Agenda item

To receive an update on current and forthcoming issues from Councillor Nickie Aiken (Leader of the City Council). 

Verbal report.

5.1       Councillor Nickie Aiken (Leader of the City Council) provided an update on current and forthcoming issues within her portfolio. Commission Members also received an update from Charlie Parker (Chief Executive) on matters of corporate interest.

5.2       The Leader commented on the recent terrorist attack in Manchester, and informed the Commission that she had written to the Mayor of Manchester and the Leader of the Council to offer condolences and support. She also congratulated them on the effectiveness of their response, which saw the emergency services, local authority and people of Manchester working together. The Lord Mayor of Westminster had similarly written to his counterpart in Manchester. The Local Government Chronical had contacted Councillor Aiken to determine what a local authority’s response to terrorist attacks should be, particularly in view of the recent attack in Westminster. The Leader had considered that local authorities had an important part to play, particularly in the aftermath of an atrocity, in bringing the community together.

5.3       Changes to Shared Services

5.3.1    The Commission discussed the changes to Tri-borough working and disallocation of shared services, and acknowledged that the City Council was in a complex situation as the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham (LBHF) were yet to determine the model on how services would be reconfigured. At present, the changes only affected Adult Social Care, Public Health and Children’s Services, and Westminster was working with the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC) to establish a bi-borough agreement. It was anticipated that the reconfiguration would be finalised in 12 months, with some changes being in place by the end of the year. The Leader highlighted the excellent services that were being provided and the savings that had been achieved, and considered Tri-borough working had been a success.

5.3.2    Services which currently remained within Tri-borough arrangements included legal services, libraries, and finance and treasury management. The Leader informed the Commission that LBHF may buy back a number of shared services, which could include fostering and adoption; together with services provided by the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASH) and Youth Offending Team (YOT). Discussions were also taking place with LBHF on how legal services could be better commercialised.

5.3.3    It was agreed that the Scrutiny Commission should provide an oversight of how the overall programme of activity was proceeding, and of the costs associated with the de-segregation. The individual services would continue to be monitored by Policy and Scrutiny Committees.

5.4       West End Partnership (WEP)

4.4.1    The Commission discussed the WEP and Oxford Street Project, and highlighted the need for the Partnership to take into account the changes to the retail and commercial offer which were being caused by online-shopping, and by the change in the use of property from office to residential. It was recognised that the vast majority of people visited stores in Oxford Street and then bought online, and the Leader considered that the offer provided by the Oxford Street district needed to become more of a retail experience with restaurants and cafes. 4.4.2 Consultation on responsible growth and the height of buildings in the West End had recently ended, and it was acknowledged that adding a few further stories to existing buildings could deliver the additional space that was needed to meet the City Council’s objectives for affordable housing. The Commission recognised the need to work with the property industry to construct taller buildings where appropriate, while also protecting Westminster’s world heritage status and unique character. It was agreed that each neighbourhood needed to be considered on its individual merits, and that the issue of housing needed to be discussed with other boroughs as London-wide issue.

4.4.3    The Leader updated the Commission on progress in the bid to government for a Tax Increment Financing Initiative (TIF) for the West End, and noted that alternative plans were being developed should the funding not be received. Resources for the WEP had so far mostly been provided through the working partnership, with research being undertaken independently by partners and shared with the WEP.

4.4.4    The WEP had now been meeting for a number of years, and as the new Chairman, the Leader had asked other members of the Partnership to consider what the main objectives of the WEP should be in the future. A lot of work had been undertaken on infrastructure, and it was suggested that the next stage should include marketing other areas such as culture and tourism.

4.5       Business Rates

4.5.1    The Commission noted that Westminster’s rateable value had risen by 25% overall, compared to an average London rise of 22%. The City Council had lobbied the Government over the need for changes in business rates, which needed to reflect Westminster’s unique position. Consideration was also being given to the introduction of super-prime supplements, which would be an addition to Council Tax for properties with a value above a certain value

4.6 STP

4.6.1 The Commission discussed progress in the development of the North West London Sustainability Transformation Plan (STP). Westminster continued to be the lead borough for the finance work stream of the partnership, and had developed an investment model for how certain activity could be supported without Transformation funding, but by recycling money already in the system. The Commission noted that separate funding had been secured for mental health work, diabetes, and also for some specialist cancer support.

4.7       The Leader commented on the perception by other parts of the country that London received too much financial support, and informed the Commission that she had begun a ‘Your London’ campaign, which sought to build a narrative which highlighted the benefits of a strong London economy to the rest of the country. 4.8 Other issues discussed included the Managed Services Programme, and progress in London devolution and in the decant and refresh of Westminster City Hall.