Agenda and decisions

The minutes were AGREED as a correct record.

None

None.

Cllr Bell MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to:

1.    Note the outcome of the consultation regarding the Learning Disability Implementation Plan

2.    Agree the seven priority areas set out in the plan and their associated actions. Agree the establishment of the Learning Disability Partnership Board and the five delivery subgroups.

3.    Agree that the delivery of the Plan and its associated actions is reported annually by the Learning Disability Partnership Board to the Lewisham Care Partnership

4.    Agree the request of the Healthier Communities Select Committee that the delivery of the Plan is also reported annually to that Committee.

5.    Note that Adult Social Care will be responsible for identifying a budget to support the costs of the coproduction and codelivery.

Cllr Dacres MOVED, Cllr Barnham SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to accept the modifications made to the policy text outlined in the examiner’s report and approve the examiner’s recommendation that the plan, once modified, should proceed to a public referendum.

Cllr Krupski MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to:

1.    Note the finding of the Sustainable Streets consultation for the Evelyn and New Cross Gate area.

2.    Agree that a permanent traffic order for new Sustainable Streets measures including controlled parking, cycle hangars, EV charging points, car club bays, disabled parking bays and loading bays in the areas as covered in the plan shown in Figure 3 be published and that the statutory process be conducted.

3.    Agree that a permanent traffic order for ’no waiting at any time’ junction protection markings (double yellow lines) at junctions of all roads consulted in the Evelyn and New Cross Gate consultation area (see Figure 2) be published and that the statutory processes be conducted.

4.    Agree to proceed to Phase 2 engagement in Brockley, Hither Green & Lee, and Catford.

Cllr Campbell MOVED, Cllr Bell SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to note the contents of the report and approve the Council’s response to the Disabled People’s Commission Report (If not now, then when?).

The Mayor MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to approve the updated Q1 and Q2 (2023/24) performance dashboards for publication on the Council’s website.

Cllr Krupski MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to delegate authority to the Executive Director of Place to:

1.    Submit an application to the Secretary of State for specific consent for disposal an undervalue to facilitate the completion of the A205/A21 road improvement works

2.    Negotiate the final terms and subsequently enter into the property agreement with TfL to cover the land required to facilitate the delivery of the A205/A21 road improvements including:

a.    The disposal of land located in the Canadian Avenue car park and overflow car park shown in plan 1 to TfL at practical completion of the A205/A21 road realignment scheme, and

b.    The acquisition by the Council of TfL land shown in plan 2 at practical completion of the A205/A21 road realignment scheme

Subject to TfL securing the following:

c.    Planning permission

d.    Major Road Network funding

e.    All other land interests required to facilitate the scheme.

3.    Agree such temporary arrangements as are necessary (e.g. access licences) to facilitate the completion of the A205/A21 road improvement works.

Having considered open and closed officer reports, and a video of a launch event, Cllr Bell MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to approve:

1.    The award of contract for Solution – Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support the effective management of individuals with mental ill health (Lot (6)) to Solution Focused Education. The contract value will be £120,000 per annum, equating to £600,000 over 5 years, and £840,000 over 7 years if the option to extend is utilised. The contract will commence on 03 January 2024.

2.    The award of contract for Solution-Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support the effective management of individuals into meaningful life roles (Lot 9) to OLightOn Limited. The contract value will be £108,434.80 per annum, equating to £542,174 over 5 years, and £759,043.60 over 7 years if the option to extend is utilised. The contract will commence on 03 January 2024.

3.    Approve the award of contract to the preferred service provider for the provision of Solution-Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support individuals in their last year of life (Lot 5), provided the contract value is within authorised limits of £120,000 per annum.

4.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Community Services in consultation with Director of Law and Corporate Governance to select the preferred service provider for Solution-Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support the effective management of individuals in their last year (Lot 5) in accordance with the selection and award criteria published in the tender documentation and agree final form of contract.

5.    Officers entering into negotiations with Kingston University for Solution-Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support the effective management of individuals with a Learning Disability and / or Autism (Lot 8) and award the contract provided it is within the authorised limits of £120,000 per annum and that the initial conditions of contract are not substantially altered from the failed procurement.

6.    Delegate authority to the Executive Director for Community Services in consultation with Director of Law and Corporate Governance to approve the final agreed terms for Solution-Focused Coaching: Specialist advice, support and training to support the effective management of individuals with a Learning Disability and / or Autism (Lot 8) provided that the initial conditions of contract are not substantially altered from the failed procurement.

Having considered an open officer report, Cllr Barnham MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to:

1.    Approve the outline of the co-produced early childhood offer as outlined in Section 7, which will replace the existing early years offer delivered by our children and family centres. The new offer will provide an equitable offer across the borough and be implemented from 1 October 2024.

2.    Note the intention to fully integrate the new early childhood offer from 1 October 2024 into the Family Hub model to provide a fully integrated and seamless wholefamily support offer with a single access point for families.

3.    Approve an extension of up to six months to the existing children and families centre agreements from the 1 April 2024 until 30 September 2024 at a total value of £835,000. This breaks down as follows:

·         Extension to the contract between the Council and Early Years Alliance (formerly Pre-School Learning Alliance) at a total cost of £650k

·         Extension of the contract between the Council and Downderry School at a cost of £100k

·         Extension of the contract between the Council and Kelvin Grove and Elliot Bank Nursey at a cost of £85k

4.    Approve the application for a grant of £4m to the Department for Education to the Families First for Children Pathfinder Programme (Wave 2) to support the development and implementation of the council’s Family Help model in 2024-25. If successful, the Council will be required to enter into a grant agreement for 2024- 25.

5.    Delegate to the Executive Director for Children and Young People, in consultation with the Director of Law and Corporate Governance, to approve entering into a Grant Agreement.

Having considered an open officer report, Cllr Barnham MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to appoint Sara Rahman as Lewisham Local Authority Trustee to the Brent Knoll and Watergate Cooperative Trust.

Having considered an open officer report, the Mayor MOVED, Cllr Krupski SECONDED and it was RESOLVED:

1.    note the Council Tax Base calculation for 2024/25, as set out in the annual Council Tax Base government return, attached at Appendix A;

2.    recommend Council agree a Council Tax Base of 90,414.0 Band D equivalent properties for 2024/25;

3.    recommend Council agree a budgeted Council Tax collection rate of 95.0%;

4.    recommend Council agree no changes be made to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme (CTRS) for 2024/25, that eligible claimants make a minimum contribution of 25% towards their council tax;

5.    recommend Council approve the continuation of the discretionary Council Tax discount of 100% for care leavers up to the age of 25, as set out in section five of this report;

6.    recommend Council agree that the existing policy of a 0% discount for second homes for 2020/21 be continued for 2024/25, as set out in section five of this report;

7.    recommend Council agree that 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 five of this report;

8.    recommend Council agree that the existing policy of a 0% discount applied immediately for empty homes – Class C (a substantially empty and unfurnished property) be continued, as set out in section five of this report;

9.    recommend Council agree that the existing Long Term Empty Property homes premium of: 100% for properties empty between 2 and 5 years, 200% for those empty for over five years, and 300% for properties that remain empty for 10 years or more continues, as set out in section five of this report;

10.recommend Council agree the continuation of the existing policy of a 25% ‘sanctuary’ discount to ensure residents eligible for a single person discount are not financially worse off as a result of housing a refugee, as set out in section five of this report;

11.recommend Council agree the continuation of the discretionary War Disablement Pensions and War Widow Pensions scheme discount as set out in section five of this report;

12.note the proposed 2024/25 National Non Domestic Rate (NNDR) estimated net yield of £58m, based on current information available.

13.recommend Council agree to delegate the approval of the final 2024/25 NNDR1 form to the Acting Executive Director for Corporate Resources for submission by the deadline of 31 January 2024.

Having considered an open officer report introduced by Cllr Powell, the Mayor MOVED, Cllr Krupski SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to

1.    Note the consultation responses

2.    Note the changes made to the draft Statement following consultation.

3.    Review and comment on the draft Statement.

4.    Agree that the draft Statement of principles for Gambling for 2023-2026 at Appendix 1, should be presented to full Council for it to be formally determined.

Having considered an open officer report, Cllr Dacres MOVED, Cllr Barnham SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to:

1.    Approve the making of a non-immediate Article 4 Direction that removes permitted development rights for the change of use from commercial, business and service use (Use Class E) to residential use (Use Class C3).

2.    Authorise officers to carry out consultation in accordance with Section 6 of the report.

3.    Note the financial and legal implications of making the Article 4 Direction set in Sections 7 and 8 of the report.

Having considered both open and closed officer reports, Cllr Dacres MOVED, Cllr Barnham SECONDED and it was RESOLVED:

To approve

1.    The revised key milestones, progress update and financial position of the new build development programme. This includes sites on hold pending review, new additions with latest scheme cost estimates and revised viability assessments.

2.    The budget implications to the HRA and GF as set out within part 2 of this report.

3.    The Total Scheme Cost for the Single Homeless Project (SHAP) and to accept the associated grant from the GLA and the use of Public Health Capital funding and to delegate approval of the terms of the grant funding agreement to the Executive Director of Place, in consultation with the Director of Resources and Director of Law and Corporate Governance.

And to note

1.    Background to the Building for Lewisham development programme as agreed by Cabinet in January 2020.

2.    An updated development programme with latest amendments including pausing of sites Hensford Road, Markwell, Evelyn, Dacres, Home Park, and Edward Street. Revised programme financial impacts and out turn within part 2 of this report.

3.    Note Planning submission forecast on approved sites identified within programme summary appendix 4 of this report.

4.    The development and regeneration progress update, key changes, challenges, and risk.

5.    The intended outcome to bring forward a pipeline of new, more viable development sites. Each site to be approved on a scheme-by-scheme basis prior to planning submission.

6.    The risks and market challenges highlighted impacting the delivery of the programme and note that a report will return to Mayor and Cabinet on a quarterly basis to monitor progress.

The Mayor MOVED, Cllr Dacres SECONDED and it was RESOLVED to exclude the press and public from the meeting in accordance with Regulation 4(2)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information)(England) Regulations 2012 and under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the remaining items involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The recommendations were agreed in the open part of the meeting.

The recommendations were agreed in the open part of the meeting.

The recommendations were agreed in the open part of the meeting.

Cllr Krupski MOVED, Cllr Barnham SECONDED and it was RESOLVED that the minutes for this item are exempt from publication pursuant to Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.