Agenda, decisions and minutes

Declarations were made by Councillors Wise, Ingleby, Hall, Mallory and

Kelleher.

Councillors Wise declared a personal interest in Item 7 as a Director of

Lewisham Homes.

Councillor Ingleby declared a personal interest in Item 7 as a Director of

Lewisham Homes, a Trustee of Goldsmiths Community Association and as

Chair of the Friends of Grove Park Nature Reserve.

Councillor Hall declared a personal interest in Item 7 as a member of Unison.

Councillor Mallory declared a personal interest in Item 7 as his daughter

works in a Lewisham school.

Councillor Kelleher declared a personal interest in Item 7 as a tenant of

Lewisham Homes.

Approved.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on January 22 2020 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

A petition from residents of cranston Road was submitted by Councillor John

Paschoud.

A petition from 103 residents of Cranston Road was submitted by Councillor

John Paschoud.calling on the Council to introduce traffic calming measures

and to enforce the speed limit with 20mph average speed cameras. The

petition also asked that more trees be planted on Cranston Road. 

Announcements were made concerning:

(a) London Borough of Culture 2021

(b) Rough Sleeping Initiative Funding

(c) Migration Museum opens in Lewisham

(d) Building London Planning awards

Announcements were made concerning:

(a) London Borough of Culture 2021

The Mayor commended everyone involved in Lewisham’s successful bid.

(b) Rough Sleeping Initiative Funding

The Council noted the award received to tackle rough sleeping in the borough.

(c) Migration Museum opens in Lewisham

Councillor Kevin Bonavia explained how the opening linked up with the council’s Borough of Sanctuary initiatives.

(d) Building London Planning awards

The Chair was delighted to report Lewisham had won two Building London

Planning awards.Team Catford, which leads the community engagement on

the regeneration of Catford town centre on behalf of Lewisham Council, had

won the Community Engagement in the Planning Process award while in her

own ward The Fellowship Inn had won the Heritage and Culture award.

No supplementary questions were asked.

17 questions were received from members of the public which were answered

by the Cabinet Member indicated. No questioner wished to raise a

supplementary question.

A copy of the questions and answers was circulated separately and can be

viewed on the Council website with the meeting papers.

10 supplementary questions were asked.

113 questions were received from 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 Council unanimously approved the recommendations shown below in respect of the 2020/21 Budget.

1.1          That, having considered the views of those consulted on the budget and subject to proper process, as required, Council:

Capital Programme

1.2          notes the 2019/20 Quarter 3 Capital Programme monitoring position and the Capital Programme potential future schemes and resources as set out in section 5 of this report;

1.3          notes the significant proposed rise in prudential borrowing of more than £300m by 2022/23, primarily to fund the Building for Lewisham programme capital plans;

1.4          approves the 2020/21 to 2022/23 Capital Programme of £559.5m,  as set out in section 5 of this report and attached at Appendices W1 and W2;

Housing Revenue Account

1.5          notes the consultation report on service charges to tenants’ and leaseholders in the Brockley area, presented to area panel members on 12 November 2019, as attached at Appendix X2;

1.6          notes the consultation report on service charges to tenants’ and leaseholders and the Lewisham Homes budget strategy presented to area panel members on 17 December 2019 as attached at Appendix X3;

1.7          sets an increase in dwelling rents of 2.7% (an average of £2.56 per week) – as per the formula rent calculations outlined in section 6 of this report;

1.8          sets an increase in the hostels accommodation charge by 2.7% (or £0.94 per week), in accordance with formula rent calculations;

1.9          endorses the Mayor’s approval of the following average weekly increases/decreases for dwellings for:

1.9.1      service charges to non-Lewisham Homes managed dwellings (Brockley);

·         caretaking                     3.40%              (£0.13)

·         grounds                         3.40%              (£0.11)

·         communal lighting         3.40%              (£0.02)

·         bulk waste collection     3.40%              (£0.05)

·         window cleaning           3.40%              (£0.00)

·         tenants’ levy                  0%                   (£0.00)

1.9.2      service charges to Lewisham Homes managed dwellings:

·             caretaking                   5.58%              (£0.33)

·             grounds                       3.80%              (£0.09)

·             window cleaning         0%                   (£0.00)

·             communal lighting       -3.94%             -(£0.05)

·             block pest control        7.93%              (£0.13)

·             waste collection          -42.04%           -(£0.22)

·             heating & hot water     -0.39%             -(£0.04)

·             tenants’ levy                0%                   (£0.00)

·             bulk waste disposal     1.35%              (£0.01)

·             sheltered housing        1.00%              (£0.24)

1.10       endorses the Mayor’s approval of the following average weekly percentage changes for hostels and shared temporary units for;

·         service charges (hostels) – caretaking etc.; no change

·         energy cost increases for heat, light & power; no change

·         water charges increase; no change

1.11       endorses the Mayor’s approval of an increase in garage rents by 2.4% (£0.38 per week) for Brockley and Lewisham Homes residents;

1.12       notes that the budgeted expenditure for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) for 2020/21 is £225.8m, split £89.4m revenue and £136.4m capital, which includes the decent homes and new build programmes;

1.13       agrees the HRA budget strategy cut proposals in order to achieve a balanced budget in 2020/21, as attached at Appendix X1;

1.14       notes that the Mayor agreed to write off five cases of Former Tenants’ Arrears as set out in section 6 and Appendix X7, totalling £60,307.22;

Dedicated Schools Grant and Pupil Premium

1.15       agrees, subject to final confirmation of the allocation, that the provisional Dedicated Schools Grant allocation of £ 212.135m be the Schools’ Budget (Schools Block)  ...  view the full decision text for item 64.

The Budget proposals were introduced by the Mayor who once again was

forced to conclude that this was not the budget he would have liked to have

offered but was the least harmful cuts option. He predicted that subsequent

years would be faced with more difficult decisions especially given the need to

prune £40million from budgets over the next three years. He paid particular

thanks to Councillor De Ryk and to the Acting Chief Finance Officer for their

help throughout the budget setting process.

The Mayor confirmed that he was proposing a Council Tax rise of 2% and that

a balanced budget would be achieved.

The Mayor further confirmed that he did not intend to vary the budget

proposals he had already fully set out at Mayor and Cabinet on February 5

and 12 and which did not require further amendment.

A motion that the proposals be accepted was moved by the Cabinet

Member for Resources, Councillor Amanda De Ryk and seconded by the

Chair of the Public Accounts Select Committee, Councillor Jim Mallory.

During the debate on the budget the 5 minute limit on speeches for the Mayor

and Councillors De Ryk and Mallory was suspended.

Once the debate, to which Councillor Smith also contributed, was concluded,

there was, in accordance with statutory provisions, a recorded vote on the

Mayor’s proposed Budget. The result of the vote was as follows:

49 Votes In favour of the Mayor’s Budget Proposals

Councillor Obajimi Adefiranye

Councillor Tauseef Anwar

Councillor Abdeslam Amrani

Councillor Paul Bell

Councillor Peter Bernhards

Councillor Chris Best

Councillor Kevin Bonavia

Councillor Andre Bourne

Councillor Juliet Campbell

Councillor Suzannah Clarke

Councillor Patrick Codd

Councillor Tom Copley

Councillor Liam Curran

Councillor Brenda Dacres

Councillor Sophie Davis

Councillor Amanda De Ryk

Councillor Joe Dromey

Mayor Damien Egan

Councillor Colin Elliott

Councillor Aisling Gallagher

Councillor Leo Gibbons

Councillor Alan Hall

Councillor Carl Handley

Councillor Octavia Holland

Councillor Sue Hordijenko

Councillor Coral Howard

Councillor Mark Ingleby

Councillor Caroline Kalu

Councillor Silvana Kelleher

Councillor Louise Krupski

Councillor Jim Mallory

Councillor Paul Maslin

Councillor Joan Millbank

Councillor Hilary Moore

Councillor John Muldoon

Councillor Olurotimi Ogunbadewa

Councillor Lionel Openshaw

Councillor Jacq Paschoud

Councillor John Paschoud

Councillor Stephen Penfold

Councillor Kim Powell

Councillor James Rathbone

Councillor Jonathan Slater

Councillor Alan Smith

Councillor Luke Sorba

Councillor Eva Stamirowski

Councillor James-J Walsh

Councillor Susan Wise

Votes Against the Mayor’s Budget Proposals nil

Abstentions nil

RESOLVED that the recommendations shown below be approved in respect of the 2020/21 Budget.

1.1          That, having considered the views of those consulted on the budget and subject to proper process, as required, Council:

Capital Programme

1.2          notes the 2019/20 Quarter 3 Capital Programme monitoring position and the Capital Programme potential future schemes and resources as set out in section 5 of this report;

1.3          notes the significant proposed rise in prudential borrowing of more than £300m by 2022/23, primarily to fund the Building for Lewisham programme capital plans;

1.4          approves the 2020/21 to 2022/23 Capital Programme of £559.5m,  as set out in section 5 of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 64.

RESOLVED that the draft response in Appendix A be approved for

submission to the LGBC.

Councillor Chris Best moved that the recommendations be approved

and this was seconded by Councillor James Walsh and it was then, with one

abstention:

RESOLVED that the draft response in Appendix A be approved for

submission to the LGBC.

RESOLVED that

(1) the contents of the report and the structural reorganisation at paragraphs

5.2, 5.3 and the background papers be noted; and

(2) the establishment of five new Council posts paid at a level of remuneration

on the JNC2 and JNC3 salary scale, as set out in paragraph 5.3, be

approved.

The Mayor moved that the recommendations be approved and this was

seconded by the Deputy Mayor and it was then unanimously:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the contents of the report and the structural reorganisation at paragraphs

5.2, 5.3 and the background papers be noted; and

(2) the establishment of five new Council posts paid at a level of remuneration

on the JNC2 and JNC3 salary scale, as set out in paragraph 5.3, be

approved.

RESOLVED that

(1) the contents of the report be noted; and

(2) authority be delegated to the Chief Executive to recruit, select and appoint

to the position of Director of Integrated Care and Commissioning.

The Deputy Mayor moved that the recommendations be approved and this

was seconded by the Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee,

Councillor John Muldoon and it was then unanimously:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the contents of the report be noted; and

(2) authority be delegated to the Chief Executive to recruit, select and appoint

to the position of Director of Integrated Care and Commissioning.

RESOLVED that Councillor Kevin Bonavia be appointed to the Strategic

Planning Committee.

Councillor Hilary Moore proposed and Councillor Joan Millbank seconded a

proposal that Councillor Kevin Bonavia be appointed to the Strategic Planning

Committee during the period of Councillor Joani Reid’s parental leave. There

being no other nominations it was:

RESOLVED that Councillor Kevin Bonavia be appointed to the Strategic

Planning Committee to replace Councillor Joani Reid during her parental

leave.

RESOLVED that the following motion be approved:

“Lewisham Council notes that:

On 3 January 2020 the Local Government Association reported that fly-tipping incidents have increased 50% over the last 6 years, from 714,631 in 2012/13 to 1,072,431 in 2018,19. In Lewisham, Councillors have observed an increase over the last few years with some Councillors reporting fly-tipping on the FixMyStreet app on a daily basis.

Lewisham Council believes that:

Given the increase in fly tipping, noted above, and the necessity for residents to own a car to be able to effectively access the Council tip at Landmann Way, at a time when car use and ownership is being discouraged by the Council, a new approach to fly-tipping is needed

Lewisham Council resolves to:

Ask officers to investigate the cost of community skips across the borough. It is understood that this scheme should be cost neutral and so officers are also asked to investigate the likely amount of savings that will be delivered as a result of the scheme and any other sources of funding, including best practice in other boroughs and whether existing Lewisham contractors can provide the service under social value provisions. The officers are asked to report back to Councillors within 3 months.”

The motion was moved by Councillor Stephen Penfold and seconded

by Councillor Paul Maslin. Following a contribution from Councillor

Mark Ingleby, the motion was then put to the vote and declared to be

unanimously carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be approved:

“Lewisham Council notes that:

On 3 January 2020 the Local Government Association reported that fly-tipping

incidents have increased 50% over the last 6 years, from 714,631 in 2012/13

to 1,072,431 in 2018,19. In Lewisham, Councillors have observed an increase

over the last few years with some Councillors reporting fly-tipping on the

FixMyStreet app on a daily basis.

Lewisham Council believes that:

Given the increase in fly tipping, noted above, and the necessity for residents

to own a car to be able to effectively access the Council tip at Landmann

Way, at a time when car use and ownership is being discouraged by the

Council, a new approach to fly-tipping is needed

Lewisham Council resolves to:

Ask officers to investigate the cost of community skips across the borough. It

is understood that this scheme should be cost neutral and so officers are also

asked to investigate the likely amount of savings that will be delivered as a

result of the scheme and any other sources of funding, including best practice

in other boroughs and whether existing Lewisham contractors can provide the

service under social value provisions. The officers are asked to report back to

Councillors within 3 months.”

The meeting closed at 8.51pm