Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

that the minutes of that part of the meeting of the Mayor and Cabinet, which was open to the press and public held on May 9 2012, be confirmed and signed.

No items had been raised.

RESOLVED

that the report be noted.

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

RESOLVED

that the report be received.

The item was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Councillor Helen Klier and by a representative of the Executive Director for Children & Young People.

The Mayor was next addressed by Maggie Bergin, an Honor Oak parent and Tabitha Bonney, a Ladywell parent. They made a Powerpoint presentation asking that the nurseries be saved by entering into a mutualised format. Laura Edwards, a Rushey Green parent, then spoke in favour of a mutual option for that nursery and requested that the process be extended from 3 months to 6 months. She further claimed that the figures produced by officers did not reflect a realistic situation, as demand had been artificially suppressed owing to the closure proposal.

In response, the Mayor thanked the parents and staff for their professional presentations and the helpful documentation they had produced in support of their proposals. He agreed that 3 months was a challenging target but stated he did not expect a finished product in that timeframe; rather it was a starting point from which future options could be assessed. He noted the Council had experience of broadly similar undertakings when it had been involved with the setting up of community libraries. He concurred with advice from Councillor Millbank that a viable business case was required with a sustainable model based on fees and that equity was necessary with existing community nurseries which had seen their levels of public funding diminish. The Mayor noted the wide divergence between officers and parents/staff in terms of the numbers involved and he concluded independent professional advice, funded by the Council, should be provided to all the parties involved. The advisor would be jointly appointed.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the feedback from the consultations that have taken place with staff and parents at The Early Years Centres (Ladywell, Rushey Green and Honor Oak) indicating an interest in exploring mutual and social enterprise models for the future running of the centres be noted; 

(ii) parents and staff be given three months to explore the feasibility of developing mutual and/or social enterprise models for the future running of the centres and that officers bring back a further report in October which will assess the feasibility of different models and recommend whether to proceed with these or to consult on closure;

(iii) officers take immediate action to bring

down the costs of the Early Years Centres

by reducing staffing costs through a

reduction in staff  numbers using the

Council’s management of change

procedures and by increasing the fees

from September 2012 in line with inflation;

(iv) the resource base for children with complex needs at Ladywell be maintained and that officers consider if any enlargement is required; and that officers commence a procurement exercise to secure a third party provider.

(v) an independent professional adviser be funded and appointed in consultation with parents and staff to assist in the assessment of any proposed mutual and social enterprise models.

The report was introduced by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susam Wise, who pointed out paragraph 12.4 should show the Council would retain a 25% share of 0.5 million rather than 30.5 million.

RESOLVED

That

(i) A Retention Agreement be entered into with the Department of Communities and Local Government relating to the use of Right to Buy receipts for replacement affordable housing;

(ii) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Customer Services and Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration to sign the Retention Agreement with the Department of Communities and Local Government;

(iii) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration to manage and report the use of receipts to Mayor & Cabinet and the Department of Communities and Local Government in accordance with the Retention Agreement;

(iv) subsequent decisions in relation to the use of receipts for particular affordable housing schemes be made in accordance with the Mayoral Scheme of Delegation.

Councillor Jim Mallory, the Chair of the Lee Green Assembly, thanked the Mayor for the very positive response.

RESOLVED

That

(i) a 1 hour visitor permit be implemented in response to Lee Green Assembly and Sustainable Development Select Committee recommendations;

(ii) a transparent financial statement of the parking service accounts be provided in response to Lee Green Assembly and Sustainable Development Select Committee recommendations;

(iii) the remaining recommendations made by the Lee Green Assembly and Sustainable Development Select Committee be addressed in a review of the Council’s existing parking policy; and

(iv) the timetable for the review set out in paragraph 7.2 be approved.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the views of the Sustainable Development Select Committee as set out be noted;

(ii) the Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration be asked to prepare a response to the Committee’s views.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the views of the Safer & Stronger Communities Select Committee as set out be noted;

(ii) the Executive Director for Community Services be asked to prepare a response to the Committee’s views.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the views of the Sustainable Development Select Committee as set out be noted;

(ii) the Executive Director for Customer Services and the Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration be asked to prepare a response to the Committee’s views.

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 relation to the final recommendation, the Mayor asked that owing to the potentially innovative nature of the proposal, he be given regular detailed updates on progress made.

RESOLVED

That

(i) In light of recent changes to housing finance and the background information contained in this report, ownership be retained of the following properties;

·        128 Albyn Rd SE8;

·        58 Ashmead Rd SE4;

·        81 Etta St SE8;

·        58 Friendly St SE8;

·        72 Friendly St SE8;

·        61 Lampmead Rd SE12;

·        7 Angus St, SE14.

(ii) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Customer Services to arrange a survey of 7 Angus St SE14, as the property has not been in use for housing, and if a business case can be made, transfer this asset from Community Services to Customer Services and retain it for use as housing (to be managed by Lewisham Homes);

(iii) works to the properties should be undertaken up to a stated amount and note that this will result in the reduction in the budget of another housing programme (such as Decent Homes, Disabled Facilities Grants, Private Sector Housing Assistance);

(iv) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration, in consultation with the Executive Director for Customer Services, to effect the budget change required;

(v) a capital receipt estimated at £1.6m will be not be forthcoming as a result of this decision, and therefore will not become available for capital investment in the borough;

(vi) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Customer Services to develop a self build/training opportunity to be attached to one or more of the properties.

The report was introduced by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan Smith, who said the recommendations would be subject to Council approval.

RESOLVED

That

(i) a Loan be granted to Lewisham Gateway Development Limited on the terms outlined in this report; and

(ii) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration, in consultation with the Director of Regeneration and Asset Management, Head of Asset Strategy and Development (interim) and the Head of Law, to negotiate and agree the final terms of the Loan and all associated documentation, and any necessary amendments to the Development Agreement and Landowners’ Agreement, to enable the Lewisham Gateway development scheme to proceed.