Organisation

Lewisham Council

87 stories · discussed at 5 council meetings · 4 councils

Lewisham Council is currently addressing significant financial overspends, making key service policy changes, and navigating major planning decisions.

In October 2026, Lewisham Council's Licensing Sub-Committee B granted a premises licence for The Railway Tavern, but stipulated that a Designated Premises Supervisor must be appointed before trading can commence. This follows the Strategic Planning Committee's refusal in September 2026 of planning permission for the former Lewisham College site redevelopment, citing heritage and urban design impacts, while Greenwich Council deferred its decision on the cross-borough project.

The council is also addressing significant financial pressures, with a projected £10 million overspend on its high needs block for SEND services and a £6.5 million overspend driven by parking contract costs, as heard by the Public Accounts Select Committee in September 2026. Concurrently, the council insourced mental health social care services and launched a 'cash-first' Crisis and Resilience Fund for residents in September 2026.

Additionally, in September 2026, Lewisham Council agreed to review its parental leave policy to introduce a minimum of six weeks' fully paid leave and approved an £83 million investment in housing repairs. The Mayor and Cabinet also approved plans to refurbish and operate a 5-6 bed children's home at 200 Kirkdale, Sydenham, bringing it back under direct management.

Key facts

  1. Lewisham Council's Licensing Sub-Committee B granted a premises licence for The Railway Tavern in October 2026, but requires a Designated Premises Supervisor to be appointed before trading. Source
  2. Lewisham Council's Strategic Planning Committee refused planning permission for the former Lewisham College site redevelopment in September 2026. Source
  3. Lewisham Council faces a projected £10 million overspend on its high needs block for SEND services, as heard in September 2026. Source
  4. Lewisham Council officially insourced its mental health social care services in September 2026. Source
  5. Lewisham Council agreed in September 2026 to review its parental leave policy to introduce a minimum of six weeks' fully paid leave. Source
About this summary

This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on, with background from Wikipedia. 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 7 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.

Stories, page 4

  1. Lewisham Council Reports 21% Rise in Incidents, Verbal Abuse Dominates Lewisham Council has reported a significant 21% rise in incidents across its services, with verbal abuse emerging as the primary concern. The figures, presented at a Health and... Lewisham 10 July 2026
  2. Lewisham Council Sees 460% Rise in Identified Fire Safety Actions, Straining Resources Lewisham Council has reported a significant 460% surge in identified fire safety actions, a substantial increase primarily attributed to a greater number of fire risk... Lewisham 10 July 2026
  3. Lewisham Council to Address Heat in Public Buildings with Cooling Measures Lewisham Council is taking steps to address the impact of heat in its public buildings, a concern that has been raised at the Health and Safety Committee. Lewisham 10 July 2026
  4. Lewisham Council Buildings Contain Asbestos in 94 Sites 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... Lewisham 10 July 2026
  5. Lewisham Launches 'Love Lewisham' Campaign to Combat Fly-Tipping and Enhance Civic Pride Lewisham Council has launched 'Love Lewisham', a new initiative aimed at tackling persistent fly-tipping and enhancing the borough's cleanliness. The campaign, announced by... Lewisham 3 July 2026
  6. Lewisham Council to Review Parking Policies to Address SUV Safety Concerns Lewisham Council is set to review its parking policies as part of a broader effort to address concerns surrounding the safety implications of larger vehicles, particularly SUVs. Lewisham 3 July 2026
  7. Islington Council backs judicial review of Mayor's housing plans Islington Council has formally backed a judicial review into the Mayor of London's emergency housing plans, a move that could significantly impact future housing development in... Islington 3 July 2026
  8. Lewisham Council to Focus on Racial Inequality in Schools Lewisham Council is set to implement measures aimed at tackling racial inequality in educational attainment within the borough's schools, with a dedicated focus on the topic... Lewisham 1 July 2026