The Full Council of Haringey Council scheduled a meeting for November 24, 2025, to discuss a range of topics including reports from various committees, motions on rented homes and rough sleeping, and questions to cabinet members. The meeting was also scheduled to address the adoption of a revised Licensing Policy and the Q1 Treasury Management Report.

Here's a more detailed look at the topics included in the agenda:

Council Performance and Scrutiny

The council was scheduled to consider reports from the Audit Committee, the Licensing Committee, and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Audit Committee Report for Council included the Treasury Management Q1 Report 2025/26, which provided an update on the council's borrowing and investment activities. According to the Cover Report Treasury Management Q1 2025.26, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Treasury Management in the Public Services: Code of Practice requires the council to approve treasury management reports on a semi-annual and annual basis. The Appendix 1 Treasury Management Update Report Q1 2025.26 noted that the council held £1,050.3 million in loans as of June 30, 2025. The Audit Committee recommended that the Full Council note the treasury management activity undertaken during the financial year to June 30, 2025, and that all treasury activities were undertaken in line with the approved Treasury Management Strategy.

The Licensing Committee Report for Council concerned the adoption of the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2026–2031. The Licensing Committee recommended that the Full Council adopt the draft revised Statement of Licensing Policy 2026–2031, taking into account the Equalities Impact Assessment. The SOLP Adoption Report noted that the council, as a Licensing Authority under the Licensing Act 2003, has a duty to determine, publish, and keep under review its Statement of Licensing Policy. The Haringey SOLP Final outlined the council's approach to issuing licences for the sale of alcohol, entertainment and late night refreshment.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee Report concerned the adoption of the revised Overview and Scrutiny Committee Protocol 2025. The Committee recommended that the Full Council note the updated Overview and Scrutiny Protocol.

Questions to Cabinet Members

Several councillors had questions for cabinet members. These included:

• Councillor Barbara Blake to Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning (Deputy Leader), regarding the council's relationship with its communities and the success of the regeneration of Broadwater Farm.
• Councillor Scott Emery to Councillor Lucia das Neves, Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care, and Wellbeing, about the steps taken to inform the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel about unread safeguarding emails.
• Councillor Anna Abela, Chair of Licensing Committee, to Councillor Seema Chandwani, Cabinet Member for Resident Services & Tackling Inequality, on how the council is supporting disadvantaged residents with their bills this winter.
• Councillor Pippa Connor, Chair of the Adults and Health Scrutiny Panel, to Councillor Zena Brabazon, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families, regarding steps the council is taking to support councillors to ask proactive questions of safeguarding partners, particularly in light of recent media reports of organised child sexual exploitation or grooming activity in the area, referencing the Jay Report into Rotherham and Baroness Casey's National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation.
• Councillor Matt White, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee, to Councillor Ajda Ovat, Cabinet Member for Communities, on what the decision to keep open the Front Desk at Tottenham Police Station means for the residents of Tottenham.
• Councillor Luke Cawley-Harrison, Leader of the Opposition, to Councillor Dana Carlin, Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services, about the annual and total cost of repaying debt related to EFS borrowing.
• Councillor Cathy Brennan to Councillor Emily Arkell, Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure, asking why libraries are so important to this administration.
• Councillor Ruairidh Paton to Councillor Sarah Williams, Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning (Deputy Leader), regarding a targeted plan showing the timeline for reducing the backlog for repairs and voids since the Council brought housing repairs back in-house in 2022.
• Councillor Anna Lawton to Councillor Mike Hakata, Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment, and Transport, asking him to highlight some of the benefits of Haringey's new 'Fixing Factory'.

Motions

Two motions were scheduled for consideration:

Better Rented Homes for Haringey

Proposed by Councillor Dawn Barnes and seconded by Councillor Luke Cawley-Harrison, this Liberal Democrat motion called for better regulation and enforcement in the private rented sector. The motion noted that:

• Haringey has Additional HMO Licensing and Selective Licensing Schemes in place.
• Unlike Enfield or Barnet, Haringey does not inspect HMOs for safety before granting licences.
• The Renters' Rights Act 2025 has led some landlords to increase rents or exit the sector.
• The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives councils new powers to enforce higher standards.
• Awaab's Law places new requirements on landlords to tackle damp and mould.
• The council uses the Private Rental Sector for Temporary Accommodation.
• The council considers HMOs as licensed as soon as an application is submitted.
• Haringey Council has arranged for residents to be placed in rooms in an HMO that had neither planning permission nor a licence.
• The landlord of this HMO has a number of unlicensed HMOs across the borough, but the council has not taken enforcement action.
• Haringey carried out just 21 Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) inspections of private rented properties from 2021 to 2023, and issued only 35 civil penalty notices.
• Haringey Council has not issued a single Interim Management Order in at least the past five years.
• The council does not carry out compliance tests on properties it directs residents towards in the Private Rental Sector.

The council was asked to resolve to:

• Only grant licenses and allow occupation once all licensing tests are met.
• Hold the highest standards for the fit and proper person test.
• Proactively inspect every HMO for compliance before a license is granted.
• Review all properties that hold a HMO license or Selective License to ensure they have the requisite planning permission.
• Ensure that the council does not place residents in properties which lack the required planning permission, have not had licenses granted, or have not had and passed safety inspections or compliance checks.
• Ensure that every resident is contacting the Council for housing assistance, and every resident in private rented accommodation is given clear information about their rights, the new standards for landlords, how to spot an unlicensed property, and how to report any problems.
• Increase the use of fines and rent-repayment orders and use existing Works in Default powers.
• Inspect properties when safety concerns are reported and issue improvement notices within 14 days, making use of Interim Management Orders to collect rent directly.
• Minimise the number of evictions and homes lost from the rental sector by advertising the options for the council to manage or purchase their property.
• Report progress on the above measures on a quarterly basis on the Council website, including these figures in the Housing Services Key Performance Indicators document, and providing an annual update to the Housing, Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel.

A Labour Group amendment to Lib Dem motion was proposed.

Ending Rough Sleeping in Haringey – Delivering a fairer borough for all

Proposed by Councillor Sarah Williams and seconded by Councillor Ibrahim Ali, this Labour Group motion focused on the council's efforts to reduce rough sleeping. The motion noted that:

• Homelessness and rough sleeping are challenging social issues.
• The number of people rough sleeping has increased since 2010.
• The current government has introduced measures aimed at tackling rough sleeping and homelessness, including increased funding, the Renters' Rights Act, abolishing the Vagrancy Act, and providing Haringey Council with almost £600,000.
• Rough sleeping has decreased 33% in Haringey because of local measures taken, including launching the Rough Sleeping Strategy 2023-2027, securing £4m in government funding, implementing a rapid-access accommodation model, repurposing Osborne Grove, opening a female-only crash pad, and allocating 20% of all beds to individuals with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
• The newly launched Homelessness Strategy sets out an ambition to phase out the use of commercial hotels for temporary accommodation and enhance front door services.
• The council is building council homes and taking action to help residents out of temporary accommodation.

The council was asked to resolve to:

• Set ambitious targets and milestones for the mission to end rough sleeping in Haringey.
• Continue to explore means that contribute to this strategic objective, including providing holistic wrap around support.
• Celebrate the work of the council and all officers and local and national partners involved in delivering the 33% decrease in rough sleeping since 2022.
• Write to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to showcase the policies and strategy that have contributed to Haringey's measurable progress and invite them to visit the borough.
• Recognise that the task is not complete until rough sleeping has been eradicated in Haringey.

A Lib Dem amendment with tracked changes on Labour Motion F was proposed.

Other Matters

The agenda also included:

• Filming at meetings
• Apologies for absence
• Declarations of interest
• Approval of the minutes of the previous meetings
• Communications from the Mayor, Councillor Ahmed Mahbub
• Reports from the Chief Executive and the Monitoring Officer
• Appointments to outside bodies
• Consideration of requests to receive deputations and/or petitions

Please note: This summary is based solely on the agenda and associated documents provided. It does not reflect any discussions, decisions, or outcomes that may have occurred during the Full Council meeting.