Issue - meetings

The Interim Director of Regeneration and Place presented the report

Councillor Muldoon referred to page 29 of the Mayor and Cabinet report, 13

January 2021, and asked whether there was a great demand for commercial spaces on the east side of Lewisham High Street and whether tenants had

been identified. The Senior Development & Land Manager advised that all the

units were currently let; three through a company called Meanwhile and one

through the Council. Officers were working through the long term options for

the commercial units and they would be secure until at least October. There

were indications that the units were popular and able to be rented because all

of the units were currently under leases.

Councillor Codd said that he considered that the retention of the PLACE

Ladywell building on the current site was the best option and asked whether

Planning would support the sustainable future of the current site for several

more years. He had concerns about how long Planning would allow this

decision to stand and asked for some assurance that the future of the site

would be secured for a number of years.

Council Johnston-Franklin said that PLACE Ladywell was a great design on

Lewisham High Street and she asked whether it would be possible to relocate

to Slaithwaite Road car park in the future. She also asked whether only 69

homes would be built behind the site if it stays in its current location; this

would be a huge drop in the numbers expected at the beginning of this

project. She asked whether officers had undertaken a risk assessment.

Councillor Johnston-Franklin said that she had been contacted by parents of

children currently attending the nursery on the site, expressing their concern

at the loss of a very much needed nursery provision. She asked whether

spaces had been found in the borough to accommodate these children.

In response to these questions, Councillor Bell said that every development

undertaken by Lewisham is project managed. Occasionally, during this

process, an unforeseen problem may arise and it was important that decisions

change to ensure that this Council does not continue to lose money. The first

phase of this project would provide 69 homes, phase 2 would deliver more

with PLACE being retained in phase 1.

Councillor Bell said that the nursery had a commercial lease with the Council

for 5 years and they were aware that a break in this contract would take place;

he understood that this had been discussed with Lewisham Homes on 27

March 2020. In the summer of 2020 it was agreed that the lease of the porta

cabin at the rear of the site should be extended until March 2021.

Unfortunately the nursery did not advise the parents until 6 January 2021

Lewisham had empathy with the parents, particularly during this pandemic. A

meeting would soon be held between parents and CYP officers to consider

how Lewisham could support parents. Lewisham had managed this situation

correctly in their duty to give  ...  view the full minutes text for item 65

Councillor Bill Brown, Chair of the Panel, advised the meeting that Councillor Luke Sorba had requested further consideration of the decision taken by the Mayor and Cabinet in relation to the “Local Development Scheme Update”.

Councillor Sorba, Chair of the Children and Young People Select Committee addressed the meeting on the decision taken by the Mayor and Cabinet on 9 December 2020.

In response to questions raised, the Director of Planning gave a background to the proposals upon which the decision was based.  It was stated that the emergency measures introduced in September 2020 were focused on how planning applications would be managed due to a backlog of applications as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  As part of the wider remit of the local plan, the Council consulted on permanent changes on the non-development management part of the Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), and responses were outlined in the report that was considered by the Mayor and Cabinet on 9 November 2020.  It was stated that the responses were low in number because residents were often interested in the management of planning applications, as opposed to amendments to changes relating to the non-development management part of the SCI.  Furthermore, residents responded in this instance as individuals, and not via local amenity societies.  However, when officers present the local plan to full Council on the coming weeks, the consultation would ensure connections with community representatives.

In terms of the consultation around plan-making, the Panel was advised that the Council recognised that some people would prefer to participate in meetings via other channels.  Thus, various meetings approaches would be considered, not just relying on virtual meetings.  It was stated that the local plan to be submitted for consideration by full Council would contain consultation plans aimed at connecting with local community representatives that had identified themselves as such. Usually, people tend not to participate in plan-making, when compared with planning applications that impact on their locality.  Thus, it was challenging to get people to engage. 

The Director of Planning further advised the Panel that the Planning department had been using income from planning applications to invest in additional staff as required.  Thus, while the department would be able to do more with additional staff, it was important that it balanced its budget to sustain its operations.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the decisions be noted..

RESOLVED that decisions made at the meeting of the Mayor and Cabinet on 7 October 2020, be noted.

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Bill Brown, informed the meeting that he had requested for the decision taken by the Mayor and Cabinet on 16 September 2020 relating to the “Review of Statement of Community Involvement during Covid019 Pandemic” to be considered further by Members.  Councillor Brown outlined reasons from statements made in a joint letter submitted by local amenity societies in Lewisham.

In response to concerns expressed in the joint letter, the Director of Planning gave an assurance to the Panel that local amenity groups had a vital role in the Council’s democratic decision making process.  However, the current measures were necessary to enable the Council manage the backlog of planning applications due to the temporary postponement of planning committee meetings as a result of the lockdown created by the Covid-19 crisis.  It was stated that the length of time and resource-intensive process in organising and managing virtual planning committee meetings in public, including the uncertainty of risk associated with IT network failure during the proceedings were also considered in the decision making, as there would have been unnecessary delays if the temporary measures were not applied.

The Panel also received an assurance that the Council was in no way seeking to organise decision-making on planning applications in “closed” sessions on a permanent basis, as the measures were temporary.  Also, the recommendations supporting the measures provided specificity as to the threshold of objectors for planning applications with significant impact requiring decisions to be made by planning committees, or ones that could be determined by a senior officer under the Council’s Scheme of Delegation.  It was confirmed that the thresholds recognised that any objection or submission in favour of a planning objection received from amenity societies would automatically result in a Chair’s Review meeting for determination.

The Director of Planning continued with her response by acknowledging that not everyone would agree with the temporary measures in place, and that the concerns expressed by the local amenity societies were justifiable, particularly in seeking confirmation that Lewisham’s heritage would not be put as an unnecessary risk.  It was also stated that that concerns relating to Members’ political manifesto commitments were also justifiable in the circumstance.  However, measures would not form a precedent for dealing with planning applications in the future because the approved extended deadline was for another six months period to March 2021.  The Panel also received an assurance from the Director of Planning that the Council’s would continue to support democracy, transparency, and accountability in its decision-making process, in particular that steps had been taken to ensure that Members’ “call-in” procedure remain during implementation of the temporary measures.

The Director of Planning’s views, and concerns about the election manifesto were echoed by Councillor Paul Bell, Cabinet Member for housing, and Councillor John Paschoud, Chair of the Council’s Strategic Planning Committee.  Councillor Paschoud added that planning applications had to be determined in accordance with specific guidelines and policies, and the level and nature of public interests.  Thus, it was unlikely  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6

Financial Forecasts

The Financial Forecasts item considered by the Mayor & Cabinet on July 9

was reviewed by the Business Panel.

Councillor Sorba highlighted the expenditure on residential placements arising  

from the Council meeting its legal obligations. He suggested additional

support for Early Help services could bring down the need for residential

placements.

The Acting Chief Finance Officer confirmed the growing level of cost pressure

on Children’s Services. The Executive Director for Children & Young People

stated there was a financial recovery plan in place and short and longer term

savings would be achieved centred on Early Help and prevention.

Councilor Codd said the report illustrated a higher demand for Council

services during the pandemic and he asked how pandemic and non-pandemic

costs were allotted. The Director of Financial Services observed this was the

first monitoring report of the financial year and Covid-19 costs needed to be

closely monitored. Accounting codes using widely understood definitions were

being used to that end.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Chair of the Panel, Councillor Bill Brown, informed the meeting that Councillor Jim Mallory would provide a feedback following his attendance at the meeting of the Mayor and Cabinet on 10 June 2020 to address on matters relating to the “Council’s response to Covid-19 – Financial update”.

Councillor Mallory gave a summary of the recommendations he presented to the Mayor and Cabinet.  The recommendations were welcomed by Members as relevant to help shape the future of the Council’s services post the initial impact of Covid-19 crisis.  Councillor Mallory pointed out that equally important was a need for the local community to know and understand how the Council’s current financial situation would impact on service provision.

In response to questions raised, the Interim Director of Corporate Services (CS) advised the Panel that the Council’s capital programme was focused on delivering sustainable and affordable housing for residents.  Thus, although it was sometimes necessary to review viability of approved schemes to ensure that value for money continued to be achieved, creating opportunities for jobs and skills remained part of the Council’s regeneration commitments.

The Interim Director CS clarified to Members that possible actions against the Government should it not meet its commitments to reimburse local government for the added responsibilities resulting from the coronavirus outbreak was unclear.  However, from officers’ perspective, the Council would continue to access relevant networks and forums to learn and share best practice, with a view to deal with the current financial pressures, and forecast and identify risks that might occur post Covid-19 crisis.  Members were also advised that steps were currently being taken b officers to submit returns to the Government in a timely fashion on costs associated with Covid-19 activities.

Continuing with her response, the Interim Director CS advised Members that the Council’s procedures and processes for budget setting would provide a consistent message to residents about its financial position.  She highlighted achievements and plans in working with partners as evidence of the Council’s community engagement efforts.  Specific to current priorities, the Interim Director CS informed Members that consultation on the budget setting arrangements would commence in the autumn of 2000 for considering by the Mayor and Cabinet prior to submitting at full Council meeting in February 2021. 

Councillor Amanda De Ryk, Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources expressed a concern about uncertainties as a result of inconsistent messages from the Government regarding reimbursement of money spent on Covd-19 activities at a time when councils were emerging from austerity measures.  Councillor De Ryk gave an assurance to the Panel that various London local government networks would continue to lobby the Government about the refunds, in order to help councils deal with potential financial gaps in their budgets.

The Panel also noted statement by Councillor De Ryk in support of views by the Interim Director of CS that the budget setting process would provide a meaningful engagement with residents about the Council’s financial priorities.  Councillor De Ryk informed the meeting that as part of the democracy review  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5

RESOLVED that decisions by the Mayor and Cabinet on 13 May 2020 be noted.