Lewisham Council's Governance Committee will decide the start times for its ordinary committee meetings annually, following a recommendation to include this provision in the Committee Procedure Rules. The proposal aims to provide flexibility, allowing each committee to decide its own start time at its first meeting after the council's Annual General Meeting.
The need to keep the Constitution under review prompted this proposal regarding committee start times, specifically arising from a request to discuss the matter at the Constitution Workshop, according to the Public Reports Pack.
The decision was scheduled to be made at the Governance Committee meeting on 15 October 2025. The Public Reports Pack indicates that while council meetings currently begin at 7:30 pm, there is a mixed approach to the start time of council committees, with no mandated start time in the constitution. The Review of the Constitution report notes that during a Constitution Workshop on 22 September 2025, members expressed varying views, with the majority favouring flexibility in setting committee start times. Concerns were also raised that later start times could disproportionately affect women and disabled councillors.
However, the Governance Committee meeting on 15 October 2025 was adjourned due to a lack of quorum. The meeting was formally adjourned at 7:15 pm, to a date to be fixed. According to the meeting's agenda, other items scheduled for discussion included a review of the council's constitution and declarations of interest from members. Councillors Susan Wise, James-J Walsh (Cabinet Member for Inclusive Regeneration and Planning), Sophie Davis, Aisha Malik-Smith, Jacq Paschoud, and Hau-Yu Tam (Deputy Leader of the Lewisham Green Group) were among those expected to attend, along with Emma Campbell Smith.
In addition to start times, the Council Procedure Rules may also be amended to remove references to Deputations, as the council has previously agreed to remove all such references.
