Agenda and minutes

Councillors John Paschoud, Maja Hilton, John Muldoon, Susan Wise, Jacq

Paschoud, Alan Till, Obami Adefiranye, Pauline Morrison, and Peter

Bernhards all declared a personal interest in Item 9 as members of the Co-

operative Party.

Councillors Luke Sorba, Alan Hall and John Muldoon declared a personal

interest in Item 8 as a Governor of the SLaM NHS Foundation Trust.

Councillor Susan Wise declared a personal interest in Item 8 as a Governor of

the Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Councillor Alan Hall declared an interest in Item 9 as Chair of the Lewisham

Co-operative Party and as a member of the London Co-operative Party

Council and as a Board Member of Phoenix Community Housing.

Councillors Susan Wise, Joan Reid and Gareth Siddorn declared a personal

interest in Item 9 as Board Members of Lewisham Homes.

Councillor Jonathan Slater declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a Board

Member of Phoenix Community Housing.

Councillor John Coughlin declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a member

of the Brockley Tenants Co-operative.

Councillor Carl Handley declared a personal interest in Item 9 as a Governor

at Watergate School which was part of the Brent Knoll Co-operative Trust.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on March 27 2017 be

confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Chair referred to the abortive meeting held on June 21 and informed the

Council that a petition had been received from Councillor Hilary Moore, who

could not be present on the rearranged date. The petition bore approximately

300 names and was in support of the construction of a GP surgery at 54

Chinbrook Road. Councillor Colin Elliott presented additional petition

correspondence bearing the names of a further 119 supporters.

Councillor Maja Hilton, on behalf of Jenny O’Shea presented a petition

bearing 309 names asking the Council for an alteration to the planned

regeneration works on Dartmouth Road.

Shaka Anderson, on behalf of Lewisham Education Group presented a

petition bearing approximately 1620 names calling on the Council to establish

regular forums with schools and the Council on ways to tackle the attainment

issue in the borough and for involvement in the independent panel for

exclusions.

Councillor Mark Ingleby presented a petition bearing 27 names from the

Whitefoot Assembly calling on the Council to answer phonecalls within a

reasonable time scale.

Sean Lowrie, a resident of Wallbutton Road, presented a petition from local

residents bearing approximately 300 names calling on the Council to take

down the mobile phone mast which they believed had been illegally installed

on Forsythia House on Pendrell Road.

Anna Finch-Smith, on behalf of a number of residents of Grove Park,

presented a petition bearing 305 names in opposition to a planning application

that has been submitted for the demolition of a 6 bedroom house at 54

Chinbrook Road named Bethany House and replace it with a new 4 storey

medical centre.

Councillor Alan Hall presented a petition bearing 640 names opposing further

retail development at Bell Green thus ensuring the survival of the Bell Green

Gas Holders.

Obituaries

The Chair pointed out that since the last meeting there had been a series of

tragic events which had been marked by the Council. These were the

Manchester bombing, the attack at London Bridge in the neighbouring

borough of Southwark, the Grenfell Tower disaster and the Finsbury Park

Mosque assault have all impacted on our nation.

The Mayor addressed the Council on these tragic events and expressed his

admiration for the national response to the outrages which he stated would

have frustrated the intentions of the terrorists. His remarks were echoed by

Councillor De Ryk.

All present observed a 1 minute silence in memory of those who have lost

their lives in the events described and also in memory of Joanne Britton and

Maria Dalrymple whose deaths were reported in the written report.

Refugee Week 2017

The Chair reported the Council had welcomed the families which it had

formally resettled under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement and

Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Schemes at a reception in Laurence

House on June 21. He reported Lewisham had welcomed a total of 4 Syrian

refugee families and 2 Iraqi families, the latter selected for reasons related to

their children’s special needs. Two more Syrian families were expected this

week. Many of the groups who had been involved in the welcome of the

families, such as Lewisham Citizens and the Diocese of Southwark, took

part in a visit to Lewisham’s German twin town, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf,

in May. A total of 27 Lewisham community members and officers participated

in the trip, which was funded by the European Commission’s ‘Europe for

Citizens’ programme, and was entitled ‘Migration and Integration: Local

Cooperation in Action’. The group – led by Councillor Kevin Bonavia - learned

how Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf had been resettling the thousands of

migrants and refugees arriving in the last couple of years through its distinct

approaches to housing, language classes, educational provision and

community participation. The group was also joined by representatives of our

French twin town, Antony.

Councillor Kevin Bonavia reported on efforts made to welcome refugees so

far and on the intention to continue with assistance to those in need.

Fire Safety

The Mayor updated the Council on involvement with Grenfell Tower and fire

safety in Lewisham.

He stated advice on cladding in Lewisham had been rapidly received following

the calamity in Kensington & Chelsea. Three buildings in Lewisham had been

identified as have cladding of the same kind as at Grenfell Tower. Meetings

had been held with tenants who were assured fire safety teams were to be in

the blocks 24 hours a day and inspections carried out by the London Fire

Brigade. The Mayor also reported on assistance given to Housing

Associations and private sector landlords.

The Mayor informed the Council that the Chief Executive had been seconded

to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to lead recovery efforts. Other

officers had been deployed there on a part or full time basis. This assistance

was likely to continue for a considerable time. Additionally a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 89.

67 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.

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

be approved and this was seconded by the Chair of the Overview & Scrutiny

Business Panel, Councillor Alan Hall and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the 2017/18 Business Plan for the Catford Regeneration Partnership

Limited (CRPL) be approved; and

(2) the resolution of the Overview & Scrutiny Business Panel to direct the

Constitution Working Party to review the governance of Catford Regeneration

Partnership Limited, with a view to increase the current number of Directors to

include a non-Executive Member be endorsed.

The Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee, Councillor John

Muldoon, moved that the recommendations be approved and this was

seconded by the Vice-Chair of the Healthier Communities Select Committee,

Councillor Susan Wise and it was:

RESOLVED that:

(1) the creation of a JHOSC with the participant authorities being Lambeth,

Southwark, Croydon and Lewisham, with the terms of reference as set out be

approved;

(2) Councillors John Muldoon and Alan Hall be appointed to sit on the joint

committee;

(3) that the councillors appointed to the JHOSC be able to nominate

substitutes to attend meetings of the JHOSC in their place in the event that

they are unable to attend.

(4) the terms of reference not include the power to make a report to the

Secretary of State (under regulation 23(9) of the Regulations in relation to the

proposal from SLaM for Lambeth, Southwark, Croydon and Lewisham

Councils.

An amendment received before the deadline on the day before the meeting to

delete all of the text of the original motion and insert the text shown below was

accepted by the mover and seconder.

The motion was moved by Councillor Curran and seconded by Councillor

Handley. Following contributions from Councillors Hall, Wise, Coughlin and

Kennedy, the motion was then put to the vote and declared to be unanimously

carried.

RESOLVED that the following motion be agreed:

“Lewisham Council believes that co-operatives play a vital role both in our

borough and across the UK in strengthening communities and giving

members a say in how their businesses and organizations are run. Almost

17.5 million people own the UK's cooperatives and co-operatives contribute

£34.1 billion a year to the UK economy.

“The Council salutes the recent Co-operative Fortnight and takes the

opportunity to welcome the work done by all cooperatives in the borough

including Phoenix Community Housing which is to be congratulated for being

recognized as an Investor in People, for being a London Living Wage

employer, for being nominated as a Top Ten Landlord in the 24housing

magazine awards and also winning the award for the UK’s best landlord for

tenant involvement in the UK Housing Awards 2017.

“We also commend Lewisham Plus Credit Union which celebrates its 25th

anniversary this year. We note that in its first year it granted 32 loans,

achieved 100 members and savings of over £20,000. By 2016 the Credit

Union had over 10,000 adult members, over 1500 junior members, had

granted over 5,000 loans and achieved savings approaching nearly £5m

pounds.

“These facts reveal the true power of co-operation and we thank all those who

have worked hard to achieve this success that builds stability, co-operation

and resilience in our community.”

The meeting closed at 9.11pm.