The Standards Committee of Haringey Council met on Monday 14 September 2026. The meeting agenda included proposed changes to the Council's Constitution regarding the reform of planning committees, a review of the Members' Allowances Scheme, and the role of Political Assistants.

Reform of Planning Committees

The agenda included a discussion on the proposed reform of planning committees, driven by new government legislation. The report, authored by Rob Krzyszowski, Director of Built Environment & Highways, outlined the introduction of a national scheme of delegation for planning and related applications. This legislation, enacted on 15 July 2026 and taking effect on 31 October 2026, is known as The Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority functions) (England) Regulations 2026¹. The committee was scheduled to consider proposed changes to the Council's Constitution to implement these national delegations, with a recommendation to Full Council for adoption on 12 October 2026. The report stated that amending the Constitution was necessary to comply with the new legislation.

Changes to the Members' Allowances Scheme

The meeting agenda included a review of updates to the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-2027, specifically to reflect access to the Local Government Pension Scheme². This update was necessitated by a change in legislation on 11 May 2026, which allowed councillors in England to join the Local Government Pension Scheme. The report indicated that assurances had been received from the finance team regarding the minimal impact of employer contributions due to the lower level of councillor allowances. Members were to be informed about seeking advice on enrolment and its implications, with a scheduled briefing in Autumn 2026. The Standards Committee had previously recommended the adoption of these updates by Full Council on 20 July 2026.

Review of Political Assistant Roles

The committee was scheduled to discuss constitutional changes related to the appointment of Political Assistants. The report highlighted that three political groups within the Council had reached the threshold requiring such support. Officers stressed the importance of demonstrating value for money for these roles and indicated that due diligence would be undertaken. The need for immediate recruitment was noted, with a review of the roles planned over the following year. The proposed changes to the Constitution would codify the role of the Political Assistant. Concerns were raised regarding the transparency of the Appointments Panel in reviewing these roles, and it was suggested that the review be referred to the Standards Committee instead. The committee had previously recommended the appointment of three Political Assistants on one-year fixed contracts, with a review to be conducted between August and November 2026. The final decisions on the terms and conditions of these appointments were to be delegated to the Standards Committee for November 2026.

Dispensation for North London Waste Authority (NLWA) Matters

The meeting agenda included consideration of a report on granting a dispensation to members of the Cabinet. This dispensation would permit them to participate in debates and votes on matters relating to the North London Waste Authority (NLWA)³. The report noted differences between this proposed dispensation and one for the Alexandra Palace and Park Board, due to the latter being a Council appointment with specific constitutional wording. The Standards Committee had previously agreed to grant a dispensation to Councillors Johann Beckford and Gio Iozzi for NLWA business, including waste disposal, energy from waste, waste facilities, waste transfer stations, and reuse and recycling, until they ceased to be members of the NLWA. This decision was made on the grounds that granting the dispensation was in the interests of persons living in the authority's area.

Committee Work Programme and Sub-Committee Membership

The committee's work programme was scheduled for discussion and noting. Additionally, the membership of the Standards Assessment Sub-Committee and the Standards Hearing Sub-Committee was to be confirmed. The rationale for these sub-committees was outlined, and it was proposed that their membership be the same as the Standards Committee to ensure members' expertise and discretion.