Agenda and minutes

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 Mayor received a written reference report from the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel concerning the Budget 2011-12 item he had considered at Mayor & Cabinet on February 17 2011.

The Mayor considered each point made by the Business Panel and asked that a written response be provided to that Panel’s next meeting.

RESOLVED

That a written response containing the Mayor’s views be provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Business Panel.

The report was presented by the Executive Director for Resources who tabled an errata sheet. She confirmed that the GLA precept had been confirmed that afternoon and that she had issued her Section 25 Statement to the Council.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the Early Invention Grant proposal relating to ‘Working with Men’ be until the end of August in line with similar organisations; requiring an allocation of £18,000. The one-off resource to be found at outturn would then reduce to £124,500 rather than the previously agreed £149, 500;

(ii) the Section 25 Statement from the Chief Financial Officer be received;

(iii) a recommended Council Tax for 2011/12 of £1,042.11 for the Council’s element be reaffirmed. This is an increase of 0%, based on a General Fund Budget Requirement of £281.099m for 2011/12; and

(iv) there be an overall increase in Council Tax for 2011/12 of 0%, which includes the Greater London Authority (GLA) precept being frozen at its existing 2010/11 level and that the Council on 1 March 2011 be recommended to accept the attached motion on the budget.

RESOLVED

That

(i) where necessary, Notice of Seeking Possession is served and possession proceedings brought against secure tenants of properties in Phase 2 (as shown on the plan attached as Appendix 1 of this report) under Ground 10 of Schedule 2 to the Housing Act 1985;

(ii) any properties in Phase 2 which were previously sold under the Right to Buy be repurchased by the Council at market value (plus reasonable professional fees) where agreement can be reached with freeholders, in advance of any Compulsory Purchase Order being made by the Council and to delegate authority to the Head of Asset Strategy and Development, in consultation with the Head of Law. to negotiate and agree the acquisition terms;

(iii) secure tenants and resident freeholders of properties in Phase 2 are re-housed;

(iv) home loss and disturbance payments are made to displaced secure tenants and freeholders of properties in Phase 2 where appropriate in accordance with the Land Compensation Act 1973;

RESOLVED

That

(i) the progress of the Heathside and Lethbridge Regeneration Scheme be noted; and;

(ii) having considered the responses to the statutory Section 105 consultation, the Council should seek to achieve the redevelopment of Heathside and Lethbridge in line with the revised phasing strategy.

RESOLVED

That the attached report detailing progress made by CRPL in managing the Catford Centre since the acquisition in February 2010 be presented to the Council on March 1 2011 for approval;

RESOLVED

That the response prepared by the Executive Director for Regeneration be provided as a response to the Sustainable Development Select Committee.

Councillor Fitzsimmons advised the Mayor that she thought the second of the two available models should be the preferred option.

RESOLVED

That

(i) a Positive Ageing Council(POSAC) be established in Lewisham to debate and champion issues affecting older people in the Borough;

(ii) there be a community based model for the new POSAC, and to review the model again in three years time;

(iii) changes to the Council’s Constitution will be required in order for POSAC to be formally recognised within the Council’s reporting framework and agrees that this matter should be referred to the Constitution Working Group to consider the changes to the Constitution necessary to implement these arrangements.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the consultation process in drawing up the grants criteria, including the written submissions be noted;

(ii) the assessment criteria for allocation be approved; and

(iii) the following specific proposals be approved:

(a)         the upper level for smaller grants within the main grant programme should be £10,000

(b)         the Faith in Social Action Fund and Small Grants programme be retained, with the four themes being used for the criteria

(c)         the small grants programme  should include  small one-off purchases (up to £500)

The Mayor declared a personal and prejudicial interest in the proposed appointments to Rangefield Primary School and he vacated the Chair and left the meeting room while these were considered. In his absence the meeting of the Cabinet was chaired by Councillor Klier

RESOLVED

That the following persons be appointed as School Governors:

Mr Trevor Coo

Athelney

Mr James Jennings

Edmund Waller

Ms Denise Hart

Elfrida

Mr Joe Perry

Grinling Gibbons

Ms Sophia Arthur

Kelvin Grove

Ms Pauline Eldridge

Meadowgate

Mrs Jacqueline Lumsden

Pendragon

Ms Bethan Campbell

Sandhurst Juniors

Ms Andrea Blower

St John Baptist CE

Mr Eamon Martin

Sydenham

Mr Jay Davies

TorridonJunior  and Torridon Infant

Ms Kris Hibbert

Rangefield

Mr William Godwin

Rangefield

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:

In Item 5 the Mayor had been provided with an update on the general approach the Council is taking in partnership with L&Q. The confidential section of the report looked at the commercially sensitive issues around the Phase 1 site disposal, Development Agreement and scheme finances.

Councillor Wise pointed out paragraph 7.5.5.2 should have referred to L&Q rather than Family Mosaic.

RESOLVED

That

(i) an overarching Principal Development Agreement  be entered into with L&Q for the Excalibur Regeneration Scheme on the basis of the key principles outlined;

(ii) the disposal and development of the Council’s freehold interest in the Phase 1 site be approved in accordance with the overarching Principal Development Agreement and on the detailed terms set out;

(iii) in the event that the Council’s freehold interest in the Phase 1 site cannot be transferred to L&Q within the timescale required to enable L&Q to draw down funding in accordance with the Homes and Communities Agency deadline, the two-stage disposal process for the Phase 1 site be authorised as set out ;

(iv) authority be delegated to the Director of Programme Management and Property, in consultation with the Executive Director for Resources, Executive Director for Customer Services and Head of Law, to negotiate and agree the detailed terms of the two-stage disposal process for the Phase 1 site referred (if necessary), the final terms of the Development Agreement and all other associated legal agreements with L&Q;

(v) a capital estimate be adopted for Phase 2 of the development  and  the potential risks associated with the use of Prudential Borrowing be noted; and

(vi) the gross Prudential Borrowing provision of be endorsed and recommended for approval by Council.