The Standards Committee of Lewisham Council met on Monday 20 July 2026. The committee confirmed the meeting start time for the upcoming municipal year and appointed members to two sub-committees.

Appointments to Sub-Committees

The committee established two sub-committees, A and B, to manage hearings and appeals related to complaints under the Members' Code of Conduct. This arrangement is designed to ensure fairness and prevent conflicts of interest, adhering to the principles of natural justice by separating the functions of initial complaint consideration and appeal.

Standards Sub-Committee A was appointed as follows: Councillor Briony Edwards, Councillor Andre Bourne, Councillor Hilary Moore, Councillor Ruth Persian, Councillor Wellington Gill, with co-opted members Cathy Sullivan, David Roper-Newman, and Leslie Thomas.

Standards Sub-Committee B was appointed as follows: Councillor Markus Michelucci, Councillor Leni Candan, Councillor Shireen Asaw, Councillor Eva Stamirowski, Councillor Becky Sanders, with co-opted members Fasil Bhatti, Joy Walton, and Gill Butler.

A key procedural safeguard noted was that any member substituted onto a sub-committee considering a complaint would not be eligible to sit on the sub-committee that hears the appeal for the same case. This separation of functions is intended to prevent bias and ensure a fair hearing, in line with the Council's commitment to upholding high standards of conduct and the principles of natural justice as outlined in the Localism Act 2011¹.

Confirmation of Meeting Start Time

The committee also confirmed the start time for its meetings for the 2026/27 municipal year. It was agreed that future meetings would commence at 7:00 pm. The Proper Officer, in consultation with the Chair, retains the ability to vary the start time of individual meetings in exceptional circumstances.