Director of Law & Corporate Governance (Monitoring Officer)
Lewisham Council is considering changes to committee substitute rules and its petition scheme.
In July 2025, Lewisham Council's Governance Committee discussed proposed changes to the council's procedures. These included broadening the use of substitute members on committees to ensure smoother operations and prevent meeting cancellations, as highlighted in a report. The committee also considered amending the council's Petition Scheme to accept online petitions submitted via Change.org, aiming to modernise the process.
The Director of Law & Corporate Governance (Monitoring Officer) is a statutory role responsible for advising on the legality of decisions and upholding standards within local authorities. The proposed changes to committee rules and the petition scheme fall under the remit of council governance and procedures, which this role oversees.
Key facts
- Lewisham Council's Governance Committee discussed broadening the use of substitute members on committees in July 2025. Source
- Lewisham Council's Governance Committee discussed amending the council's Petition Scheme to accept Change.org petitions in July 2025. Source
- The proposed changes to substitute use aim to incorporate temporary arrangements into the Committee Procedure Rules under Part 4 of the new constitution. Source
- The proposed changes to the Petition Scheme were prompted by a significant "divestment petition" received via Change.org. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.