Decision details

Resolved: that the Committee would refer its views to Mayor and Cabinet as follows:

·         The Committee would welcome a short, visual, two page summary of the annual monitoring report in future editions. It asks that this include key performance indicators for the service that can be widely understood.

·         The Committee believes that allocation for self-build sites should be included in the five year housing land supply.

·         The Committee requests that additional information be provided about the number of lawful development certificates issued by the Council, including a disaggregation by type.

·         The Committee also requests that further analysis and benchmarking (with other authorities) of enforcement notices and cases be carried out.

·         The Committee recommends that a review should be undertaken of the resources currently allocated to planning enforcement and building control.

·         The Committee also recommends that the relevant cabinet member should meet with building control, the planning service and planning enforcement to identify what changes to national definitions and regulations would be needed to improve the statutory powers of these teams in order to ensure better standards and compliance in future.

·         The Committee is concerned about the loss of employment space in Lewisham and it urges the Council to consider the potential impact of the borough becoming a purely residential location.

·         The Committee plans to scrutinise the implementation of the ‘building the local economy’ priority in the corporate strategy. It intends to invite the cabinet member to a future meeting to provide an update on progress.