The Wandsworth Council meeting on 16 October 2013 saw councillors receive a number of reports from various committees and discuss a staffing review within the Housing Department. A key decision was made regarding the adoption of recommendations from the Finance and Corporate Resources OSC, Environment, Culture and Community Safety OSC, and the Special Finance and Corporate Resources OSC.

Staffing Review of Housing Department

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing a staffing review of the Housing Department, stemming from a report by the Special Executive. An amendment was proposed by Councillor Rex Osborn, seconded by Councillor Peter Carpenter, to delete all recommendations from a related paper and instead refer it to the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee for further consideration. This amendment was debated at length but ultimately defeated by 36 votes to 12. Following this, the Council resolved to receive the report's paragraph 4, concerning the staffing review, as information by a vote of 36 to 12.

Committee Reports and Recommendations

The Council received and adopted recommendations from several Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

• Finance and Corporate Resources OSC: The Council adopted the recommendation in paragraph 1 of Report No.1.
• Environment, Culture and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny Committee: The Council adopted the recommendation in paragraph 2 of Report No.1.
• Special Finance and Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee: The Council adopted the recommendations in paragraphs 2 (Progress of Service Reviews) and 3 (Review of Decision Making Process) of Report No. 3 by a vote of 35 to 12.

Numerous other reports from various committees, including the Executive, Planning Applications Committee, Pensions Committee, Health and Wellbeing Board, Audit Committee, and General Purposes Committees, were received as information. These included updates on the Affordable Housing Programme, Local Policing Model, HRA Business Plan, Review of Environmental Services, and various planning applications such as the Ram Brewery, St. John Bosco in Princes Way, Salesian College in Surrey Lane, and the land to the rear of Ark Putney Academy.

Petitions Presented

Several petitions were presented to the Council:

• Councillor Mrs. Kim Caddy presented a petition with 73 signatures requesting a 20mph zone in Standen Road.
• Councillor James Maddan presented a petition with 141 signatures calling for a 20mph zone in Norroy Road.
• Councillor Michael Ryder presented a petition with 115 signatures for a 20mph zone in Fawe Park Road.
• Councillor Mrs. Liz Stokes presented a petition with 834 signatures urging the Council to work with TfL and the Police on traffic calming measures in the Dover House Estate, particularly Dover House Road.
• Councillor Mark Thomas presented a petition with 109 signatures requesting a 20mph zone in residential roads in Furzedown.
• Councillor John Farebrother presented a petition with 34 signatures to trial on-street cycle lockers in Kettering Street.

Other Business

The meeting also included tributes to Mr Roy Evans, the Director of Housing, who was retiring after 33 years of service. The Mayor, Councillor Mrs Angela Graham, announced that a MacMillan Coffee Morning had raised £857 and highlighted Wandsworth's success in the annual London Youth Games. The Council also appointed Mr Andy Cole to fill a vacancy on the Education and Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee as a representative of the Roman Catholic Diocesan Commission for Schools and Colleges.