DD2832 Oxford Street Development Corporation Place Management Provision Arrangements

1.1.    Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) is leading the delivery of the Mayor's vision for the transformation and regeneration of Oxford Street and its environs. The OSDC received its planning powers and became a Local Planning Authority on 10 August 2026. The next major milestone is the closure of the section between Great Portland Street and Orchard Street  to traffic on 26 October 2026. 

1.2.    New West End Company (NWEC) is the Business Improvement District for the area in which Oxford Street is located. NWEC has an existing project of enhanced street cleaning and security activities and brought forward a proposal to the OSDC seeking funding to expand this project to address additional enhanced street cleaning and security needs that may arise from pedestrianising Oxford Street. Following its consideration of the proposal, the OSDC has concluded that it aligns with its objective for Oxford Street to be a safe, clean and welcoming environment. 

1.3.    Accordingly, the OSDC proposes to award a grant of up to £354,597.40 to NWEC to expand its enhanced street cleaning and security activities project in the Oxford Street area. Transport for London (TfL), the highway authority for Oxford Street , has consented to NWEC carrying out its enhanced cleaning and security project in the Oxford Street area. NWEC is an established business partnership representing several hundred retailers, restaurateurs, and property owners in the West End and has a proven track record around street cleaning and security. 

1.4.    The grant-funded activities will run for a three-month period. The OSDC will enter into appropriate funding and monitoring arrangements with NWEC.

1.5.    Paragraph 3.1(c) of the OSDC Governance Direction requires the OSDC to obtain the Mayor's consent before providing financial assistance unless covered by an existing standing consent. The proposed grant to NWEC falls outside the scope of the OSDC's standing General Financial Assistance (Grant) Consent and therefore requires specific consent. Accordingly, this Director Decision seeks approval from the Executive Director of Good Growth, acting under delegated authority, to provide that consent.
 

2.1.    The objective of the proposed grant is to enable NWEC to expand its street cleaning and security activities project during the initial period of the Oxford Street transitional scheme.

2.2.    Expected outcomes include:

•    enhanced cleanliness and maintenance of the public realm within the Oxford Street area

•    increased on-street operational presence to support public safety and visitor experience

•    improved coordination between related local stakeholders and service providers operating within the area 

•    collection of operational learning and performance information to inform future street cleaning and security activities.
 

3.1.    In taking this decision, the Executive Director should have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty set out in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, namely the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not, and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not.

3.2.    The proposed decision relates to the provision of consent for the OSDC to award a grant to NWEC to deliver enhanced place management services in support of the Oxford Street transitional scheme. No adverse impacts on persons with protected characteristics have been identified as a result of this decision.

3.3.    Enhanced cleansing, security and place management activities are expected to contribute to a safer, cleaner and more accessible public environment for all users of the area, including disabled people, older people and other groups with protected characteristics. The OSDC will continue to have regard to its equality duties through the implementation and monitoring of the grant-funded activities.
 

Governance

4.1.    This Director Decision does not seek approval for expenditure by the GLA and does not authorise additional GLA funding. Rather, it seeks the provision of the Mayor's consent under paragraph 3.1(c) of the OSDC Governance Direction. In accordance with the GLA's delegated decision-making arrangements, that consent may be provided by the Executive Director of Good Growth acting under delegated authority.

4.2.    Officers have considered whether the proposal has significant budgetary, legal or delivery implications for the GLA such that consent should be sought through a Mayoral Decision. Officers are satisfied that the proposal may appropriately be determined under delegated authority through this Director Decision.

Grant Management and Monitoring

4.3.    The grant will be governed by a grant agreement between the OSDC and NWEC. OSDC officers will monitor the grant outputs and milestones, with payment provided in arrears. 

Risks

4.4.    The principal risk associated with the proposal is that the expansion of the street cleaning and security activities does not substantively take place as expected.  This risk will be mitigated through clearly defined and appropriate grant outputs with continued ongoing engagement between the OSDC and NWEC.

Stakeholder Considerations

4.5.    NWEC’s enhanced street cleaning and securities project adds to but does not replace the statutory responsibilities of others, such as TfL, Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police. 
 

5.1.    There are no direct financial implications arising from this decision to the GLA. 

5.2    The proposal for grant funding totalling £354,597.40 to NWEC will be funded directly from the OSDC’s approved 2026-27 budget. However, this proposal requires Mayoral consent, under paragraph 3.1(c) of the OSDC Governance Direction as detailed in the main body of this report.

5.3    This funding supports the implementation of the Oxford Street transitional scheme within the Boosting London’s Growth Sectors delivery plan. The proposed spending is financed from the OSDC’s Place Management budget as approved as part of the GLA’s Group Budget process for 2026-27.

5.4    The proposed grant award will be subject to a funding agreement between OSDC and NWEC, with outputs, deliverables and time frames for delivery clearly defined to facilitate performance and project monitoring in line with the OSDC’s governance framework. 

5.5    Any changes to this proposal will be subject to further approval via the MDCs decision-making process. All appropriate budget adjustments will be made.
 

6.1.    Pursuant to its powers under section 201 of the Localism Act 2011 (‘the Localism Act’), OSDC has the power to do anything for the purposes of, or incidental to, the securing of the regeneration of its area. The OSDC’s area includes Oxford Street and its environs.

6.2.    The foregoing sections of this decision form indicate that proposed grant to NWEC will enhance the cleanliness and security of the newly-pedestrianised Oxford Street . To that end, the proposed grant may be viewed as falling within the OSDC’s powers under section 201 of the Localism Act.

6.3.    As officers have set out above, the OSDC proposes to provide grant funding so that NWEC may expand its existing enhanced cleaning and security project to include the Oxford Street area, after it has been pedestrianised. The benefits of the project will inure to those members of the public who visit the newly-pedestrianised Oxford Street and, whilst the proposed funded activity is in keeping within the OSDC’s objectives, there is no direct benefit to the OSDC. To that end, the proposed funding may be viewed as a grant rather than a contract for services.
 

7.1.    Next steps are outlined below:

None.