On Tuesday evening 31st January, Lewisham Council’s scrutiny Business Panel held its first meeting since 3 separate statements were issued by the Mayor and Cabinet on the Compulsory Purchase Orders relating to Millwall FC and other businesses and individuals.
The Business Panel – made up of the Chairs of all the council’s scrutiny committees – made the following recommendations:
- Officers of Lewisham Council must now outline the formal position of the Compulsory Purchase Orders in relation to New Bermondsey and MFC
- The Full Council must agree the status of the investigation or inquiry into the Surrey Canal Sports Foundation including the Terms of Reference and Membership
- Concerns about the’ ‘investigation’ into Lambeth Smith Hampton’s sales brochure of the site, which significantly delayed the scrutiny process, must now be formally heard by the cabinet and addressed
- The planning Section 106 agreement related to New Bermondsey needs to be returned to the Council members of the Strategic Planning Committee
- The full details and information on the New Bermondsey Housing Action Zone must no longer be withheld from councillors and should be disclosed forthwith
In agreeing these recommendations and a referral to the forthcoming Mayor and Cabinet meeting on 8th February, the Business Panel Chair, Councillor Alan Hall said:
“This is the first meeting since the public cabinet announcements over the Millwall CPOs. We want to make sure that the Council’s proper processes are followed to give crystal-clear clarity that these Compulsory Purchase Orders are now over and done with.
“In my view it is essential that the cabinet make a formal decision next week otherwise they will continue to make business and residents suffer with the CPO ‘Sword of Damocles’ hanging over their heads.”