The Council of Lewisham will convene on Wednesday, 28 January 2026, to discuss a range of financial and governance matters. Key topics scheduled for consideration include the council's treasury management performance, the setting of the council tax base for the upcoming year, and proposed amendments to the council's constitution.

Treasury Management Outturn and Mid-Year Review 2025/26

The council is set to review its treasury management activities for the financial year 2024/25 and its mid-year position for 2025/26. This report, available in the Public reports pack 28th-Jan-2026 19.30 Council, will cover the council's treasury management position as at 31 March 2025, an economic update for the current financial year, and an update on the Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26. It will also include a review of the council's Capital Programme forecast and prudential indicators, an examination of the investment portfolio, and an update on the borrowing strategy. The report will also assess compliance with treasury and prudential limits for 2025/26. The council is recommended to approve the Treasury Management Outturn report for 2024/25 and the Mid-year Treasury Management report 2025/26, including revised prudential indicators and the Capital Programme.

Setting of the 2026/27 Council Tax Base, NNDR Tax Base and Discounts for Second Homes and Empty Homes

A significant item on the agenda is the setting of the Council Tax Base and the estimated National Non-Domestic Rates (NNDR) tax base for the 2026/27 financial year. This report, titled CTB Report 26-27 Council, outlines the statutory calculations required for these figures, which are crucial for setting the General Fund revenue budget. The report proposes a Council Tax Base of 93,758.1 Band D equivalent properties for 2026/27, with an assumed collection rate of 96.0%. It also recommends the continuation of existing policies regarding discounts and premiums for second homes, empty homes, and long-term empty homes, aiming to incentivise properties to be brought back into use. Discretionary discounts for care leavers and a sanctuary discount for residents housing refugees are also recommended for continuation. The report notes an estimated NNDR net yield of £70m for 2026/27, acknowledging significant uncertainty due to upcoming reforms to the Business Rates Retention Scheme. The council is asked to note this estimate and delegate the final approval of the NNDR1 form to the Executive Director for Finance, Digital and Corporate Resources.

Review of the Constitution

The council will consider proposed amendments to its Constitution, as detailed in the report Council - Review of the Constitution - 28.01.26. These amendments, recommended by the Governance Committee, cover various sections including the Articles of the Council, Council Procedure Rules, Scrutiny Procedure Rules, Planning Committee provisions, the Scheme of Delegation, Committee Procedure Rules regarding meeting start times, and the Protocol on Planning & Lobbying. The proposed changes aim to improve the clarity, accessibility, and efficiency of the council's governance framework.

Appointment of Co-optees to Children and Young People Select Committee

The council is asked to appoint two co-opted members to the Children and Young People Select Committee. As outlined in the document Appointment of Children and Young People Select Committee Co-optees_final, Emma McIntosh is proposed as the Primary School Parent Governor Representative, and Pia Longman as the Diocesan Representative. These co-opted members provide independent perspectives on local education matters.

Motions

Two motions are scheduled for discussion. The first, proposed by Councillor Olaru-Holmes and seconded by Councillor Burgess, is titled Defending the Rights, Safety and Dignity of People Seeking Sanctuary and Migrants. This motion expresses concern over proposed government asylum and immigration reforms, highlighting potential impacts on homelessness, family reunion, and access to work, and reaffirms Lewisham's commitment as a Borough of Sanctuary. The second motion, proposed by Councillor Liam Shrivastava and seconded by Councillor Hau-Yu Tam, is titled Resisting immigration raids and regressive Home Office policies in Lewisham. This motion condemns recent immigration raids and proposed Home Office policies, calling for the council to refuse assistance to immigration enforcement teams and to review data-sharing agreements. It also proposes the creation of a Migrant Champion role. These motions are detailed in the Motions.pdf document.