Chris Best - Councillor for Lewisham ( Sydenham)

Councillor Chris Best

 Labour and Co-operative Party  Sydenham

Email: chris.best@lewisham.gov.uk

Council: Lewisham

Council Profile: View on council website

Committees: Council (Committee Member) Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee (Chair) Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Committee Member) Health and Safety Committee (Committee Member) Pensions Investment Committee Sydenham Assembly Strategic Planning Committee Community Housing Task and Finish Group Public Accounts Select Committee (Guest)

Activity Timeline

Meetings Attended Note this may include planned future meetings.

38 meetings · Page 2 of 8

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 23rd September, 2025 7.30 pm

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the 'No Wrong Front Door' (NWFD) programme, which aims to make Lewisham the most accessible council in London. Councillors reviewed the programme's progress, challenges, and future plans, and agreed to note the report and its appendices. The committee made recommendations for a resident outcomes framework, digital inclusion for residents for whom English is not a first language, a dependency map, and a resourcing and investment plan for phase two.

September 23, 2025
Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee Chair

Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee - Wednesday, 3rd September, 2025 7.00 pm

The Safer Stronger Communities Select Committee met to discuss anti-social behaviour enforcement and library services in the borough. The committee heard that an integrated enforcement approach is being developed to tackle anti-social behaviour, and that Lewisham Library has been named the London winner of The British Book Awards 2025 Library of the Year. The committee also discussed the upcoming reopening of Lewisham Library following refurbishment, and the cessation of fines across the library service.

September 03, 2025
Council Committee Member

Council - Wednesday, 16th July, 2025 7.30 pm

The Council of Lewisham met on 16 July 2025, and agreed to consider a petition regarding divestment from Palestine, adopted the Lewisham Local Plan, and approved the Lewisham Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) Charging Schedule. The council also paid tribute to two former councillors who had recently died, and heard announcements on Lewisham schools, the return of the Blackheath fireworks display, and funding for care experienced employment.

July 16, 2025
Overview and Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday, 10th July, 2025 7.00 pm

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to review the budget scrutiny process and approve the work programmes for the select committees. The meeting was also scheduled to cover declarations of interest from councillors.

July 10, 2025
Health and Safety Committee Committee Member

Health and Safety Committee - Tuesday, 1st July, 2025 6.00 pm

The Health and Safety Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss the minutes from a previous meeting and to receive an update on the Corporate Health & Safety Board.

July 01, 2025

Decisions from Meetings

68 decisions · Page 1 of 14

Statement of Accounts 2024-25

From: Council - Wednesday, 26th November, 2025 7.30 pm - November 26, 2025

... to note the contents of the report, approve agreed audit adjustments to the 2024/25 Statement of Accounts and Pension Fund Accounts, approve delegation to the Section 151 Officer to agree changes to audit adjustments, the final Statement of Accounts for publication, and changes to the Auditor’s Annual Report, and note the management representation letters and the Auditor’s Annual Report.

Recommendations Approved

Motions

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to support Labour's 30 Hours of Free Childcare and to bring Thames Water back into public ownership.

Recommendations Approved

Appointment of Independent Persons

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to appoint Kalwant Grewal and Katy Prestedge as two independent persons to the Standards Committee.

Recommendations Approved

Use of Substitutes

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to include the temporary arrangements for the use of substitutes in committees, previously approved on January 22nd, 2025, into the Committee Procedure Rules under Part 4 of the Constitution.

Recommendations Approved

Dispensation under Section 85 Local Government Act 1972

From: Council - Wednesday, 24th September, 2025 7.30 pm - September 24, 2025

...to grant Councillor Coral Howard a dispensation from the meeting attendance requirements of Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972 until May 7th, 2026, due to illness.

Recommendations Approved

Summary

Meetings Attended: 38

Average per Month: 1.9

Decisions Recorded: 68