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To consider the Call in requests regarding the following In Individual Mayoral Decisions (IMD):

1.    No. 302 - 3-5 Arnold Road: Approval to increase project budget to enable build contract to be awarded. 8th September 2022; and

2.    No. 303 - Redevelopment of Bancroft and Wickford Street Garages, Mayor's Executive Decision Making - Wednesday, 14th September 2022.

The Committee considered the Call-in requests regarding the following In Individual Mayoral Decisions (IMD):

1.            No. 302 - 3-5 Arnold Road: Approval to increase project budget to enable build contract to be awarded. 8th September 2022; and

2.            No. 303 - Redevelopment of Bancroft and Wickford Street Garages, Mayor's Executive Decision Making - Wednesday, 14th September 2022.

The Committee noted that the above Individual Mayoral Decisions had been ‘Called-In’ by Councillor James King (signed also by Councillors Leelu Ahmed; Sirajul Islam; Amina Ali; Amy Lee; Shubo Hussain and Faroque Ahmed) in accordance with the provisions of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules of the Council’s Constitution.

Accordingly, the Committee considered:

v  Individual Mayoral Decision No. 302 - 3-5 Arnold Road: Approval to increase project budget to enable build contract to be awarded published on 8th September 2022.

v  Individual Mayoral Decision No. 303 - Redevelopment of Bancroft and Wickford Street Garages published on 14th September 2022.

v  the “call in” requisition from the Call-in Members.

v  representations by the Call-in Members; and

v  representations from the Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Inclusive Development and Housebuilding, Councillor Kabir Ahmed.

In addition, the Committee noted the following alternative course of action proposed in the call-in to:

A.            Fund the increase in the contract for the Arnold Grove and Bancroft TMO/Wickford Street Schemes from Housing Revenue Accounts Reserves.

B.            Provide an impact and financial appraisal of funding the increase from different sources; and

C.            Keep, amend, or cancel the Gill Street scheme after a transparent impact and financial appraisal.

Councillor James King on behalf of the Call-in Members then formally presented to the Committee the reasons for the call-in and above-mentioned alternative course of action which also indicated:

D.            Tower Hamlets Council Strategic Plan 2022-2026 : Priority 2 states an ambition to ‘deliver a minimum of 1000 social homes for rent per annum’. Priority 8 states the council will ‘Deliver a balanced budget, innovate to improve value for money, deliver modern services, and improve customer satisfaction across council services. This Mayoral Decision does not provide value for money when £849,000 of spend is to be scrapped.

The discussion on the Call-In can be abridged as follows:

The Committee:

v    Noted that the Call-In asks why an uplift of £4.49 million to fund the Arnold Grove site and an uplift of £3m Bancroft Tenant Management Co-operative (TMC) and Wickford Street garages site could be funded from alternative sources e.g.  including but not limited to underspends within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), reserves within the Housing Revenue Account, commuted sums from off-site affordable housing contributions which have not yet been spent.

v    Noted that the Call-In states that (i) the cancellation of the Gill Street site is unexplained and not necessary in order to free up HRA funds; and (ii) the report provides no appraisal of the risks and outcomes of this decision.

v    Noted that the cancellation of the development at Gill Street loses 15 units for social and affordable rents, a new community space  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5