The Camden Council meeting on 25 September 2025 included a themed debate on becoming a circular economy borough, a discussion of the annual treasury management outturn report, and updates on Camden's investment in culture. Councillors were also scheduled to discuss appointments to formal council bodies, and motions relating to the Camden Remedies Policy, circular economy, and Camden as a Borough of Sanctuary.

Becoming a Circular Economy Borough

A report was prepared to support a debate on Camden becoming a circular economy borough. The report noted that Camden had declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019, and that a key ambition of We Make Camden was for Camden to be a green, clean, vibrant, accessible, and sustainable place.

The report stated that consumption-based emissions are a major contributor to Camden's overall carbon footprint, and that a key priority within the new Climate Action Plan is to support transition to a local, zero waste, circular and sharing economy and reduce the borough's consumption emissions.

The report described the circular economy as a system in which the energy and materials used to produce products deliver the highest value they can by keeping the product in use for as long as possible. Examples of circular activity in Camden to date included:

• Two Library of Things locations in Kentish Town and Swiss Cottage libraries.
• The Fixing Factory, located in Queen's Crescent, which tackles e-waste by providing community repair sessions and skill-building workshops.
• Lifeafterhummus community waste café at 5 Pancras Square.
• A range of circular economy themed projects in Somers Town Future Neighbourhood.

The report also noted that in 2023 Camden's Culture and Environment Scrutiny Committee established a Circular Economy Panel which explored the applicability of circular economy concepts within the work of the Council, and that the council responded to the panel in 2024 and continues to pursue many of its recommendations.

The report summarised the national policy approach to transitioning to a circular economy, including Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging, Simpler Recycling, and the Deposit Return Scheme.

The report also summarised Camden's approach, including the Reduction and Recycling Plan 2023-26, and the draft Climate Action Plan 2026-2030, which has 5 outcomes for Priority 3 – Local Circular Economy:

• Businesses in Camden minimise their waste, including food waste and use of single use packaging, and lower the environmental impact from their operations. Surplus resources are put to use wherever possible.
• Businesses invest in and support local community sharing, repair, re-use and waste reduction initiatives
• Residents are able to minimise and recycle their waste
• Residents have access to healthy and sustainable local food options and can participate in community-led food related projects
• Residents have access to re-use and repair services so that the consumption of new goods is reduced.

The report also noted that within Camden's new Local Plan, Policy CC3 seeks to ensure that development in Camden shifts towards a circular economy approach, which reduces waste and uses resources more efficiently.

Annual Treasury Management Outturn Report 2024/25

The council was scheduled to discuss its treasury outturn position and activity for the 2024/25 financial year. The report noted that the council had maintained a consistent risk profile and prudent investment and borrowing strategies, and had not pursued high-risk commercial investments. It also noted that no new external borrowing was planned, and that the internal borrowing policy remained sound and cost-effective, delivering annual savings of approximately £3.7 million.

The report stated that as of 31 March 2025, Camden Council's total external borrowing stood at £294 million, a reduction of approximately £21 million compared to the previous year's closing balance of £315 million. However, the Council's Capital Financing Requirement (CFR) rose to £705 million, up from £656 million the year before.

The council had investments in three Money Market Funds (MMFs) managed by Aberdeen, JP Morgan, and Goldman Sachs. The report stated that the council achieved a strong average return of 4.97% on investments during 2024/25.

On 24 April 2025 a £6.4 million loan was made to Camden Living Housing Association (CLHA), a wholly owned Council subsidiary, to fund the acquisition of 34 affordable homes (social rent tenure) at Central Somers Town.

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) continues to progress its Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) within the North London Heat and Power Project (NLHPP). As at 31 March 2025 the council held total investment balances of £327 million, of which £128 million was invested on behalf of the NLWA.

Camden Invests in Culture - Culture Strategy

The council was scheduled to discuss a report providing an overview of the Full Council themed debate on 21st July 2025. The report summarised the key points made by the 6 speakers, and the subsequent debate at Full Council, and highlighted the next steps from the discussion and the implementation of a new cultural strategy for 2026–2031.

The report noted that Camden is globally recognised as a centre of culture, and that the creative and cultural industries have been identified as a key growth sector within the London Growth Plan, contributing approximately £52 billion to London's economy each year.

The report stated that the council leverages culture to support residents, creatives and businesses through celebrating diverse heritage, promoting health and wellbeing, stimulating the local economy, supporting grassroots artists, empowering young people, and contributing to place shaping.

The report summarised the contributions of six speakers from across the culture sector:

• Monica Hundal, Director Innovation and Business Central Saint Martins, spoke about the Camden Schools Art Biennale (CSAB).
• Eddie Nixon, Artist Director The Place, praised Camden's rich cultural scene and welcomed the cultural strategy ambition to activate this resource to make Camden a thriving centre of cultural possibility for all that live here.
• Marcel Baettig, Chief Executive Bow Arts, spoke about Bow Arts partnership with Camden Council in revitalising 90 ex-residential flats in Regent's Park Ward into affordable studios for 240 early-career artists.
• Daniel Pitt, Creative Director & Chief Executive Old Diorama Arts Centre, spoke about Old Diorama Arts Centre's (ODAC) role in Euston as a London wider arts centre which serves a vibrant neighbourhood of diverse communities.
• Antonia Attwood, Artistic Director Creative Health Camden, spotlighted the work of Creative Health Camden (CHC) a pioneering charity based in Kentish Town Health Centre, founded 17 years ago by Dr Roy MacGregor to integrate arts and wellbeing into healthcare.
• Meklit Tibebu, Culture Service Apprentice Camden Council, shared how the arts and culture have shaped her personal and professional journey.

The report stated that following extensive consultation during the development of the strategy, a draft Cultural Strategy was published on Monday 14 July to Thursday 31 July 2025 for public review, and that the council is currently reviewing the responses ahead of drafting the final strategy.

Appointments to Formal Council Bodies

The council was scheduled consider a report asking them to agree appointments to various bodies of the Council.

The report noted that following the by election held on 28th August 2025, the division of seats on the Council was as follows:

• Labour: 45
• Liberal Democrat: 6
• Conservative: 3
• Green: 1

The report stated that committee seats are allocated in the same proportion, or as near as is possible, unless the Council agrees to disapply proportionality, and that officers have recalculated proportionality on committees and sub-committee in the light of the increased size of the Liberal Democrat Group.

The report stated that Councillor Judy Dixey had stepped down from the Audit and Corporate Governance Committee, and that Councillor Janet Grauberg was nominated to fill the resulting vacancy. It also stated that Councillor Janet Grauberg had been nominated to the opposition seat on the Audit and Corporate Governance (Statutory Officers Appeal) Sub-Committee, and that Councillor Dixey had been nominated to the opposition seat on the Audit and Corporate Governance (Accessible Transport Appeals) Sub-Committee.

Decisions Made Under Special Urgency Procedures and Items Exempted From Call-In on Grounds of Urgency

The council was scheduled to note a report setting out for information details of items which have recently been considered under the Constitution's provisions for special urgency and items with have been exempted from call-in on grounds of urgency.

The report detailed two reports that have recently been treated matters of special urgency and exempted from call-in:

• Provision of Community Equipment (AH/2025/15)
• Further Report on the Provision of Community Equipment (AH/2025/17)

Both reports related to the Council's community equipment provider, NRS, going into liquidation on 1st August 2025, and sought the delegation of authority to the Director of Adult Social Care Strategy and Commissioning to enable them, at speed, to make further decisions concerning a replacement supplier, to procure them, to enter into a contract with them and to finalise consortium arrangements with other interested London councils, in order to maintain service to some of Camden's most vulnerable residents.

Motions

The council was scheduled to consider the following motions:

1. A motion proposed by Councillor Steve Adams regarding the Camden Remedies Policy & Procedure Complaints (service failure), Property Management. The motion stated that the suggested payments to cover issues that either had the effect to severely disrupt a child's education , severe and ongoing issues that seriously impact health, safety or ability to use the home or the severe and ongoing risks that threaten health or safety being set down in a standard tariff schedule is deeply concerning and frankly dismissive of the serious impact on residents' lives and wellbeing. The motion called for these items to be removed from the standard tariff section, and for specific attention to be given to the effect of a failing and the suitable recompense, overseen by a cross-party members' panel.
   • An amendment to this motion proposed by Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, noted that the Housing Ombudsman emphasises the significance of a structured remedies policy for landlords, and that the Remedies policy, developed in collaboration with resident members of the Oversight panel, aims to foster transparency and clarity for residents regarding the consideration of compensation. The amendment also noted that the introduction of a new complaint handling stage specifically, a cross-member compensation decision as suggested here, could adversely affect the ability to comply with the response timeframes mandated by the Housing Ombudsman service. The amendment proposed that the council should continue to implement the resident-led Remedies Policy & Procedure and its commitment to reviewing it again in 2028.
2. A motion proposed by Councillor Nina De Ayala Parker regarding the circular economy. The motion noted that a circular economy keeps materials and products in use at their highest value for as long as possible, cutting waste, emissions and costs, and that the Council convened a Circular Economy Scrutiny Panel. The motion resolved to continue leading locally by seeking to embed circularity into development management and pre-application engagement as part of the new Local Plan, and to continue to support and, where appropriate, extend local schemes like Fixing Factory and the Library of Things to reduce costs and waste. The motion also resolved to call on the relevant Cabinet Member to write to Government to push for measures including replacing weight-based recycling-rate targets with residual waste per head as a headline metric, expanding the UK right to repair to all consumer electronics, and funding a national repair-voucher scheme.
3. A motion proposed by Councillor Tom Simon regarding Camden as a Borough of Sanctuary. The motion celebrated the diverse nature of Camden's communities, its proud history of welcoming asylum seekers, and the work done to achieve the Borough of Sanctuary award in July 2024. The motion condemned the Far Right demonstration that took place in central London on 13th September, and noted that on immigration, communication from the Labour Government closely follows the pattern of the previous Conservative Government. The motion called on the Leader of the Council to reconfirm the commitment to the ideals and practice of being a Borough of Sanctuary, and to write to the Prime Minister, urging him to stop the cycle of negative language from the government about people coming here from overseas.
   • An amendment to this motion proposed by Councillor Awale Olad, stated that on immigration, communication from the Labour Government has sought to provide much needed balance in the narrative on this key issue for the country, and has involved acknowledging the need for a fair immigration system that addresses the concerns of the public, whilst taking meaningful progressive steps away from the direction of the previous Government. The amendment removed the call on the Leader of the Council to write to the Prime Minister.