In a recent meeting, the Royal Borough of Greenwich's cabinet agreed to allocate specific resources to targeted service-based interventions and investments, as detailed in section 5 and 6 of the Use of grants and one-off financial capacity report. They also noted the progress made in meeting key regulatory requirements in housing and the ongoing work to improve compliance, as outlined in the Annual Housing Safety and Compliance Report 2024/2025.

Use of Grants and One-Off Financial Capacity

The cabinet agreed to allocate specific resources to targeted service-based interventions and investments, as detailed in sections 5 and 6 of the Use of grants and one-off financial capacity report. They also noted that a further update to the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) will be provided when setting the council's budget for 2026/27.

The 'Greenwich: Getting Things Done' programme will focus on eight priority areas:

• Town centres
• Fly-tipping
• Community safety
• Street and road resurfacing
• Community hubs
• Primary specialist Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school
• Multi-use SEND facility for young adults
• Culture

The funding will come from one-off sources, including grants, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), and Section 106 contributions from developers¹.

Councillor Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member Children and Young People, highlighted the investment in SEND, noting that schools are struggling with the number of young people with special and complex needs. The investment will support the building and commissioning of a primary phase school for children with severe complex Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and autism, housing 112 young people from across the borough. This is part of a wider investment including Rowan Wood Secondary School, and will provide a total of 240 special places in the borough, reducing the need for out-of-borough placements.

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member Community Safety and Enforcement, detailed how the investment will enhance community safety. Plans include almost doubling the number of community safety enforcement officers patrolling town centres, funding extra police officers, upgrading the CCTV network with eight new mobile units, updating street lighting, and expanding work with the business community to tackle shoplifting. A significant portion of the funding will address violence against women and girls, including preventative work and an education programme aimed at men and boys.

Councillor Majid Rahman, Cabinet Member Planning, Estate Renewal and Development, highlighted the Greenwich Neighbourhood Growth Fund (GNGF), which allows residents to have a direct say in how developer contributions are spent in their neighbourhoods. He also mentioned a £1.5 million investment in Coldharbour, to create a flexible community hub.

Councillor Sandra Bauer, Cabinet Member Equality, Culture and Communities, announced a £2.5 million investment in culture, designed to strengthen the cultural landscape and drive economic growth. The investment will support artists, heritage venues and community-led projects.

Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan, Cabinet Member Climate Action, Sustainability and Transport, announced that the budget to fix potholes and resurface roads and pavements would more than double, with £8 million allocated over the next five years.

Councillor Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Council, noted that the council is facing serious budget pressures, with a £45 million budget gap expected next year. He said that the £60 million investment will help to address key issues and benefit residents for years to come.

Annual Housing Safety and Compliance Report 2024/2025

The cabinet noted the council's progress in meeting key regulatory requirements in housing, as set by the Regulator of Social Housing and the Building Safety Regulator. They also noted the improved performance in keeping residents safe and the ongoing work to lift the Regulatory Notice from the Regulator of Social Housing. The report also highlighted the work to comply with Awaab's Law², which brings in new requirements to protect tenants from damp, mould and condensation.

Councillor Pat Slattery, Cabinet Member Housing Management, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, introduced the report, highlighting improvements in tenant satisfaction, particularly regarding the time taken to complete repairs. He noted that this reflects the impact of the repairs transformation programme.

Richard Parkin, Senior Assistant Director - Repairs and Investment, added that the report provides an update on safety in the council's housing stock and includes all strands of assurance for regulators, including the Regulator of Social Housing, the Building Safety Regulator, and the Housing Ombudsman.

Councillor Denise Hyland, Cabinet Member Finance, Resources and Social Value, asked about improvements to complaints performance. Claire Harding, Head of Housing Strategy and Insight, responded that the council is setting up a complaints quality assurance panel, including both staff and residents, to review complaints and identify areas for improvement.

Councillor Sandra Bauer, Cabinet Member Equality, Culture and Communities, asked how the council's Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSM) performance compares to other councils. Claire Harding responded that the council is broadly as good or better than other large London landlords, particularly in repairs satisfaction.

Councillor Majid Rahman, Cabinet Member Planning, Estate Renewal and Development, asked about the internal assurance process for safety data. Richard Parkin explained that the council has internal processes to double-check performance data and that Savills³ had conducted an external review of the data, identifying only two issues that were quickly fixed.

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member Community Safety and Enforcement, asked about stock condition surveys, including how many are being conducted, whether they are representative, and how the process is being coordinated. Richard Parkin responded that the council is using a home by home tool, which uses an AI model to assess housing information and drive investment. The council is aiming to conduct 4,000 stock condition surveys per year, including assessments under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). He added that he will be bringing forward a report to look at increasing the number of stock condition surveys to potentially 12,000-16,000 per year.

Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan, Cabinet Member Climate Action, Sustainability and Transport, asked about the impact of new government changes, including the competence and conduct standard, proposed changes to decent homes criteria, requirements to bring all properties up to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C, and rent conversion. Richard Parkin responded that the council is ahead of the curve in terms of energy efficiency, having secured a £10 million grant from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for investment in social housing.

Councillor Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member Children and Young People, asked about the action plan for lifts and concerns about residents' understanding of asbestos in their homes. Richard Parkin responded that the council has a regulatory requirement to survey asbestos in communal areas and is working to codify asbestos data and ensure yearly checks. He added that the council is working to update data on asbestos in domestic dwellings and that residents can contact the council with any concerns. He also confirmed that window locks are checked as part of void works and that the council is replacing windows with the correct specifications and locks.