This meeting included the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's annual report, a proposal to amend the Hounslow Local Plan to include the option to use community municipal bonds, and the approval of the Regulation 19 version of the Hounslow Local Plan.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report

The report by Councillor Sayyar Raza, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, was scheduled to provide a summary of the work that the committee had undertaken during the 2023-2024 municipal year.

The report pack contained details of what had been scheduled to be covered in the three scrutiny panels and the four meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, including:

• Neighbourhood policing;
• The 'Keeping Hounslow Tidy' scheme;
• The Council's financial plan and delivery plan, 'One Hounslow';
• A homelessness prevention service update;
• A housing improvement plan update;
• The 2024-2025 budget;
• Ofsted outcomes for The Ride Children’s Home and Westbrook Short Breaks Unit;
• The impact of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023;
• Work being undertaken to tackle homophobic attacks, anti-social behaviour, and male domestic violence;
• A 'Scrutiny in a Day' session on housing associations.

The Committee undertook a deep dive into a number of topics, including:

• School readiness across the borough;
• Biodiversity and flood resilience;
• Employment support for people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

In addition to these deep dives, the report pack included a summary of the work that was scheduled to be discussed by the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Treasury Management Annual Report 2023/24: Reference Report to Borough Council from the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 16th July 2024

This report by Councillor Shantanu Rajawat, Leader of the Council, included the treasury management activity that was scheduled to be discussed by the Cabinet on 16 July 2024.

This treasury report was scheduled to provide a review of the Council’s investment and borrowing decisions during 2023/24 and included the proposed budget for 2024/25. The report also made reference to Community Municipal Investments (CMI), also referred to as a 'green bond', to finance delivery of projects within the Climate Emergency Action Plan.

The treasury management activities included the management of:

• The Council's borrowing requirements, including those to support the capital programme;
• The Council's investment requirements and portfolio.

As part of the treasury management activities, the report pack contained information on the loans extended by the Council to support the activities of its subsidiary companies, Lampton Group.¹

Approval of the Regulation 19 Local Plan for Public Consultation and Subsequent Submission to the Secretary of State: Reference Report to Borough Council from the Meeting of the Cabinet held on 16th July 2024

The Cabinet was scheduled to discuss the Regulation 19 version of the Hounslow Local Plan and the plan’s subsequent submission to the Secretary of State for independent examination. The report by Councillor Tom Bruce, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, recommended the plan’s approval for public consultation for a period of at least six weeks.

The report pack included details of the key updates that the plan contained, these included:

• Delivering more affordable housing across the borough and incorporating policies to reflect the London Plan target of 50% affordable housing for any new developments.
• The removal of previously proposed plans to release Green Belt land at Heathrow Gateway (Mayfield Farm) and Bedfont Lakes to meet housing and mixed-use housing needs in these localities.
• Five employment sites were still proposed for release from the Green Belt land in order to meet the borough's demands for employment land. In particular, there was a need for industrial logistics land to the West of the borough, given its proximity to Heathrow Airport.
• The revised plan included changes to support tackling climate change and included policies and guidance for delivering net zero carbon development and embedding sustainable design. This included requiring developers to go further than current London Plan requirements, to achieve net zero operational carbon. This is to be achieved through higher benchmark improvement targets and an increased carbon offset price for major developments.²
• The plan also addressed flood risk, land contamination, air quality, minerals planning, sustainable waste management, and noise & light pollution.

In addition to the proposed changes, the report pack included an Equalities Impact Assessment, a Flood Risk and Development Sequential Test Report, a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), and other relevant supporting evidence to underpin the Local Plan.

Petitions

The agenda included a report by the Head of Democratic Services which outlined the petitions that had been submitted to the Mayor for consideration. A number of these petitions relate to minor traffic matters, which were referred to the ward councillors to consider.

The most notable petitions for discussion included the following:

• A request for Watermans Arts Centre in Brentford to be saved.
• A request for the Council to construct a retractable pedestrian bridge from Brentford to Kew Gardens.
• Two petitions (with a total of 715 signatures) requesting the Council to intervene to prevent the eviction of the Brentford Islamic Centre and Masjid.
• A request for the Council to install street cameras in Ellington Road, Feltham.