Task and Finish Groups to review youth services, the private rented sector and scrutiny practices

These groups are made up of five local councillors each who set out to thoroughly investigate nominated areas of focus.  

Their primary areas of focus include reviewing the youth provision in Lewisham; examining the Council’s services for and communication with residents in the Private Rented Sector; and evaluating the scrutiny practices within Lewisham Council. 

To ensure a thorough analysis, these groups will engage with a number of key local stakeholders, including people who use our services and local residents, to national organisations. This could be via calls for evidence, consultations or engagement sessions in the local area.  

The Groups’ goals are to make specific recommendations that will be submitted to the Mayor and Cabinet for consideration, demonstrating Lewisham’s commitment to positive change and community welfare. 

Councillor Rudi Schmidt, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny, said: “We have a huge amount of passion, care and commitment within our councillors in Lewisham. Task and Finish Groups make the most of our close relationships with residents, understanding of local issues, and duty to improving services through a focused piece of work. At the same time, it gives councillors the opportunity to draw on outside expertise and collect evidence to form policy recommendations that bring new ideas to the Council’s work and at all times place our residents’ interests at the heart of the Council’s work.  We are pleased to begin three new Task and Finish Groups, each covering very different areas, but all carrying out detailed research towards positive outcomes for our communities.” 

Cllr Edison Huynh, Chair of the Youth Provision Task and Finish Group, said:  “The Youth Provision Task and Finish Group will be reviewing youth services in Lewisham in order to identify how they could be made more accessible, responsive to young people’s needs and impactful. We will be visiting youth clubs, speaking to young people and experts on youth work, and inviting the public to send us their ideas. If you’re a young resident, a parent or carer or work with young people, please think about what you would like from the youth services in the borough and look out for our call for evidence!” 

Councillor Rosie Parry, Chair of the Private Rented Sector in Lewisham Task and Finish Group, said: “The Private Rented Sector in Lewisham Task and Finish group will be looking at our services, communication, and interaction with residents in the private rented sector throughout our borough. This is a chance for us to gather evidence and look at good practice from around the country to ensure the services Lewisham offers to residents in the private rented sector are effective and robust in the current rental sector crisis.  
We’ll be putting renters’ voices at the heart of our work and letting their experiences shape our services going forward. This will include a consultation of residents in the private rented sector across Lewisham, so please keep an eye out for that and other opportunities to get involved.” 

Councillor Mark Jackson, Chair of the Improving Scrutiny Task and Finish Group, said:  “Lewisham has faced significant challenges in recent years and will face more in the coming years – from the increasing need for council services and keeping our borough safe, to tackling the housing and climate crises. The decisions the Council makes have a profound impact on the lives of all residents in Lewisham – getting those decisions right requires effective scrutiny, so that residents can be confident that we’re making the very best decisions possible. I’m very excited to be working with colleagues to improve how scrutiny works, so that it is making a real difference to the lives of people who live and work in Lewisham.” 

In the past, Task and Finish groups have achieved a number of positive outcomes for Lewisham’s communities. For example:  

• The Community Food Growing Task and Finish Group work led to the creation of a new “Community Food Growing Officer” post to oversee the implementation of the Group’s recommendations, including an annual survey of people on the allotments waiting list.  

• The Workspaces Task and Finish Group influenced the Council’s new Affordable Workspace Strategy and the development of the Strategic Asset Management Plan. Its recommendations also led to the development of an accreditation framework for affordable workspace providers and the inclusion of affordable workspaces in the scope of the local Investment and Opportunity Strategy.  
  
  
• The Housing Retrofit Task and Finish Group recommendations prompted the Council to commission a comprehensive retrofit strategy. Its recommendations also led to the delivery of a new Carbon Literacy training package for staff and the creation of a dedicated website page with accessible information for all residents interested in home retrofit and decarbonisation.