Councillor Jessica Lee

Agenda and decisions

The Finance Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss a range of financial matters. The Committee noted the contents of the Quarter 1 monitoring report and the Cost of Living Support Update. The Committee also considered and approved the latest round of budget variations.

Agenda and decisions

The Children's Committee noted reports from the Youth Council and on services for families affected by Domestic Abuse. The committee also noted a report on the Dedicated Schools Grant and approved the continuation of a project to build a new school and community facility in Nine Elms Battersea, while abstaining on a decision to approve additional funding for the project. Finally, the committee noted the Quarter 1 2024/25 budget monitoring report.

Agenda

The Council meeting began with tributes to recently deceased former Councillors Neville Daniels, Shawn Creighton, Lois Lee, and tributes were also read out on behalf of Councillor Ravi Govindia who could not be present. Councillor Peter Graham proposed an adjournment to highlight the Alton Renewal Plan, which the Council voted for. The Conservative group proposed a motion of no confidence in the Labour administration, arguing that it was incompetent, secretive, and unresponsive to residents’ concerns, particularly regarding waste collection and alleged changes to the constitution to avoid scrutiny. This motion was defeated. Councillor Cassidy proposed a second adjournment, this time to highlight the impact of the closure of Hammersmith Bridge. This motion was defeated too. The Council voted to approve changes to the constitution, and to approve the Housing and Annual Resources report. Finally, a Labour group motion stating that the Council will work with the national government to deliver on shared policy objectives was passed.

Meeting

Agenda and decisions

At the meeting, the Finance Committee agreed to a request to delegate all decisions relating to the London Borough of Culture 2025 to the Executive Director of Children's Services, Anna Popovici, who will act as Senior Responsible Officer in delivering the bid. A total funding envelope of £5.7 million was also agreed for the project, with £2.8 million coming from secured grant funding, and the remainder to be raised through fundraising.