The General Purposes Committee met on Wednesday 18 February 2026 to discuss compensation payments for service users in temporary accommodation, proposed changes to the Council's constitution, and the Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-27. The committee approved compensation payments totalling £34,200 to 11 service users who had experienced prolonged stays in temporary accommodation. Significant constitutional changes were also agreed, including updates to standing orders and the adoption of a new code of governance, which will be recommended to Full Council.

Compensation Payments Approved for Temporary Accommodation Residents

The committee approved compensation payments totalling £34,200 to 11 service users who had experienced prolonged stays in temporary accommodation, primarily in bed and breakfast hotels. These payments are a result of complaints upheld by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, compensating residents for stays exceeding the statutory six-week limit in unsuitable accommodation.

Officers reported that Westminster is facing significant pressure due to a dramatic rise in homelessness applications, with over 4,000 households in temporary accommodation. Between 2021/22 and 2024/25, homelessness applications more than doubled. To address this, the council is investing capital funding to acquire its own temporary accommodation, aiming for over 25% of its temporary accommodation to be council-owned by 2026/27. A programme is also underway to reduce reliance on hotels, with plans to close 250 bed spaces by the end of the financial year.

Councillor Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection, highlighted the difficulties faced by families, particularly those with young children, in hotel accommodation, citing issues with cooking facilities and the impact on health. Heather Clarke, Director of Housing Needs, explained that many of the prolonged stays were due to the complexity of residents' needs, such as requiring ground-floor accommodation, adaptations, or accommodation for large families, which made sourcing suitable properties challenging.

Constitutional Changes Approved

The committee reviewed a report detailing proposed amendments to the Council's Constitution. These changes aim to ensure the governance framework remains current, proportionate, and aligned with best practice. Key proposals include revisions to Full Council Standing Orders to improve procedural fairness and workability for political groups, and the replacement of the existing, outdated Code of Governance with a new, streamlined version based on best practice guidance from CIPFA and SOLACE. Amendments were also proposed to accurately reflect interim staff structures following the departure of the Executive Director of Corporate Services.

During the discussion, concerns were raised about the potential impact of proposed changes on proportionality, particularly in the context of a potential increase in the number of political groups following future elections. Councillors also discussed the removal of virtual participation for members of the public and the proposed changes to supplementary questions.

The committee agreed that further detailed review of these points was beneficial and therefore delegated authority to the Director of Law, in consultation with the Chair, to make any necessary amendments before the proposals are submitted to Full Council.

Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-27 Recommended for Approval

The committee received a report on the proposed Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-27, which will take effect from 1 April 2026. The proposed scheme is based on the current scheme, with adjustments made in line with recommendations from the London-wide Independent Remuneration Panel convened by London Councils.

A key proposal is to increase the Basic Allowance and Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) in line with any salary increase for Council staff agreed by the National Joint Council for Local Government Services. The ICT allowance remains unchanged. The report noted that the Members' Allowances budget for 2026-27 is sufficient to cover the proposed changes.

The committee recommended that Full Council approve the proposed Members' Allowances Scheme for 2026-27, including the proposed increases.

The meeting also formally approved the minutes of the previous meeting held on 22 October 2025 and noted that there were no changes to the committee's membership or declarations of interest.