Agenda and minutes

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the last meeting held on 16 February 2021 be confirmed as an accurate record

None was declared.

3.1    The Chair thanked staff and volunteers for all the hard work undertaken with regard to the pandemic. This item was presented by the Director of Public Health and the Director of Public Services.

3.2    The Director of Public Services said that since the last meeting of this panel, infection rates had continued to fall as a result of the lock down. He said that the government had issued a four step road map which was outlined in the report. He said that the first step, return to school, had gone well. There had been a lot of testing for corona virus and this would continue to ensure that any outbreak was contained. Officers were developing a plan to work alongside that government road map to help the community and local economy to exit safely from lockdown. Some services, like testing, would increase. Shielding services will cease at the end of the month. Staffing levels for the changing services were being considered because if a variant of concern was identified in the borough, surge testing would be required and 50 members of staff would need to be recruited very quickly to deliver the service.

3.3    The Director of Public Services said that critical services and response services continue to be delivered. 129 staff had been deployed to the covid action team. A further 21 agency staff had been added to that team.

          Shielding

          A further12,000 people had been received onto the shielding list; the total of those shielding was 21,000 in the borough.

          Community Testing

There had been 16,000 tests in community centres. Positive rates were .89%. Last week, a successful exercise on testing was undertaken in case a variant of concern was identified in the borough. This would ensure that Lewisham would be able to respond quickly and contain an outbreak.

Enforcement Works

13,000 checks on businesses had been undertaken and just over 1100 visits since starting a new approach this year. As we emerge out of lock down, this approach would have to change. Officers expected rules to change and Lewisham would need to help businesses to adapt to the new rules safely.

Infection rates

The 7 day infection rate on 26 January 2021 was 538 per 100,000. 18^th out of the 33 London boroughs. On 16 March 2021, the infection rate had dropped to 24.5 31^st out of the 33 London boroughs. One of the lowest in London and a significant drop.

On 26 January 2021 the infection rates for those residents 60+ years was 644 per 100,000 and was one of the highest rates in London  It had reduced to 14.5 29^th out of the 33 London boroughs.

3.4    In conclusion, the Director of Public Services said that lockdown had been successful in reducing infection rates, and the pressure on hospitals as a result. The number of covid related deaths continued to fall; last week there were three. He said that the safe exit from lockdown must be managed carefully and response  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

Councillor Codd asked why the report on the Thames Water rebate was not one of the agenda items for Mayor and Cabinet on 24 March. The Head of Business and Committee said that he understood there were still substantial financial and legal issues that needed to be addressed and had been advised that it was not scheduled to be considered by Mayor and Cabinet until June. Councillor Bell said that Thames Water ended their agreement with local authorities including Lewisham. A legal case was taken by a London borough on behalf of other London boroughs. He expected refunds to tenants as a first priority. However, because of legal and financial complications, a report would be submitted to Mayor and Cabinet in June.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Statement of Community Involvement [ceasing temporary Covid changes to the scheme of delegation

5.1    The Service Group Manager presented the report. He said that the limited temporary amendments to the current Statement of Community Involvement proposed for retention were with regard to practical arrangements for holding committee and local meetings and not the changes to the scheme of delegation which had been agreed previously by Mayor and Cabinet on a temporary basis.

5.2    Councillor Sorba thanked all the officers in the planning department for maintaining the planning service during the pandemic. He had asked for the item to be called in because he wanted to amend a sub paragraph in paragraph 2.1 of the recommendations:

Make it explicit that people wishing to speak at planning committee meetings will need to register to speak in advance of the meeting and will need to submit written copies of their speeches in advance of the meeting

5.3    Councillor Sorba recommended that ‘will need’ should be replaced with ‘are encouraged’. If the amendment was not made, he considered that it would raise the barrier against participation by the public in the Council’s decision making. He said that one of the objectives in the Corporate Strategy was to increase the public’s involvement in decision making. He considered that this recommendation, if agreed, would decrease public participation.

5.4  Councillor Sorba said that the recommendation would disadvantage some members of the community with lower levels of literacy, for those for whom English is not their first language, with physical difficulties, for those whose neurodivergence makes reading and writing more challenging than speaking and for those who lack digital resources.

5.5    Councillor Sorba said that the cumulative effect of these disadvantages would mean that participation would be predominantly from those on high income and from professional classes and not those harder to reach groups. He recommended that the current practice of allowing residents to present orally should continue and it should not be mandatory to have written participation.

5.6    There was then discussion on this issue and it was noted that the reason for a requesting written speeches in advance of a planning meeting, was so that it could be read out by the clerk in the event of a resident losing connection at the meeting. The Service Group Manager, said that requesting a written speech was not intended to be a barrier to participation. He said that planning officers would be willing to act as scribes for any resident who had difficulty in writing as described by Councillor Sorba. He did not expect to receive a request for this service very often and did not anticipate it would result in any significant increase in officer workload. 

5.7    Councillor Bell said that Councillor Sorba’s comments had been outlined at this meeting. He said that he would work with officers to ensure that it was made very clear that residents who had difficulties in written communication could ask officers to act as scribes for their presentations. With this  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Councillor Muldoon said that on 12 March 2021 the London Scrutiny Body discussed the NHS white paper which would have major implications for health provision if it became enacted.

Councillor Muldoon said that unless Lewisham received further guidance from the government by 7 May 2021, this Council would have to return to physical meetings.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The resolution was not moved as the meeting did not go into closed session.

   RESOLVED that the report be noted.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.