The Mayor and Cabinet meeting on 10 September 2025 saw the approval of several key housing policies, including updates to the Anti-Social Behaviour, Clear Corridors, Lodgers and Subtenants, Reasonable Adjustments, and Tenancy policies, all aimed at enhancing transparency, consistency, and legal compliance. The meeting also addressed critical issues in housing repairs and disrepair, approving new policies to ensure compliance with Awaab's Law, which mandates strict timeframes for addressing damp, mould, and other hazards.

Significant financial decisions were made, including the approval of the Period 4 Financial Monitoring Report, which noted a General Fund underspend of £7.9 million due to early delivery of savings, and the write-off of £98,000 in Adult Social Care debt and £52,000 in business rates debt. The meeting also endorsed the Business Plan for Lewisham Homes Limited for 2025/26, ensuring the council's wholly-owned housing company continues to support its housing objectives.

Housing Policies Approved

The Mayor and Cabinet approved a suite of five housing policies: the Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Policy, Clear Corridors Policy, Lodgers and Subtenants Policy, Reasonable Adjustments Policy, and the Tenancy Policy. Councillor Will Cooper, Cabinet Member for Better Homes, Neighbourhoods and Homelessness, presented the report, stating that these changes formalise current practices and aim to enhance transparency, consistency, and legal compliance across housing services.

The updated ASB policy introduces a new harm-based classification scheme and extends response timescales for lower priority cases to five working days, while maintaining a one-day target for serious incidents like hate crime and violence. It also expands case handling responsibilities to include housing officers alongside specialist ASB officers. The Lodgers and Subtenants Policy now formally prohibits subletting via short-term letting platforms such as Airbnb. The Reasonable Adjustments Policy has been revised to improve accessibility, complying with the Equality Act 2010¹ and incorporating feedback from residents and advocacy groups like Lewisham Speaking Up. The Tenancy Policy consolidates existing procedures into a single document, improving accessibility without altering current service delivery. The Clear Corridors Policy has been updated to include shared areas in specialist accommodation.

Repairs, Disrepair, and Damp & Mould Policies Approved

New policies for Repairs, Disrepair, and Damp & Mould were approved to ensure compliance with Awaab's Law², which comes into effect on 27 October 2025. Councillor Cooper explained that these policies are crucial for meeting legal obligations to provide safe and suitable accommodation. The Damp and Mould policy has been significantly revised to meet strict timeframes for addressing hazards, including emergency repairs within 24 hours, and emphasises transparency and resident responsibilities. The Repairs policy has been updated to incorporate Awaab's Law requirements for Category 1 hazards, and a formal Disrepair policy has been created to standardise procedures and align with legal standards. Councillor Cooper acknowledged the financial pressures on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budgets due to new regulations and the need for government funding to support these essential safety measures.

Extension of Young Persons Supported Housing Contract Approved

The Mayor and Cabinet approved the extension of the contract with the Single Homeless Project (SHP) for the Lewisham Young Persons Accommodation-based Support Service for one year, from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, at a total value of £585,370.80. Councillor Paul Bell, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, highlighted that this vital service accommodates and supports 43 care leavers and homeless young people, with 28 units ring-fenced for Lewisham Care Leavers. The extension is necessary to secure the main building used for the contract, as the support provider has a building management agreement with the landlord that runs until April 2027. Councillor Bell emphasised the positive impact on continuity of care, improved pathway planning, co-production with young people, stronger advocacy, and strategic alignment with health and well-being goals.

Approval of Lewisham Homes Limited's Business Plan 2025/26

The Business Plan for Lewisham Homes Limited, the council's wholly-owned housing company, was endorsed. Councillor Will Cooper noted that Lewisham Homes now manages 153 properties and leases 49 from the Council, primarily used for temporary accommodation. The business plan aligns with corporate priorities and supports the Council's housing aims.

Approval of Section 75 Agreement for the Better Care Fund

Mayor and Cabinet approved entering into a new Section 75 agreement with the South East London Integrated Care Board (Lewisham) to govern the pooled budget arrangements for the Better Care Fund (BCF) for 2025-26. Councillor Paul Bell explained that the BCF enables the pooling of resources with the NHS to jointly commission health and social care services, supporting residents to live independently and improving health outcomes. The pooled budget for 2025/26 is £53,440,286, with the Council contributing £21,091,826. This agreement is a statutory requirement to secure the funding.

Approval to Procure Contractor for Myatt Garden Primary School Roof Remediation

Approval was given to procure a contractor to remove Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) from the roof of Myatt Garden Primary School. Councillor Edison Huynh, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, stated that these structural works are fully funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and do not affect the Children and Young People's budget.

Permission to Procure Multiple Housing Works Contracts

Mayor and Cabinet approved officers to undertake procurement exercises to find suitable contractors for housing repairs, maintenance, and capital works. Councillor Will Cooper explained that this aims to expand and diversify the Council's supply chain to improve capacity, quality assurance, and value for money. This includes approving the use of the South East Consortium framework for major works, establishing a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) via the Social Housing Emerging Disruptors (SHED) framework for repairs and maintenance, and procuring contractors for roofing, scaffolding, windows, doors, and general building works through a Competitive Flexible Procedure. Approval was also given for the award of a contract to Axis Europe Plc for the upgrade of identified properties.

Approval of Capital Budget for Mayfield (Building for Lewisham Programme)

Approval was granted for the award of a contract to undertake main works at the Mayfield scheme, which will deliver 64 new homes. Councillor James-J Walsh, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning, noted that the revised forecast contract sum exceeds the amount approved in January 2024 due to build cost inflation and unforeseen abnormal costs. Delegated authority was given to the Executive Director of Place to select the preferred contractor and agree the final contract.

Permission to Procure Operator for Lewisham Library

Mayor and Cabinet approved the procurement of a single provider or consortium to operate a concession at Lewisham Library. Councillor Sakina Sheikh, Cabinet Member for Culture, Communities, Libraries and Sports, highlighted that this includes a full repair and maintenance lease, operational management of the building, and the provision of a café and Business Hub/workspace. The contract will be for a minimum of five years, with an option to extend for a further five years. This initiative is part of the wider Lewisham Town Centre Improvement Programme, funded by the Levelling Up fund.

Surrey Canal Station Update

An update on the Surrey Canal station project was noted, and approval was given for the use of Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL) funds to support its delivery. Councillor James-J Walsh stated that the station is a critical enabler for the New Bermondsey development, which will deliver 3,500 new homes, and will significantly improve transport connectivity in an area with high levels of deprivation. The station will also be step-free, enhancing accessibility. TfL has remobilised the project and is seeking contributions to bridge a funding gap for the design works.

Housing Ombudsman Service Complaint Handling Code Annual Submission

The annual submission against the statutory Housing Ombudsman Service Complaint Handling Code 2024 was noted. Councillor Will Cooper acknowledged the council's partial compliance with the Code, particularly in Stage 1 complaint handling, where only 34% were met within timescales in 2024/25. He highlighted ongoing work through the Housing Transformation Programme and the Complaints Handling Improvement Project (CHIP) to address these issues, including recruitment of additional staff and system upgrades. The report detailed recurring themes in complaints, such as repairs, communication delays, and inconsistent policy application, and outlined service improvement plans for 2025/26.

Building Security & Related Services Contract Extension Approved

Mayor and Cabinet approved a two-year contract extension with Smartsec Solutions for building security and related services across the Lewisham portfolio, at an estimated cost of £2.3 million. Councillor Amanda De Ryk, Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Performance, noted that the current contract has performed well, and the extension will maintain essential services while officers review future requirements. The extension brings the contract end date to 30 April 2027.

Exclusion of Press and Public

It was resolved that decisions taken in the open part of the meeting were sufficient to dispense with the need to exclude the press and public for any Part 2 confidential reports.

The Mayor and Cabinet meeting was held on Wednesday, 10 September 2025.