Agenda and minutes

Councillor Jim Mallory declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a Millwall FC

season ticket holder.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the two meetings held on November 22 2017

be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

None were presented.

Doreen Eytle RIP

The Mayor paid tribute to former Mayoress Doreen Eytle saying he had

known she had been ill for some time. He remembered her as a very warm,

caring approachable person who formed a formidable partnership with her

late husband Les, a former Mayor and Chair of Council.

Councillor David Michael added that he had known Doreen as a near

neighbour in Catford South and that she and Les had given him personal

support during their time as significant contributors to the history of Lewisham.

All present observed a minute’s silence in memory of Doreen Eytle.

Holocaust Memorial Day

The Council was to support Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday January 27

and the Chair welcomed Rabbi Philip Ginsbury, former Rabbi of the South

London Synagogue in Streatham, to the meeting.

Councillor Pauline Morrison introduced the item and expressed pride in her

involvement since 1998 in Holocaust Memorial Day.

Rabbi Ginsbury then addressed the meeting on the theme of remembrance

and conducted a candle lighting ceremony which was followed by a 1 minute

period of silence for all victims of holocausts.

LGBT History Month

Councillor Joan Millbank announced that February was to be LGBT History

month and she highlighted some of the activities due to take place.

New Year’s Day Parade

The Chair reported that Lewisham’s Borough float had finished a creditable

7th in the Annual London New Year’s day Borough Competition, gaining a

prize of £4,000 for the Mayor’s charity. He placed on record his thanks to the

D &B Academy in Downham and the Volunteer Police Cadets who formed

part of the entry.

23 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 was circulated separately and can be viewed on the Council

website with the meeting papers.

2 questions were received from the following Councillors which were

answered by the Cabinet Members indicated. A copy of the questions and

answers was circulated separately and can be viewed on the Council’s

website with the meeting papers.

The Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, moved that

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

Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Maja Hilton and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the outcomes of the consultation set out in appendix 1 be noted;

(2) a local CTRS be retained from 1 April 2018 that passes on any reduction

in government funding, reflecting the Council’s financial position following the

announcement of the Autumn Statement and the provisional Local

Government Financial Settlement (LGFS) in December;

(3) the delivery of additional support to the most vulnerable residents through

use of the existing provision within Section 13A(1)(c) of the 1992 Local

Government Finance Act be continued.

The Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, moved that

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

Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Maja Hilton and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the Council Tax Base calculation for 2018/19, as set out in the annual

Council Tax Base government return, be noted;

(2) a Council Tax Base of 86,456.6 Band D equivalent properties for 2018/19

be approved;

(3) a budgeted Council Tax collection rate of 96.0% be approved;

(4) the introduction of a discretionary Council Tax discount of 100% for

care leavers up to the age of 25, be approved;

(5) the existing policy of a 0% discount for second homes for 2017/18 be

continued for 2018/19;

(6) the existing policy of a 0% discount for empty homes Class A (an empty

property undergoing structural alteration or major repair to make it habitable)

be continued, as set out in section six of this report;

(7) the existing policy of a 100% discount awarded for a period of four weeks

and then a 0% discount thereafter, for empty homes – Class C (a substantially

empty and unfurnished property) be continuedt;

(8) the existing policy of an empty homes premium of 50% in respect of long

term empty properties be continued;

(9) consistent with the approach taken in 2017/18, the Council Tax Reduction

Scheme (CTRS) be implemented to reflect reductions in the Council’s

funding, but the process be simplified by replacing the reduction in the

Settlement Funding Assessment with:

 Setting a fixed percentage for the scheme (to avoid large increases and

decreases as have happened to date)

 Agreeing the percentage as part of the budget setting process

 Considering on an annual basis any savings the Council might want to

make to the budget by changing the percentage alongside other savings

being considered.

(10) a 25% liability be passed onto working age CTRS recipients in 2018/19

as detailed;

(11) the proposed 2018/19 National Non Domestic Rate (NNDR) estimated

net yield of £66.3m, based on current information available be noted

(12) the approval of the final 2018/19 NNDR1 form be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources and Regeneration for submission by the deadline of 31st January 2018

The Chair of the New Bermondsey/Surrey Canal Inquiry Committee,

Councillor Chris Barnham, moved that the recommendations be approved and

this was seconded by Councillor Bill Brown. Following a debate to which

Councillors Coughlin, Hilton and Hall and the Mayor contributed, there was a

formally agreed request to receive, subsequent to the meeting, a transcript of

the comments of Councillor Coughlin in order to check for possible factual

inaccuracies. Thereafter there was a reply by Councillor Barnham and it was:

RESOLVED that

(1) Lord Dyson’s Report on the New Bermondsey/Surrey Canal Independent

Inquiry, acknowledging its authority and independence be received;

(2 the report’s findings be welcomed, in particular that

“there was no impropriety, lack of due diligence or breach of a code of practice on the part of any Council officer or member in relation to:

(i)           the decisions to make a Compulsory Purchase Order and the

appraisal of the financial viability of Renewal’s scheme and its

ability to deliver it

(ii)          the grant of Outline Planning Permission

(iii)         the decision to enter into a conditional contract of sale of the

Millwall Land to Renewal

(iv)         the decision of the Mayor and Cabinet to pledge £500,000 to

Surrey Canal Sports Foundation

(v)          the Council’s support for Renewal’s Housing Zone bid”

noting also that Lord Dyson concluded that “(a) the Council was not misled by

any misrepresentation, misinformation or withholding of information in relation

to the decision to make the pledge of £500,000; and (b) there was no

inadequacy in the Council’s inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the

production of the Lambert Smith Hampton brochure.”

(3) thanks be recorded to Lord Dyson for the thoroughness and timeliness of

his report; and

(4) the detail of Lord Dyson’s report be used to inform continuous

improvement and learning. 

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

be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the Strategic Planning

Committee, Councillor Amanda De Ryk and it was:

RESOLVED that the revised content and timetable of the Local Development

Scheme in Annex 1 be noted and note that it has been considered by the

Mayor and Cabinet on 10th January 2018 and approved for publication.

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

be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the Strategic Planning

Committee, Councillor Amanda De Ryk and it was:

RESOLVED that the content of the draft SCI in Appendix 1 be noted, and that

it has been considered by the Mayor on 10 January 2018 for approval that the

draft SCI go out to public consultation.

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

be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the Strategic Planning

Committee, Councillor Amanda De Ryk and it was:

RESOLVED that the content of the draft Alterations and Extensions SPD, be

noted and that it had been considered by the Mayor and Cabinet on 10

January 2018 and approved for public consultation.

The Cabinet Member for Resources, Councillor Kevin Bonavia, moved that

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

Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Maja Hilton and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the designation by the Secretary of State be accepted as an authority

within the London Business Rates Pilot Pool pursuant to 34(7)(1) of Schedule

7B Local Government Finance Act 1988;

(2) participation in the London Business Rates Pilot Pool with effect from 1

April 2018 be approved;

(3) the authority's administrative functions as a billing authority pursuant to the

Non-Domestic Rating (Rates Retention) Regulations 2013, be delegated to

the City of London Corporation ("COLC") acting as the Lead Authority;

(4) the Lead Authority be authorised to sub-contract certain ancillary

administrative functions [regarding the financial transactions [payment of

tariffs and top-ups] within the Pool to the GLA as it considers expedient];

(5) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources and

Regeneration to agree the operational details of the pooling arrangements

with the participating authorities;

(6) authority be delegated to the Executive Director for Resources and

Regeneration, in consultation with the Head of Legal Services, to enter into

such Memorandum of Understanding with the ‘participating authorities’ as

may be necessary, (including if and where appropriate) amending, finalising

and executing the same on behalf of the authority.

(7) the Mayor be authorised to represent the authority in relation to

consultations regarding the London Business Rates Pilot Pool consultative as

may be undertaken by the Lead Authority pursuant to the Memorandum of

Understanding;

(8) the Mayor be given delegated authority to consider such consultative

reports as the Lead Authority may circulate and to respond on behalf of the

authority with regard to any recommendations and in particular, proposals for

projects to be approved for funding from the Strategic Investment Pot.

(9) authority be delegated to the Lead Authority the functions of assessment,

due consultation and approval of projects eligible for funding from the Pool's

Strategic Investment Pot following consultation with the participating

authorities (provided that at least two thirds of such participating London

Boroughs are (including the City of London Corporation) in favour of the

relevant recommendation as well as the Mayor of London, and that no entire

sub-region is in disagreement with the decision) on such terms and conditions

as shall ensure value for money and compliance with the law.

The Chair reported that an amendment had been received after the deadline

required by the Constitution. He stated he did not consider the amendment to

be minor in nature but that it did correct an inaccuracy in the submitted

motion. Therefore he had decided to use the discretion given to him in

paragraph 15.10 of Council Procedure Rules to allow the mover and seconder

to amend their motion by deleting the final two sentences in their original

submission.

The motion was moved by Councillor Paul Bell and seconded by

Councillor Liz Johnston-Franklin and was then put to the vote and declared

to be unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“We welcome the Mayor’s decision with regards to the Ladywell Playtower

redevelopment. We are pleased that Ladywell will now have a cinema and at

the same time Picturehouse, a corporation currently involved in attempts at

strike-breaking in a major dispute with its workers, has not been welcomed

into Lewisham. We support and send our solidarity to the Picturehouse

workers’ campaign for the London Living Wage, union recognition, improved

working conditions and the reinstatement of their sacked BECTU trade union

representatives at the Ritzy.”

The meeting closed at 8.48pm