Councillor Joshua Garfield

Call-in,, Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 18th February 2025 6.00 p.m.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee decided to uphold a call-in of the Cabinet's decision to approve the next cycle of the People Powered Places (PPP) scheme. The committee will make recommendations to the Cabinet, which will then make a final decision at a meeting on 24 February 2025. In the event the Cabinet decides to accept the recommendation to immediately cease the programme, the £800,000 a year currently allocated to it will be removed from the Council's budget.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 10th February 2025 7.00 p.m.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the council's in-year council tax collection rate, noting the significant drop since 2017-18 and that it is currently the 32nd lowest in London. The committee requested an action plan from officers, including more assertive enforcement and a new focus on resident engagement and communication. They also reviewed the Mayor's proposed budget, raising concerns about the level of unallocated capital spending and asking for more detailed information about some of the proposed savings.

Audit Committee - Wednesday 15th January 2025 7.00 p.m.

The Audit Committee noted the Treasury Management Mid-year Report (Pages 29 - 50) and the Treasury Management Strategy Statement (TMSS) and Treasury Management Annual Investment Strategy (AIS) (Pages 51 - 86). The Committee also considered the London Borough of Newham Statement of Accounts 2023/24 (Pages 87 - 320) and delegated authority to the Chair of the committee and the Section 151 Officer[^2] to approve the statement of accounts once Ernst & Young (EY) have completed their work. They also approved the final Annual Governance Statement for 2023/24.

Council - Monday 16th December 2024 7.00 p.m.

The Council voted to approve the minutes of the last meeting, a range of treasury management proposals, amendments to the procedural rules, the new polling districts and polling places review, the recommended recipients of the Civic Awards, a report on exempted decisions made since the last meeting, and to appoint two Independent Persons[^1] for the council. The council also debated two motions, one about recruitment diversity and one about the Olympic Park Fixed Estate Charge. The Council voted to approve both motions, with the Fixed Estate Charge motion being approved as amended.

Extraordinary, Council - Monday 16th December 2024 6.30 p.m.

The Council voted unanimously to award the Honorary Freedom of the Borough to Lyn Brown and Paulette Watson MBE. No one was awarded the title of Honorary Alderman.