Agenda and minutes

Councillors Wise, Bell and John Paschoud all declared a personal interest in

Item 7 as Council appointed members of the Lewisham Homes Board.

Councillor Hall declared a personal interest in Item 15 as a Public Governor

on the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and in Item 7 as a

member of the Phoenix Community Housing Board.

Councillor Muldoon declared a personal interest in Item 13 (1a) as a

substitute member on the Shadow Advisory Board of the Local Government

Pension Scheme. He further declared a personal interest in Item 15 as a Lead

Governor on the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on March 26 2015 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Councillor Bell presented a petition on behalf of Councillor Alicia

Kennedy bearing 110 names of parents of children at St James Hatcham

CofE Primary School calling on the Council to reconsider a decision to drop

plans to enlarge the school to two forms of entry.

Councillor Walsh presented a petition bearing 41 names calling on the

Council to continue to oppose any extension of opening or delivery times to

the Aldi Store on the corner of Rushey Green & Bradgate Road and further

ensure the enforcement of the planning restrictions placed on the site.

Councillor Hilton presented a petition bearing 39 names calling on the Council

to create parking bays at Heron House Plaza and/or Sylvan Post Plaza to

alleviate social problems and to give local people more access to local

amenities.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

A written announcement giving details of four recipients of awards with a

Lewisham connection was received by the Council. The Chair highlighted the

contribution of the Executive Director for Children & Young People, Frankie

Sulke who was attending her last Council meeting and who had been

awarded the CBE. Her outstanding contribution to Lewisham was marked by

warm applause.

Fund Raising events

Councillor Ingleby reported on the fund-raising Prudential100 bike ride he

would be doing for Lavender Trust in August and also the 5k Tunnels2Towers

run that the Mayor & his wife and Councillors Dromey, Bonavia & he would be

doing in July for Lavender Trust and the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign.

London Marathon

Councillor Maslin reported on the outcome of Lewisham’s participation in the

London Marathon and encouraged younger Councillors to consider taking part

next year.

Freedom of the City of London

On behalf of the Council, Councillor Hall congratulated Councillor Adefiranye

on being awarded the Freedom of the City of London.

November 2014 Council meeting

Councillor Smith offered a personal statement concerning the November 2014

Council meeting at Sedgehill School. He recounted that he had made a brief

response to a question from Mr Peter Richardson and then had expanded his

remarks to voice misgivings about questions from members of the public and

Councillors generally. He said he stood by his general opinions about

questions but stressed he had never intended to give personal offence. He

reported he had subsequently spoken to Mr & Mrs Richardson and had

gained an appreciation that their persistent questioning arose from a genuine

commitment to what they perceived to be in the wider public interest.

Councillor Smith made an unreserved apology to Mr Richardson for causing

any distress and offence and stated that had never been his intention.

53 questions were received from the following members of the public which

were answered by the Cabinet Member indicated. A copy of the questions

and answers will be circulated separately.

10 questions were received from the following Councillors which were

answered by the Cabinet Member indicated. A copy of the questions

and answers will be circulated separately.

The Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Damien Egan, moved that the

recommendations be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the

Housing Select Committee, Councillor Carl Handley. Following debate to

which the Mayor and Councillors Hall, Wise and Coughlin contributed it was:

RESOLVED that

(1) the consultation undertaken and the feedback given on the new Housing

Strategy be noted;

(2) the first draft Housing Strategy scrutinised by the Housing Select

Committee on 1st October 2014 and the second draft scrutinised following

public consultation on 28th January 2015 be noted;

(3) the new Housing Strategy, as recommended for approval at Mayor and

Cabinet on 25 March 2015 be received;

(4) ‘Homes for Lewisham’ be approved as the Council’s Housing Strategy for

2015-2020, as set out.

The Executive Director for Customer Services representative, Mr Ralph

Wilkinson, who was also a CRPL Company Director, withdrew from the

meeting during consideration of this item.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan Smith, moved that the recommendation,

subject to the acceptance of an amendment proposed by Councillor Hall and

seconded by Councillor Bonavia, be approved and this was seconded by the

Chair of the Sustainable Development Select Committee, Councillor Liam

Curran and it was:

RESOLVED that the contents of the 2015/16 business plan for Catford

Regeneration Partnership Limited (CRPL) be approved and the Head of Law

be asked to draft any constitutional changes required to allow a non-executive

director to join the CPRL Board of Directors.

The Deputy Mayor, Councillor Alan Smith, moved that the recommendation,

be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the Sustainable

Development Select Committee, Councillor Liam Curran and it was:

RESOLVED that the Local Development Scheme set out as Appendix 1 be

approved and brought into effect from the 24June 2015. 

The Chief Executive, Head of Law and the Executive Director for Resources

and Regeneration withdrew from the meeting during consideration of this

item.

The Chair of the Constitution Working Party, Councillor Alan Hall, moved that

the recommendation, be approved and this was seconded by the Vice-Chair

of the Constitution Working Party, Councillor Kevin Bonavia and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the changes proposed in the draft report at Appendix 1 (Constitutional

Update), considered by the Constitution Working Party on 10 June 2015, be

approved subject to:

            (a) the amendments agreed by the CWP appearing at Appendix 2 and

(b) the deletion of the words “consist of” in paragraph 6(3) (d) of

Appendix 1 and the insertion of “include” in their place

(2) the Broadway Theatre Working Group be established as set out at

Appendix 3, considered by the CWP on 10 June 2015, subject to the

amendments agreed by the CWP appearing at Appendix 4.

The Chair of Council moved that the recommendation be approved,

and this was seconded by the Vice Chair, Councillor Alan Till.

RESOLVED that the actions taken by the Chair of Council be noted.

The Chair of Overview & Scrutiny, Councillor Alan Hall moved that the

recommendation be approved, and this was seconded by the Vice Chair of

Overview & Scrutiny, Councillor Gareth Siddorn.

RESOLVED that the actions taken by the Chair of Overview & Scrutiny be

noted.

RESOLVED that appointments be made as follows:

(a) Pension Board

the invitation to appoint a member to the Board be declined and the Executive

Director for Resources and Regeneration be asked to nominate an officer to

take that position.

(b) Broadway Theatre Working Group

the Broadway Theatre Working Party comprise of 9 members, Councillors

Curran, Upex, Ibitson, Johnston-Franklin, Milne, Walsh, Siddorn, Best and

Hall, plus Councillor Coughlin if he so decides.

(c) Planning and Licensing Committees

The following changes be approved:

Planning Committee B       Councillor Wise to replace Councillor Milne.

Planning Committee C       Councillor Milne to replace Councilor Slater.

Licensing Committee          Councillor Slater to replace Councillor Wise.

The motion was moved by Councillor Sorba and seconded by Councillor Bell.

There was then a debate to which the Councillors Coughlin and Mallory

contributed. The motion was then put to the vote and declared to be

unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This Council resolves to register its opposition to the Transatlantic Trade and

Investment Partnership currently being negotiated between the USA and The

European Union on the following grounds –

1. TTIP limits the freedom of Local and Central government to choose how

they wish to deliver or procure goods and services for the public thereby

undermining our duty to the people who we are elected to represent.  Under

the Treaty it will prove almost impossible to resist increasing demands from

transnational corporations demanding contracts for the delivery of health,

medical and other vital services. The right to regulate the market, including

the labour market, for the public benefit at local or national level on the basis

of political mandates or material circumstances is a key lever of government

in any democracy. Losing this freedom will significantly affect the wellbeing of

the citizens we serve.

2. TTIP endangers necessary environmental, health and safety regulation

designed to protect consumers. The principle of “harmonisation” in the Treaty

is designed to pushdown safeguards to the minimum – e.g  unlimited access

of genetically modified ingredients, chlorine-washed chicken, hormone-

injected beef and endocrine-disrupting chemicals in pesticides currently

approved in the USA but not Europe to become commonplace. TTIP will allow

the importation of cosmetics with more than 1000 chemicals that the EU bans

(to the 11 of the US) and will abandon  the “Precautionary principle”  which

prohibits agents and activities deemed to be dangerous until they can be

proven safe, in favour of the US notion that there should be no ban unless the

damage has already been proven to result.

3. TTIP transfers the authority to deliver judgement on disputes between

elected bodies and commercial organisations from our independent judiciary

to an unaccountable and secret panel of international trade lawyers. The

Investor-State Dispute Settlement allows any foreign investor in a signatory

State to sue elected governments if it feels their actions have disadvantaged

its commercial interests. The panel is not required to publish reasons for its

decisions, there is no right of appeal, and they override national laws and

bypass the courts.

4. Negotiations have been taking place under a cloud of secrecy and under

pressure from a disproportionate number of lobbyists on behalf of

transnational corporations especially those from the financial sector.

5. There has been no assessment of the potential impact on local authorities.

6. There has been no scrutiny of the negotiating texts by local government

and no consultation with local government representatives.

This Council notes that of June 1st 2015, 470 organisations and 1.8 million

individuals throughout Europe have registered their opposition to TTIP by

signing a European Citizens’ Initiative.  The 30 plus UK organisations listed

include War on Want, Friends of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 105.

The motion was moved by Councillor Slater and seconded by Councillor

Dromey.

There was then a debate to which the Councillors Muldoon, Barnham, Daby,

Elliott and Best contributed. The motion was then put to the vote and declared

to be unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“This council notes:

•           1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any given

year.

•           The World Health Organisation predicts that depression will be the

            second most common health condition worldwide by 2020.

•           Mental ill health costs some £105 billion each year in England alone.

•           People with a severe mental illness die up to 20 years younger than

            their peers in the UK

•           There is often a circular relationship between mental health and issues

such as housing, employment, family problems or debt.

This council believes:

•           As a local authority we have a crucial role to play in improving the

mental health of everyone in our community and tackling some of the

widest and most entrenched inequalities in health.

•           Despite continuing high levels of budget cuts imposed by central

government, mental health should be a priority across all the local

authority’s areas of responsibility, including housing, community safety

and planning.

•           All councillors, whether members of the Executive or Scrutiny and in

our community and casework roles, can play a positive role in

championing mental health on an individual and strategic basis.

This council resolves:

1. Build on existing good practice between the Council and Voluntary

Community Services in supporting mental health.

2. Identify a ‘lead officer’ for mental health to link in with colleagues across the

council and other health services, working closely with the Lewisham’s mental

health champion, who is appointed by the Mayor.

3. Follow the implementation framework https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-framework to-improve-

mental-health-and-wellbeing for the mental health strategy where it is relevant

to the council’s work and local needs.

4. Work to reduce inequalities in mental health in our community.

5. Work with local partners, including the health services and housing

associations, to integrate support for people with mental health needs.

6. Promote wellbeing and initiate and support action to promote good mental

health.

7. Tackle discrimination on the grounds of mental health in our community.

8. To continue to work in close partnership with the Local Metropolitan Police

when people Mental Health issues come to their attention and that they are

appropriately taken to a place of safety rather than a police cell.

9. Recognise the difficulties faced by carers, and in particular young carers, of

those facing mental health issues, and continue to ensure we further the work

of community organisations and the Council in meeting their needs.

10. Encourage positive mental health in local schools, neighbourhoods and

workplaces.

11. Proactively engage and listen to people of all ages and backgrounds

about what they need for better mental health.

12. In the spirit of the Time to Change pledge, Lewisham Council in

partnership with key service deliverers, produce an action  ...  view the full minutes text for item 106.