Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on July 8 2014 be confirmed

and signed as a correct record.

There were none.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Business received a response from the Cabinet on their referral on the

Surrey Canal Sports Foundation.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Financial Forecasts 2014-15

The report was presented by the Head of Financial Services.

The Chair referred to Table 11 in the report which depicted the Capital

Programme and asked if it would be technically possible to add a line on the

Surrey Canal Regeneration Project. The Head of Financial Services said the

only currently reportable figure was the £500,000 pledged to the Sports

Foundation but that a line could be added with no numbers currently set

beside it. The Panel agreed with a suggestion from the Chair that a request

be made for a line relating to Surrey Canal to be added to future capital

expenditure reports.

The Panel also examined the growth in spending in the No Recourse to

Public Funds area and requested that good practice among comparators be

examined.

RESOLVED that

(i) the decisions of the Mayor be noted;

(ii) the Public Accounts Select Committee further examine expenditure on No

Recourse to Public Funds;

(iii) future capital expenditures on the Surrey Canal Regeneration Project be

reported in Capital Programme reports.

Medium Term Financial Strategy

The report was presented by the Head of Financial Services.

The Chair noted that overall savings of £21million had been identified as part

of the Lewisham Futures programme but details were not shown and he

asked that details on these savings areas be made available to Business

Panel members as soon as possible.

The Chair asked members to note carefully the following key dates in the

budgetary process:

September 2014 Select Committees - Revenue Budget Savings report

October 2014 Select Committees - Revenue Budget Savings report

PAC and Mayor & Cabinet - Treasury Management Mid Year report

November 2014 PAC and Mayor Cabinet - Revenue Budget Savings

 Select Committees – 2nd Revenue Budget Savings report

December 2014 Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement

Select Committees – 2nd Revenue Budget Savings report  PAC – 2nd

Revenue Budget Savings Report

January 2015 Final Local Government Finance Settlement

 Mayor & Cabinet – 2nd Revenue Budget Savings Report

February 2015 National Non Domestic Rates consultation session

Greater London Authority sets the Budget and Precept for 2015/16

Notification of Precepts and Levies

PAC - the 2015/16 Budget Report

Mayor & Cabinet agrees the Budget & Council Tax 2015/16

March 2015 Council approves Budget & Council Tax for 2015/16

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Designation of Neighbourhood Forum and Area for Crofton Park and

Honor Oak Park

The report was presented by the Head of Planning and further background

was given by Councillor Morrison, who had been the originator of the

proposal.

The Chair sought clarification of the Honor Oak Park area, as defined, and

asked if persons living outside could be allowed associate membership.

Councillor Morrison reported on discussions which had taken place with the

Forest Hill Society and confirmed a facility to accommodate associate

membership had been agreed.

RESOLVED that the decisions of the Mayor be noted and the inclusion of

associate membership be welcomed.

Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document 2014

The report was presented by the Head  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Councillor John Muldoon reported on discussions which had taken place with

the Chair of the Children and Young People on a cross cutting review of

young people’s mental health. Given the enormity of the Healthier

Communities Select Committee Work Programme, the Business Panel

agreed a suggestion from the Chair that the Children and Young People

retains responsibility for the review but that all members of the Healthier

Communities Select Committee be invited to the evidence scoping session

and be allowed to participate.

Councillor Morrison reported she was considering inviting pupils from

Sydenham Girls School to attend a future meeting of her committee having

heard Councillor Curran report on a community safety initiative they had

undertaken.

Councillor Handley indicated changes had been made to the Housing Select

Committee work programme and there would be a visit to LB Newham to

discuss work on rogue landlords. There would be an additional meeting of the

Select Committee on September 2 2014.

Councillor Milne stated the Public Accounts Select Committee intended to

examine key issues such as No Recourse to Public Funds, Council ICT

provision and the Lewisham Futures Programme.

Councillor Curran outlined the wide ranging intended future work programme

of the Sustainable Development Select Committee.

RESOLVED that the Work Programmes as reported be agreed.

RESOLVED that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972,

the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of

business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt

information as defined in paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of

the Act, as amended by the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements)

(Access to Information) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2006:-

9.         Decisions Made by Mayor and Cabinet on 16 July 2014.

10.       Decisions Made by Mayor and Cabinet (Contracts) on 16 July 2014.

Non-Core Housing Asset Register

The report was presented by the Corporate Assets Service Manager.

Councillor Dacres asked to be provided with an update on intended

development of the software for asset management.

The Chair asked where recent transfers of land would be recorded and was

told paragraph 5.8 of the report outlined the process.

Councillor Muldoon asked if there was an opportunity to explore unregistered

land that the Council could lay claim to. The Corporate Assets Service

Manager said that was a piece of work that remained to be done and that he

believed the current register was about 80% correct.

Councillor Curran asked if refinements could be made to the system that

allowed corporate assets to be used in an intelligent way with integration with

other public service providers. The Corporate Assets Service Manager.agreed

such a system would be beneficial and he said he would investigate with other

key land owning organisations whether consolidation was possible.

RESOLVED that

(i) the decisions of the Mayor be welcomed;

(ii) further work to identify unregistered land be undertaken; and

(iii) an update on progress to integrate asset information and enhanced

functionality be made to the Mayor and Cabinet.

Violence Against Women and Girls

The report was presented by the Head of Crime Reduction and Supporting

People.

Councillor Dacres commented that the timeframe seemed aggressive and she

sought assurances that a smooth transition could be achieved. The Head of

Crime Reduction and Supporting People said she believed the successful

provider could be in place by the end of the year and then there would be a 3

month crossover.

Councillor Muldoon asked if human trafficking, often linked to money

laundering, was a problem in Lewisham. He was informed the Council was

not aware of any problems in the borough but was aware of recent cases in

the Lambeth and would monitor developments.

Councillor Muldoon suggested early intervention should be promoted given

the economic benefit and was told that approach would be adopted although

what could be offered depended on the financial envelope.

Councillor Siddorn observed that the consultation response rate appeared

low, but was assured 49 was a good response given that many victims were

not comfortable in taking part.

Councillor Curran reported on an intitiative undertaken by girls at Sydenham

School who had identified 16 subject areas for examination and he suggested

the programme be rolled out to other schools.

The Chair concluded that there would be another chance to consider this

issue at the next stage in November 2014.

RESOLVED that the decisions of the Mayor be noted.

The meeting closed at 8.50pm