The 18 September meeting of Westminster Council will include a range of reports for consideration. The agenda includes reports from the Audit and Performance Committee, the General Purposes Committee and the Standards Committee, as well as an opposition party motion and a petition.

Winter Fuel Allowance and Protecting Pensioners from Fuel Poverty

Councillor Lorraine Dean will move, and Councillor Tim Mitchell will second an opposition party motion on the Winter Fuel Allowance. The motion states that recent changes to the Winter Fuel Allowance, restricting it to pensioners who receive means-tested benefits, could affect 25,793 Westminster pensioners. The motion criticises the government’s approach, highlighting

the social injustice and potential health risks posed by this sudden policy change

and the hardship it could cause vulnerable pensioners, many of whom do not claim Pension Credit even though they are eligible to.

The motion calls on the Council to:

• Promote a local awareness campaign to ensure that eligible pensioners claim Pension Credit
• Encourage local charities and community organisations to help pensioners claim Pension Credit
• Ask the Council Leader to write to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, urging a review of the means-testing of the Winter Fuel Payment
• Commit the Council to signing Age UK's Save the Winter Fuel Payment for Struggling Pensioners petition

Updated Instrument of Governance for Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES)

The Council will be asked to approve an updated Instrument of Governance for Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES). The document, last updated in 2010, defines the relationship between WAES, its Governing Body and the Council.

It clarifies that WAES must follow

the Council’s Constitution in all matters. This includes the Scheme of Delegations, Financial Regulations and the Procurement Code.

Policy On Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks for Councillors

A report from the General Purposes Committee recommends that the Council adopts a policy requiring Councillors to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The policy was drafted in response to a letter from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and a recommendation from Simon Bailey's Independent Review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime.

The report suggests an Enhanced DBS check for Councillors making decisions on children's or vulnerable adults' services, and a Basic DBS check for all Councillors. It was noted that this practice would likely become legislation and already mirrors what many other local authorities are doing.

Formosa Street Pedestrianisation

Councillor Sara Hassan will present a petition asking the Council to pedestrianise a portion of Formosa Street between Castellain Road and Warrington Crescent.

Biennial Standards Committee Report

The Council will consider the Biennial Standards Committee report, covering the Committee's activities from March 2022 to March 2024. The report highlights:

• The production of the second Biennial Standards Committee Report
• The review and amendment of the Member/Officer Protocol
• A review of the Council's rules of debate
• Proactive measures to deal with the personal safety of elected members
• Ongoing monitoring and encouragement of member training on the Code of Conduct.

Annual Report of the Audit and Performance Committee

The Council will receive the Annual Report of the Audit and Performance Committee, summarizing the Committee's work for the 2023-2024 municipal year. The report notes the Committee's use of the CIPFA Knowledge and Skills Framework for Audit Committees to identify topics for future briefings. It highlights the appointment of Mark Maidment as the Independent Person of the Audit and Performance Committee.

Minutes of the Council meeting held on 15 May 2024

The Council will be asked to approve the minutes of the previous Council meeting, which was held on Wednesday 15 May 2024. At this meeting, Councillor Robert Rigby was elected Lord Mayor of Westminster. Councillor Patricia McAllister, the outgoing Lord Mayor, was thanked for her service, as were her Consorts, Ellis McAllister and Kevin Murphy.

Lord Mayor's Communications

The Lord Mayor will provide communications to the Council, including details of engagements he attended between May and September 2024. These include a Book Launch for the Victoria County of Middlesex at St George’s Hanover Square, the Chilean Navy Day Service and Reception, and the State Visit of the Emperor and Empress of Japan.