The Cabinet of Tower Hamlets Council met on Wednesday 26 June 2019 to discuss a range of important issues, including a community governance review for Spitalfields and Banglatown, urgent structural works for Brewster and Malking Houses, and the council's CCTV approach. Decisions were made regarding the structural works for Brewster and Malking Houses, and the CCTV approach was approved.

Spitalfields and Banglatown Community Governance Review

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Spitalfields and Banglatown Community Governance Review. The process, which began with a petition to create a parish council in Spitalfields, has involved two stages of public consultation. The Chief Executive, Mr. Tuffley, presented the findings, noting that while the second stage of consultation yielded over 2,000 responses, the majority were not in favour of the proposal. Several campaigners, including James Francom, David Donohue, and Zach Hussain, spoke against the consultation process, citing concerns about its fairness and the alleged use of divisive tactics. They called for a referendum. Councillor Andrew Wood also spoke, questioning why the national trend of supporting local governance was met with resistance in Tower Hamlets. The Cabinet noted the report, with the final decision to be made by the full council in July.

Urgent Structural Works for Brewster and Malking Houses

The Cabinet considered urgent structural strengthening works required for Brewster and Malking Houses, affecting 112 properties. The report detailed significant estimated costs for leaseholders, ranging from £55,000 for one-bedroom properties to £76,000 for three-bedroom properties. Leaseholders, including Mavis Hawkey, Michael Donaldson, and Belinda LeMessurier, expressed shock and anxiety over these costs, highlighting concerns about affordability, the lack of a cap on charges, and the potential for the buyback scheme to not fully alleviate the financial burden. Derek Cutler, Chair of the Wider Estate Association, also voiced concerns that the charges could make residents homeless. The council officers explained that the previous national capping scheme for such works had ended and that any new cap would be a local decision. After extensive discussion, the Mayor proposed deferring a final decision on the capital works and associated costs to allow for further, quick consultation with residents and consideration of other options. However, the Cabinet agreed to approve the recommendations for additional leasehold service charges and the voluntary buyback scheme.

Tower Hamlets CCTV Approach

The Cabinet reviewed and approved the council's approach to its CCTV network. The report, based on a literature review and local data, concluded that CCTV is more effective for crime detection and investigation than deterrence. The recommendations focus on a detection and investigation-led approach, alongside the reassurance value CCTV provides to residents. Councillor Andrew Wood raised questions about resident engagement, the potential for CCTV to detect speeding, and the integration of council cameras with those of Transport for London and other private entities. Councillor Martin Uzum welcomed the investment and suggested the use of portable cameras. The council officers confirmed that resident engagement would be a key part of the process, with safer neighbourhood panels involved in camera placement decisions.

Children's Services Improvement Programme

A quarterly progress report on the Children's Services Improvement Programme was presented. Councillor Sufya Alam, Deputy Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, had previously raised questions regarding key performance indicators, including the percentage of children visited within specific timeframes and the provision of suitable accommodation for carers' leavers. While written responses were provided, it was noted that further clarification would be added to the record of the meeting. The Cabinet noted the report, acknowledging the ongoing commitment to improving children's services, with promising signs following a recent Ofsted inspection.

Mudshute Farm Parking Allotments

The Cabinet considered a report on granting a long lease for Mudshute Farm parking allotments. The main point of contention was the sublease to allotment holders, with disagreements within the allotment society regarding its management and constitution. Anna Desalin and Bill Wright, representing allotment holders, spoke about alleged violations of their constitution and concerns about the proposed sublease terms, which they felt would reduce their independence. Mr. Millian, a property asset manager, explained that the council's role was to provide long-term security for both the Mudshute Association and the Allotment Society. While acknowledging the strong feelings, the Cabinet agreed to the recommendations in the report, noting that the allotment holders needed to resolve their internal disputes.

Capital Programme Approvals and Contracts Forward Plan

The Cabinet approved several schemes to join the council's capital programme, including school improvement projects, building fabric works, the Gascoigne Greening Project, and IT systems for waste and cleansing. Councillor Andrew Wood raised a question regarding the proposed London Dock Secondary School, highlighting a discrepancy in pupil projections and questioning the necessity of the school for September 2022. The Cabinet agreed to the estimate for the school but noted that further work on projections would be needed before a contract was let. The quarterly update on the contracts forward plan for 2019-20 was also presented, detailing upcoming contracts with a significant cumulative value.

Other Matters

The meeting also included a presentation from the Young Mayor and Deputy Young Mayors, outlining their visions for Tower Hamlets. Apologies were accepted from Councillors Danny Hassel and Asma Begum. Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interest were made by Councillors Martin Uzum, David Edgar, and Amina Adi regarding item 6.2. The meeting concluded with the agreement of recommendations for various reports and the formal closing of the meeting.