The Leadership Team of Kensington and Chelsea Council met on Tuesday 09 June 2026 to discuss a range of important issues, including the future of short headleases, the development of a new Council Plan, and the adoption of a new Housing Improvement Plan. Key decisions were made regarding the future of properties at Mulberry Close, Beaufort House, and 60 Nevern Square, and the council agreed to proceed with a comprehensive consultation on its future priorities. A new Community Safety Plan was endorsed, and the council also approved the adoption of a new Housing Improvement Plan.

Future of Short Headleases at Mulberry Close, Beaufort House and 60 Nevern Square

The Leadership Team decided to let the headleases for 60 Nevern Square and Mulberry Close run their course and not extend them. They also authorised the Director of Housing Management to explore handing back the headlease of Beaufort House sooner than its expiry date, or to let it run its course if that was not possible. All secure tenants from 60 Nevern Square and Mulberry Close will be rehoused in suitable alternative flats, and any empty flats will be used for temporary accommodation. The council will also assist residents who may require assistance under homelessness legislation.

This decision was made because extending the headleases or buying the freeholds would be extremely expensive, particularly at a time when the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is under significant pressure. Independent valuation advice indicated that these options would not represent value for money. The report highlighted that there are five flats within 60 Nevern Square, four of which are tenanted, and 40 one-bedroom flats at Mulberry Close, 23 of which are tenanted. Beaufort House has 12 flats, all of which have been sold on long leases to leaseholders.

The council will rehouse all affected tenants, providing dedicated support throughout the process. This includes a bespoke service within Housing Needs to assess each tenant's requirements in line with the Housing Allocations Policy. Tenants will be offered properties via a Direct Offer process, with no limit on the number of properties they may decline. All eligible tenants will receive a Home Loss Payment of £8,100, and practical support with the moving process, including assistance from a professional removal company.

Consultation and Engagement on Future Council Priorities

The Leadership Team agreed to the proposed programme and approach for engaging with residents, communities, and partners on the new Council Vision, Resident Pact, and Council Plan. This consultation is a required element in finalising a new Council Plan, which will set the direction for the council's work over the next four years, ending in March 2027.

The engagement approach, detailed in Appendix 1 of the Public reports pack¹, will not start from scratch but will build on existing commitments, including those made in response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry and the new administration's election mandate. The council is facing significant financial pressures, with a budget gap of over £100 million over the next four years, necessitating difficult choices about priorities and potential changes to services.

The consultation, running from 25 June to 6 August 2026, will involve a survey, an in-person event with the Citizens' Panel on 7 July, and additional events with the Youth Council and the Tenant Consultative Committee. The Resident Survey, which will include targeted questions about the council's future direction, will run from 17 June to 15 July. The engagement will be accessible, with materials available in plain language, community languages, and accessible formats.

The key messages for residents will focus on the shared vision for the borough, the council's commitment to maintaining standards, the need for honest conversations about financial challenges, and how resident feedback will shape the final plan. Key questions will explore what residents value about Kensington and Chelsea, what they want the borough to be by 2030, and what they expect from the council in return.

Community Safety Plan

The Leadership Team endorsed the Community Safety Plan 2026 and recommended its adoption at Full Council. This plan sets out how the multi-agency Safer Kensington and Chelsea Partnership (Safer K&C Partnership) will work together to reduce crime and disorder in the borough, prioritising issues that matter most to residents and require coordinated action.

The plan, a statutory requirement under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, identifies five strategic priorities: Antisocial Behaviour, Hate Crime, Youth Violence and Exploitation, Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), and Serious Acquisitive Crime. Drug misuse is identified as a cross-cutting theme impacting all these areas. The plan builds on previous successes and aims to enhance work where there is new or additional need.

Extensive consultation with residents, voluntary and community services, faith groups, and local stakeholders informed the plan's priorities. This included resident workshops, stakeholder engagements, and an online survey, which highlighted concerns about antisocial behaviour, violence (including youth violence and VAWG), hate crime, theft, and drugs. The plan details achievements such as the integration of warden and waste enforcement services, increased CCTV coverage, and the pioneering use of acoustic CCTV technology. It also outlines proactive enforcement powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders, and significant work in supporting victims of youth violence and VAWG. The modern slavery partnership has been recognised as a best practice model.

The plan adopts a public health-informed approach to violence reduction, embedding a Coordinated Community Response model and contextual safeguarding principles. Success will be measured through key performance indicators focusing on resident and community views, young people's awareness of harmful behaviours, access to help and support, victim support, offender accountability, and collaborative partnership working. Residents can get involved through various groups, including the Police Stop and Search Community Monitoring Group, Police Independent Advisory Group, Safer Neighbourhood Board, Residents CCTV Advisory Group, and Police Safer Neighbourhood Ward Panels.

Adoption of the New Housing Improvement Plan

The Leadership Team endorsed the new Housing Management Improvement Plan, which aims to achieve full compliance with the Regulator of Social Housing's Consumer Standards. The plan focuses on three key areas: achieving full stock condition survey coverage, ensuring 100% Decent Homes compliance, and strengthening tenant influence, engagement, governance, and oversight.

This plan is a direct response to a C3 regulatory judgement issued by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) in August 2025, which identified serious failings in stock condition knowledge and Decent Homes compliance. The council accepts this judgement and is committed to improving services. Since the inspection, significant progress has been made, with the number of stock condition surveys conducted increasing substantially, and the proportion of homes meeting the Decent Homes standard rising. The council has set clear targets of 100% of homes with a recent stock condition survey by the end of 2026 and 100% meeting the Decent Homes standard by 2030.

The plan also addresses areas for improvement identified internally, focusing on strengthening tenant voice and influence through a new Resident Involvement Strategy, and enhancing governance structures within Housing Management. The success of the plan will be measured by key metrics, including the proportion of homes with valid stock condition surveys and those meeting the Decent Homes standard, as well as tenant satisfaction levels. The plan does not involve new financial commitments but will require financial investment to achieve its objectives, with a capital programme budget already approved in the HRA Business Plan.