At the full Council Meeting, held on Monday, 17th July  in the Council Chamber at Lewisham Town Hall, Councillors discussed many important matters including responses to the Grenfell Tower fire in Lewisham, and what the future holds for the borough in the wake of this year’s general election. Some of the topics covered were:

Bell Green’s iconic gas holders

Councillor Alan Hall presented a petition boasting over 600 signatures was presented by These Streets Belong to Us and the Sydenham Society. The petition calls for the gas holders to be listed and for the land around them to be used for residential units rather than retail developments, which is what the land would most likely become if the gas holders were to be demolished and replaced by a super store. Councillor Alan Hall pressed the Deputy Mayor in a Council Question about local listing for buildings of architectural interest for a meeting to discuss an alternative plan including much needed residential accommodation.  The full text of the petition is here

Update from the Mayor on Lewisham’s responses to the Grenfell fire

Mayor Steve Bullock described the work that has been done so far by Lewisham Homes, housing associations and private landlords testing cladding on buildings across the borough, and establishing which buildings had the same type of cladding. Three buildings were identified and their cladding will be removed.

Mayor Sir Steve Bullock said: “Many more things will change in the months and years ahead… Anything less would be an insult to those that lost their lives.”

Councillor Alan Hall chaired a meeting with the Lewisham’s new Fire Commander Martin Corbett on the 11th July 2017. An account is here 

 

Congratulations to Lewisham’s three Labour MPs.

Councillor Alan Hall offered congratulations to Lewisham’s three successful MPs:  Ellie Reeves, Vicky Foxcroft and Heidi Alexander.

https://twitter.com/cllralanhall/status/887032349124329474

After brilliant campaigns, Lewisham elected three Labour MPs at the general election on 8^th June. Vicky Foxcroft and Heidi Alexander held their seats in Lewisham Deptford and Lewisham East, whilst Ellie Reeves was victorious in Lewisham West and Penge.

In Lewisham Deptford, Labour actually saw one of the largest majorities in the country with Vicky Foxcroft garnering 34,899 votes more than the second-place candidate.

Councillor Alan Hall said: “Heidi Alexander MP, Vicky Foxcroft MP and Ellie Reeves MP will serve Lewisham well. They will work to save our NHS, put funding into education and fight against the Tories’ brutal and unnecessary austerity measures.”

For more see my election press release here 

What does the future hold for Lewisham in the aftermath of the general election?

As Lead Labour Non Executive Councillor, Councillor Alan Hall asked the Mayor: “What is the outlook for Lewisham Council following the General Election?” in his supplementary question Councillor Alan Hall said: “Will Mayor Steve Bullock commit to upholding LGBT+ and  women’s reproductive rights in Lewisham in light of the Tories’ alliance with the DUP?” The Mayor agreed this was important.

https://twitter.com/cllralanhall/status/887038633424900097

 

Establishment of a SLaM Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee

A report put forward by the Head of Law proposed the creation of a JHOSC composed of authorities from Lambeth, Southwark, Croydon and Lewisham. This is to examine proposed changes to mental health services.

Speaking about a recent success with another Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee, Councillor Alan Hall  described  a victory for Save Lewisham A&E campaigners, Mark Easton head of Our Healthier South East London (OHSEL) announced that Lewisham would be one of the three sites getting orthopaedic centres.

Cllr Alan Hall said, “This is a real victory for the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign and the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee. Including Lewisham Hospital in the Orthopaedic Surgery sites was essential for good quality local services.

“I will be asking for an assurance that there will be full public consultation on any significant changes to our NHS as a result of the STP proposed by OHSEL. It is right that the public have a say in this major programme described as ‘challenging’.”

 

Motion presented by Cllr Liam Curran celebrating Co-operatives Fortnight

Councillor Liam Curran in proposing the motion praised Lewisham Co-ops. They include the successful Lewisham Plus credit union, Phoenix Community Housing, Brockley Tenants Co-op and mutuals in the borough including Lewisham Music and Youth First.

Councillor Alan Hall said: “I am a proud co-operator. As a board member of Phoenix Community Housing – a co-operative – where we share the Green Man building with the Lewisham Plus Credit Union and Lewisham Music I know the importance of co-operation in our community. Let’s make Lewisham Council a truly co-operative council.”

 

Martin Corbett, Lewisham Borough’s new fire commander addressed Lewisham Council last night. At a meeting of the full Overview & Scrutiny Committee attended by the Mayor and Cabinet members a programme of work was agreed to monitor and ensure fire safety in tall buildings and more generally remains at the very top of Lewisham Council’s priorities.

Chair of the Committee, Councillor Alan Hall said: “The Borough Commander has given us the reassurance that we requested. I am pleased that the Council has agreed to keep this at the very top of our priorities as new information is emerging every day. It is important that the response to Grenfell Tower includes non residential tall buildings and both public and private housing.”

The full report by Martin Corbett, LFB and other papers are here

 

Watch Councillor Alan Hall and Olivia O’Sullivan from Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign discuss the NHS plans for Lewisham and South East London before a consultation event at Lewisham Town Hall. The Sustainability and Transformation Plan is called ‘Our Healthier South East London’ and contained proposals to concentrate Orthopaedic care across two sites.

We are campaigning to include Lewisham Hospital in these plans.

Councillor Alan Hall said: “Reducing services in Lewisham Hospital would affect the viability of the Accident & Emergency Department and limit the options for all patients in South East London. I believe Lewisham Hospital must be included.

“The NHS STP is not fully funded and it cuts £1 Billion from our NHS locally. Local Councils face cuts in social care and they cannot replace lost services.”

The OHSEL team are expected to consider the representations shortly and a Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee of the six London Boroughs is expected to meet at the end of July.

 

 

 

 

 

Lewisham Councillors have rejected a planning application to increase the height and reduce the educational and other facilities in buildings in the Lewisham Gateway scheme in Lewisham Town Centre. The tall tower could have been up to 34 storeys.

The report to Lewisham Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Tuesday, 4th July 2017 stated that the principal changes comprise an increase in the maximum building height from 77m to 104m above ground level and an increase in the massing of the Block. If built to the maximum height defined, Block D2 would be the tallest building in Lewisham town centre.

None of the proposed 950 flats was to be affordable.

Councillor Alan Hall said: “I moved the motion to oppose this application and my colleagues voted unanimously in support because there was no commitment to affordable housing. There was no social housing.”

“We have had enough of expensive housing which most Lewisham residents cannot afford. It’s time to look to the future and bring in much more high-quality affordable social housing”

 

 

Read the story in the South London Press

 

 

 

Thousands marched from the BBC Broadcasting House to Parliament Square in central London on Saturday 1st July.

The march was called to protest at continued austerity by the Government. Theresa May is clinging on to power as Prime Minister without an overall majority after securing a confidence and supply deal with the DUP dubbed a £1 billion ‘bung’. This parliament should be known as the ‘Bung Parliament’.

The horrific fire at Grenfell Tower in North Kensington has struck a chord against continued austerity with protesters calling for ‘Justice for Grenfell’ as ‘austerity kills’.

As the Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, MP said on the disaster of the Grenfell Tower fire: “The poor died in the richest borough in Britain. It’s simply wrong.  The hypocrisy of Government Ministers who queued up to heap praise on the emergency services only to vote to cut their pay the next day.”

On the protest, Councillor Alan Hall said: “We must continue to protest and challenge this tory government and the continued downward spiral of austerity. Lewisham residents have rejected austerity in overwhelming numbers. We can offer a credible alternative. A message of hope for better public services like education, health and housing to give young and old a chance to do well in life.”

 

 

• Fire Brigade and Police must become key players in responses
• London Boroughs join forces with GLA
• Call to follow six point plan for action
• Fears over potential threat to life

 

A leading London scrutiny councillor has called upon Thames Water to introduce major reform over its response to major burst water pipe incidents that threaten people’s safety and cause major disruption in the capital.

Speaking to a report before Lewisham Council next week (11^th July) Councillor Alan Hall, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny in the borough said: “Thames Water must raise their game 100% in dealing with these major incidents that are happening all over London.

“There are 150-year-old water mains crumbling and disrupting and threatening Londoners’ lives and Thames Water need to listen to what London Boroughs, the GLA and the Fire Brigade are saying. Thames Water must act and act quickly

”Last year we had a tourist coach fall down a hole in the middle of Lee High Road in Lewisham – that was just one incident among many – we need to see action and fast.”

Other London boroughs including Islington, Hackney and Lambeth and the GLA environment committee are expected to make similar recommendations to those before Lewisham including:

• Make the Fire Brigade the statutory Emergency Response Service for flooding
• Thames Water to introduce a dedicated emergency response line for leaks
• Thames Water to improve and join up their monitoring system for detecting likely leaks
• Thames Water prioritize the replacement of Victorian pipes on major water mains
• Thames Water develop and publish attendance and performance standards to major and minor incidents
• Thames Water introduce a clear and consistent compensation policy for those affected

The full report to Lewisham Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee is here

The transcript of the Greater London Authority Environment Committee on Thursday 15th June is here

 

I was very proud to help hoist and fly the flag with Lewisham Council’s LGBT+ Staff Forum in recognition of London LGBT+ Pride which runs from the 24th June to the 9th July 2017. The flag was raised outside Lewisham Council at 13.00 on Monday 26th June 2017.

Lewisham Councillor Alan Hall was amongst the first Councillors to sign the Pledge for Politicians at the start of London LGBT+ Pride, he signed up to “pledge to support LGBT+ community groups and commit to making London the best LGBT+ city in the world.”

Councillor Alan Hall said: “I am ambitious for Lewisham. I am proud to fly the flag for LGBT+ London Pride. We are a part of London, a tolerant, accepting and respectful city.”

For more details see: http://prideinlondon.org/