The Cabinet of Tower Hamlets Council met on Wednesday 15 October 2025, with Mayor Lutfur Rahman presiding. Key decisions included the approval of the submission of the Draft New Local Plan for examination, the recommissioning of contracts for film location management and children and young people's supported housing, and the adoption of the Safeguarding Adults Board Strategy 2025-30. The Cabinet also reviewed performance reports and noted progress on the Reduction and Recycling Plan.

Local Plan Submission

The Cabinet agreed that the 'Draft New Local Plan' would proceed to the Full Council meeting on Wednesday 19 November 2025 for approval of its submission to the Secretary of State for examination in public. The Local Plan is the primary planning policy document for the borough and is currently being revised to reflect changing circumstances. This submission marks the beginning of a formal examination process by an independent planning inspector, who will assess the plan for soundness and compliance with legal requirements. The plan, which outlines a strategic borough-wide vision for growth, includes policies on delivery, housing, environment, design, employment, town centres, community infrastructure, biodiversity, connectivity, and waste. It also features site allocations to shape development requirements on large strategic sites and assist in securing the delivery of infrastructure. The process has involved extensive consultation over several years, with four rounds of public consultation and community engagement informing the plan. The examination process is anticipated to take at least 12 months, with the plan potentially being adopted by December 2026 or early 2027.

Strategic Delivery and Performance Report Year Four Quarter 1

The Cabinet noted the strategic delivery and performance report for the first quarter of Year 4 of the Strategic Plan 2022-2026, covering the period from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025. The report reviewed the status of 60 performance measures. Of these, 36 measures met or exceeded their targets (Green), an increase of two since the previous quarter. Four measures were rated as Amber, indicating performance between the stretch target and minimum target, the same number as the previous quarter. Six measures remained Red, indicating performance below target, with no change from the previous quarter. Ten measures were classified as 'Data only', an increase from five in the previous quarter. Three measures are reported annually, a decrease of three from the previous quarter. The report highlighted improvements in several previously Red measures, which have now moved to Green, including the number of meals delivered to food aid organisations, the percentage of education, health and care assessments completed within 20 weeks, and the percentage of children that re-offend. However, some indicators moved from Green to Amber or Red, including the number of enterprises supported through council business programmes, council tax collection rates, and the percentage of homelessness cases prevented or relieved.

Contracts Forward Plan - Quarter Two (FY2025-2026)

The Cabinet considered the contract summary for Quarter Two of the 2025-2026 financial year and identified contracts requiring specific reports to Cabinet prior to award. The Cabinet authorised the appropriate Corporate Director, in consultation with the Mayor, to award contracts not requiring further specific reports, following appropriate procurement exercises. The Director of Legal Services (Monitoring Officer) was also authorised to execute all necessary contract documents. This decision aligns with the Council's Procurement Procedures and Constitution, which require Cabinet consideration of a forward plan of contracts exceeding £1 million for goods or services, or £5 million for capital works. The report noted that bringing a consolidated report on contracting activity was considered the most efficient way to meet these requirements while providing full visibility.

Children and Young People's Supported Housing Pathway

The Cabinet approved the re-procurement of the Tower Hamlets Children and Young People's Supported Housing Pathway (CYPSHP) contract. The new contract will be for three years, with the option for two 12-month extensions, commencing on 1 June 2026, with an annual value of £1,783,325. The Corporate Director for Children's Services, in consultation with the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor, was authorised to award the contract to the best value bidder(s). The CYPSHP provides accommodation and support services to young people aged 16 to 21 (up to 25 depending on needs) who are in or on the edge of care, including looked-after children, care leavers, and homeless young people. This mechanism helps the Council meet its legal duties under the Children's Act 1989 and the Housing Act 1996. The decision aims to ensure continuity of services, maintain placement stability for young people, and meet statutory duties. Alternative options, such as transitioning to spot purchasing, were considered but deemed too costly and risky, potentially leading to safeguarding concerns and increased expenditure on temporary accommodation.

Safeguarding Adults Board Strategy 2025-30

The Cabinet noted and formally adopted the Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) Strategy 2025-30 as a core member of the SAB. The strategy sets out the Board's five-year plan for safeguarding adults, outlining priorities and actions. Key priorities include strengthening coordination around homelessness, enhancing safety from domestic abuse, promoting transitional safeguarding between children's and adults' services, tackling inequalities through improved data collection and culturally competent practice, and reinforcing partnership working to embed learning from reviews and audits. Local Authorities have a duty under the Care Act 2014 to establish and maintain a Safeguarding Adults Board. The strategy aims to ensure the effectiveness of safeguarding work by member organisations and requires the publication of an evidence-based strategic plan. Senior officers from Tower Hamlets Council's Health Adults and Social Care department participated in the strategy's development to align it with local authority priorities.

East London Apartments

The Cabinet authorised the Corporate Director of Health and Adult Social Care to commence the recommissioning and tender process for a new three-year contract for East London Apartments, starting on 1 April 2026. East London Apartments is a 31-bed single homeless hostel providing specialist supported housing for vulnerable residents with a history of rough sleeping and complex needs. The service is currently entirely grant-funded by central government, with funding notification expected in December 2025, leaving insufficient time for a competitive procurement process before the current contract expires on 31 March 2026. To prevent the decommissioning of the service, which would leave residents homeless and necessitate the use of expensive temporary accommodation, the Council is underwriting the service and initiating the tender process. Failure to secure funding or recommission the service would lead to significant homelessness overspends. Alternative options, such as a 12-month direct award or decommissioning the service, were considered but not recommended due to increased costs and risks.

Flood & Risk Management Action Plan

The Cabinet noted the mid-term update on progress against the six recommendations made through the Flood Risk Management Scrutiny Review. The Cabinet also approved the exploration of funding opportunities for further improvements to achieve optimum results. The final Flood & Risk Management Action Plan report will be presented to the Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee later in the year. The report highlighted that flood risk management in Tower Hamlets is already strong, but the scrutiny review identified targeted recommendations to further strengthen the response. Achievements to date include the draft completion of the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy, updated SuDS guidance, and progress on the Asset Register and SuDS mapping. A second flood engineer has been appointed, and recruitment for further capacity is ongoing. Over 200 cycle-friendly gully covers have been installed, and routine drainage maintenance is continuing. However, the implementation of wider improvement measures, such as targeted CCTV surveys, SuDS installation in high-risk areas, gully sensors, and the replacement of gully covers, is dependent on securing additional funding. The out-of-hours response arrangements have been maintained, but a dedicated service would require additional resources. An internal flood risk group has been established, and engagement with external partners is ongoing.

Reduction and Recycling Plan Progress Report – Quarter 1, 2025-26

The Cabinet noted the Reduction and Recycling Plan 2023-2026, Quarter 1 2025-26 Progress Report. The report highlighted a significant improvement in recycling performance, with a provisional recycling rate of 19.82% for April to June 2025, an increase of 4.12 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Contamination rates for dry recycling also decreased to 26.36% on average, a 1.43 percentage point reduction. Key achievements include infrastructure improvements at 1,915 blocks of flats, the provision of 3,800 new or updated bins, and 211 community engagement events. Pilot programmes for schools, mosques, and flats above shops have been completed, with findings informing future service planning. Challenges remain, particularly concerning landlord accountability, population density, and illegal waste dumping. Strategic priorities for the coming year include the borough-wide rollout of food waste collections by April 2027, the development of a performance monitoring system, the introduction of a landlord charter, and the expansion of community engagement initiatives.

Film Locations Management Contract

The Cabinet agreed to the procurement of a replacement Film Locations Management contract, to take effect on 1 April 2026 for a period of three years with an option to extend for two further years. The Corporate Director Communities was authorised to award the contract to the winning bidder, and the Director of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer was authorised to execute all necessary agreements. Tower Hamlets is a highly sought-after filming location, ranking second in London for filming days. The contract aims to appoint a company to oversee and co-ordinate all filming activity across council-managed assets, ensuring safety, effective management, and income generation. Bidders will be required to offer a percentage split of revenue to the council and demonstrate expertise in safely delivering filming activities and increasing income. Social value, including training and employment opportunities for residents, will be a key requirement. The current contract expires on 31 March 2026. Alternative options considered included insourcing the service, which was deemed too costly and risky, and reducing the contract term, which could deter bidders. The proposed three-year term with a two-year extension reflects the specialised nature of the market and allows contractors to recoup initial setup costs.