Westminster adopts commission recommendations to improve services

• Ongoing cost of living support, and reaching ‘Net Zero’ among top priorities for council
• Already provided support to help deliver more social housing
• Recommendations for better public realm in deprived areas and tackling loneliness amongst young people

Westminster City Council has formally adopted more than 100 policy recommendations from a panel of independent industry and local government experts.

In July 2022, the Future of Westminster Commission was established to review and make recommendations on the delivery of key services; helping to support a Fairer Westminster.

Yesterday (10 July) a meeting of the council’s Cabinet considered the council’s response to the final report produced by the Commission and its recommendations.

The report is the product of a year of intense work, as the Commission and its supporting reviews  have explored the challenges facing the city and considered a range of policy interventions.

Key recommendations include:

• Continued support for residents affected by the rising cost of living and developing a poverty reduction strategy.
• Embedding the goals of the Climate Emergency Action Plan into all areas of council policies in order to reach Net Zero by 2040.
• A Homes Retrofit Action Plan to help residents move towards a net zero home.
• Further support for youth services and identifying barriers to employability and training for young people.
• Pushing for more neighbourhood police officers and planning for public realm improvements in disadvantaged wards to reduce antisocial behaviour
• An ambitious programme of regeneration for North Paddington with the new ‘place based’ approach extended to more area
• An emphasis on early intervention and prevention in efforts to address gaps in life expectancy
• Tackling loneliness, particularly among young people.

Cabinet has agreed the council’s response to the recommendations many of which have already been included in existing work to reform and improve services.

Earlier this year Westminster’s Cabinet  adopted recommendations from the Commission’s Housing Review to improve housing services, including the delivery of 300 additional truly affordable homes, creation of a tenants charter, regular property MOTs, and a stricter definition of affordable housing.

Councillor Adam Hug, Leader of Westminster City Council, said:

I want to thank the Commission for bringing their vast experience to bear in producing a report that deepens our understanding of the challenges our city and council face, while putting forward practical recommendations for change. Their report will deeply inform our work, help shape new policies and ensure we address inequality in our city.

“Our guiding commitment has been to tackle the issues which matter most to local people and involve residents in that process.

“Westminster is a truly unique borough, facing challenges and opportunities unlike any other area. The commission has provided invaluable support over the past year, offering feedback and new ideas to help us create a Fairer Westminster.”

 

You can read the commission’s report and the council's response in full here: Agenda for Cabinet on Monday 10th July, 2023, 6.30 pm | Westminster City Council (moderngov.co.uk)

For more information contact: [email protected] - 0207 641 2259

The Commission included a review of four key areas of council policy:

Fairness and Equality:

Advising on policy approaches and initiatives that will enable and deliver a fairer, more equal, and inclusive city.

Economy and Employment:

Advising on how the Council can enable more Westminster residents to share in the economic successes of the city.

Energy and Green Transition:

Advising on ways to enhance and accelerate climate action supported and delivered by the Council to achieve the objective of achieving net zero Westminster by 2040.

Housing:

Advising on increasing the supply of genuinely affordable housing to meet housing need in the city. As a priority, advising on options for improving the way the Council responds to homelessness and housing need, and the quality of services provided to the Council’s own tenants and leaseholders.