Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED

that the minutes of that part of the meetings of the Mayor and Cabinet, which was open to the press and public held on December 5 and 10 2012, be confirmed and signed.

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 report was presented by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services and by a representative of the Executive Director for Customer Services.

The Mayor was then addressed by the Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Carl Handley, who presented an addendum report. He outlined the Select Committee’s broad support for the proposals and highlighted the need to create an ethos within any organisation responsible for housing that was committed to building more houses. He also urged Lewisham Homes to develop tenants who could serve on its Management Committee.

In response, the Mayor indicated he intended to hold a dialogue with other Registered Social Landlords in Lewisham to see if the Lewisham Homes stock improvement proposals could be replicated. In terms of developing tenant representatives who could serve on the Lewisham Homes Board, he said he was happy to pursue the suggestion in principle but had to be sure actions were pursued at the right time.

Having considered the officer report, and the presentations by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susan Wise, and the Chair of the Housing Select Committee, Councillor Carl Handley, the Mayor then:

RESOLVED

that

(i) the findings of the discussion with residents about the possible options for addressing Lewisham’s housing challenges be noted;

(ii) the potential options for continuing the conversation with residents and the associated strengths and weaknesses of each be noted;

(iii) as there was limited support expressed among residents for the option of transfer to an existing housing association, and because the resident-led option offers greater potential to respond to residents concerns about rents and security of tenure for new as well as existing residents, transfer to an existing housing association be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(iv) as residents prefer retention with the ALMO to retention with a return to Council Management, and because a return to Council management at this stage would put at risk the delivery of the current Decent Homes programme, the option of a return to Council management of the stock be no longer pursued as part of this process;

(v) the two possible options remaining options be noted namely:

1.         that the Council ceases all further options appraisal activities, retains the ALMO as is, and works within the budgetary limits the Council faces as a landlord, or

2.         that the Council works alongside residents, Lewisham Homes and other bodies to better understand how, by retaining but evolving Lewisham Homes - with a view to a possible transfer of ownership to Lewisham Homes as a resident-led organisation – it might attract further investment, increase resident control, deliver residents’ aspirations and address their concerns; and

(vi) on the basis of the appraisal of the options set out and having considered the further information including the required further financial and technical assessments set out , option 2 should be pursued.

The Executive Director for Resources representative verbally reported that at the end of November the projected underspend was slightly over two million pounds.

Having considered an officer report, and the presentation by the Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Paul Maslin, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That the financial forecasts for the year ending 31 March 2013 be noted.

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Deputy Mayor, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That

(i) the revised content and timetable of the LDS be approved and the Council be recommended to formally adopt the revised Local Development Scheme; and

(ii) the Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration be authorised to make any minor changes to the text and format of the documents prior to consideration by the Council.

The Executive Director for Resources representative circulated an errata document containing an amended Council Tax Base figure for recommendation to the Council.

Councillor Best suggested greater clarity might be obtained by amending the recommendation for Class C properties to demonstrate there would be a four week 100% discount before the 0% discount applied.

The Mayor agreed with the suggestion and said he was pleased that the 0% discount for second homes had been achieved after several years of campaigning for that change.

Having considered an officer report and errata document, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Paul Maslin, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That

(i) the Council be recommended to agree a Council Tax Base of 72,198.5 for 2013/14;

(ii) the Council tax base calculation for 2013/14 be noted;

(iii) the Council be recommended to agree the budgeted collection rate of 95%;

(iv) the Council be recommended to agree a 0% discount for second homes, thereby removing the 10% which currently exists;

(v) the Council be recommended to agree a 0% discount for empty homes – Class A (an empty property undergoing structural alteration or major repair to make it habitable) ;

(vi) the Council be recommended to agree a 0% discount for empty homes – Class C (a substantially empty and unfurnished property), subject to the exception of a 100% discount for 4 weeks;

(vii) the Council be recommended to agree to apply an empty homes premium of 150% in respect of long term empty properties, and

(viii) the NNDR1 return be noted.

The Head of Law explained that the delegation shown in the appendix would generally be to the Head of Community and Neighbourhood Development unless that officer had a conflict of interest in which case another Service Head would consider the application. She confirmed one formal application had been received in respect of the Baring Hall Hotel and had been processed and agreed.

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan Smith, the Mayor

RESOLVED

That the Mayoral scheme of delegation be amended as set out.

The Head of Law confirmed that the equalities and legal implications for this report were exactly the same as for Item 4 and that the Mayor should consider them before arriving at a decision.

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Community Services and Older People, Councillor Chris Best, the Mayor

RESOLVED

That

(i) the overall expenditure for the London Councils Grants Scheme in 2013/2014 of £10,000,000 (inclusive of £2million gross ESF programme) be approved;

(ii) a sum of £303,763 in respect of the London Borough of Lewisham’s Contribution be approved;

(iii) the London Councils grants consultation 2013/15 be noted.

Councillors Millbank and Klier both advised the Mayor of the success of the pilot schemes and urged him to extend the scheme boroughwide.

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Community Services and Older People, Councillor Chris Best, the Mayor

RESOLVED

That

(i) the delegation of authority in relation to the Council’s charging policy to Executive Director level be restricted to:

(a) decisions relating to charges for services which are proposed to be

waived in order that Lewisham Time Credits can be accepted as payment, and

(b) those decisions where the financial impact to any service area is under

£10,000.

(ii) the success of the Lewisham Time Credits pilot in Telegraph Hill and Lee Green and the borough wide roll out of the programme from March 2013 be noted.

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Deputy Mayor, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That the progress made by CRPL in managing the Catford Centre in 2012/13 and projections for the coming 13/14 financial year be noted and presented to Council on 23 January 2013 for approval;

Having considered information supplied in respect of the nominees and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Children & Young People, Councillor Helen Klier, the Mayor, appointed the persons listed below as School Governors and approved changes to instruments at two schools.

RESOLVED

That

(i) the revised Instrument of Government for All Saints’ Church of England Primary School and St. Margaret’s Lee Church of England

Primary School as provided be approved;

(ii) the persons listed below be appointed as School Governors,

Cllr. Obajimi Adefiranye

Crossways sixth form

Simon Allen

Torridon Infant School

Mary Stiasny

Sydenham School

(iii) the information concerning the new and re-appointed governors be noted.

Having considered an officer report, the Mayor

RESOLVED

That the views and recommendations of the Committee be received and the Executive Director for Community Services be asked to prepare a response to the Select Committee’s

recommendations.

Having considered an officer report, the Mayor

RESOLVED

That the views and recommendations of the

Committee be received and the Executive

Director for Resources & Regeneration be

asked to prepare a response to the Select

Committee’s recommendations.

Having considered an officer report, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That agreed that the views of the Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee as set out be received and the Executive Director for Community Services be asked to respond.

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:

The Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susan Wise, presented the report and thanked officers for the hard work involved in compiling both housing matters reports. The Mayor added his appreciation and said he was impressed by the imagination shown.

Having considered a confidential officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Councillor Susan Wise, the Mayor agreed that

RESOLVED

That

(i) four proposed sites should be taken forward with further development of possible designs and consultation with tenants in the vicinity of the proposed developments;

(ii) officers should invite tenders from the Council’s existing procurement framework for the necessary technical and professional support to further develop the proposed sites, ahead of a final decision to award contracts later in 2013;

(iii) the Council should bid to the GLA Care and Support Specialised Housing Fund for the development of a 52 unit extra care scheme in Lewisham Central ward;

(iv) details of a proposed bid to the same fund by Phoenix Community Housing for funding to develop a 60 unit extra care scheme in Downham ward be noted; and

(v) the Council should support Phoenix Community Housing in that bid, including by making an in-principle agreement to provide capital funding to make the scheme financially viable, subject to best value and further detailed cost analysis the details of which will be reported back to Mayor and Cabinet for final approval, if Phoenix Community Housing is successful in its bid.

Having considered a confidential officer report, and a presentation by the Cabinet Member for Community Services & Older People, Councillor Chris Best, the Mayor:

RESOLVED

That

(i) formal announcement of Lewisham’s public health allocation was not made alongside the Local Government Finance settlement as had been previously indicated by DH and that the funding allocation will now be announced in the New Year, and is expected by 11 January 2013.

(ii) the contingency actions outlined were there to be a shortfall in funding in excess of that previously notified to Mayor and Cabinet on 24 October 2012, be noted;

(iii) the legal framework which governs the arrangements for transferring Public Health staff from Lewisham PCT to the Council be noted;

(iv) the Director of Public Health has advised the NHS and the Council that in his professional opinion all 23 staff spend 100% of their time on the functions which will transfer to the Council and therefore are to be listed on the Transfer Scheme; and

(v) the staff in the posts listed transfer to the Council on 1 April 2013.