Chris Best - Councillor for Lewisham (Sydenham)

Councillor Chris Best

Labour and Co-operative Party Sydenham

Email: chris.best@lewisham.gov.uk

Council: Lewisham

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Council (Committee Member) Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee (Chair) Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Committee Member) Health and Safety Committee (Committee Member) Pensions Investment Committee Sydenham Assembly Strategic Planning Committee Community Housing Task and Finish Group Public Accounts Select Committee (Guest)

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Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

38 meetings · Page 1 of 8

Health and Safety Committee Committee Member

Health and Safety Committee - Wednesday, 17th December, 2025 6.30 pm

The Health and Safety Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss health and safety in council buildings, and to analyse recent incident data from Lewisham's libraries. Councillors will also be asked to declare any personal interests they may have in the items on the agenda.

December 17, 2025
Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 16th December, 2025 7.00 pm

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to discuss the Lewisham Transformation Plan and the borough's economic development strategy, Inclusive Economy Lewisham. The committee will be asked to note the Transforming Lewisham Plan and its intended outcomes, and to comment on updates regarding the Inclusive Economy Lewisham strategy.

December 16, 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
Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee Chair

Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee - Wednesday, 12th November, 2025 7.00 pm

The Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee met to discuss budget equalities monitoring, resident engagement and consultation, and the committee's work programme. The meeting was also scheduled to include declarations of interest from committee members.

November 12, 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

68 decisions · Page 1 of 14

Statement of Accounts 2024-25

From: Council - Wednesday, 26th November, 2025 7.30 pm - November 26, 2025

... to note the contents of the report, approve agreed audit adjustments to the 2024/25 Statement of Accounts and Pension Fund Accounts, approve delegation to the Section 151 Officer to agree changes to audit adjustments, the final Statement of Accounts for publication, and changes to the Auditor’s Annual Report, and note the management representation letters and the Auditor’s Annual Report.

Recommendations Approved

Motions

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to support Labour's 30 Hours of Free Childcare and to bring Thames Water back into public ownership.

Recommendations Approved

Appointment of Independent Persons

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to appoint Kalwant Grewal and Katy Prestedge as two independent persons to the Standards Committee.

Recommendations Approved

Use of Substitutes

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to include the temporary arrangements for the use of substitutes in committees, previously approved on January 22nd, 2025, into the Committee Procedure Rules under Part 4 of the Constitution.

Recommendations Approved

Dispensation under Section 85 Local Government Act 1972

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to grant Councillor Coral Howard a dispensation from the meeting attendance requirements of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 until May 7th, 2026, due to illness.

Recommendations Approved

Summary

Meetings Attended: 38

Average per Month: 1.9

Decisions Recorded: 68