Simon Baxter

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 15th September, 2025 6.30 p.m.

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC) of Tower Hamlets Council met on 15 September 2025, to discuss the Youth Justice Strategic Plan, the council's gambling policy, budget monitoring, and the committee's work programme. The committee agreed to endorse the Youth Justice Strategic Plan 2025-2028 and recommend the adoption of the revised Statement of Gambling Policy to the full council. They also reviewed the budget monitoring report for the first quarter of 2025-26 and discussed the overview and scrutiny work programme for 2025-26, agreeing to a compromise to allow for future amendments.

Longlisting for Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement, Appointment Sub-Committee - Tuesday, 29th July, 2025 6.00 p.m.

The Tower Hamlets Council Appointments Sub-Committee convened to address a single substantive agenda item: creating a longlist of candidates for the Director of Public Protection and Integrated Enforcement position. Councillor Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning (Statutory Deputy Mayor), Councillor Nathalie Bienfait, Councillor Abu Talha Chowdhury, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, and Councillor Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and the Cost of Living, were scheduled to be in attendance. The meeting was scheduled to begin directly after the conclusion of the Appointment Sub-Committee meeting for the Director of Corporate Property and Estates.

Cabinet - Wednesday, 30th April, 2025 5.30 p.m.

The Tower Hamlets Council Cabinet met to discuss several key issues, including mental health services for children, noise complaints, market improvements, dog control, school amalgamations, substance misuse services, and agency worker contracts, making decisions on each. The Cabinet agreed to insource the out of hours noise service, introduce a dog control public spaces protection order, and approve the amalgamation of Globe Primary and Rachel Keeling Nursery Schools. They also approved a contract for Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services, a redesign of the substance misuse service, and an agency worker contract extension with MATRIX.

Cabinet - Wednesday, 26th March, 2025 3.00 p.m.

The Tower Hamlets Cabinet, led by Mayor Lutfur Rahman, convened to discuss a range of strategic and financial matters, including budget monitoring, endorsement of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 report, and bringing estates parking enforcement services in-house. The cabinet approved the Annual Delivery Plan for 2025/26, strategic delivery and performance report, budget monitoring report, and several other key decisions.

Extraordinary, Audit Committee - Thursday, 13th March, 2025 6.45 p.m.

The Tower Hamlets Audit Committee convened to address statutory recommendations from the external auditor, EY, regarding the 2023-24 audit results, as required by the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014[^1]. The committee agreed to the recommendations relating to closing of accounts and internal controls, but requested a more detailed action plan concerning procurement and contract management. After this, the press and public were excluded from the meeting to discuss a report from PWC regarding a homecare contract and forensic audit.