Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

that the minutes of that part of the meetings of the Mayor and Cabinet, which were open to the press and public held on December 1 2010 and December 22 2010, be confirmed and signed, subject to the apologies for absence of Councillor Onuegbu being added to the minutes of December 22 and her name being deleted from the attendance record.

The Mayor received a report on issues which he had previously considered that awaited the responses he had requested from Directorates.

RESOLVED

that the report be received.

The report was presented, with the aid of powerpoint slides, by Pete Walsh, the Chair of the Youth Task Force.

The Mayor praised the report and the efforts of everyone who had contributed to its production. He asked that the report and its findings be widely shared and should include the borough’s MPs, GLA member and the LSP. He reminded those present that young people had always been his priority and that they faced growing challenges since the recession. He now expected officers to come back to him issue by issue with proposals for action on an ongoing basis.

RESOLVED

That:

(i) the contents of the Youth Task Force report be noted; and

(ii) officers be asked to explore options for implementing Task Force recommendations and to return to Mayor and Cabinet with a further report detailing implications and a delivery plan.

RESOLVED

that

(i) the Cremation fee be increased by £60;

(ii) there be an increase of 2.5% for crematorium memorials,

(iii) there be an increase of 10% for all cemetery fees and charges; and

(iv) a fee of £25 for the levelling of a grave be introduced.

RESOLVED

that

(i) the review undertaken by Lord Ouseley be noted; and

(ii) a new organisation be established as set out in paragraphs 7.3 – 7.5 and paragraph 8 of the report.

RESOLVED

that

(i) the overall expenditure for the London Councils Grants Scheme in 2011/2012 be £17,691,000;

(ii) a sum of £451,716 be allocated  in respect of the London Borough of Lewisham’s contribution as outlined in the London Councils’ notification to Chief Executives on 17 December 2010; and

(iii) a saving in 2012/13 be noted assuming a further reduction in the Councils contribution to the Scheme.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the outcome of the annual performance assessment for 2009/10 and the rating that the Council has received; and

(ii) where improvements have not already been addressed and achieved, officers should include specific actions to achieve them in relevant service improvement plans for 20011/12.

RESOLVED

That an Article 4 (1) Direction be made.

RESOLVED

That the issues raised by the Elections Committee on the report “Electoral Agenda: the next five years” be noted and that the Elections Committee be consulted on all matters related to electoral changes, especially on boundary changes

RESOLVED

that the Management Report be noted.

The Mayor expressed his thanks to all the staff who had contributed to the excellent outcome of the inspection.

RESOLVED

That the results of Ofsted’s annual unannounced inspection of contact, referral and assessment arrangements within Lewisham children’s services as detailed in their letter be noted.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the Council at its meeting on 24 January 2011, be recommended to agree a Council Tax Base of 88,486.96 for 2011/12; and

(ii) the current local policy on discounts, with the minimum discount of 10% for second homes and 0% for empty dwellings for 2011/12 be continued.

The Mayor believed the Council had coped extremely well thus far in meeting with sustained demand for extra primary places but that there was now a need to explore many options and ask challenging questions in order to find lasting solutions to provide adequate numbers of places for primary age children.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the description of current and projected demand for primary mainstream places and their supply, and its strategic implications be noted;

(ii) subject to the results of any required further feasibility work which shows options to be affordable in the light of Lewisham’s recent capital settlement, and of consequent outline agreement with potential providers and other stakeholders, consultation should commence on the following options to increase permanently the supply of school places from September 2012:

• Subject to agreement following consultation on the closure of the current training function provided by Lewisham Leadership and Development Centre on the site, expand Kilmorie Primary School from 1.5 to 3 forms of entry.
• Through use of the site of the former Ennersdale Primary School on Leahurst Road, extend provision at Trinity School so that it becomes an all-age school offering 2 forms of entry in the primary phase, with the option of an SEN Resource base, whilst retaining its current 4 forms of secondary entry.
• Extend provision at  Prendergast Ladywell Fields College so that it becomes an all-age school offering 2 forms of entry in the primary phase, with the option of an SEN Resource base, whilst retaining its current 8 forms of secondary entry.
• Establish 2 forms of entry of primary provision on the site of the former Watergate school (Church Grove) as an annexe to an existing good or outstanding school.
• Expand Coopers Lane Primary School from 2 to 3 forms of entry;

Increase the number of permanent

places available in the New

Cross/Deptford Primary Places Planning

 Locality (PPPL5) by considering the

financial and educational implications of

a range of options, including:

i.          expanding Kender Primary School from 1 to 2 forms of entry, and/or

ii.         expanding Deptford Park Primary School from 3 to 4 forms of entry (whilst considering the option of incorporating SEN Resource base provision),and/or

ii.         establishing 2 forms of entry on the site of the Mornington Centre as an annexe to an existing good or outstanding school.

(iii) officers be instructed to continue to investigate the opportunities offered by Council-owned sites;

(iv) officers should bring a subsequent report with recommendations for his consideration to include:

·        the results of feasibility studies and any consequent consultations on the proposed projects set out

·        any other proposals to meet the demand for permanent primary places informed by funding allocations for 2011-14 and by the James Review of capital expenditure.

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 and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meetings held on December 1 2010 and December 22 2010 be confirmed as a correct record.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the Council’s in-house supported living service, the Community Support Team (CST), for adults with a learning disability be outsourced;

(ii) the services for 18 people with a learning disability resident in 4 shared addresses be tendered as 1 Lot of Tranche 5 of the SPLD Recommissioning Programme using the Learning Disability Framework Agreement; and

(iii) the services for 21 people in receipt of outreach support be included in a parallel piece of procurement to develop outreach and floating support services.