The Renewal, Recreation and Housing Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee of Bromley Council was scheduled to discuss the draft budget for the portfolio for the 2026/27 financial year, alongside a review of the Rent and Service Charge Setting Policy for the same period. The committee was also set to consider updates on the Housing Management Contract performance and the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Programme.

Sport and Leisure Strategy

The committee was scheduled to review the draft Sport and Leisure Strategy for the borough. This strategy aims to provide a framework for accessing grant funding, informing planning applications related to sport and leisure provision, and improving the health and wellbeing of Bromley residents. The strategy has been developed based on supply and demand reports for indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and has incorporated feedback from the sport and leisure community. It outlines five key themes: Active Health, Active Young People, Active Places, Active Communities, and Connecting and Delivering. The strategy also details how leisure centres operated by Mytime Active contribute to health and wellbeing, and outlines plans for the refurbishment of West Wickham and Walnuts leisure centres.

Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Programme 2026/27

The committee was scheduled to consider the Economic Inactivity Trailblazer Programme for 2026/27. This programme, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), aims to support economically inactive residents facing complex barriers to employment. The report outlined the Council's intention to accept grant funding for this programme, building on learning from the 2025/26 programme and establishing a sustainable borough-wide delivery model. The proposed programme would continue to test innovative approaches to employability support, with potential interventions including support for self-employment and business start-ups, as well as wage subsidies. The Council's in-house employability service, Bromley Works, would manage the funding.

Adoption of the Bromley Statement of Community Involvement 2026

A key item on the agenda was the adoption of the Bromley Statement of Community Involvement (SCI) 2026. This is a statutory requirement for local planning authorities, outlining how the council will engage and consult with the community and stakeholders on planning matters, including the preparation of planning policy documents and decisions on planning applications. The SCI updates the previous version from 2016 to reflect changes in legislation and best practice. It details consultation methods for various planning policy documents, advice for neighbourhood planning, and the process for involving the community in planning application decisions. The report included a consultation statement summarising feedback received on the draft SCI.

Rent and Service Charge Setting Policy 2026-2027

The committee was scheduled to review the draft Rent and Service Charge Setting Policy for 2026-2027. This policy sets out the Council's approach to rent and service charge setting, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, including the Regulator of Social Housing's Rent Standard. The policy provides a framework for rent calculation, validation, approval, and compliance monitoring across all Council-owned residential properties. It covers various tenure types, including affordable rents, temporary accommodation, social rents, and Gypsy and Traveller pitch rents, and outlines the processes for initial rent setting, annual reviews, and relet rent calculations.

Renewal, Recreation and Housing Portfolio Draft Budget 2026/27

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the draft budget for the Renewal, Recreation and Housing Portfolio for 2026/27. The report detailed the financial forecast for the next three years, incorporating anticipated cost pressures, planned mitigation measures, and savings from transformation initiatives. Members were asked to consider the initial draft budget, identify potential further actions to reduce cost pressures, and provide comments to the Executive. The report highlighted significant funding reductions for Bromley due to the Fair Funding Review 2.0, alongside inflationary pressures and rising service demands. It also detailed savings achieved through the Transforming Bromley 2024-28 programme, with specific figures for the Renewal, Recreation and Housing Services Portfolio. The budget also addressed housing rent setting, with proposed increases aligned with government guidelines.

Housing Management Contract - Performance Monitoring Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the performance of Penge Churches Housing Association (PCHA), the Council's managing agent for its residential housing portfolio. The report covered operational performance against Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), statutory compliance, service delivery highlights, and the results of the 2025 Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) survey. The report indicated generally positive performance, particularly in safety compliance and repairs, with improvements noted in tenant satisfaction. Areas for continued monitoring included income collection, complaint handling perceptions, and damp and mould casework.

Councillor Planning Application 'Call-ins'

The committee was also to be presented with a report on Councillor 'call-ins' for planning applications. This report summarised planning applications that had been requested by councillors to be determined at a committee meeting rather than under delegated authority. The data covered the period from 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025, detailing the number of call-ins per ward, total applications decided, and the percentage of call-ins relative to total applications. The report also provided an analysis of cases that were called in, including those still live, withdrawn, or determined at committee, as well as information on appeals.

Thematic Session: Homelessness and the Cost of Temporary Accommodation

A thematic session was scheduled to focus on homelessness and the cost of temporary accommodation. This discussion was expected to explore the pressures on the Council due to increased demand for housing support and the rising costs of temporary accommodation, exacerbated by market conditions and limited supply. The report indicated that a transformation programme is underway to address these issues through prevention, increasing access to affordable housing, and driving down the cost of temporary accommodation. Initiatives such as the acquisition of new affordable housing units and the refurbishment of existing properties were highlighted as part of the strategy to reduce reliance on costly nightly paid accommodation. The report also touched upon the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and future budget planning, noting the forecast deficit and the need for General Fund reserves.

Councillor Planning Application 'Call-ins'

The committee was also to be presented with a report on Councillor 'call-ins' for planning applications. This report summarised planning applications that had been requested by councillors to be determined at a committee meeting rather than under delegated authority. The data covered the period from 1st October 2024 to 30th September 2025, detailing the number of call-ins per ward, total applications decided, and the percentage of call-ins relative to total applications. The report also provided an analysis of cases that were called in, including those still live, withdrawn, or determined at committee, as well as information on appeals.