The Council of Brent Council is scheduled to convene on Monday 14 September 2026, with a key focus on proposed changes to the council's constitution, including reforms to the Planning Committee and adjustments to the Members' Allowance Scheme. The meeting will also address the council's treasury management outturn for the 2025-26 financial year and consider a resolution regarding a councillor's non-attendance at meetings.

Proposed Changes to the Constitution

A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to discussing proposed changes to the council's constitution, informed by recent legislative reforms and cross-party discussions. These changes are designed to align the council's procedures with national standards and improve governance.

Planning Committee Reforms

New regulations, the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, are set to come into effect on 31 October 2026. These reforms introduce a national scheme of delegation for planning functions, outlining which applications must be delegated to officers and which may be referred to the Planning Committee. The report details the new delegation arrangements, including criteria for referring applications to the committee, such as those raising significant planning matters or economic, social, or environmental issues. The maximum size of a planning committee will be capped at 13 members. The proposed changes to the constitution, including tracked changes to the Planning Committee's terms of reference, are available in Appendix 1 of the public reports pack¹.

Full Council Meeting Standing Orders

Amendments are proposed to Standing Orders concerning the appointment of the Mayor, committee chairs, and vice-chairs. These changes aim to clarify the nomination and voting procedures for these appointments, ensuring a clear and consistent process. Additionally, the rules for the Council Tax Setting debate are to be codified in standing orders, outlining the speaking order and time limits for the Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, opposition group leaders, and the Chair of the Budget Scrutiny Task Group.

Remuneration of the Independent Chair of the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee

A proposal is put forward to increase the remuneration for the Independent Chair of the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee from £1,561 per annum to £5,332 per annum. This increase aims to align the allowance with the Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA) paid to the Chair of the Audit and Standards Committee, recognising the strategic importance, responsibility, and time commitment associated with leading the council's governance, audit, risk, and standards forum. This adjustment is considered necessary to attract suitably qualified candidates, especially as the current Independent Chair intends to step down.

Treasury Management Outturn Report 2025-26

The council will receive a report detailing the outturn for its treasury management activities during the 2025-26 financial year. This report, prepared in accordance with the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's (CIPFA) Treasury Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice, provides an update on borrowing and investment decisions and the council's treasury management performance. Key points from the report indicate that borrowing increased to £1,074.0 million, while cash investments decreased to £43.8 million. The average rate for the council's total borrowing was 3.9%, and the rate of return on cash investments decreased to 3.81%. The report also confirms compliance with the council's Prudential Indicators² for 2025-26.

Resolution to Approve Reason for Councillor Non-Attendance at Meetings

A report seeks approval, pursuant to Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972³, for a reason for the non-attendance of Councillor Mahmood at meetings. This is due to significant family health and wellbeing circumstances requiring their ongoing support. The council is asked to approve this reason in advance, allowing Councillor Mahmood to continue serving their constituents until the Council's Annual Meeting in May 2027, without facing disqualification.

Deputations

Two deputations are scheduled to be presented:

• Progress towards divestment: Requested by Sheila Guhadasan, representing the Brent & Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
• Engagement of council members in monitoring climate and biodiversity commitments: Requested by Elaine Sheppard, representing Action on the Climate and Ecological Emergency (ACE) Brent.

Questions from Members of the Public

Two questions have been submitted by members of the public for response by the relevant Cabinet Member. These questions have been circulated with written responses.

Questions from the Opposition and Other Non-Cabinet Members

Five advance notice questions have been received from Opposition and Non-Cabinet Members for the Cabinet. These questions and their written responses have also been circulated. An opportunity for other Non-Cabinet members and the Opposition to ask questions without advance notice will also be available.

Reports from Scrutiny Committees

Reports are scheduled to be received from the Chairs of the Community & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee and the Vice Chair of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee, updating the Council on their respective committee's activities.