The Community & Children's Services Committee meeting scheduled for 22 April 2026 was set to cover a range of departmental updates and strategic planning items. Key discussions were anticipated regarding departmental risks, the outcome of a Regulator of Social Housing inspection, and an update on the Golden Lane Leisure Centre.

Departmental Risk Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Department of Community and Children's Services (DCCS) Risk Register. This report, authored by Rumina Sultana, Business Support Manager, was intended to highlight changes since the previous report, including the addition of new risks, the closure of risks where mitigation measures are now embedded, and updates to existing risk entries. The report indicated that all changes to the Risk Register had been reviewed and approved by the Departmental Leadership Team (DLT). Enhancements to risk governance and assurance were noted, with defined escalation routes, stronger quality assurance of risk descriptions and controls, and alignment with the City of London Corporation's Risk Management Framework. The report recommended that members note the departmental Risk Register and the actions taken by DCCS to strengthen its response and risk mitigation.

The detailed risk report, DCCS All Risks - Detailed Report, provided an overview of various risks facing the department. Among the identified risks were Blake Tower - Barbican Estate (DCCS HS 007), concerning defects from a 2013 redevelopment and the Corporation's obligation to take back a lease, leading to reputational, safety, and financial risks. Another was Lone Working (DCCS HS 003), stemming from potential failures in risk assessments, device allocation, training, and supervision, which could put lone workers at risk of harm. Housing Finance (DCCS HS 004) highlighted challenges to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) finances, potentially leading to a shortfall in funding for social housing expenditure plans. Statutory Compliance Requirements (DCCS HS 009) addressed the risk of failing to undertake and provide evidence of periodic statutory inspections of buildings and equipment, potentially leading to harm, legal action, and reputational damage. New risks identified included Provider cost inflation (DCCS 003), Demand pressure (PE 004), and Provider failure (targeted and universal provision) (CP 001 and CP 002), primarily driven by external market and demand pressures.

Regulator of Social Housing Inspection

A significant item on the agenda was the Regulator of Social Housing Inspection - Outcome, Benchmarking and Improvement Response report. This report was intended to provide members with an update on the outcome of the inspection by the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), benchmark the City of London Corporation's results against other London local authority landlords, and outline the actions being taken to address the findings. The City of London Corporation had received a C3 Consumer Standards grading, indicating serious failings requiring improvement, which the report attributed to historic under-investment in the housing stock. The Court of Common Council had committed to a £211 million investment programme over the next 10 years to address safety, quality, and Decent Homes compliance. The Corporation accepted the C3 grading and aimed to achieve full regulatory compliance (C1) within three years. The report noted that the Regulator acknowledged the Corporation's self-awareness and proactive approach to addressing issues. Benchmarking against other London local authority landlords showed the C3 grading was not an outlier, with many facing similar challenges. Early improvements highlighted included an increase in up-to-date stock condition surveys, rapid improvement in electrical safety performance, and the implementation of a new digital platform for fire risk actions. The report also detailed the governance and scrutiny arrangements in place, including oversight by the Housing Management and Almshouses Sub Committee and the Housing Improvement Board.

Golden Lane Leisure Centre Update

An update from the Chairman on the Golden Lane Leisure Centre was scheduled for information. This verbal report would provide the committee with the latest developments regarding the facility.

Other Scheduled Discussions

The meeting also included standard procedural items such as the agreement of minutes from the previous meeting and noting outstanding actions. Updates from sub-committees, allocated members, and portfolio holders were also on the agenda, alongside a session for members to ask questions relating to the work of the committee. The agenda also included a motion to exclude the public for the discussion of non-public reports, which covered non-public minutes, outstanding actions, and specific reports from the Health and Fire Safety Team, the Golden Lane Leisure Centre Refurbishment, and a Waiver Report.