The Governance Committee of Lewisham Council met on Wednesday 10 December 2025 to discuss and recommend several amendments to the Council's Constitution. Key decisions included proposed changes to the terms of reference for the Housing Select Committee and the Strategic Planning Committee, as well as adjustments to various procedural rules and the scheme of delegation.

Review of the Constitution

The committee considered a series of proposed amendments to the Council's Constitution, which governs how the council operates, makes decisions, and how the public engages with it. These amendments were discussed at a Constitution Workshop held on 22 September 2025 and were recommended for approval by the full Council.

Amendments to Articles

Several amendments were proposed to the Council's Articles. Firstly, a minor amendment to Article 6.5 was recommended to remove a remaining reference to Ward Assemblies, which the council had previously agreed to eliminate entirely.

Secondly, Article 6.7, which outlines the terms of reference for the Housing Select Committee, was proposed to be amended. The recommendation was to add the phrase specifically including the Council's landlord function to its remit, ensuring that the committee's overview and scrutiny functions explicitly cover the council's role as a landlord.

A third amendment concerned Article 9.1, relating to the Strategic Planning Committee's terms of reference. Wording that had been omitted from the previous version of the Constitution was recommended for reinstatement. This wording states: and any other application, which in the opinion of the Director of Planning, following consultation with the Monitoring Officer, ought to be determined by the Strategic Planning Committee. This change aims to ensure that the Strategic Planning Committee retains the authority to consider applications deemed significant by the Director of Planning.

Council Procedure Rules - Deputations

The committee was asked to agree to the removal of a remaining reference to deputations in the Council Procedure Rules. Jeremy Chambers, the Council's Director of Law and Corporate Governance, explained that while there were provisions for petitions and public questions, there was no formal definition or scheme for deputations within the council's documents. He noted that no deputations had been received in recent years, and the overwhelming view from the Constitutional Workshop was to delete these references. Councillor Hau-Yu Tam, Cabinet Member for Communities, Sanctuary and Healing, expressed a personal view that deputations could be a valuable way for the public to contribute testimony, recalling a positive experience as a young person in Southwark. However, she acknowledged the lack of a defined scheme and stated she would not vote for the removal without further definition. Mr. Chambers clarified that if members wished to reintroduce a scheme for deputations in the future, a formal process would need to be established, similar to the existing petition scheme.

Scrutiny Procedure Rules

An amendment to the Scrutiny Procedure Rules was proposed, changing the wording regarding requests for items to be placed on agendas. The current rule requires the Proper Officer to comply with such requests. The proposed amendment, supported by Alex Glanz, the former Statutory Scrutiny Officer, states: Requests for items to be placed on the relevant agenda should be made to the Proper Officer. The Proper Officer will make a decision in consultation with the relevant Committee Chair as to whether the item can be taken. Councillor Tam raised concerns about the vice chair not being involved in the consultation and whether a councillor proposing an item should be part of the consultation. Mr. Chambers explained that the decision ultimately rests with the Proper Officer, with consultation with the chair serving as a good governance measure, and that the vice chair's role is to deputise for the chair.

Planning Committee Provisions

The committee considered an omission in the Scheme of Delegation concerning Planning Committees A and B. The report highlighted that certain provisions, previously included in the Constitution, which reserved specific types of planning matters to these committees, had been omitted. These include applications with ten or more valid objections, applications with objections from a council member, applications not in accordance with the development plan, or those the Director of Planning deems more appropriate for committee determination. The recommendation was to reinstate this wording to ensure these matters remain reserved to the planning committees.

Scheme of Delegation Amendments

Several minor amendments to the Scheme of Delegation were put forward. These included moving the reservation of decisions relating to the provision of community education and controlled parking zones from the Adult Social Care & Health and Finance headings, respectively, to the Place heading.

A change to Rule 31 was recommended to amend the reservation for increases in fees and charges. Instead of exceeding the rate of inflation, the reservation would now apply to Any increases greater than specified in the fees and charges policy. This change aims to provide greater clarity and align with the council's established policy.

An amendment to Rule 46 concerning variations to contracts was also proposed. The current wording could lead to minor variations requiring Mayor and Cabinet decisions. The proposed amendment clarifies that the reservation to members applies to variations on Category A Contracts that exceed specific thresholds, aiming to streamline the delegation process.

Committee Procedure Rules - Start Time of Meetings

The committee discussed a proposal regarding the start times of council committee meetings. While some members expressed a preference for a mandated 7:30 pm start time, the majority view from the Constitution Workshop favoured retaining flexibility. The recommendation was to include a provision in the Committee Procedure Rules stating: The start time of ordinary committees of the Council for each municipal year shall be determined and agreed by each committee at its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting of the Council. This approach allows individual committees to set a start time that best suits their members, acknowledging that a later start time could disproportionately impact women and disabled councillors.

Time for Motions

Councillor Jack Paschoud, as Speaker of the Council, raised concerns about the time allocated for motions. He noted that prior to the implementation of a time limit, there was no restriction. A strong consensus emerged from workshops to introduce a time limit for motions, with a majority view favouring 30 minutes. Councillor Paschoud expressed apprehension about the potential for discussions to be cut off mid-flow, impacting public attendees. Jeremy Chambers suggested that this issue, along with the potential reintroduction of deputations, could be revisited in a constitutional review following the May 2026 elections. Councillor James-J Walsh, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning, supported the idea of revisiting the time limit for motions, particularly in light of feedback from community members who found the restrictions inaccessible. He also proposed an amendment to clarify the wording in Appendix Two of the Constitution regarding interactions with developers. Mr. Chambers agreed to take this point away and include it in the recommendations to the Council meeting in January 2026.