The Public Cabinet meeting on 09 April 2026 reviewed the council's performance in the third quarter of the financial year, discussed the budget monitoring report, and approved the Bexley Community Safety Strategy for 2026-2030. The meeting also provided an update on the implementation of the council's Delivery Framework.

Bexley Status Report Q3 (October to December 2025)

The council's performance against key indicators for the third quarter of the financial year (October to December 2025) was presented. Ms. Julia Owen, Head of Strategy, Performance, and Complaints, highlighted several areas of note. Positive exceptions included an increase in self-directed support and direct payments in adult social care. Concerns were raised regarding a decline in repeat incidents of domestic abuse, with the figure being lower than guidelines suggest, prompting questions about the reasons for this reduction. Similarly, a decline in the percentage of care leavers accessing employment, education, or training was noted as a cause for concern.

Councillor Cafer Munur (Cabinet Member for Place Shaping) thanked his team for their work on vacant units, planning information, and job starts. Councillor Melvin Seymour (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Adults' Services and Health) praised the Adult Social Care team, led by Ms. Tenney, for their remarkable achievements in managing demographic changes and increased demand for services. He specifically highlighted the positive impact of the direct payment scheme. Councillor David Diamond drew attention to performance indicators related to keeping the borough clean, noting that Bexley had seen a reduction in fly-tipping incidents, placing it among the lowest in London. He also highlighted Bexley's strong performance in recycling, being one of the few London boroughs to improve its recycling rate in the past year. Councillor Diamond also took the opportunity to thank officers for their support during his eight years on the council, particularly mentioning his fulfilling work on the adoption panel.

Budget Monitoring Report 2025/26 (Period 10)

The council is forecasting a projected overspend of £1.361 million against a net revenue budget of just over £253 million, which represents less than half a percent of the total budget. This was presented by Mr. Ross Brown, Director of Finance and Corporate Services. The report indicated an improved financial position due to the effectiveness of the financial intervention strategy.

Key variances were noted within the Finance, HR, and Customer Services Directorate, with underspends attributed to staffing savings and effective management of contractors. The Place Directorate also reported a significant underspend, largely due to a recruitment freeze and effective prevention measures in social care. Council Tax collection was slightly behind target, but Business Rates collection had returned above target.

Councillor Chris Taylor (Cabinet Member for Children & Families) highlighted a reduction in the overspend within Children's Social Care, praising the team's efforts in bearing down on pressures without cutting services. He also mentioned innovative work within the Kinship Zone and E7 programmes. Councillor Melvin Seymour (Cabinet Member for Adults' Services and Health) acknowledged the challenges in Adult Social Care, particularly its small public health budget, and emphasised the importance of prevention and early intervention. He praised the council's work in areas such as autism, suicide prevention, and obesity, as well as the role of voluntary services like One Bexley.

Councillor David Leaf (Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Resources & Transformation) reported that all available funding for road improvements had been spent, with some funding for the current year already being utilised. He noted that £899,000 of a £895,000 grant had been spent, representing less than 15% of the total spent on roads in Bexley last year. He also lamented the loss of approximately £10 million in grants from the Mayor of London and the GLA since 2017. Councillor Leaf stated that Bexley's road network was seventh in the country, according to Department for Transport data, and that approximately 60 schemes were planned for the next 12 months, in addition to the 70 completed in the last year.

Councillor Brian Bishop (Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing) raised concerns about the condition of pavements and lampposts, suggesting a greater focus on pavement renewals. Councillor David Leaf responded by reminding members that they had voted against £30 million of investment in highways, including pavements, over the next four years.

The Cabinet was asked to approve the budget monitoring position, slippage and accelerated spend in the capital programme, and additions and deletions to the capital programme.

Delivery Framework: Implementation of Key Frameworks for Strengthened Outcomes

Ms. Julia Owen, Head of Strategy, Performance, and Complaints, presented an update on the council's Delivery Framework. This framework aims to link the council's priorities to its day-to-day delivery, providing clearer accountability and stronger assurance. The refreshed framework integrates five key components: the Target Operating Model, Strategic Framework, Performance Framework, Assurance Framework, and Accountability Framework. The council is developing an implementation plan to embed this framework into its working practices. Councillor David Leaf noted the importance of the operating principles of customer first, continually improving, and best use of resources.

Bexley Community Safety Strategy 2026-2030

Mr. Jivani, Deputy Director, presented the proposed Bexley Community Safety Strategy for 2026-2030. This strategy has been developed in partnership with various agencies, including the police, fire brigade, probation, health partners, MOPAC, and the voluntary sector. The strategy aims to address anti-social behaviour, serious violence, domestic abuse, and community reassurance.

Councillor Melvin Seymour raised a point about coercive behaviour, expressing hope that the council would not make it more difficult to pay by cash, as control over bank accounts can be a tool for coercion. Councillor Chris Taylor highlighted the importance of integrating data from the NetEngage app into strategic decision-making. Councillor Caroline Day noted the importance of community reassurance and mentioned new Labour funding for youth clubs and diversion programmes. She also requested a breakdown of statistics for residents who do not feel safe.

The Deputy Director confirmed that a breakdown of statistics could be provided and noted a shift in survey respondents feeling unsafe, with younger people now reporting this more than older populations. He also addressed concerns about police resources, attributing potential reductions to decisions made by the Mayor of London.

Councillor Brian Bishop, in his final public cabinet meeting before not seeking re-election, thanked Councillor Nadella for her work and noted the perception of crime in Bexley being higher than the reality. He also commented on police numbers and youth funding.

The Cabinet was asked to approve the strategy in principle and refer it to the Council for discussion.

The meeting concluded with thanks from Councillor David Leaf to the officers and cabinet colleagues for their hard work over the past four years.