Lewisham Council has approved significant changes to its constitution, aiming to modernise its governance and operational procedures. The amendments, discussed and agreed upon during a recent Council meeting, cover various aspects of how the council functions, from committee terms of reference to procedural rules.
Key changes include the removal of outdated references to Ward Assemblies. Article 6.5 of the Overview & Scrutiny section contained these references, and the council had previously agreed to remove all such mentions. The rationale for their complete removal is that they are no longer relevant to the council's current operational structure.
Updates to committee terms of reference are also prominent. The Housing Select Committee's remit has been explicitly broadened to include the council's landlord function. This amendment will allow the committee to fulfil all overview and scrutiny functions in relation to the discharge by the authority of its housing functions, specifically including the Council's landlord function.
Additionally, an omission in the wording regarding the Strategic Planning Committee's remit has been reinstated. The phrase and any other application, which in the opinion of the Director of Planning following consultation with the Monitoring Officer, ought to be determined by Strategic Planning Committee
was missing and has been reinserted as it was previously agreed by the Council.
Procedural rules have seen several updates. References to Deputations have been removed, with a future review planned for the time limits on motions. This review was discussed at the Governance Committee, where members acknowledged concerns about accessibility and public expectations. It was agreed that the Monitoring Officer would revisit the matter in the post-election constitutional review.
Under the updated Scrutiny Procedure Rules, the Proper Officer will now consult with the Committee Chair before complying with agenda requests. This shifts the process from mandatory compliance to a decision-making one, where the Proper Officer will make a decision in consultation with the relevant Committee Chair as to whether the item can be taken.
The Scheme of Delegation has been revised, moving decisions related to community education and controlled parking zones to the 'Place' heading. Wording concerning increases in charges for services has been clarified. Provisions for extensions, variations, or framework agreements have also been amended to refine the thresholds for member involvement. Previously, decisions were reserved for members if the value of an extension or variation is more than 10% of the original contract or above £500,000 for Goods or Services or above £1,000,000 for Works
. The recommended amendment clarifies this to Decisions about extensions, variations or framework agreements where the value of an extension or variation relates to a Category A Contract and is more than 10% of the original contract or above £500,000 for Goods or Services or above £1,000,000 for Works
.
Furthermore, the Committee Procedure Rules will now allow each committee to determine its own start time following the Annual General Meeting, providing greater flexibility. While some members expressed support for a fixed 7:30 pm start time, the majority view favoured retaining flexibility. Concerns were also raised that a later start time could disproportionately impact women and disabled councillors. The recommended provision is that The start time of ordinary committees of the Council for each municipal year shall be determined and agreed by each committee at its first meeting following the Annual General Meeting of the Council.
The Protocol on Planning & Lobbying has also been amended to clarify that the requirement for officers to be present during councillor meetings with developers applies only to members with decision-making influence.
These amendments are intended to ensure the council's constitution remains robust, sustainable, and fit for purpose in a modern local government context. The full details of the review of the constitution can be found in the Council - Review of the Constitution - 28.01.26.
