Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on November 25 2020 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no declarations of interest.

Third National COVID-19 lockdown

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Best updated the Council on the national

lockdown and on testing and vaccination efforts in Lewisham.

Holocaust Memorial Day

The Mayor introduced the item and a video with Hebrew prayer was

broadcast.

40th anniversary of the New Cross Fire.

The Mayor confirmed arrangements to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of

the New Cross Fire.

LGBT History Month February

The Deputy Mayor reported on Lewisham’s extensive programme in support

of LGBT month.

Winter Appeal

The Speaker confirmed a magnificent £42,000 had been raised for the 999

Club and Lewisham Voluntary Services.

Citizens UK Award

Councillor Bonavia explained further about the award.

New Year Honours List 2021

The Council recorded its congratulations to Paul Amadi from Sydenham on

his award.

Youth Justice Board

Council congratulated former Young Mayor, Jacob Sakil on his appointment to

the Youth Justice Board.

Council Annual General Meeting

The Speaker confirmed a new date of Wednesday 26 May.

Councillor Luke Sorba introduced Laura Seabright who was accompanied by

five children from Hatcham Temple Grove Free School. They lodged the

petition linked below on road safety around their school.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/HTGFS-safe-2-school 

In response the Speaker and Councillor McGeevor asked for a response to be

drawn up within 14 days by the relevant Executive Director.

Aisha Tholley next presented a pdf petition calling for the provision of Halal Food in the

next School Catering contract. The Speaker indicated the Executive Director for

Children & Young People would be asked to prepare a response.

69 questions were received from members of the public which were

answered by the Cabinet Member indicated. Thirty minutes were made

available at the meeting for questioners to raise supplementary questions.

A copy of the questions and answers was circulated separately and can be

viewed on the Council website with the meeting papers.

10 questions were received from 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.

Councillor Amanda De Ryk, the Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources,

moved that the recommendations be approved and this was seconded by

Councillor Pat Codd, Chair of Public Accounts Select Committee and it was

then unanimously:

Under the provisions of the Local Authorities (Standing Orders) (England)

(Amendment) Regulations 2014, a recorded vote was conducted on this item

with the following result:

In favour 53

Damien Egan (Mayor), Councillors Obajimi Adefiranye, Tauseef Anwar, Chris Barnham, Paul Bell, Peter Bernards, Chris Best, Kevin Bonavia, Andre Bourne, Bill Brown, Juliet Campbell, Suzannah Clarke, Patrick Codd, Liam Curran, Brenda Dacres, Sophie Davis, Amanda De Ryk, Joe Dromey, Colin Elliott, Aisling Gallagher, Leo Gibbons, Alan Hall, Carl Handley, Octavia Holland, Sue Hordijenko, Coral Howard, Mark Ingleby, Liz Johnston-Franklin, Caroline Kalu, Silvana Kelleher, Louise Krupski, Jim Mallory, Paul Maslin, Sophie McGeevor, Joan Millbank, Hilary Moore, Pauline Morrison, John Muldoon, Olurotimi Ogunbadewa, Lionel Openshaw, Jacq Paschoud, John Paschoud, Stephen Penfold, Kim Powell, James Rathbone, Joani Reid, Sakina Sheikh, Jonathan Slater, Alan Smith, Luke Sorba, Eva Stamirowski, James-J Walsh and Susan Wise.

Against nil

Abstention nil

RESOLVED that

(1) the Council Tax Base calculation for 2021/22, as set out in the

annual Council Tax Base government return, attached at Appendix A

be noted;

(2) a Council Tax Base of 88,614.3 Band D equivalent properties for

2021/22 be approved;

(3) a budgeted Council Tax collection rate of 95.0% be approved;

(4) no changes be made to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS)

for 2021/22, that eligible claimants make a minimum contribution of

25% towards their council tax;

(5) the continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount of 100%

for care leavers up to the age of 25, as set out in section five;

(6) the continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount of 100%

for care leavers up to the age of 25, as set out in section five be

approved;

(7) the existing policy of a 0% discount for  second homes for 2020/21

be continued for 2021/22, as set out in section five be approved;

(8) the existing policy of a 0% discount for empty homes Class A (an 

empty property undergoing structural alteration or major repair to make

it habitable) be continued, as set out in section five;

(9) the existing policy of a 100% discount awarded for a period of four 

weeks and then a 0% discount thereafter, for empty homes – Class C

(a substantially empty and unfurnished property) be continued, as set

out in section five;

(10) the existing Long Term Empty Property homes premium of 100%

for properties empty between 2 and 5 years, and 200% for those empty

for over five years with further incremental increases in future years be

continued, as set out in section five;

(11) the proposed 2021/22 National Non Domestic Rate (NNDR)

estimated net yield of £65m, based on current information available, be

noted; and

(12) the approval of the final 2021/22 NNDR1 form be delegated to the

Executive Director for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119.

The first motion was moved by Councillor Penfold and seconded

by Councillor Kelleher . Following contributions from Councillors Dromey and

Hall the motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously 

carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

Making the Universal Credit Increase Permanent

This council notes:

-          In April the Government plan to cut the benefit level for millions of

-          claimants by ending of the time limited increase to the basic rate of

-          Universal Credit (and the tax credit equivalent) announced by the

-          Chancellor on 20th March as part of his pandemic response package. 

-          The £20 a week boost reflected the reality that the level of benefits

were not adequate to protect the swiftly increasing number of

households relying on them as the crisis hit. Exactly because that

increase was a very significant and welcome move to bolster low- and

middle-income families living standards, its removal will be a huge

loss. 

-          Pressing ahead would see the level of unemployment support fall to its

-          lowest real-terms level since 1990-91, and it’s lowest ever relative to

-          average earnings. Indeed, the basic level of out-of-work support prior

-          to the March boost was – at £73 a week (£3,800 a year) – less than

-          half the absolute poverty line.

-          The increase in benefits have had a positive effect on the lives of

thousands of local claimants who are better able to pay for life’s

essentials such as food, clothing and utilities. 

-          The local economy has also benefited from the increase in benefit

-          levels as claimants spend their money locally thereby supporting local

-          businesses and jobs. 

This council resolves to:

-          Write to the Chancellor, Rushi Sunak and to the Prime Minister, Boris

-          Johnson demanding that the £20 increase to Universal Credit is made

-          permanent and extended to claimants on legacy benefits. 

-          Work with other local government organisations to form a coalition to pressure the government to make the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanen

The second motion was moved by Councillor Clarke and seconded by

Councillor Walsh. . Following a contribution from Councillor Smith, the motion

was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously 

carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

The Perilous State of Women’s Human Rights in Poland

This Council condemns the current assault on women’s human rights in

Poland, including the total ban on abortion and the move towards the

restriction of women’s rights in other countries around the world. 

We support the women and men putting themselves at risk by protesting on

the streets in Poland to try to protect basic human rights in their country. If

successful, these reforms could have far-reaching consequences with the

adoption of extreme and discriminatory practices in countries around the

globe as noted by Irene Donadio of the International Planned Parenthood

Federation European Network, a global NGO, “This is a problem for all of us.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 120.

Councillor Joan Millbank moved that the recommendations be approved and

this was seconded by Councillor Hilary Moore and it was then unanimously:

RESOLVED that the Council in accordance with Section 85 of the Local

Government Act 1972, approves Councillor Davis’ non-attendance at

meetings between 17^th February 2021 until the 16^th February 2022 so as to

accommodate her parental leave.