Agenda and minutes

The election of Councillor Obajimi Adefiranye was proposed by Councillor Hall

and seconded by Councillor Mallory.

In accepting re-election, for a seventh term, Councillor Adefiranye said he

would be proud to again serve as Chair and would alongside his wife, Sandra,

continue to promote the work of the Council in a large number of civic

engagements. He recounted the significant anniversaries which the Council

had celebrated in the preceding municipal year and he went on to praise the

efforts of his support staff, particularly the Civic Manager and the Head of

Business and Committee. He thanked the Council for the honour that it had

bestowed on him for a seventh and possibly final time, as he stated his

current intention not to proceed as an election candidate in 2018

RESOLVED that Councillor Obajimi Adefiranye be elected as Chair of the

Council for the Municipal Year 2017-18.

The election of Councillor Alan Till was proposed by Councillor Hall and

seconded by Councillor Mallory.

RESOLVED that Councillor Alan Till be elected as Vice-Chair of the Council

for the Municipal Year 2017-18.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 22

February 2017 be approved and signed as a true record.

None were made.

Westminister Attack

The Chair announced he had circulated a letter received from the Vice Mayor

of twin town Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf. The Vice Mayor was acting on

behalf of their Mayor who was in hospital and his letter offered condolences

following the recent terrorist attack on Westminster.

The Chair reported the Council flew the Union flag at half-mast following the

attack. Additionally, the Mayor had written a letter of support and condolences

to the Metropolitan Police and he had worn a black ribbon at a Civic

engagement in Greenwich the following day.

The Mayor added his thanks and appreciation for the continuing bravery and

professionalism of the Metropolitan Police and said he was very proud of

Londoners and their response to the terrorist outrage.

All present observed a 1 minute silence in memory of the victims of the attack.

Hearts for the Arts Award

The Chair said he was pleased to be able to confirm the announcement made

at the last meeting that Lewisham has received a Hearts for the Arts award for

its work with Entelechy Arts and The Albany on ‘Meet me at the Albany’.

The awards were a new initiative by What Next? and the National Campaign

for the Arts to reward and thank Councils, Councillors and Council officers

who were overcoming financial challenges to ensure the arts stay at the

centre of community life.

The Chair welcomed Sam West, Olivia Colman and Gemma Nelson from the

National Campaign for the Arts and David Slater and Gavin Barlow from the

Albany, before handing over to Councillor Chris Best explained the

background to the project. The Council was then addressed by both Sam

West and Olivia Colman before a formal presentation of the award to the

Mayor.

The Mayor informed the Chief Executive that the 9 members, listed below,

would continue to serve as members of the Cabinet in the municipal year

2017/18.

Name                                    Portfolio

Councillor Alan Smith        Deputy Mayor & Growth & Regeneration

Councillor Chris Best          Health, Wellbeing and Older People

Councillor Kevin Bonavia  Resources

Councillor Janet Daby        Community Safety

Councillor Joe Dromey       Policy and Performance

Councillor Damien Egan   Housing

Councillor Paul Maslin       Children & Young People

Councillor Joan Millbank   Third Sector & Community

Councillor Rachel Onikosi Public Realm

RESOLVED that the notification of appointments be received.

The Chair confirmed no changes had been made to the Mayor’s Scheme of

Delegation.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

The Chair confirmed no changes had been made to Committee terms of

reference.

RESOLVED to note that there are no changes to the terms of reference of the

Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Standards Committee or other committees.

The Council considered a report setting out an allocation of seats on

committees to political groups on the Council in compliance with the

requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Overview and Scrutiny Select Committees would

continue to be allocated in accordance with the proportion of seats held by the

political groups on the Council.

At the proposal of Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Siddorn, Members

agreed unanimously to form an Overview and Scrutiny Committee of all 45

non-executive Councillors, that was politically balanced.

RESOLVED that:

(i) seats be allocated to political parties as indicated on the schedule attached

to the report;

(ii) the Overview & Scrutiny Committee shall comprise all 45 non-executive

Councillors; and

(iii) the composition of the Constitution Working Party, the Appointments

Committee, the Urgency Committee, 3 Planning Committees, a Strategic

Planning Committee, a Licensing Committee, a Licensing (Supplementary)

Committee, a Pensions Investment Committee, a Health & Safety

Committee, an Elections Committee, an Electoral Registration Working Party

and an Audit Panel with the Terms of Reference set out be agreed.

It was moved by the Chair and duly seconded that members be appointed to

serve on committees as listed below. The motion was declared carried and it

was:

RESOLVED that members be appointed to serve on committees, as

indicated, for the municipal year 2017/18.

The Chair reported there was no bodies where there were more candidates

than places available, the Chair therefore moved and the Vice-Chair

seconded a proposal that the tabled schedule of appointments be adopted.

The motion was declared carried and it was:

RESOLVED that members be appointed to serve on other committees

and organisations as set out in below:

Ackroyd Community Centre Management Committee (1)

Councillor Alan Till

Age Concern Reminiscence Theatre(1)

Councillor Amanda De Ryk

Albany 2001 Council of Management (1)

Councillor Brenda Dacres

Albion Millennium Green Trust (1)

Councillor Paul Upex

Blackheath Joint Working Party (3)

Councillor Kevin Bonavia

Councillor Amanda De Ryk

Councillor Gareth Siddorn

Deptford Challenge Trust (1)

Councillor Jimi Adefiranye

Forest Hill and Sydenham Voluntary Service Association (V.S.L) (2)

Councillor Alan Till

Councillor Paul Upex

Ladywell Centre (formerly Dressington Day Centre) (1)

Councillor Carl Handley

Lewisham Citizen’s Advice Bureau Management Committee (2)

Lewisham Disability Coalition (1)

Councillor Colin Elliott

Lewisham Local History Council/Society (1)

Councillor Alan Till

Lewisham Pensioners’ Forum Management Committee (1)

Councillor Joyce Jacca

Lewisham Safer Neighbourhood Board (1)

Councillor Chris Barnham

London Youth Games (2)

Councillor Hilary Moore

Councillor Alan Till

Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust (2)

Councillor Joyce Jacca

Councillor Alan Till

Youth First Board (1)

Councillor Liz Johnston-Franklin

The Calendar was proposed for adoption by the Chair and seconded by the

Vice-Chair and it was:

RESOLVED that

(i) ordinary meetings of the Council be held on 21 June, 20 September, 22

November 2017, 17 January, 21 February and 28 February (fall-back) and

that the Annual General Meeting be held on Wednesday 13 June 2018; and

(ii) the attached schedule of meetings be approved for the municipal year

2017/18.

The Chair proposed and the Vice-Chair seconded a proposal that the

schedule of appointments made by the Mayor be noted.

RESOLVED to note the appointments made by the Mayor to the following

external bodies/committees.

The report was moved by the outgoing Chair, Councillor Colin Elliott and

was seconded by the Councillor Simon Hooks and it was:

RESOLVED that the annual report of the Standards Committee be received.

The Mayor delivered the following address:

“Deputy Lieutenant, Freemen and Women of the Borough, Chair, Councillors,

Members of Parliament, Honoured Guests

Not Twenty but Fifty years ago today the Beatles would have been putting the

finishing touches to the Sgt Pepper Album that was to change the way the

world thought about popular music.  Swinging London was where everyone

wanted to be and as they said “It's getting better all the time”

But there was much that needed to change. Cathy Come Home may have

been a work of fiction but it had made the meaning of being homeless a

reality, The Aberfan disaster had appalled the nation and the war in Vietnam

continued to escalate.

Nevertheless there was a real sense of optimism that change for the better

was possible which Sgt Pepper reflected.  Today we face just as many

challenges and in some cases the same ones are back but today’s response

seems to be an angry and pessimistic populism. Of course it may be that

looking back to a time when you were young inevitably creates a rosy glow

about how the world used to be – so perhaps we need to look at what today’s

young people are doing.

Three quarters of voters under 24 voted Remain and they turned out in equal

numbers to other age groups too dispelling the myth that young people can’t

be bothered. If only 16 and 17 year olds had been allowed to vote as they

were in the Scottish referendum how different things might have been.

In a little over a year’s time Lewisham will face an election and by that time I

will be 64 and according to Lennon and McCartney should be “Doing the

Garden, digging the weeds” though “Staying out till quarter to three” sounds

like more fun.  Either way I will be standing down as mayor but it is not my

intention tonight to reflect on the time I have served this borough.  I will as

usual briefly look back over the past 12 months and then forward to

challenges and opportunities that face us in the coming year.

Governments come and go – we are sad when a man with the intelligence

and integrity of President Obama leaves the stage but we know that before

long there will be more elections and further change.  The vote to leave the

EU was different however.  For many it made us feel that the very basis on

which we had lived our lives as European Citizens was being threatened by

our fellow citizens who wanted to build walls and shut out the world.  Then in

the days that followed we saw a return to the sort of open racism and displays

of hatred that we thought had been left behind.

If some of us who were born and raised in Britain felt like that how much

worse must it have been for those who had chosen to make this their home

and were now being told they  ...  view the full minutes text for item 85.