Brenda Dacres - Mayor for Lewisham (Ward)

Mayor Brenda Dacres

Labour and Co-operative Party Ward Mayor

Email: brenda.dacres@lewisham.gov.uk

Council: Lewisham

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Council (Committee Member) Mayor and Cabinet (Chair) Health and Wellbeing Board (Chair) Public Accounts Select Committee (Mayor) Works Council Brent, Lewisham and Southwark IT Committee

Is this you? Claim this page.

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

34 meetings · Page 1 of 7

Mayor and Cabinet Chair

Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 3rd December, 2025 6.00 pm

The Mayor and Cabinet of Lewisham Council met to discuss a range of issues, including housing, social care, waste management, and financial performance. They approved measures to increase the supply of affordable housing, improve waste collection services, extend contracts for social care services, and set the council tax base for the upcoming financial year. The cabinet also agreed to procure new IT systems for the Revenue and Benefits Service and approved a contract for print and multifunctional devices.

December 03, 2025
Council Committee Member

Council - Wednesday, 26th November, 2025 7.30 pm

The Council of Lewisham met on Wednesday 26 November 2025, addressing community safety concerns, celebrating achievements in planning and parks, and approving the annual accounts. The council also discussed petitions, public and member questions, and motions related to recognising the contributions of British West Indian service personnel and the Latin American community in Lewisham.

November 26, 2025
Mayor and Cabinet Chair

Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 22nd October, 2025 6.00 pm

At a meeting on 22 October 2025, Lewisham Council's Mayor and Cabinet agreed to extend the advice services grant, implement changes to bulky waste disposal, and transfer management of Whitefoot Lane Playing Fields to Bonus Pastor School, among other decisions. The cabinet also approved a new active travel strategy and discussed ways to improve housing policies and services.

October 22, 2025
Health and Wellbeing Board Chair

Health and Wellbeing Board - Monday, 13th October, 2025 3.00 pm

The Lewisham Health and Well-Being Board convened to discuss several key initiatives, including updates on health inequalities, flu vaccination campaigns, sexual health strategies, and the implementation of the NHS 10-Year Plan. The board approved the Lewisham, Lambeth, Southwark, Bromley and Bexley sexual health strategy, and delegated approval of the neighbourhood health plan to the chair of the board. Members also received updates on the Birmingham Lewisham African Caribbean Health Inequalities Review (BLACHIR), the flu vaccination campaign, and the Better Care Fund.

October 13, 2025
Council Committee Member

Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm

Lewisham Council met to discuss a range of issues, including increasing councillor allowances, the use of substitutes on committees, and motions on childcare and public ownership of Thames Water[^2]. Councillors agreed to increase their basic allowance by 3.2% to £13,201 per year, and approved the use of substitutes on certain committees to ensure meetings can proceed even if some members are absent. A motion supporting the Labour government's plan for 30 hours of free childcare was passed, as was an amended motion calling for Thames Water to be brought back into public ownership.

September 24, 2025

Decisions from Meetings

249 decisions · Page 46 of 50

Exclusion of Press and Public

From: Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 23rd October, 2024 6.00 pm - October 23, 2024

...to exclude the press and public from discussions on Items 14 and 15 due to the likely disclosure of exempt information where the public interest in maintaining confidentiality outweighs disclosure.

Recommendations Approved

Declarations of Interests

From: Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 23rd October, 2024 6.00 pm - October 23, 2024

...to comply with regulations, Councillor Edison Huynh declared a personal interest regarding a proposal for a new strategic youth offer and strategy due to his former membership on the Youth First Board, and the recommendations were approved.

Recommendations Approved

Expiry of Notting Hill Genesis leases at Milford Towers and Proposed New Management Arrangements

From: Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 23rd October, 2024 6.00 pm - October 23, 2024

...to note the expiry of Notting Hill Genesis leases at Milford Towers, the return of vacant flats for temporary accommodation, ongoing discussions with Lewisham Homes regarding future management, and to delegate authority to enter into the most optimal leasing arrangement for the flats.

Implemented

Period 4 monitoring report

From: Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 23rd October, 2024 6.00 pm - October 23, 2024

...to note the current financial forecasts for the year ending 31 March 2025, the ongoing efforts to reduce costs, and that the 2025/26 budget will require the use of reserves due to a shortfall in savings.

Implemented

Annual Complaints Report

From: Mayor and Cabinet - Wednesday, 23rd October, 2024 6.00 pm - October 23, 2024

...to note the contents of the Annual Complaints Report.

Implemented

Summary

Meetings Attended: 34

Average per Month: 1.8

Decisions Recorded: 249