The Council meeting on Wednesday 22 July 2026 saw a range of decisions made, including approving changes to committee memberships, appointing representatives to joint committees, and agreeing updates to the Capital Programme budget. Significant debate also took place regarding motions on building an anti-raid sanctuary corridor and supporting safe streets in Lewisham.

Dispensation for Councillor Stamirowski

The Council approved the granting of a dispensation from the provisions of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 for Councillor Eva Stamirowski. This allows her to remain a councillor despite being on medical leave and unable to attend meetings, with the dispensation applying until 31 December 2026. The decision was moved by Councillor James Rathbone and seconded by Councillor Claire Wills, with both expressing their best wishes for Councillor Stamirowski's recovery.

Changes to Committee Membership

A series of changes to committee memberships were approved, primarily to accommodate the appointment of Councillor Esther Lie to various committees following her election. Councillor Natalie Thomas was removed from the Public Accounts Select Committee (PASC), and Councillor Maria McKenna was removed from the Healthier Communities Select Committee and the Licensing Committee. Councillor Esther Lie was appointed to replace them on these committees. Additionally, Councillor Dall and Councillor Lambert-Morris exchanged places on Planning Committee B and Planning Committee A respectively to ensure compliance with the Council's Constitution regarding ward representation on planning committees. These changes were moved by Councillor Claire Wills and seconded by Councillor Ruth Persian.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

The Council made appointments to two joint committees. Councillor Rudi Schmidt was appointed as the Council's second representative to the Brent, Southwark and Lewisham Joint IT Committee, with Councillor Daniel Dream appointed as his substitute. Councillor Corin Ashwell and Councillor Ade Adewunmi were appointed to the Croydon and Lewisham Joint Street Lighting Committee. These appointments were moved by Councillor Claire Wills and seconded by Councillor Ruth Persian.

Capital Programme Budget Update

The Council noted and approved updates to the Capital Programme budget for 2026/27. This included noting the outturn for the 2025/26 financial year and the addition of carried-forward budgets. Changes agreed by Mayor and Cabinet to the 2026/27–2028/29 Capital Programme were also noted. A £10 million contingency budget was included for 2026/27 to address urgent risks and pressures, with authority delegated to the Executive Director of Corporate Resources for its allocation. The Council also noted an ambitious bid to the Greater London Authority (GLA) for £775.73 million in affordable housing grant. The cumulative impact of these recommendations was agreed as a net increase of £28.3 million for 2026/27 and £202.7 million for 2027/28 onwards, totalling a £231.1 million increase to the full Capital Programme. The report was moved by Councillor Rudi Schmidt and seconded by Councillor Daniel Dream.

Motions

Two motions were debated and voted upon:

Building an Anti-Raid Sanctuary Corridor in and Beyond Lewisham

Councillor Hau-Yu Tam proposed a motion to build an anti-raid sanctuary corridor, condemning the increase in immigration raids and the government's hostile environment policies. The motion called for the Council to work with the Lewisham Anti-Raids network to support migrant businesses and residents, review Council systems to ensure they do not facilitate immigration enforcement, and join with other councils in developing a sanctuary corridor. Councillor Wellington Gil seconded the motion.

An amendment proposed by Councillor Oana Olaru-Holmes, seconded by Councillor Andre Bourne, sought to strengthen the motion by acknowledging the work of previous administrations in supporting refugees and asylum seekers, and by explicitly addressing the Council's responsibility to tackle modern slavery, human trafficking, and labour exploitation. Councillor Schmidt spoke against the amendment, arguing it did not present a serious approach to combating modern-day slavery and downplayed the Home Office's activities. Councillor Bourne argued the amendments were constructive and aimed to strengthen the motion. After debate, the amendment was put to a vote and fell. The substantive motion was then agreed.

Support Safe Streets in Lewisham

Councillor Ese Erheriene proposed a motion to support safe streets in Lewisham, highlighting concerns about anti-social behaviour, theft, robbery, and street harassment. The motion aimed to continue and enhance the Integrated Enforcement Strategy, maintain regular patrols in hotspots, and work with stakeholders to develop targeted action plans. Councillor Oana Olaru-Holmes seconded the motion.

Councillor Claire Wills proposed an amendment, seconded by Councillor Shireen Asaw, which sought to review the Integrated Enforcement Strategy, questioning its effectiveness, scrutiny, and statistical backing. Councillor Wills argued that the strategy, as presented, was not sufficiently evidence-based or scrutinised. Councillor Gavin Moore spoke against the amendment, criticising its perceived negativity towards past achievements and its lack of focus on direct law enforcement. Councillor Aidan corrected claims about live facial recognition technology, stating it had recently occurred in Catford. Councillor Fergus Navaratnam-Blair and Mayor Liam Shrivastava also spoke on the racial bias of facial recognition technology. Councillor Skyers stated the Green Party's approach focused on a public health model for addressing crime. Councillor Erheriene, in her right of reply, argued the amendment gutted the original motion. Following debate, the amendment was voted upon and passed, becoming the substantive motion. The substantive motion, as amended, was then agreed by the Council.