KICC GET PREMISES LICENCE – BUT CAN’T OPEN FULLY JUST YET
 
THE PENTECOSTAL CHURCH which owns the cinema building at 25 Church Road have been granted a premises licence – but they will have to wait before they can open their doors fully.
 
A licensing committee at Bromley civic centre on Tuesday morning approving the application said that before introducing any of the proposed licensable activities the church – Kingsway International Christian Centre MUST:

(a) Submit a fire risk assessment in relation to capacity of the premises and exits for all types of use, to the London Fire and Emergencies Planning Authority (LFEPA) for their approval. When approved by the LFEPA, a copy will be submitted to Bromley council as licensing authority, and

(b) Submit to the licensing authority a dispersal plan covering the exit of occupants of the premises, including persons loading and unloading supplies and equipment, for the approval of the licensing authority.

The licensing committee’s decision came after Crystal Palace residents Rosie Hunter – whose Patterson Road home backs onto the rear of the building – and Francis Bernstein along with Crystal Palace ward Cllr Angela Wilkins raised serious concerns over traffic, noise and other issues about the proposals.

Mr Adeolu Aluko, business development manager for KICC The Open Door,  told the licensing committee: “The Open Door as it is right now the premises we bought at the moment are D2 usage.

“We need an entertainments licence to carry out some of those events. “A lot of people have come in to try and use the building and one of the things that’s limiting the use of the building is the fact we don’t have an entertainments licence.

“People have to apply for a TEN (temporary event notice) with a capacity of 499. “Once I tell them we don’t have a premises licence it discourages them and they don’t want to use it any more.

“Any event we do have we will have traffic ushers looking after people parking. “We are also talking to the police about hiring cones from them so we ensure we limit people stopping.

“We are just outside a bus stop.

“We as an organisation are really ready to enhance D2 use.”We’ve had wedding receptions, a fashion show – there are so many enquiries.

“We had a comedy club who use Lewisham theatre. “They said ‘We find your building to be more beautiful and more accommodating.’ “But when we said we don’t have a premises licence at the moment and they would have to apply for a TEN they got discouraged. “This is the story so far.”

Mr Bernstein asked if sound limiters had been in force at an event he attended at 25 Church Road on February 28th. Told they were, Mr Bernstein said the event was “exceptionally loud” and well over 100 decibels.  Mr  Aluko: “It was not”

Mr Bernstein: “Why was it neighbours 20 metres away could hear what was going on?”

At this point Mr Phillips interjected and said the event was not licensable and not controlled by a licence. He told Mr Bernstein: “We haven’t set the noise level yet. “If it was as disturbing we’d never set the noise level that high.

“It’s only for amplifiers. “We can’t do anything about singing. “If we decided to control it there would be a noise a limiter and we would set it.”

Mr Bernstein said music was going on after 11am in what was a commercially-driven operation. Performers had twice gone to the mixing desk and said ‘Put up the volume’ “If there’s going to be a noise limiter it needs to be a tamper-proof one.”

Mr Aluko responding said: “Quite a lot of things Francis Bernstein has said are not true. “You seem to know more about my building and organisation than I do” but did not elaborate on this.

Rosie Hunter – described by Cllr Wilkins as “working in the events management sector and having enormous knowledge” – said that during one event she was sitting in her front room and, over someone listening to a tablet, could hear noise from the venue.

“My seven-year-old daughter could hear screaming – through double glazing” she added.

The noise limiter should be set at 90 decibels, not 94, she argued  Soundproofing should be considered as part of the licence.

Rosie Hunter said she had given some thought to reasonable conditions to limit the impact on neighbours. “I don’t want to spend the next two years coming to officers with logbooks and complaints.”

She asked for no dispersal after events via the back lane and no vehicles unloading there between 8pm and 8am.

Answering questions from Cllr Wilkins, Mr Aluko said there would be no alcohol on the premises. “If there’s some corporate event like BT directors want to come in, have a glass of wine with a meal, we don’t have a problem with that.”

Team lead licensing officer Stephen Phillips said that would need a TEN (temporary event notice) of which 12 a year up to a maximum of 21 days would be allowed. “You could do one a month or a TEN could last for seven days” he added.

Summing up Mr Aluko said they did not want to disturb the neighbours. “We’re there to make friends.

“I do understand Rosie Hunter might have some objections but I can assure you there are people there saying great things about what we’ve done . “The building is ready to be used and we’re ready to comply with any regulations imposed on us.”

Rosie Hunter said one resident who did have a conversation with KICC was not happy.

And KICC had still not responded to the letter of January 31st asking for a voluntary agreement, she added. (See: CINEMA BUILDING: RESIDENTS TELL CHURCH OWNERS TO ‘CEASE AND DESIST’ February 20th)

In a statement after the hearing Bromley council explained: “Government guidance states that licence conditions should not duplicate other statutory provisions, but to be mindful of these.

“In relation to capacity restrictions, the sub committee took the view that the LFEPA had the specialised knowledge to impose an appropriate capacity restriction if necessary and imposed a condition to this effect.

“Whilst the sub committee recognised that they were not the appropriate authority to deal with traffic and parking issues, it nevertheless felt that it would be reasonable and proportionate for a condition to be imposed enabling the licensing authority to approve a suitable dispersal plan for persons leaving the premises.

“It was confirmed that the noise team would set the noise limitation device for amplified sound at a level which they, in their professional opinion deemed appropriate and that they were the appropriate authority with powers to deal with any noise nuisance problems relating to the premises.

“The sub committee were mindful of the fact that planning issues were not matters for them to consider, but that the majority of the activities forming part of the application fell within the permitted use of the premises, and the local planning authority was the appropriate authority to consider whether the carrying out of any licensable activity formed a breach of planning control.”

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BACKGROUND TO THE NEWS: “CRYSTAL PALACE KNOWN FOR PARKING STRESS”

PARKING IS a major concern in Crystal Palace, the hearing heard.

“Crystal Palace is known for parking stress” said Francis Bernstein. “It’s all very well saying you can drop people off in Milestone Road. “There are no public car parks.

“Each time there had been a large scale event at 25 Church Road there had been problems with traffic and parking.

“They may have to work with police. “There were major problems that night.

“Whenever a bus stops outside you’re reliant on double yellow lines to make sure cars can go past. “That road was back to back parking.”

He said a sign had been flashed up saying police were outside and people left. “50 minutes after the event a police car came up with flashing lights and had to wait until the bus moved on.

“We strongly recommend to the licensing committee a special study to understand what the impact of this licence will have for parking and transport.”

Answering questions from the three-person committee Mr Adeolu  Aluko  said the biggest event they had staged was for 900 which they held at the end of the year. “We transport them but this was our own event.”

Mr Bernstein asked where the minibuses stopped when KICC held their own event. Mr Aluko: “In Milestone Road. “For all our events so we’re all together as a family to go into the New Year together.

Mr Bernstein: “You advertise you have parking for events.”

Mr Aluko:  “No we haven’t.”

Mr Bernstein: “On your website right now. “You check: limited parking.”

Mr Aluko: “Limited parking, yes. “It doesn’t state a figure.”

Mr Bernstein: “It will be the largest event space in Bromley.”

Mr  Aluko: “Around the venue there’s free parking. “As long as people don’t park on double yellow lines or block exits you’re not breaking the law. “We have never stipulated we have parking on the premises.”

Mr Bernstein: “At the last two events you had parking blocking the exit.”  (At this point a legal officer interrupted and said the highways authority would deal with that.)

Mr Bernstein said vehicles regularly blocked the fire exits at the rear of the building. Team lead icensing officer Stephen Phillips said the fire brigade had made two visits, one during a performance, and were completely satisfied there were no issues to raise.

“The only places which needed to be kept clear were the exit routes. “It’s like saying ‘There’s a pub on the high street and there’s a delivery van parked outside.’,”

At this stage someone said: “Maybe it was someone else’s car. “How do you know it prevented people escaping the building safely?”

Mr Phillips told the hearing:”A premises fire risk assessment should ensure all spaces are clear before the public come on board. that would be a management issue. “The fire authority would address it. “The committee can’t say ‘you must keep parking spaces clear’ because the fire authority allows that.”

News From Crystal Palace understands that in at least two other London boroughs parking is a consideration when licence applications are made.

IN LAMBETH: Licensing Act 2003 Statement of Licensing Policy 2011-2014 from Lambeth

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/sites/default/files/brl-statement-of-licensing-policy-2011-14.pdf

11.1 When considering whether any licensed activity should be permitted, the council will assess the likelihood of it causing unacceptable adverse impact, particularly on local residents, by considering all following factors and other relevant matters:

a) the type of use, the number of customers likely to attend the premises and the likely behaviour of customers at the time of the application; b) the proposed hours of operation; c) the level of public transport accessibility for customers either arriving or leaving the premises and the likely means of public or private transport that will be used by the customers; d) the means of access to the premises which should have customer entrances and exits on the principal pedestrian routes;

e) the level of likely car parking demand on surrounding residential streets and on roads forming part of the Strategic London Road Network or the London Bus Priority Network and its effect on local residents, in comparison with the existing situation; and the effect on residential parking and the movement of priority traffic; f) the cumulative effect of licensed premises in an area. In judging the effect on residents of a particular activity the Council will take into account any affect that is already occurring as a result of other licensed premises.

This consideration will apply irrespective of any special policy which may be adopted of refusing licences in certain areas because of cumulative impact; g) the scope for mitigating any impact; h) how often the activity occurs. and, in considering any application in respect of premises that are already licensed, the council will take into account any evidence: i) of past demonstrable adverse impact from the activity especially on local residents;

or j) that the activity has caused a demonstrably unacceptable level of car parking in surrounding residential streets or on roads forming part of the Strategic London Road Network or the London Bus Priority Network; and k) that, if adverse impact has been caused, appropriate measures have been agreed and put into effect by the applicant to mitigate the adverse impact.

Reasons:

d) The main impact of customers arriving, queuing and leaving should be confined to principal pedestrian routes as far as possible. It would not be appropriate, for instance, to have licensed activities which caused large numbers of people to exit into a residential area as opposed to a situation where pedestrian movement takes place directly to and from nearby public transport services.

e) Car parking by customers of licensed activities can be a serious problem. This affects local residents in terms of noise and road safety, particularly after the hours when controlled parking zones are in operation. It can also affect the movement of essential traffic on primary routes and delay bus services. When considering the possible impact on residents, the Council will look at the area within which the impact could be experienced in particular the likely distance at which most customers arriving by car would seek to park. The potential parking area for major entertainments can be substantial.

f) Licensing law is not the primary mechanism for the general control of nuisance and antisocial behaviour by individuals once they are away from the licensed premises and therefore beyond the direct control of the licensee. Nonetheless it is a key aspect of such control and will be part of a holistic approach to the management of the evening and nighttime economy. In accordance with Government advice the decisions taken by the council in respect of individual licence applications will be focused on matters within the control of individual licensees and others granted relevant permissions and the steps they can take to achieve the licensing objectives. Accordingly, these matters will centre on the premises and places being used for licensable activities and the likely impact of those activities on members of public living, working or engaged in normal activity in the area concerned.

 IN ISLINGTON: Licensing Policy 2013-2017

100. Applicants for new licences and those wishing to increase their operational hours or the capacity of their premises will need to demonstrate that due consideration has been given to arrangements for the quick, safe and quiet dispersal of customers from their venues.

The fact that car parking facilities are limited and heavily restricted should be communicated to prospective customers at every opportunity. Emphasis should be on the promotion of the use of public transport or other modes of transport.

23 Islington has one of the highest densities of licensed premises in England. As there is no delineation between residential and commercial areas, this needs careful management and may result in conflicts between the different uses.

In considering applications for new licences, variations to existing licences and licence reviews, following the receipt of relevant representations, the Licensing Authority will take the matters listed below into account.

These criteria will apply in different ways, to different types of premises and licensable activities, in the following order: • whether the premises is located in an area of cumulative impact; • whether the premises is located in an area of special interest; • the type of premises and their cumulative impact upon the area and the mix of premises in the area; • the location of the premises and character of the area; • the views of responsible authorities; • the views of interested parties; • past compliance history of current management; • the proposed hours of operation; (etc – Ed.)

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FOOD MARKET IS LOCALS’ PICK!

Thanks to everyone who voted for us in the Time Out Love London awards. We’ve won Locals’ Pick, and we’re delighted!

 Congrats also to Joanna’s, Brown & Green, Bookseller Crow, The Westow, Haynes Lane Market, Domali, Good Taste, Beer Rebellion & Exhibition Rooms.  Palace love all round.

Congratulations Doug Thorp who has won brunch for two in La Petit Bouchée.  Anita-Clare Field sources much of her produce at the market and this is a way for us to say thank you and to offer our customers a unique experience.

CRYSTAL PALACE FOOD MARKET bottom of Haynes Lane / top of Bedwardine Road. Saturdays 10 am to 3 pm.

Now on two sites – the normal Antenna car park site and also in the Haynes Lane market courtyard.

“Meat, vegetables, fruit, eggs, honey, bread, cakes, salads, hot foods, the Cafe Thing, coffee, tea, pastries, cheese, dairy and munch munch more.”

West Norwood Food bank collection: every week at the market.  Their shopping list  – which changes every so often. – can be found at
http://norwoodbrixton.foodbank.org.uk  

We’re really excited to welcome foraging teacher Chris Phyto and lacto-fermentation expert Annie Levy to the market for a double workshop. Chris & Annie will be on the Patchwork Farm stall – see below for details.

Haynes Lane Courtyard

Wine, veg, fruit, eggs, storecupboard refills, cleaning product refills, raw, vegan, salads, juices, bread, pastries, organic beauty products & CP calendar.

NEW STALL Natural wine from Wine Scout: Pedro says “I sell natural wine in markets and pop-up events. I champion established and emerging producers who work on tiny estates across Europe producing organic, biodynamic and low-intervention wines. Some of the producers are personal friends. On Saturday I’ll be showing organic or biodynamic wines from France, Italy and Spain, such as: ALFREDO MAESTRO TEJERO, Ribera del Duero – Biodynamic.  Alfredo’s wines are completely natural wines, with no sulphur added in the vineyard or the winery. All vineyard treatments are natural, and many of them follow biodynamic practices. His Lovamor is made with the rare indigenous variety Albillo and has a sweet nose of roses, mineral and red berry fruits which lead to a dense palate of plum, cherry and berry compote. Yum!

The Unofficial Crystal Palace Calendar: Funny stories, a certain famous lost cat, local faces… the Palace calendar for palace people.  They’ll be sharing a stall with Sarina.

Neals Yard Organic Remedies: Beauty products, gift sets and advice from Sarina.

Raw/vegan/super good for you from Love Bites:  Raw chocolate winter torte with orange zest. Shots, juice, curried kale soup. A couple of salady thangs and kimchi.

The Grain Grocer: Storecupboard refills. BYO bag or bottle for a discount. Check out their superfoods – raw cacao, maca root, bee pollen, chia, turmeric & plenty more – ask in store. Stock up in the breakfast corner – its time for wintery porridge oats + gluten free options like ‘chia buckwheat porridge’ or our famous ‘raw granola. We have loads of spices + loose teas like chamomile, green, rooibos & chai. Not forgetting Bread Bread’s organic loaves.

Brambletye has moved to the courtyard: Need your fix of apple juice, orchard eggs or biodynamic veg? Find Brambletye in their new permanent home in the courtyard.

Chas & Momo: Bread, brioche, baguettes, (ludicrously good) brownies, and other baked tings.

Antenna Car Park

Fruit, veg, fish, meat, cheese, eggs, hot lunch, deli, milk, cakes, gifts, coffee, gluten free, preserves, kids book swap, foraging & lacto-fermentation advice.

Kids – book swap stall:  Run by kids for kids. Donate your unwanted books or come & swap them. All funds raised will go to our library.

Want to know about foraging? Foraging teacher Chris Phyto will be in the market from 10:30am til 3pm. Come and see him on the Patchwork Farm stall to ask wild food questions, or just chat about foraging.  He’ll have a range of other wild food nibbles to taste, plus you can try (and buy) his hawthorn ketchup.  Chris will be hosting a couple of mini 45 min walks around the market to see what edible weeds are growing there. Booking is from the stall and is just £5.  Want more depth? At 3pm, Chris will be leading a stroll around Crystal Palace park, discovering what we can ferment at this time of year. This one and a half hour walk will be a special market deal of only £10 – book on the stall on the day.

What on earth is lacto-fermentation? Annie Levy is on a mission to prevent the art of fermention becoming high end and foodie in the UK. She likes working with community groups and will be providing all her sauerkraut help for free. You’ll get to take your own jar of sauerkraut home, as a little pet. She’ll be on the Patchwork Farm stall with Chris. FREE

Meat of the week:  Special on lamb from Jayne & Michael’s own farm this week- this will be the autumn lamb for a while.  £12.50kg (down from £15.50).

Pizza from Forno Viaggiante: Giancarlo tells me the special this week is ‘Calabrese’, with meat balls, dunja spicy sausage & chilli – apparently “the bestest for this cold weather.”

Gluten free from Owl Kitchen: Golden syrup cake, chocolate olive oil cake, spicy pecan layer cake, blackcurrant bakewell, coffee & walnut cake, custard tartlets, vegan courgette & banana cake, sugar free beetroot torte, sausage rolls, salmon & pea quiche among other regulars. Plus individual boozy christmas puds for a fiver.

Heaven Preserve Us: Anita says “We’re looking forward to manning our stall on Saturday. With new products on offer including Orange, Cranberry and Cointreau marmalade for your morning toast and Hot Aubergine chutney. Perfect to accompany a cheese board or your favourite curry. We’ll have our usual favourites too so come and sample our mouth watering flavours and pick up some Christmas presents too.”

Fish: Not many boats out this week because of strong winds and generally poor weather, our boat has been out most nights but with the catch mainly being bass we are short of variety. The other local boats that catches most of our flat fish will not be out until Sunday night because of the strong winds (strong winds good for bass but not for flats). Our boat will be coming in late tonight/early Saturday morning, it’s then we will find out exactly what we have to offer.

On the slab: Fresh…  local squid – £1.80 per 100g, sushi quality Tuna loin £3.20/100g, organic salmon fillet £4 steaks, local whole plaice **short supply** £9kg, rainbow trout cleaned £3.75 each, cod fillet £16.95kg, cod loin £18.95kg,sea bass fillets £3.50 each or 3 for £10, Scottish salmon fillet £19kg, whole fresh mackerel  £7.50kg, monkfish goujons £2.30/100g, NN733 caught whole sea bass – various sizes £15-18kg, whole gurnards £8.50kg.  Shellfish… Cornish rock oysters £1.20 each or 6 for £7, Colchester oysters £1.25 each, Cornish mussels £6kg, large black tiger prawns £2 each, small tiger prawns £2.20/100g, fresh cut scallops £3.90/100g.  Plus plenty of smoked and ready to eat bits including dressed crabs and lovely whole crabs. Place an order or make a special request by phone on 01342 822906 by email and on Twitter @FishmongersFR.

Guest cake stall – ‘Fishy’s’ Marvellous Cake Sale: Victoire says “In March 2014, whilst playing rugby, 26 year old Jack Fishwick was involved in a tragic accident which has, at the moment, left him with little feeling or useful function from the shoulders down. By throwing Fishy’s scrummy cake sale we hope to raise funds towards Jack’s ongoing rehabilitation once he leaves Stoke Mandeville hospital to live in his own home. There will lots of different scrumptious cakes which will include cookies caramel slice, carrot cake, oreo cheesecake, lemon drizzle, lemon tart, victoria sponge, gooey rolo brownies and so much more!”

Take part in NSC consultation and let Coe know what you think  You can show your support for sport by signing this petition.

Donate towards hot meals for local people:  We Love are looking to raise £500 within 30 days to feed families in our local community – those who are facing poverty, who are feeling isolated and in need of a helping hand.  Previous events have included serving hot meals at our local food bank.

Get your bicycle security marked: The police will be at Blue Door Bicycles to security mark and register bikes for FREE. No need to book.

West Norwood Food bank collection: every week at the market.  This is their shopping list – which changes every so often. Thank you to everyone who has donated – 175.1 kgs so far!

Brambletye has moved to the courtyard: Need your fix of apple juice, eggs or veg? Find Brambletye in the courtyard, next to Chas’s bread, The Grain Grocer’s storecupboard refills, Love Bites and their organic vegan soup, salad, juices & munchies and Pedro’s wine.

Patchwork Farm: Produce grown in SE19 and very close by. This week we have fresh horseradish, jerusalem artichokes, market salad, perennial cabbage & bay leaves.  This is wheelbarrow feet, not food miles! Want to get involved? Join the facebook group to find out about growing, land shares and becoming a ‘FridayFarmer’.

Local event: Upcycled Christmas wreath making workshop with Untapped. All abilities welcome!  If you bought a workshop as your gift for donating to crowd funding last year you are entitled to come for free or of course do come along to a session for the bargain price of £15. Mondays 10th, 17th,24th of Nov and 1st and 8th Dec.  7.30pm-9pm.  To book a place contact [email protected].

Follow us on twitter @CPFoodMarket or join us on Facebook.

Kids

Kids Book Swap  Run by local lad Joseph – raising money for our library

Extra Stalls

Foraging Advice & Mini Walks  With Chris Phyto 10:30am – 3pm. Advice/chats FREE. Walks £5 during market or £10 after.

Lacto-fermentation workshop With Annie Levy FREE

The Wine Scout  Natural wine from small producers  HAYNES LANE COURTYARD : NEW STALL

Unofficial Crystal Palace Calendar Featuring Seymour + lots of other local stories HAYNES LANE COURTYARD

Pete’s Pics Historical images from local character Pete

Neals Yard Organic Remedies Beauty products  HAYNES LANE COURTYARD

Handmade Palace Locally made arts & crafts

Buskers Paradise Live music in the market thanks to Steve Broe

BOUQUET FOR BROMLEY COUNCIL

(I’m sorry, I’ll read that again)

Bouquet for Bromley council

A local resident complained to Bromley council on October 10 about the very tatty Alma Place road sign just to the left of YoguSensi and The Alma pub on Church Road.

The sign, screwed on to a wooden board, had slid down to ankle level. Someone had also tried to
wrench the sign off so it was missing almost half its screws (This had been like it for some time).

The complaint was made on October 10th. The sign was removed a couple of weeks later and, in the last fortnight, has been replaced by a nice new sign.

(The complaint was made via Bromley council’s Bromley.gov website – ‘Fix my street’. And, in this particular  instance, they have.)

The post FOOD MARKET IS LOCALS’ PICK! (and there’s a bouquet for Bromley council…) appeared first on News from Crystal Palace - News & stories from the fresh air suburb - Crystal Palace, London SE19.

‘ILLEGALLY SUB-LET YOUR HOME AND YOU’LL LOSE IT” CROYDON WARNS TENANTS /
BROCKWELL PARK FIREWORKS – HAVE YOU GOT YOUR TICKET? / ALMOST 1,00 SIGN PETITION FOR MORE POLICE IN SOUTHWARK /  TALK TO BROMLEY ABOUT ADOPTION

‘ILLEGALLY SUB-LET YOUR HOME AND YOU’LL LOSE IT” CROYDON WARNS TENANTS

ILLEGALLY SUB-LET your home and you WILL lose it – that is the stark warning being made to council tenants in the borough of Croydon.

The council are adding the warning to the rent statements of just over 14,000 council tenants.

The move comes after the council repossessed two homes.

In the first instance, the housing standards team discovered that the tenant of a three-bedroom house in Waddon had moved to Australia and left an unauthorised person living at the address.

In the second, a two-bedroom property in New Addington was recovered when it came to light that the tenant was believed to have moved to Portugal.

“The move is a bid to ensure that our housing stock is fairly distributed to families registered on our list” said a council spokeswoman.

“Tackling the problem of sub-letting, while seeking to meet the needs of homeless families, we are sending a clear message to all our tenants.

“While accepting that the majority of residents abide by the rules, the council are striving to crack down on those who move out and leave their keys with another person, and we are asking people to report any suspected cases of tenancy fraud.

“With a guarantee that their identity will not be revealed, they are asked to contact their tenancy officer or the housing standards team.

“Alternatively, they can call the tenancy fraud hotline on 0800 328 9270 or report their suspicions online atwww.croydon.gov.uk/housingfraud .”

Cllr Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said: “People who sub-let their council homes are, in addition to committing fraud, depriving genuine cases of homelessness of a roof above their heads.

“The council has only a limited number of properties and a growing number of families asking us for help.

“We want to help as many of those as we can and are keen to ensure that the properties we have go to those who have done the right thing in registering and joining the housing list.

“They often have to wait a long time, and meet certain criteria, before they are offered a property. “It’s not right that others ignore the rules, jump the queue and move into a home to which they’re not entitled.

“We investigate tip-offs of sub-letting, including doing data checks and carrying out visits to suspected addresses.” (Source: Croydon council press release.)

BROCKWELL PARK FIREWORKS – HAVE YOU GOT YOUR TICKET?

Brockwell Park is gearing up for its best fireworks celebration to date, with people being encouraged to get their tickets before November 5th.

This year’s event is ticketed for the first time with bars, food stalls and street-style performers complimenting the display itself, which will be produced by Titanium Fireworks who also organised the London Olympics Opening Ceremony in 2012.

Children under 16 will go free and adult tickets are just £6 for Lambeth residents and £7 for visitors to the borough.

Performers include Glastonbury festival favourites Lords of Lightning and Emergency Exit Arts who will be showing off a giant mechanical fire bird and human Catherine Wheel.

Cllr Jane Edbrooke, Lambeth cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “This year’s event is more than just a firework display; it’s going to be a fantastic night of entertainment for people of all ages.

“There is a lot of pressure on our finances at the moment but the fireworks is such an important night in the calendar, I’m delighted we’ve found a way to keep it going while making sure children can still come in for free.

“It’s going to be a really fun night and I’d encourage everyone to book their tickets as soon as possible.”

A Lambeth council statement said: “By introducing ticketing for its fireworks night we are making it a safer event.

“Last year the display attracted an estimated 80,000 people which the key event planning safety officers including the emergency services have advised is too many to manage unless the event was changed and ticketed.

“With pressures on the council budget, Lambeth also needs help covering the bill for the hugely popular event.  Last year’s display ended up costing the council about £100,000.

“The fireworks is one of a number of events the council puts on throughout the year, including the popular and free Lambeth Country Show which this year cost around £265,000 from the authority’s budget.”

The November 5th event entry times will be from 5pm to 10pm at Brockwell Park.  Tickets are on sale now. Please visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/fireworks for full information. (Source: Lambeth council press release.)

ALMOST 1,00 SIGN PETITION FOR MORE POLICE IN SOUTHWARK

Almost 1,000 people in Southwark have signed a petition in support of the council’s campaign to increase the number of dedicated local police officers in the borough, say Southwark council.

The petition aims to encourage the Mayor of London to re-consider recent changes to the local policing model, said Southwark in a statement. The council is calling for a community-oriented force with officers reflecting the diverse and changing borough.

Cllr Michael Situ, cabinet member for community safety, said: “We have a huge appreciation for the work our local police officers and PSCOs do.

“They’ve played an important role in making Southwark a safer place to be. “This campaign is about sustaining this progress and ensuring that we have a healthy amount of dedicated and locally knowledgeable officers to help tackle the ongoing challenges we face.”

Anyone wishing to sign the petition  should go to Southwark.gov press releases ‘Southwark’s community leaders show overwhelming support for council’s petition for more local police officers’ published Friday, 24 October 2014

The petition closes on 14 November 2014. (Source: Southwark council press release).

TALK TO BROMLEY ABOUT ADOPTION

During National Adoption Week (3-9 November) and beyond, Bromley’s adoption service is calling for would–be adopters to phone in for a chat to find out more about what’s involved.

“We want to find as many people as possible who are interested in starting an adoptive family to answer their questions, dispel any myths and help them towards the next stage of the process” said Bromley in  a statement..

“There are already a number of children and groups of brothers and sisters in Bromley waiting for loving adoptive families. “These children need caring and understanding families to look after and care for them as they grow up and recover from any past difficulties in their lives.

“As well as the opportunity to phone, Bromley’s experienced team would be happy to welcome those considering adoption to an informal information session held in partnership with Bexley council at their civic offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT between 10am and 1pm on Saturday 15 November.

Executive member for care services, Cllr Robert Evans said: “Bromley is proud that we quite quickly embraced a new two stage process for people interested in becoming adoptive parents and shortened the time it takes to complete to just six months.

“We recognise there are many questions that spring to mind when people think about adopting a child – it is a big step for family and child alike.

“Our team would like interested people to come forward either by phone or face to face so they can give a much better understanding of what it’s like to adopt.”

Anyone with queries or who would welcome a discussion, please contact Bromley’s experienced adoption team on 020 8313 4193 or email [email protected]
(Source: Bromley council press release.)

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“ILLEGALLY SUB-LET YOUR HOME AND YOU’LL LOSE IT” CROYDON WARNS TENANTS / DISUSED CARE HOME TO BE USED FOR TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION  FOR HOMELESS

“ILLEGALLY SUB-LET YOUR HOME AND YOU’LL LOSE IT” CROYDON WARNS TENANTS

ILLEGALLY SUB-LET your home and you WILL lose it – that is the stark warning being made to council tenants in the borough of Croydon.

The council are adding the warning to the rent statements of just over 14,000 council tenants.

The move comes after the council repossessed two homes.

In the first instance, the housing standards team discovered that the tenant of a three-bedroom house in Waddon had moved to Australia and left an unauthorised person living at the address.

In the second, a two-bedroom property in New Addington was recovered when it came to light that the tenant was believed to have moved to Portugal.

“The move is a bid to ensure that our housing stock is fairly distributed to families registered on our list” said a council spokeswoman.

“Tackling the problem of sub-letting, while seeking to meet the needs of homeless families, we are sending a clear message to all our tenants.

“While accepting that the majority of residents abide by the rules, the council are striving to crack down on those who move out and leave their keys with another person, and we are asking people to report any suspected cases of tenancy fraud.

“With a guarantee that their identity will not be revealed, they are asked to contact their tenancy officer or the housing standards team.

“Alternatively, they can call the tenancy fraud hotline on 0800 328 9270 or report their suspicions online atwww.croydon.gov.uk/housingfraud .”

Cllr Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said: “People who sub-let their council homes are, in addition to committing fraud, depriving genuine cases of homelessness of a roof above their heads.

“The council has only a limited number of properties and a growing number of families asking us for help.

“We want to help as many of those as we can and are keen to ensure that the properties we have go to those who have done the right thing in registering and joining the housing list.

“They often have to wait a long time, and meet certain criteria, before they are offered a property. “It’s not right that others ignore the rules, jump the queue and move into a home to which they’re not entitled.

“We investigate tip-offs of sub-letting, including doing data checks and carrying out visits to suspected addresses.” (Source: Croydon council press release.)

DISUSED CARE HOME TO BE USED FOR TEMPORARY ACCOMMODATION  FOR HOMELESS

Bromley council say they expect to realise annual savings in excess of £250,000 over the next five years following an executive decision to modify a disused care home to provide temporary accommodation for those who become homeless in the borough.

“Dramatically rising homeless numbers during recent years combined with reducing suitable affordable accommodation such as new build, housing association re-lets and private rented homes, have meant the number of statutory homeless households placed in temporary accommodation has also risen” said Bromley in a statement..

“This has moved the provision of temporary accommodation for statutory homeless households from a largely ‘cost neutral’ position to an estimated full year cost of more that £5 million as numbers and nightly rates continue to rise.

“By adopting an ‘invest to save’ principle and upgrading the building which housed the former Manorfields care home in Avalon Road, Orpington, some 44 units of flexible accommodation will be created.

“Though the renovation is expected to cost a little over half a million pounds, the resulting savings over a five year period will significantly out-weight the upfront investment.

“This follows an existing successful model opened a year ago which has provided local accommodation for more than 60 families whilst the council has worked with them to secure long term settled accommodation.

“It is expected, subject to planning permission, that the renovations will be completed and the new temporary accommodation will be in use by May 2015.”

Bromley council leader Cllr Stephen Carr said: “This is a good example of an invest-to-save project where an initial outlay of council funds is considered prudent to effect greater savings over time.

“The growing need for accommodation for homeless families is just one of the pressures on council services at a time when we are required to find a further £60 million savings over the next four years in addition to £61 million already made.

“We investigate the delivery of  all our services – whether statutory on not – to ensure we make the best use of tax payers’ money by providing them as effectively and efficiently as possible.

“Where there is a convincing business case for making an investment to reduce long term costs, we aim to support  the initiative as in this case.” (Source: Bromley council press release.)

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BAPTISMAL FONT UNCOVERED AT ‘OPEN DAY’ IN CINEMA BUILDING – Councillors anger at being ‘misled’

VISITORS TO an open day organised by the Pentecostal church which owns the former cinema building at 25 Church Road found something they didn’t expect – a baptismal font.

The font has long been rumoured to have been installed despite repeated denials by the church – Kingsway International Christian Centre – that it hadn’t.

A local resident who uncovered the existence of the font said: “One of the big, big, issues over the last five years is about just how much trust can be put in what KICC says.

“Some months ago KICC submitted a – swiftly withdrawn – application for a public entertainment premises license for 25 Church Road. “The application included plans for the basement and stage, both of which had marked on them a large, covered area called ‘baptismal font’.

“I was intrigued by this because KICC’s other converted cinema in Hoe Street, Walthamstow has one of these built into the stage which is confirmed in photographs on the architects’ website.

“Given the mention of a font being built into the stage in the plans for 25 Church Road I asked the planning consultants during the open day whether they knew anything about this.

“They told me that they had already been asked this and that, as far as they knew, there wasn’t one.

“When I pressed them about why it appeared on ‘as built’ plans submitted with the licencing application to Bromley council they told me that they had been assured by KICC that this was an error. “The plans were ‘aspirational’ for the future and not indicative of the actual position.

“I asked them again whether they could categorically confirm there was no font. “They said they could, based on what they had been told.

“I then asked if I could have a look for myself, to which they agreed.

“This is what I found. “On the stage were a line of large hatches  “I decided to lift one and, bless me , what do I find but what is very clearly a large, tiled swimming pool like structure, complete with steps down, mosaic tiles and round underwater swimming pool light.

“It’s fair to say the planning consultants were mortified to the point of being speechless and I challenged them about how on earth residents could trust KICC and its plans when KICC’s own planning consultants had no idea what was actually in the building and had been given incorrect information.

“This made my blood boil. “KICC’s consultants were clearly embarrassed when we uncovered it.

“More importantly KICC have clearly installed the font for religious services long before  the planned mixed use planning application to include D1 religious worship.

“It leads me to question what else is inside the building which is yet to be revealed and whether building a font before D1 use is granted is a breach of planning permission.  “I’ve written to Bromleys planners today to demand they investigate.”

COUNCILLORS ANGER AT BEING ‘MISLED’

THE DISCOVERY of the font does not inspire trust in KICC as an organisation said Crystal Palace ward councillors Angela Wilkins and Richard Williams in a joint statement to News From Crystal Palace.

The councillors – who were both present when the pool was uncovered –  said: “We were both keen to hear KICC’s proposals for using their property for community use and would have liked to believe they are sincere.

“But this discovery of something they had  repeatedly denied the existence of does not inspire trust in them as an organisation. “We are also sceptical that the rates they are proposing to charge for hire of rooms would be affordable to local groups.

“Cllr Angela Wilkins emailed Bromley planning officers on Sunday with the following questions and has been promised  a reply within the next day or two.

•  Are your officers aware that this baptism pool exists?
•  Does this baptism pool require any permissions which are not in place?
•  Can we not deduce from the presence of such a facility that the building is already being used for religious services, in contravention of existing permissions

Cllr Richard Williams commented: ” I am really disappointed that I and the local community have been misled in this way: it brings the integrity of KICC into question.”

UPDATE: COUNCIL OFFICERS KNEW POOL WAS THERE

BROMLEY COUNCIL OFFICERS knew the pool was there. In an email to a complainant,  John Stephenson, acting planning investigation, development control manager, said: “The Council have been aware of the internal alterations  which have been previously investigated by my enforcement team at the above address , these changes (internally) which includes the pool beneath the main stage do not require planning permission and as such are not a breach of planning control.

“This information was previously supplied to council by KICC when a licence application with plans attached was submitted to the council and later withdrawn.  “I  can confirm that at this stage no evidence of the use of the building for religious services has been established  which would be considered to be in contravention of the permitted use of the building.

“The council values the participation of the public in the planning and planning enforcement process. “Although no breach of planning control has taken place in this instance, I would nevertheless, like to thank you for drawing the matter to my attention. ”

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND NORWOOD SOCIETY OPPOSE NEW CHURCH PLANS – KICC response

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KICC HOLDS ‘PRIVATE BRIEFINGS’ OVER RENEWED CHURCH PLANS

“We will only hold two church services a week at 25 Church Road”

KICC – the Pentecostal church which took over the cinema building at 25 Church Road in a secret deal in 2009 – is holding invitation-only private briefings today (Monday) and tomorrow on the premises “for political and community stakeholders”.

The event appears to be the curtain-raiser to KICC attempting to change the building into a church for a second time.

Among those NOT invited to the briefings are the Picture Palace Campaign, set up in the wake of the church taking over the former bingo hall in June 2009.

In October 2009 the fledgling Campaign organised a public protest meeting at the Queens hotel which attracted around 1,000 people – among them Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks and Bromley council leader Cllr Stephen Carr.

KICC’s latest move will almost certainly see similar public uproar even though the church claims: “We have taken on board all of the comments made by stakeholders and members of the community and have reviewed our plans” and says it wants to create “a sustainable community hub.”

The invitation letter in full says:

25 Church Road regeneration

I am writing to invite you to a private briefing and tour of 25 Church Road. As you will be aware, when KICC The Open Door purchased the site in 2009 from the previous owners, Gala Bingo, the building had been allowed to deteriorate and fall into a state of disrepair.

Since 2009, The Open Door have invested over £2 million in restoring the building and 25 Church Road has now been brought up to modern standards. Following our previous change of use application for the building, we have taken on board all of the comments made by stakeholders and members of the community and have reviewed our plans.

Our vision is to create a sustainable community hub in the heart of the Crystal Palace Triangle, servicing local groups and businesses, as well as using the space for events and functions. We are already in discussion with local organisations such as fitness providers and over 50’s groups who are interested in using the facilities.

As part of this new community offer, we are looking to open a permanent cafe on the site. The Open Door will only hold two church services a week at 25 Church Road, alongside book groups and counselling, with the remaining timetable being available for other local organisations’ use. Over 70 per cent of the Open Door timetable will be made available to the community and local organisations.

We believe that we can deliver a new community hub with a sustainable transport plan that will benefit local residents and the whole of Crystal Palace. Before we submit our application we would like to meet with you at 25 Church Road. We will be hosting tours of the site on 8th and 9th September (10am-4pm) for political and community stakeholders. Members of the project team will be available to answer your questions. I would be grateful if you would RSVP with an hour’s slot on either day that is convenient to you by email at [email protected].

If you require any further information before then, or if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to meeting you.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Dipo Oluyomi
Pastor, KICC The Open Door

RENEWED KICC PROPOSALS ‘VERY SIMILAR’

One cinema campaigner, posting on Virtual Norwood, says: ” As far as I can see the proposals are very similar to those refused at planning committee in 2009 on the grounds that:

“1. The proposed development, involving the loss of an important entertainment/leisure use within Use Class D2 and the introduction of a mixed use including a place of worship within Use Class D1, would result in a reduction in the range of facilities provided within the town centre detrimental to the proper functioning of the daytime and evening economy and harmful to the social, cultural and economic characteristics of the area, thereby contrary to Policies 3A.18, 3D.1 and 4B.8 of the London Plan.

“2.The nature of the activity associated with a Class D1 use such as a place of worship and the scale of the user means that they are likely to have a wide catchment for its congregation and attract a large number of cars and as a result the development will have a significant adverse impact on the surrounding area in terms of parking demand and pedestrian safety, contrary to Policy T18 of the Unitary Development Plan.

“The only difference it would seem is the nomenclature use i.e community hub.

“This ‘private briefing’ will be used to demonstrate pre-application consultation to support KICC’s planning application for change of use.

“If you have any concerns or otherwise then I would urge you to email your ‘political stakeholders’ i.e. your ward councillors, MP and London Assembly Members before they attend – that is if they are able to at such short notice!

“I would also highlight a few key facts for your consideration:

“KICC need the change of use from D2 ‘assembly and leisure’ to D1 ‘Place of Worship’ to deliver their charitable objects via activities such as religious services, counselling, religious concerts and conferences and to justify their very significant investment in the building.

“The refurbishment of 25 Church Road was completed in early 2012 with a grand opening ceremony and religious business conference for their members from across the South East in August 2012 with spectacular parking and traffic problems.

“This resulted in complaints to both Bromley and TfL and traders noting a significant drop in trade due to the commandeering of parking spaces.

“KICC has had two years to open up the building for community use. “They chose not to. “Instead, they held a number of revenue generating events for their members (many falling outside the lawful D2 planning use) and knowing that because of the religious content they would not require a premises licence.

“It is only since Bromley has questioned those events that KICC has had to bring forward a further planning application.

“Once KICC have planning permission for the premises to be used as a place of worship, there is absolutely nothing which can prevent them from increasing the religious use of the building.

“Also, the content of any events held at the building will need to be approved by the church. “This was made clear when KICC were asked about holding film screenings back at their open day in 2012.

“If that is what people want then that is fine and it is up to locals to take a view and make up their own minds when the planning application goes live.”It may be something that people support and think will contribute to the sustainability of Crystal Palace.

“Personally I find it very sad that when KICC purchased the building in 2009, they took it out of leisure use for the first time in over 80 years. “We already have plenty of churches in the area – do we really need another one?”

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NICE DAY FOR A WHITE WEDDING RECEPTION* – NO ALCOHOL ALLOWED Church’s latest scheme for cinema building

HAVE YOUR WEDDING RECEPTION HERE! – that’s the latest scheme from the Pentecostal church which owns the cinema building at 25 Church Road as they gear up to submit renewed plans to turn it into a church. (See separate story).

But the church don’t allow alcohol and have no premises licence for the building – which means anyone wanting to hold certain events there will have to apply to Bromley council for the relevant permission.

A sign on the doors of the building announces that the premises are available for “concerts, conventions, musical, entertainment, wedding receptions, meeting rooms, parties and many more. “State of the art facilities include…..an Internet cafe and a coffee bar.”

The church’s latest move comes five months after KICC announced they were WITHDRAWING a premises licence application which, if fully approved, would have seen the building open from 8am to 2am seven days per week.

A cinema campaigner who contacted Bromley council in the wake of the notice appearing has been told in a letter:

“Hiring out the premises is not itself something that requires a licence. “The person hiring the venue may require a licence depending on the nature of the event they are holding.”

The letter from Paul Lehane, head of food,safety and licensing, adds: “As no full ‘premises licence’ has been granted for the building it would fall to any hirer to apply for a TEN (temporary event notice) or apply for a short duration premises licence for an event.”

The scheme is the latest in a series of plans announced by the church – Kingsway International; Christian centre – over the past year.

IN FEBRUARY Bromley council’s plans sub committee number one amended officers’ suggested recommendations so that enforcement action would be held in abeyance for 30 days and the owners (KICC) urged to submit an application within that time – otherwise enforcement action would be taken.

WE’RE ONLY MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL – XTC / “I’M STILL WAITING…..” – DIANA ROSS

ON MARCH 21st News From Crystal Palace reported: “Plans to use the former cinema at 25 Church Road for religious services on a ‘dual purpose’ basis are set to be submitted to Bromley council.

“The move by the Pentecostal church KICC (Kingsway International Christian Centre) comes more than four years after a Bromley council plans sub-committee turned down an application for change of use of 25 Church Road for religious services.”

PREMISES LICENCE 

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A fraudster who ran a gourmet pub that sold £125 champagne truffle burgers is set to be finally kicked out of his council home.

The 61 year old benefits cheat has fought a lengthy legal battle with the council to try and remain in his property in Marston Way, Upper Norwood, say Croydon council.

But on Thursday (June 26th) a judge at Croydon county court gave council officers the green light to evict him.

A Croydon council spokesman said: “The man, jailed for a year in January 2013 for a string of fraud charges, is the former landlord of the Royal Dart Hotel in Devon which was famed for its £125 champagne and truffle beefburger speciality, said to be the most expensive burgers in the world.”

Cllr Alison Butler, cabinet member for homes and regeneration, said: “This has been a long, drawn-out case and it’s a credit to our housing legal and tenancy teams for their determination and hard work in bringing about this eviction.

“We don’t take these decisions lightly, however this was an individual who abused the benefits system and in the process deprived a family in need of a home.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

HOUSING BENEFITS CHEAT ‘SPENT SEVERAL WEEKS IN IRAQ’

A housing benefits cheat spent several weeks in Iraq.

The man, from Bromley, has since pleaded guilty to two charges of making false representations to defraud Bromley council out of £10,857 in housing and council tax benefits for the period September 2011 to December 2013.  

A Bromley council spokeswoman said: “Anonymous information received led to an investigation that showed he had failed to declare his true earnings and capital. “He had also failed to inform the council that he had been abroad for a period of time.

“Extensive enquiries regarding his employment status followed and when interviewed under caution, an inspection of his passport revealed he had been in Iraq for several weeks and had only just returned to the UK.  

“Earlier this month the man was sentenced at Bromley magistrates court to 10 weeks in prison suspended for 2 years and ordered to pay £550 costs and a £80 victim surcharge.  “As well as having a criminal record, he will be required to pay back the whole of the overpayment.

“This case bring the total of Bromley benefit claimants prosecuted to 370 since Bromley and Greenwich councils started working in partnership to track, trace and prosecute benefit fraudsters.

“Anyone with information about a suspected benefit fraud should contact (in strict confidence) the Fraud Hotline on 0800 169 6975 or email [email protected] ” (Source: Bromley council press release)

SUPPLYING EVIDENCE FOR HOUSING BENEFIT OR COUNCIL TAX REDUCTION IN LEWISHAM 

From July 2014, it will no longer be possible to supply evidence for housing benefit or council tax reduction at Laurence House in Catford.

A Lewisham council spokesperson said: “The easiest and most convenient way to provide evidence is to use our online form. “This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“For people with no internet access, all libraries in Lewisham provide free internet access on production of a library card. “Jobcentre customers can use the computers and WiFi in local jobcentres.”

If you need assistance to submit your evidence online you can get support from the following places:

Carers Lewisham, Waldram Place, Forest Hill, SE23 2LB, 020 8699 8686 Free use of computers and assistance if needed.Open to all.Friday 10–12.30pm, 1.30–3.30pm
Advice Lewisham, 49A Hatfield Close, New Cross, SE14 5DW, 020 7732 7338 Free use of computers and assistance if needed.Open to all.Friday 10–12noon, 1–3pm

Alternatively, you can still send photocopies of your evidence to:

Housing Benefits
Lewisham Council
PO Box 58996
London SE6 9JD (Source: Lewisham council press release)

COUNTERFEIT FOOTWEAR GOING TO ZAMBIA

Hundreds of pounds worth of counterfeit footwear has been donated to a police charity by Southwark council.

The designer ‘knock-offs’ were forfeited to the council by the courts following the successful prosecution of a fraudulent Elephant and Castle market trader under the Trade Marks Act 1994.

The council then agreed to donate all items to the National Police Aid Convoy (NPAC), a charity devoted to providing less fortunate people with clothing, medical equipment and other goods all over the world.

David Scott, a retired Nottinghamshire police inspector and chairman of NPAC, said: “This donation from Southwark council is greatly appreciated and will go to people who are most at need in Zambia.

“We will de-brand the footwear by cutting out labels and logos, pack them in a container and ship them to people who are in desperate need.”

Cllr Michael Situ, cabinet member for community safety, said: “While counterfeit goods have no place on Southwark’s highstreets, once de-branded they will be invaluable to people in great need rather than profit earners for irresponsible traders.” (Source: Southwark council press release)

STAY SAFE IN THE SUMMER SUN

Summer has officially started so Southwark council are calling on residents to stay sun safe – and check on vulnerable people in their communities as temperatures start to rise.

Here are some tips on staying well in the hot weather:

Try to stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when the sun is at its hottest
It’s important to stay hydrated, so drink lots of water or fruit juice
Wear loose, cool clothing and a hat if you go outdoors
Avoid excessive physical activity, or do it in the cooler ends of the day
Wear a high factor sunscreen and reapply throughout the day
If you have any health concerns for yourself or for someone you know, please contact NHS Direct on 111, your GP or pharmacist

Cllr Barrie Hargrove, cabinet member for health, parks and leisure, said: “Whilst many of us will be enjoying the summer sunshine, hopefully in one of our beautiful parks or open spaces, for some the rise in temperature can cause some serious health problems – particularly for people with existing health conditions, very young children or more elderly residents.

“We are asking people to just call in on older neighbours and friends to make sure they are staying cool and healthy, and also taking good care of themselves so they can enjoy the summer sun safely.” (Source: Southwark council press release)

HOUSE CLEARANCE WASTE DUMPED IN CAR PARK

A woman caught on camera dumping house clearance waste at Cotmandene Crescent car park in St Paul’s Cray has been fined £100 following a prosecution by Bromley council.

The woman, from Downham, attended Bromley magistrates court on 4 June where she was also ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £500 costs.

A council spokeswoman said that last September, the council’s CCTV camera at Cotmandene car park provided images of two women unloading and dumping waste from the clearance of a house next to the council’s recycle bins.

The woman was identified and prosecuted for the offence under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Cllr Tim Stevens, executive member for public protection and safety said: “Local residents, through their local councillors, requested CCTV at the Cotmandene Crescent car park to help combat regular dumping of rubbish there.

“I am pleased that council officers are able to bring people to account for their actions and hope this will send out a strong message that will help keep the car park clear of inappropriately dumped rubbish.” (Source: Bromley council pres release).

DUTCH AND DANISH CYCLING EXPERTS HOST TWO-DAY WORKSHOP

Dutch and Danish companies have hosted a two day cycling workshop with Southwark council.

Mobycon and Copenhagenize Design Co, specialists in developing active transport communities across Europe and North America, are working with Southwark as part of a council-wide commitment to improving cycling in the borough.

The event brought together cycling stakeholders from both within the council and local community representatives including Southwark Cyclists, Living Streets and Dulwich Safe Routes.

The sessions were also attended by members of Transport for London, Southwark’s development partners Lend Lease and Better Bankside Business Improvement District.

The workshops centred on planning, policy, design and marketing and education.

A council statement said people attending the workshop discussed innovative ways to improve cycling well beyond the realms of infrastructure but right across council policy – such as via Southwark’s health and wellbeing agenda, economic prosperity programme and regeneration plans – to name a few.

Cllr Mark Williams, cabinet member for regeneration, planning, and transport, said: “The workshops have been a fantastic opportunity to galvanise ideas and really refresh our thinking about improving cycling in Southwark and building on our work so far.

“Southwark’s vision for cycling goes beyond transport, and is something that we plan to embed across the council.

“It spans all areas of council business which is why every cabinet member is committed to realising this vision.

“It’s going to be a long journey, but I’m confident that with our community partners and the support of our residents, we are on track to significanlty increase cycling and all the benefits that brings.

“We were delighted to welcome experts from Denmark and the Netherlands to our borough to help us make Southwark a cycle friendly borough.

“We are committed to increasing cycling and at the same time making it safer. “We are embarking on a long term project to make this happen, and the advice and guidance of some of the most renowned cycling experts in the world has really helped.”

Mikael Colville Anderson from Copenhagenize Design Co, said: “We think it’s visionary that Southwark is the first borough to work with continental experts to create a more liveable city by taking the bike more seriously as transport.

“The borough has great potential for modernisation regarding transportation.”

Johan Diepens, executive director of MobyCon, said: “The benefits of cycling are immense. “It is not just good for the environment; it also has profound social, health and economic benefits.

“We want to work with Southwark to bring bicycles to the forefront of urban planning and we are confident that the borough has the potential to flourish in this way.”

Alistair Hanton from Southwark Cyclists, said: “It is exciting to discuss so many different angles on how we can make Southwark a better place for cyclists and by better I mean much for cycling and fewer causalities.

“Southwark Cyclists want to work with the borough to make this happen – we want a real partnership.”

 (Source: Southwark council press release)

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