Lewisham Council has confirmed that asbestos is present in 94 of its buildings, according to a report presented to the Health and Safety Committee. The report, available in the Public reports pack for the Health and Safety Committee meeting on 09 July 2026 [https://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/documents/g8993/Public%20reports%20pack%2009th-Jul-2026%2018.00%20Health%20and%20Safety%20Committee.pdf?T=10], details the presence of asbestos across various council-controlled properties.
The issue was raised during a discussion on the Corporate Health and Safety Update. The committee heard that while asbestos is present, it is often considered safer to leave it in place if it is intact. This approach is taken because it can be, as long as people, as long as we're aware that it's there and the assessments look at its integrity and its, and how it is in situ, it is probably less risky to keep asbestos in place if it's intact than it is to actually remove the asbestos.
The cost of removal is also a significant factor in this decision-making process.
The report includes a list of the 94 buildings affected in Appendix 1, which details the date of their last asbestos assessment. Buildings with a recorded assessment date indicate the presence of asbestos on site. The council maintains a structured programme for statutory assessments, including those for asbestos, with compliance officers conducting quarterly inspections.
Regarding past concerns, the meeting mentioned that an improvement notice issued by the Health and Safety Executive following an asbestos inspection had now been fully complied with and was formally closed.
This indicates that a previous issue related to asbestos has been addressed and resolved.
