Agenda item

Matter raised by the Sydenham Local Assembly – Greyhound Public House

Having considered an officer report, and a presentation by the Chair of the

Sydenham Local Assembly, Councillor Chris Best, a local ward Councillor

Liam Curran and Mr Barry Milton of the Sydenham Society, the Mayor agreed

that:

(a) the resolution agreed by the Sydenham Local Assembly be noted;

(b) the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration be asked to respond

at the October 22 meeting; and

(c) a response be provided to the Sydenham Local Assembly including

updated legal advice and reporting all efforts made by the Council towards

securing the rebuilding of the Greyhound.

Matter raised by the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel – Recycling

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Chair of the

Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel, Councillor Alan Hall, the Mayor agreed

that there should be a timeline and date for completion of the strategic review

of Waste and Recycling and that the final report to Sustainable Development

Select Committee should make reference to the original comments from the

Business Panel.

Matter raised by the Sydenham Local Assembly – Greyhound Public House

The Mayor was firstly addressed by Councillor Chris Best in her capacity as

Chair of the Sydenham Local Assembly. She reported that the destruction of

the Greyhound was a crucial local issue and she referred to the lengthy

timeline described in the written submission. She stated that the outcome

local people wished to see was the rebuilding of the pub and promised the

Council would continue to lend support to efforts to achieve restoration.

Barry Milton of the Sydenham Society stated the current condition of the

Greyhound was a blight on the High Street and he recalled the September

2007 meeting of the Mayor & Cabinet when the Mayor designated the

Sydenham Conservation Area. He echoed Councillor Best’s call for the pub to

be rebuilt and he called for support from the Mayor and Chief Executive.

Councillor Curran supported the previous two speakers and described the

monumental local frustration over the delay in prosecuting what appeared to

be a blatantly criminal act. He called on effective leadership to ensure

Sydenham had a pub that was restored, rebuilt and reopened.

In response, the Mayor pledged the Assembly would receive a response to an

issue in which a private sector organisation appeared to hold the Council and

the feelings of local people in contempt. He said the destruction of the

Greyhound did not happen because of any Council failings and that the

principal question that had been raised was how could the rule of law be

enforced. He asked the Head of Law if it would be possible to receive a report

at the next meeting on possible action and she expressed confidence that a

progress report could be considered on October 22.

Having considered an officer report, and the presentations by the Chair of the

Sydenham Local Assembly, Councillor Chris Best, a local ward Councillor

Liam Curran and Mr Barry Milton of the Sydenham Society, the Mayor

RESOLVED that:

(a) the resolution agreed by the Sydenham Local Assembly be noted;

(b) the Executive Director for Resources & Regeneration be asked to respond

at the October 22 meeting; and

(c) a response be provided to the Sydenham Local Assembly including

updated legal advice and reporting all efforts made by the Council towards

securing the rebuilding of the Greyhound.

Matter raised by the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel – Recycling

The Mayor was addressed by the Chair of the Panel, Councillor Alan Hall,

who stated the Panel continued to have concerns about the low recycling

rates reported for Lewisham. The Mayor received advice from the Head of

Environment, Customer Services Directorate and from Councillor Rachel

Onikosi, Cabinet Member for the Public Realm. They indicated that recycling

formed part of a larger and more complex waste management strategy that

would be comprehensively examined in a review report being prepared for the

Sustainable Development Select Committee. In response the Mayor said he

looked forward to receiving all relevant information when it was compiled.

Having considered an officer report and a presentation by the Chair of the

Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel, Councillor Alan Hall, the Mayor:

RESOLVED that there should be a timeline and date for completion of the

strategic review of Waste and Recycling and that the final report to the

Sustainable Development Select Committee should make reference to the

original comments from the Business Panel.