Agenda item

The Sub Committee received a presentation from Dave Walker from Southwark Mediation Centre, an independent service which had been working with the Corporation for approximately three years. Mr Walker advised that he had been involved in a variety of cases from neighbourhood disputes, to facilitating contractor meetings, and sought to improve relationships and communication overall, rather than solving one particular problem at a time. Members noted that the City of London Corporation took a proactive approach to solving disputes, asking for the Mediation Services to get involved early in order to pre-empt communication problems. Mr Walker advised that changing how officers and residents interacted with one another had positively affected their on-going relationship and allowed them to communicate more effectively.

In response to Members’ questions, Mr Walker advised mediation could be a lengthy process, particularly when large groups of individuals were involved, as he needed to ensure all viewpoints were being communicated. Members noted that approximately 9 in 10 disputes could be resolved through mediation, but Mr Walker advised that those that couldn’t be resolved still benefitted from exploring the option.

The Chairman thanks Mr Walker for his presentation, and Members noted that a conference showcasing the Centre’s Youth Mediation Project and other work was being held on 10 October.