The Hammersmith and Fulham Council Cabinet met to discuss community funding, a local plan review, and budget variations. The Cabinet approved the drawdown of £22.4 million in Section 106¹ and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)² funds for community projects, agreed to a public consultation on the draft Local Plan Regulation 18, and approved an updated capital programme with £105.2 million in additional investment.

Local Plan Review

The Cabinet approved the draft Local Plan Regulation 18 for public consultation. The Local Plan sets the policy framework for development in the borough over the next 10 to 15 years. Councillor Andrew Jones, Cabinet Member for The Economy, explained that the council welcomes feedback from residents and stakeholders on the plan, which supports the government's ambition to build 1.5 million new homes and addresses key issues such as the future of high streets and climate change.

Councillor Adronie Alford asked about the proposal to replace the Hammersmith Flyover with a tunnel. Councillor Stephen Cowan, Leader of the Council, clarified that the tunnel and Hammersmith Bridge are separate issues. He stated that the council has already spent £47 million to prevent the bridge from collapsing, but the estimated £300 million total restoration cost is a matter for the government. The Leader of the Council said that the tunnel project could reclaim land and the money generated from the land could be used to fund the tunnel, but this would require a different approach to planning in the city and would require the council to work with the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL).

Councillor Wesley Harcourt, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Ecology, noted the Local Plan is a key part of the council's climate change agenda, and that there have been significant technological advancements since the previous plan.

Councillor Cowan stated that the council wants to hear from residents about their ambitions and concerns, and think about what the borough will look like in the mid-century and how to future-proof it for the new economy. He spoke about Upstream London, the council's industrial strategy, and the goal to be a 'campus borough' that supports entrepreneurship and innovation, requiring affordable and flexible office space, housing, and more green spaces.

The Cabinet also approved the adoption and publication of the revised Local Development Scheme 2024-2027 and the updated Statement of Community Involvement.

Community Benefits from Planning Obligations

The Cabinet approved the drawdown of £22,413,499 in Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies to fund community benefits across the borough. Councillor Andrew Jones and Councillor Rowan Ree introduced the report, explaining that the funding comes from planning developments in the borough and is used to benefit residents.

Councillor Jones noted that the £22.4 million that had been negotiated allows the council to invest in projects such as the Civic Campus and the rejuvenation of King Street, the Law Enforcement Team, the innovative gangs unit, genuinely affordable housing, and climate change and flood mitigations.

Councillor Ree added that this is more than the council has ever raised from Section 106 and the Community Infrastructure Levy, despite the challenging economic environment.

Councillor Adronie Alford asked if the additional money allocated to the Civic Campus was planned or an overspend. Councillor Cowan said the council had always envisaged spending money to create flexible office space for entrepreneurs and they had expanded that. He added that there had been cost overruns due to Brexit, the pandemic, and inflation, but the scheme would pay for itself within 15 years through income generation.

Councillor Alford asked if the issues with the Health and Safety Executive were due to be resolved. Councillor Cowan said that was a matter for the Health and Safety Executive. There was an accident on site, the Health and Safety Executive came in and carried out a detailed review which delayed the project by a year, but the project was back on track and aimed to be open early next year.

Councillor Cowan spoke about the administration's focus on improving negotiation with private developers to ensure the benefits of development were shared with residents, and thanked Councillor Jones for his leadership in this area.

Capital Programme Monitor and Budget Variations

The Cabinet approved the recommendations in the Capital Programme Monitor and Budget Variations 2025/26 (Quarter 1) report. Councillor Rowan Ree introduced the report, which set out the details of the forecast capital programme for the financial year 2025/26 and future years.

The Cabinet noted the overall forecast of £280.7 million for 2025/26 capital expenditure, a net increase of £13.4 million compared to the revised budget of £267.3 million at 2024/25 outturn. They also approved a total additional investment of £105.2 million across the revised four-year programme, including new additional borrowing, and the updated four-year capital programme for 2025-2029 of £679.8 million.

Councillor Ree noted that the report covered investments in the council's housing stock, the public realm, local schools, and the CCTV network.

Councillor Adronie Alford asked if members had concerns, given the current economic environment, about over-borrowing. Councillor Ree said that over the last four years borrowing had mostly been internal, as interest rates had been high. He explained that rates were monitoring closely, and the council only borrowed where it made financial sense to do so, and that borrowing from the Public Works Loan Board³ for the Housing Revenue Account⁴ was discounted.