Lewisham Council to adopt more agile, outcome-focused strategy

Lewisham Council is preparing to adopt a more agile and outcome-focused strategy for its next corporate plan, signalling a significant shift from its current 2022-2026 approach. The move follows a comprehensive review of the existing strategy, with councillors and officers reflecting on lessons learned during a meeting on Thursday, 19 March 2026. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the need for greater flexibility and innovation to navigate significant external challenges.

The new Corporate Strategy, which is slated to be presented to Full Council in 2026 (with a specific date to be confirmed after the 2026 AGM), will be designed around clear outcomes and actions, focusing on strategic objectives and flexible delivery commitments. This approach aims to separate the high-level corporate strategy from detailed deliverables, allowing the core strategy to remain stable while delivery methods evolve. This shift from specific we will statements to measurable outcomes will enable services to respond more effectively to changing demand and circumstances, potentially discovering new ways to achieve desired results.

Councillor Mark Jackson, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, emphasised the importance of these discussions in shaping future council plans. Officers Nahaila Alavi, Director of Strategy and Transformation, and Alex Glanz, Head of Policy Strategy, presented findings that underscored the necessity of this adaptive approach. The strategy should be designed around clear outcomes and actions, with a focus on strategic objectives and flexible delivery commitments, stated Alavi.

Cabinet members shared insights into how unforeseen events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, impacted service delivery. Councillor Amanda De Ryk highlighted the council's innovative responses to the cost-of-living crisis. Beyond the Better Off Lewisham platform, which successfully identified £13.7 million in additional benefits for residents, the council also implemented an initiative to auto-enrol families believed to be entitled to free school meals. This not only provided essential meals but also generated additional funding for schools through the free school meals premium, bolstering school budgets.

In terms of 'Cleaner and Greener' initiatives, successes included the establishment of 55 permanent School Streets, the retrofitting of 1,409 homes with energy efficiency improvements, and the installation of 100 EV charging points. For 'Children and Young People', achievements comprised the operation of eight Family Hubs and an investment of over £6 million to extend Free School Meals into school holidays. Specific challenges for these areas were not detailed in the provided text.

Councillor Walsh, discussing housing delivery, confirmed that despite rising construction costs, the council remains on track to deliver 2,000 genuinely affordable social homes. He stressed the importance of empowering officers to innovate and adapt delivery methods.

The committee also underscored the need for more meaningful engagement with residents, partners, and the voluntary, community, and faith sector in the development of the next strategy. Concrete steps will involve early and substantial engagement with these groups throughout the planning process.

Furthermore, enabling conditions such as systems, data quality, resourcing, and partnerships were identified as crucial for successful strategy implementation. Systems, data quality, resourcing, and partnerships will be treated as core enabling conditions for strategy delivery, with the new Corporate Strategy detailing how these will be addressed. Specific improvements are planned to tackle systemic challenges with IT infrastructure and data collection, which have previously required residents to repeat information across different interactions. The council also acknowledges procurement challenges for large IT applications, particularly in Adult Social Care, Children's Social Care, and Housing. Resourcing has been a persistent issue due to increased service demand and budget reductions, limiting time for innovative thinking. The rise in resident-submitted enquiries, potentially influenced by AI technology, has also placed additional pressure on officer time. The strategy will also outline how partnerships will be strengthened.

A greater emphasis on geographic focus and place-based involvement, including engaging ward councillors and local stakeholders, was suggested to ensure growth is distributed more evenly across the borough. The provided text does not specify the metrics that will be used to measure this equitable distribution.

The importance of cross-departmental collaboration and a one council approach was reiterated, recognising that many initiatives span multiple service areas.

The review concluded with a consensus that the next Corporate Strategy should be outcome-focused, data-led, and co-created, reflecting the dynamic environment in which the council operates. The public reports pack for the meeting can be found here.