The Cabinet of Brent Council met on Monday 19 January 2026 to discuss a range of financial, strategic, and operational matters. Key topics included a review of the council's financial performance, treasury management activities, and proposals for future investment in digital infrastructure and school places. The meeting also covered plans for a district heat network in South Kilburn and the admission arrangements for schools.

LGA Corporate Peer Challenge - Progress Review Report

The Cabinet received an update on the progress made following the Local Government Association's Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC). The report detailed the outcome of a progress review visit undertaken in November 2025, focusing on feedback regarding the council's advancements against the initial CPC recommendations. The review aimed to assess the council's progress in areas such as financial planning, change and transformation, housing services, partnerships, and people services.

Q3 Financial Forecast 2025-26

A comprehensive financial forecast for the General Fund revenue budget, Housing Revenue Account, Dedicated Schools Grant, and Capital Programme as of Quarter 3 2025-26 was presented. The report detailed the projected overspends and underspends across various service areas, highlighting significant pressures in housing and temporary accommodation, Adult Social Care, and Children and Young People's Services. The forecast also outlined the current economic environment, local government funding reforms, and the council's strategies for maintaining financial control, including enhanced spending controls. Recommendations included noting the financial position, approving virements, and amendments to the capital budget.

Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2025-26

This report provided an update on treasury activities for the first half of the financial year 2025-26. It detailed the council's borrowing and investment decisions in the context of prevailing economic conditions, including the current interest rate environment and the council's borrowing position. The report confirmed compliance with Prudential Indicators and outlined the forecast net interest costs for the year. It also highlighted the council's approach to managing risk and securing value for money, including efforts to restructure loans and reduce exposure to LOBO loans.

Proposal for Buckinghamshire Pension Fund to join London CIV

The Cabinet was asked to approve the admission of the Buckinghamshire Pension Fund as a member of the London LGPS CIV Limited (London CIV). This proposal was presented as part of the government's LGPS Fit for the Future reforms, aimed at strengthening governance, achieving greater scale, and pooling assets. The report indicated that the admission of Buckinghamshire Pension Fund would be financially neutral to existing shareholders and was expected to benefit from increased pooled assets, leading to reduced costs and stronger fee negotiation power.

Brent Digital Roadmap 2026-28

This report outlined a two-year digital roadmap developed to set out the council's ambitions for using digital technology to enable transformation and support the delivery of savings from 2026-28. The roadmap was presented in the context of pressing financial challenges and the rapid pace of technological change. It was based on three core ambitions: improving resident experience, empowering the organisation's teams and partners, and harnessing data to support new, more preventative ways of working. The report sought approval for a capital budget of £8,748,863 over two years, which was expected to generate significant financial savings and improved service outcomes.

Phase II Capital Investment Programme for School Place Sufficiency for Children and Young People with SEND

This report detailed proposals to deliver an additional 212 SEND places within the borough at a cost of £10.6m. The aim was to reduce the financial cost of SEND provision, provide more local specialist provision for Brent's young people with SEND, and support the management of expenditure on the Council's Special Needs Transport budget. The programme was presented as a continuation of previous investments in SEND provision and aimed to address the ongoing demand for specialist places.

Brent Council's School Admission Arrangements and Schemes of Co-ordination 2027/2028

The Cabinet was asked to agree the proposed admission arrangements for Brent community schools and schemes of co-ordination for all maintained schools and academies in Brent for the 2027/2028 academic year. The report noted that there were no significant changes proposed to the admission arrangements that required consultation, with only minor drafting changes to dates and a proposed increase in the published admission number for Anson Primary School. The report also outlined the co-ordination scheme for applications for Reception, Year 3, Year 7, and Year 10.

South Kilburn District Heat Network - Tender Outcome & Financial Model Report

This report sought approval to enter the preferred bidder stage for the design, build, operate, and maintain (DBOM) contract for the South Kilburn District Heat Network (SKDHN). The report summarised the procurement process and the financial modelling of the contract over its 15-year lifespan. The SKDHN was presented as a crucial element of the South Kilburn Regeneration Programme, designed to provide low carbon, affordable heat and hot water to a significant number of homes and other buildings. The report sought approval for the selection of Vital Energi Utilities Limited as the preferred bidder and an increase in the total capital budget for the SKDHN to £36,000,000.

Exclusion of Press and Public

Certain agenda items, specifically Appendices 1-5 of Agenda Item 10 and Appendix 1 of Agenda Item 14, were designated as not for publication due to containing exempt information relating to financial or business affairs.

Any Other Urgent Business

No items of urgent business were scheduled to be raised.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was scheduled for Monday 9 February 2026.