London Council Confronts Transparency Criticism Over Developer Meeting Documentation
A West London council has been accused of demonstrating a significant lack of accountability after failing to produce any minutes or detailed notes from more than 35 meetings held with property developers over the past two years. Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which uniquely publishes details of its meetings with key stakeholders online, could not provide comprehensive records when specifically requested by journalists.
Transparency Claims Versus Reality
Unlike most local authorities across the United Kingdom, Hammersmith and Fulham Council maintains a dedicated webpage that lists meetings with major stakeholders including Chelsea Football Club, Queens Park Rangers, and the Earls Court Development Company. However, the level of detail provided has dramatically decreased over time, with recent entries typically containing only attendee names and occasional location information.
When the Local Democracy Reporting Service formally requested minutes or comprehensive overviews from meetings held during 2024 and 2025 under Freedom of Information laws, the council responded that "the information that is on the website is the information that we hold on record." This admission has sparked serious concerns about transparency and public accountability.
Political Opposition Voices Strong Criticism
Councillor Jose Afonso, Leader of the Conservative Opposition in Hammersmith and Fulham, delivered scathing criticism of the Labour administration's practices. "No minutes means there is no accountability, no scrutiny, and no way for residents to know what was discussed or why," Afonso stated emphatically.
He further elaborated: "Labour in Hammersmith and Fulham used to bang on about transparency in dealings with developers. Yet for the last two years, not a single minute has been kept from meetings with their major stakeholders. On their leaflets they claim to be different, but we all know it's just more of the same from Hammersmith and Fulham Labour - when things look tough, transparency goes out of the window."
Council Defends Its Transparency Record
A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council defended the local authority's approach, stating: "Hammersmith and Fulham is a best-in-class council for transparency. Unlike most other councils - we publish details on all meetings between councillors and developers. This includes information on attendees at these meetings which is available for residents to view on the website."
The council's Labour administration established the transparency webpage in 2014 to differentiate itself from the previous Conservative regime, which had faced accusations of becoming too closely aligned with development interests. The page's sub-header explicitly promises "information and notes" on past meetings, accompanied by text declaring the council's commitment to being "transparent and open."
Documentation Quality Has Noticeably Declined
An examination of the council's online records reveals a clear pattern of diminishing detail over time:
- Earlier entries from 2019 included substantive information such as meeting purposes and discussion points
- One 2019 entry regarding the West London Magistrates Court site noted: "General discussion with Dominvs and residents on issues relating to the site, residents concerns, and Dominvs proposal to engage new architect team."
- Another 2019 meeting with Queens Park Rangers featured a bullet-point list of discussion topics alongside attendee information
- Recent entries for 2025 meetings with stakeholders including INGKA (an IKEA franchisee), developer Rockwell, and representatives from the Earls Court Development Company typically contain only basic attendee lists
It is understood that none of the meetings in question were formal pre-planning sessions, and most were conducted within council offices unless otherwise specified in the limited records available.
Labour Administration Highlights Additional Transparency Measures
A spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Labour emphasized that the current administration goes "above and beyond" other councils in transparency matters, noting: "We don't just publish details of the meetings – on taking office, we banned all hospitality from developers. That sits in acute contrast to the bleak days of the previous Conservative administration, when they were happily flown to the French Riviera and were wined and dined by property developers seeking to bulldoze entire council estates to build flats for overseas speculators."
The spokesperson added: "The Conservative record on transparency and the sale of council estates was a disgrace, which is why we publish this information and maintain a complete ban on accepting any hospitality."
Despite these additional measures, the absence of substantive meeting documentation continues to raise questions about whether the council's transparency commitments are being fully honored in practice, particularly regarding discussions with influential development stakeholders involved in major projects across the borough.
