The Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet on 11 November 2025 to discuss a call-in request regarding the Asylum Road Care Home, and to review the committee's work programme. The committee was also scheduled to review the minutes from their previous meeting.

Scrutiny Call-In: Asylum Road Care Home

The committee was scheduled to consider a call-in request regarding the cabinet decision from 14 October 2025 concerning the Asylum Road Care Home site. The cabinet had agreed to dispose of the site by way of a long lease to Andover Care Ltd, who would then build and operate a new care home at the location.

Councillors Councillor Suzanne Abachor, Councillor Esme Dobson, Councillor Maria Linforth-Hall, Councillor Sandra Rhule and Councillor Charlie Smith requested the call-in, raising concerns about:

• Enforcement of the council's Residential Care Charter[^2] [^2]: The Residential Care Charter represents council policy and strategy.
• Guarantees for quality and affordability standards over time
• The absence of a Gateway Zero report[^3] [^3]: Gateway Zero reports should be produced in accordance with the council's Contract Standing Orders for contracts worth over £10 million.
• Lack of engagement with key stakeholder groups such as COPSINS, Southwark Pensioners Action Group, and Southwark Dementia Action Alliance
• The risk of the proposed route costing significantly more than direct delivery over a longer period
• Whether the proposal would meet the borough's specific bed needs

The Head of Scrutiny, Everton Roberts, noted that the report to cabinet was drafted for the purposes of a land transaction and selection of a development partner, and that further detail around the specifics of the care home was to be set out in future reports.

The committee was scheduled to consider the call-in request and decide whether to:

• Refer the decision back to the decision-making body for reconsideration
• Refer the matter to council assembly if the decision is deemed to be outside the policy and budget framework
• Not refer the matter back but decide to undertake a subsequent review
• Not refer the matter back

A supplemental agenda included the cabinet response to the Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission report on the Nursing Care Home Delivery, which was referenced in the 14 October cabinet report. The cabinet's response addressed the commission's recommendations, including the call for a Gateway 0 options appraisal report. The cabinet stated that such a report would not enable all delivery options to be more fully considered because the council has no further capital funding for another nursing home.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to note the work programme as at 11 November 2025. The work programme included a list of agenda items for future meetings, including a discussion of the internal review of the Chilton Grove Estate rooftop homes and 2018-19 QHIP major works project scheduled for 8 October 2025, and a discussion of Southwark Community Safety - Strategic Assessment and Draft Community Safety Plan.

Appendix 1 of the work programme outlined the proposed remits of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its commissions based on the cabinet portfolio responsibilities set out in the council constitution and the Southwark 2030 Goals.

Minutes

The committee was scheduled to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 8 October 2025. During that meeting, the committee:

• Heard a presentation from Councillor Natasha Enin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, and Stephen Douglass, Director of Stronger Neighbourhoods, on the Southwark Community Safety Partnership (CSP).
• Discussed community safety priorities, including violence against women and girls (VAWG), anti-social behaviour (ASB), and drug use.
• Asked questions about indecent exposure and stalking, estate street lighting, CCTV monitoring, and synthetic opioids.
• Discussed the Baroness Casey review of the Metropolitan Police and improvements being made.
• Learned about the use of facial recognition technology by the police.
• Discussed rising drug-related ASB on estates, illegal electric bikes, and domestic abuse.
• Heard about the Charge Safe campaign to address fire risks associated with e-bikes.
• Discussed the visibility of the CSP in the community and efforts to address specific issues in local neighbourhoods.
• Heard from Daniel Capon, Fire Borough Commander, and Tom Sharp, Station Fire Commander for Dockhead, about fire safety initiatives.
• Discussed the impact of CCTV on crime prevention and concerns about reporting ASB and crime.
• Heard from Emma Connor, Head of Southwark Probation unit, about the management of individuals released from prison.
• Heard from Councillor Stephanie Cryan, ward Councillor, and Councillor Michael Situ, Cabinet Member for Council Homes, about issues at the Chilton Grove Estate, including rooftop development, in-fill, and major works.
• Discussed communications with residents, ASB, and contracts awarded without scrutiny.
• Noted the cabinet response to Overview and Scrutiny Committee recommendations on Consort Estate.