Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jacq Paschoud was proposed by Councillor Bill Brown and

seconded by Councillor Hilary Moore.

In accepting her unanimous re-election, Councillor Paschoud said it had been

an enormous privilege to have been Chair since the previous May and she

thanked the Council for this further opportunity to serve. She praised her

husband and children for the support they had given her in her civic role.

RESOLVED that Councillor Jacq Paschoud be elected as Chair of the

Council for the Municipal Year 2019-2020.

The election of Councillor Tauseef Anwar was proposed by Councillor Bill

Brown and seconded by Councillor Hilary Moore.

RESOLVED that Councillor Tauseef Anwar be elected as Vice-Chair of the

Council for the Municipal Year 2019-2020.

There were no declarations of interest.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on

27 February 2019 be approved and signed as a correct record.

New Zealand Mosque attacks

The Council received written details of actions carried out locally in response to the mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Chair then extended a welcome to the Imam from Lewisham Islamic Centre, Shakeel Begg.

Imam Begg read out a passage from the Koran, Chapter 59 verses 18-23 in memory of the victims of the attacks. All present then observed a one minute silence.

Aileen Buckton

The Council paid tribute to the retiring Executive Director for Community

Services, Aileen Buckton, who was attending her last Council meeting.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Chris Best, recalled that alongside Councillor

Jim Mallory she had appointed Aileen to her first senior post with the Council

in 1997. She outlined the various activities and many achievements which

Aileen had been involved with and recorded her appreciation for the service

which had been rendered.

Councillor Joan Millbank added that she had known Aileen since 2010 and

had always been impressed by her leadership and management skills which

were particularly appreciated in the local voluntary sector.

Resignations of Councillors

Councillor Kevin Bonavia reported the resignations of Councillor Janet Daby MP as a Councillor in the Whitefoot Ward and Councilllor Alex Feis Bryce as a Councillor in the Evelyn Ward.

He thanked both for their service and recalled that Janet Daby had been a

member since 2010 serving as a Cabinet Member and very briefly as Deputy

Mayor designate. Her service to Lewisham was continuing as Member of

Parliament for Lewisham East. He further mentioned that although Alex Feis

Bryce has only served for one year, he had made a very positive impact which

included helpful contributions to the Local Democracy Review.

4. Alex Yee

The Council received a written announcement reporting the success of Lewisham resident Alex Yee

Councillor Chris Best added her congratulations to Alex who hd been a regular participant in Youth Games and had now progressed to the world stage in Triathlon.

5. Mayoral Appointment

The Mayor introduced Barbara Gray as his choice of Lady Mayoress for the forthcoming year and confirmed she would have a second role as Advisor on BAME Health inequalities.

Barbara Gray accepted her chains of office and stated she was enormously pleased, as a resident of the borough for more than 30 years and former council employee, to take up the Mayor’s offer.

6. World Cup of London Boroughs

The Chair reported Lewisham had retained its Twitter title by winning the second annual World Cup of London Boroughs, defeating Waltham Forest in the final and Southwark in the semi final.

The Mayor informed the Acting Chief Executive that the 12 members, listed

below, four of whom would job-share two of the positions on a January to

June and July to December substantive basis, would serve as members of the

Cabinet in the municipal year 2019/20. The nomination of Councillor Andre

Bourne had been confirmed at a special meeting of the Council held earlier in

the evening.

Portfolio                                            Name

Damien Egan,          Mayor of Lewisham

Cllr Chris Best,         Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care

Cllr Kevin Bonavia, Cabinet Member for Democracy, Refugees and Accountability

Cllr Chris Barnham, Cabinet Member for School Performance and Children’s Services

Cllr Paul Bell,           Cabinet Member for Housing

Cllr Joani Reid,        Cabinet Member for Safer Communities

Cllr Jonathan Slater,Cabinet Member for the Community Sector

Cllr Amanda de Ryk, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources

Cllr Joe Dromey,      Cabinet Member for Culture, Jobs and Skills (job share)

Cllr André Bourne   Cabinet Member for Culture, Jobs and Skills (job share)

Cllr Brenda Dacres  Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport (job share)

Cllr Sophie McGeevor, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport (job

                                         share)

RESOLVED that the constitution and composition of the Executive for the

municipal year 2019/20 be noted.

The Mayor moved and Councillor Best seconded that the Scheme of

Delegation be adopted.

RESOLVED that there be no changes to the existing Mayoral Scheme of

Delegation in Part VIII of the Council’s Constitution.

The Chair confirmed that there had been no other changes to Committee

Terms of Reference since last year.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Council considered a report setting out an allocation of seats on

committees to political groups on the Council in compliance with the

requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees would

continue to be allocated in accordance with the proportion of seats held by the

political groups on the Council.

At the proposal of Councillor Moore, seconded by Councillor Millbank,

Members agreed unanimously to form an Overview and Scrutiny Committee

of all 43 non-executive Councillors, that was politically balanced.

RESOLVED that:

(i) seats be allocated to political parties as indicated on the schedule attached

to the report;

(ii) the Overview & Scrutiny Committee shall comprise all 43 non-executive

Councillors; and

(iii) the composition of the Constitution Working Party, the Appointments

Committee, the Urgency Committee, 3 Planning Committees, a Strategic

Planning Committee, a Licensing Committee, a Licensing (Supplementary)

Committee, a Pensions Investment Committee, a Health & Safety

Committee, an Elections Committee, and an Audit Panel with the Terms of

Reference set out be agreed.

It was moved by Councillor Moore and duly seconded by Councillor

Millbank that members be appointed to serve on committees as listed below.

The motion was declared carried and it was:

RESOLVED that members be appointed to serve on committees, as

indicated, for the municipal year 2019/20.

The Chair reported there was no bodies where there were more candidates

than places available, the Chair therefore moved and the Vice-Chair

seconded a proposal that the tabled schedule of appointments be adopted.

The motion was declared carried and it was:

RESOLVED that members be appointed to serve on other committees

and organisations as set out in below:

The Calendar was proposed for adoption by the Chair and seconded by the

Vice-Chair and it was:

RESOLVED that

(i) ordinary meetings of the Council be held on 17 July, 2 October, 27

November 2019, 22 January 2020, 24 February and 4 March (fall-back) and

that the Annual General Meeting be held on 1 April 2020; and

(ii) the attached schedule of meetings be approved for the municipal year

2019/20.

The Chair proposed and the Vice-Chair seconded a proposal that the

schedule of appointments made by the Mayor be noted.

RESOLVED to note the appointments made by the Mayor to the following

external bodies/committees.

Champions

•           Air Quality Champion – Louise Krupski

•           Mental Health Champion – James Rathbone

•           Cycling Champion – Mark Ingleby

•           Evening and Night Time Economy Champion – Pat Codd

•           Heritage Champion – Chris Best

•           RSPCA Champion – André Bourne

•           Armed Forces Champion – Kevin Bonavia

The report was moved by the Chair, Councillor Obajimi Adefiranye and was seconded by Councillor Caroline Kalu and it was:

RESOLVED that the annual report of the Standards Committee be received.

Councillor Kevin Bonavia moved that the recommendations be approved

and this was seconded by Councillor Sakina Sheikh and it was then

unanimously:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the report of the Local Democracy Review Working Group be received;

(2) the recommendations as outlined in the report attached at Appendix A be

endorsed (with particular reference to those recommendations on matters

reserved to  Council);

(3) a Local Democracy Working Group be retained to oversee delivery of the

recommendations of the Working Group over the course of the incoming

municipal year; and

(4) the appointment of eight councillors, Councillors Best, Bonavia, Campbell Codd, Davis, Elliott, Kelleher, and Sheikh be made to the above body.

Councillor Chris Best moved that the recommendations be approved

and this was seconded by Councillor Obajimi Adefiranye and it was then

unanimously:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the draft submission appearing at Appendix 1 be approved; and

(2) when the LGBC has agreed the number of councillors for the London

Borough of Lewisham, a further report on proposed warding patterns be

referred to members.

Councillor Amanda De Ryk moved that the recommendations be approved

and this was seconded by Councillor Caroline Kalu and it was then

unanimously:

RESOLVED that the Pay Policy Statement for 2019/20, as attached at

Appendix 1, be approved.

The Acting Chief Executive withdrew from the meeting during consideration of

this item.

Councillor Amanda De Ryk moved that the recommendations be approved

and this was seconded by Councillor Bill Brown and it was then

unanimously:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the terms and conditions, previously agreed by the Appointments

Committee for the Chief Executive on 13 November 2017 and endorsed by

Council on 28 November 2017, be used for the appointment of a permanent 

Chief Executive.

(2) the process by which a new Chief Executive is to be recruited, as set out

be approved and that the Head of Organisational Development & Human

Resources appoint an external recruitment agency to assist with that process;

(3) an Advisory Panel of 7 members of the Council be appointed as set out

and with the terms of reference as set out; and

(4) members be appointed to the Advisory Panel as  set out.

The Mayor delivered the following address:

“It’s amazing to think that it’s one year since last May’s council elections.

One year that I’ve been your Mayor.

One year since 15 new councillors joined our council, one year for all of us to

figure out how we work best as a team, working together.

One year, too, for our community groups, our faith groups to get to know me

better, get to know the new council better and build the historic relationships

that this council values with its community sector.

And so it’s understandable that we look back on and review what we have

done in the last year. But it is also important that we look ahead, always

seeking to learn and to improve and to renew our sense of purpose.

Government cuts can make councils feel that they have fewer choices, less

freedom and in many ways that is correct, of course it is, but we mustn’t

under-estimate our power that we have, as an authority, and the power our

community has to help our residents live their best lives.

And go today on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and no doubt other social

media apps that I’ve never heard of. As you go through all the beautiful

pictures of holiday selfies, the meals out, the loved up couples - you’ll see the

hashtag ‘living my best life’. There are over 2 million tags on Instagram alone.

It’s become part of the zeitgeist of our time.

But it’s one that speaks to the same values of aspiration and ambition that

every generation seeks and its one that the generations of political leaders

through the ages have sought to get to grips with.

But how does it look today? If we take a hard, honest look at our borough, can

we really say that our next generation are living their best life?

One of the fundamentals to living well and being happy is having security.

When I look at my generation and generation below me, I can’t remember a

time when we’ve ever been more anxious.

The rapid shift in wealth between the rich and poor means most people will

have less, and their futures look more difficult. Job insecurity, coupled with

rising “flexibility”, and automation means many cannot think ahead in their

careers in months, let alone years.

Housing insecurity means buying a home is a distant dream for most. The

new norm is paying private landlords on insecure contracts, leaving you with

no idea of how much you’ll be paying or where you will be living from one year

to the next.

The hollowing out of our welfare system meaning that the safety net to pick

you up and help you get back on your feet again isn’t a guarantee.

And this is all against a growing backdrop of increasing division within

communities and rising hate crime. And the fear and anxiety caused by Brexit

is adding to that insecurity.

So it isn’t alarmist to say that it is a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.