This week in Lewisham:

Council Faces Scrutiny Over Social Care Data and Temporary Housing Costs

The Public Accounts Select Committee met this week to examine the council's financial performance, raising concerns about data reliability in children's social care and the increasing costs of temporary accommodation. The committee also discussed council tax collection rates and a planned review of local government finance reforms.

• Data Doubts: Councillor Eva Kestner questioned the accuracy of data in children's social care, highlighting past issues. Catherine Nid, Director of Finance, outlined a project to cleanse data, reset contracts, and implement panel reviews to ensure validity. This matters because unreliable data can lead to ineffective support for vulnerable children.
• Housing Headaches: Councillor John Paschoud expressed concern over the balanced budget in general fund housing, particularly regarding temporary accommodation. Nid acknowledged potential risks from the cost of living crisis. This is crucial as rising temporary accommodation costs can strain council resources and impact services for those in need.
• Taxing Times: Councillor James Rathbone, Chair of the Public Accounts Select Committee, noted a decline in council tax collection rates since COVID-19. David Austin, Executive Director of Corporate Resources, explained efforts to recover collection rates to pre-pandemic levels. This is important because lower collection rates can impact the council's ability to fund essential services.
• Finance Future: The committee agreed to review reforms to local government finance at their next meeting. This review could have significant implications for how Lewisham is funded and its ability to deliver services.

Housing Repairs See Progress, Valentine Court Project Faces Uncertainty

The Housing Select Committee discussed improvements in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), particularly in the repairs service. However, concerns were raised about project delivery uncertainties, especially regarding an infill project on the Valentine Court google maps link to Valentine Court Lewisham estate.

• Repairs Revival: Gillian Douglas, the Executive Director of Housing, reported increased productivity of the in-house operative workforce and reduced contact centre waiting times. This is good news for tenants who rely on timely and effective repairs.
• Project Problems: Councillor John Paschoud questioned uncertainties in project delivery, particularly regarding the Valentine Court infill project. Douglas acknowledged challenges related to viability and funding, highlighting the difficulties in increasing housing supply.
• Disrepair Dollars: Councillor Mark Jackson noted the high cost of disrepair cases and questioned the budget for the managed disrepair project. Douglas expressed confidence in the budget, highlighting the increased capacity of the in-house legal team.
• Asset Ambitions: Councillor Mark Ingleby inquired about the asset management strategy and alternative delivery vehicles for new social and affordable housing. Douglas noted the use of Lewisham Homes as a housing company.

Housing Ombudsman Report Sparks Damp and Mould Concerns

The Housing Select Committee reviewed the Annual Statutory Housing Ombudsman Report, raising concerns about the council's handling of damp and mould cases, particularly in light of Awaab's Law coming into effect on 27 October 2025.

• Damp Data: Councillor Liam Shrivastava, Leader of the Lewisham Green Group, asked how the council intended to rectify failures in hazard identification and recording, and what training would be put in place to avoid assumptions about condensation being attributed to tenants' lifestyles. Carol Hinvest, Director of Resident Engagement and Services, acknowledged the deep-seated issues identified in the root cause analysis and stated that the council had over 3,500 damp and mould cases at its peak in November 2024, which had been reduced to 1,700 by the end of July.
• Complaint Concerns: Councillors expressed concern about low satisfaction rates with complaint handling. Councillor Billy Harding, Vice Chair Audit and Risk Committee, highlighted a case study from the ombudsman's March 2025 report where sewage leaks were unresolved for several months despite being classed as an emergency.
• Ombudsman Orders: Councillor Dawn Atkinson questioned the increase in ombudsman determinations, which had risen from 8 in 2022-23 to 105 in 2024-25. Gillian Douglas, Executive Director Housing, explained that the increase was partly due to the way cases were counted and the ombudsman's new powers to give wider orders. Councillor Will Cooper added that the cases coming through were from a period when Lewisham Homes was brought into the council and the service was at its worst.

The committee requested further information on energy performance certificates and disrepair figures in the next Regenter B3 report, and also requested a detailed report covering complaint handling and transactional surveys.

Planning Committee Approves Housing Developments Amidst Objections

Planning Committee B approved plans for new housing at Robins Court google maps link to Robbins Court Lewisham, land to the rear of 2 Breakspears Road google maps link to 2 Breakspears Road Lewisham, 113 Dartmouth Road google maps link to 113 Dartmouth Road Lewisham, 31 Gillian Street google maps link to 31 Gillian Street Lewisham, and land rear of 189-191 Perry Hill google maps link to 189-191 Perry Hill Lewisham. Several of these decisions were met with objections from local residents.

• Robbins Court: Despite resident concerns about the structural survey, the committee approved vertical extensions to create 24 new duplex apartments. Councillor James Rathbone proposed adding an informative that the developer should work with residents when designing the construction management plan.
• 2 Breakspears Road: The committee approved the construction of a single-storey detached dwelling, despite concerns about access rights. The Head of Legal Services, Melanie Dawson, clarified that planning permission can be granted even where there may be disputed access rights.
• 113 Dartmouth Road: The committee approved the erection of a terrace of three two-storey houses, despite concerns about access for wheelchair users. Councillor Rathbone questioned how the committee was meeting its public sector equality duty if they were allowing the development of properties which can't be accessed by people in wheelchairs.
• 31 Gillian Street: The committee approved the demolition of existing buildings and construction of new dwelling houses and commercial units.
• 189-191 Perry Hill: The committee approved the erection of a three-story building with nine flats, with the addition of a condition about a waste management plan.

Children and Young People Select Committee Discusses Data and Early Intervention

The Children and Young People Select Committee met to discuss data monitoring, early intervention and family support, and the committee's work programme.

• Early Intervention: The committee reviewed a report providing an overview of recent developments and ongoing initiatives within the service in relation to early intervention and family support. The report highlighted progress in areas such as the Pathfinder programme that includes the Families First Contact Point (FFCP), Family Help and the evolving Family Hub and Family Advice model.
• Data Monitoring: The committee reviewed a report outlining the council's performance framework approach and details of data sharing developments.

Upcoming Meetings

• Pensions Investment Committee - Thursday 25 September 2025 - Discuss responses to the Divest for Palestine petition, the annual report, and a general update on the fund. The committee will also discuss the results of a member survey and review investment monitoring data.
• Standards Committee - Wednesday 24 September 2025 - Discuss declarations of interest from committee members and the appointment of two independent persons. The committee will also be asked to approve the minutes of the previous meeting.
• Council - Wednesday 24 September 2025 - Discuss member allowances, the use of substitutes in committees, the appointment of independent persons, and motions regarding free childcare and the public ownership of Thames Water. The meeting will also address a request for dispensation for Councillor Coral Howard due to illness.

This week in Lewisham:

Council Approves Catford Road Realignment Despite Green Space Concerns

The Strategic Planning Committee approved plans for the realignment of the A205 South Circular, including Catford Road google maps link to Catford Road, Brownhill Road google maps link to Brownhill Road, Placid Road google maps link to Placid Road, Sangley Road google maps link to Sangley Road and the A21 google maps link to A21, a project aimed at improving traffic flow and pedestrian access in Catford google maps link to Catford. However, the decision has faced criticism from residents concerned about the potential loss of green space and the impact on traffic flow.

• Long-Standing Ambition: The realignment has been a long-standing ambition of the council and Transport for London (TfL), aiming to create a greener, more accessible, and vibrant town centre.
• Compromises Acknowledged: Thomas Holmes from TfL acknowledged the challenges of balancing competing demands for space, stating, inevitably, in this situation, there's not enough space available to do everything that everybody wants us to do.
• Resident Concerns: Members of the public, including representatives from Catford Against Social Cleansing, raised concerns about the potential loss of green space at St. Dunstan's Jubilee Playing Grounds google maps link to St. Dunstan's Jubilee Playing Grounds, the lack of evidence that the scheme would improve traffic flow, and accessibility concerns with the bus proposals.
• Green Space Debate: Councillor Hau-Yu Tam, Deputy Leader of the Lewisham Green Group, questioned the amount of green space, but was assured that the proposed plans would provide more green space than currently exists.

The approval of the A205 South Circular realignment highlights the difficult choices councils face when balancing the need for infrastructure improvements with environmental concerns and community needs.

Lyrisham Play Tower Redevelopment Blocked Over Funding Agreement

The Strategic Planning Committee refused an application for the restoration and redevelopment of Lyrisham Play Tower google maps link to Lyrisham Play Tower, Ladywell, due to the absence of a Section 106 agreement¹.

• Unfulfilled Agreement: The application was previously resolved to grant in October 2022, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement, but the agreement has not been progressed by the applicant.
• Affordable Housing Impact: Councillor Jack Lavery proposed that the committee reject the officer's recommendations, stating that without a viable Section 106 agreement, the development is not viable.
• Community Contributions Lost: The report noted that without the legal agreement, the development would fail to secure contributions towards affordable housing, carbon offsetting, children's playspace, local labour initiatives, and improvements to the pedestrian environment.

The decision to refuse the Lyrisham Play Tower application underscores the importance of Section 106 agreements in ensuring that new developments contribute to the community and mitigate their potential negative impacts.

Air Quality Action Plan Progress Highlighted, Roadvent Project Underway

The Sustainable Development Select Committee received an update on the progress of the council's Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2022-2027, highlighting key achievements and ongoing initiatives.

• School Super Zone Project: The report pack highlights work with schools through the School Super Zone Project, which has been implemented around Kender Primary School google maps link to Kender Primary School and Edmund Waller Primary School google maps link to Edmund Waller Primary School.
• Air Quality Monitoring Network: The report pack also notes the expansion of the air quality monitoring network across the borough, with 74 out of 100 small automatic air quality sensors installed to measure pollutants in real-time, with a public platform for the data due to go live in September 2025.
• Roadvent Project: Lewisham Council has been successful in receiving funding to deliver a Roadvent, described in the report pack as an innovative pollution mitigation measure to capture and filter emissions from road-based vehicles.

The Air Quality Action Plan update demonstrates Lewisham Council's commitment to improving air quality across the borough and protecting the health of its residents, particularly vulnerable groups such as children.

Dockless Bikes Discussed, Expansion Plans Considered

The Sustainable Development Select Committee discussed dockless bikes in Lewisham, with Lime currently the only provider operating on the network.

• Lime Operations: Lime currently operates 1,500 dockless bikes in Lewisham, through an agreed memorandum of understanding (MoU).
• Potential New Operators: Lewisham Council is currently in discussion with two additional operators of dockless bikes in both Forest (formally HumanForest) and Bolt over the potential for them to operate their dockless bikes on our network.
• Geofencing and Bike Bays: Geofencing has become a mandatory part of dockless bikes in Lewisham, and designated marked dockless bike bays are being introduced in four phases.

The discussion on dockless bikes highlights the council's efforts to promote sustainable transportation options while managing the potential negative impacts of these services on the community.

Housing Policies Updated to Comply with Awaab's Law

The Mayor and Cabinet approved a series of updated housing policies, including revisions to the Repairs Policy, the Disrepair Policy, and the Damp and Mould Policy, to ensure compliance with Awaab's Law².

• Damp and Mould Policy: The revised policy incorporated Awaab's Law requirements, removed leaks from the policy title, expanded transparency by publishing performance data, and clarified residents' responsibility to provide access for timely resolution of issues.
• Repairs Policy: The revised policy applied Awaab's Law requirements to all category one hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System³ (HHSRS), excluding overcrowding.
• Disrepair Policy: This new policy formalised the council's disrepair process and aligned it with Awaab's Law, adopting the core principles of the Pre-Action Protocol for Housing Condition Claims⁴.

The updated housing policies demonstrate Lewisham Council's commitment to providing safe and healthy homes for its residents and complying with new regulations designed to protect tenants from hazardous living conditions.

Other Matters

• The Mayor and Cabinet approved the appointment of Shola Ojo as a director of the Catford Regeneration Partnership Limited (CRPL), replacing Nick Penny.
• The Mayor and Cabinet noted the Period 4 Financial Monitoring Report, which presented the council's financial forecasts as of 31 July 2025, indicating a £7.9 million underspend in the General Fund.
• The Mayor and Cabinet approved the extension of the contract with Single Homeless Project (SHP) for the provision of a Young Persons Specialist supported housing service for one year.
• The Mayor and Cabinet approved the procurement of a contractor to remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from the roof of Myatt Garden Primary School google maps link to Myatt Garden Primary School in Brockley google maps link to Brockley.
• The Mayor and Cabinet sought approval to procure an operator for Lewisham Library google maps link to Lewisham Library to deliver building management, workspace, and café provision.
• The Mayor and Cabinet were scheduled to note the current progress on the Surrey Canal Station google maps link to Surrey Canal Station and approve the use of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) to support its delivery.

Upcoming Meetings

• Public Accounts Select Committee - Wednesday 17 September 2025 - Review Period 4 Monitoring Report, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget for 2025-26, and Council Fund (council tax and business rates).
• Housing Select Committee - Tuesday 16 September 2025 - Discuss the Housing Assistance Policy, the Building for Lewisham Programme, the Annual Statutory Housing Ombudsman Report, the Regenter B3 Annual Report, and the Select Committee Work Programme.
• Planning Committee B - Thursday 18 September 2025 - Consider planning applications for Robins Court, 2 Breakspears Road, 113 Dartmouth Road, 31 Gillian Street, and Land rear of 189-191 Perry Hill.
• Children and Young People Select Committee - Wednesday 17 September 2025 - Discuss data monitoring, early intervention and family support, and the committee's work programme.
• Pension Board - Tuesday 23 September 2025
• Standards Committee - Wednesday 24 September 2025
• Council - Wednesday 24 September 2025
• Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 23 September 2025
• Appointments Committee - Thursday 18 September 2025
• Pensions Investment Committee - Thursday 25 September 2025

This week in Lewisham:

Dokis Lounge Licensing Discussed Behind Closed Doors Again

For the second time in a month, the Licensing Committee convened on Wednesday to discuss a licensing matter concerning the Star & Garter AKA Dokis Lounge, located at 490 New Cross Road. As with the previous meeting, the press and public were excluded, citing Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, which allows for the exclusion of the press and public when the discussion involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.

• Lack of Transparency: The continued exclusion of the public from discussions about Dokis Lounge raises concerns about transparency in the decision-making process.
• Exempt Information: The council claims the discussions involve exempt information as defined in paragraphs 1, 3, and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12(A) of the Act, but the specific nature of this information remains undisclosed.
• Community Impact: Residents are left in the dark about the issues being considered and how they might affect the local community.

The lack of public access to these discussions makes it difficult for residents to understand the factors influencing decisions about local businesses and their potential impact on the neighbourhood.

Licensing Sub-Committees Appointed

The Licensing Committee appointed councillors to five licensing sub-committees, responsible for making decisions on licensing applications and reviews.

• Sub-Committee Structure: The sub-committees are structured to handle the majority of hearings in rotation, with an Urgency Sub-Committee to handle short-notice applications.
• Decision-Making Framework: When making decisions, members of the Licensing Committee must consider the Licensing Act 2003 and promote the four licensing objectives: Protection of Children from Harm, Prevention of Crime and Disorder, Prevention of Public Nuisance, and Public Safety.
• Council Priorities: The appointments align with Lewisham's corporate priorities, as outlined in the council's Corporate Strategy (2022-2026), particularly the priorities of building an inclusive local economy and building safer communities.

Other Matters

• The minutes of the Licensing Committee meetings held on 21 and 23 July 2025 were deferred for consideration at the next meeting.

Upcoming Meetings

• Licensing Committee - Wednesday 27 August 2025
• Meeting - Wednesday 27 August 2025

This week in Lewisham:

Licensing Sub-Committee Discusses Dokis Lounge Application Behind Closed Doors

A Licensing Sub-Committee A meeting was scheduled to discuss a review of the premises licence for Star & Garter AKA Dokis Lounge, located at 490 New Cross Road google maps link to 490 New Cross Road. However, the public and press were excluded from the discussion due to the anticipated disclosure of exempt information as defined in the Local Government Act 1972.

• Transparency Concerns: The decision to exclude the public raises concerns about transparency in licensing decisions that directly affect the local community.
• Previous Instances: This is not the first time the Licensing Committee has chosen to discuss matters related to Dokis Lounge in private. A similar situation occurred at a Licensing Committee meeting last week, where the public was excluded for the same reason.

The lack of public access to these discussions makes it difficult for residents to understand the factors influencing decisions about local businesses and their potential impact on the neighbourhood.

Strategic Planning Committee Meeting Cancelled

The Strategic Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday was cancelled.

Licensing Committee Meeting Cancelled

The Licensing Committee meeting scheduled for Monday was cancelled.

Upcoming Meetings

• Licensing Committee - Wednesday 13 August 2025