Councillor Gulam Kibria Choudhury

Strategic Development Committee - Wednesday, 15th January, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The Strategic Development Committee of Tower Hamlets Council met on Wednesday 15 January 2025. The meeting began with a discussion of a previously deferred application, PA/24/00173, a large mixed-use redevelopment scheme at 2-6 Commercial Street, 98-105 Whitechapel High Street and the site of the Canon Barnett Primary School. The application, which was recommended for refusal by planning officers, was to demolish 101 Whitechapel High Street, 6 Commercial Street and the western annex of the Canon Barnett Primary School, partially demolish 102-105 Whitechapel High Street and 2-4 Commercial Street (retaining the façades of those buildings) and redevelop the site to provide an 18-storey office block with community space, relocation and expansion of the school playground, and a new school annex. After discussing the application, the Committee resolved to grant planning permission.

Council - Wednesday, 22nd January, 2025 7.00 p.m.

The meeting started with a tribute to former Councillor Ray Gibson, who passed away at the end of 2024. The Council then received a presentation from pupils at St John's School, Bethnal Green, who sang to celebrate the Council's recent Ofsted rating for Children's Services. The Council formally noted the 'outstanding' rating, and discussed the improvements that have taken place in the service since it was rated as 'inadequate' in 2017.

Cabinet - Wednesday, 18th December, 2024 5.30 p.m.

The Cabinet noted the Strategic Delivery and Performance Report Year 3 Quarter 2. They noted the Budget monitoring report 2024-25 – Quarter 2 and that the projected overspend was unlikely to materialise. The Cabinet noted the Mayors Waste Improvement Programme Quarter Two Update and the Reduction and Recycling Plan Progress Report – Qtr 1 and 2, 2024-25. The Cabinet noted the Best Value Report and Draft Directions Update and endorsed the council's response to the draft Best Value Notice. The Cabinet agreed the Housing & Regeneration Scrutiny Sub Committee Challenge Session action plan on the performance of Registered Providers in Tower Hamlets. The Cabinet noted the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2023-24. The Cabinet noted the Record of Corporate Director’s Actions Quarter 1& 2 (2024 -2025). The Cabinet noted the Homecare Procurement Contract Award – Process Update and the reasons for the officer decision not to award the Homecare contract.

Tower Hamlets Health and Wellbeing Board - Tuesday, 10th December, 2024 5.00 p.m.

The meeting received annual reports from the Safeguarding Adults Board and the Safeguarding Children Partnership, as well as a progress report on the use of the recently insourced leisure services for clinical pathways, and began a discussion of a strategic vision for Tower Hamlets in 2035. The Board agreed to defer discussion of aligning the Health & Well-Being Board with the Tower Hamlets Together Board.

Extraordinary Meeting, Strategic Development Committee - Monday, 9th December, 2024 6.30 p.m.

The committee unanimously rejected the officer recommendation to approve the planning application for the development of Royal Mint Court. The committee also rejected the officer recommendation to approve the listed building consent for the heritage works associated with the same application. The committee deferred the application for the redevelopment of 2-6 Commercial Street, 98, 101-105 Whitechapel High Street and Canon Barnett Primary School for a site visit.