The Ealing Council Cabinet met on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, to discuss the council's financial outturn for the previous year, approve significant grant funding for a regional park, extend vital refurbishment contracts, and decide on the closure of two housing development companies. Key decisions included noting a revenue and capital outturn underspend, accepting £1.46 million in grant funding for the West London Regional Park, extending refurbishment contracts with three builders for two years, and agreeing to wind up Broadway Living Ltd and Broadway Living RP Ltd, bringing their housing functions back in-house.

2025/26 Revenue and Capital Outturn

The Cabinet noted the council's financial performance for the 2025/26 financial year. A net underspend of £0.780 million was reported for the General Fund, and a £3.373 million underspend was recorded for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). These underspends will be transferred to the respective General Balances. The report also highlighted a cumulative deficit of £18.519 million within the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) account, primarily due to pressures within the High Needs Block. A capital programme outturn underspend of £0.483 million was also noted. Cabinet approved the re-profiling of capital programme schemes exceeding £1 million, totalling £14.065 million, into future years. Additionally, an extra capital programme budget of £0.190 million was approved for the Mandeville Parkway capital scheme, to be funded by temporary borrowing.

Acceptance of Greater London Authority Grant Funding: West London Regional Park

A significant capital grant of £1,459,696 from the Greater London Authority (GLA) was approved for the West London Regional Park (WLRP) programme. This funding, to be received across 2026/27 and 2027/28, will support capital works across the park. The Strategic Director for Economy and Sustainability was authorised to enter into a grant agreement with the GLA, acting as the accountable body for the WLRP partnership, and to sign the WLRP partnership Memorandum of Understanding. The council's Capital Programme will be increased by £1,459,696 to accommodate this grant. The West London Regional Park is a collaborative initiative involving six partners, including the London Borough of Ealing, the London Borough of Hounslow, the GLA, the National Trust, the Environment Agency, and the Canal & River Trust. The park aims to create a 13-kilometre green infrastructure corridor connecting Horsenden Hill to the River Thames, focusing on climate resilience, nature recovery, and community benefits.

Extension of Contracts for External Refurbishment Works

Cabinet agreed to extend the existing External Refurbishment Works contracts with Greyline Builders Limited, R Benson Property Maintenance Limited, and Durkan Limited for a further two years each. These contracts, each valued at £5 million per annum, are crucial for the council's duty to repair and maintain its housing stock. The report highlighted that all three contractors have consistently met Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and delivered high-quality work over the past four years, with customer satisfaction rates exceeding contractual targets. The extension will ensure continuity of service, support the delivery of the council's Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) programme, and align with the council's refreshed asset management strategy. A full open market procurement process would have taken approximately 12 months, which would have significantly impacted the council's ability to deliver planned capital expenditure and achieve short-term improvements to housing decency figures.

BL/BLRP Update Report

A significant decision was made regarding the future of Broadway Living Ltd (BL) and Broadway Living Registered Provider Ltd (BLRP), the council's wholly-owned housing development companies. Following independent reviews and financial appraisals concluding that BL and BLRP are no longer financially viable as standalone entities, Cabinet agreed to wind them up and bring all their housing development and management functions back in-house to the council. This decision will involve the transfer of all BLRP and BL properties, business, and assets to the council. The properties currently owned by BLRP will be transferred to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), ensuring they remain in the social housing sector and that tenants' rights are safeguarded. The Strategic Director for Economy & Sustainability was delegated authority to manage the property transfer, and the Strategic Director for Resources was delegated authority to agree purchase prices, release security, write off loan balances, and vary loan agreements. The novation of the Lambert Smith Hampton management contract to the council was also agreed. This move aims to prevent further financial losses, protect tenants, and re-establish a more sustainable foundation for the council's affordable housing delivery. The council will continue to work closely with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH) to manage BLRP's deregistration and asset transfer.