Agenda, decisions and minutes

Cllr Hug welcomed everyone to the meeting, noting that it would be livestreamed with a recording to be made available online.

To receive declarations by Members and Officers of the existence and nature of any pecuniary interests or any other significant interest in matters on this agenda.

There were no declarations of interest received.

Cllr Butler-Thalassis noted that the Safeguarding Adults Executive Board Annual report referenced the work of BME Health Forum, the charity which she is employed by.

Parveen Akhtar confirmed that was for transparency only and did not represent a conflict of interest.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2023.

Cabinet agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 203 were a true and correct record of the proceedings.

Cllr Hug, with the consent of the Members present, agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 11 December 2023 were a true and correct record of the proceedings.

To consider and note the Annual Report 2022/23 of the Safeguarding Adults Executive Board (SAEB), with particular regard to the arrangements that have been put in place to meet the requirements of the Care Act 2014.

Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Considered the Annual Report 2022/23 of the Safeguarding Adults Executive Board (SAEB), with particular regard to the arrangements that have been put in place to meet the requirements of the Care Act 2014.

Reasons for decision

The report is the 2022/23 Annual Report of the Safeguarding Adult Executive Board (SAEB) who provide the leadership for adult safeguarding across Westminster and RBKC, and complies with the Council’s statutory duty to publish an annual report which includes business plan for the year and any Safeguarding Adult reviews.

Cllr Hug invited Cllr Butler-Thalassis to speak to the report and noted his congratulations on her recent election as Deputy Leader.

Cllr Butler-Thalassis noted her thanks to the team for the hard work that had gone into the report and highlighted its focus on working with communities.

Aileen Buckton, Safeguarding Adults Executive Board (SAEB) Chair, noted that the real focus for the year was working in the community and with a number of VCS organisations including BME Health Forum.

Aileen Buckton noted that this enabled safeguarding ambassadors to work with different communities that SAEB hadn’t had contact with before, and in different languages.

Aileen Buckton highlighted that a high percentage of people in Westminster who have been subjected to a safeguarding concern felt that it was handled well and that they were listened to, which is above London average.

Aiken Buckton noted that the report provided a detailed record from individual organisations and the partnership on learnings from reviews and the way that those learnings are being embedded across the partnership.

Louise Butler noted that it was important to recognise outcomes for service users are high and above the London average, which is to the credit of frontline practitioners.

RESOLVED: Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Consider the Annual Report 2022/23 of the Safeguarding Adults Executive Board (SAEB), with particular regard to the arrangements that have been put in place to meet the requirements of the Care Act 2014.

To approve the vision and project priorities to guide the development of the public realm design from All Souls to Regent’s Crescent; approve the partner requirements for Regent Street to make financial contributions totalling £1,786,000 and approve the partner requirements for Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus to secure financial contributions totalling £2,200,000 (£1.1m each) to continue to progress Haymarket and Piccadilly; and delegate any decisions relating to the above scope to the Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality leading up to the public consultation in 2025 on the final public realm proposals for Phases 1 and 2.

Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Noted the findings from the 'Future of Regent Street' ("Regent Street") engagement, and approve the vision and project priorities to guide the development of the public realm design from All Souls to Regent’s Crescent.

·       Approved the partner requirements for Regent Street to make financial contributions totalling £1,786,000 (£893K each) to continue to progress the first phase ("Phase 1") of the project.

·       Noted the work to date by The Crown Estate on the vision and priorities for Haymarket District Plan and the planned development investment for this part of the West End, and agree to extend the scope of the Regent Street project to include Haymarket, Charles II Street, Jermyn Street East and Pall Mall East public realm ("Haymarket"), and to consider proposals for Piccadilly Circus and Pall Mall East as part of a second phase ("Phase 2") of the project.

·       Approved the partner requirements for Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus to secure financial contributions totalling £2,200,000 (£1.1m each) to continue to progress Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus ("Phase 2b") of the project, and agree that the £4m capital funding approved by Full Council on 8 March 2023 for Regent Street can also be utilised for this Phase.

·       Approved the concept of piloting and testing of ideas for the Regent Street and Haymarket projects to support the evidence-based approach for the public realm and highways design. The implementation of any pilots will be delegated to the Director of City Highways in conversation with the Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality.

·       Delegated any decisions relating to the above scope to the Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality leading up to the public consultation in 2025 on the final public realm proposals for Phases 1 and 2.

Reasons for decision

This report approves the next steps for a permanent public realm scheme for Regent Street and Haymarket, following extensive public engagement undertaken by the Council and the Crown Estate in summer 2023.

Cllr Hug invited Cllr Dimoldenberg to introduce the report.

Cllr Dimoldenberg welcomed the report and noted his thanks to officers and the Crown Estate who were involved in the extensive engagement and public consultation.

Cllr Dimoldenberg noted the report also looks at further work in the coming year, in relation to bringing Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus into the scheme, as well as north of Oxford Street.

Debbie Jackson presented an overview of the scheme and the work undertaken, including emerging and key priorities, design and delivery phasing options, and indicative milestones for delivery.

Debbie Jackson noted the vision for the scheme – Everyone’s Regent Street – will be the foundation to inform the upcoming public realm designs for Regent Street.

Frances Martin noted that on the points around pedestrian experience and expanding into Haymarket, heritage has come through as something that needs preserving but also utilising it as an asset to attract people.

Frances Martin noted that all possibilities are being looked at around nature, greening and carbon offsetting for works in these areas.

Cllr Barraclough welcomed the report and noted that it was ambitious yet deliverable, and is working closely with the Oxford Street programme, especially where the two intersect at Oxford Circus.

Cllr Hug thanked the team and noted that and having greater positivity from stakeholders who feel engaged in the process was crucial in moving forward with plans.

RESOLVED: Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Note the findings from the 'Future of Regent Street' ("Regent Street") engagement, and approve the vision and project priorities to guide the development of the public realm design from All Souls to Regent’s Crescent.

·       Approve the partner requirements for Regent Street to make financial contributions totalling £1,786,000 (£893K each) to continue to progress the first phase ("Phase 1") of the project.

·       Note the work to date by The Crown Estate on the vision and priorities for Haymarket District Plan and the planned development investment for this part of the West End, and agree to extend the scope of the Regent Street project to include Haymarket, Charles II Street, Jermyn Street East and Pall Mall East public realm ("Haymarket"), and to consider proposals for Piccadilly Circus and Pall Mall East as part of a second phase ("Phase 2") of the project.

·       Approve the partner requirements for Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus to secure financial contributions totalling £2,200,000 (£1.1m each) to continue to progress Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus ("Phase 2b") of the project, and agree that the £4m capital funding approved by Full Council on 8 March 2023 for Regent Street can also be utilised for this Phase.

·       Approve the concept of piloting and testing of ideas for the Regent Street and Haymarket projects to support the evidence-based approach for the public realm and highways design. The implementation of any pilots will be delegated to the Director of City Highways in conversation with the Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality.

·       Delegate any decisions relating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To approve net changes of £67.181m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 GF capital budget, re-profiling of £36.875m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 HRA capital budget, and the Place Shaping Virement of £3.064m.

Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Approved net changes of £67.181m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 GF capital budget

·       Approved re-profiling of £36.875m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 HRA capital budget.

·       Approved the Place Shaping Virement of £3.064m.

Reasons for decision

This report requests approval for changes to the profiles and/or budgets of several capital schemes have been identified as likely to have changed delivery profiles and thus led to in year variances to budget, as well as others that have reported as either likely to under or overspend.

Cllr Hug invited Cllr Boothroyd to speak to the report.

Cllr Boothroyd noted that the report takes account of the fact that some capital projects are delayed into the next financial year, and others are brought forward and delivered early.

Gerald Almeroth noted that this is a routine report to Cabinet to recognise re-profiling and that some of the schemes are to bring forward some capital budget to spend, including the Temporary Accommodation acquisitions programme.

Cllr Hug noted the importance of bringing forward the Temporary Acquisitions programme as fast as possible.

RESOLVED: Cabinet approved the following recommendations:

·       Approve net changes of £67.181m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 GF capital budget

·       Approve re-profiling of £36.875m for individual projects as part of the 2023/24 HRA capital budget.

·       Approve the Place Shaping Virement of £3.064m.