The first Cabinet meeting of Wandsworth Council chaired by Council Leader Simon Hogg offered no formal decisions, no public documents, and — despite over an hour of discussion — little of substance.
Instead, what residents witnessed was a tightly choreographed display of self-congratulation, with Cabinet members lining up to praise their own achievements, while pressing issues facing the borough were conspicuously ignored.
The meeting, which was streamed live but accompanied by no agenda and no published papers, echoed the concerns raised last week about the council’s growing habit of operating behind a digital curtain. Despite claims of “transparency,” the session served more as a stage for political posturing than genuine scrutiny or governance.
Self-praise in place of policy
Cabinet members took turns listing their achievements: a Borough of Culture launch, a new cycle route, falling knife crime in one part of the borough, and a bulky waste collection service. Council Leader Hogg gave extended airtime to the administration’s “Seven Rings, Seven Days” performance pledge — celebrating graffiti removal and call answer times — while avoiding discussion of any major structural or financial issues facing the borough.
Housing? No mention of the recent damning report from the Regulator of Social Housing, which rated Wandsworth just C3 — among the worst-performing councils in the country. Finances? No mention of the mounting pressures documented in our reports on the council’s looming pension black hole or the ticking timebomb of new borrowing.
The recent BBC investigation exposing misleading claims about the council tax freeze? Ignored. Concerns over the controversial events policy for parks? Not even raised. Even the recent gas explosions on the council-owned Lennox Estate didn’t warrant a mention.
In the finance update, delivered by Cabinet member Angela Ireland, the focus was on claiming a “zero debt” status and lauding developer contributions — without addressing any of issues that have led many to wonder whether financial mismanagement is being hidden behind selectively presented numbers.
Democracy review or democratic decline?
This paperless Cabinet was the first to follow the council’s so-called “Democracy Review” — a process that, so far, seems to have resulted in less transparency, not more. By removing formal decision-making and public agendas from Cabinet meetings, the administration has effectively shielded its key political forum from meaningful public or press scrutiny.
While residents are grappling with high rents, housing safety failings, rising living costs, and concerns over how public spaces are managed, the Cabinet chose to spotlight steel pan bands, confetti cannons, and customer service metrics.
What was missing
What was not on the agenda says far more than what was.
- No financial updates on debt risk, pension deficits, or budget reserves.
- No discussion of the social housing regulator’s criticisms.
- No mention of misleading council tax communications.
- No public review of the controversial parks events policy.
- No accountability for service failures or scrutiny of spending.
This was not a Cabinet meeting in the traditional sense. It was a press conference without questions. A parade of “good news” with no willingness to address the real challenges Wandsworth faces.
For a council that claims to be “open and listening,” its leadership seems increasingly selective about who — and what — it listens to.
To stay informed about what your council isn’t telling you, follow our ongoing coverage at Putney.news.
Update: Wandsworth Council has put out a press release announcing the success of its first cabinet meeting. Importantly, it states at the end that “the agenda and reports will be published the week before and residents will be able to see the decisions the Cabinet will be making.”
While this change fails to address the main issue – that the Council’s main decision-making body will continue to simply ignore inconvenient or controversial topics – it does indicate at least some recognition that Wandsworth Council’s decisions cannot be made wholly in the dark.
