Here is a summary of the agenda for the Mayor and Cabinet meeting of Lewisham Council scheduled for 21 May 2025. The meeting was scheduled to cover a new contract for providing a Contact Centre as a Service, the procurement of Microsoft licences, and existing Controlled Parking Zone reviews.

Sustainable Streets Programme and CPZ Reviews

The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of the Sustainable Streets Programme, specifically regarding existing Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) reviews. The report pack included a recommendation for Mayor Brenda Dacres and the Cabinet to agree to allow the Executive Director of Place to use their delegated powers to consider any objections received during statutory consultation on the permanent traffic order and make any applicable decision as a result.

The report notes that the Sustainable Transport and Parking Improvements programme was approved by Mayor and Cabinet on 7 December 2022 with the aim of encouraging active travel in Lewisham through sustainable transport measures alongside parking controls. According to the report, approximately 60% of the borough is not yet covered by CPZs.

The report pack states that the council undertook public consultations on amendments to existing CPZs, to align them with the Sustainable Streets Programme. The outcome of the public consultations were scheduled to be discussed at the meeting.

The report pack also notes that no waiting at any time junction protection markings (double yellow lines) are proposed to be introduced at junctions for all roads consulted, extending 10m from the junction, in line with guidance from the Highway Code.

The report pack states that a review of the Sustainable Streets zone will take place approximately six to twelve months after implementation to understand its impacts and allow for revisions if necessary.

Policy Context for Sustainable Streets Programme

The report pack states that the contents and recommendations of the report are consistent with the council’s policy framework, as well as wider regional and national policies and priorities, as outlined below:

• Corporate Strategy (2022-2026)
• Future Lewisham (2021)
• Climate Emergency Action Plan (2019)
• Air Quality Action Plan (2022-2027)
• Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy (2018)
• Transport Strategy and Local Implementation Plan (2019-2041)
• London Net Zero 2030: An Updated Pathway
• Healthy Streets for London (2017)
• London Environment Strategy (2018)
• Gear Change (2020)

Background to Sustainable Streets Programme

The report pack states that there is a widely recognised need to reduce car dependency in London to improve air quality, public health, reduce congestion and improve road safety.

The report pack notes that air pollution has a distinct impact on life expectancy and is linked to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurological impairments.

The report pack states that the council aims to reduce car dependency and encourage a mode shift to sustainable transport methods by improving the public realm and implementing measures that support walking, cycling, public transport use and more sustainable transport. This includes schemes which incorporate pedestrianisation, increasing the cycle network, access to cycle hire and road safety. The Sustainable Streets programme will meet these aims by proposing the following measures in areas that it consults:

• Cycle hangars
• Electric vehicle charging points
• More street tree planting
• Increased car club coverage
• Safer junctions and crossing points
• Controlled parking measures

Procurement of Microsoft Licences

The Mayor and Cabinet were scheduled to discuss and note the procurement strategy and process for a new Microsoft Licences agreement led by the Shared Technology Services (STS). The report pack included a recommendation to approve expenditure of up to £4,791,740.40 for the contract period of three years, and to approve Brent entering into the contract on behalf of the Council provided the expenditure is within authorised limits. The report pack also included a recommendation to delegate authority to the Executive Director for Corporate Resources to approve the final expenditure provided it is within authorised limits.

The report states that all three Councils which constitute the Shared Technology Services use Microsoft licences to provide its staff with access to key business applications, including Outlook, Teams, Viva Engage, Word, Excel and Powerpoint, and more recently Co-Pilot.

The report pack notes that these Microsoft licences are subscription based, with an annual fee covering their usage and ensuring access to future software updates for each application managed under the contract.

The report pack states that the procurement and report specifically covers the main Microsoft licencing agreement which expires in October 2025. These include licences related to Azure, power Business Intelligence (BI), Teams and other Microsoft applications.

Policy Context for Microsoft Licences Agreement

The report pack states that the report aligns with Lewisham’s Corporate Priorities, as set out in the Council’s Corporate Strategy (2022-2026).

Background to Microsoft Licences Agreement

The report pack states that the current Microsoft Licencing Agreement (covering the main set of Microsoft products) expires in October 2025. As part of the Inter Authority Agreement, the STS procurement team are leading on a new procurement to contract with a reseller for new contract to replace the existing arrangement.

The report pack notes that STS currently contract with Bytes Software Services and utilises Microsoft licences for all staff. These licences provide standard access to applications such as Outlook, Teams, Yammer, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more recently, Co-Pilot.

New Procurement Call-off Contract for Contact Centre as a Service

The Mayor and Cabinet were scheduled to discuss and approve the procurement of a provider for a contact centre solution through the use of Lot 4c of Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Network Services 3 (RM6116) with an estimated value of £1.7m excluding VAT, for a period of 5 years with optional extension periods of up to 24 months at the Council’s discretion.

The report included a recommendation to approve the use of the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Network Services 3 (RM6116) Framework Agreement, and to approve the award of a contract to the preferred provider in relation to a Contact Centre Solution, provided the contract values are within authorised limits. The report pack also included a recommendation to delegate authority to the Executive Director of Corporate Resources (in consultation with the Director of Law and Corporate Governance and Head of Corporate Customer Relations ) to select the preferred provider in accordance with the selection and award criteria published in the tender documentation and agree on the final form of contract.

The report pack states that officers are requesting that the new contract be awarded on the following weighted criteria 45% price, 45% quality, and 10% social value.

The report pack notes that implementation and migration to a potential new provider, which is expected to be complex, is likely to take an estimated six months to complete.

Policy Context for Contact Centre as a Service

The report pack states that the report aligns with Lewisham’s Corporate Priorities, as set out in the Council’s Corporate Strategy (2022-2026):

• Cleaner and Greener
• A Strong Local Economy
• Quality Housing
• Children and Young People
• Safer Communities
• Open Lewisham
• Health and Wellbeing

The report pack states that the recommendations in the report broadly support all of the Council’s priorities by enabling residents and staff to have a better user experience when they communicate with different areas of the organisation.

Background to Contact Centre as a Service

The report pack states that Shared Technology Services (STS) is a collaboration between three London local authorities, Brent, Lewisham, and Southwark as well as the GLA, to provide IT infrastructure and services to the three boroughs.

The report pack notes that STS procured 8x8 Virtual Contact Centre (VCC) as a Call Centre Telephony Solution for the three boroughs in 2017 for a period of five years. All possible extensions to the contracts have now been exhausted with the 8x8 VCC contract expiring on 30th April 2025. A new 12 month contract was awarded by the Executive Director for Corportate Resources on the 24 March 2025 to enable continuation of service between 1 May 2025 and 30 April 2026.

The report pack states that for Lewisham, the 8x8 VCC is used by the Customer Service Centre along with a number of smaller front-line Council Teams and handles over 850,000 calls per year plus an additional 220,000 call-backs.

Other Matters

The agenda also included:

• Minutes of the previous meeting
• Declarations of interest