The Renewal, Recreation and Housing Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee met on 4 September 2025, and appointed Kaleb Homer as a co-opted member, discussed budget monitoring, the Armed Forces Covenant, and the Sport and Leisure Strategy. The committee also received updates on housing, planning, and regeneration initiatives.

Here's a more detailed look at the key discussion points:

Digital Infrastructure in Bromley

The committee received a presentation on digital infrastructure in Bromley from the Head of Economic Development, the Economic Development Manager, and the MDU Strategic Account Manager from BT Openreach.

BT Openreach is committed to completing the rollout of full-fibre broadband across the borough, with current coverage at 60%, above the London average of 50%. Works are already completed at five of the exchanges within the borough, and spine work was in progress at the remaining in-borough exchanges including Beckenham and Bromley Central with a view to completing the majority of works by the end of 2026. The overall build aimed to deliver 75% coverage per exchange, though this would vary due to the local infrastructure and cost challenges. Multi-dwelling units posed particular complexities in terms of securing freeholder agreement, and BT Openreach was engaging with developers to build in digital infrastructure to new developments at the construction stage.

Bromley had 89% 5G coverage, which was well above the UK average, supported by the council's Digital Infrastructure Toolkit and Open Access agreements that enabled providers to install small cells on lamp columns. Freshwave had deployed 27 small cells which had improved coverage while generating over £31,000 in rental income for the local authority as well as covering its own electricity costs.

Sport and Leisure Strategy

The committee considered a draft of the Sport and Leisure Strategy, with members identifying various sports and leisure activities they wanted to see represented in the strategy including gymnastics, lacrosse, hockey, netball, the 'Walking for Health' initiative, bowls and padel tennis. A member also queried whether cycling proficiency programmes should be included in the Strategy.

The Strategy would also be amended to state that while the renovated Walnuts Leisure Centre was scheduled to reopen to the public in 2026, West Wickham Leisure Centre would not now reopen until 2028.

The Assistant Director: Culture and Regeneration advised that any new sports and leisure facilities on public land such as parks would require a Community Use Agreement to enable access by local people, as well as an operator to run the facility.

Budget Monitoring 2025/26

The committee reviewed the budget monitoring report for 2025/26, noting a projected net overspend of £4.501 million. Key areas contributing to this overspend included allocations and accommodation (£2.593 million), Community Infrastructure Levy¹ (£1.371 million), and planning (£537,000).

A member noted that work was ongoing to secure 300 units of leased accommodation as a direct alternative to nightly paid accommodation and asked where these were located. Councillor Yvonne Bear, Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, said that the scheme was seeking to lease entire apartment blocks and was therefore limited to what was available in the market, but that the sites under consideration were either in-Borough or in a neighbouring area. The member requested that as much accommodation be secured in the Borough as possible.

Another Member asked about a reference to extant Bromley Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) liabilities of circa £4M within the report and was advised that this related to liabilities owed to the Local Authority by the developers that would be paid as schemes reached set milestones. The Local Authority's own developments were primarily social housing schemes to which CIL did not apply, but the Local Authority was required to make Section 106 contributions for these schemes to mitigate the impact of the developments on the local area and services.

Capital Programme Monitoring - Quarter 1 2025/26

The committee reviewed the capital monitoring position for Quarter 1 of the 2025/26 financial year and the revised capital programme for the period 2025/26 to 2029/30.

The Assistant Director: Culture and Regeneration said that enabling works would commence for the Poverest Housing development while the education centre was still in operation. Another Member asked about a budget line related to unallocated affordable housing, and further information would be provided to Members following the meeting.

Poundland/Walnuts Concourse, Orpington

The committee considered a report outlining the findings of an investigation into the condition of 63 The Walnuts, Orpington which was a Council-owned unit occupied by Poundland. The investigation determined that works were required to the concourse above the unit and in front of the Walnuts Leisure Centre entrance due to water leaking through the public square into the Council-owned unit below. It was essential that the necessary works be instructed now to prevent further damage and avoid any impact to the opening date or future closure of the newly refurbished Walnuts Leisure Centre.

The Assistant Director: Culture and Regeneration advised that this issue had first been identified approximately nine months ago. A comprehensive testing process had been undertaken to identify the source of the leak and repair works would take place via a modification to the existing Development Management Agreement for the Walnuts Leisure Centre refurbishment. It was not anticipated there would be any significant deterioration in conditions before the fix was applied.

Statutory Housing Reviews

The committee received an update on the current position with Statutory Housing Reviews in response to concerns raised regarding the timeliness of reviews. Homeless households had a statutory right to a review of decisions made by the Local Authority in respect of applications for accommodation and the accommodation offered. A significant increase in the number of reviews as well as operational issues impacting the review process had impacted timeliness, but a range of work was underway to address this including bespoke training and strengthened collection and analysis of performance data.

A Member advised that he had supported a number of his constituents during Statutory Housing Reviews that had extended beyond the 56-calendar day review period and asked for more information on extensions. The Assistant Director: Housing clarified that these were typically requested to allow more time to conduct the investigation, such as evidence gathering, and that a significant increase in the number of reviews as well as staffing shortages by the contractor had contributed to the recent delays. The reviewer and the applicant both had the discretion to request an extension that was agreed in discussion between both parties, and reviews could also be expedited where there was a particular concern. The Local Authority continued to work closely with the contractor to improve the timeliness of completed reviews and over the past year there had been a steady and encouraging increase in the number of decisions upheld at review with 90% of Bromley's decisions upheld during 2024.

Armed Forces Covenant Progress Update

The committee received a report summarising the progress of the work that has taken place to date on the Armed Forces Covenant since its renewal in 2023 and the ongoing work to further support Bromley's Armed Forces Community.

A Member welcomed the work being undertaken to support Bromley's Armed Forces Community and suggested that Members be consulted to identify further community resources and support systems that could contribute towards delivery of the Armed Forces Covenant.

The committee noted the recent achievement of the Ministry of Defence's Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award in national recognition of Bromley Council's commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

Matters Outstanding and Forward Work Programme

The committee discussed the forward work programme, with the Chairman noting that a thematic session on homelessness and the cost of temporary accommodation was scheduled for the Committee's next meeting on 18 November 2025, but it was possible that this might be withdrawn in favour of a focused Member information session due to the scale and importance of this issue. An information briefing on empty homes would be reported to the next meeting of the Committee on 18 November 2025.

Portfolio Holder's Update

Councillor Yvonne Bear, Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation and Housing, provided an update to the Committee on her activities.

The Library Repair Works Programme continued to progress, with the West Wickham and Chislehurst libraries opening during Summer 2025. Work was also underway between Greenwich Leisure Limited² and the NHS to establish 'Be Well Hubs' in Bromley libraries that offered community-based support for mental health and wellbeing. Other workstreams included progressing the Connect to Work Supported Employment Programme, completion of the sale of the Churchill Theatre to the Galliard Group and securing £200k from the London Marathon Fund to further enhance the accessibility of the refurbished Walnuts Leisure Centre. Additionally, the new Planning IT System was now fully live and running in parallel with the old Planning IT System which would be shut down at the start of October.