This meeting saw decisions made about parking schemes in The Butts in Brentford, and in Augustus Close in Brentford Dock. The Chief Officer also decided to abandon plans for a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in the area of Cranford High Street. Additionally, they made several decisions relating to the use of land owned by the council by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) and approved the third phase of a dockless e-bike rental trial across the borough. The Chief Officer also retrospectively approved the rents and service charges for new council housing at The Everglades and Orchard Road.

Financing of expenditure incurred on the Community Enforcement & Regulatory Services IT system project

The Chief Officer was asked to approve the writing back to revenue of a total of £491,672 of capital expenditure on the Community Enforcement and Regulatory Services (CERS) IT system. They were also asked to approve the allocation of a budget of £79,253 to fund further expenditure on the CERS project during 2023/24, to be taken from an earmarked reserve known as the IT Improvement Fund.

The project launched in 2020, with the aim of replacing the existing legacy IT system, which is used to support a wide range of services, including:

• Licensing
• Food standards enforcement
• Animal Services
• Housing Enforcement
• Trading standards
• Pest Control
• Community Enforcement

The intention was to procure an externally hosted and managed replacement system from the council's existing supplier.

The development of the new solution has encountered significant delays, failing to meet the Council’s expectations.

The latest update from the supplier, in February 2024, stated that essential functions of the new system would not be available until 2025. As a result, the Council's Digital Strategy board decided to stop the project and start a new project to replace the CERS system.

The Chief Officer approved both proposals.

Rebasing of Corporate Contingency: SEND Transport

The Chief Officer was asked to approve the transfer of £1,250,000 from corporate contingency budgets to SEND transport service budgets to cover projected overspends. This money will be used to fund pressures against third party transport hire (£970,000), and personal transport (£130,000).

The Chief Officer was also asked to approve a proposal to increase the staffing capacity of the SEND transport team to address the findings of an external review, which highlighted a number of issues and risks, including:

• Failure to meet statutory requirements
• Continued overspend against overtime pay budgets
• Staff refusal to continue working additional hours due to stress
• Continued pressure on current staff and potential loss of staff and their experience
• Complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman due to delays
• Increase in spend due to pressure on time and reduce opportunity to be more strategic
• Health & safety lapses
• Poor service provision to vulnerable members of the community and their families.

To address this, the Chief Officer was asked to approve the creation of the following new roles:

• 1 x Compliance Officer (PO1) - £50,900
• 1 x STA/Transport Coordinator (Sc5) - £39,200
• 0.5 x Trainer/ Team Support (Sc6) - £42,500

The Chief Officer was also asked to approve an increase to the hours of an existing role, Assessor (PO2), from 0.2 FTE to 1 FTE.

Moving forward, transport spend will be monitored against the SEND safety valve to determine if the proposed positive impact of the safety valve follows through to transport demand.

The Chief Officer approved the proposal.

E-bike rental trial: Phase 3 and other locations

The Chief Officer was asked to approve the third phase of the Dockless e-bike rental trial. The scheme had previously been approved by Cabinet on 18 April 2023.

Within the last few years, dockless e-bike rental schemes, have been successfully introduced across significant parts of London.

The scheme allows residents to rent an e-bike from one of a number of designated bays, and then park it at another designated bay. Users are fined for parking their e-bike outside of a designated bay.

The first and second phases of the scheme were launched in June and July of 2023 respectively. The third phase will expand the scheme to include the wards of Bedfont, Cranford, Feltham, Hanworth and Heston. It will also add a number of new e-bike parking bays to areas that were covered by the first and second phases.

The bays will be implemented initially via Experimental Traffic Management Orders (ETMOs), with comments then invited on the scheme and bay locations for the duration of the trial.

A total of 109 new locations were proposed as part of the third phase of the scheme.

The Chief Officer approved the proposal.

The Butts Controlled Parking Zone - Outcome of Review Consultation

The Chief Officer was asked to decide what action to take following a review of the CPZ in The Butts in Brentford, which took place between 13 March and 12 April 2024. They were also asked to make a decision about whether to advance proposals to alter the layout of parking restrictions in the area.

The scheme was initially introduced in 2000 to reduce levels of commuter parking in the area.

Since the introduction of the BU CPZ, there have been significant changes in relation to the surrounding area which has seen an increase of large residential developments, as well as different types of operating hours introduced in other CPZs which, subject to the type of non-residential parking the area attracts, can offer greater flexibility for residents and their visitors.

The review received a 13% response rate. 80% of respondents wanted to retain the CPZ.

The Chief Officer decided to retain the CPZ, and also decided to advance proposals to alter the layout of the scheme to a formal consultation.

Outcome of the proposed Controlled Parking Zone ‘preliminary’ consultation for Augustus Close, Brentford Dock ‘area’

The Chief Officer was asked to decide whether to proceed with a proposal to introduce a CPZ to the area around Augustus Close in Brentford Dock.

The consultation, which received a 16% response rate, took place from an unspecified date to an unspecified date.

The initial consultation was only to be limited to residents of apartment blocks that are addressed and front onto Augustus Close, these are: Galba Court, Leo Court, Maurice Court, Otho Court and Servius Court, along with the residents of Augustus Close. It was further decided that the consultation would be extended to include all apartment blocks, and thus those located on adjoining Justin Close, which is a privately owned and maintained road, these additional blocks are: Julius Court, Marcus Court, Nero Court, Numa Court and Romulus Court, along with the residents of Justin Close.

67% of respondents said they would be in favour of their road being included in a CPZ.

In conclusion, there was majority support by residents for the longest possible restriction days and times (i.e. Monday to Sunday and “All day” restrictions throughout).

The Chief Officer decided to advance the proposals to a detailed design consultation.

Outcome of proposed Controlled Parking Zone consultation - High Street ‘area’ Cranford

The Chief Officer was asked to decide whether to proceed with proposals to introduce a new CPZ to an area of Cranford, near Heathrow Airport.

Residents of High Street and Sandringham Gardens, Cranford, put forward a petition, approved by local ward Councillors, requesting that the roads become part of a 24 hour CPZ.

The petition stated that parking demand from people believed to be airport workers was impacting on residents' ability to park.

The area under consultation was expanded to include the following roads:

• Avenue Close
• Avenue Crescent
• Avenue Gardens
• Brunel Close
• Cole Gardens
• Hawthorn Close
• High Street
• Kavan Gardens
• Kavsan Place
• Keysham Avenue
• Lynchen Close
• Park Lane
• Sandringham Gardens
• Sheepcote Close
• The Avenue

The consultation received a 10% response rate.

In light of the 10% response rate and varying support for the operation times of a CPZ, it does not represent a clear consensus that would indicate support for the implementation of a CPZ.

The Chief Officer decided not to proceed with the proposal.

Nursery Close, Feltham - Stopping Up Order

The Chief Officer was asked to approve a Stopping Up Order (Section 247 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) in relation to Nursery Close in Feltham.

The order was required as part of planning permission (reference P/2022/1975), which was granted on 19 December 2022, for the development of ten flats. The development will be on the site of existing garages.

The planning permission requires an area of existing public highway to be stopped up including a section of the footway and a vehicle access along the eastern side of Nursery Close outside the existing garage site, totalling approximately 123 square metres.

The Stopping Up Order was requested on behalf of Howarth Contractors Ltd.

The Chief Officer approved the Stopping Up Order.

Section 38/278 agreement - 92-94 Windmill Road, Brentford

The Chief Officer was asked to authorise officers to enter into an agreement under Sections 38 & 278 of the Highways Act 1980 to allow the delivery of highway works at 92-94 Windmill Road in Brentford.

The works will include:

• Removal of existing vehicle access and full reinstatement as footway
• Creation of a drop kerb crossover for vehicle access
• Adoption of land within the site at 92/94 Windmill Road to provide a 2.5m footway outside the site on Windmill Road.

The agreement is required as part of planning permission that was granted on appeal on 24 August 2018 for the development of nine flats and office/showroom space.

The Chief Officer decided to approve the agreement.

Organisational Design Programme funding for Phase 2

The Chief Officer was asked to approve the allocation of £132,000 to fund the second phase of the Organisational Design Programme. This money will be taken from the One Hounslow Transformation earmarked reserve.

The programme's first phase focussed on the council's leadership.

The first phase of this programme delivered the Leading Hounslow review, which included implementation of a new pay and grading scheme for Chief Officers, impacted leadership roles (Executive Director, Director and Assistant Director) across the organisation and introduced a new leadership structure and role profiles.

The second phase of the programme will focus on the next tier of managers.

The Chief Officer approved the proposal.

Wayleave Agreement between LB Hounslow (LBH) and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) - 140a Cygnet Avenue, Feltham, TW14 0DT

The Chief Officer was asked to approve a wayleave agreement that will allow SSEN to lay an underground electricity cable to a new development at 140a Cygnet Avenue in Feltham.

The Chief Officer approved the agreement.

Wayleave Agreement between LB Hounslow (LBH) and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) – at 19 and 20 Robin Grove, Brentford, TW8 8DG

The Chief Officer was asked to approve a wayleave agreement that will allow SSEN to lay an underground electricity cable to an electric vehicle charging point at 19 Robin Grove in Brentford.

The Chief Officer approved the agreement.

Wayleave Agreement between LB Hounslow (LBH) and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) - HRA land adjacent to Hounslow Service Station, 336-342 Staines, Road, Hounslow, TW4 5BD

The Chief Officer was asked to approve a wayleave agreement that will allow SSEN to lay an underground electricity cable to a new electric vehicle charging point at Hounslow Service Station on Staines Road in Hounslow.

The Chief Officer approved the agreement.

Orchard Road Rents and Service Charge setting

The Chief Officer was asked to approve the rents and service charges for five new council houses at Orchard Road in Brentford.

The five homes are part of a wider building programme that was approved by the Affordable Housing Committee on 5 January 2021.

The service charge covers the following services:

1. Neighbourhood wardens' service.
2. Provision of a communal TV aerial.

The service charge will be set at the same rate as the council's wider housing stock.

The Chief Officer approved the proposal.

The Everglades, Rents and Service Charges

The Chief Officer was asked to retrospectively approve the rents and service charges for 33 new council flats at The Everglades in Hounslow.

The Everglades is one of four 'infill' housing developments that were approved by the Affordable Housing Committee on 5 January 2021.

The service charge will cover the cost of the following services:

1. Caretaking and cleaning
2. Neighbourhood wardens' service.
3. Provision of a communal TV aerial.
4. Electricity charges for communal areas.
5. Grounds Maintenance on the estate

The Chief Officer approved the proposal.

Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Funding Agreement - Cedar Yards Community and Creative Campus

The Chief Officer was asked to approve a funding agreement between Hounslow Council and Chiswick House & Garden Trust. The agreement is for the release of £384,809 of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding to the Trust for the development of the Cedar Yards Community and Creative Campus in Chiswick.

The assignment of CIL funding to the Chiswick House & Garden Trust will enable them to progress and deliver the Cedar Yards Community and Creative Campus Chiswick. This project aims to repurpose and develop underused historic buildings and green spaces to create new facilities to generate cultural, community and creative enterprise activity on the estate.

The Chief Officer approved the agreement.