This week in Southwark:

• The Housing, Community Safety and Community Engagement Scrutiny Commission discussed cabinet responses to housing allocations, homelessness, heating outages, fire safety, policing, and tenant structures.
• Unfortunately, no information was made available about the meeting of the Unknown committee on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

Housing, Community Safety and Community Engagement Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 22 April 2025

The Housing, Community Safety and Community Engagement Scrutiny Commission met on 22 April 2025 to discuss cabinet responses to a review of housing allocations, homelessness, heating and hot water outages, fire safety and policing in Southwark, as well as an interim report on tenant structures and the commission's work programme for the year 2024-2025.

Cabinet Responses to Review of Housing, Community Safety and Community Engagement

The commission was scheduled to note the cabinet’s responses to the Review of Housing Allocations, Homelessness, and Heating & Hot Water Outages, Fire Safety and Policing in Southwark. The cabinet responses were divided into two reports, with a further response to Recommendation 12 provided separately by council officers.

The original review contained 12 recommendations.

Heating and Hot Water Outages

The cabinet responded to six recommendations (5-10) relating to heating and hot water outages across the council’s district heating systems.

• Recommendation 5: Review heating and hot water outages at Rouel Road Estate and create an action plan. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation. The council said that it already delivers planned preventative maintenance tasks within the plant rooms at Rouel Road, including weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual checks. They also stated that they would door-knock at least one property after an outage or shutdown, and use its Quality Monitoring contractor to perform a minimum of one detailed dwelling survey per boiler house per annum.
• Recommendation 6: Commission a resident consultation exercise with residents of Rouel Road Estate. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation, stating that Engineering Services had commenced a resident consultation exercise with Rouel Road residents, including in-person and online options for meetings and survey responses.
• Recommendation 7: Undertake a deep dive into heating and hot water performance on two estates, one of which should be Rouel Road, in the winter of 2024, focusing on the gap between the self-reported experience of residents and centrally held data monitoring. The cabinet did not agree with this recommendation, stating that Engineering Services ran a borough-wide consultation in 2020 which asked residents a range of questions about their experience of living with district heating. However, the cabinet committed to re-implementing the Heat Networks Governance Board.
• Recommendation 8: Put in place more robust and stricter controls for contract monitoring and accountability, prior to contract renewal of service providers for heating and hot water repairs in the municipal year 2024-25, and invest greater resources in the management of contracts. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation, stating that the council is currently undertaking procurement for new gas, heating and water maintenance contractors for individual heating, district heating, building management systems and quality monitoring.
• Recommendation 9: Review the compensation scheme payments for heating and hot water outages being paid to residents, taking into account continual non-consecutive outages or shorter multiple outages, extended periods of time taken for resolution of existing repairs causing detriment to health, disruption and inconvenience, and including a mechanism for automatic uprating of the compensation taking inflation into account. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation.
• Recommendation 10: Review the Compensation Scheme for heating outages to find a mechanism for compensations to be paid directly to private tenants’ bank accounts through an application process, rather than private landlords and leaseholders who already benefit from all-inclusive rents. The cabinet did not agree with this recommendation, stating that the council has no legal relationship with the private tenants of freeholders and leaseholders.

Homelessness, Housing Allocations and Policing

The cabinet responded to recommendations 1-4 & 11 of the review.

• Recommendation 1: Ensure a clear set of success criteria for the Housing Allocations scheme and lettings policy before they are finalised, with details on how these will be measured, including not only quantitative analysis of how the scheme is helping to meet housing need in the borough but should also include post-move tenant satisfaction surveys to ensure the council is able to monitor tenants' views and experiences, and that the cabinet make a clear plan to monitor and audit this data regularly. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation.
• Recommendation 2: Improve incentives for residents and communication of the Rightsizing scheme, to address under-occupancy through increased uptake of the scheme. The cabinet agreed with this recommendation.
• Recommendation 3: Reinstate the post of the Housing Hospital Discharge Officer. The cabinet partially agreed with this recommendation, stating that the role of Housing Hospital Discharge officer is part of the councils future working arrangements however they are not able to confirm this role will be the single point of contact.

• Recommendation 4: Review its Draft Homelessness Strategy include the recommendations below as a part of the feedback for the consultation, which includes the following points:

  • An improved, less invasive drop-in process at Bournemouth Road for homeless people, with easier in-person security and access procedures to council buildings/offices when dealing with domestic abuse and sexual exploitation victims.
  • Separate escalation process and telephone contact numbers for partner agencies to book appointments.
  • Resolution of the issues faced in the joint protocol working between partner agencies and the housing options team when working with refugee and asylum cases.
  • Investment in better IT infrastructure, especially with regards to flagging same-day assessments, waiting times, updating forms, documentation and processes.

  The cabinet agreed with this recommendation.

• Recommendation 11: Work with the Metropolitan Police to develop new local accountability mechanisms for policing in Southwark, and that this includes a new forum or body that allows regular, multi-ward engagement between councillors and a senior police officer for each area in the borough. The cabinet agreed to lead the development and chair an Independent Policing Oversight Board.

Lithium-ion Battery Fires in E-bikes

The cabinet responded to recommendation 12, stating that the council recognises the emerging problem of lithium-ion battery fires in e-bikes. They stated that they now have a draft procedure and guidelines for “e-Bikes and e-Scooters storage and charging in communal areas” which is going through the governance process for approval.

Interim Report on Tenant Structures

The commission was scheduled to agree the Interim Report on Tenant Structures for submission to Cabinet.

Work Programme 2024-2025

The commission was scheduled to consider the work programme for the 2024-2025 year. Issues the commission is due to consider include:

• The council’s approach to upcoming market regulations of district heating networks by Ofgem¹
• Procurement and contract management - district heating systems, contractors, repairs and major works.
• Housing Associations and their partnership with the council
• Fair Community Housing Services Forensic Review

Unknown committee - Wednesday 23 April 2025

Unfortunately, no information was made available about the meeting of the Unknown committee on Wednesday 23 April 2025.

This week in Southwark:

• The Corporate Parenting Committee was scheduled to discuss its work plan for the year, care leavers into employment, and receive an update from Speakerbox.

Corporate Parenting Committee - Thursday 17 April 2025

The Corporate Parenting Committee was scheduled to meet on Thursday 17 April 2025 to discuss a work plan for the coming year, receive a verbal update from Speakerbox, and hold a workshop/discussion on care leavers into employment.

Corporate Parenting Committee Work Plan 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to review and update its work plan for the upcoming year. The Corporate Parenting Committee's role is to improve the life chances of looked after children, and to develop and monitor a corporate parenting strategy and work plan.

The committee was scheduled to consider the following dates for future meetings:

• 16 July 2025
  • Speakerbox verbal update
  • Exclusions report back
  • Care Leaver employment - council wide approach.
• 22 October 2025
  • Speakerbox verbal update and report back on actions
  • Annual health report for looked after children
  • Foster annual report.
• 25 February 2026
  • Speakerbox verbal update / annual report
  • Annual independent reviewing officer report
  • Adoption annual report
  • Annual virtual head teacher’s report.
• 22 April 2026
  • Speakerbox verbal update.

The report pack noted that there is national momentum towards improving outcomes for care leavers, and that Southwark Council has an ambition to go above and beyond, by creating the best Leaving Care Service possible, by co-designing this with young people, learning from other organisations and trialling new ideas to test what works best.

Care Leavers into Employment

The committee was scheduled to hold a workshop/discussion on care leavers into employment. This follows a similar discussion at the Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission on 8 April 2025, which received a report on youth employment support.

Speakerbox Verbal Update

Speakerbox was scheduled to provide a verbal update to the committee. Speakerbox ensures that the views of looked after children and care leavers are used to influence decision making that affects their care and support, particularly service planning and design. Speakerbox represents children and young people between 8 and 24 years old, and provides a peer to peer networking support system for looked after children.

This week in Southwark:

• The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission discussed youth employment support, the East Street Market renovation, and safeguarding children.
• The Licensing Sub-Committee considered a time-limited premises licence application for Southwark Park for events run by We Are The Fair Limited.

Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 08 April 2025

The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission met on 8 April 2025 to discuss youth employment support, the East Street Market renovation project, and the Southwark Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP). The commission also planned to discuss draft scrutiny recommendations and the work programme for the year 2024-25.

Youth Employment Support

The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to receive a report on youth employment support. The report pack outlined the council's commitment to ensuring all young people in Southwark are well-prepared to pursue any career they choose, regardless of their background or circumstances, and to have support available to help them move into employment.

The report pack detailed a range of services and programmes available to young people in Southwark, including Southwark Works Employment Support Service, apprenticeships, the Southwark Skills Partnership, the Education Business Alliance (EBA), school leaver internships, OneHub, the Southwark Youth Opportunities Bulletin, the Southwark Local Offer and Southwark Information, Advice and Support Service for young people with SEND, Connect to Work, and Care Leavers Employment Support.

The report pack also highlighted the Southwark Youth New Deal, launched in Spring 2021, which sought to demonstrate the commitments made by the council to support young people to get on in life.

East Street Traders

The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to receive a report on the East Street Market renovation project.

The report pack provided an overview of progress made between November 2023 and January 2025, including initial trader engagement and research, mystery shopping and safety surveys, capacity building and upskilling, market branding guidelines, 'Cleaner, Greener and Safer' match-funding for proof of concept solar panels, devising a market charter, a market newsletter, and the hiring of a Community Impact Coordinator.

The report pack noted that a 'Community Impact Coordinator' was hired to understand trader needs through stories and conversations, record footfall, and gather demographic data. The key areas of concern identified included parking, pitch fees, engagement, market management, facilities, and community.

The report pack also summarised customer views, including the desire for a greater variety of stalls, increased advertising, adequate parking spaces and storage facilities, and improved facilities such as toilets and Wi-Fi access.

A mystery shopping and health and safety survey was carried out in December 2023, which raised concerns including that some stalls only accepted cash, and traders were not approachable to answer questions about their products.

Ivy Studios, a Walworth-based graphic design studio, produced a 37-page brand guideline, which included a bold logo design, standardised branding of gazebos, and a colour scheme for murals and public space design.

A proof of concept for a solar panel barrow was completed as part of match-funding from the 'Cleaner, Greener and Safer Fund'.

A market charter was devised, covering stall allocation, trading hours, compliance with laws and regulations, display and sales, cleanliness, compliance with organisers' instructions, conduct, cancellation policy, and insurance.

A market newsletter was circulated by email and in hard copy, in collaboration with Southwark Association of Street Traders and Shop Owners (SASTSO).

The report pack also outlined the obstacles and challenges faced, including council deliverables not implemented, market management issues, waste management problems, and underused and dilapidated buildings.

The report pack included recommendations such as a 'East Street Shopping District' masterplan, wifi and lighting, branded gazebos, pedestrianisation, Nursery Row Park as part of the market, permanent market barrows, a recycling strategy, signage and wayfinding, workspace for young entrepreneurs, shopfront improvements, and independent and professional market management.

Southwark Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP)

The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to receive a report on the Southwark Safeguarding Children Partnership (SSCP).

The report pack stated that the purpose of the report was to update the committee on the work of the SSCP and share the SSCP Executives’ priorities for action for 2025–2026, in response to the updated statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023. Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 introduces substantive changes to strengthen how local multi-agency safeguarding arrangements work together to safeguard and protect children locally, including with relevant agencies.

The lead safeguarding partners (LSPs) are Althea Loderick, Chief Executive of Southwark Council, Matt Twist, Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and Andrew Bland, Chief Executive Officer of Southeast London ICB.

The LSPs have delegated these functions to Alasdair Smith – Director Children’s Services, Southwark Borough Council, Vanessa Britton – Detective Superintendent, Metropolitan Police, and Darren Summers - Strategic Director for Integrated Health and Care/Southwark Place Executive Lead.

The report pack stated that the SSCP Executive has agreed new business priorities for the coming year, including continuing the work on the neglect strategy, domestic abuse, an adolescent strategy and implementation of Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 including enhancing the voice of the child.

The report pack included the SSCP Annual Report 2023-24, which outlined the statutory requirement for safeguarding partners to submit an annual report to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel, on how the SSCP ensures good governance and strategic oversight of multi-agency safeguarding arrangements within Southwark.

Work Programme 2024-25

The Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission was scheduled to note the work programme as at 8 April 2025 and consider the addition of new items or allocation of previously identified items to specific meeting dates of the commission.

The work programme document lists those items which have been or are to be considered in line with the commission’s terms of reference.

As of 22 May 2024 the commission also now has within in its remit the cabinet portfolio elements listed below:

Children, Education & Refugees (Councillor Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member)

Climate Emergency (green economy), Jobs & Business (Councillor John Batteson)

Licensing Sub-Committee - Thursday 10 April 2025

The Licensing Sub-Committee was scheduled to convene to consider a time-limited premises licence application for Southwark Park, and to deal with standard business items.

Licensing Act 2003: We Are The Fair, Southwark Park, Gomm Road, London SE16 2ET

The sub-committee was scheduled to consider an application from We Are The Fair Limited for a time limited premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 for Southwark Park, Gomm Road, London SE16 2ET. The Licensing Act 2003 is the law that regulates the sale and supply of alcohol, the provision of regulated entertainment, and the provision of late night refreshment.

We Are The Fair Limited had applied to the council on 6 February 2025 for a licence to cover the period from 4 July 2025 to 6 June 2028. The report pack notes that the applicant has held multiple time-limited licences in Burgess Park previously.

The hours initially applied for were:

• The sale by retail of alcohol (on sales only):
  • Sunday to Monday from 11:00 to 21:30
  • Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00
  • Sundays prior to bank holiday Mondays will cease at 22:00
• Provision of regulated entertainment in the form of plays, films, live music, recorded music, performances of dance and anything of a similar description (both indoors and outdoors):
  • Sunday to Monday from 11:00 to 22:00
  • Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:30
  • Sundays prior to bank holiday Mondays will cease at 22:30
• Opening hours:
  • Sunday to Monday from 11:00 to 23:00
  • Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 23:30
  • Sundays prior to bank holiday Mondays will cease at 23:30

The application described the premises and its intended operation as:

Southwark Park is located in Rotherhithe and covers an area of 25ha. It features a bandstand, a bowls club, playground and cafe. This application will apply to a specific area of the park and will be identified on a site plan to be agreed with the Local Authority in advance of events taking place.

The proposed designated premises supervisor was named as Robert Dudley.

Representations

The council received representations from responsible authorities and other persons regarding the application.

The council’s trading standards team initially submitted a representation requesting additional conditions to promote the protection of children from harm. These conditions included implementing a Challenge 25 scheme, training staff in the prevention of underage alcohol sales, displaying signage about the Challenge 25 policy, and maintaining a register of refused sales of alcohol. However, this representation was later withdrawn after the applicant agreed to the requested conditions.

The Southwark Park Association 1869 submitted a representation objecting to the application on the grounds of public nuisance. The association expressed concerns that three days of loud music and large crowds over a summer weekend would be a nuisance to park users and nearby residents. The representation stated that the association had refused to attend the hearing.

Southwark Council statement of licensing policy

The report pack included extracts from Southwark’s statement of licensing policy 2021-2026, which was approved by council assembly on 25 November 2020 and came into effect on 1 January 2021. The sections of the statement considered to be of particular relevance to the sub-committee’s consideration were:

• Section 3 – Purpose and scope of the policy.
• Section 5 – Determining applications for premises licenses and club premises certificates.
• Section 6 – Local cumulative impact policies.
• Section 7 – Hours of operation.
• Section 8 – The prevention of crime and disorder.
• Section 9 – Public safety.
• Section 10 – The prevention of nuisance.
• Section 11 – The protection of children from harm.

The report pack noted that Southwark Park is located outside of a cumulative impact area, but within a residential area, and that the statement of licensing policy does not provide recommended closing hours for music festivals.

Climate change implications

The report pack noted that following council assembly on 14 July 2021, the council is committed to considering the climate change implications of any decisions, and suggested some ways that the applicant could reduce the impact of climate change.

This week in Southwark:

• The Overview & Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss governance of housing services, electrical testing in council homes, and strategic responsibilities of cabinet members.
• The Planning Committee (Major Applications) B was scheduled to discuss funding for an affordable workspace in Elephant & Castle and a mixed-use development in East Dulwich.
• The Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider a request to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol at a convenience store on Peckham High Street.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday 31 March 2025

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee met on 31 March 2025 to discuss electrical testing in council homes, governance and oversight of housing services, and strategic responsibilities of cabinet members and senior management. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme for the year.

Governance and Oversight of Housing Services

The committee was scheduled to hear from Councillor Sarah King, Cabinet Member for Council Homes, and Hakeem Osinaike, Strategic Director of Housing, on the governance and oversight of housing services. This was expected to include discussion of managerial oversight and procedures for estates such as Canada Water and Devon Mansions, and procurement and supply chain management for housing services, specifically Plentific.

Electrical Testing in Council Homes

The committee was scheduled to receive a progress report on electrical testing in council homes from Councillor King and Osinaike. The minutes from the previous meeting on 8 January 2025, noted that 30% of non-decent homes did not have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). It was noted that Southwark Council had extended the contracts of two existing electrical contractors and were in the process of procuring two more contractors to meet the target of completing EICRs in all properties by the first quarter of 2026.

Cabinet/Senior Management Strategic Responsibility

The committee was scheduled to hear from Councillor Kieron Williams, Leader of the Council, and Althea Loderick, Chief Executive, on cabinet and senior management strategic responsibility.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to note and discuss its work programme as of 31 March 2025. The work programme lists items which have been, or are to be, considered by the committee.

Planning Committee (Major Applications) B - Wednesday 02 April 2025

The Planning Committee (Major Applications) B was scheduled to meet to discuss releasing funds for an affordable workspace and to consider a planning application for a mixed-use development.

Release of Funds for Affordable Workspace

The committee was scheduled to consider a report recommending the release of £189,648 from section 106 agreements¹ across the borough. The funds would be used to support the delivery of an affordable workspace, known as the Enterprise Hub, in Elephant & Castle.

The report pack noted that planning obligations are legal agreements secured to mitigate the impacts of development proposals, and that section 106 monies form a key part of the funding strategy to deliver the council’s new affordable workspace.

The report pack stated that Trampoline CIC, a Southwark-based social enterprise, proposed to establish an Enterprise Hub in the borough at subsidised rates, with wrap-around business support, for a majority minority-led and women-led membership. The capital grant would enable Trampoline CIC to establish an Enterprise Hub at 1 Tiverton Street, located in the North Walworth ward area.

The report pack included a detailed Trampoline CIC Enterprise Hub proposal, which stated that the enterprise incubation Hub Space would provide access to a dark kitchen, a fab-lab, a recording studio facility, and a co-working space.

Hall and Co Ltd Jewson Site, Railway Rise, London Southwark SE22 8WW

The committee was scheduled to consider a report regarding planning application 24/AP/2314, a full planning application for the demolition of existing buildings and construction of a mixed-use development at the Hall And Co Ltd Jewson Site, Railway Rise, London Southwark SE22 8WW.

The proposal included three buildings: one part 5, part 6, part 7 storeys; one part 5, part 7, part 8 storeys; and one part 7 and part 8 storeys. These buildings would accommodate up to 1,229sqm of storage and distribution space (Use Class B8²), 53 affordable residential homes (Use Class C3³) (40% affordable by habitable room), and 360 purpose-built student accommodation rooms (Use Class Sui Generis⁴), with ancillary cycle parking, refuse stores, car parking and landscaping.

The report pack noted that the application site is allocated for redevelopment in accordance with NSP41 of the Southwark Plan (2022), and that the redevelopment of the site must provide at least the amount of floor space currently on the site, and provide a habitat buffer to the adjacent green corridor along the railway line. It also noted that the redevelopment of the site should provide new homes, with an indicative capacity of 53.

The report pack stated that during the course of the applications, amended plans were received which included reallocation of the commercial space to solely a B8 storage and distribution use.

The report pack also stated that the proposal included the provision of 53 affordable residential homes (Class C3) and accounts for 40% of the total habitable rooms on site as affordable housing. The provision of affordable housing is proposed to be 26% social rent and 14% shared ownership homes.

Licensing Sub-Committee - Thursday 03 April 2025

The Southwark Council Licensing Sub-Committee met to consider a request to vary the premises licence of Vaalee, a convenience store on Peckham High Street. The application was submitted by Siva Lingham Samy Kannu, the premises licence holder. The Metropolitan Police Service had submitted a representation regarding the application.

Vaalee, 66 Peckham High Street

Siva Lingham Samy Kannu applied to vary the premises licence for Vaalee, 66 Peckham High Street, London SE15 5DP. Vaalee currently has a licence to sell alcohol (off sales only) between 08:00 and 23:00, Monday to Sunday. The application requests that the sub-committee consider allowing the premises to:

• Extend the hours for the sale of alcohol (off sales only) and opening hours to 08:00 to 03:00, Monday to Sunday.
• Remove condition 345, which prevents the sale of single cans or 300ml bottles.
• Remove condition 355, which prevents the sale of spirits where the quantity is 100ml or less.
• Change condition 4BA, which currently states that No sales of beers or ciders shall be sold with an ABV higher than 6.5%. The applicant wants to change this to:

“The premises licence holder shall not sell super strength beer, lager or cider with an alcohol content of 6.5% ABV (alcohol by volume) or greater. This restriction shall not apply in respect of the specialist branded, premium priced, products - for example craft ales, local or micro-brewery specialist products, boxed gifts or national celebratory/commemorative beer, lager or cider with an alcohol content of 6.5% ABV or greater.”

The report pack noted that the premises is within the Peckham cumulative impact area⁵. The Southwark statement of licensing policy recommends that off licences in cumulative impact areas should close at midnight.

The Metropolitan Police Service submitted a representation stating that the operating hours applied for far exceed the operating hours for off licences in the Peckham cumulative impact area. The police also noted that the conditions to be removed were applied to the licence during the previous consultation after consultation with responsible authorities. The police believe that granting the variation would likely have a negative impact on the licensing objectives, in particular the prevention of crime and disorder.