Agenda and minutes

Welcome from Councillor Amrani, Chair of Catford South Local Assembly.

Presentation from Year 8 Geography students from Conisborough College as part of their ‘Our World’ project  and is part of the ongoing Corbett Residents Association feasibility study. This feasibility study concerns the improvements to the local environment and streetscape in the local shopping parades at Sangley Road, MuirkRoad, Sandhurst Market and Sandhurst Parade

A group of Year 8 students at Conisborough College have been looking at the issues surrounding the Sandhurst and Sangley Road, including parking, fly tipping and rubbish, streetscape and anti social behaviour. The presentation involved the students sharing their findings and possible solutions.

Question and Answer session followed.

Questions available on request.

Presentation available to download.

It was decided to continue with this years competition after the withdrawal of last years organiser. A call was made for volunteers to help lead, organise and publicise and be involved in the competition. And contact Lucy to express interest. Categories are already set. Councillor Amrani agreed to help judge the competition.

Councillors Updated on the position. Community devastated by the prospect of downgrading Lewisham A and E.

Lewisham Council have taken the decision to judicial review and the outcome of this will be in July. Millwall has raised £12000 towards the Save Lewisham A&E Campaign

Tamsin Bacchus from the Save Lewisham Campaign – told assembly of the parallel action - Holding a Peoples Commission of Enquiry on Saturday 29^th of June the first time an event like this has been called by the people. Called for people to attend and donate to Lewisham Councils campaign and Save Lewisham campaign through website. Cllr Amrani commended the Save Lewisham A&E Campaign team for doing an amazing job and stated the need help and support for the group from anyone who can help please do.

Danny Ruta introduced himself as Director of Public health and gave a presentation to highlight the History and changes to the way Public Health is delivered in Lewisham.

Main points included:

Huge changes in the service. Main change is now all responsibility for public health and improving health have moved to the council.

The changes mean that Public Health coming back to its civic roots. How health has delivered and the main causes of ill health and death highlighted including reduction in child mortality, rise in heart disease and how lifestyle causes, such as smoking, effect ill health. Highlighted the need to stop smoking. Trying to move away from treating and curing but trying to prevent illness in the first place.

These are some of the programmes the Council are taking responsibility for:

Everyone over 40 inviting them for a Health Check, paying providers to do this to reach out into the community, GPs, pharmacists and community providers such as Millwall Football Club are now delivering health checks - over 12000 residents had a check.

‘Smokefree Lewisham’ started up a smoke free Lewisham service and stop smoking programmes in the community such as in libraries.

Engaging local communities to help them take more control of their own health and finding solutions to health issues in their own communities. Public Health have  run a radical project in North Lewisham by engaging with local groups and local GPs the community have devised solutions and with the small amount of money on offer they have decided how to spend the money effectively in a targeted way. It has been successful so Public Health are wanting to sub a second pilot in Downham and Bellingham then hopefully expanding it to cover the whole of Lewisham, community responsibility is the way forward.

Question and answer session followed – questions available on request

Presentation available for download.

Questions available on request

Councillor Amrani reminded the assembly of the previous meetings round table exercise and stated that the ward priorities will remain the same as previously and will be:

• Roads and traffic
  Activities for young people
• Streetscape and the environment
• Anti social behaviour and crime
• Catford Town Centre Regeneration – this is not a funding priority

Feedback from the exercise highlighted that there were particular issues around parking, dog fowling, the full list of issues raised will be available to download

Councillor Amrani asked the Assembly if they were continue with these priorities - all agreed.

The fund is £15000. This is not a small grant fund but to be spent on larger projects based around the ward priorities.

Hoping other sub groups, such as Corbett and Culverley Green Resident associations, if they want to do small projects, that they manage a pot of money and have monitoring responsibility for any small projects as part of a larger bid.

If three separate groups want to do similar projects such as, on streetscape and environment, they would be encouraged to join together as one larger project. Assemblies need to take the lead in steering the funding around the priorities.

Explanation of the changes to funding and back ground was made by Andy Thomas Assemblies Team (LBL).

Local Catford South residents, groups and businesses are invited to put forward projects to the assembly that fit one or more of the priorities. Details still to be worked out but deadline is 20^th of September for bid submissions, application forms available from Lucy or online. Coordinating group will take bids in and bring them forward to the assembly at the next meeting.

Controlled parking zones were discussed around costs/fees and how controlled parking will work in practice including staggered timing.

Q: Are there plans to do a resident survey

A: Kate Richardson of the Culverley Green Resident association updated the meeting on the outcome of their AGM where there was a majority vote for a special parking meeting and initial consultation at the beginning of September which all are invited and Council transport and parking department will be invited to attend.

i) Catford Broadway supper club pop up restaurant – event on 20^th June publicised by Cllr Stamirowski.

ii) Helen Stanley of Lewisham Youth Theatre told the Assembly about an exciting project she is planning, around peoples memories and stories of Catford to be based around the regeneration of the town centre called Catford Tales, will keep the assembly updated  on progress.

iii) Ross Walker from Teachsport updated on the Abbotshall Road Development to regenerate the land into a healthy lifestyle hub for the community and are working with the Corbett Residents Association and have local people take ownership of the area. Waiting to sign the lease and waiting for additional funding streams to open. Hoping to be opened by January 2014. Will keep the Assembly Updated.

1V) Q: Why did the Council allow the 160 double decker bus to go up Sandhurst Road which is residential and too narrow to accommodate a bus and residents parking.

A: Cllr Smith answered stating that Lewisham Council and the Planning Department had objected strongly to this decision but it was a TFL decision and tried to give them other option. Council have no control over where TFL run their buses. The road is in a terrible condition possibly due to the buses.

V) Q: Can the coordinator check the status of the trees that the Corbett Residents Association put in a bid for as they have still not arrived.

A: Lucy to follow up with Pete Moss the LBL Tree Officer.

Vi) Q: Could we put in a complaint about the removal of the service collecting green waste, this service is greatly missed by lots of residents.

A: Cllr Stamirowski explained the level of cuts meant may hard decisions had to be taken, but she has contacted Cllr Susan Wize, Cabinet member for Customer Service to see if a solution can be found although this may involve residents paying for the service. Discussion was had on possible solutions. Cllr Amrani stated a commitment to find a solution as residents are really missing this service.

Vii) Brief summery made on the Catford town centre regeneration plans including partnership with developers and generate income. The decant of Millford Towers is beginning. Hoping to start development in 2015. On the website there are artist impressions and idea of what the centre will look like, note: these are not plans, just ideas.

Viii) A call to join the Coordinating Group was made.

iX) Catford south safer Neighbourhood Team drop in surgery at Torridon Road Library on Tuesday 18 June

Next meeting will be on the 6^th of November.

No declarations of interest were made

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