The Wandsworth Council Cabinet met on Monday 1st December 2025, addressing a range of key issues including the delivery of 203 new council homes at Battersea Power Station, the next steps for the Alton Estate renewal, and an expansion of the selective licensing scheme for private rented properties. The meeting also covered the Cleaner Borough Plan, procurement of arboricultural services, adoption of new planning documents related to biodiversity and trees, and a review of the Council's treasury management and corporate plan performance.

Battersea Power Station Council Housing

The Cabinet agreed to a proposal for Wandsworth Council and Battersea Power Station Development Company (BPSDC) to collaborate on delivering approximately 203 high-quality council homes on Phase 5 of the Battersea Power Station development site. This initiative, part of the Homes for Wandsworth programme, aims to provide genuinely affordable housing, including homes for social rent, and will be supported by provisional grant funding from the Greater London Authority (GLA). The deal is considered a historic win and a landmark moment for the Council, fulfilling a long-standing priority to ensure that development benefits all residents. The scheme is designed to provide family accommodation, with a focus on inclusive and accessible access, and is anticipated to be completed by 2029.

Alton Estate Renewal: Next Steps

Following a successful resident ballot where 82.4% voted in favour, the Cabinet noted the positive outcome of the Alton Estate regeneration ballot and approved proposals to commission a social impact assessment. The Council will continue with the preparation of a hybrid planning application for the main scheme, with a target submission in Spring 2027. Key landlord offer proposals approved include the suspension of the right to buy for secure tenants in blocks scheduled for demolition and the delegation of authority for officers to acquire properties from leaseholders and freeholders. Early improvement plans are underway, including the development of a new playground and changes to Downshire Fields, with the aim of delivering quick wins for residents. The regeneration is expected to deliver between 600 and 650 new homes, with 57% of the total new homes being affordable, and close to 60% of the additional homes being affordable.

Property Licensing: Phase 2 Expansion of Selective Licensing

The Cabinet approved the implementation of Designation 2 of the Selective Licensing scheme, which will cover the wards of East Putney, West Putney, and Northcote, commencing on 1st April 2026 for a five-year period. This expansion builds on the initial phase, which began on 1st July 2025 and has already seen over 3,400 applications processed, with more than 110 inspections conducted. Early findings from Phase 1 identified non-compliance issues such as undersized bedrooms in HMOs, inadequate fire prevention, and issues with escape routes. The new designation aims to improve standards and management in the private rented sector, which accounts for over a third of homes in Wandsworth, thereby creating a fairer market for both renters and responsible landlords.

Cleaner Borough Plan – Pride in our Estates

The Cabinet noted the progress made on the Cleaner Borough Plan, which has seen the installation of nearly 1,000 new bins and 200 bin enclosures, alongside improvements to waste collection services and street cleansing. These measures have contributed to increased recycling rates and a reduction in fly-tipping. Further actions are proposed, including the refurbishment or replacement of bins, the rollout of additional bin enclosures, and increased frequency of food bin washing. To tackle fly-tipping, the Council will deploy targeted posters at hotspot locations, increase the capacity of the housing cleaning inspector team, trial new approaches to bulky waste collection, and create designated bulky waste collection points. The plan also includes the creation of a new manager post to focus on the strategic direction of the waste enforcement team.

Procurement of Arboriculture Services (contract award)

The Cabinet agreed to award new contracts for arboriculture services, commencing 1st April 2026 for an initial four-year period with an option to extend for a further four years. Following a procurement process that received 20 bids, contracts were recommended for award to Bidder D for Lot 1 (Highways) and Lot 4 (Highways Ground Based Tree Work), Bidder A for Lot 2 (Parks), and Bidder F for Lot 3 (Housing, Schools and Small Sites). These contracts reflect a commitment to sound financial management and the best outcomes for residents, supporting Wandsworth's reputation as one of London's greenest boroughs.

Wandsworth Supplementary Planning Documents (Biodiversity SPD / Planning Obligations SPD / Trees & Development SPD)

The Cabinet recommended the adoption of three new Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs): the Biodiversity SPD, the Planning Obligations SPD, and the Trees & Development SPD. These documents provide detailed guidance on how policies in the Wandsworth Local Plan (2023-2038) will be applied to planning applications, aiming to ensure development is environmentally and socially sustainable. The Biodiversity SPD offers guidance on protecting and enhancing local wildlife, responding to national Biodiversity Net Gain requirements. The updated Planning Obligations SPD clarifies how developments will be expected to contribute to infrastructure and other measures. The Trees & Development SPD supports the Council's Tree Policy and Local Plan Policy LP56, aiming to protect and enhance trees during the development process. All three SPDs have undergone statutory public consultation, with amendments made based on feedback.

Treasury Management Mid-Year Review 2025/26

The Cabinet noted the mid-year review of the Council's treasury management activities, highlighting strong financial management and investment returns that have been independently verified as among the best in the country. The Council has no external debt, having fully repaid its Housing Revenue Account (HRA) external debt. Investment balances remain high but are reducing as borough investments take shape. The average return on investments for 2024/25 was 5.10%, and 4.48% so far in 2025/26. The report also detailed the impact of economic conditions on borrowing rates and the Council's investment portfolio, noting that while capital values of property and multi-asset funds have seen fluctuations, they continue to generate revenue income.

Corporate Plan 25/26 Mid-Year Performance Report

The Cabinet noted the mid-year progress report on the Council's Corporate Plan (2022-2026). The report indicates that the majority of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are on target, with almost half showing year-on-year improvement. Significant progress has been highlighted in areas such as household waste recycling rates, reduction in missed bin collections, improved call answering times, increased opportunities for older people, reduced admissions to residential care, positive outcomes for domestic abuse and sexual violence cases, and increased adult participation in physical activity programmes. The report also detailed progress on delivering key Corporate Plan actions, including the completion of the 500th home in the Homes for Wandsworth programme, the successful ballot for the Alton Estate renewal, and the launch of the selective and additional HMO landlord licensing scheme.

Quarter 2 Finance Update

The Cabinet received an update on the Council's revenue budget forecast for 2025/26, which projects an overspend of £5.644m (2.4%) against the approved budget. This is largely driven by increased demand for temporary accommodation, which has added £5.614m to the overspend since Q1. The report detailed pressures within Health, Housing, Children's Services, Environment, Transport, and Finance directorates, partly offset by additional income from treasury investments and grants. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is forecasting an £11.127m overspend, primarily due to increased expenditure on repairs, with ongoing work to identify capitalisation opportunities. Despite these pressures, the Council's overall financial position remains healthy due to the deployment of reserves.

Write off of Irrecoverable Debts over £25,000

The Cabinet noted the Council's debt recovery actions during 2024/25 and approved the write-off of 19 irrecoverable debts totalling £895,875 that are individually in excess of £25,000. These write-offs follow extensive recovery efforts and are deemed uncollectable or uneconomical to pursue. The report detailed the debt position across various services, including Council Tax, Business Rates, Housing Benefit Overpayments, Temporary Accommodation Rents, Commercial Rents, and Leaseholder Service Charges. The Council's Debt Management Policy and Debt Fairness Charter were highlighted as guiding principles for balancing income collection with support for vulnerable residents. The report also noted the impact of the economic climate on debt recovery and the Council's use of data sharing initiatives, such as the HMRC pilot, to improve both recovery and support.