Agenda, decisions and minutes

Councillor Dromey declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Item 12 as

Chair of the Lewisham Poverty Commission.

Councillor Dromey declared a personal non-prejudicial interest in Item 12 as

Chair of the Lewisham Poverty Commission.

Approved.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on October 25 2017 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Post Offices

RESOLVED that the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as set

out be noted and the Cass Business School report setting out the case for a

national Post Bank be received.

Comments of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Post Offices

The report was presented by Councillor Alan Hall, as Chair of the Overview &

Scrutiny Committee, who reported the Committee had agreed to notify the

Mayor and Cabinet of concerns relating to proposed Post Office closures and

of their support for a national Post Bank initiative.

The Mayor was advised of efforts to save Sydenham Post Office by Councillor

Chris Best and of efforts to secure New Cross Post Office by Councillor Joe

Dromey. The Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration noted the

Council was the property owner at Sydenham and that discussions were

underway with the Post Office regarding the future use of the building.

RESOLVED that the views of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as set

out be noted and the Cass Business School report setting out the case for a

national Post Bank be received.

The Mayor noted one item had slipped since the last report and he was

informed by the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration of the

intention to combine the outstanding response to the Select Committee with a

report on the Cycling Strategy in December.

The Mayor noted one item had slipped since the last report and he was

informed by the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration of the

intention to combine the outstanding response to the Select Committee with a

report on the Cycling Strategy in December.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Housing, Councillor Damien Egan, the Mayor agreed that:

(1) the progress update on the New Homes, Better Places Programme be

noted;

(2) the design development and consultation which has been carried out on

the proposed re-development of the garages at Algernon Close, including the

statutory Section 105 Consultation be noted;

(3) having considered the responses to the statutory Section 105 consultation

on the proposed re-development of the garages at Algernon Close, Lewisham

Homes should proceed to submit a planning application to deliver five new

Council homes on the site;

(4) the success of the Councils Expression of Interest (EOI) to the GLA

Innovation Fund, and current progress made towards finalising designs and

overall programme costings for the four schemes be noted:

(5) officers be authorised to bid for funding from the GLA Innovation Fund to

deliver four of the projects within the 500 home programme using modern

methods of construction in the same manner as at PLACE/Ladywell, at an

estimated value of £14m; and

(6) Subject to the bid being successful, authority for agreeing the terms of the

grant agreements with the GLA be delegated to the Executive Director for

Resources and Regeneration, in consultation with the Head of Law.

Councillor Chris Best commented on a visit she had made to the Phoenix

Housing scheme at Hazlehurst Court and commended the high calibre of

the provision she had found there.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Housing, Councillor Damien Egan, the Mayor, for the reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the progress update on the New Homes, Better Places Programme be

noted;

(2) the design development and consultation which has been carried out on

the proposed re-development of the garages at Algernon Close, including the

statutory Section 105 Consultation be noted;

(3) having considered the responses to the statutory Section 105 consultation

on the proposed re-development of the garages at Algernon Close, Lewisham

Homes should proceed to submit a planning application to deliver five new

Council homes on the site;

(4) the success of the Councils Expression of Interest (EOI) to the GLA

Innovation Fund, and current progress made towards finalising designs and

overall programme costings for the four schemes be noted:

(5) officers be authorised to bid for funding from the GLA Innovation Fund to

deliver four of the projects within the 500 home programme using modern

methods of construction in the same manner as at PLACE/Ladywell, at an

estimated value of £14m; and

(6) Subject to the bid being successful, authority for agreeing the terms of the

grant agreements with the GLA be delegated to the Executive Director for

Resources and Regeneration, in consultation with the Head of Law.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for the Public Realm, Councillor Rachel Onikosi, the Mayor agreed

that:

(1) officers maintain a watching brief on new London energy supply models

working with other boroughs and the Greater London Authority.

(2) the proposal to pilot a new community energy fund subject to any further

approvals required be approved;

(3) the Council’s support, in principle, for a heat network in the borough

making use of waste heat from South East London Community Energy be

confirmed subject to a further report being presented; and

(4) officers develop options for future work to provide practical support to

vulnerable households and to submit these to Lewisham’s Health and

Wellbeing Board.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for the Public Realm, Councillor Rachel Onikosi, the Mayor, for the

reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1) officers maintain a watching brief on new London energy supply models

working with other boroughs and the Greater London Authority.

(2) the proposal to pilot a new community energy fund subject to any further

approvals required be approved;

(3) the Council’s support, in principle, for a heat network in the borough

making use of waste heat from South East London Community Energy be

confirmed subject to a further report being presented; and

(4) officers develop options for future work to provide practical support to

vulnerable households and to submit these to Lewisham’s Health and

Wellbeing Board.

Having considered an officer report and presentations by the Deputy Mayor,

Councillor Alan Smith, and Bellingham Ward Councillors Sue Hordijenko and

Alan Hall, the Mayor agreed that:

(1) the contents of the Consultation Statement (Appendix 1), including the

main issues raised and officer response to them and the findings of the

Integrated Impact Assessment (Appendix 2) be noted;

(2) officers consideration that Pool Court is currently the preferred site be

noted;

(3) officers be instructed to further investigate the following matters in relation

to the potential Pool Court site and report back to Mayor and Cabinet:

(i) the potential phased delivery of a traveller site,

(ii) the incorporation of current public highway land in to a site,

(iii) re-location assistance that could be offered to the existing scaffolding

business.

(4) those that commented on the Potential Sites Consultation Report be

informed of these decisions.

The report was introduced by the Deputy Mayor and the Head of Planning

who stated the report was to be regarded as an update and a reflection of

current thinking but did not amount to a site recommendation as more work

still needed to be done on the preferred Pool Court option.

The Mayor was next addressed by Bellingham Ward Councillor Sue

Hordijenko who opposed the Pool Court location which she felt was

unsuitable for a site as it would be placed between a railway line and a river

and would be inherently dangerous for children. She said she did not want to

see a marginalised community placed in a marginal location. She was

supported by fellow Ward Councillor Alan Hall who added that a choice of

Pool Court would place a local scaffolding yard in jeopardy and would

threaten an area of ecological interest. He said there were also concerns on

deliverability and believed the Pool Court option should be opposed. He urged

the Mayor to broaden the terms of the site search.

Councillor Dromey advised the Mayor as a local member on potential

problems in choosing the Winslade Estate option but that he did not currently

oppose the option and was prepared to continue engaging with the process.

Councillor Egan asked if any discussions had taken place with the Gypsy and

Traveller community regarding a preferred option. The Head of Planning said

discussions had taken place with a representative of that community and that

Pool Court was their preferred option owing to local familial connections.

Having considered an officer report and presentations by the Deputy Mayor,

Councillor Alan Smith, and Bellingham Ward Councillors Sue Hordijenko and

Alan Hall, the Mayor, for the reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the contents of the Consultation Statement (Appendix 1), including the

main issues raised and officer response to them and the findings of the

Integrated Impact Assessment (Appendix 2) be noted;

(2) officers consideration that Pool Court is currently the preferred site be

noted;

(3) officers be instructed to further investigate the following matters in relation

to the potential Pool Court site and report back to Mayor and Cabinet:

(i) the potential phased delivery of a traveller site,

(ii) the incorporation of current public highway land in to a site,

(iii) re-location assistance that could be offered to the existing scaffolding

business.

(4) those that commented on the Potential Sites Consultation Report be

informed of these decisions.

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

Councillor Alan Smith, the Mayor agreed that the report be noted.

Councillor Best noted there were 15 sheltered housing projects with sprinklers

and she asked when would others be completed. The Executive Director for

Customer Services representative stated a reply would be provided

subsequent to the meeting.

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

Councillor Alan Smith, the Mayor :

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Housing, Councillor Damien Egan, the Mayor agreed that the

response from the Executive Director for Customer Services to the comments

of the Sustainable Development Select Committee be approved and

forwarded to the Select Committee.

The Deputy Mayor highlighted the limited enforcement powers available to the

Council owing to the private sector’s recourse to Approved Inspectors

operating for profit outside the purview of a local authority. The Mayor

acknowledged current Building Regulations were not fit for purpose and

dramatic change was required to ensure effective controls were in place.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Housing, Councillor Damien Egan, the Mayor:

RESOLVED that the response from the Executive Director for Customer

Services to the comments of the Sustainable Development Select Committee

be approved and forwarded to the Select Committee.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Health, Well-Being and Older People, Councillor Chris Best, the

Mayor agreed that:

(1) the removal of the subsidy currently paid for the meals service at three day

centres Cinnamon Court, Cedar Court & the Ladywell Day Centre be

approved and that full cost recovery for meals for those meals apply;

(2) the subsidy be extended for a further month to the 31st January 2018 at a

cost of £5,195;

(3) the delivery of a meals offer become part of its directly managed day

service provision at the Ladywell Centre; and

(4) a £9.8K capital allocation for the purchase of new kitchen equipment be

approved.

The Executive Director for Community Services representative advised the

Mayor the proposals had been considered by the Healthier Communities

Select Committee on November 1 and no specific comments had been made.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Health, Well-Being and Older People, Councillor Chris Best, the

Mayor for the reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the removal of the subsidy currently paid for the meals service at three day

centres Cinnamon Court, Cedar Court & the Ladywell Day Centre be

approved and that full cost recovery for meals for those meals apply;

(2) the subsidy be extended for a further month to the 31st January 2018 at a

cost of £5,195;

(3) the delivery of a meals offer become part of its directly managed day

service provision at the Ladywell Centre; and

(4) a £9.8K capital allocation for the purchase of new kitchen equipment be

approved.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Policy and Performance, Councillor Joe Dromey, the Mayor

agreed that the response from the Executive Director for Resources and

Regeneration to the comments of the Safer Stronger Communities Select

Committee be approved and forwarded to the Select Committee.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Policy and Performance, Councillor Joe Dromey, the Mayor:

RESOLVED that the response from the Executive Director for Resources and

Regeneration to the comments of the Safer Stronger Communities Select

Committee be approved and forwarded to the Select Committee.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Policy and Performance, Councillor Joe Dromey, the Mayor

agreed that:

(1)  the challenge and insight provided by the Lewisham Poverty Commission

be welcomed and the Commissioners be thanked for their time and expertise

(2) the final report of the Lewisham Poverty Commission and its

recommendations be noted;

(3) officers be asked to develop a detailed response to the report’s findings

and recommendations including an action plan;

(4) a Cabinet Member with responsibility for overseeing Lewisham Council’s

actions to tackle poverty be retained, including presenting a yearly report to

the Council’s scrutiny and executive functions so progress can be tracked.

The Mayor thanked everyone who had been involved in the Poverty

Commission and he praised Councillor Dromey for his leadership. He hoped

that Councillor Dromey would continue his involvement under a new Mayor

and that the Council should receive annual updates on the work being

undertaken.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Cabinet

Member for Policy and Performance, Councillor Joe Dromey, the Mayor, for

the reasons set out in the report:

RESOLVED that:

(1)  the challenge and insight provided by the Lewisham Poverty Commission

be welcomed and the Commissioners be thanked for their time and expertise

(2) the final report of the Lewisham Poverty Commission and its

recommendations be noted;

(3) officers be asked to develop a detailed response to the report’s findings

and recommendations including an action plan;

(4) a Cabinet Member with responsibility for overseeing Lewisham Council’s

actions to tackle poverty be retained, including presenting a yearly report to

the Council’s scrutiny and executive functions so progress can be tracked.

The meeting closed at 5.36pm