Lewisham Council have adopted the directly elected mayoral model of governance. Most of the media gaze falls upon the Mayor and the Executive. Equally important but less publicised are those with the immense responsibility for formally scrutinising the work of the council. There have been many constitutional changes over the years. However, the basic structure …
Tag Archives: Lewisham Council
Lewisham Council – the new political line up
Lewisham Council has held its Annual General Meeting on 20th May 2026 following the local elections. The purpose of the meeting is to elect a Speaker to chair the meeting and elect Councillors to serve on the Executive, elect members to the council wide committees, appoint people to serve on outside bodies and establish the …
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Lewisham Greens Promise ‘Hope’
The local election results across the London Borough of Lewisham have resulted in significant change. A change in the personalities governing the borough in the form of the Green Party. The rise of the Greens has meant that many long serving Labour Councillors have stepped down or lost their seats. These include Lewisham Council’s longest …
Lewisham Labour Manifesto 2026
Lewisham Labour have released their manifesto for the local elections on Thursday, 7th May 2026. The purpose of a manifesto is to set out the priorities and platform of the local party. The officers of Lewisham Council will be responsible for ensuring that the political objectives are translated into action. This will be expressed in …
Holding Directly Elected Mayor’s to Account
As the English Devolution and Empowerment Bill makes its passage through Parliament soon to become law, the issue of holding directly elected Mayor’s to account is topical. The mayoral model in local government was piloted in Lewisham and the London borough made preparatory plans as early as 1998. The policy was seen as a beacon …
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New Planning Chief at Lewisham Council
Lewisham Council has appointed a new interim Chief Planning Officer Michael Forrester. He was previously Head of Development Management at the authority where he had responsibility to ensure the efficient review of thousands of pre-applications, planning applications and to facilitate planning committees as well as supporting planning enforcement. Much of Michael’s work has been to …
Public Question Time at Lewisham Council
Lewisham Council has a reputation for public engagement in decision making. Despite budget cuts to local assemblies, the council has maintained the right for local people to ask formal questions at its full council meetings. The first public question time in 2026 is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 28th January 2026 at 7.30pm in …
Lewisham’s Public Transport Liaison Committee to meet
Lewisham Council have confirmed that the Public Transport Liaison Committee scheduled for 17th December 2025 will go ahead. This follows the sudden cancellation of the 14th October meeting due to “low confirmed attendance”. The importance of public transport across the London Borough of Lewisham cannot be underestimated. The borough has a huge amount of railway …
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Public Transport Liaison in Lewisham – All Change Please….
Lewisham Council has agreed to retain the Public Transport Liaison Committee or Forum. This has resulted in greater scrutiny and pressure on bus and train operators to address key issues such as poor services, working conditions and lack of investment. The AGM of the Council was held on the 7th May 2025 and this meeting …
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Public Spending Audit Opens in Lewisham
Like all local authorities, the London Borough of Lewisham accounts must be audited. Parliament has decided that there should be an opportunity for any one interested to inspect and make copies of the accounts and all relevant documents. This is enshrined in law, in Section 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014. The …