The Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, 22 January 2026, was set to address a range of significant policy and financial matters. Key discussions were planned around the Statement of Licensing Policy for 2026-2031, the Local Development Scheme, and the Council Tax Base and Business Rates Forecast for 2026/2027. The meeting also included time for public and members' questions, as well as the consideration of several motions.

Statement of Licensing Policy 2026-2031

The Council was scheduled to consider the recommendation of Cabinet regarding the adoption of a revised Statement of Licensing Policy for the period 2026-2031. This policy, reviewed every five years as required by legislation, had undergone statutory consultation. The proposed updates included minor amendments to reflect changes in guidance and updated working practices, alongside new sections on Environmental Best Practice, the Agent of Change Principle, Counter Terrorism, Spiking, and Pavement Licensing. Existing sections were also to be clarified and updated. The policy aims to provide an up-to-date and effective framework for licensing matters within the Borough, ensuring a safe and regulated environment for licensed establishments and their users, while also outlining methods for robust enforcement and review of problem premises.

Local Development Scheme

A revised Local Development Scheme (LDS) was presented for consideration and recommendation to the Council. The LDS serves as a project plan for the production of the Local Plan and other planning policy documents, outlining the intended documents and their respective timescales. The current LDS, adopted in February 2025, was to be updated due to changes in the planning policy context beyond the council's control. The revised scheme proposes a new Local Plan Programme, shifting key stages of production and consultation into 2026 and beyond. The Council was also to consider the West London Waste Plan, with a Regulation 18 consultation planned for December 2025 to January 2026.

Council Tax Base and Business Rates Forecast 2026/2027

The meeting was to address the Council Tax Base and Business Rates Forecast for the upcoming financial year. The Council Taxbase for 2026/27 was estimated to be 107,349 Band D Equivalent Properties, an increase of 1,927 from the previous year. Recommendations included approving amendments to the local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, such as applying a standard non-dependant deduction, reducing the maximum award for the vulnerable scheme, and increasing the non-dependant deduction. The introduction of a 100% Council Tax Premium on second homes from 1 April 2026 was also proposed. The Council was required to calculate its Council Taxbase by 31 January 2026 and submit the NNDR1 return for Business Rates to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Greater London Authority. The report highlighted significant increases in rateable values, particularly for Heathrow Airport, and the complexities introduced by new multiplier classes and transitional relief arrangements for business rates.

Report of the Head of Democratic Services

This report was scheduled to cover several items, including the urgent implementation of decisions made since the last Council meeting, updates on political groups and committee memberships, and the appointment of a Statutory Officer and an Independent Person. It also noted changes made to the Cabinet.

Members' Questions

A significant portion of the meeting was allocated to Members' Questions, allowing councillors to seek updates and clarification from Cabinet Members and the Leader of the Council on a wide range of issues. Topics included the impact of leasehold reform delays on residents, road gritting efforts, the cost of Exceptional Financial Support, household waste disposal, the future of the borough's archives and museum, housing allocation policies, food waste collection rollout, promotion of the new leisure centre, the Council's financial position and government funding, pothole repair technology, unpaid commercial lease debt, the role of CIPFA in financial scrutiny, the accuracy of the draft budget, savings achieved through Capital Transformation, the Council's borrowing levels and the risk of a Section 114 notice, and the need for independent scrutiny of financial matters.

Motions

Several motions were scheduled for consideration:

• Motion from Councillor Gardner: This motion called for an urgent review of funding for the CCTV service, highlighting concerns about insufficient staffing levels for monitoring the borough's approximately 3,000 cameras, which could impact effective monitoring and police response.
• Motion from Councillor Mathers: This motion aimed to express gratitude to the Labour Government for increased local government funding, addressing perceived underfunding under the previous Conservative government, and calling on the local administration to use the funding responsibly.
• Motion from Councillor Tuckwell: This motion unequivocally condemned proposed changes to national and London-wide planning legislation, arguing they threatened Green Belt and Metropolitan Open Land, weakened local democratic control, and prioritised developer interests. It expressed concern over threats to Metropolitan Open Land, the introduction of a default development position around stations, proposed emergency Community Infrastructure Levy relief, and changes to the Mayor of London's call-in powers. The motion called for the Leader to write to the borough's MPs to oppose these proposals.
• Motion from Councillor Edwards: This motion expressed deep concern over the Home Office's decision to restrict local authorities' access to data on asylum seeker placements, citing it as evidence of the Government's failed asylum policy and its negative impact on local authorities' ability to plan resources. The motion called for the Government to reverse this decision and restore transparency.