The Governance Committee of Lewisham Council was scheduled to discuss proposed changes to polling places for the May 2026 elections and to consider delegating authority to the Returning Officer for future temporary amendments. The committee was also set to review the council's constitution.

Temporary Changes to Polling Places and Delegation of Authority

The committee was scheduled to consider temporary changes to polling places in three polling districts: EHG2 (Hither Green), EBE2 (Bellingham), and WSY3 (Sydenham) for the May 2026 elections. These changes are necessary due to the unavailability or unsuitability of current designated venues. The report outlined that the polling place at St Christopher Christian Fellowship Church in Hither Green may not be available due to the building being placed on the market. For Bellingham, the Dumps Adventure Playground is unavailable due to redevelopment works, with several alternative venues being considered, including The Annunciation and St Augustine's Church, St Augustine's Primary School, Sedgehill Academy, and Christ Church United Reformed Church. In Sydenham, concerns have been raised by a ward councillor regarding the suitability of the new polling place at St Philip the Apostle Church for residents of the Hillcrest estate, citing distance and public transport issues. Alternative options for Sydenham included the Hillcrest Tenants Association Club, a portacabin on High Level Drive, St Bartholomew's Church, and The Grove Centre.

The report also recommended that the Governance Committee recommend to the Council that the Returning Officer be delegated authority to make urgent temporary amendments to polling places if unforeseen issues arise before an election, where there would not be enough time to follow the usual process of gaining Council approval. This delegation is intended to ensure the Returning Officer can fulfil their statutory duty to deliver the poll. The report highlighted that all proposed changes have been considered in line with equality legislation, with thorough site assessments conducted to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities. The potential for local polling places to encourage walking or cycling, thereby reducing car use, was also noted in relation to climate change implications.

Review of the Constitution

The committee was also scheduled to review the council's constitution. This review was to include proposed minor amendments across various articles, committee procedures, and delegations. Specific points for discussion included the removal of references to ward assemblies, an addition to the Housing Select Committee's terms of reference to explicitly reference the Council's landlord function, and the reinstatement of wording relating to the Strategic Planning Committee referral by the Director of Planning. The report pack indicated that members would discuss the removal of deputations from Council Procedure Rules, with concerns raised by Councillor Hau-Yu Tam regarding potential reductions in public participation. Clarification was also to be provided on the process for scrutiny procedure rules regarding requests for agenda items.

Further constitutional matters scheduled for consideration included the reinstatement of an omitted section concerning matters reserved to Planning Committees A & B, and minor corrections to the Scheme of Delegation, covering areas such as community education provision, controlled parking zone delegations, fees and charges policy wording, and contract variation wording. A proposal for each committee to set its own meeting time annually was also on the agenda, as was a discussion about time limits for Council motions, acknowledging previous workshops and concerns about accessibility. Finally, clarification was sought regarding wording in the Constitution Appendix 2 Planning Probity, specifically concerning the requirement for officers to be present when councillors meet developers. The report indicated that the Monitoring Officer would take this amendment away for inclusion in recommendations to Council. The committee was expected to resolve to recommend these constitutional amendments to the Council.