The Minutes of the meeting held on 17 February 2025 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any petitions from the public and any questions from the public and Councillors.

Questions on the following matters were submitted by Councillors:

(The full text of the question and response was made available on the Reading Borough Council website).

This report sets out the commission of the next iteration of the Closing the Gap framework, including services that focus on community-based, preventative work, delivered by providers primarily from Reading’s Voluntary and Community Sector.

The Committee considered a report setting out proposals for the next iteration of the Closing the Gap framework, with the current contracts expiring on 31 October 2025.  A Needs Analysis was attached to the report at Appendix 1 and an Equality Impact Assessment was attached at Appendix 2.

The report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68.

This report seeks approval to procure and contract with a delivery partner to support the implementation of a proposed Discretionary Licensing Scheme in the Private Rented Sector.

Further to Minute 13 of the meeting of the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure (HNL) Committee held on 13 November 2024, the Committee considered a report seeking approval to procure and contract with a delivery partner to support the implementation of the proposed Discretionary Licensing Scheme in the Private Rented Sector.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 69.

This report sets out the provisional revenue and capital outturn positions for the Council’s General Fund and Housing Revenue Account as at the end of Quarter 3 2024/25 as well as performance against the measures of success published in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

The Committee considered a report setting out the projected revenue and capital outturn positions for 2024/25 for the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) as at the end of Quarter 3 and the performance against the measures of success set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan.  The following  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

This report sets out a proposed new Council Plan 2025-28, for recommendation to Council.

The Committee considered a report setting a proposed new Council Plan 2025-28 for recommendation to Council.  Attached to the report at Appendix 1 was the Draft Council Plan 2025-28 and at Appendix 2 a summary of the results of community engagement on the draft Council Plan.

The report explained that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 71.

The following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following items on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

Resolved –

That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of item 73 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs specified in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 72.

The Committee considered a report seeking approval to award a 12-month contract extension to deliver support at Caversham Road Pods and The Nova Project Service to Launchpad Reading.

The report noted that both services had been established in 2021 to provide supported move-on accommodation for some of Reading’s most complex  ...  view the full minutes text for item 73.