News from Crystal Palace - News & stories from the fresh air suburb - Crystal Palace, London SE19 » Lambeth council

FIREWORKS AT BROCKWELL PARK

jerrygreen85 — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 14:04:26 +0000

Brockwell Park is the new home for Lambeth’s annual fireworks display

Lambeth’s 2013 fireworks display will take place in Brockwell Park on Tuesday November 5th and not Clapham Common as originally planned.

Lambeth council say it has confirmed Brockwell Park as the venue for the annual fireworks display after careful consideration of the impact of holding a major event on local transport routes around Clapham during the evening rush hour.

Major roads affected by the event include the South Circular road and red routes around Clapham Common. Over 100,000 people are expected to attend the event.

Brockwell Park will host what Lambeth are calling a “spectacular display” of fireworks created by the team responsible for the London 2012 Olympics fireworks show.

Other activities at the event in Brockwell Park on Tuesday November 5th will include a funfair, stalls, music, food outlets and fully-licensed bars. The event is free of charge for local residents and visitors to attend.

This year, for the first time, people attending the fireworks’ display will be asked to make a voluntary donation which will be used to fund next year’s event by making a donation online or at the event. This follows a voluntary donation initiative at the 2013 Lambeth Country Show

Lambeth’s annual fireworks event begins at 5pm and finishes at 10pm More information on; http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/Environment/ParksGreenSpaces/EventsInParks/Fireworks.htm

Lambeth advise everyone attending should check; http://www.tfl.gov.uk to plan their journey to and from Brockwell Park.

Southwark Council urges women to be ‘breast aware’ this October

Women in Southwark are being reminded to regularly check their breasts and report any unusual changes to their GP as part of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Female residents in Southwark aged between 50 and 70, who are registered with a GP, should receive an invitation to a free breast screening every three years.

Although breast screening is estimated to save around 1,300 lives per year, take up by eligible women in Southwark is currently at just 63 per cent, lower than the national average of 77 per cent and even lower than the London average of 69.3 per cent.

Women under the age of 50 will not automatically be invited for a breast screening unless they are recognised as having a higher risk of developing breast cancer, such as through a faulty gene or family history of the disease. However, advice is available on how to spot the five signs of breast cancer and how to check your breasts.

Catherine McDonald, cabinet member responsible for health, said: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK but the number of deaths is falling dramatically thanks to better awareness, early detection and more advanced treatments.

“I would strongly encourage women to take up their breast screening opportunity and if you haven’t received an invitation and you think you should have please visit your GP.

“All women should be aware of any changes to their breasts and make an appointment with their doctor if they have any concerns. If you are not yet registered with a GP, why not register now.”

For more information on breast cancer awareness visit www.breastcancercare.org.uk

For advice on how to checks your own breasts go to the website at http://www2.breastcancercare.org.uk/publications/breast-health/taking-care-your-breasts-mini-guide-bcc211

WOMAN WHO BEFRIENDED VULNERABLE OAP STOLE £92,000…

A vulnerable woman was coned out of more than £92,00 by a woman who had power of asttorney.

On Monday, October 14th at Croydon crown court and following a wide ranging safeguarding investigation by Bromley council and Scotland Yard’s special investigation branch, a woman who was a friend of one of the Council’s vulnerable clients, was found guilty on 14 counts of stealing.

The defendant did not work for the council but had befriended the client and carried out the theft in her role as power of attorney. She received a custodial sentence of over four years.

The woman, aged 64 who lives in Eastbourne, had pleaded not guilty to the charges but following the jury’s deliberations was found guilty on all counts of stealing what amounted to over £92,000.

The safeguarding investigation began in 2008 when concerns were raised with the council about the woman’s role as power of attorney. The council’s safeguarding and audit teams worked together and with the police to unearth evidence, determined to bring a successful prosecution.

A Bromley council spokesperson said: “A key priority for Bromley Council is safeguarding vulnerable residents who can fall victim to abuse, including financial abuse.”

Cllr Robert Evans, executive councillor for care services, said: “The council has been advised the defendant has made a payment of £50,000 to the victim of financial abuse during the first week of October 2013, with arrangements being put in place for the remainder of the monies to be repaid.”

If you have any concerns about an elderly or vulnerable adult’s safety please call Bromley council on 0208 461 7777, Minicom 0208 464 7350. For an out of hours emergency call 020 8464 4848 (Source: Bromley council press release)

…while trading standards help put man in prison for money laundering

Bromley Trading Standards has brought another successful prosecution for money laundering following a scam carried out on an 89-year-old man from St Paul’s Cray.

On Tuesday 15 October 2013, a 23-year-old man from East London, attended Croydon crown court by video link from HMP Pentonville and pleaded guilty to two charges under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. He was sentenced to 15 weeks in custody – his guilty plea reducing the sentence from 20 weeks.

The case was brought following a tip off from a local bank in February 2012. The Nationwide building society in High Street Bromley, contacted trading standards rapid response team when an elderly customer had come into the bank to withdraw £3,000 cash from his savings account in order to pay for drainage work at his property.

This was the second withdrawal as the client had withdrawn £4,000 cash the previous day. Trading standards officers attended the bank and were introduced to the 89 year old man.

The OAP told how he had been cold called the day before by a man who claimed that his uncle lived in a house to the rear of Mr Hayden’s property.

He said that his uncle was having trouble with his drains and that they had identified the problem as being in the section of drain that ran through the OAP;s garden. He then asked for £4000 towards the cost of repairs.

The OAP agreed to pay and withdrew the money from his account. A short time later he was again telephoned by the man who sent a young man to collect the package.

The OAP received another telephone call from the man asking for a further £3,000 cash and he went back to the Nationwide which is when trading standards became involved.

Officers accompanied him home and following a number of calls from the mysterious ‘Mr Davis’ asking if he had the money, the 23 year old man arrived. Trading standards officers confronted him and police were called. He was arrested and later charged with money laundering offences.

He failed to appear at any court hearing and was eventually tracked down after being arrested for another matter.

If you are approached at home by builders or you notice something suspicious in your road, please contact Bromley’s trading standards rapid response team on 07903 852090. (Source: Bromley council press release)

Youth Council gets people talking about mental wellbeing

Bromley Youth Council has launched its manifesto campaign to encourage young people to talk about mental health issues by manning an information stand in Intu Bromley.

Research for the campaign highlighted that young people recognised adolescence can be a confusing, pressurised time with many finding themselves in difficult and stressful family situations as well as coping with the pressures that all teenagers face such as exams, relationships, growing up and moving on in life.

They were keen to examine issues which can affect mental health and wellbeing in young people and to raise the profile of these ‘life events’ and the possible impact they may have.

Many myths and misinformation about mental health exist and young people did not necessarily know where to go for advice or help. In addition, they were concerned that by speaking out, they might be judged and people would make assumptions about them.

Bromley Youth Council have made a video to address these points which will available to secondary schools to use as part of their PSHE sessions. A handy wallet-size leaflet called ‘Open your mind’, also masterminded by the young people themselves and handed out on the day, contains tips on how to achieve mental wellbeing.

More information and help is available at: www.bromley-y.org.uk (Bromley Y website)

New code of practice to tackle stolen goods

A new code of practice has been launched by Lewisham council and Lewisham police to tackle the sale of stolen goods in the borough.

The new scheme will see second-hand retailers – in particular money loan stores and mobile phone kiosks – targeted to sign up to a voluntary code of practice which will increase security measures around the buying and selling of second-hand goods like mobile phones, jewellery, game consoles, iPads and laptops.

Under the code, retailers will have to carry out proper checks when purchasing second-hand goods from members of the public; ensuring that two forms of photographic identification are asked for, checked and recorded accurately.

This will enable the police to identify lost and stolen goods and make it harder for thieves to sell-on stolen goods.

Retailers that sign up to the scheme will be able to verify if goods have been reported lost or stolen by checking them against the details held on the CheckMend website.

For each check carried out, the retailer will receive a certificate to confirm that the goods were checked with CheckMend.

Officers from the National Mobile Phone Crime Unit, Lewisham police with support from Lewisham council’s trading standards service, will be visiting traders across Lewisham in October to endorse and implement the scheme.

79 per cent of crimes go unsolved in London

New research shows that police are solving less crime since Boris Johnson became Mayor and that London is well below the UK average for solved crime, say Labour members of the London Assembly.

In London 21 per cent were solved in 2012/13 compared to the UK average of 27 pc. This amounts to 606,531 unsolved crimes in London last year.

There has been a rise in certain types of crime in London this year including:

13 per cent rise in murder

5 per cent rise in sexual offences

40 per cent rise in GBH

London Assembly Labour group policing and crime spokeswoman Joanne McCartney (Enfield and Haringey) said: “It is shocking that overall reported crime is down yet the number of unsolved crimes in London is only at 21 per cent.

“Boris talks big about reported crime going down, but so far he has ignored that the number of crimes actually solved on his watch has plummeted.

“Compared to the average in England and Wales, London is trailing on the number of crimes solved where we should be setting the gold standard.

“Since May 2010, in London the number of PCs has been reduced by 8 pc and PCSOs by 48 pc. Boris talks about getting more bobbies on the beat but the figures clearly show this is not happening.

“This proves Boris can’t have his cake and eat it. “If you cut the police budget by as much as the Government has then there will be repercussions. “Victim satisfaction in London is lower than elsewhere in the UK and this is not acceptable. “The Mayor must act now.”

All figures have been produced from the London Datastore: http://data.london.gov.uk/

(Source: London Assembly Labour group press release)

Recycle those electrical items

Lewisham WEEE Week (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is back from 21 to 25 October 2013.

Residents are encouraged to recycle all unwanted small electrical appliances such as stereos, toasters, hairdryers, irons and microwaves. The aim is to exceed last year’s collected two tonnes of waste.

Find out more about what and where you can recycle your electronic equipment.

Contact: Recycling Wearside Service Centre, Wearside Road SE13 7EZ Tel: 020 8314 7171 Fax: 020 8314 3479

Email:[email protected]

http://recycleforlewisham.com/

(Source: Lewisham council press release)

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TENANTS PROTEST AT PLANS TO HOUSE ‘VULNERABLE’ PEOPLE IN FORMER CHILDRENS’ HOME

jerrygreen85 — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 15:59:09 +0000

TENANTS ON an Upper Norwood council estate are protesting against plans to use a former childrens’ home there to house 27 ‘vulnerable’ people.

London Housing Trust want to lease the former childrens’ home at 3 Highland Road after it was bought at auction by a property developer.

But tenants leader Jean Haley says that when it was previously used previously as a hostel for Kosovan refugees they would sit on the grassed communal area – in a quiet backwater of the estate – drinking outside tenants homes until 2 a.m.

And Andrew Gibson, a former Conservative councillor for Gipsy Hill ward in which the estate sits, says turning the property into a hostel would be contrary to “saved policy 15 of the unitary development plan (UDP) ” – i.e against the council’s planning policy.

“But the council says it can’t rule on planning until it has made a decision about what is before it – namely a request for a “certificate of lawful development”.

The childrens’ home, originally built as part of the 1970s estate, did not last long and was eventually acquired by an American woman named Thier who began using it as a hostel for Kosovan refugees before getting planning permission for change of use. Miss Thier later appealed against a Lambeth council enforcement notice and lost.

The appeal inspector said: “…a residential use of the building as a hostel for refugees, mostly young men separated from their families, is not likely to be easily absorbed into an area characterised by households of elderly, long-standing residents.”

Jean told News From Crystal Palace: “Initially the trust spoke of having two experienced full-time staff on the premises 24/7 “Now they’ve added two apprentices and a number of volunteers. “Vulnerable people need people who know how to treat them and look after them.

“I held a public meeting about this. “I had to threaten to close the meeting because people were so angry. “What we are all against is the way they are treating our estate. “It’s upsetting a lot of people.

“We’ve just got the estate nice” says Jean, who has chaired the tenants association for 30 years, “We had trouble with yobs, trouble with graffiti, trouble with vandalism.”

Andrew Gibson said: “We hope this will not be granted and then it would presumably be a planning matter and the application would be deemed against policy 15.

“An objection we have is that there are already so many hostels in this area. There are two on Victoria Crescent. “I am not against hostels per se – they are needed – but the council seems to be using a relatively deprived area as a dumping ground.”

LONDON HOUSING TRUST’S website states: “All of our clients are referred to us via a number of different organisations that assist homeless people. “A high proportion of our residents have experienced long term homelessness and have been street homeless for some time. ”They have a variety of physical and mental health problems that have been enhanced by the street life experience. “In addition to their homelessness, a typical resident will have several other challenges to face – ranging from learning difficulties to not being able to handle their financial affairs. “Many have experienced significant trauma – in childhood; in the armed forces; on the streets.”Most people who become homeless feel very isolated; many have lost contact with all their friends and families. “People come to us with increasingly complex needs, including dual diagnosis and to help them recover we must constantly modify and modernise our homeless services. “Our clients’ achievements as they work towards recovery are made even greater by the significant hurdles they have overcome.

“In this time of austerity and the changes to the benefits system more and more young people and families are coming into homelessness than we have seen before. ”In the last year we have seen more victims of domestic violence (DV) and we have developed several DV projects to cope with demand.”

(NEWS FROM CRYSTAL PALACE is not aware of any complaints relating to the two hostels on Victoria Crescent or any relating to another hostel on Farquhar Road.)

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COUNCILS RAISE MILLIONS IN ON-STREET FINES AND PARKING INCOME

jerrygreen85 — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 15:32:05 +0000

LAMBETH, CROYDON AND SOUTHWARK councils raised a combined total of £28.6 million in on-street parking fines – and a collective £47.9 million in parking income – for the 2011-12 financial year, figures issued by the RAC Foundation reveal.

Lambeth finished in the top ten earners for both on-street paring fines (£16.7 million) and in parking income (£25.1 million) despite a 43 per cent fall in parking income.

The RAC Foundation released their figures after supporting Barnet residents in a High Court case where a judge ruled Barnet council had acted unlawfully when it hiked residents’ parking fees to “defray other road transport expenditure and reduce the need to raise income from other sources, such as… council tax.”

In a stinging comment the Foundation’s Philip Gomm said: “So councils are cash strapped? “Not when it comes to parking income it would seem.

“Between them the 359 authorities that run parking operations made an eye-watering £565 million between them in the financial year 2011-12, as our latest report shows. “Before all the councils start leaving comments, yes we realise this figure is before capital charges – that is building and replacing stuff associated with parking – are deducted

“But even after you allow for these the total surplus is still a massive £412 million. “In a way the point is not that a surplus is made – but why it is made.

“Few drivers will have a complaint with a coherent transport policy which manages traffic and congestion through the use of parking fees. “If there were no restrictions or charges then in many towns and cities there would be a free-for all on the roads which would be in no-one’s interests, drivers included.

“And if a ‘profit’, sorry surplus, is generated then this is allowed for in law as long as it is spent on a strict and limited number of things, all of which are essentially transport related.

“What is not allowed for in law are parking charges that are set to generate revenue for hard-up councils facing cuts in central government grants and restrictions on the level of council tax they can set. “We know it is against the law not just because it is there in black and white on the statue book but because a High Court a judge said so just last week.

“According to Mrs Justice Lang, Barnet council in north London acted unlawfully when it hiked residents’ parking fees to “defray other road transport expenditure and reduce the need to raise income from other sources, such as… council tax.”

“One nil to the residents of Barnet who brought the case, supported by the RAC Foundation.

“It is true that there are several councils which do not make money from parking, but they are in the minority. “That they made a loss might actually be a sign of a good parking policy where charges are kept low to actually encourage cars into a town or city centre to support the business of traders in the High Street.

“But as for the rest there will be the suspicion amongst drivers that they are increasingly coming to rely on parking surpluses as a way of protecting other services.

“This might be a laudable aim, but it is not a lawful aim. Why should councillors decide that the best way to break even is to arbitrarily tax one section of society?

“The RAC Foundation would encourage all councils to publish an annual parking report containing their traffic management strategy and detailing what they are charging and why. if a set of charges has risen dramatically, why have they gone up? “What is the traffic problem the council is trying to solve?

“The irony is that these huge profits come against a backdrop of a decline in traffic volume because of the recession. “Arguably parking charges should be generally coming down, not going up.

“And of course pigs might fly.”

(Tables below courtesy RAC Foundation. Remaining figures for Lewisham and Bromley awaited.)

Table 4 On-street penalty income On-street penalty income									On-street penalties as % of on-street income
£ million		2011/12		2010/11		2009/10		Change 2011 on 2009			2011/12		2010/11		2009/10
1	Westminster		25.3		22.1		20.5			24%		32%		31%		29%
2	Camden		18.5		18.7		20.3			-9%		50%		51%		53%
3	Hammersmith & Fulham		18.2		11.0		8.5			114%		59%		39%		34%
4	Lambeth		16.7		16.8		34.0			-51%		67%		69%		82%
5	Islington		11.2		9.5		14.9			-25%		43%		39%		51%
6	Newham		10.8		7.7		7.8			39%		73%		70%		76%
7	Ealing		10.0		10.1		8.7			15%		55%		77%		72%
8	Brent		9.6*		7.2		11.4			-16%		60%		56%		81%
9	Kensington & Chelsea		9.4		10.2		12.2			-23%		23%		29%		34%
10	Haringey		8.0		7.2		7.2			11%		55%		58%		62%
11	Waltham Forest		7.7		6.1		6.3			22%		79%		70%		67%
12	Barnet		7.2		5.1		5.9			21%		55%		60%		62%
13	Wandsworth		7.1		6.0		6.1			16%		26%		24%		25%
14	Croydon		6.4		6.0		5.5			16%		63%		63%		60%
15	Hounslow		5.7		4.9		4.5			25%		57%		53%		54%
16	Manchester		5.6		3.6		3.8			45%		53%		47%		48%
17	Harrow		5.6		5.6		5.1			10%		79%		80%		78%
18	Hackney		5.5		9.3		5.3			3%		36%		57%		41%
19	Southwark		5.5		4.6		5.4			1%		93%		53%		61%
20	Tower Hamlets		5.4		5.2		5.1			7%		31%		31%		31%
ENGLAND				45%				45%					48%

(The Foundation says there is certainly evidence of a decline in the number of penalty charges as motorists become more aware of the rules and are more careful to park legally.)

Table 2 Parking income (on and off street) £ million		2011/12		2010/11		2009/10		Change 2011 on 2009
1	Westminster		80.0		84.3		83.4		-4%
2	Kensington & Chelsea		42.8		36.5		37.6		14%
3	Camden		39.3		39.2		41.0		-4%
4	Hammersmith & Fulham		31.1		28.3		24.9		25%
5	Wandsworth		27.0		25.2		24.2		12%
6	Islington		26.1		24.2		29.0		-10%
7	Lambeth		25.1		24.3		44.0		-43%
8	Brighton & Hove UA		23.6		23.1		21.6		9%
9	Ealing		20.0		14.5		14.0		42%
10	Birmingham		18.7		17.7		19.2		-2%
11	Tower Hamlets		17.5		16.8		16.5		6%
12	Newham		17.2		13.1		12.1		42%
13	Brent		16.9		13.7		14.8		14%
14	Hackney		15.3		16.5		13.2		16%
15	Haringey		14.8		13.0		12.0		24%
16	Cornwall UA		14.0		13.9		13.9		1%
17	Barnet		14.0		9.2		10.3		35%
18	Newcastle upon Tyne		13.9		12.5		13.5		3%
19	Manchester		13.7		12.5		11.1		24%
20	Leeds		13.0		11.7		12.0		8%
21	Hounslow		12.2		11.2		10.6		15%
22	Croydon		11.9		14.6		16.0		-25%
23	City of London		11.1		10.0		9.3		20%
24	Southwark		10.9		11.9		11.2		-3%
25	Bristol UA		10.8		9.9		9.7		11%
26	Enfield		10.8		10.9		13.0		-17%
27	Bath & North East Somerset UA		10.7		12.3		11.4		-6%
28	Guildford		10.7		10.1		9.4		13%
29	Waltham Forest		10.4		9.3		9.9		4%
30	Bromley		10.3		10.0		9.5		9%

Note: Local authorities are required to submit details of their finances to the Department of Communities and Local Government, following a detailed set of rules prepared by the Department each year. They are normally published in November.

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NEW INVESTIGATION INTO LOW PAY LAUNCHED IN LONDON

jerrygreen85 — Wed, 03 Jul 2013 14:45:37 +0000

AN INVESTIGATION into low pay and the London living wage has been launched by the London Assembly’s economy committee.

Figures show that 700,000 Londoners – 16 per cent of workers – earn less than the London living wage of £8.55 per hour – and that there are 1.1 million children and adults in poverty in London in households where at least one person is in work.

The investigation will:

investigate the extent and drivers for low pay in London including how persistent the problem is ;
assess the impact of low pay on London’s economic success; and
explore what action should be taken by the Mayor, employers and partners in relation to low pay in London

The committee also want to hear the views of London employers, representative bodies, think tanks, academics and experts, campaigning organisations, London boroughs, and Londoners themselves on these issues. For more information or to contribute your views, please contact Simon Shaw at [email protected]. by August 9th 2013.

Stephen Knight, who chairs the economy committee, says: “London is a city of enormous wealth and yet more than a million adults and children in the capital live in poverty – despite someone in their family being in work. “We want to understand what effect this is having on the economy and why low-paid work persists in the capital.”

He said the committee would also want to explore what might be preventing more companies paying the London Living Wage – which the Mayor has committed to increasing the number of private sector employers paying the London living wage – currently 137 – to 250 within the next three years*. Assembly members will also look at the current uptake of the London living wage – which the Mayor hopes to make the “norm” by 2020 - and see what barriers exist that prevent more companies paying it. “We want to find out if there is more the Mayor and employers could be doing to increase pay for hard-working Londoners” added Mr Knight.

(*There are 137 accredited living wage employers in London. Others may be paying the living wage but are not yet accredited – this includes the GLA which is in the process of being accredited.)

FIGURES given in various reports covering the economy committee’s announcement of the investigation show that overall, there are 610,000 children and 1,350,000 working age adults in poverty in London.

The total number of children in poverty has fallen in the last decade, while the number of working age adults in poverty has risen. The number of children living in low-income working families (in-work poverty) in London has steadily risen since the late 1990s.

There are 360,000 children living in in-work poverty, up by 110,000 or 44 pc since the late 1990s. Of this rise, some 40,000 was in the last four years.By contrast, the number of children living in low-income workless families has dropped by 160,000 over the same period to 250,000.

As a result, the share of in-work poverty has INCREASED from a third to more than half over the period. Trends for adults in low-income follow a similar pattern.

The number of adults in low-income working families increased by 320,000 or almost four fifths in the ten-year period (in absolute terms). In relative terms, taking account of the changing population, the proportion of working-age adults in low-income, working households has risen from 12 pc to 19pc. It now stands at 730,000, having risen by 140,000 in the last four years alone. In total, just under 1.1m people in London are in in-work poverty.

The number of children in workless families fell by over 160,000 in the decade to 2010-11. But the commensurate rise in the number of children in working families has largely been in families where one adult, and possibly the sole earner, works part-time. Among such families, the risk of poverty is still quite high.

Part-time work is not sufficient to lift a family out of poverty.

The committee will be holding a formal meeting on the topic on September. (Sources: GLA press release / accompanying documents).

MAYOR CHALLENGED ON FOOD POVERTY COMMITMENT

The Mayor was challenged today at Mayor’s Question Time following his omission to reference a commitment to tackle food poverty in his 2020 Vision document published last week. While there was a reference on an interactive timeline which could be viewed on the GLA intranet to ‘aim for a zero hunger city’ and that ‘No child in London should go to school hungry by 2020’ the report itself failed to mention this pressing issue facing Londoners.

Len Duvall AM, Leader of the London Assembly Labour Group questioned the Mayor about whether he had actually read the report titled ‘A Zero Hunger City – Tackling food poverty in London’ produced by Fiona Twycross AM. The Mayor replied that he is “aware of its conclusions” but failed to confirm that he had actually read it.

The report launched on 27th March sets out recommendations to the Mayor to tackle Food Poverty in London. The Mayor’s Office has until 24th July to formally respond to this.

Assembly member Fiona Twycross (Lab, Londonwide), who recently completed an investigation into food poverty in London for the London Assembly’s Health & Environment Committee said: ‘’As the Mayor was unable to confirm he had actually read my report when challenged today, my office has now delivered another copy to his office.

“I hope that the Mayor now reads this report and takes on the board its recommendations. “I’m also concerned that at the same meeting we had other assembly members again calling for a freeze on the minimum wage, as well as saying that they do not care about the gap between rich and poor.

“The Mayor needs to address the reality of many Londoners who are faced by rising living costs and having to access support from food banks. “Last week we saw him launch a glossy report as he turns his focus to own his legacy, however this omission shows his 2020 vision lacks substance and does not deal with problems facing Londoners’’

A formal response from the Mayor is due later this month. (Source: GLA press release)

CRACKDOWN ON LOAN SHARKS

Loan sharks in Lambeth will come under new pressure following the council’s decision to sign up to a national agreement to tackle illegal money lenders.

Cllr Jack Hopkins, Lambeth council cabinet member for safer and stronger neighbourhoods, said: “Loan sharks often target the most vulnerable people in our community and I welcome our push to tackle the issue.

“With a stagnant economy, these austere times are hard enough without the additional misery of being in debt to illegal loan sharks. “I urge residents to avoid illegal money lenders at all costs, and to call the hotline number to report any operating in their area.”

Loan sharking is a criminal offence, with extortionate rates of interest on loans that leave some borrowers facing demands for thousands of pounds more than they borrowed. Borrowers can face intimidation, violence or threats of violence and be forced into prostitution, theft or other criminality.

The council’s work to raise awareness of the new action against illegal money lending will be linked to ongoing efforts to highlight the availability of affordable credit in the borough.

The national illegal money lending team, which is based in Birmingham and funded by the National Trading Standards Board, investigates and prosecutes illegal money lending and related offences. The England Illegal Money Lending Team Investigations protocol will apply in the borough until March 2015.

To report a loan shark people can call the 24 hour confidential hotline on 0300 555 2222 or text “loan shark” with a message to 60003.

(Source: Lambeth council press release)

NEW RECYCLING SCHEME – FOR LIGHTBULBS

A NEW recycling scheme for low energy light bulbs and batteries has been launched in Lambeth.

Lambeth has installed 19 Recolight Bulbstore containers for recycling low energy light bulbs and batteries across the borough and says it now has the most comprehensive collection service for light bulbs anywhere in the country.

Lambeth successfully bid for a Government grant to fund the costs of the containers and they will be emptied free of charge by Recolight. All the light bulbs collected will be sent for recycling at approved treatment facilities.

Modern low energy light bulbs typically last over six times as long as, and use a quarter of the power of, an equivalent incandescent bulb. Most importantly, low energy light bulbs save energy and reduce costs. In order to generate their energy saving properties low energy light bulbs contain small amounts of mercury which can be damaging to the environment. It is therefore important to ensure that they are recycled rather than thrown away in the household rubbish.

Launching the scheme, Cllr Imogen Walker, cabinet member for environment and sustainability said: “These containers from Recolight will provide a much needed service and support Lambeth’s commitment to continue reducing and recycling waste.”

Recolight’s customer service manager Lyndsey Smith, said; “People want to recycle their old bulbs but are often unsure of where the nearest facilities are. “These containers will be visible to thousands of residents every week, and we hope that this will help make a difference to recycling in the local area.” (Source: Lambeth council press release).

CAMPAIGN TO HELP TEEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Abusive teenage relationships are being tackled by Lambeth Council through a new awareness campaign. The council recognises that some teens think verbal and physically attacks are acceptable and is running ‘This is abuse’ with the Home Office to challenge the behaviour.

The campaign features posters across the borough, expert led discussions with young people in schools and colleges, and extra support for victims.

Cllr Jack Hopkins, cabinet member for safer and stronger neighbourhoods, said: “Domestic abuse is very damaging for victims of any age – but when experienced at a young age it can set a tone and a damaging expectation of what is acceptable for the rest of your life. “Some teens have very worrying attitudes about what is and isn’t acceptable – abuse is not normal and is never alright.

“We are determined to explain to young people who experience domestic violence that they just don’t have to put up with someone they are close to being abusive towards them and that support is available. “Added to that we are telling perpetrators that what they are doing is wrong, won’t be tolerated and that we will take every step to ensure we get successful prosecutions through the courts.”

The work is being undertaken as part of Lambeth council’s Safer Communities campaign.

Young women whose relationship leaves them feeling scared, intimidated or controlled can get help from Lambeth’s Gaia Centre, which is run by Refuge, on 020 7733 8724. For advice on the issue visit thisisabuse.direct.gov.uk.

DIABETES ’TO COST £40 BILLION BY 2035′

ONE SIXTH of all NHS resources in 2035 could be spent on diabetes unless more is done on prevention and current trends continue, the London Assembly’s health committee has been told

At the first meeting of its new investigation into diabetes care in the capital, the clear link between being overweight or obese and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was highlighted. The committee heard obesity is increasing among children, with one consultant paediatrician saying she had needed to give children bariatric (weight loss) surgery when other weight loss efforts had failed in a bid to prevent diabetes.

Currently, seven per cent of Londoners have diabetes – mostly type 2 – and GPs are seeing numbers of diabetes patients increase each year, including many that are undiagnosed. According to experts, many Londoners do not know about the symptoms of diabetes and some diabetics are not informed about the potentially devastating and life-changing complications that Type 2 diabetes can cause.

As a result, many do not seek treatment for their disease, particularly as it may not make them feel unwell. It can take up to 10 years to diagnose type 2 diabetes, by which time half will have developed complications.

Health committee chairman Dr Onkar Sahota said: “With obesity having reached such epidemic levels that children are now having their stomachs stapled, It is increasingly clear that we need a major shift in how we prevent and treat type-2 diabetes.

“The committee heard that tackling poor diet, increasing physical activity and empowering people to improve their own health are all key in reducing the burden placed on the NHS. “The fact that today’s modern diet is high in sugar and processed foods, and that these poor dietary habits are reinforced by relentless advertising like the sponsorship deals we saw during the Olympics are part of the problem, not the solution.

“There is a diabetes ticking time bomb in London, and the time has come for local government and the NHS to come up with new and radical ideas to tackle the problem.”

All the experts stressed the need for educating people about the disease. Experts set out a number of potential ways to tackle the problem, including a tax on sugary drinks, compulsory food labelling and involving schools and health visitors to help children and families develop good eating habits, which will be explored in more detail at the Committee’s next meeting on November 26th.

Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not use or produce insulin properly. There are two types – type 1 in which the body produces no insulin and which cannot be prevented, and type 2 which develops when the body can still make insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin does not work properly. If you are overweight or obese (you have a body mass index of 30 or greater), you are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. (Source: GLA press release)

LAMBETH APPROVES PLAN FOR RESIDENT-LED CO-OPERATIVE PARKS

LAMBETH council has become the first in the country to offer its residents the chance to be involved in decisions over the future of their local parks.

Lambeth’s ‘Co-operative Parks Programme’ will see residents working alongside the council to improve local parks and given the chance to take decisions about where money is spent and how parks are designed. There will now be a series of public face to face events across Lambeth later this year to gauge the demand from residents and community groups to the proposals.

Cllr Sally Prentice, cabinet member for culture and leisure said: ”It means local people getting the chance to work alongside the council and take decisions about how Lambeth’s parks are run and where money is spent.

‘We want to build upon the success of the friends of Myatt’s Field Park, the Friends of Brixton Windmill and Brockwell Park who led their Lottery investment programmes working in partnership with the council’s park’s service.

‘We have a long history of working successfully with friends of park groups, and the resident-led approach has led to real improvements with new community gardens and areas to grow food. “Our new co-operative parks programme will build on that work and make our 60 parks and open spaces, wonderful places to relax and play sport.”

The parks programme could lead to smaller, unused green spaces turned into community gardens or growing areas and builds on projects already delivered by the council and park friends groups.

Local examples include; Myatt’s Field Park Project Group, in Camberwell, which takes an active role in managing the greenhouses where people grow fruit and vegetables and Brockwell Park Community Partners, which delivers projects including the popular Brockwell Park Music, Arts and Drama programme;

Under the cooperative parks programme the council could share a park’s management with a community group or hand it over completely and perform a monitoring role. If there is no interest from the community, the council would retain full control. Local groups would be free to seek sponsorship and outside grants from organisations such as the Lottery individually or in partnership with the council.

The programme was drawn up following consultation with the Lambeth Parks Forum, an umbrella group representing the borough’s parks friends groups. The council remains the custodian of green space in the borough Under the programme. (Source: Lambeth council press release)

MAYOR LAUNCHES ‘POCKET PARKS ‘ FUND

AS PART OF the Mayor of London’s drive to create 100 ‘Pocket Parks’ across the capital, local community groups are being invited to come forward and apply for a community grant of up to £20,000.

The £450,000 community fund is part of a £2 million investment from City Hall to bring 100 underused urban spaces back into use by March 2015. Normally the size of a tennis court these ‘Pocket Parks’ create small green retreats for the local community to enjoy, making the capital an even better place to live and work.

The first ‘Pocket Park’ opened in Stockwell last month, transforming a concrete area behind a bus stop into an edible oasis, with work already underway on a further 26 ‘Pocket Parks’. Funding for these early projects was directed through London boroughs whereas this round of funding will be given directly to community groups working to improve their local neighbourhoods.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “The most important ingredient for any of my ‘Pocket Parks’ is the involvement of the local community to help shape, create, love and preserve it. “Making the most of our small and forgotten spaces can have a massive impact on the quality of life in urban areas. “They provide the neighbourhood with greenery, a place to meet, relax or grow food, and also make London an even better place to live, work and invest in.”

The scheme which is being delivered by Groundwork on behalf of the Mayor will build on the work of Groundwork’s Transform initiative which began as a key part of the London 2012 Changing Places programme and has already forged close links with local partners, most of them small community groups.

Anita Konrad, Director, Groundwork London said: “At Groundwork we are firmly committed to helping build communities and improving the environment. “So we are delighted to be part of the Mayor’s ‘Pocket Park’ initiative to create 100 mini oases across the capital and look forward to receiving applications and working with local groups to transform a small corner of their local area into a vibrant and green community space.”

The fund offers grants of between £5,000 and £20,000 to local community groups to create ‘Pocket Parks’. The deadline for applications is 17:00 on 23rd July 2013. For details of how to apply, please download the Pocket Parks Application pack from http://london.groundwork.org.uk/what-we-do/major-initiatives/pocket-park… (Source: GLA press release)

SERIOUS INJURIES FOR ‘VULNERABLE’ LONDON ROAD USERS RISE FOR SECOND YEAR IN SUCCESSION

Figures released by Transport for London show the number of vulnerable road users seriously injured in London’s has risen for the second consecutive year.

London Assembly Labour group transport spokeswoman Val Shawcross has called on Mayor of London Boris Johnson to focus on bringing down the number of serious incidents involving pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The figures show serious incidents involving pedestrians increased in 2012 by 17 per cent since 2011. Serious cyclist injuries rose by 18 pc and motorcyclist casualties in the same category saw an increase of six pc over that period.

Val Shawcross, who is assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark says: “The Mayor must introduce targets to bring down the rise of serious casualties on London’s roads. “He’s taken his eye off the ball and the result has been an increase in injuries to the most vulnerable road users. “Boris has promoted his policy of smoothing car traffic in London and it looks as though that has been at the expense of pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

“If we are determined to encourage more people to cycle and walk then the Mayor must improve public safety on red routes which run through high streets and shopping areas. “The Mayor’s priority needs to be making London’s roads as safe as possible, and he should be paying the most attention to TfL’s (Transport for London) red routes which pose a greater threat to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.” (Source: London Assembly Labour group press release).

Transport for London’s Casualties in Greater London during 2012 can be found here: http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/corporate/casualties-in-greater-london-2012.pdf

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PASSPORT TO PALACE? “Golden opportunity to form another London borough”

jerrygreen85 — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 11:00:20 +0000

A LONDON BOROUGH OF CRYSTAL PALACE – that’s the plan being proposed by the Upper Norwood Improvement Team.

In a move which partly reflects the plot of the 1940s Ealing Studios film classic ‘Passport to Pimlico’ – where residents of part of Pimlico declare independence after discovering their area is part of Burgundy - UNIT are now actively pursuing more information on the idea of independence with a difference.

The move comes against a background of increasing local hostility within Upper Norwood towards Croydon council’s ruling Conservative group over massive funding cuts to Upper Norwood joint library and the closure of the children’s centre behind Sainsbury’s on Westow Street.

Fiona Byers, representing Upper Norwood joint library, said that as a childrens’ librarian she dealt with a lot of families. “They are saying there’s far too many children in our schools, there’s far too many people around. “I’m wondering whether this is a golden opportunity to form another London borough.

“The Crystal Palace area would then become the central point. “We’ve got so many amazing people that make up our area being creamed off in little bits. “It would be nice to harness what we’ve got and go places.

“That might release some pressure on everyone around. “It would be much more helpful with getting stuff done – I use that in its loosest form.”

Fiona recalled there had been problems with the Victorian toilets on Crystal Palace Parade for two years or more because everyone was fighting over who owned the toilets because they were on the boundary of three boroughs.- but may not have been when they were first built. (The toilets have since turned into a ‘below stairs’ home)

“We’re in a unique position that five boroughs meet within a few hundred metres of each other and this is what causes so many problems. “There are places in London where three boroughs meet. “There’s nowhere where there’s four meet. “It’s hard enough dealing with one council but when you’ve got to deal with five it’s a nightmare.”

Southwark Cllr Andy Simmons explained that there were periodic reviews of boundaries by the Boundary Commission for England, an entirely independent body.

“But they do tend to focus on ward boundaries within a borough. “If people do want to go down that route then London boroughs are about 200,000 to 300,000 people in size. “Any change that people might suggest would have to fit in with the order of 250 to 300,000 people.”

Cllr Simmons (Lab. College ward) suggested “for the sake of debate” moving the boundaries of one borough to encompass the whole of the Triangle might be a more realistic proposition than trying to create a new borough.”

Mark Richardson replied: “That seems good to me – to get us away from Croydon. “They’ve taken away the town centre manager, the children’s centre. “We’re mortgaging the street lights for 25 years and our children are going to end up paying for them.” The £75,000 Croydon had given Upper Norwood library was “totally derisive” he added. And he recalled that, as a previous chairman of the (then) Upper Norwood Chamber of Commerce “I was repeatedly told we had no right to have a Chamber up here because they had one in Croydon! ”How about asking the Boundary Commission to come up and give us a talk?

Responding to Cllr Simmons suggestion of one borough encompassing the whole of the Triangle, UNIT chairman George Filbey said he’d personally prefer Southwark – “and possibly Southwark may not want us.”

Declaring his own independence – Mr Filbey, a former Croydon councillor for Upper Norwood ward – said he had now left the Conservative party. “This is the party I like – the Crystal Palace party.”

He said he would like to see the London borough of Crystal Palace run by a community group rather than a political party. “We should be considering the old system where we had ratepayers associations – that kind of thing..Fiona Byers said that if the area got down to just three boroughs it would help the situation.

UNIT’s next meeting is the annual meeting on Tuesday October 29th.

IF A LONDON borough of Crystal Palace was to be created one possible blueprint would be for it to embrace the following existing council wards (Figures in brackets are the numbers on the electoral register for that ward for the May 2010 borough council elections):

BROMLEY:

Crystal Palace 8,667

Penge and Cator: 12,060

Clock House 11,690

CROYDON:

South Norwood 11,027

Upper Norwood 11,171

Thornton Heath 11,050

Selhurst 11,295

Bensham Manor 11,235

West Thornton 11,547

LAMBETH

Gipsy Hill 9,808

Knights Hill 9,973

Tulse Hill 11,169

Thurlow Park 9,837

LEWISHAM

Sydenham 10,862

Forest Hill 10,255

SOUTHWARK

College 8,670

Village 8,843

East Dulwich 8,948

This would give a total figure of 188,137 – the 200,000 figure could be reached by including the Croydon wards of Norbury (11,682) and / or Addiscombe (11,748)

(Image courtesy of Cinema Museum)

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COUNCIL GETS TOUGH ON ILLEGAL ENCAMPMENTS

jerrygreen85 — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:40:47 +0000

A CRACKDOWN on illegal encampments to stop sites being repeatedly used and to target those responsible is being taken to the courts by Croydon council.

“Last year our officers had to deal with 83 unauthorised encampments,
which in some cases required bailiffs being brought in to assist, at a cost
to the taxpayer of more than £128,000″ said Croydon council in a statement.
Currently the council issues notices and bylaws to remove trespassers,
but it is felt further action needs to be taken to prevent sites being
occupied repeatedly.
“This will see the council apply to the courts for an injunction to stop
those responsible for repeated illegal encampments on land owned by the
council or that forms part of the public highway.
“As injunctions can be granted indefinitely, this will provide the council
with a longer term solution to the problem.
“There is also the possibility this could be used on private land
encampments, subject to the owner’s consent” added the council statement..
Cllr Simon Hoar, cabinet member for community safety and public
protection, said: “Illegal encampments are a blight on the borough.
“They cause anti-social behaviour, damage property and leave litter.
“They also take up officer time and are costly to the taxpayer given the
clean up expenses involved.
“Not only will this policy enable us to continue dealing with unauthorised
encampments quickly and robustly, but it will offer a longer term solution
to stop particular sites being repeatedly used.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

LAMBETH PROPOSES CONTROLS ON TAKE AWAYS, BARS AND BETTING SHOPS

Lambeth council are asking residents whether they agree with its bold plans to limit takeaways, payday lenders and betting shops.
Under Lambeth’s proposals, when considering new applications:

• New takeaways would be refused within 400m of any school outside a town centre.

• No more than a quarter of town centre shops should be bars, pubs or restaurants outside of Waterloo and Vaxuhall (which are part of central London)

• All the powers available to the council would be used to limit the number of betting shops, money-lenders or pawn brokers opening in town centres.

Lambeth Cllr Pete Robbins said: “These are bold plans to battle childhood obesity and manage our night-time economy. “People are concerned about the number of betting shops, money lenders and pawnbrokers on our high streets.”
“We’ve little room for manoeuvre over limiting payday money lenders because of national planning law, so we are joining other local authorities in calling on the Government to give us greater powers to work with residents to deliver the high streets they want and in the meantime, will use the limited power we do have to the fullest effect.”
Of the five A-class planning categories (A1-5), betting shops, pawnbrokers and payday loan shops are classed as A2, as are banks and building societies.
Under planning law, no permission is required to change within the A2 classification eg if a bank closes, a payday shop can open.
In general, a change of use to a lower A class does not require permission. However, a change of use to a pub or bar (A4) always requires permission.
The Draft Local Plan proposes refusing permission for requests A1 (shops) to A2 where this would result in too many A2 units in one area.
Residents are invited to comment on the Local Plan proposals in a number of ways:
Via the council’s website at www.lambeth.gov.uk/localplan
The draft plan is available at any Lambeth library, Lambeth town hall and at the ground floor of Phoenix House, where planning officers will be on hand to answer questions on Tuesdays between 2pm and 5pm.
Civic, friends and residents groups can invite council officers to speak at their meetings.
For more information, residents can call 020 7926 1212 or email [email protected] or visit www.lambeth.gov.uk/localplan (Source: Lambeth council press release)

SCAM PHONE CALLS – BE ON YOUR GUARD

BEWARE OF a new ‘call holding’ phone scam that’s the warning from Bromley safer Partnership.

How the scam works:
A victim is telephoned by a person alleging to be someone of authority – from the police, bank, Serious Fraud Office, for example. The caller says
there is a problem with the recipient’s bank account and their bank card must be collected.
If the caller cannot convince the victim, they are told to hang up and call a genuine number – such as 999 or the
telephone number on the rear of their bank card. However, the bogus caller
keeps the telephone line open and so the call goes straight back to the
fraudster who then deals with any subsequent call, convincing the victim
of their authenticity.
The victim willingly reveals their bank details and PIN. Often an unwitting
courier or taxi driver is sent to collect the victim’s card. The fraudster then
empties the bank account.
Don’t get caught out – warn family,
friends and neighbours. (Source: Bromley Safer Partnership newsletter
‘Safer Bromley News Spring 2013′)

CASH PAYMENTS ON BUSES FACE AXE

Cash payments made on London buses are to be phased out later this year by Transport for London, a Freedom of Information request has revealed.

Passengers will no longer be able to pay cash to the driver directly. They will have to have bought a ticket before they board or have enough credit on their Oyster card.
Labour group transport spokesperson Val Shawcross questioned the safety of this decision, fearing passengers on night buses could find themselves stranded if their oyster card is lost or stolen.
Labour Group Transport spokesperson Val Shawcross, who is London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark. said:“Being able to pay with cash on buses must continue as an emergency option for people who have lost their oyster cards and need to get home.
“It’s not safe to take this away from Londoners who might have no other choice and could find themselves stranded.
“It’s disgraceful that bus users are not given the same service as travellers on London Underground. “Bus passengers should be able to load online payments on to their Oyster cards when they tap onto a bus as customers on the London Underground are able to do.
“I call on the Mayor to reconsider this unwise decision and allow Londoners to continue with the flexibility they currently have with bus payments.” (Source: London Assembly Labour group press release)

ELECTRIC BIKES MAKE CYCLING EASY

Croydon has taken delivery of four electric bikes to give residents the chance to try cycling.

The bikes will be available for everyone but will help give older residents, people with disabilities and those who don’t feel fit enough or able to ride normal pedal bikes the opportunity to cycle.
The bikes are part of the council’s cycle training programme, which is open to anyone regardless of age or ability.
Road safety officers from the council collected the bikes from Cyclingmadeasy, Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon, on Monday and rode them to the cycle training base at the Arena in South Norwood.
The council works with cyclinginstructor.com to offer free one-to-one cycling lessons to people aged nine and above, who live, work or study in Croydon.
All ability levels are welcome and pedal cycles are also available to borrow.
Lessons are available seven days a week starting from home, the office or anywhere that is convenient.
Cllr Jason Perry, cabinet member for planning and regeneration, said: “Electric bikes are a great way for people to experience the joys of cycling; especially those who are elderly or feel they are not fit enough to cycle.
“This training programme is open to people of all ages and abilities, and will provide advice on staying safe and being confident while on the road.”

For more information or to book visit www.cyclinginstructor.com or call 0845 652 0421.

GARDEN WASTE COLLECTIONS START AGAIN

Free fortnightly garden waste collections have started up again in Croydon.

Changes to the service from last year mean that people can use any bags or sacks they like, as long as they are no bigger than the ones that can be bought from libraries for £1 each.
No free bags will be provided, but the council will now collect up to 10 sacks from every household each fortnight, an increase from the six-bag limit of last year.
To remind themselves which weeks their garden waste will be collected, people can enter their address on the ‘about your area’ part of the council website at www.croydon.gov.uk.
Residents are reminded to use the service only for grass, weeds, dead plants, leaves and small branches.
Everything else – including larger pieces of wood, plant pots, turf, food waste, soil and Japanese knotweed – must be disposed of separately.
Cllr Phil Thomas, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “This is a popular service and we’re keen to make sure that green waste is collected separately so that it can be composted rather than sent to expensive and environmentally damaging landfill sites.” (Source: Croydon council press release)

CRUSHING VICTORY FOR COUNCIL AGAINST FLYTIPPERS

A van used by a serial-flytipper who plagued Croydon for over a year has been seized and destroyed by the council.

The transit van was spotted by a sharp-eyed council officer who recognised its registration number from an incident that had taken place a year earlier.
In the autumn of 2011 residents had reported the van and its numberplate after a disused builder’s yard in Martin Crescent, began to be used as an illegal dumping ground for mountains of rubbish.
The van and its registered keeper were untraceable at the time, and due to the scale of the problem the council eventually had to clear the privately owned land itself.
“In October last year it looked like the flytippers had returned, as the yard began to fill up with junk again. “This was noticed by one of the council’s environmental enforcement team, who also remembered the details of the vehicle that had been reported as having been previously involved” said a council spokesperson.
“The culprit had been careless enough to leave their van next to the waste they had been tipping, and this led to it being seized and impounded.
“As a result of further investigations the person believed to have been the owner of the vehicle at the time is now facing prosecution. “The van itself has been scrapped and crushed.”
Cllr Phil Thomas, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “We have zero tolerance to flytipping, and anyone caught illegally dumping waste – be that a single bin bag by the side of a tree or a tipper-load dropped on the road – can expect to be caught and punished.
“Local people are fed up with this sort of behaviour, and we know we have their full support in issuing fines and seeking prosecutions whenever we have the evidence to back us up.”
(Source: Croydon council press release)

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LIBRARY TO OPEN THREE DAYS A WEEK – Five staff lose their jobs

jerrygreen85 — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:41:44 +0000

UPPER NORWOOD JOINT LIBRARY will only open for three days a week from Monday April 29th – and closing for lunch on two of them.

Five staff will be losing their jobs – a reduction from the current complement of 10 – four other vacant positions having remained unfilled.
The 40 per cent-plus cut in opening times is a direct result of Croydon’s Conservative councillors voting to pull out of the 112 year old historic agreement between Croydon and Lambeth councils running the country’s only independent public library in the wake of their hotly-disputed claim that only cabinet members could sit on the library joint committee.
Notices were put up in the library yesterday (Monday) announcing the changes.
The library will now be closed on Mondays and Fridays and only open on Tuesdays (10 am to 7pm) and Thursday (9am to 7pm) but closing for lunch between 1pm and 2pm on both days. The library will also be open on Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.
The notices add: “The staff at UNJL would hope that we will be able to increase these opening hours in the near future.
“However, this is dependent on increasing the staff hours and at this time it is unclear whether these additional costs can be covered by the budget.”
The newly announced opening times come amid suggestions that pressure is being put on the library staff to open for longer hours – mainly by Lambeth and to a lesser degree by Croydon.
The latest cuts are bound to provoke an even bigger uproar than previous protests - a far cry from the last council elections when Conservative candidates produced their – now infamous – leaflet which declared: “Upper Norwood library – only the Conservatives care’.
REACTIONS SO FAR:
ROBBIE Gibson, on behalf of the library’s interim trustees, said: “Many of you will have seen the sad impact of Croydon Council’s drastic cut to our library’s budget in the announcement by library staff of amended hours and staff cuts.
“The Upper Norwood Library Trust is not yet running the library and so not in a position to make decisions on opening hours.
“The Trust is meeting with both councils next week and is not yet aware of any permanent decisions re the opening hours having been taken by Lambeth Council, the incoming caretaker body.
“The library is in a transition phase. The Trust appreciates the importance of opening hours to suit the community and will seek to bring about the best possible solution within the reduced funding envelope.”
GIPSY HILL ward Cllr Matthew Bennett (Lab), writing on the ward’s website, said: “This is terrible news – but could have been much worse.
“Three years ago the Tories in Croydon announced that they wanted to cut the funding, close the library and had valuers ready to price the building for sale to private developers.
“It’s only because of the strength of feeling in the community and a strong local campaign that the library can remain open at all.
“The library is now overwhelmingly funded by Lambeth council despite less than a third of the library’s users being Lambeth residents.
“Lambeth are currently working with the library staff to help get the library through and keep it open for local people at this difficult time.
“Once the situation is much more stable then the council and we as local councillors want to work with the local community to make the community trust model a possibility.
“We want to see the library building owned by local people so that never again can the community be threatened by an uninterested Tory council who want to sell off the building.
“Setting a trust up is going to take time – and we want to make sure that it’s as open and inclusive a process as possible so that the end result truly reflects the balance of local interest in the library and maintains a strong link to the councils who provide the money to maintain a proper library service in the heart of Crystal Palace.”
CROYDON council’s Labour opposition spokesman on libraries Cllr Timothy Godfrey, reiterating their promise to match fund Lambeth council’s grant to the library if they retake control of Croydon town hall next year, said “This is a clear and simple sign that you get what you pay for.
“Croydon council is expecting Lambeth council to subsidise its residents’ use of this library.
“Croydon Tories have broken their 2010 election pledge that the Upper Norwood library would be safe in their hands.”
UPPER Norwood Improvement Team (UNIT) chairman George Filbey said: The library has had to reduce its service to the people of Crystal Palace areas because of the drastic cuts in funding from the two councils who funded it, Lambeth and Croydon, especially Croydon council.
“Eventually the newly formed trust that will run the library will be able to obtain funds available in the area as well as the reduced funding from the councils.
“When all this is up and running the library should open again fully regardless of the policies of the local councils. “In the meantime the library is bravely tackling the impositions placed on it by the local authorities and I am sure the people of Crystal Palace will never let it die.”
AND A CRYSTAL Palace and Norwood Chamber of Commerce spokesman said: “Thank god for the support of locals who rallied and created the library trust otherwise the library would be closed for seven days a week.”

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LIBRARY OPEN FOR JUST THREE DAYS A WEEK – Five staff losing their jobs

jerrygreen85 — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:38:08 +0000

UPPER NORWOOD JOINT LIBRARY will only open for three days a week from Monday April 29th – and closing for lunch on two of them.

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LAMBETH TO TAKE CONTROL OF LIBRARY PRIOR TO COMMUNITY TRUST MOVE

jerrygreen85 — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:06:02 +0000

LAMBETH COUNCIL is to take over control of Upper Norwood joint library – prior to it being run by a community-based trust.

The move will hopefully bring to an end the uncertainty surrounding the future of the hugely popular icon on Westow Hill.

Lambeth and Croydon councils, who have jointly run the library for the past 112 years, both issued statements announcing their own version of the move.

Lambeth’s press release was headed: “Lambeth saves Upper Norwood library” while Croydon’s was headed: “Boroughs co-operate to secure library’s future”.

The Upper Norwood Library Campaign, welcoming ”the progress made by both councils in ensuring a future for the Upper Norwood joint library” said: “We look forward to working with

Lambeth as a caretaker manager during the transition to the local trust taking over the governance of the library.

“The independence of Upper Norwood joint library, public funding from both councils and a service provided by professional staff are lines in the sand for the local community of all five boroughs of Crystal Palace.

“While we are supportive of the main thrust of these proposals we will want to scrutinise the detail. “We would also wish to express our whole hearted continued support for the excellent staff over this process”

Campaigners will be meeting with the councils to get more details. Neither press release from both councils makes any mention of redundancies, Lambeth’s press release stated: “Up to now the library, which is on the boundary between the two local authorities, had been jointly funded. “A decision by Croydon council to cut its contribution by £100,000 provoked a strong reaction from the local community and led to the setting up of the Upper Norwood Joint Library Campaign.

“Under the agreement Croydon Council will transfer to the library building, staff, and agreed budgets to Lambeth

“Lambeth in turn will work with the community-led steering group the Upper Norwood Joint Library Campaign whose aim is to create a new trust which will run the library as ‘a publicly-funded, professionally staffed service’,.”

The deal has been welcomed by Lambeth’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, Cllr Sally Prentice who said: “I am delighted that Lambeth have been able to save Upper Norwood library from closure. “It’s fantastic news for local residents and guarantees the future of this library which is held in high regard by the community.

“While councils up and down the country are closing libraries, in Lambeth we have protected our libraries and are investing over £7million in new services, working side by side with the community.”

Lambeth’s statement said: “The fine print of the agreement is being negotiated but the transfer of assets from Croydon to Lambeth is scheduled to take place over the next few months.

“Croydon council has agreed to provide an annual contribution of £75,000, for the next two years. “This is renewable under a three-year funding agreement. “In contrast, Lambeth’s contribution to the Library will be £170,000 a year.”

Croydon’s statement said: “Croydon has confirmed that it will hand over its share in the ownership of the building and make an annual payment as a contribution towards the library’s future running costs.

“This has been set at £75,000 per year for the next two years and means that an annual total of £245,000 funding will be available to run the library. “Additional income from sales and fines should take its overall estimated budget to around £285,000.

“The terms of the transfer of ownership of the library building would see Croydon compensated if it is ever sold or redeveloped.” Croydon’s statement quoted Cllr Tim Pollard, Croydon’s cabinet member for children, families and learning, who said: “Running this library as a joint-venture between two boroughs worked for many years and Croydon was determined to keep it open. “Our new proposal to Lambeth not only achieves that goal but also gives the community more direct control over how it’s managed in the future.”

“The plan arose following interest from a group of local library supporters which fitted neatly with plans that Lambeth had already put forward for its other library branches.

“We’ve already been impressed by the quality of the business plan submitted by members of the local community and Lambeth’s agreement to our proposals bodes well for the prospects of this new enterprise.”

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“SWITCH ON PEDESTRIAN CROSSING” CALL

jerrygreen85 — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:29:19 +0000

GIPSY HILL ward councillors are being urged to get the pedestrian crossing lights installed last year on Westow Hill switched on as soon as possible.

In a letter to the three Lambeth councillors representing the ward Gipsy Hill residents association say residents have repeatedly raised the problems they are having using the crossing by the Sparrowhawk pub and asked why it was not working. “GHRA has chased this up with ward Cllr Matthew Bennett who discovered that the delay is due to TfL not switching them on!
“We are still nowhere nearer having a safe crossing. “Can this now be treated as a matter of urgency as the lights have been in place for nearly a year and it is such a waste of public money for them to be left as ornamental especially when this compromises road safety.”

*A Croydon council spokesman told News From Crystal Palace: “We objected to Lambeth’s premature installation of the crossing control system due to no proper traffic impact assessments or public consultations having been carried out.

“Further work was also required from Lambeth to formalise permissions for the new box junction. “We are, however, confident that both of these issues are close to being resolved.”

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