Councillor John Batteson

Ordinary meeting, Council Assembly - Wednesday 19 March 2025 7.00 pm

The Council Assembly of Southwark Council on Wednesday 19 March 2025 saw the passing of a motion on green and leisure spaces, a motion on the extension of the franchise, a motion to support the creation of a National Care Service for England, and the approval of several reports. The Assembly also received community evidence submissions, heard a deputation, and responded to public and members’ questions.

Cabinet - Tuesday 11 March 2025 11.00 am

The Cabinet approved the adoption of Town Centre Action Plans and confirmed the selection of operators for two new cultural spaces: Bermondsey 223 to operate a new multi-arts centre at Bermondsey Blue and Chroma to operate the new pan-London LGBTQ+ cultural centre on the Low Line at Bankside Yards. They also approved the procurement strategy for adults’ and children’s home care and reablement, and awarded contracts for Flexi Care services. The cabinet agreed to use a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to acquire the remaining leasehold properties at the Ledbury Estate, in order to allow the redevelopment of the estate to proceed as planned. The Cabinet also considered recommendations from the Overview and Scrutiny Committee about charges to leaseholders at the Consort Estate, made in November 2024, asking the relevant Cabinet Member to report back on the recommendations within eight weeks.

West Central Multi-ward Forum Funding Decision Meeting, West Central multi-ward forum - Tuesday 4 March 2025 7.00 pm

This meeting was about approving the spending of money from three funds that Southwark Council uses to pay for local improvements: the Cleaner Greener Safer programme, the Neighbourhoods Fund and the Devolved Highways budget. There were scheduled to be discussions about reallocating underspends from previous years, approving applications from the public to these funds for 2025-26, and considering proposals for projects suggested by council officers. The documents that describe the meeting do not tell us whether any of the proposals were approved, rejected or discussed by the councillors.

Budget and council tax setting meeting, Council Assembly - Wednesday 26 February 2025 7.00 pm

The Council Assembly approved the proposed budget for 2025-26 as amended by the Liberal Democrat group. It also approved the associated council tax increase of 4.99% and agreed to continue existing local schemes for war disability and war widow/widower housing benefit. In addition, the Capital Strategy and the Treasury Management Strategy were approved without amendment.

Extraordinary meeting, Council Assembly - Wednesday 26 February 2025 9.00 pm

Southwark Council held an extraordinary meeting to discuss a motion of no confidence in the leader of the council and the cabinet member for finance in relation to the performance of the Housing Department. An amendment to the motion, proposed by the Labour Group, was passed and the substantive motion, as amended, was also passed.