The Council of Westminster met on Wednesday 16 September 2020 to discuss a range of topics, including the council's future policy plans, changes to the meeting schedule, and the size of the Planning and City Development Committee. A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to two notices of motion: one from the majority party concerning the re-opening of the West End, and another from the minority party expressing concerns about the government's 'Planning for the Future' White Paper.

Future Policy Plan

The council was scheduled to consider items for debate from the Future Policy Plan. This plan outlines various areas of council activity and policy development. Among the numerous topics listed for potential discussion were:

• COVID-19 response and city renewal (Item 23)
• Affordable Housing (Item 5)
• Air Quality (Item 6)
• Climate Emergency (Item 25)
• Community Cohesion (Item 27)
• Green Spaces & Parks (Item 50)
• Homelessness / Rough Sleeping (Item 55)
• Housing Strategy & Housing Renewal (Item 57)
• West End Partnership (Item 107)
• Oxford Street District (Item 108)

Bi-Annual Standards Committee Report

The council was scheduled to consider the Bi-annual Standards Committee Report, covering the committee's work between March 2018 and March 2020. The report highlighted key achievements such as strengthening the Members' Code of Conduct, enhancing complaint handling arrangements, and improving probity in planning decision-making. It also detailed the committee's meetings, outcomes, and the support provided by the Monitoring Officer and Independent Persons. The report recommended that the council note its contents.

Changes to the Programme of Council Meetings 2020-2021

A report was presented proposing amendments to the programme of full council meetings for the 2020-2021 municipal year. These changes were necessitated by the impact of Covid-19 on the business and financial planning round for 2021/2022. The proposed changes included:

• The extraordinary meeting (Budget) scheduled for 11 November 2020 would now be held as an ordinary council meeting.
• The meeting on 3 March 2021 would be amended to an extraordinary meeting to receive the Leader's Speech and consider budget proposals for 2021/2022.

This adjustment aimed to allow departments more time for planning on a full-year basis.

Changes to the Sizes of the Planning and City Development Committee

The council was to consider a proposal to increase the size of the Planning and City Development Committee from 14 members to 15 members, effective from 1 October 2020. This increase was intended to ensure sufficient membership capacity for Planning Sub-Committee meetings and facilitate more effective decision-making. The proposed change would adjust the proportionality of party members on the committee to 10 majority party members and 5 minority party members, aligning with the council's agreed principles. This change would result in an additional Special Responsibility Allowance payment from the Members Allowances Budget.

Notices of Motion

Two notices of motion were scheduled for discussion:

(a) Action to enable the West End to more fully re-open

This motion, to be moved by Councillor Rachael Robathan and seconded by Councillor Melvyn Caplan, noted the need for decisive action to support the re-opening of the West End. It welcomed government support for Westminster businesses, highlighting their importance to the UK economy. The motion called for increased clarity from the government on returning to work, including social distancing messaging, and for public bodies to lead by example. It also proposed lobbying the government for an extended business rates holiday, a review of rateable value caps, and further support for council initiatives like pedestrian space expansion, al fresco dining, and promotional campaigns such as Sight See Crowd Free and Inside Out. Additionally, it sought more flexibility in the statutory review of licensing policy.

(b) 'Planning Policy'

This motion, to be moved by Councillor Geoff Barraclough and seconded by Councillor Matt Noble, expressed deep concern about the government's 'Planning for the Future' White Paper. It noted the opposition from residents and groups like Shelter and the Westminster Property Association, and the White Paper's lack of explicit mention of the role for elected councillors or residents' groups. The motion also highlighted concerns about changes to Permitted Development rules for office-to-residential conversions and proposals to exempt developments of under 50 units from affordable housing contributions. It further noted proposed revisions to Westminster's annual housing target that could lead to badly planned homes. The council believed the White Paper did not serve local residents' priorities and would reduce their say in new developments. The motion resolved to publicly oppose specific changes, lobby the government, make media statements, collaborate with other local government bodies, and demand that any new 'infrastructure levy' be set at levels that respond to local needs.