Agenda and minutes

Councillor Hall declared a personal interest in Item 12 as Chair of the

Lewisham Co-operative Party.

Councillors Wise, Bell, Walsh, Dromey, Bernhards, John Paschoud, and Jacq

Paschoud declared a personal interest in Item 12 as members of the

Lewisham Co-operative Party.

Councillor Muldoon declared a personal interest in Item 12 as a member of

the Co-operative Party and a Fellow of the RSA.

Councillor Coughlin declared a personal interest in Item 12 as a member of

the Brockley Tenants Co-operative.

Councillors Jacq Paschoud, and Wise declared a personal interest in Item 10

as women affected by pension changes.

Councillors John Paschoud and Britton declared a personal interest in Item 10

as husbands of women affected by pension changes.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings held on March 30 2016 and May

20 2016 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Dagmar Vesely and her husband presented a petition supported by 196

persons calling on the Council to support residents of Canonbie Road and

parents of pupils at Fairlawn Primary School by making a temporary traffic

order. The petitioners wanted their street to be closed to through traffic in

order to assess the situation and find a permanent, effective and viable

solution to rat running and dangerous driving issues.

1. Terrorist Attacks

The Chair remarked on his attendance on July 14 at the annual Bastille Day

celebrations at the residence of the Ambassador of the Republic of France in

London which was followed a few hours later by the terrorist atrocity in Nice.

Given the Council’s strong links with Antony, the Council marked the tragedy

by flying the French tricolour at half mast throughout the period of official

mourning and by observing the French Government’s official minute of silence

on Monday July 18.

The Chair observed this was only the latest in a long list of such outrages.

The Mayor, followed by Councillor De Ryk reflected on a litany of similar

tragedies that had taken place since the last Council meeting.

All present stood for 1 minute in memory of all those who had died as a result

of terrorism.

2. Acting High Commissioner of Nigeria

The Chair welcomed Mr Adah Simon Ogah, the Acting High Commissioner of

Nigeria to the meeting. Mr Ogah had accepted his invitation to visit Lewisham.

which had a large and vibrant Nigerian community and which had for many

years seen the election of Councillors of Nigerian origin.

Councillor Onikosi added her welcome as a British born Nigerian. The Mayor

further welcomed the Acting High Commissioner saying links with the

countries of the Commonwealth were significant and valued.

In reply, Mr Ogah said he had spent some hours with the Council already and

had enjoyed an impressive briefing about Local Government operations in the

UK. He praised the special relationship between the UK and Nigeria and

spoke of his valued meetings with the Queen and the former Prime minister.

3. Hate Crime Statement “Standing Together Against Racism, Xenophobia

and Bigotry”

The Chair introduced the statement shown below entitled ‘Lewisham Standing

Together Against Racism, Xenophobia and Bigotry’.

Lewisham Standing Together Against Racism, Xenophobia and Bigotry.

We reaffirm our belief that:

Racism, xenophobia, bigotry, and all forms of hate crime have no place in

Lewisham, London or Britain. Lewisham's diversity is an asset that we've

benefited from economically, socially and culturally, with generations of

migrants contributing to and enhancing our Borough.

In short, that diversity has made our borough stronger, more vibrant and more

tolerant.

Across the UK there has been a rise in reported hate crimes. If this weren’t

bad enough in itself, it probably reflects a small proportion of the problem as

we know many more incidents go unreported.

We pledge as local councillors, community leaders, and citizens, to reassure

all communities that face bigotry, hate and oppression that they are valued

and welcome in Lewisham.

Lewisham's councillors will further enhance work on hate crime and hate

incident reporting in the Borough, including ensuring all residents know how to

report Hate Crime and that they have the necessary confidence to do it.

We will work in partnership with local bodies, community groups, public

services and local businesses to fight and prevent bigotry and intolerance,

and support further community cohesion.

We call upon the Department  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

Member Questions

3 questions were received from the following Councillors which were

answered by the Cabinet Members indicated. A copy of the questions and

answers was circulated separately and can be viewed on the Council’s

website with the meeting papers.

24 questions were received from the following members of the public which

were answered by the Cabinet Member indicated. A copy of the questions

and answers was circulated separately and can be viewed on the Council

website with the meeting papers.

Councillor Hall proposed and Councillor Dacres seconded that the

appointments shown below be made. These were agreed unanimously.

(a) STANDARDS COMMITTEE SUB-COMMITTEES

RESOLVED that the following persons be appointed to Sub-Committees of

the Standards Committee:

Standards Sub-Committee A

Councillors Aderfiranye, Bell, Dacres, Elliott and Mallory.

Independent Members: Sullivan, Roper-Newman and Bhatti.

Standards Sub-Committee B

Councillors Bourne, Hall, Hooks, Moore and Morrison.

Independent Members: Butler, Thomas and Walton.

(b) DEPTFORD ST PAUL CHARITY

RESOLVED that Councillor Brenda Dacres and Councillor Joe Dromey be

appointed as Trustees of the Deptford St Paul Charity.

(c) AUDIT PANEL

RESOLVED that:

1. Stephen Warren and Ian Pleace be appointed as independent members of

the Audit Panel.

2. That the independent members of the Audit Panel be entitled to receive the

Council’s standard co-optee allowance of £600 per annum.

The Chair proposed and the Deputy Mayor seconded that an appointment

made by the Mayor be noted. This was agreed unanimously.

(d)  HEALTH & WELL BEING BOARD

RESOLVED that the appointment of Roger Paffard (Chair, SLaM) as a Board

member be noted.

The Council agreed to a suspension of Standing Orders to limit all speeches

on motions to a maximum of three minutes.

The motion was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Sorba.

There was then a debate to which Councillors Bonavia, Curran and Coughlin

contributed. The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be

unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This Council is greatly concerned about the effects of the UK’s withdrawal

from the European Union on the citizens of Lewisham.

We believe that the social, economic and political implications of the

withdrawal are enormous and far-reaching and will adversely affect the life-

chances of all the residents of our borough.

Given that:

• the leaders of the Leave campaign have admitted hours after the polls

closed that many of the pledges made will not be implemented

• Many voters were misled as to the true implications and effects of

withdrawal

• The decision now also heralds the potential break-up of the United Kingdom

as a country

• The opening negotiations will highlight the true price to pay for withdrawal

This Council calls on Parliament to use whatever Parliamentary mechanisms

necessary to put any treaty changes or agreements with the EU to the United

Kingdom electorate enable voters to make an informed choice."

The motion was moved by Councillor Walsh and seconded by Councillor Hall.

The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

Council Notes:

The Government is currently part way through a Parliamentary Boundary

Review that basis it's methodology on elector numbers from December 2015.

The Government ambition has been to reduce the number of MPs to 600.

That controversially the government have based the notional size of

constituencies on the electoral registers from December 2015, which was

after the move from household registrations to individual electoral

registrations (IER), has disproportionately affected inner city areas like

Lewisham in making the transition. Millions of voters have gone missing from

the electoral roll.

The independent Electoral Commission did recommended that those on the

register following the General Election in May 2015 should remain on the

register until December 2016. The Government ignored that advice.

As examples of impact: the electoral register in Liverpool is down 14,000 from

December 2014, Birmingham by 19,000 and Lewisham by 6,000 even when

there is an actual increase in population in these areas.

That registrations to vote increased by 18.6% from December 2015 - placing

Lewisham at the top of the league table in elector growth, and London the

largest regional growth with 7%.

Council Believes:

This Governments aspiration has been to reduce both the number of MPs, but

shamefully the number of electors on the electoral roll in a partisan way, by

introducing new electoral procedures, such as individual electoral registrations

(IER) that disproportionately disadvantage inner city areas like Lewisham.

That Lewisham is potentially going to lose one third of its current say in

Parliament if the figures aren't updated in the Boundary Review to reflect

these large significant changes.

Council Resolves:

To urgently write to the Boundary Commission to set out our concerns and

make clear that this unprecedented growth, must not be ignored and ask for

urgent action to resolve this issue.

For the Mayor to work with the LGA and other affected Local Authority leaders

to work to significantly influence and change the proposals to reflect both the

changes in registrations, but also the partisan structural inequality concerns

the process has raised.

To commission a report to return to Full Council that identifies the reasons

why so many of our citizens were not on the electoral roll, and highlight the

learning we need to take from this unprecedented growth in registration, so

that we can replicate it again in the future.”

The motion was moved by Councillor Moore and seconded by Councillor

Johnston-Franklin.

There was then a debate to which Councillors Jacq Paschoud and Dromey 

contributed. The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be

unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This Council calls on the Government to rethink their plans for state pension

arrangements that discriminate against all women born on or after April 1^st

1951, who have been unfairly affected by the changes to State Pension Age

(PSA) in 2011.

This Council notes –

• That over £2.6 million women are affected by this policy, and some

women will be up to £12,000 worse off due to the changes. Around

20,000 women in Lewisham could fall into this category 

• That hundreds of thousands of women affected by the Pensions Acts

of 1995 and 2011 were not notified of the changes until relatively

recently, and some were not notified until two years ago of a six-year

increase in pension age.

• The government e-petition number 110776 submitted by Women

against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) attracted over 190,000

signatures. 

• That Stephen Crabb MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions,

announced on 11^th May 2016 that no transitional arrangements would

be put in place due to budgetary restraints.  

• That cost-neutral proposals were put forward by cross-party MPs on

the Work and Pensions Select Committeewhich would have allowed

women to retired early, but with a reduced pension.

• That this could push women affected into financial hardship as

retirement plans are been ruined.

• That many women affected by these changes have caring

commitments and suffer workplace discrimination which may lead them

to struggle to find employment. 

This Council believes –

1. That transitional measures need to be put in place to ensure that

women are not affected adversely by the changes to the State Pension

Age.

2. That pension age should be equalised between men and women, but

should be implemented in a fair way to ensure women affected are not

pushed into financial hardship. 

3. That the current policy is unfair as women affected by the changes

were not informed early enough to adjust their retirement plans

This Council therefore resolves to –

1. Ask the Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions

expressing our continuing concerns over the lack of transitional

arrangements for women born in 1950s.

2. Ask the Mayor to write to our local MPs expressing the Council’s

concerns as stated above and to seek their support for our position on

the proposals.

The motion was moved by Councillor Bell and seconded by Councillor Curran.

The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This Council demands that Southern Railway has its franchise removed by

HM Government. Over the last three months, the “temporary” problems with

the service are still not being resolved. Passengers are left stranded, late

picking-up their children and some cases left without a job. Meanwhile the

government is taking no action except to reward failure by:

• Allowing Southern to introduce an emergency timetable, cutting 341

trains per day. That is 15% of their network.

• Increasing the number of cancellations they are allowed without penalty.

Therefore this Council resolves that:

1.    the Mayor writes to the Secretary of State for Transport demanding

that Southern Railway should be stripped of its franchise

immediately and that it should face appropriate penalties for its

`     failure to delivery adequate service

2.    the Mayor writes to the Chief Executive of Govia Thameslink Railway,

the parent company of Southern, demanding that he takes

immediate action to provide relief for long suffering passengers

3.    the Mayor should work with the Mayor of London, local MPs and

other affected Local Authority Leaders, including Kent County

Council, to demand urgent talks with the rail minster about the

failings of Southern Railway

4.    the Mayor and the council  join the voices demanding that Southern

Railway franchise should be brought back into public control in the

short term and the suburban route to be handed to TFL

5.    the Mayor calls on the Mayor of London to take forward the

recommendation in the “Turning South London Orange” report.

6.    the Mayor publicises this motion to the local press and the Evening

Standard to show support for our residents who are being

increasingly and without remedy inconvenienced by this rail

company.”

The motion was moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor

Morrison.

There was then a debate to which Councillors Coughlin, Jacq Paschoud and

Muldoon contributed. The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be

unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“The Council notes:

• That there are nearly 7,000 independent co-operative businesses

across the UK, each owned and democratically run by their customers,

            employees, suppliers or members of their local community.

• Today, the co-operative movement is a significant part of the UK’s

economy, growing by 21% to £33billion, and outperforming the

economy as a whole during the recent recession.

• The number of people who own and control the UK’s co-operatives has

grown by to 17.5m - nearly a quarter of the UK's population. From

credit unions to community farms – the rise in co-operative ownership

is a significant development for the UK’s business sector, meaning that

the number of co-op members continues to outstrip the number of

shareholders in the UK.

This Council believes:

• That the co-operative model provides a sustainable way of providing

local government services that empower residents, service users and

employees, giving them a fair share and an equal say.

·         Local Councils up and down the country have already put these values

into practice in a number of ways, for example developing the co-

operative sector, resident and employee owned companies and co-

operative schools.

·         That Lewisham’s vibrant co-operative sector including Brent Knoll and

Watergate Co-operative School Trust, Phoenix Community Housing

and Lewisham and Bromley Credit Union promote involvement and

service improvement.

·         That the Council has the opportunity to “chose co-operative” when

considering the future of local services, giving residents and

communities more of a say in their area.

Therefore, we call on the council to:

• Work to incorporate co-operative values and principles when planning

services and in its engagement with local residents.

• Publicise existing co-operative good practice within the council and

across the London Borough of Lewisham.

• Audit our contractors and suppliers on how many meet the FairTax

Mark standards, pay the Living Wage and meet appropriate standards

on apprenticeships.”

The motion was moved by Councillor Maslin and seconded by Councillor

Dacres.

The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This Council resolves to support a programme of activity to reduce the

amount of sugar consumed by Lewisham residents. This motion is proposed

in response to concern at the very high levels of childhood and adult obesity

in the borough and the award of national pilot status to develop a whole

system approach to tackling obesity.

The Council will:

1.     Support the Lewisham Obesity Alliance to implement a whole system

obesity action plan that aims to:

·           Promote an environment that supports healthy weight and wellbeing

as the norm, making it easier for our residents to choose healthier

diets and active lifestyles;

·           Support our communities and families to become healthier and more

resilient, which will include addressing the wider determinants of

health.

2.     Call on the Government to implement the evidence based measures

identified by Public Health England to effectively tackle obesity. A

summary of these measures which include the introduction of a sugar levy

are detailed below:

·           To introduce a price increase of a minimum of 10-20% on high sugar

products through the use of a tax or levy such as on full sugar soft

drinks, based on the emerging evidence of the impact of such

measures in other countries.

·           To reduce and rebalance the number and type of price promotions in

all retail outlets including supermarkets and convenience stores and

the out of home sector (including restaurants, cafes and takeaways).

·           To significantly reduce opportunities to market and advertise high

sugar food and drink products to children and adults across all media

including digital platforms and through sponsorship.

·           To set a clear definition for high sugar foods to aid with actions 1 and

2 above. Currently the only regulatory framework for doing this is via

the Ofcom nutrient profiling model, which would benefit from being

reviewed and strengthened.

·           To introduce a broad, structured and transparently monitored

programme of gradual sugar reduction in everyday food and drink

products, combined with reductions in portion size.

·           To adopt, implement and monitor the government buying standards

for food and catering services (GBSF) across the public sector,

including national and local government and the NHS to ensure

provision and sale of healthier food and drinks in hospitals, leisure

centres etc.

·           To ensure that accredited training in diet and health is routinely

delivered to all of those who have opportunities to influence food

choices in the catering, fitness and leisure sectors and others within

local authorities.

·           To continue to raise awareness of concerns around sugar levels in

the diet to the public as well as health professionals, employers, the

food industry etc., encourage action to reduce intakes and provide

practical steps to help people lower their own and their family’s sugar

intake.”

The meeting closed at 9.42pm