Here are some of the key decisions taken by Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, at the meeting of the Mayor and Cabinet on 21 October 2009.
Future energy procurement strategy
The Mayor agreed to seek to join a consortium together with other London councils to buy its gas and electricity flexibly through a broker. Changing the way the Council buys its energy from the current fixed price contract arrangements allows the Council to manage the fluctuations in energy prices and get the Council some of the best deals available at any particular time, saving the Council money in the long run. The Council will continue its preference for energy from renewable sources, which has resulted in 80 per cent of the Council’s electricity being sourced in this way.
Local assemblies and Mayor’s Fund
The Mayor received a report on the progress of local assemblies, in particular those in Blackheath, Brockley, Ladywell, Perry Vale, Sydenham and Whitefoot. A delegation of young people from the youth group at Leander Community Centre presented their case for funding from the Brockley Assembly to support the creation of a music studio in partnership with Hurricane Studios for young people in Brockley and Deptford to use, and where they will be able to learn new skills accredited through Lewisham College. The Mayor agreed all the proposed allocations of the Mayor’s Fund money that these local assemblies had put forward. Details of the local projects that will benefit are contained in the meeting papers (see below).
Succession strategy for the New Cross Gate Trust
The Mayor agreed a succession strategy for the New Cross Gate New Deal for Communities that will create a New Cross Gate Trust to play its part in the ongoing support for the community in New Cross Gate when the 10-year New Deal for Communities programme comes to an end in 2011. The new Trust will continue to have community development and empowerment at its core. The succession strategy also includes a business plan for the NDC Centre, a flagship project for the NDC.
Lewisham’s response to the Government’s Green Paper, Shaping the Future of Care Together
The Council has been gathering the views of residents and key partners in response to the Government’s consultation on proposals for the care of adults and older people set out in the Green Paper, Shaping the Future of Care Together. This included holding a deliberative event attended by 90 people at University College Hospital on 3 October 2009. The Mayor agreed that the views that have been submitted should form the content of a response from the Council to the Department of Health. This response from the Council will be posted on the Council’s website once it has been submitted. The deadline for submission is 13 November 2009.
ParkSport Cricket project
ParkSport is a project conceived by Envirowork Lewisham to regenerate disused sports ground areas in two of the borough’s Victorian parks: Hilly Fields, in Brockley, and Mayow Park, Sydenham. In order to progress the project the Council needs to apply to the Charity Commissioners for consent to use Mayow Park in the ways proposed in the project. The Mayor agreed to seek this consent.
For more details see the meeting papers.