A NEW DAWN FOR CRYSTAL PALACE
THIS WEEK could go down in history as being the one which saw a new dawn for the Crystal Palace area.
On Tuesday evening Bromley council’s executive gave the go ahead for a trust or similar organisation to take over the running of Crystal Palace park – with very little discussion.
This week has also seen Croydon’s cabinet member for culture Cllr Timothy Godfrey call on locals to back the Upper Norwood library trust by declaring it “one magnificent opportunity for the whole area”. (see separate story)
And very early moves to set up a neighbourhood forum for the area have been unveiled.
At Bromley civic centre on Tuesday Bromley council leader Cllr Stephen Carr said “There has been a very positive relationship between ourselves and the park’s community stakeholder group.
“People who have put a lot of time and care into Crystal Palace park look at this as very important that we do fully commit to the future of the park.” Thanking all the park stakeholders for their time and wishing them well in the years to come Cllr Carr hailed the “exciting project.”
FORUM: In a joint statement Robert Gibson and Francis Bernstein who are behind the Neighbourhood Forum proposals. said: “This is very early days to see what is possible. “We are at the start of a long journey.
“An application is being submitted to all five councils to get designation for a Neighbourhood Area for Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood, which would literally put Crystal Palace on the map and encourage greater cross-borough co-operation for the benefit of all in our community.
“But the complexities of our area create unique challenges”.
The idea of a neighbourhood plan has previously been supported by Croydon North MP Steve Reed.
“Crystal Palace suffers from being split across five boroughs” he has said. “We desperately need a single Neighbourhood plan to make sure all the councils understand local residents’ priorities and focus on making them happen.
“Instead of being pulled in five different directions it’s time for all five boroughs to pull together for the benefit of Crystal Palace. “I fully support this excellent initiative” Mr Reed added.
(NOTE: The move for a trust to take over the park could be called in by the council’s own overview and scrutiny committee by asking the executive to think again, or to refer the decision to the full council but this is unlikely).
