Agenda and draft minutes

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the extraordinary Council meetings held on 29 January 2026, 19 February 2026, 26 February 2026, 17 March 2026, and the Council meeting held on 26 February 2026.

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 26 February 2026, and the extraordinary Council meetings held on 29 January 2026, 19 February 2026, 26 February 2026, and 17 March 2026 were agreed as correct records.

To receive any disclosures of interest from Councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for Members.

Councillors Boparai and Sexton advised they were also Surrey County Councillors.

To receive any announcements from the Mayor.

The Deputy Mayor made the following announcements on behalf of the Mayor:

“In March, I was delighted to host the Spring Soirée at London Irish and attend a number of successful fundraising and community events, including the Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club and a Rotary event in Shepperton. My thanks go to all who supported these occasions and helped to raise valuable funds for my chosen charities.

I was also pleased to attend the Spelthorne Youth Awards which was a wonderful evening celebrating the achievements and contributions of our young people.

Other highlights included events at Kempton Park, a delightful afternoon tea at Squires Garden Centre, and the reopening of Thames Court in Shepperton. At the end of the month, I was pleased to support the launch of this year’s Spelthorne in Bloom competition which recognises the residents and businesses who are keeping the Borough vibrant and colourful.

This month I attended the Civic Awards, where we recognised the hard work of our local volunteers. Many congratulations to all the recipients. I also had the pleasure of attending a Weybridge Choir performance and an afternoon tea at St Mary’s in Thorpe.

It remains a great privilege to represent Spelthorne at these events and to witness the strong community spirit across the Borough.”

To receive any announcements from the Leader.

The Leader made the following announcements:

“Seventeen residents were recognised at the Spelthorne Civic Awards Trust ceremony held at the Council offices for their outstanding voluntary service. The awards celebrate individuals who often work quietly behind the scenes, giving their time and energy to support the community, help those in need, and strengthen life across the borough.

Congratulations were extended to all recipients for their valuable contribution.

The Spelthorne Business Hub has now relocated from Sunbury to the Council offices at Knowle Green. Funded by the Council, the Hub supports local start-ups and small businesses by providing affordable coworking space, expert advice, networking opportunities, coaching, training, and events designed to help businesses grow and succeed. The move reflects the Council’s ongoing commitment to making Spelthorne a great place to start and develop a business.

The Spelthorne Business Awards have returned for their eighth year, continuing to celebrate the talent and achievements of the local business community. The awards highlight a wide range of organisations, from innovative start-ups and sole traders to established employers, creative businesses, and high-growth companies. Entries are open until Friday 19 June.

Meanwhile, Surrey Local Government Reorganisation is progressing, with residents due to vote on 7 May to elect councillors to the new West Surrey Council. These councillors will initially serve as a shadow authority, preparing for the new council to take over all local services in April 2027. Their responsibilities will include setting budgets and priorities, establishing governance structures, and ensuring a smooth transition, while day-to-day services for residents continue as normal. Further information is available on the Council website and in the Spring Bulletin published in March.”

To receive any announcements from the Chief Executive.

The Interim Chief Executive gave the following announcements:

“I would like to say something about the Council’s role in relation to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). I am doing so in light of questions and speculation following the serious incident in Laleham earlier this month.

In general, the Council’s powers in relation to HMOs are limited to the regulation of property, not the selection or placement of occupants.

However, with regard to private sector HMOs, the Council’s regulatory powers primarily sit in two distinct service areas: Planning and Environmental Health.

Planning controls apply to whether a property may lawfully be used as an HMO. Since 13 March 2026, a borough?wide Article 4 Direction has been in force. This removes permitted development rights for change of use to small HMOs and means that planning permission is now required for all new HMOs anywhere in Spelthorne.

In addition, the Council adopted a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on 17 March which provides detailed guidance on how planning applications for HMOs will be assessed, including policies to manage and prevent over?concentration of HMOs within local areas, taking account of cumulative impacts on communities.

The Residential team in Environmental Health regulates HMOs through the statutory licensing regime and enforcement of property condition and management standards.

Licensing focuses exclusively on:

• physical standards of accommodation,
• fire safety,
• amenities,
• overcrowding limits, and
• management arrangements.

It does not extend to approving or assessing individual occupiers.

Asylum accommodation and the Home Office

Questions have also been raised regarding the specific HMO used to accommodate asylum seekers where the individual involved in the recent incident was living.

It is important to be clear that:

• Decisions to use properties for asylum accommodation are taken by the Home Office, not the Council.
• The Home Office operates through contracted Property Agents and Accommodation Providers, who identify and manage properties.
• The placement of asylum seekers, and the assessment of any risk or vulnerability of individuals, is entirely a Home Office function.

Where a property is proposed for use as asylum any accommodation in an HMO, the Council’s involvement alongside partners is limited and defined:

• The Home Office’s Property Agent notifies the Council’s Housing Options team about proposed properties, specifically to confirm basic suitability and compliance with housing standards.
• These notifications do not constitute Council approval of the occupants or control over who is placed in the accommodation.

Correction of earlier statement

Members are entitled to accurate information, and I want to address an error that was made previously.

In response to a question about knowledge of the Home Office plans last year a response was prepared.

Initial internal consultation suggested that the Council had not been contacted when the Home Office planned to acquire or use the property in question last year. A statement to that effect was made in good faith on Friday 17 April.

Subsequent and more detailed checks – including with partner organisations – demonstrated that this information was incorrect, and a correcting statement was issued on Friday  ...  view the full minutes text for item 178/26

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer any questions raised by members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 13.

There were no questions from the members of the public.

Council is asked to approve the Improvement and Recovery Plan Progress Report for onward submission to the Commissioners.

Council considered the Improvement and Recovery Plan Progress report for onward submission to the Commissioners.

Council resolved to approve the Improvement and Recovery Plan Progress Report for onward submission to the Commissioners.

Council is asked to:

1.    Approve the proposed amendments to the Financial Regulations (Part 4d of the Constitution) as detailed in Appendix A; and

2.    Adopt the revised Financial Regulations and for the Constitution to be amended accordingly.

Council considered adoption of proposed amendments to the Financial Regulations in the Council’s Constitution.

Council resolved to:

1.    Approve the proposed amendments to the Financial Regulations (Part 4d of the Constitution) as detailed in Appendix A; and

2.    Adopt the revised Financial Regulations and for the Constitution to be amended accordingly.

To receive and agree the reports from the Committee Chairs.

The Chairs of the Committees presented reports which outlined the matters their Committees had considered since the last Council meeting.

Council resolved to note the Chair’s reports.

To receive any motions from Councillors in accordance with Standing Order 16.

There were no motions considered at this meeting.

The Leader, or their nominee, to answer questions from Councillors on matters affecting the Borough, in accordance with Standing Order 14.

There were no general questions submitted for this meeting.