The Cabinet met on Wednesday 21 October 2026 to reconsider its previous decision on the Community Neighbourhoods Model following a call-in by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The Cabinet considered and responded to recommendations made by the committee.

Community Neighbourhoods Model Revisions

The Cabinet considered and responded to recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee regarding the Community Neighbourhoods Model. This model, initially endorsed by Cabinet on 15 September 2026, aims to create a borough-wide framework for neighbourhood working, bringing together local leadership, resident participation, and partnership working.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had raised concerns about disenfranchisement, governance and accountability, resident participation and transparency, and the need for performance measures and success criteria.

In response to the recommendation on disenfranchisement, the Cabinet accepted the substantive recommendation that lead members for each community neighbourhood be democratically selected by ward councillors within that neighbourhood. However, the Cabinet stated that the appointment of Community Neighbourhood Lead Members will remain a Mayoral responsibility. Mayor Forhad Hussain indicated that he would appoint opposition councillors as Lead Members for community neighbourhoods, with further details to be provided in the coming weeks.

Regarding governance and accountability, the Cabinet accepted the substantive recommendation to publish clear governance arrangements. However, they deemed the proposed one-month timeframe for this to be unworkable, stating that the development of Terms of Reference and supporting arrangements requires careful consideration and engagement. The Cabinet committed to publishing these arrangements by the end of January 2027.

Concerning resident participation and transparency, the Cabinet noted that the approved framework does not establish formal public Community Neighbourhood meetings. Instead, residents will be able to contribute through engagement sessions, existing local forums, and online activity. Public meetings may also be arranged where appropriate. The Cabinet committed to sharing arrangements for resident participation and transparency by the end of January 2027.

Finally, for performance measures and success criteria, the Cabinet acknowledged the need for a meaningful performance framework. Developing this will require time to identify appropriate measures, establish reliable baselines, and agree on realistic targets. This information will be shared with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee by the end of January 2027.

The Cabinet's decisions on these matters were noted as recommendations approved, with the implementation of revised governance and participation arrangements to be completed by the end of January 2027.