Agenda and minutes

Cllr Leo Gibbons, Chair of the Forest Hill Assembly welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Cllr Peter Bernards and gave apologies for Cllr Davis.

            James Lee- Director of Culture and Community Development (job share)

James Lee- Director of Culture and Community Development delivered the ‘NCIL Forest Hill workshop presentation’

What is CIL and NCIL?

•      The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a levy that local authorities can choose to charge on certain new development. 

•      CIL must be spent on infrastructure to support the development of an area, such as for schools, hospitals, roads, open space, and leisure facilities.

•      Lewisham has been collecting CIL since 2015:

•      2015/16: £1,440,463.66

•      2016/17: £4,487,774.86

•      2017/18: £3,359,091.04

•      The CIL Regulations enable the Council to set aside 15% of CIL receipts (25% in areas with an adopted neighbourhood plan) to spend on priorities that should be agreed with the local community in areas where development is taking place (NCIL).

•      Mayor & Cabinet agreed to allocate 25% of CIL to NCIL in all wards

The following priorities were agreed for Forest Hill:

•      Transport and Streets

•      Open/Green spaces

•      Community safety

•      Community facilities

•      Air Quality

The council has engaged an independent Structural Surveyor for the building.

The report has been received which shows that the bulk of the issues lie with

the original builder of Forest Hill Pools. The council is working robustly with

the builder to remedy the issues so that the changing rooms can be reopened

as soon as possible.

Fusion Lifestyle managers took questions from the floor. A key priority they are working on is increasing staff so that services run smoothly.

Simon Ware- Fostering Recruitment & Assessment

Lewisham Council is recruiting local foster carers for over 470 children and young people in care. Finding a local foster home helps youngsters to stay in the same school, keep connections to their family and maintain their friendships. Could you be that single person or couple, in a home with a spare bedroom, with the time to provide care, support and help? Fostering can be for a short time or a longer period. The Council will support you with an allowance of up to £650 per week for each child.

Simon Ware-Fostering Recruitment & Assessment delivered the ‘FOSTERING INFORMATION EVENTS 2020’ presentation discussing the following subjects:

•         What is fostering?

•         Who are the Children and young people?

•         Qualities of a Foster Carer

•         What Children and Young want from a carer

•         Fostering today

•         Benefits when you foster with Lewisham Council.

•         Steps to becoming a foster carer

For further information:

Call 0800 015 0129 (freephone) or

Email fosteringrecruitment@lewisham.gov.uk 

Mais House Development- Mary Mckernan

Cllr Gibbons highlighted the importance of completing the feedback

forms and invited members to join the coordinating group which plans

the assembly and discusses local issues and updates. If you would like

to join contact maya.onyett@lewisham.gov.uk for further information.