The minutes of the meeting of Full Council held on 29 January 2025 are submitted for confirmation.

Council confirmed, and the Mayor signed as a correct record, the minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2025.

Any member of the Council who has a disclosable pecuniary interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting is reminded to disclose the interest to the meeting and to leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place.

Members are also reminded that if they have any other significant interest in a matter to be considered at the meeting, which they feel should be declared in the public interest, such interests should be declared to the meeting. In such circumstances Members should consider whether their continued participation, in the matter relating to the interest, would be reasonable in the circumstances, particularly if the interest may give rise to a perception of a conflict of interests, or whether they should leave the Chamber while any discussion or vote on the matter takes place.

The Members present were deemed to have declared a personal interest in Agenda Item 10 – report of Council Side Committees – Members’ Scheme of Allowances 2025/26.

There were no declarations of interest under Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992, which relates to Members' Council Tax payments – Agenda Item 9 – Budget 2025/26 - Revenue Budget 2025/26, Capital Programme 2024/25 to 2027/28, Council Tax 2025/26 KD1010726.

The Mayor made no special announcements.

(i)       Apologies for Absence

(ii)     Other Communications

Councillors Ahmed, Cyron, Idris, Lindsay, and Marshall submitted apologies for their absence.

Up to one hour has been set aside for Council to hear from people living, working, or studying in the Borough who have registered in advance to address this meeting.

(i)         Strategies to youth crime and school exclusion

The Mayor read a question on behalf of Ms Nicole Belfon-George, which asked for information on the strategies the Council had implemented to address the increasing rates of youth crime and school exclusion within the borough and whether the Council would establish a steering committee composed of local stakeholders, including parents and individuals with lived experience, to contribute to the formulation of policies and interventions.

Councillor Faulks, Leader Member for Family and Children’s Services, reassured Ms Belfon-George that the Council prioritised safety and tackling youth violence and exploitation, emphasising the need for collaboration among local agencies due to the complexity of the issues behind crime. The Local Safeguarding Children Partnership, which included partners from various sectors, reported that first-time entrance into the criminal justice system in RBKC was significantly below national and inner London averages. The exclusion rates in RBKC remained low, with only four permanent exclusions in the latest reporting period, reflecting an exclusion rate of 0.03%, below the national average of 0.05%. She drew attention to the North Kensington Inclusion Strategy pilot as a successful initiative, continuing to receive funding and support from partners. Councillor Faulks concluded saying that she was happy to meet with Ms Belfon-George.

Councillor Nur, Opposition Spokesperson and a member of the Family Services Select Committee, expressed gratitude for the question regarding youth crime and exclusion in the Borough. He noted the local authority’s serious approach to various crimes and the range of measures in place, including early help to address issues before exclusion. He highlighted the range of centres run by the Council and the voluntary sector. Councillor Nur spoke about the youth engagement initiative and partnership work, which included the police and residents’ associations, which aimed to reduce crime further. He mentioned existing networks such as the Safer Neighbourhood Board, Youth Parliament, and ward-level panels as contributing to a more inclusive and effective approach to tackling youth crime and exclusion rates in the Borough.

(i)         Issues of schools ending at the same time and local crime.

Ms Leah Rodriguez, who lived and went to school in Kensington and Chelsea, raised the issue of schools in the Ladbroke Grove area all closing at the same time, with a rise in numerous crimes, including a recent stabbing. She also spoke about the problem of insufficient streetlights near the Latimer Road Station, and the sports and leisure centres that mean young people must come home in darkness, with the increased risk of being victims of crime. She asked if there could be more police patrols from 3 pm to 5 pm.

Councillor Addenbrooke, Lead Member for Communities and Community Safety thanked Ms Rodriguez and acknowledged the request for additional police officers, which the Council was discussing with the police. She added that the schools provided after-school clubs and staggered pupil departures to mitigate issues and highlighted the work of various collaborating teams to reduce violence, crime, and harm. She highlighted the community safety team, which maintained strong  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Presentation of petitions (if any).

No Members submitted petitions.

The Mayor invited the Leader of the Council to address the meeting. The Leader then rose to speak:

Mr. Mayor, this is a very important evening and an important meeting – where this Council sets its budget for the year ahead. And Mr Mayor, with thanks to officers and colleagues, sitting either side of me here on the front bench, it is yet another balanced budget. A pragmatic budget. A budget that signals exactly what we are all about: low taxes, innovation making services leaner, more agile, and focused what matters most to the people we serve. A budget that shows exactly why people choose Conservative here in Kensington and Chelsea: year after year after year, election after election after election. It shows why, in May next year, they will want to vote Conservative again.

We are holding down Council Tax again, increasing it by just 80p a week. Mr Mayor, one of the lowest increases in London. And we are proposing this for two reasons. One, we know how difficult rising costs are for many people in Kensington and Chelsea, and we want to make sure we do all we can to help. And two, when faced with financial challenges, we believe that taking money from people’s pockets through taxes should always be the very last option. We look at ourselves first. Make sure we are as lean as we can be, but services remain as good as they can be.

Mr. Mayor, like many Councils across the country, of course we are facing financial uncertainty and difficulty. It isn’t easy. Our budget gap – driven by broken promises from a Labour Government and rising costs like national insurance – is £40m over the next four years. We will have to prioritise what our residents want most, and make sure we do the basics better than anyone else. Next year we will spend over £600 million on vital day to day services and the delivery of major projects set out in our 2023 Council Plan.

And it is fair to say that the last 12 months has been an incredibly busy time on this front as well. We have built award winning new homes, invested more than £7million in our parks, continued to build and invest in our amazing public spaces. And over the next five years, we will spend nearly £5million on youth services, investing once again in our outstanding Ofsted-rated Children’s Services, the best in the country Mr Mayor.

Not only that, £750,000 will go back to residents to help with the rising cost-of-living. My promise to our residents is that we will continue to work hard to keep costs down and make sure we spend your money with the utmost care. You put us here, and we are here for you.

But, Mr. Mayor, what do we have opposite – in what is left of the opposition party? What is the alternative? I’ll tell you: an ‘If you’ve got it, we will spend it’ budget. They  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

The Mayor to announce the order of business for the remainder of the meeting.

The Mayor confirmed that the order of business would be as printed on the agenda.

Councillor Addenbrooke moved, and Councillor Thaxter seconded, then Council RESOLVED in accordance with Standing Order 42 to suspend Standing Order 30 to allow Councillors Thalassites and Ali up to 10 minutes each for their speeches.

Councillor Campbell moved and Councillor Thalassites seconded the report’s reception.

Councillor Thalassites opened the debate with the following points:

•       He highlighted the overspending of £700m by London’s councils in 2024/25, with £270m attributed to temporary accommodation costs. Kensington and Chelsea faced significant financial pressures, including social care and temporary accommodation.

•       The budget would allocate £12m to Grenfell recovery, maintain the principle of participatory budgeting and improve complaints performance.

•       He had visited various sites, such as Hewer Street and Bute Street, which illustrated successful projects and ongoing works.

•       The budget would ringfence funds for new Council homes at Barlby Road and a new riverside open space in Chelsea. It also aimed to minimise costs to residents, reduce barriers to services, and implement digital projects to keep costs down.

•       The budget projected savings of £16m for the next year, building on previous savings while continuing to keep Council Tax low.

•       He criticised the Government's tax hikes, with specific mention of increased costs due to increases in employer national insurance contributions.

•       The administration’s budget prioritised low taxes, investment in public services, and support for vulnerable households.

•       The proposals protected the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and the additional support payments to low-income households: £50 each to the 15,000 lowest income households and the £100 rebate.

•       The budget aimed to make the borough greener, safer, and fairer, with investments in new trees, CCTV cameras, and affordable housing.

Councillor Ali made the following comments:

·                   He acknowledged the efforts of the majority party group, hinting at potential leadership challenges in the future and he thanked the officers for their support in the budget process, highlighting the financial journey that began the previous year.

·                   He referred to the challenges faced in opposing the majority group’s team's budget cuts and emphasised the importance of maintaining services.

·                   Councillor Ali stressed the significance of making the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea the best borough for living, working, and studying, and thanked the officers for their continued support.

·                   He highlighted the financial proposals in the amendment, including £28.8 million in capital and revenue proposals and he criticised the financial mismanagement of the previous administration and expressed hope for a Labour-run Council.

·                   He emphasised the importance of community safety, education, health, and housing, and outlined specific measures to support these areas.

·                   Councillor Ali proposed a £1.5 million investment in community entrepreneurship to address economic inequality in the borough.

·                   He called for better transport links and step-free access at Ladbroke Grove station, proposing a £13.5 million investment for this purpose.

·                   He advocated implementing a premium tax on second homes to raise £11 million for borough services and concluded by quoting former US President Joe Biden, emphasising that a budget reflects values and priorities.

Labour and ungrouped Members’ amendments to the Revenue Budget, Capital Programme and Council Tax

Councillor Ali moved formally, and Councillor Lari seconded the Labour Group’s amendments after which Councillor Adam moved formally, and councillor Jedut seconded the ungrouped members’ amendments.

A debate among Councillors on the revenue budget, capital programme, and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9a

Councillor McVeigh moved and Councillor Campbell seconded the report’s reception.

After Councillor McVeigh had spoken to the report there were also contributions from Councillors Gardner, Jedut, North, Simmons, and Taylor-Smith.

Council RESOLVED that the recommendations in paragraph 3.2 of the covering report from the Leadership Team be approved.

Councillor Addenbrooke moved, Councillor Lari seconded, and Council RESOLVED to suspend Standing Order 24.01 to allow the meeting to conclude after agenda item 10.

Councillor Campbell moved the report's reception, and Councillor Thalassites seconded it.

Council RESOLVED that the recommendations in paragraph 4.2 of the covering report from the Leadership Team be approved.

Councillor Taylor-Smith moved, and Councillor Addenbrooke seconded the report’s reception.

Council RESOLVED that the recommendations in paragraph 4.1 of the report be approved.

None of these committees had submitted a matter to Full Council.

The Mayor directed that these would receive written responses within ten working days.

[Councillor Thaxter asked about the Council was measuring its support to those affected by housing and mental health issue following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Councillor Campbell acknowledged the ongoing impact of the Grenfell Tower Tragedy on the North Kensington community. She had raised concerns about the potential withdrawal of NHS mental health support from North Kensington and made representations to the Government and Joe Powell MP. Following the end of the £50 million Grenfell Recovery Fund, the Council worked with an external scrutiny partner and the local community to design the current Grenfell support programme through to 2028. An independent scrutiny function will oversee the programme to ensure it meets the needs of the bereaved, survivors, and the immediate community. The Council has committed to reviewing aspects of service delivery, including complaints, culture, staff recruitment, and performance.]

[Councillor Knight asked about the proposed Council Tax increases compared with other London Boroughs.

Councillor Thalassites responded that the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea had approved one of the lowest Council Tax increases in the capital and the UK for the forthcoming financial year. The average Band D increase was London is 4.99%, while RBKC would only increase bills by 4%. This decision aligned with the administration's principle of raising taxes as a last resort. The borough would maintain various support measures for residents, including cost of living support payments for over 15,000 low-income households. Since 2022, the Council had consistently kept Council Tax rises at or below the London average, resulting in the second lowest total rise of any borough since the 2022 local elections.]

[Councillor Isse sought information about the Council’s actions to remove obstructions from pavements, such as e-bikes and e-scooters.

Councillor Kemahli referred to the efforts made with operators and Officers, including the Street Enforcement Team's crackdown on abandoned bikes, resulting in nearly 50 e-bikes being seized and operators paying £3000 to the Council to release their bikes. He was confident this action would motivate Lime and Forest to manage poor user behaviour more strictly. He also outlined the responsibilities of the Street Enforcement Team in addressing all types of obstructions on the highway, including issuing Fixed Penalty Notices for wilful obstruction. Councillor Kemahli encouraged promoting the ‘Report a Problem on a street’ service.]

[Councillor Evans for information about the direct and indirect costs of the Government's changes to National Insurance contributions .

Councillor Thalassites responded that the estimated net impact of Labour’s tax rise is equivalent to 64% of the increase in households’ Council Tax in RBKC for 2025/26 – that’s £26.56 of the additional £41.50 residents in Band D properties will now pay. He noted that there were further additional costs being passed on by the Council’s contractors.]

Councillors may draw to the Council’s attention Ward or other ‘live’ issues that are primarily local in nature. Each Councillor raising such an issue under this Standing Order may speak for not more than two minutes, however they will receive no response at the meeting. No more than three Majority Group Councillors and one Minority Party or ungrouped Councillor may raise issues in this way per meeting. Councillors wishing to raise such matters must register their intent with the Head of Governance & Mayoralty prior to the meeting and such registration will be on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. The relevant Lead Member or Executive Director will be expected to respond to the Councillor raising this issue within six weeks.

Given the late hour, the Mayor did not call this item.

Any altered text or amendments will be included in the supplementary agenda pack.

More and more residents are making use of the services provided by Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and other gig economy platforms. However, this has come with significant side effects on our local high streets and nuisances to our residents.

We see delivery drivers/riders often cycling on pavements on one-way streets such as Earl’s Court Road, behave anti-socially when drivers are gathering outside restaurants and blocking the pavements forcing our residents onto busy roads. They are also not contributing to RBKC even though their business makes significant use of our parking infrastructure.

We therefore call on the Lead Member for Local Economy & Employment to reach out and sit down with the major gig economy delivery companies to discuss and create a borough plan to tackle those issues raised by our residents.

Moved by: Councillor Tim Verboven

Seconded by: Councillor Linda Wade

The Mayor deferred this motion to the next meeting.

This Council recognises the challenges in managing and preserving our historic streets and townscape.

Recent proposals, including the redesign of the Holland Park roundabout by Transport for London, have underscored the urgency of community engagement in decisions affecting public spaces.

The establishment of a "Mayoral Development Area" around Oxford Street, coupled with the Mayor's new planning powers, raises significant concerns. The decision to control a Westminster-owned street without local support undermines our democratic processes.

Therefore, this Council calls upon the Lead Member for Environment to:

(i)             Establish a “Tree Protection Order” to safeguard the trees and green spaces along Holland Park Avenue and High Street Kensington, preserving our Borough’s unique character.

(ii)            Ensure that all future planning decisions regarding major thoroughfares involve meaningful consultation with local residents to reflect their needs and priorities.

By taking these actions, we will enhance our community’s environment, historical integrity, and ensure that future developments align with resident values. We urge all Council members to support this motion and stand against any undermining of our local authority by the Mayor.

Mover: Councillor Stéphanie Petit

Seconder: Councillor Aarien Areti

The Mayor deferred this motion to the next meeting.

This Council notes the following:

      i.         On the 30th October 2024 the Labour Government announced that from April 2025 the rate of employers’ National Insurance contributions (NICs) will increase by 1.2 per cent and the threshold employers pay employers’ NICs on each employee’s salary is reducing from £9,100 to £5,000 a year.

     ii.         Additionally, the Employment Allowance will increase from £5,000 to £10,500.

    iii.         HMRC estimates that these measures combined will affect around 1.2 million employers from April 2025.

   iv.         The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) states this will result in an average annual tax increase in excess of £800 per employee.

     v.         This Council is deeply concerned by the OBR report which states that in 2025-26 employers will pass on 60 per cent of the higher costs to workers and consumers via lower wages and higher prices, and from 2026-27 onwards 76 per cent of the total cost is passed through lower real wages.

   vi.         There will be a serious impact to public services such as GPs, as well as private contractors that are procured by the Local Authority. For example, private care homes and providers – for both adults and children – will see increased employment costs, which in turn will increase the cost of these services to Kensington and Chelsea Council and the local taxpayer.

This Council believes the following:

      i.         The changes to NICs will have a damaging impact - estimated around £535k of direct cost and £2.4mn of indirect cost relating to external contracts - on Kensington and Chelsea Council.

     ii.         That the Labour Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, was right when she previously referred to any increase to NICs as a ‘jobs tax’ and ‘a tax purely on working people.’

Therefore, this Council requests that:

Kensington and Chelsea Council’s Lead Member for Finance, Customer Services and Net Zero investigates the implications of the NICs changes and makes a written submission to Government on impacts.

Moved by: Councillor Tom Bennett

Seconded by: Councillor Hamish Adourian

The Mayor deferred this motion to the next meeting.

The were no appointments to be made.

[Each written report on the public part of the Agenda as detailed above:

(i)    was made available for public inspection from the date of the Agenda;

(ii)   incorporates a list of the background papers which (i) disclose any facts or matters on which that report, or any important part of it, is based; and (ii) have been relied upon to a material extent in preparing it. (Relevant documents which contain confidential or exempt information are not listed.); and

(iii)   may, with the consent of the Mayor and subject to specified reasons, be supported at the meeting by way of oral statement or further written report in the event of special circumstances arising after the despatch of the Agenda.]

Exclusion of the Press and Public

There are no matters scheduled to be discussed at this meeting that would appear to disclose confidential or exempt information under the provisions Schedule 12A of the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985.

Should any such matters arise during the course of discussion of the above items or should the Mayor agree to discuss any other such matters on the grounds of urgency, the Council will wish to resolve to exclude the press and public by virtue of the private nature of the business to be transacted.  

The Mayor had no urgent items.