Council Questions
July 22nd 2026
Our campaigners ask public questions at every Lewisham Council meeting to make sure the administration is properly held to account. Here are the answers we received to our latest batch of questions. A few questions are edited for clarity, but the full text is on the Council's website, linked below.
Social Housing
By what date will the 1000 high quality, homes for social rent referred to in the Green manifesto be ready for tenants to move in and what is the definition of “delivered”?
Answer from Cllr Daniel Dream
The delivery of 1,000 social rent homes will be through a mix of Council, developer and community led schemes as part of a new 2026-2030 house building programme that will launched following the GLA's announcement of our Social and Affordable Housing Programme (SAHP) grant allocation in the Autumn. The aim is for the homes delivered through the new programme to be completed and ready for occupation on or before 31 March 2030.
We say…
A pretty vague response - deliberately not making any promises they can be held to before the next election.
He also only talks about spending a grant from the GLA/Mayor of London. Does this mean the Green Council won't be investing any of its own money into social housing?
Lewisham Library
When will the Lewisham Central Library open?
Answer from Cllr Hau-Yu Tam
Since taking office, we have been briefed on delays affecting the Lewisham Library renovation project. The completion of the renovation works has been delayed due to the need to rectify some unexpected issues with the secondary structure of the building, namely the brickwork that sits around the concrete core. Unfortunately, these issues could not be identified until the main works were underway. Officers are working with the architects, structural engineers and contractors to address these issues and finalise the revised programme. The expected opening date is now Autumn 2027.
We say…
Of course, it is hard to know how the project might have been better planned and managed, but what is certain is that four years without a library in Lewisham Town Centre is unacceptable.
The previous administration should have put an alternative in place before work got under way and there is still time for the new Green mayor to remedy the situation in the year or more between now and the planned new library being open.
Decent Homes
The previous Labour administration had no idea when the proportion of Lewisham homes that meet the Decent Homes Standard would be raised to at least the national average. When does the new administration expect 90% of homes to meet minimum standards?
Answer from Cllr Natalie Thomas
Approximately 86% of Lewisham homes currently meet the Decent Homes Standard and we expect this figure to reach 90% by April 2027, subject to gaining access to properties for works to be completed. Reaching 90% compliance will mean another 500+ homes that meet the standard residents should always have been able to expect.
We say…
That's good news - and it makes you wonder how hard the previous administration actually tried to deliver an answer.
We will continue to check up on the project to make sure the Council keeps its promises.
Fly-tipping
What steps have been taken to increase successful prosecutions of fly tippers?
Answer from Cllr Corin Ashwell
The Council is increasing its approach to environmental enforcement through the Love Lewisham Fly-tipping Programme by improving the quality of evidence gathered at hotspots and by using a more coordinated enforcement team deployment targeting these hotspots. This activity is also being co-ordinated with the new fly tipping crews being deployed across the borough’s hotspots. The strengthening of our data led approach includes analysing report data, deploying officers to repeat locations based on intelligence and local feedback through more engagement, making better use of CCTV either to gather evidence or plan and execute operations where available, using body-worn cameras, engaging with landlords and businesses, and issuing fixed penalty notices or pursuing prosecution where the evidence supports this. The approach is also focused on prevention and early intervention, including clearer disposal information, targeted communications, business and resident engagement, and practical changes in hotspot areas. We will also be making it easier for residents and businesses to report details of known fly-tippers to us directly. Where fly-tipping is linked to wider ASB, poor property management or unmanaged land, officers work across Council services and with external partners to address the underlying causes as well as the immediate offence.
We say…
After many years of inaction, it is good to hear the new Mayor and Council taking the issue of illegal rubbish dumping seriously. Of course, we will have to wait and see what progress they can actually make.
Second World War Memorial
Following the closure of Marks and Spencer, what steps will the Council take to protect the plaque on Lewisham High Street that commemorates the 51 people killed by a V1 flying bomb on 28th June 1944?
Answer from Cllr Rotimi Skyers
The council will ensure commemorative plaques will be protected as regeneration plans progress.
We say…
Good news. This memorial plaque is an important part of local heritage.
It is disappointing not to get any further details of the Council's plans.
Landlord Licensing
What review does the new Council administration now plan of the private rental licensing system introduced by its predecessors, and what formal consultation will be conducted with those affected by the scheme, including tenants, landlords and agents?
Answer from Cllr Natalie Thomas
The additional HMO [Houses of Multiple Occupation] licensing scheme is due to expire in April 2027, and any renewal of the scheme would need to follow the Governance process that includes the requirement to consult with residents and landlords. The selective licensing scheme is not set to expire until 2029..
We say…
No commitment one way or the other to renew the HMO scheme, which will need to be watched carefully. Our team will also be interested to see what the Greens' idea of consultation looks like and whether it is any more meaningful than what we used to see under Labour.
Housing Repairs
By what date will the administration’s promised housing & repair co-operative be up and running?
Answer from Cllr Natalie Thomas
Officers and elected members are currently developing a Lewisham Community-Led Housing Strategy, which includes work with residents and partners to establish a Build and Repair Co operative by 2030. We would of course like to see this established sooner if possible. However, this is a new and ambitious model, and it is important that we take the time to develop it properly.
We say…
An honest answer. The new Green administration may not know in any detail how this manifesto pledge will work in practice. If it works, it will be well worth supporting.
The Mayor's Salary
The Mayor promised “a 20% pay cut from the Mayor’s salary”. But once elected he decided to gift 20% of his Mayoral salary to a charity of his choice. Will his pay cut / charitable donation apply to other allowances e.g. £11,000 from London Councils?
Answer from Mayor Liam Shrivastava
The Members' Allowances Scheme is not a decision taken by the Mayor; it is a decision for Full Council. Full Council considered and approved the Members' Allowances Scheme. In doing so, councillors were able to debate the proposals, propose amendments and vote on them. The Members’ Allowances Scheme approved by Full Council did raise the Mayor’s allowance to the level recommended by the Independent Remuneration Panel (IRP). As you will be aware, I am donating 20% of my allowance to food justice initiatives in the borough. My commitment relates specifically to the Mayor's allowance. It does not extend to allowances associated with appointments to external bodies such as London Councils.
We say…
That's ridiculous!
The Green Party has a majority and full control over decisions made by Full Council. Green councillors also stood on a manifesto pledge to cut the Mayor's salary. If Mayor Shrivastava was really serious about his promise, he could have made it happen.
If the Green Party wants to fund food banks and other causes, that is very admirable, but this is Council Tax-payers' money.
Street Trees
Given the desire to improve the environment, will they consider the rota for street tree pruning so that street tree canopies are not removed during the height of the summer? Climate change is happening and vulnerable residents need shade.
Answer from Cllr Corin Ashwell
The Council recognises the important role that street trees play in providing shade, improving air quality, supporting biodiversity and helping communities adapt to climate change. Street tree pruning is undertaken to maintain public safety, ensure adequate highway clearance, protect infrastructure and support the long-term health of the tree. Pruning schedules are informed by arboricultural best practice and the needs of different tree species, as the most appropriate time for works can vary depending on the species, condition and purpose of the pruning. In some cases, summer pruning is beneficial and helps support the long-term health and management of the tree. Because the borough has a large tree population, a pragmatic and practical programme is planned across the year and also responds to safety inspections and operational requirements. That said, we recognise residents' concerns about the loss of shade during warmer months. As the Council continues to expand tree planting and urban greening across the borough, we will keep our tree management practices under review to ensure they strike the right balance between tree health, safety, biodiversity and the benefits that mature trees provide, including shade and cooling. Recent programmes have continued to increase tree planting across Lewisham and strengthen the borough's green infrastructure. This administration is committed to enhancing the borough's tree canopy and ensuring our streets and public spaces are resilient to the impacts of climate change, while maintaining a safe and healthy tree stock for future generations.
We say…
A long and detailed reply from the councillor, but no immediate commitment to put more of a priority on residents' wellbeing.
Action on Litter
The Mayor states the council will step up patrols for hot spots for littering in the borough citing the use of data and technology as a way of achieving this, when will this be in place?
Answer from Cllr Corin Ashwell
The Love Lewisham Programme seeks to improve coordination between Council services so that environmental issues are identified, investigated and resolved more effectively. This includes stronger links between enforcement teams, waste services, housing providers and community partners to ensure resources are focused on locations experiencing the greatest challenges. While enforcement action will continue where offenders can be identified, the Council recognises that long-term success requires a combination of prevention, environmental improvement, community involvement and targeted enforcement. These are the principles underpinning the Love Lewisham Fly-tipping Programme and the work currently underway across the borough includes mobilising new bulky waste and fly tipping crews and to redesign the way tenants in our estates dispose of bulky items. The joint operations between our new waste crews and enforcement offers are currently being finalised and will be launched in data led locations in July 2026.
We say…
This answer was given less than a fortnight before the end of July. As such it is disheartening that the Councillor wasn't able to give more details of something that was either already happening or very close to starting.
Flytipping has been a blight on Lewisham for years and forms part of the general neglect the borough has received from the Council. We would like to hope this new administration's approach can actually make a change.
Freedom of Information
The previous administration completely failed to meet its target of publishing in full its response to all Freedom of Information requests by February 2025. When does the Council plan to meet this longstanding objective?
Answer from Cllr Ade Adewunmi
It is acknowledged that the Council did not meet the original deadline. This matter forms part of the Council’s wider Records Management project and I have asked officers to let me have a definitive date for the publication scheme going live as soon as possible. As soon as I have revised date, I will ensure you are personally informed.
We say…
This is a legal obligation the Council is repeatedly failing to meet.
Nearly 18 months on from the deadline and we still don't have a resolution. Just what sort of chaos is going on in the Town Hall?!
Council Democracy
When will the Council lift the previous administration’s limit on the number of questions Councillors and the public can ask at full Council as well as reinstate a session for questions at the budget-setting meeting?
Answer from Cllr Ade Adewunmi
Currently there are no plans to change the constitutional rules relating to Council questions.
We say…
That is simply not good enough.
The previous Labour regime changed to rules to prevent opposition and backbench councillors - or members of the public - holding them to account. If this new Green Party team is truly different, this is the kind of democratic reform we would have expected on day one.
Empty Homes
What is the most recent estimate of the number of homes in Lewisham that have been empty for more than 6 months and how many of them are owned by the Council?
Answer from Cllr Natalie Thomas
There are 2,027 properties on the Long Term Empty List as reported by Council Tax as being empty for 6 months or longer. Of these there are 202 that are owned by the council. Given we have more than 2000 households in our borough living in temporary accommodation this number is far too high. Getting the number of council long term empty properties down is a priority for us and we have already brought in contractors to help reduce this backlog and get them back up to standard as soon as possible. For those in the private sector we also have an empty homes strategy, which aims to help bring these properties back into use.
We say…
This is staggering. Better management of the Council's own housing stock could reduce the housing list by anything up to 10%.
This is a huge failure by previous Labour mayors and we will keep pushing to have this number brought down.
Popular Assets Commission
What are the first steps to establishing a Popular Assets Commission for community ownership and when does the Council intend having such a commission up and running in Lewisham?
Answer from Cllr Daniel Dream
Officers are currently exploring the feasibility of a Popular Asset Commission in Lewisham and are speaking with other local authorities who have set up similar mechanisms to assess the capacity and resources needed. Proposals will be taken to Cabinet leads to agree a way forward by October 2026 and will include a delivery timeframe and setting out a process for community involvement and engagement throughout. A key first step is to undertake a review of Council assets which has already been initiated.
We say…
As Liberals, we love local democracy and people power. If done right, a Popular Asset Commission will allow communities to take control of vital but neglected public assets like community halls, green spaces or even pubs.
Councillor Dream has committed to a date for the next stage of the process of October 2026. You can be sure we will be following up to get updates later in the year.
Catford Cinema
Please provide an update as to when the lease agreement for the Catford Mews site has been signed and what is the expected opening date for the new cinema that was promised to open in summer 2026.
Answer from Cllr Daniel Dream
Catford Regeneration Partnership Ltd (CRPL) and Castle Cinema have agreed and signed heads of terms for the cinema. These were determined without the involvement of elected members from the past administration. The lease completion is with their respective lawyers to progress and is currently at the final stages of refinement prior to completion which is now expected within weeks. Once the lease is completed, Castle Cinema is expected to carry out some fitout works prior to opening their doors to the public in the Autumn. Castle are currently also running a recruitment campaign for staff to operate the cinema when it opens.
We say…
Great news. Lots of local residents miss having a cinema on the old Catford Mews site. Let's hope it's just the first step towards breathing new life into Catford.