been previously rejected due to design concerns. The revised plans, which included architectural adjustments, were approved, showcasing the committee's role in ensuring that new developments respect the community's historical and aesthetic values.

The second meeting, the Licensing Sub-Committee on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, deliberated on a new premises license for Battersea Food and Wine. The applicant, Vijay Tumar, proposed measures to mitigate potential public nuisances, which led to the police withdrawing their initial objections. The committee's decision to approve the license, contingent on effective management strategies, reflects an ongoing theme we've discussed: balancing business interests with community welfare.

We have negotiated reduced operating hours and strategies to discourage loitering, stated Tumar, highlighting efforts to integrate community concerns into business operations.

Both meetings underscore a recurring theme in council activities: the intricate balancing act between progress and preservation, business interests, and community welfare. These decisions not only reflect immediate changes but also set precedents for future council deliberations and community expectations. As always, the implications of these decisions will be closely monitored to ensure they align with the community's best interests.

This week, the Wandsworth Council focused on several critical issues affecting our community, including the closure of Christchurch Primary School, a topic we've discussed in previous communications. The decision was finalized during the Executive meeting on Monday, April 22, 2024, where the council addressed the school's unsustainable pupil numbers and financial viability.

The governors explained that over a period of about three years they have been trying to deal with this problem, but unfortunately they haven't really been able to increase pupil numbers to the extent that the school now has a 55% surplus places, explained Councillor Stott during the meeting.

The council's unanimous decision underscores the gravity of the situation and the considered approach taken to reach this conclusion. The implications for the community are significant, with plans to ensure all affected pupils are accommodated in nearby schools and commitments to assist with transitions such as new school uniforms.

In other council activities, the Planning Applications Committee on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, addressed multiple planning applications, including enforcement actions against unauthorized constructions and the approval of new school facilities. The discussions highlighted the council's ongoing efforts to balance development with community and environmental concerns.

One notable decision involved enforcement actions against unauthorized constructions at Palmer Crescent and platforms built over the River Wandel. The committee's decision to enforce removal underscores the council's commitment to maintaining the architectural integrity and environmental protection of our area.

The platforms encroach on the open space provided by the river, which is an important habitat corridor for bats, small mammals, and invertebrates, reported Mr. Craig Raybould, Planning Enforcement Team Manager.

Additionally, the committee approved the demolition and construction of a new science and dining block at Emmanuel School, reflecting the council's support for enhancing educational environments while also addressing concerns about environmental sustainability and public access to school facilities.

These decisions reflect the council's ongoing commitment to addressing the immediate needs of our community while also planning for its future sustainability and growth. As always, the implications of these decisions will be closely monitored to ensure they align with the community's best interests.

In a recent pivotal decision by Wandsworth Council, the closure of Christ Church, Church of England Primary School has been unanimously approved, effective August 31, 2024. This decision, deliberated in a meeting on April 18, 2024., underscores a significant shift in the educational landscape of our community, driven by dwindling pupil numbers and escalating financial deficits.

The closure comes after projections showed the school's financial deficit could reach £446,508 by the 2025/26 academic year. With enrolments declining, the school faced the stark reality of being unable to provide high-quality education due to reduced funding and fewer students. The council and school governors engaged in a detailed and transparent consultation process with the school community, which included making consultation documents available in 12 languages to ensure inclusivity.

It's with a very heavy heart that all parties from the school sit here, but as Director of Education, just to emphasize that none of us come into education to close schools, stated Ms. Roz Cordner, Diocese Director of Education, during the meeting.

The implications of this closure are profound. Students will need to be relocated, staff will face redundancies, and the future use of the school site, which the diocese has committed to using for educational or community purposes, remains a critical concern. Emotional support for affected families and staff is also a priority, with plans in place for a respectful closure that honors the school's legacy.

The council's decision highlights a broader issue that we've touched upon previously: the impact of falling pupil numbers across London schools. This isn't an isolated incident but part of a larger trend affecting educational institutions in urban areas, prompting a need for strategic planning and community engagement to manage these transitions effectively.