The Growth and Planning and Children's and Education Policy and Scrutiny Committee met to review updates from Cabinet Members on children and education, and growth and planning portfolios. The committee also discussed the Children and Young People's Plan and the emerging City Plan.

Update from the Cabinet Member for Children and Education

Councillor Hannah Galley, the Cabinet Member for Children and Education, was scheduled to provide an update on her portfolio. This included discussions on supporting schools facing financial difficulties, with a particular focus on the challenges presented by falling pupil numbers and the need for a strategic, locality-based approach to future planning. The report highlighted the Cabinet Member's campaign to the Education Secretary for greater support for inner-city schools, advocating for extended sparsity funding and multi-year funding settlements.

An update on high care costs work was also on the agenda. This covered the significant financial pressures faced by local authorities due to the national shortage of suitable children's care placements. Progress on London's new Regional Care Cooperative (RCC), designed to improve foster carer recruitment and commissioning, was to be discussed. Additionally, the Cabinet Member's joint letter to local MPs regarding the impact of rising placement costs and the need for greater transparency in the children's social care sector was to be mentioned.

The committee was also set to hear about positive exam results achieved by Westminster schools, with provisional outcomes showing performance above national averages at both GCSE and A Level. The progress of the Bi-Borough School Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan was to be reviewed, noting encouraging evidence of a more inclusive system but also persistent challenges around absence and suspensions. Finally, an update on free school meals and the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme was scheduled, including the withdrawal of the local Secondary Pupil Meal Offer for Key Stage 3 pupils from September 2026 due to the expansion of national eligibility.

Children and Young People's Plan

The committee was scheduled to review the context of the current Children and Young People's Plan (CYPP) and scrutinise the approach to updating it for the period 2027-2030. The current CYPP, a Bi-Borough strategic framework for Children's Services across Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea, was due to end in 2026. The report outlined that over 7,000 instances of feedback had been reviewed, alongside new engagement with children, young people, and parents. Key themes identified for the new plan included mental health and emotional wellbeing, online safety and social media, affordability, and access to employment. Five draft priorities were proposed for the committee's consideration: Best Start and Strong Families, Safe and Supported, Learning, Inclusion and Achievement, Healthy and Well, and Opportunity and Independence.

Update from the Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning

Councillor Tim Barnes, the Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning, was scheduled to provide an update on his portfolio. This included information on the Planning Horizons programme, aimed at meeting future demands on the Town Planning service, with a focus on a new pre-application service and the embedding of AI. The implementation of the government's Building Safety Levy was also to be discussed.

The committee was to receive an update on the Council's new Economic Growth Statement and the development of a 15-year Strategic Growth Framework. This framework aims to bring together economic development, planning, infrastructure, skills, and investment priorities. The report also detailed the challenges facing WAES (Westminster Adult Education Service), a significant local authority adult education provider, including financial pressures and a transformation programme.

Discussions were also scheduled regarding the Westminster High Streets Programme, which aims to deliver targeted improvements to high streets through coordinated investment and public-private partnerships. The High Street Matchmaking Service, connecting landlords with suitable businesses to reduce vacancies, was to be highlighted. An update on the Shopfront Improvement Programme was also on the agenda, noting that remaining Phase 2 schemes would not proceed, with affected businesses receiving refunds.

The committee was to be informed about the review of the Council's portfolio of Place Shaping schemes to ensure investment aligns with the administration's priorities. Finally, an update on the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, which was approved on 16 September 2026 and took effect from 1 October 2026, was scheduled. Key changes included a reduction in the size of the West End Cumulative Impact Zone and updated provisions for Violence Against Women and Girls and Martyn's Law.

The City Plan

The committee was scheduled to scrutinise the emerging policy direction for the new City Plan. This statutory document sets the spatial strategy for future development and provides local planning policies. The report highlighted that the new City Plan would be developed alongside the Council's emerging Economic Growth Framework, with a focus on supporting economic growth, increasing housing delivery (with affordable housing as a principal priority), climate adaptation, infrastructure, and creating safer, healthier, and more inclusive places. The report outlined the implications of new national planning policy and the draft London Plan, noting that the City Plan must be in general conformity with the London Plan. Emerging priorities for the City Plan included economic growth, housing delivery and affordable housing, climate adaptation and environmental resilience, infrastructure and inclusive communities, and safety, design, heritage, and place.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to review and approve its work programme for forthcoming meetings. This included noting changes to the membership and reviewing the work undertaken since the previous meeting. The work programme for the 2026/27 municipal year was to be discussed, with scheduled meetings on Monday 30th November 2026 and Tuesday 16th March 2027. The committee was also to consider the establishment of Task Groups or Single Member Studies.

Updates from Cabinet Members

In addition to the specific portfolio updates, the committee was scheduled to receive updates from Councillor Hannah Galley, Cabinet Member for Children and Education, and Councillor Tim Barnes, Cabinet Member for Growth and Planning. These updates would provide a broader overview of their respective areas of responsibility.